Post-Cabinet differences, CM sets up ministerial panel

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today set up a ministerial committee to examine a proposal on restructuring of state police cadre, three days after she left a Cabinet meeting midway following differences with BJP ministers over the issue.
The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh who said the panel has three ministers each from both the coalition partners -- PDP and BJP -- and that a solution to the issue would be found by the time of the next Cabinet meeting.
"Chief Minister has set up a committee of ministers on the re-organisation of Police (KPS cadres)", Singh told reporters here.

Mehbooba had on Friday last left the Cabinet meeting midway after a rift with a BJP minister over her proposal to restructure Kashmir Police Service (KPS) officers cadre.
On Saturday, the Deputy Chief Minister had justified BJP's opposition to police service restructuring.
Replying to a question about the differences among coalition partners in the Cabinet meeting, Singh said, "It is is matter that pertains to the issue of re-organisation of KPs officers. It was tabled in the Cabinet meeting. It is 30 to 40 pages long. So we wanted time to study it".

BJP is not opposed to financial and monetary benefits and grades to KPS officers, but objects to giving ranks, he said.

"It was a minor issue. They wanted to do it. Our take was simple that it is a DoPT issue, posts cannot be given without induction into IPS," Singh said.
"The issue will be resolved by the next meeting. The issue was only that of ranks," he said, adding "There is no difference of opinion on the grant of benefits to police officer (KAS) expect that of ranks and their induction is an issue of DOPT".
BJP ministers want the posts of IGs and DIGs to be created after promotion to and inductions into IPS.