Says Rs. 23.75 cr 50-bedded CCB under construction at SDH Kupwara
JK News Today
JAMMU, FEBRUARY 09: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the Legislative Assembly that upgradation of the existing healthcare infrastructure is top priority of the government, with special focus on rural and peripheral areas.
The Minister stated this while replying to a question raised by Legislator Mir Mohammad Fayaz regarding SDH Kupwara in the House today.
The Health Minister informed that as per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) norms, each district across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is mandated to have one District Hospital. In case of Kupwara, the District Hospital has already been upgraded to the level of an Associated Hospital of Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara, thereby catering tertiary healthcare services to the population of the region. She added that upgradation of a District Hospital to the level of a Super-Speciality Hospital does not fall within the ambit of IPHS norms.
The Minister also informed that a 50-bedded Critical Care Block (CCB) is presently under construction at Sub-District Hospital Kupwara at an estimated cost of Rs. 23.75 crore under ECRP-II. Besides, a District Integrated Public Health Laboratory (DIPHL) and Block Public Health Units (BPHUs) are being established at various health facilities in the district under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), she added.
The Minister further said that Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs) have been strengthened in terms of human resources, machinery and equipment thereby enabling them to provide services at par with District Hospitals across the UT. She added that to address critical gaps, the department is committed towards strengthening the existing healthcare facilities strictly in line with the IPHS 2022 norms like extending support to the general public through rationalization of services and development of robust e-Sanjeevani/tele-medicine facilities under a well-designed hub-and-spoke model. Mobile Medical Units are also being conceptualized to ensure healthcare delivery in hard-to-reach and geographically challenging areas, she said.
The Health Minister added that to augment medical and para-medical staff that commensurate with the patient inflow, the department is undertaking rationalization of existing resources. She said that a comprehensive plan is being implemented to optimally redistribute available staff across health facilities in the district, with particular focus on Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara.
She said that rationalization and periodic transfer of long posted staff is being undertaken to systematically bridge the gap between patient inflow and staff strength, ensuring equitable and efficient healthcare delivery across the district.
The Health Minister apprised the House that the several measures have been undertaken to improve the service delivery and quality of care at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara. These included enforcement of duty rosters, attendance and service norms across all staff categories, regular supervisory visits and monitoring by district and divisional health authorities, strengthening of emergency services, diagnostics, pharmacy and referral systems, implementation of National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) for systematic enhancement of patient care and others.
Legislator Mir Saifullah raised the supplementary.
Achabal area adequately served by existing WSSs: Javed Rana
The government today clarified that there is no proposal for establishment of a new PHE Division at Achabal as the area is effectively being catered by the PHE Sub-Division Anantnag and PHE Sub-Division Kokernag.
Replying to a question raised by Legislator Abdul Majeed bhat in the House, Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, informed that Acahbal area falls under the jurisdiction of Jal Shakti (PHE) Division Bijbehara. He said that Achabal area is being effectively catered by the PHE Sub-Division Anantnag and PHE Sub-Division Kokernag, which together manage 157 Water Supply Schemes (WSSs) covering 31,448 households.
Javed Rana said that since a large number of operational WSSs are functioning efficiently with a balanced workload, there is presently no functional or administrative justification for creation of a separate PHE Division at Achabal.
The Minister informed that out of the total, 70 Water Supply Schemes feeding the area have been taken up under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), UT Capex and NABARD at an estimated cost of Rs. 17,182.02 lakh. Of which, 52 schemes have already been operational. He said that the remaining are at various stages of execution.
He further informed that the division has a substantial number of operational schemes and the existing Sub-Division-wise workload remains within manageable limits.
Legislators Altaf Ahmad wani and Hasnain Masoodi raised supplementary questions.
Govt considering de-freezing of teacher posts: Education Minister
Education Minister Sakeena Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly that the de-freezing of Teacher posts is under active consideration of the government to overcome shortage of teachers in schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister said this while replying to a question of Legislator Pawan Kumar Gupta, regarding shortage of teaching staff, in the House today.
The Education Minister said that recruitment of teacher posts were freezed by State Administrative Council decision taken in year 2018 and the government is actively working to de-freeze these posts so that fresh recruitment is expedited in the department.
She informed the House that 594 posts of Lecturers in 27 disciplines have been referred to JKPSC, besides 727 non-teaching and 43 posts of MTS have been referred to Finance Department for revival/concurrence.
Regarding filling up of vacant posts of Teachers, she apprised that all these posts have been frozen for transition of RRETs, Teacher Grade II/III to clear the salary issue of Teachers who were engaged under SSA.
The Education Minister also said that in 2025-2026, a total of 258 Senior Lecturers have been elevated as in-charge Principals besides 56 PG Masters/Teachers have been elevated as in-charge Lecturers. She added that 551 PG Masters/Teachers were placed as in-charge Headmasters and a proposal for placement of more than 500 additional Masters as Headmasters is currently under process in the department.
The Minister said that 80 Headmasters were elevated as in-charge Zonal Education Officers. In non-gazetted cadre, she said that 1170 Teachers have been elevated as Masters in 2025-26.
Regarding Udhampur district, the Education Minister said that 42 positions of Principals out of 43, 8 posts of ZEOs out of 11 and 243 posts of lecturers out of 538 have been filled in the district. She added that engagement of CRCs as well as rationalisation of staff is under process to overcome shortage of staff in schools across J&K.
The Minister further said that the Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of Schools of Udhampur West constituency is 1:16, which shows sufficient staff is available as per enrolment. She added that for academic quality enhancement subject specific teachers, CRCs, online classes are being arranged.
The Minister attributed the improved performance of Jammu Division in the 10th and 12th board exams to the government’s initiatives, saying these efforts have led to a notable academic upswing, with results surpassing those of previous years.
Legislator Ranbir Singh Pathania raised supplementary question.
Govt adopts two pronged strategy to enhance flood resilience in Anantnag: Javed Rana
The government has adopted a two-pronged strategy, involving short-term and long-term measures, to mitigate the flood risks in Anantnag district and enhance overall flood resilience.
This was informed by Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, in response to a question raised by Legislator Nizam-ud-din Bhat on behalf of Legislator Peerzada Mohammad Syed.
Javed Rana said that the recent interventions have significantly strengthened the flood management infrastructure and improved the district’s flood resilience. He informed the House that Anantnag district has 195 flood-prone villages and continuous efforts are underway to safeguard life, property and agricultural assets through sustained preventive and protective measures.
Providing details, the Minister said that permanent flood protection works have been undertaken under PMDP Phase-II for strengthening of flood management infrastructure in vulnerable areas of Anantnag district.
He informed that bank protection works have been executed at critical locations at a cost of Rs 10.07 crore, covering a length of 873 metres. He added that embankments in flood-prone stretches have been raised at a cost of Rs 18.97 crore, covering a length of 9,168 metre.
Javed Rana said that short-term measures are being focused on immediate preparedness and mitigation in vulnerable areas. He said that these measures include restoration of weak spots identified during safety audits of river embankments through temporary protection works, such as laying filled EC bags on bunds.
He further informed that with the onset of the flood season, advance preparedness is being ensured by pre-positioning EC bags at vulnerable locations and keeping men and machinery in a state of readiness.
Regarding the irrigation projects in Anantnag district, the Minister stated that the district has a total of 64 irrigation schemes, comprising 47 gravity schemes, 15 Lift Irrigation Schemes (LIS) and 2 Tube Well Irrigation Schemes (TWIS). He informed that these schemes cover a Cultivable Command Area (CCA) of 22,742 hectare, against which an irrigation potential of 18,667 hectare has been created with 18,481 hectare presently under utilization.
He further informed that 19 irrigation schemes were earlier taken up under the AIBP–PMKSY, of which, seven have been completed while the remaining are at various stages of completion.
Furthermore, seven irrigation schemes have been undertaken under UT Capex, of which, two stand completed while the remaining are currently in progress, he added.
Legislator Altaf Ahmad wani raised supplementary questions.
Augmentation of WSS Batote Town under AMRUT 2.0 underway in Ramban Constituency: Government
The augmentation of Water Supply Scheme (WSS) Batote Town under AMRUT 2.0 is currently underway in Ramban Constituency.
This was stated by Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo in the Legislative Assembly today while replying to a question raised by Legislator Arjun Singh Raju on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
She informed that the augmentation work is being executed at an allotted cost of Rs. 2.387 crore and an expenditure of Rs. 1.85 crore has been incurred till date.
Giving details of physical status of scheme till date, the Minister informed that Distribution System has been laid besides Installation of Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) is in progress.
Legislator Sajjad Shaheen raised supplementary question.
Cluster Universities of Jammu, Srinagar allotted land to develop establishments in J&K : Education Minister
Minister for Education Sakeena Itoo apprised the House that both the Cluster Universities of Srinagar and Jammu have been allotted land for construction of their establishments in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister said this while replying to a question raised by Legislator Tanvir Sadiq in the Legislative Assembly.
The Minister said that the Cluster University of Srinagar and Jammu were established under the “Srinagar and Jammu Cluster Universities Act, 2016” under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) Scheme by clustering the human and infrastructural resources of five existing City Colleges for each university at Srinagar and Jammu in accordance with the guidelines of RUSA 1.0.
She said that historic and high-performing colleges such as SP College, Women’s College, M.A. Road; Amar Singh College, MAM College, GGM Science College and SPMR College of Commerce were placed under Cluster Universities.
The Minister said that both the universities have developed their independent PG schools with their own faculty. She said that at present, there is no proposal under consideration of the government to affiliate, merge or transfer administrative and asset control of aforesaid colleges of Srinagar and Jammu to Cluster Universities.
The Minister also said that at present, the administrative control of Teaching and Non-teaching Staff of the constituent colleges is with the Higher Education Department.
Legislator Saif-ud-din Bhat raised supplementary question.
Technical reappraisal for Chakoora Lift Irrigation Scheme underway: Government
The government informed the House that a technical reappraisal for the balance components of Lift Irrigation Scheme Chakoora Pulwama is underway and necessary action will be initiated based on its outcome.
Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, stated that necessary action will be initiated based on the outcome, in response to a question raised by Legislator Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Mir.
The Minister informed the House that the scheme being funded under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) 1.0, a technical reappraisal is currently underway to assess the revised Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), the cost involved and the actual command area to be covered under the project.
He added that the scheme is incomplete due to meager funding under Irrigation sector particularly from Central Assistance.
