Jammu, Nov 13 (KNS): The long-pending demands of daily wagers remained outside the agenda as the Omar Abdullah-led Cabinet held its first full-strength meeting in Jammu on Friday following the recent expansion of the Council of Ministers, with discussions largely focusing on land transfers, infrastructure projects and administrative matters.

The meeting, held at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu, was the first in the winter capital after the resumption of the Darbar Move and brought together all nine members of the Council of Ministers, including four ministers inducted last month.

Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmed Rana, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said most of the agenda items concerned land transfers and allotments for development projects, particularly power projects proposed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

"A majority of the proposals were related to land transfers. Some of our power projects are being developed under the PPP model, for which land-related issues had to be addressed," Rana said.

He said the Cabinet also took up proposals involving land for agricultural and fruit markets, besides land allotment for the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB).

Other matters on the agenda included promotion-related cases and a proposal concerning the establishment of a grid station at Hajan.

However, when asked whether the Cabinet had discussed the regularisation of daily wagers, Rana said the issue was not listed for consideration.

"We did not discuss daily wagers today. Their issue was not part of the Cabinet agenda. Most of the items were related to land transfers and some promotion cases," the minister said.

The absence of the issue from the meeting comes as daily wagers across Jammu and Kashmir continue to await a decision on their regularisation and other service-related demands.

Rana was also questioned about the committee constituted to examine the concerns of daily wagers, but he did not provide any timeline for the submission of its report.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The meeting was significant as it marked the first full-strength Cabinet sitting in Jammu since the National Conference-led government assumed office in October 2024.

The Council of Ministers reached its maximum permissible strength of nine, including the Chief Minister, following the October 27 expansion, which saw the induction of Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamim Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani.

The expansion also saw the exit of Satish Sharma from the Council of Ministers.

The Cabinet now comprises Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and ministers Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamim Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani.

The expanded Cabinet had earlier met in Srinagar on October 27, shortly after the induction of the new ministers, but Friday's meeting was its first in Jammu following the seasonal shifting of government offices.

Meanwhile, Rana said the rehabilitation of traders affected by fires at Jammu's warehouse market and Shiv Market was not discussed during Friday's meeting, although the matter had already been brought to the Chief Minister's attention.

"We have held detailed meetings with the Chief Minister regarding the fires in both markets. He is aware of the situation and has personally visited Shiv Market," Rana said.

He added that the Chief Minister had reviewed the situation in the affected areas and was personally looking into the matter.

While the minister outlined the major subjects discussed, details of the decisions taken on individual proposals were not immediately available.

The meeting was among the first major Cabinet-level engagements in Jammu following the Darbar Move and the expansion of the Council of Ministers, with land-related proposals forming the principal business of the day. (KNS)