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| Budget 2026:Govt focusing on infrastructure development, faculty boost in existing Degree Colleges | | 
Jammu, February 13 (Scoop News)-Minister for Education Sakeena Itoo today informed the House that the government is focusing on upgradation of infrastructure as well as faculty requirements in the existing Degree Colleges.
The Minister stated this while replying to a question of Legislator, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan in the Legislative Assembly.
She added that the matter regarding establishment of Degree College at Manjakote was part of the feasibility report submitted in September 2019 beyond which the department has not received any demand for establishment of Degree College in the region.
The Minister said that as per the feasibility report submitted by the Principal, Government Degree College Rajouri, the region meets the minimum requirements laid down by the Committee of Administrative Secretaries constituted in 2018 for examining the feasibility of proposed locations for establishment of new Degree Colleges.
She added that the department is presently prioritizing the up-gradation and strengthening of 52 newly sanctioned Degree Colleges approved in 2019 by equipping them with requisite infrastructure facilities like buildings, laboratories, libraries and by providing adequate teaching and non-teaching faculty so as to make these institutions fully functional.
J&K PDS governed by NFSA: Satish Sharma
Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Satish Sharma today informed the House that Public Distribution System (PDS) in Jammu and Kashmir is being governed by the National Food Security Act of the Government of India and JK TPDS (Control) Order as amended from time to time.
The Minister stated this while replying to a question of Legislator Payare Lal Sharma in the House.
He added that the Chullah Parchis is not a valid document for issuance of ration cards under the provisions of National Food Security Act.
The Minister further said that there is a well established criteria being adopted by the department in verifying the beneficiaries under PDS. There is no active proposal for considering ‘Chulla Parchis’ holders, a revenue document, for providing ration cards, he added.
He said PDS relies on 2011 census data, with no census conducted since. The FCS&CA department is verifying the beneficiaries and households for their inclusion in the PDS as per the criteria notified vide S O 389 in November 2021. It has included the eligible beneficiaries, including bonafide Chullah Parchi holders, in the PDS database.
The Minister, while replying to the supplementary, said that whenever revised targets are communicated by the Government of India on account of inclusion of newly identified families, fresh ration cards under the relevant categories shall be issued accordingly.
Minister pitches for timely issuance of NOCs for constructions within Municipality areas
The government today informed the House that the process of granting NOCs to the people seeking constructions within the Municipal areas of Jammu and Kashmir will be simplified.
This was stated by Minister for Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo in the House while replying to a question on behalf of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, raised by Legislator Sajad Gani Lone.
The Minister said that as per section 203 of the Municipal Act 2000 and J&K Unified Building Bye-laws 2021, no person shall erect, re-erect or make any material alteration to any building within respective jurisdiction of ULBs without sanction of the Municipality.
She added that the UBBL clause 2.18 requires NOCs from different departments including Town Planning Organisation.
The Minister said that there are total three Town Planners in the Town Planning Organisation, Kashmir, while the number of existing Local Bodies in Kashmir is 40 ULBs (10 Municipal Councils and 30 Municipal Committees). She added that the town planning organization has been re-organized to create a District cadre to support preparation and implementation of Master Plans for every town.
While replying to various supplementaries, the Minister said that the matter of delay in issuing NOCs shall be examined and addressed. The concerned offices would be asked to ensure NOC issuance in a time bound manner. “All suggestions of the Legislators shall be taken into consideration to ensure that the people do not suffer,” she said.
Legislators Saif-ud-Din Bhat and Irshad Rasool Kar raised supplementary questions.
GDC Bishnah construction stalled over land dispute
Education Minister Sakeena Itoo today informed the House that the land acquisition for construction of Government Degree College (GDC) Bishnah has been stalled due to dispute with the landowners.
The Minister stated this while replying to a question of Legislator Dr. Rajeev Kumar Bhagat regarding identification of land for GDC Bishnah in the House.
She informed the House that GDC Bishnah was sanctioned by the government in 2007 and has been functioning since 2008 from the premises of Government Higher Secondary School (Boys), Bishnah on a temporary basis with makeshift arrangements in absence of its own permanent infrastructure.
The Minister informed the House that 55 Kanal, 14 Marla land at Chak Avtara, Bishnah, was identified for the college building in 2010. However, the landowners refused to accept the acquisition notices under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act thus stalling the process.
The Minister further said that the Higher Education department (HED) of then State Government had already released an amount of Rs. 192.165 lakh in 2013 to District Development Commissioner, Jammu, for payment of compensation to the concerned landowners. She added that despite this, the acquisition could not be finalized due to non-cooperation from the landowners.
Legislator, Sham Lal Sharma raised supplementary question.
Tourism assets in Reasi largely functional: Govt
Minister for Rural Development Javid Ahmad Dar today informed the House that total fourteen properties are currently under the Tourism Department’s administration in Reasi district.
The Minister said this while replying to a question, on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, raised by Legislator Baldev Raj Sharma in Legislative Assembly.
