Reports of government setting up GoM on Jammu and Kashmir incorrect: Sources

Highly placed sources in the government denied reports which claimed that it was setting up a Group of Ministers (GoM) on issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier news agency PTI reported that the government on Wednesday constituted a GoM to look into development, economic and social issues in the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that will come into existence on October 31.

Quoting government sources, PTI reported that Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for the PMO Jitendra Singh and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan are part of the group.

Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, which was passed by Parliament this month, the two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- will come into existence on October 31.

On Tuesday, secretaries of at least 15 central ministries and departments met to discuss ways to carry forward the process of bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into UTs and bring back normalcy as early as possible.

The meeting assessed the implementation of central schemes in Jammu and Kashmir and initiatives to be taken to expedite return of normalcy, a home ministry official said.

Development programmes and division of assets and manpower were the key areas of discussion in Tuesday's meeting, the official said.

The meeting also discussed measures to be taken for stocking essential commodities, particularly in the Ladakh region, before the onset of the winter, the official said.  

(With PTI inputs)