Srinagar: The Home Ministry on Friday divided J&K House, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi between Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, which were carved out from the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.
In a first such move after bifurcation of the erstwhile state, the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is overseeing implementation of the J&K Reorganisation Act-2019, ordered provisional apportionment of J&K House, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi between J&K and Ladakh Union Territories.
The MHA wrote to J&K Chief Secretary, BVR Subrahmanyam that the competent authority has approved interim apportionment of J&K House, Chanakyapuri till a high-level committee headed by former Defence secretary Sanjay Mitra will submit its final report on distribution of assets between J&K and Ladakh UTs.
In the letter, the MHA has stated that “there is an urgent need for apportionment of certain amenities of J&K Bhawan at Chanakyapuri”.
According to the decision, main entrance from Kautilya Marg of Jammu and Kashmir Bhawan, New Delhi is to be given to the Union Territory of Ladakh along with adjacent Block-A (with 10 rooms and 4 suites), old Block-B (with 14 rooms and 3 suites), 16 type-B staff quarters and 8 Type C-staff quarters.
It also states that the second entrance will remain with UT of Jammu and Kashmir along with adjacent New Block-B (with 24 rooms), Block-C (with 21 rooms and 7 suites), and 10 Type-A staff quarters.
The letter also reveals that differences of opinion have emerged between the newly carved out UTs on an interim recommendation submitted by the panel over apportionment of the asset.
The interim report submitted by the panel was shared by the MHA with both the UTs for their comments.
The arrangement will remain in place till a final decision is taken on the final recommendations of the high-level committee set-up by the MHA last year.
Headed by former defence secretary Sanjay Mitra, the panel comprises Arun Goyal (retired IAS officer) and Giriraj Prasad Gupta ( retired Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officer).
Under section 85 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Central government has established the panel for the apportionment of the assets, rights and liabilities of the companies and corporations constituted for the existing State of J&K between UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the erstwhile state of J&K has prized properties worth hundreds of crores outside the metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Kolkata.
In New Delhi, J&K has properties at Prithivi Raj road, Chankyapuri and Rajaji Marg. KNO

KR Desk