‘Nayeem says 80,000 crores package will solve the development problem’

‘All the security arrangements put in place for smooth functioning of secretariat’: IGP Jammu

Srinagar:  The Civil secretariat Monday started its functioning in the winter capital for the next six months with the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed having passed instructions to the security forces deployed in civil secretariat to allow visitors freely.

Officials informed KNS that, Civil Secretariat and other offices closed in Srinagar on October 30 reopened here on Mondayas per the Durbar move, a century-old practice under which the government functions six month each in the two capitals.

Government official told KNS that the police band accorded the guard of honor to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his arrival at the civil secretariat while he was received by senior cabinet colleagues and top police and civil administration officials.

Sources told KNS that Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad has passed instructions to the Chief Secretary to pass the directions to the security forces deployed in civil secretariat that the general public should not face any problems or be subjected to any other system for entry other than the one in vogue. “CM has asked the Chief Secretary to make sure the hassle fee entry of the general public,” sources said.

Authorities said that all the necessary arrangements have been made for smooth functioning of the offices in the Jammu. “All the Jammu-based government employees associated with the Civil Secretariat and other departments have arrived in Jammu after the PM’s visit,” one of the government officials told KNS.

 On the reopening of offices, he said that work will begin from 9.30 AM to 5 PM at the Civil Secretariat, adding that for other departments located outside the Secretariat, work will begin from 10 AM to 4 PM.

Meanwhile police said that surveillance in the areas and localities in the vicinity of the secretariat has been stepped up to check for any suspected elements and traffic diversions have also been enforced on the routes close to the winter capital.

The KNS Jammu correspondent has informed that the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Monday did not hold the customary press conference on the re-opening of government offices here.

“CM, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and other ministerial colleagues arrived in the Civil Secretariat to inspect the guard of honor from the police, he however avoided talking to media-persons,” the correspondent informed.

He however said that PDP senior leader and education minister Nayeem Akhtar while talking to media persons said the economic package of Rs.80,000 crores announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would go a long way in addressing the problems of development in the state.

 When asked about former chief minister Omar Abdullah's comment that there was no political message in Modi's package for Jammu and Kashmir, Akhtar said, “When they are in power they want India to bomb Pakistan and when they lose power they speak a different language."

 Meanwhile talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS) Inspector General of Police Jammu said that all the security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth functioning of secretariat. “Security has been stepped up with additional deployment of forces in and around the secretariat. Nobody will be allowed to disrupt the functioning of civil secretariat,” he said and added that prohibitory orders have been imposed around secretariat.

It is to mention here that for Durbar move government every year spends over crores.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah had in past termed the shifting of the state capital between Jammu and Srinagar twice every year as waste of money, but had said no viable alternative to the arrangement has come to fore so far. (KNS)