PDP Member’s Bill on Tech University defeated
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 30: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that every Government employee, whether a doctor or a teacher wants his/her posting just closer to the house which is not possible.
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He was speaking on the Private Member’s Bill introduced by Congress Member Nizamuddin Bhat in the J&K Legislative Assembly on ” equitable opportunities of employment in the civil services in the UT of J&K keeping in view its complex socio-economical, geographical, ethnic, linguistic concerns and matters connected herewith and incidental thereto (LA Private Members Bill No.11 of 2025).
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Referring to Bhat, Omar said his bill, after examination, appears to have more disadvantages and potential problems than advantages. Acknowledging the genuine concern of the MLA, he said confining recruitment or postings to the local level would create administrative difficulties, including additional cadres, shortage of suitable candidates at the block level and the need for relaxations, which could lead to arbitrariness.
While opposing the Bill of the Congress member, Omar said that though the intensions of the Member for introducing this bill could be fair but it is not appropriate to admit the Bill in the larger interest of the general masses. He said earlier Government employees used to serve in the far flung and remote areas. They used to stay there for serving the people. But it is unfortunate that nobody is prepared to serve in the other district or even in the nearby town.
“Today every employee wants posting closer to his/her house. They do not want posting even 100 meters away from their home. The Government can’t open a school, college or a hospital/office closer to their house. If they are prepared to work, they should be ready to serve in the rural or remote areas or be prepared to sit in their respective homes,” the Chief Minister said.
Omar referred to a case where he was approached by a political leader for the posting of a doctor who had been transferred from Ganderbal to Bandipore. It was hardly one hour drive from his home. The case was not justified at all. If this is the mentality of each employee, how will the system work? How they will justify their service to the public? He said it is not possible to keep an employee within a block, tehsil or with in a limited area. It will create administrative and other problems. It would also make it difficult to meet reservation requirements and limit promotion avenues, leading to disparities among employees. He said the Bill of the Member was not an appropriate solution.
“The Government is working on the perfect solution and will make every employee accountable and make him/ her to serve in other hard areas as well,” the Chief Minister asserted.
Earlier, commenting on the initial remarks of the Congress Member, the Chief Minister said Government does not oppose any private members’ bills without due consideration. All proposals are examined in detail before a view is taken. Omar said remarks made during the discussion could give an impression that bills are not read and are opposed routinely without application of mind, which he described as “somewhat unfair”.
“It may appear as if we pick up a slip marked ‘oppose’ and stand up to reject a bill, but that is not the case,” the Chief Minister said.
Omar said whenever a proposal reaches the Government-whether through the Assembly or any other route-it is scrutinized in detail.
“We examine its feasibility and weigh its advantages and disadvantages. If the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, we do not oppose it,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister further said that Government cannot permit indiscriminate felling of walnut trees as it could severely impact the region’s economy and identity.
He said the Union Territory is contributing nearly 3.5 lakh tonnes – over 90 per cent of the country’s total walnut production.
Opposing the private members’ bill moved by National Conference Legislator Altaf Ahmad Wani seeking amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees, Act, to grant owners the free will to cut Walnut trees on their land, Omar said, while land and trees may belong to individuals, restrictions on cutting them exist for valid reasons, including conservation and long-term economic interests.
He said, similar to protections extended to Chinar trees, several other species are safeguarded under existing frameworks. Highlighting the economic stakes, he said walnuts form a significant component of the region’s economy.
“If unrestricted permission is given, people may cut walnut trees, but may not replant them. Instead, there is a risk of land being diverted for construction, which would reduce walnut production to negligible levels,” he said.
Omar acknowledged concerns about corruption in the permission process, stating that such issues arise wherever restrictions exist.
He suggested that bringing permissions for tree felling under the Public Services Guarantee Act with fixed timelines could help reduce delays and curb corruption.
However, he made it clear that any relaxation must be linked to safeguards and proposed that if old or non-productive trees are to be cut, it should be mandated through legislation that only high-density walnut plantations be raised on that land, with no alternative land use permitted.
“Until such safeguards are in place, we cannot allow indiscriminate cutting of trees or diversion of land. This would endanger a key identity and economic asset of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said, urging the member to withdraw the Bill.
The Chief Minister assured that a well-structured proposal ensuring replantation with high-density varieties could receive the House’s approval in future. Satisfied with the response of the Chief Minister, the MLA later withdrew his bill.
While majority of the bills including Qaiser Jamshed Lone’s bill on amendment in the Cooperative Societies Act, 1989, on increasing the term of the Coop Societies from 3 years to 5 years were withdrawn, the PDP member Waheed- Ur- Rehman Parra’s bill on establishment of residential and technical university in J&K was defeated with voice vote on the floor of the House.
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