He said that out of these 14 assets, only one property Tourist Cafeteria Bhambla (TRC Bhambla) is presently lying idle as the asset requires major repair and renovation works. He added that due to its current physical state, it cannot be put to productive use until the necessary repairs are undertaken. He further informed that no specific authority or official is responsible for the asset remaining idle, as the non-utilization is solely due to the requirement of substantial renovation.
The Minister assured that the renovation and repair of the Tourist Cafeteria Bhambla will be taken up in the coming financial year, subject to permissibility.
Responding to the supplementary raised by Baldev Raj Sharma, the Minister reiterated that all other 13 tourism properties in Reasi district are in good condition and being utilized for public purposes. He emphasized that the department is committed to maintain these assets to ensure continued public service and tourism promotion in the region.
The Minister reaffirmed her commitment towards strengthening tourism infrastructure and ensuring optimal utilization of all its assets across the district.
Over 140 kanal land retrieved in Bahu, Jammu- South Tehsils in 1 year: Govt
The government today informed the House that 140 kanal and 11 marla of encroached land has been retrieved during 34 anti-encroachment drives carried out in Bahu and Jammu South Tehsils since January, 2025.
Minister for Education Sakeena Itoo was replying to a question in the House on behalf of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, raised by Legislator Vikram Randhawa.
She added that fencing and installation of sign boards is also being done to prevent future encroachments and protect the already retrieved land from the encroachers.
The Minister said that teams comprising the concerned JE, Patwari, I/C KWI regularly visit the areas within their jurisdictions and immediately report on any attempt to encroach JDA land.
Sharing details, the Minister informed that land measuring 688 kanal 17 marla in Tehsil Bahu and 579 kanal in Tehsil Jammu South are under illegal encroachment. She added that these encroachments are old and are being removed as per the provisions of J&K Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1988 and other relevant laws.
The Minister informed the House that the JDA has sufficient manpower and when required, JMC, Revenue Departments and local police extend full cooperation for eviction and encroachment drives.
She said that appropriate action like issuance of warnings, initiation of RDAs, red entries in Service books, suspensions, revoking of increments have been taken against the delinquent officers/officials of JDA found involved in illegal encroachments.
The Minister added that responsibility is fixed strictly in accordance with the law upon due verification while following the prescribed procedure.
Special enforcement drives held across J&K against rotten meat vendors: Health Minister
Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo today stated that the Health department has conducted special enforcement drives across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir in response to incidents of sale and seizure of rotten and unsafe meat and meat products reported in Kashmir valley.
The Minister said this in response to clubbed question of Legislators Mir Saifullah, Mubarik Gul, Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah and Hasnain Masoodi regarding ‘Food Adulteration and Sale of Rotten Meat’ in House.
The Minister informed the House that during 2025-26 (Dec 2025), 1676 inspections were conducted with seizure of about 2139 Kg meat besides 12,183.5 Kg of rotten meat was destroyed in various districts of J&K. She said that action has been taken against various individuals, traders and establishments found responsible in cases related to Meat and Meat Products under various provisions of the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006.
The Minister further said that the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 provides for a self-contained statutory enforcement mechanism through inspection, sampling, adjudication and prosecution. It does not provide for registration of FIRs or arrests under the BNS Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for any contravention of provisions of the FSS Act, she added.
The Health Minister added that the samples have been sent for analysis within J&K (Food Laboratory, Kashmir) and outside UT of J&K (National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad / FRAC FICCI, New Delhi and ICAR–National Meat Research Institute, Hyderabad). She said that out of 144 meat and meat product samples lifted, 17 were reported unsafe and 01 sub-standard.
The Minister also said that the Department has two NABL-accredited state-of-the-art Food Testing Laboratories, one each at Jammu and Srinagar. “Other than this, the Department also has 12 Mobile Food Testing Laboratories. The Department also utilizes services of FSSAI-recognized NABL-accredited laboratories, viz., FRAC-FICCI, New Delhi and National Food Laboratory (NFL), Ghaziabad and other FSSAI-approved laboratories across India as and when required”, she said.
The Minister acknowledged that there is shortage of technical manpower in both the laboratories and vacant posts will be referred to recruiting agencies once the Recruitment Rules are finalized with the concurrence of the Finance Department. She added that outsourced staff are being engaged to compensate the shortage of the staff.
She also said that the grievance redressal mechanism is operational in the Department with Common Toll-Free Number: 104, UT Portal: https://dfcojk.org/complaint.php and FSSAI Portal: https://fssai.gov.in/cms/food-safety-connect.php.
She said that the Department has 12 Mobile Food Testing Laboratories which are fully functional.
To prevent food adulteration and safeguard public health, the Minister said that various measures are being undertaken by the Food Safety Department under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. These included regular inspection of food business establishments including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, hotels and street food vendors.
She added that sampling and testing of food articles, strict enforcement action, including suspension/cancellation of licenses, penalties and prosecution against violators, special drives and surveillance during festivals and measures are continuously strengthened to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food to the public and minimize the incidence of food-borne diseases.
Legislators, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Tanvir Sadiq and Balwant Singh Mankotia raised supplementary questions.
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