Srinagar, Sep 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Thursday rejected a Private Members’ Bill that proposed to make it obligatory for public representatives and public servants to educate their children in government institutions.

The Bill was moved by MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad and titled “A Bill to make it obligatory for the Public Men and Public Servants to educate their children in Government educational institutions and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto” (L.A. Private Members’ Bill No. 22 of 2025).

Opposing the Bill, Minister for School Education Sakeena Itoo said the government is already taking several steps to increase enrolment in government schools where capable and hardworking teachers are serving. She said meetings have also been held in this regard and emphasised that such a measure could not be enforced through compulsion.

The Minister said legislation alone would not address the issue and that improving enrolment and strengthening government schools requires collective effort and shared responsibility.

She urged the MLA to withdraw the Bill. However, Sheikh Khursheed declined.

Subsequently, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather put the Bill to vote and it was defeated by voice vote. (GNS)

Srinagar, Sep 24: Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone on Thursday alleged that elected representatives were being “undermined and humiliated” and an “accidental minister” was overriding their recommendations on local development projects in their constituencies.

Raising the issue on the floor of the House, Handwara MLA Lone asked the speaker what recourse the House would offer if the mandate of its members continues to be “disregarded”.

“Do we have rights as MLAs? Do we have the right to decide on works in our constituencies? I have given a list of roads, but they have overruled that and they do their own (thing),” Lone said during the Zero Hour of the assembly.

Without taking any names, Lone said he will not allow “accidental ministers” to decide matters related to his constituency. They will not be allowed to “walk over us”, he said.

The MLA stressed that while the sanctity of lawmakers flows directly from the assembly, the legislators would not hesitate to look for other options, including taking to streets, if their constitutional position is compromised.

“If today there is breach of privilege, what will you do? The other options we have is to go to streets or approach Centre or the LG. Our sanctity comes from this House,” he said.

BJP MLA BalwantŒ Singh Mankotia seconded Lone, saying “this is happening everywhere”.

However, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked Lone to submit a notice for breach of privilege if he deems fit.

“You can give a notice for breach of privilege. Then I will take action on that. There is a procedure,” the speaker said.

Srinagar, Sep 24: The Jammu and Kashmir government has set in motion plans to establish an Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence, adopting a phased roadmap to build a regional AI ecosystem and advance its digital transformation agenda, the legislative assembly was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply to Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq, the government said it is promoting AI and other emerging technologies in the Union territory as part of its broader digital transformation and technology-enabled development initiatives.

“A phased and coordinated approach has been adopted for development of an AI ecosystem encompassing technological infrastructure, capacity building, skill development, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and deployment of Al-based solutions across different sectors,” it said.

It said the Department of Information Technology, being the nodal department for IT and digital initiatives in J&K, is facilitating various initiatives in collaboration with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, IIT Jammu, Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics, academic institutions, industry and other stakeholders.

“The Department has initiated the process for establishment of an AI Centre of Excellence in J&K, equipped with advanced AI laboratory and computing infrastructure, incubation and innovation facilities, and support for research, skilling and development of AI-based solutions,” the government said.

It also said that a whole-of-government approach is being pursued for identification and implementation of suitable AI use cases in different departments, with emphasis on improving efficiency of processes, evidence-based decision-making and citizen-centric service delivery.

“The Government is also exploring development of IT/ITeS (Information Technology Enabled Services) infrastructure and IT Park in the UT, while leveraging existing institutional facilities such as it is and Polytechnics for imparting AI skills and facilitating access to laboratory and learning centres,” the government said.

Accordingly, it added, that AI Labs, AI Learning Centres and Centres of Excellence are proposed to be promoted at appropriate institutions and locations in a phased, need-based and resource-specific manner, subject to availability of infrastructure, technical expertise and funds, with emphasis on optimal utilisation of existing facilities and creation of sustainable AI capabilities across the UT.

