Three-member panel to identify works of art, artifacts and archival record of Ladakh

As assets, liabilities and administrative posts of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir are apportioned between the union territories of J&K and Ladakh, the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led Jammu and Kashmir administration has notified the formation of a three-member panel that will identify works of art, artefacts and archival records pertaining to Ladakh.

Jammu: A three-member panel is being set up to identify works of art, artefacts and archival records pertaining to Ladakh, as assets, liabilities and administrative posts of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir were apportioned between the union territories of J&K and Ladakh on Saturday, according to a notification.

The apportionment was notified by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-led Jammu and Kashmir administration.

On August 5 last year, the Centre had abrogated the special status of the erstwhile state and divided it into the two union territories (UTs).

"With regard to art, artefacts and archival record, a three-member committee shall be set up to identify works of art, artefacts and archival record currently in the UT of J&K. One of the members of the committee shall be an expert from the Ministry of Culture, while there shall be one member each from the UTs of J&K and Ladakh respectively," the government notification read.

The notification, issued by commissioner secretary to the Jammu and Kashmir government Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, said that the items pertaining to Ladakh, which are identified by the committee, would be transferred to the UT or any entity designated by it.

It said all immovable assets belonging to the erstwhile government of Jammu and Kashmir, excluding those belonging to entities such as corporations and boards, and except where explicitly provided for, stand apportioned to the UTs.

On immovable properties located outside the erstwhile state, the notification said the UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have the "right of usage" of the third floor of Block B, which has suites, at the Chanakyapuri Guest House in Delhi till December 31, 2021, after which it will be transferred to Ladakh.

The J&K House at 5 Prithviraj Road, Delhi; the Rajaji Marg property at Delhi, the guest house, BRIL, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi, the J&K Emporium at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Delhi, the Guest House at Amritsar, and a property in Chandigarh will remain with the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, it said.

The notification said that a house in Chandigarh, a flat in the Adamant Building, Mumbai, the fourth floor of the 11-Engineering Building, Sleater Road, Mumbai, and all properties of the LAHDC at Jammu and Srinagar will remain with Ladakh while guest houses and circuit houses in Jammu and Kashmir will remain with it.

Other immovable properties located outside the erstwhile state and not mentioned specifically would remain with the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, it said.

On apportionment of moveable assets, the notification said all moveable assets stand apportioned on an "as is where is" basis between the two UTs.

"Unpaid liabilities/bills shall be discharged, after due process/scrutiny, by the respective UT where the works/projects were executed or expenditure incurred. Investments in capital works/projects indicated in the statement of financial assets under 'Other Capital Expenditure', amounting to Rs 1956 crore stand transferred to the UT of Ladakh, it said.

The notifications said that the funds and pension liabilities stand apportioned as required following the actual allocation of employees between the UTs.

Financial liabilities of Rs 2,504.46 Crores stand transferred to the UT of Ladakh at the rate of two per cent of the total liabilities.

The book value of capital assets of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir will be transferred on a notional basis to Ladakh on the principle of as is where is basis, it said.

With regard to the arrangements for the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, the notification said the bank would continue its operations as a going concern in both the UTs.

"The UT of Jammu and Kashmir shall continue to have majority shareholding in the bank. Fifty-one per cent of the shareholding in the bank shall remain with the UT of J&K, while the remaining 8.23 per cent shareholding (approximately 13.89 per cent of the existing shareholding of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir), shall be transferred to the UT of Ladakh, the notification said.

It said a post of director on the board of the J&K Bank would be earmarked for Ladakh.

"A reasonable proportion of employees of the bank shall be recruited from the UT of Ladakh, details of which will be worked out by the bank," the notification said.

PTI