Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha has allotted various portfolios to the five cabinet ministers sworn in on October 16 in the Union territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir. The allocation has been made considering the needs of various regions of the UT.
According to the order issued by the LG, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary will oversee Public Works (R&B), Industries & Commerce, Mining, Labour & Employment, and Skill Development.
Sakeena Itoo has been assigned Health & Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare. Javaid Ahmed Rana will handle Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment, and Tribal Affairs.
Javaid Ahmad Dar will manage Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative, and Election. Satish Sharma has been given charge of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science & Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports, and ARI & Training.
All other departments not specifically allocated will remain under the Lieutenant Governor.
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The allocation of ministries such as Commerce, Mining, Labour & Employment, and Skill Development reflects the intention to address the concerns of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the region, primarily located in Jammu.
SME owners have raised concerns about a decline in business following the abrogation of Article 370, citing certain UT government policies. An SME owner in Jammu mentioned that when Jammu and Kashmir was a state, they supplied products to the government through contracts.
However, this practice stopped after J&K lost its statehood.
With Choudhary now holding the Ministry of Industries, SME owners hope that the previous practices and incentives for SMEs will be reviewed.
Itoo, who has previously served as the Minister of Social Welfare, brings valuable experience in dealing with welfare-related matters. Her expertise is expected to be particularly useful in addressing concerns, especially those related to women, in education and healthcare.
Similarly, the decision to assign the Tribal Affairs Ministry to Rana is aimed at addressing the needs of the tribal Gujjars, Bakerwals, and Paharis in Rajouri and Poonch. Rana, hailing from Mendhar in Poonch district, has a deep understanding of the region's issues. His control of the Ministry of Forest, Ecology & Environment indicates the government's commitment to addressing the concerns of Gujjars and Bakerwals regarding forests in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dar, who hails from Rafiabad in Baramulla, getting agriculture ministry suggests that the government is keen on focusing on agriculture and horticulture, especially apple.