Jammu, Apr 19: Faced with continuous lack of consensus among its members, the  Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC), constituted to look into the recommendations of Justice Sagheer led Working Group on Centre-State Relations, has sought six month extension after its fifth extension expired on March 31, 2012.
 Sources said that considering its failure to ink a final report in the backdrop of  persistent disagreement among the members, the CSC has this time sought six month extension against the usual three month time.
  “The state government had so far given five extensions to the cabinet sub committee each of three months, but the committee members have failed to iron out their differences on several recommendations of Justice Sageer” they said, adding this time the sub-committee has bought more time to enable the members to hold more extensive deliberations on the recommendations.
  “The cabinet sub committee has sought six month time on the plea of holding more detailed deliberations, particularly on the recommendation of giving autonomy to the Jammu and Kashmir” sources said. They said that though the demand to seek extension has been put forward to the state government, formal order from the General Administrative Department is yet to be issued. They said the extension order was   expected to be issued by GAD before Darbar move from Jammu to Srinagar.
 “The committee members were of the opinion that the recommendation of giving autonomy to the state, as advocated by Justice Sagheer committee, is of serious nature and requires more time to arrive at a consensus. So considering the persistent difference of opinion among the members and zero outcome of five extensions comprising fifteen months, the sub committee has decided to seek 6 months time” they said. 
 Secretary to Government, Law Department G H Tantray said that the sub committee has approached the state government for granting another extension of six months as it was yet to arrive on a consensus on the recommendations of Justice Sageer Working Group. He   hoped that the order would be issued by General Administrative Department before the Secretariat moves from Jammu to Srinagar.
 The Sub-Committee had earlier also discussed the recommendations in its meetings held on January 28, 2011, June 1st, 2011, August 8, 2011, December 27, 2011, February 17, 2012, and March 27, 2012, but during all these meeting  consensus eluded the members.
 The Sub Committee comprise of senior ministers from the coalition alliance - National Conference and Congress. It was constituted after Congress expressed reservations about some of the recommendations made by the Working Group.
  Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for PHE Taj Mohi-Ud-Din and Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma were representing Congress in the Committee, while Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Rural Development Ali Muhammad Sagar, Minister for Industries S S Salathia, and Minister for CAPD Qamar Ali Akhoon were from National Conference.
 Justice Sagheer led Working Group was constituted by the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to address various dimensions of Centre-State relations. The WG presented its report to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on December 23, 2009.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST