MLAs push for allotment of residential accommodation
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Monday expressed hope that all genuine issues faced by the newly-elected members would be resolved in a time-bound manner.
Rather was speaking at a meeting of the house committee, which met here under his leadership to discuss issues raised by different members of the Legislative Assembly, an official said.
BJP legislators Sunil Kumar Sharma (Leader of Opposition) and Surjeet Singh Slathia, Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Congress), Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), Ali Mohammad Dar and Javid Hassan Baig of National Conference, Choudhary Mohammad Akram (independent) and Waheed Ur Rehman Para (PDP) were present as members of the committee.
The speaker assured them that all their genuine suggestions, including accommodation issues would be taken up with the government for early resolution.
He showed his optimism that these issues would find resolution in a time-bound manner, the official said.
The committee discussed accommodation and other related issues being faced by the MLAs during their stay in the twin capitals.
During threadbare discussions, the legislators gave their suggestions regarding provisioning of suitable accommodation to them at Jammu and Srinagar.
They also suggested that process should be initiated to identify the government quarters for allotment to the MLAs till new arrangements are made so that they would not face any inconvenience during public meetings and legislative sessions.
Meanwhile, cutting across party lines, legislators on Monday pushed for constituency-based permanent allocation of residential quarters to them in Srinagar and Jammu cities.
Members of a House Committee today advocated that the government should identify residential quarters in both the UT capitals and designate them permanently as residential quarters for MLAs. “We have suggested constituency-based allocation. As per the suggestion, a residential quarter should be allotted to a particular constituency rather than an individual MLA,” National Conference MLA Javaid Hassan Baig said.
He said the proposal would rationalize the allocation of residential quarters for MLAs.
“The MLAs are running from pillar to post to get residential quarters. If this proposal is implemented, they would be free from the burden of finding accommodation,” he said.
He said they have also pushed for building of residential colonies, where a similar arrangement of allocation should be made.
“There was a unanimous view that MLAs would themselves decide about their entitlements. The House will take a call on our entitlements,” he said.
