Jammu: J&K government on Tuesday reconstituted 21 Development Authorities of Tourism Department including those for the magnificent and world famous tourist spots of the Union Territory viz., Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Patnitop.
These Development Authorities, established in terms of Jammu and Kashmir Development Authority Act, 1970, have been reconstituted in supersession of all previous orders on this account.
Three premier Development Authorities i.e., Patnitop Development Authority; Pahalgam Development Authority and Gulmarg Development Authority will be chaired by the Lieutenant Governor of J&K and the Chief Secretary will be among their members.
Rest eighteen Authorities will have the Chief Secretary as their chairman.
As per GAD order, all these Authorities will have 12 members each, except Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority and Wullar-Manasbal Development Authority which will comprise 14 and 13 members respectively as their jurisdiction encompasses more than one district.
Other Authorities reconstituted included Aharbal Development Authority; Bhaderwah Development Authority; Doodhpathri Development Authority; Hygam-Ningli Tarzoo Development Authority: Kokernag Development Authority; Kishtwar Development Authority; Lolab-Bangus-Drangyari Development Authority; Poonch Development Authority; Rajouri Development Authority; Sonamarg Development Authority; Shopian Dubjan Peer Ki Gali Development Authority; Verinag Development Authority; Yousmarg Development Authority; Bani Basohli Development Authority; Billawar-Duggan (Lakhanpur-Sarthal) Development Authority and Tosa Maidan Development Authority.
Patnitop, Gulmarg and Pahalgam Development Authorities with the Lieutenant Governor as their chairman will have the Chief Secretary; Administrative Secretary Finance Department; Administrative Secretary Planning, Development & Monitoring; Administrative Secretary Tourism Department; a representative of Wildlife Department not below the rank of Regional Wildlife Warden; Superintending Engineer PW (R&B) Department concerned and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) concerned as their members.
Chief Executive Officer of respective Development Authorities will be their member secretary. In the case of Patnitop Development Authority, the Director Tourism Jammu; Deputy Commissioner Udhampur and Chief Town Planner Jammu will also be its members.
Pahalgam and Gulmarg Development Authorities will also have their respective Deputy Commissioners i.e., DC Anantnag and DC Baramulla; Director Tourism Kashmir; Chief Town Planner Kashmir among members.
All other Development Authorities with the Chief Secretary as their chairman will almost have the same composition except one or two members.
They all will have Administrative Secretary Finance Department; Administrative Secretary Planning, Development & Monitoring; Administrative Secretary Tourism Department Member; Special Secretary or Additional Secretary, Tourism Department; a representative of Wildlife Department not below the rank of Regional Wildlife Warden; Superintending Engineer PW (R&B) Department concerned and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) concerned as their members.
Director Tourism Kashmir and Chief Town Planner Kashmir will also be the members of Development Authorities falling in Kashmir region while Director Tourism Jammu and Chief Town Planner Jammu will be the members of Development Authorities falling in Jammu region.
Chief Executive Officer of respective Development Authorities will be their member secretary.
In case of Aharbal Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Kulgam; in Bhaderwah Development Authority Deputy Commissioner Doda; in Doodhpathri Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Budgam; in Hygam-Ningli Tarzoo Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla; in Kokernag Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag; in Kishtwar Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar; in Lolab-Bangus-Drangyari Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara will also be a member.
Similarly in Surinsar-Mansar Development Authority, Deputy Commissioners of Jammu, Samba, Udhampur districts; in Poonch Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Poonch; in Rajouri Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri; in Sonamarg Development Authority Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal; in Shopian Dubjan Peer Ki Gali Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Shopian; in Verinag Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag will be among members.
Deputy Commissioners of Bandipora and Ganderbal will also be the members of Wullar-Manasbal Development Authority while in Yousmarg Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner Budgam; in case of Bani Basohli Development Authority and Billawar-Duggan (Lakhanpur-Sarthal Development Authority), Deputy Commissioner Kathua and in Tosa-Maidan Development Authority, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam will also be a member.
“The members of these 21 Development Authorities will hold the office for a period of two years from the date of issuance of this order,” Principal Secretary to the Government Manoj Kumar Dwivedi directed.