SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has said allotment of government residential accommodation is governed by statutory regulations and rules, rejecting a claim that allocations are being made under a Standard Operating Procedure introduced during Governor’s Rule without Cabinet approval.
The Estates Department gave the clarification in response to an unstarred Assembly question raised by Ranbir Singh Pathania, MLA from Udhampur East, during the Autumn Session of the Legislative Assembly.
The department said allotments are regulated under Regulation 4(e) of the Jammu and Kashmir Estates Department (Allotment of Government Accommodation) Regulations, 2004, issued through Government Order No. 169-GAD of 2004 dated February 10, 2004, following Cabinet Decision No. 26/2 of January 25, 2004.
It said a 5 per cent quota was subsequently placed at the discretion of the Minister-in-Charge, Estates Department, for persons other than government employees. The category includes freedom fighters, former legislators and media persons.
Under Government Order No. 206-Est of 2016 dated November 21, 2016, the discretionary quota was divided into 3 per cent for political persons, 1.5 per cent for media persons and 0.5 per cent for freedom fighters and others.
The department further said fresh allotments to former legislators, political persons, freedom fighters and other specified categories are made under the ministerial discretionary quota under Regulation 4(e), on the recommendation of a designated committee.
On accommodation for legislators, the government said there was no proposal to replace the existing discretionary regime with new statutory entitlement rules because residential accommodation for Members of the Legislative Assembly is already governed by The Residential Accommodation of the Members of the Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature Rules, 1973.
The Estates Department also said upper limits for construction, upgradation, renovation and repair of residential accommodation in Jammu and Srinagar were notified through Government Order No. 63-EST of 2017 dated April 13, 2017.
Separate guidelines prescribing cost ceilings for civil works at the time of fresh allotment of government residential quarters were issued through Government Order No. 87-Est of 2020 dated October 16, 2020. These guidelines specify accommodation types, entitlements and applicable monetary ceilings.
On expenditure on furniture, electronic items and fixtures, the department said item-wise expenditure for the Jammu and Srinagar divisions for the past three years had been prepared, with the details enclosed with its reply.
Regarding elected representatives, the government said MLAs receive residential accommodation under the 1973 rules governing members of the JK Legislature.
For Members of Parliament, however, allotments are considered under the discretionary quota vested with the Minister-in-Charge, Estates Department, under Regulation 4(e) of the 2004 regulations, as amended from time to time.
