Approval for a 3-tier faculty structure in Dental Colleges may be on the horizon.
Pay Level-6 positions could be exempt from interviews.
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will preside over the first Cabinet meeting of 2025 at the Civil Secretariat on January 20.
Join the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Since taking office on October 16, 2024, the Omar Abdullah Government has convened a few Cabinet meetings, but this will mark the first gathering of the year 2025. The meeting is set for 4 PM on Monday.
Among the top items on the agenda is the release of the Dearness Allowance (DA) installment for government employees and pensioners/family pensioners, retroactive to July 1, 2024, as reported by Excelsior officials.
Recently, government employees attempted to stage a protest in Srinagar, advocating for overdue DA installments and other demands.
Officials indicate that the Cabinet is likely to approve the revised DA for government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners to address the prolonged delay in releasing the installment.
The Cabinet will also discuss the implementation of a 3-tier faculty structure in the Government Dental College, Srinagar, and Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu, in alignment with the staffing patterns endorsed by the Dental Council of India (DCI). Many Dental Colleges have already adopted a three-tier faculty structure consisting of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors, diverging from the conventional four-tier system which starts with Lecturers.
According to officials, the government is poised to approve a four-tier faculty structure to ensure that the Dental Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar are on par with the majority of other Dental Colleges nationwide.
Additionally, the Cabinet will review a significant reform in the selection processes of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board. This reform proposes to eliminate oral tests/interviews for positions classified under Pay Level-6, as recommended by the Services Selection Board.
“Eliminating the interview requirement for specific posts is a pivotal move towards ensuring a transparent and fair selection process based solely on written examinations,” officials remarked.
The Jammu and Kashmir Excise Policy for 2025 will also be discussed during the Cabinet meeting, with the government expected to announce it shortly to provide the Department ample time to prepare for new vending policies.
Another important agenda item from the Finance Department will include amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act of 2017.
The Cabinet is poised to deliberate on various projects and schemes for discussion and administrative approval, including some that are retroactive. These include the remediation of a dumpsite through bio-mining/bio-remediation, addressing 11.00 lakh MTs of legacy waste at Achan dumping site in Srinagar, with an estimated cost of Rs 60.50 crores (comprising Rs 33 crores from the 14th Finance Commission and Rs 27.50 crores from Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0).
A project for pollution abatement and conservation of the river Jhelum in the Chuntkul and Gawkadal areas of Srinagar, estimated at Rs 6445.68 lakh (with Rs 6380.68 lakh coming from the National River Conservation Plan), is also on the Cabinet’s agenda for administrative approval.
Another proposal is for the pollution abatement and conservation of the River Banganga in Katra town, estimated at Rs 92.10 crore, also under the National River Conservation Plan, which will be presented for administrative approval.
Furthermore, the Cabinet will discuss the construction of a new hospital block for an emergency operation theatre at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, which is listed for post facto administrative approval.
Most Cabinet proposals will be sent to the Lieutenant Governor for final approval.
Aside from the agenda, the Cabinet is expected to recommend a date for the upcoming budget session of the Legislature.
Approval for a 3-tier faculty structure in Dental Colleges may be on the horizon.
Pay Level-6 positions could be exempt from interviews.
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will preside over the first Cabinet meeting of 2025 at the Civil Secretariat on January 20.
Join the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Since taking office on October 16, 2024, the Omar Abdullah Government has convened a few Cabinet meetings, but this will mark the first gathering of the year 2025. The meeting is set for 4 PM on Monday.
Among the top items on the agenda is the release of the Dearness Allowance (DA) installment for government employees and pensioners/family pensioners, retroactive to July 1, 2024, as reported by Excelsior officials.
Recently, government employees attempted to stage a protest in Srinagar, advocating for overdue DA installments and other demands.
Officials indicate that the Cabinet is likely to approve the revised DA for government employees, pensioners, and family pensioners to address the prolonged delay in releasing the installment.
The Cabinet will also discuss the implementation of a 3-tier faculty structure in the Government Dental College, Srinagar, and Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu, in alignment with the staffing patterns endorsed by the Dental Council of India (DCI). Many Dental Colleges have already adopted a three-tier faculty structure consisting of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors, diverging from the conventional four-tier system which starts with Lecturers.
According to officials, the government is poised to approve a four-tier faculty structure to ensure that the Dental Colleges in Jammu and Srinagar are on par with the majority of other Dental Colleges nationwide.
Additionally, the Cabinet will review a significant reform in the selection processes of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board. This reform proposes to eliminate oral tests/interviews for positions classified under Pay Level-6, as recommended by the Services Selection Board.
“Eliminating the interview requirement for specific posts is a pivotal move towards ensuring a transparent and fair selection process based solely on written examinations,” officials remarked.
The Jammu and Kashmir Excise Policy for 2025 will also be discussed during the Cabinet meeting, with the government expected to announce it shortly to provide the Department ample time to prepare for new vending policies.
Another important agenda item from the Finance Department will include amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act of 2017.
The Cabinet is poised to deliberate on various projects and schemes for discussion and administrative approval, including some that are retroactive. These include the remediation of a dumpsite through bio-mining/bio-remediation, addressing 11.00 lakh MTs of legacy waste at Achan dumping site in Srinagar, with an estimated cost of Rs 60.50 crores (comprising Rs 33 crores from the 14th Finance Commission and Rs 27.50 crores from Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0).
A project for pollution abatement and conservation of the river Jhelum in the Chuntkul and Gawkadal areas of Srinagar, estimated at Rs 6445.68 lakh (with Rs 6380.68 lakh coming from the National River Conservation Plan), is also on the Cabinet’s agenda for administrative approval.
Another proposal is for the pollution abatement and conservation of the River Banganga in Katra town, estimated at Rs 92.10 crore, also under the National River Conservation Plan, which will be presented for administrative approval.
Furthermore, the Cabinet will discuss the construction of a new hospital block for an emergency operation theatre at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar, which is listed for post facto administrative approval.
Most Cabinet proposals will be sent to the Lieutenant Governor for final approval.
Aside from the agenda, the Cabinet is expected to recommend a date for the upcoming budget session of the Legislature.
