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Mufti must introduce legislation to prune ministry: Tarigami
Jammu, Feb 12: Slamming the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir for the proposed cabinet expansion, CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami today said the exercise is a burden on the state exchequer and instead, the government should formulate an anti-defection law on the pattern of recent central legislation to downsize ministries.
Jammu, Feb 12: Slamming the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir for the proposed cabinet expansion, CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami today said the exercise is a burden on the state exchequer and instead, the government should formulate an anti-defection law on the pattern of recent central legislation to downsize ministries.
''The proposed cabinet expansion is an unnecessary exercise and will be a burden on the sagging finances of the state government,'' Mr Tarigami told newspersons here.
''The Mufti government must emulate the Centre and introduce a legislation in the forthcoming budget session of the assembly to downsize the state ministry,'' the CPI(M) MLA said. Jammu and Kashmir enjoys special status under Article 370 and the new central legislation to limit the size of central or state ministries to 15 per cent of the total strength of the legislatures is not applicable in the state.
''The cabinet should be cohesive and compact to ensure good governance,'' Mr Tarigami pointed out.
''I met the chief minister this morning and urged him not to expand the ministry to appease the MLAs.''
Both the Dinesh Goswani committee and national commission to review the constitution had suggested smaller ministries to ensure smooth decision making process and reduce burden on the state exchequer, he said.
''The state government does not have enough funds to provide ex-gratia relief to family members of the victims of terrorism and is not employing class IV staff. How can it afford to expand the ministry?'' Mr Tarigami questioned. ''If Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has to expand his cabinet, then he can introduce a system of appointing ministers by rotation,'' the CPI (M) leader suggested.
''The exercise will erode the moral authority of the ruling coalition and expose its weakness,'' he said, adding, ''the stability of the government does not depend on the size of the ministry.''
The 29-member Jammu and Kashmir coalition ministry, is likely to be expanded this evening with the induction of about a dozen new ministers.
Four ministers each will be inducted from the Congress (I) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two main partners in the coalition government.
Two ministers, one each from the Jammu and Kashmir regions will be inducted from the People's Democratic Front (PDF).
Bureau Report
''The proposed cabinet expansion is an unnecessary exercise and will be a burden on the sagging finances of the state government,'' Mr Tarigami told newspersons here.
''The Mufti government must emulate the Centre and introduce a legislation in the forthcoming budget session of the assembly to downsize the state ministry,'' the CPI(M) MLA said. Jammu and Kashmir enjoys special status under Article 370 and the new central legislation to limit the size of central or state ministries to 15 per cent of the total strength of the legislatures is not applicable in the state.
''The cabinet should be cohesive and compact to ensure good governance,'' Mr Tarigami pointed out.
''I met the chief minister this morning and urged him not to expand the ministry to appease the MLAs.''
Both the Dinesh Goswani committee and national commission to review the constitution had suggested smaller ministries to ensure smooth decision making process and reduce burden on the state exchequer, he said.
''The state government does not have enough funds to provide ex-gratia relief to family members of the victims of terrorism and is not employing class IV staff. How can it afford to expand the ministry?'' Mr Tarigami questioned. ''If Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has to expand his cabinet, then he can introduce a system of appointing ministers by rotation,'' the CPI (M) leader suggested.
''The exercise will erode the moral authority of the ruling coalition and expose its weakness,'' he said, adding, ''the stability of the government does not depend on the size of the ministry.''
The 29-member Jammu and Kashmir coalition ministry, is likely to be expanded this evening with the induction of about a dozen new ministers.
Four ministers each will be inducted from the Congress (I) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two main partners in the coalition government.
Two ministers, one each from the Jammu and Kashmir regions will be inducted from the People's Democratic Front (PDF).
Bureau Report