SRINAGAR: Among the key proposals under review for reorganising the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD), the restructuring of the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board aims to correct a long-standing staff imbalance—where over 50 per cent of employees are Class IV—by rationalising and creating posts to enhance technical capacity and operational functionality.
The proposals were reviewed during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who stressed the need for institutional strengthening, effective service delivery, and long-term sustainability in urban development initiatives.
Senior officials including Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner Secretary H&UDD Mandeep Kaur, and municipal commissioners from Srinagar and Jammu were in attendance.
Commissioner Secretary Mandeep Kaur presented an in-depth overview of the departmental restructuring, highlighting financial concurrence already secured for several reforms. The proposals aim to optimise human resource utilisation, redefine roles and responsibilities, and improve urban governance mechanisms across Jammu and Kashmir.
In addition to the Housing Board, the Lakes Conservation & Management Authority (LCMA) is also set for reform, with plans to re-designate scientific and technical positions in line with Pollution Control Committee standards and rationalise administrative functions to eliminate redundancies and enhance scientific effectiveness.
The Town Planning Organisation (TPO) will see the creation of specialised units and policy cells, along with the reorganisation of field offices, to better address the demands of modern urban expansion.
Structural changes are also proposed for the Architects Organisation, established in 1971, to revitalise its operational scope and align with contemporary infrastructure development requirements.
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), burdened by increasing responsibilities after the 74th Constitutional Amendment, is set for administrative overhaul aimed at addressing manpower shortages and financial constraints to improve service delivery.
Similarly, in the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), restructuring efforts focus on closing staffing gaps, reducing overlaps, and boosting environmental and enforcement functions.
The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) has already had its restructuring plan approved by its board and forwarded to the Administrative Department, while the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) will undergo a comparative reorganisation of its gazetted and non-gazetted posts to improve execution of urban development projects.
Reforms in the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) will prioritise technical workforce strengthening and modernisation of waste management, sanitation, and drainage systems.
The meeting also reviewed newly formulated recruitment rules for the Jammu Municipal Corporation, aligned with ongoing structural reforms.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah affirmed that the proposed changes are integral to improving the Housing and Urban Development Department’s functionality and will generate considerable financial savings. He underscored that the reforms are in line with the government’s broader commitment to sustainable urban development, transparency, and administrative efficiency.