Srinagar, Sep 24: Jammu and Kashmir Minister Satish Sharma on Thursday informed the assembly that the government has approved six free gas cylinders for AAY families in the Union territory, an announcement that triggered noisy scenes with the opposition BJP accusing it of reneging on its promise of providing 12 cylinders.

“I want to inform the House that the six free gas cylinder scheme has got approval of authority concerned. Details will be shared shortly,” Sharma, the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, said.

While the announcement was welcomed by the treasury benches by thumping of desks, the opposition BJP members shouted slogans against the government, leading to noisy scenes.

“This is cheating. The ruling party had promised 12 free cylinders,” the BJP members said.

“The government has promised 12 free cylinders to all households. This six cylinders is a ‘dhoka’ (cheating). You have cheated in the name of cylinders, electricity and rations,” Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, said.

He accused the government of misleading” the poor.

“How long will this continue,” he questioned, as the ruckus continued.

The noisy arguments between the treasury and the opposition benches continued for some time, but later, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather restored order in the House and took up the remaining business for the day.

Antyodya Anna Yojna (AAY) scheme is for the poorest of the poor families.

Earlier, the House had witnessed uproar over the issue of Schedule Tribe-2 reservations during Zero Hour.

Srinagar, Sep 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed noisy scenes on Thursday afternoon as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised slogans against the Omar-led government over the promise of 12 free gas cylinders to AAY-category families made by the ruling party in its election manifesto.

Reacting, Minister Satish Sharma announced in the House that the policy to provide six free gas cylinders to AAY-category families had been approved.

BJP MLAs said, “The government made a promise of 12 cylinders, and now, after two years, you are giving six cylinders.”

Thereafter, BJP legislators raised slogans such as “6 cylinders kahan gaye” and “Cylinder chor hai haai” in the Assembly.

Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma stood up and said, “The common people will not forgive the government over its false promises.”

NC members reacted and raised slogans, “Chanda chor beth jawo.”

Srinagar, Sep 24: Speaker of the J&K Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather on Thursday pulled up the transport minister Satish Sharma over  utilisation of multiple vehicles by officers holding charge of more than one department, saying that “J&K is a poor state and we can’t afford luxuries”.

Minister was replying to a question raised by BJP MLA R S Pathania regarding the utilisation of multiple vehicles by the officers having charge of multiple departments.

Pathania asked the government if the Government has strictly enforced or proposes to enforce “One Officer One Vehicle” ceiling across all the Departments/ PSUs/ Boards/ Autonomous Bodies to curb retention of multiple official vehicles.

While replying the question, transport minister informed the House that at present, there is no specific Government PolicY Prescribing a uniform ceiling for  allotment/retention of official vehlcles  by individual officers across all the departments of the J&K government.

“However,  the Revised Car Policy is presently under considerationof the Government, wherein it has beenproposed to introduce the principle of One Vehicle-One Officer,” he said.

He informed the House that the proposed policy shall also provide for such specific exceptions as may be considered necessary by the government, keeping in view security requirements, field duties, additional assignments/charges, operational exigencies and the functional req-uirements of Pa rticularr departments/organizations’after approval of the Revised Car Policy by the Government.

“The provisions there of shall be implemented across the concerned Departments/ PSUs/ Boards/ Autonomous Bodies as Per the approved policy. The proposed “One Vehicle -one officer” principle is thus intended to ensure rationalization of Government vehicles, optimum utilization of availabpe resources.

After the minister read out the reply, Speaker intervened and asked the minister about the action taken in the matter.

“You said that a high level committee has been constituted in the matter on September 1, 2026. Tell me what have you done in these 24 days. Why are you delaying the process. Will you take another two months to resolve the matter,” speaker told sports minister with directions to inform the House about the action taken in the matter.

To this, transport minister said that he will come with a detailed report.

“It is a legacy issue. But I will present the action taken report in the House,” he added.

Speaker replied saying: “what if the legacy issue is followed wrongly, will you continue it? Inform the House in the ongoing session with your action taken report.”