JKNPP to hold protest against Darbar Move

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today said that it will hold a day-long protest in front of the Governor House against the "traditional" Darbar Move, terming it to be a "wasteful expenditure" on the state exchequer.
"Panthers party will hold a day-long dharna in front of Raj Bhawan here on April 25 in support of their demand to stop 'Darbar Move Pratha'," JKNPP state president and MLA from Udhampur, Balwant Singh Mankotia, told reporters.
Darbar Move is the bi-annual exercise of shifting the secretariat and all other government offices between Jammu and Srinagar.
"Darbar Move Pratha, started in 1872 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh, was the need of the hour then as the means of communication at that time were very less. The step taken by maharaja to provide government on door steps of Kashmiris at that time was very right, but now in present time it's only the wasteful exercise," claimed Mankotia.

"The Secretariat should work on the pattern of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, around the year on both places without moving files. If High Court can work on both the places, why not the Civil secretariat?" he asked.
"More than Rs 300 crore of wasteful expenditure is incurred on Darbar move exercise, which can be used for the development of state and giving full salaries to the youth, who will get employment under new recruitment policy with less than half of (the regular) salary," he claimed.