First time in J&K’s history, civil secretariat functions simultaneously from Jammu, Srinagar

The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Secretariat began functioning simultaneously from the union territories two capitals, Jammu and Srinagar, on Monday—the first time this has happened in the history of the union territory.

The coronavirus pandemic that has ravaged the union territory has stalled the traditional “Darbar Move”—the biannual practice of moving the state capital from winter capital Jammu to summer capital Srinagar that was started in the state in 1872 by then Dogra ruler. The moved to take place on May 4 this year, but the health crisis caused a delay.

After much deliberation, the state administration decided to make the shift on June 8, but on June 18, it decided to keep both secretariats functional. By the latest arrangement, 19 departments will operate out of Srinagar and 18 out of Jammu.

The departments that are functioning out of Srinagar are Civil Aviation, Culture, Estates, Finance, Floriculture, General Administration, Horticulture, Higher Education, Hospitality and Protocol, Industries and Commerce, Information Technology, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Labour and Employment, Public Works, Social Welfare, School Education, Skill Development, Tourism and Youth Services and Sports.

Animal/Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries, ARI and Trainings, Co-operative, Disaster Management Relief, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Election, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Forest Ecology and Environment, Health and Medical Education, Home, Housing and Urban Development, Information, Jal Shakti, Planning, Development and Monitoring, Power Development, Revenue, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Transport and Tribal Affairs are still working out of Jammu.

Two departments—Agriculture Production, and Science and Technology—are functioning simultaneously in both places.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court let the central Ministry of Home Affairs to take a call on the practice, but said in its 93-page judgment that the practice had lost relevance and was now futile.

TNS