Jammu & Kashmir Cabinet passes resolution seeking statehood

The new Cabinet of Jammu and Kashmir government passed a resolution on Thursday pressing the central government to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, according to sources.

A day after taking oath as Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah on Thursday chaired his first Cabinet meeting.

Omar Abdullah's first resolution on statehood is nothing less than ratification of the August 5th, 2019 decision. No resolution on Article 370 and scaling down the demand to mere statehood is a huge setback, especially after seeking votes on the promise of restoring Article 370.

— Waheed Para (@parawahid) October 18, 2024

Till late on Thursday night, the Jammu and Kashmir government was silent about the decisions and discussion which took place during the meeting.

According to officials, in the meeting which was attended by other ministers at Srinagar’s Civil Secretariat, a resolution was unanimously passed, urging the centre that statehood be restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is expected to travel to New Delhi soon to meet the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he would hand over the resolution.

Among the other issues, which were discussed in Thursday’s meeting including administering oath to the newly elected members in the assembly.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he led the inaugural meeting with his cabinet colleagues.

“We delved into crucial administrative matters and outlined the government's immediate priorities. The cabinet scrutinised pressing governance challenges, with a keen focus on enhancing efficiency, resolving public complaints, and fostering transparency within the bureaucracy,” he said.

He also said the government’s primary objectives “for the new administration encompass strengthening infrastructure, healthcare, education, and employment prospects throughout Jammu and Kashmir.”