J&K govt resumes functioning in Jammu amid anti-govt protests

In continuance with the 140-year-old practice of erstwhile Dogri kings of shifting capital in Jammu and Kashmir with change of seasons, offices including civil secretariat, state legislature, Raj Bhawan started their work in the winter capital here after shifting from Srinagar.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah kick-started working of the government by taking guard of honour at the civil secretariat here.

Omar was given guard of honour by state Police contingent on his arrival at civil secretariat and later inaugurated newly constructed rooms at the complex and addressed a meeting of his ministers and officials.

The civil secretariat closed in Srinagar in the last week of October.

"We want to work for the people of J&K--people have given us full support and co-operation-- We seek co-operation from the people of Jammu to ensure development and progress in this region for the next 6 months after reopening of darbar offices," Omar told reporters here today.

Omar said our endeavour will be to sort out problems being faced by the people in the next six months.

"Our single biggest contribution to the state is conduct of panchayat polls to empower people at the grass-root level," the chief minister said.

In view of threat of protests, authorities had imposed prohibitory orders around the secretariat and heavy police deployment was made to deal with them.

Protest march of Government employees towards secretariat was foiled by the police after brief clashes at Press club area.

They were demanding policy regularisation of daily-wagers, removal of pay anomalies among other things. MORE