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Eight new districts in J&K

Shujaat Bukhari

Cabinet sub committee to review human rights situation

SRINAGAR: In a landmark decision, the Ghulam Nabi Azad government has created eight new districts, three sub divisions and 14 tehsils, besides setting up a Delimitation Commission for creating new Assembly constituencies, a Finance Commission and a sub committee of the Cabinet for reviewing the human rights situation.

After a marathon meeting of the Cabinet here on Thursday, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told a crowded news conference that Kashmir and Jammu divisions will get four new districts each, thus modifying the recommendations of the Wazir Commission which had suggested three new districts in Jammu and one in Kashmir 30 years ago.

Mr. Azad said Kishtwar, Samba, Reasi and Ramban will be the new districts in Jammu division and Bandipore, Kulgam, Ganderbal and Shopian in the Kashmir valley. Asked why the government modified the Wazir Commission recommendations, he said, "Those recommendations had come 30 years back and much has changed since then."

Stating that he was for equitable development in all the three regions of the State, Mr. Azad said these decisions were taken by the Cabinet unanimously.

"What we decided is part of the Common Minimum Programme formulated by the coalition government in 2002."

The Cabinet also accorded sanction to three new administrative sub divisions in Khan Sahib (Budgam), Gandoh (Doda) and R.S. Pura (Jammu) along with 14 new tehsils in the State.

Cabinet sub committee

The Cabinet sub committee will review the recommendations of the State Human Rights Commission and take stock of the situation from time to time. "While the government is committed to fight terrorism, we are concerned about the loss of human lives and do not want killing of civilians at the hands of police and security forces," he said, adding that infiltration had increased and the forces were facing a major challenge.

Mr. Azad said the proposed Delimitation Commission would look into the issue of increasing Assembly seats. Its terms of reference are yet to be laid down. The Finance Commission will lay down norms for equal distribution of resources to the three regions.

Govt. will also constitute a committee to study job-oriented development plans. "This we are doing to tackle the major problem the State is facing," Mr. Azad said. He said scientist M.S. Swaminanthan would be the Adviser.

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