Srinagar, Oct 22, KDC: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is expected to return to Srinagar on today, amid discussions over dates for the proposed expansion of the Jammu and Kashmir Council of Ministers.
Sources told news agency Kashmir Dot Com that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had sought a date for the cabinet expansion on ‘Sunday’. However, the date is yet to be finalised, and the schedule is expected to be decided once Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reaches Lok Bhawan today.
Meanwhile, sources suggest that some ministers will be dropped from the Council of Ministers, while new faces will be inducted as part of the proposed expansion.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Council of Ministers cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly. With the Assembly having 90 members, the maximum permissible strength of the Council, including the Chief Minister, is nine.
At present, the Council of Ministers has six members, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, and Cabinet Ministers Sakeena Masood (Itoo), Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar and Satish Sharma.
Surinder Kumar Choudhary holds the portfolios of Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Industries and Commerce, Mining, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development.
Sakeena Masood (Itoo) is in charge of Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare. Javed Ahmed Rana holds Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs.
Javid Ahmad Dar handles Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperative, and Election departments, while Satish Sharma holds Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports, and ARI and Trainings.
If all existing ministers retain their positions, Abdullah can induct up to three additional ministers, taking the Council’s strength to the permitted maximum of nine.
The cabinet expansion has been awaited for months, with the choice of new ministers and the possible allocation of portfolios expected to be key aspects of the exercise. The timing and final composition of the expanded Council remain subject to an official announcement. (KDC)
