Srinagar (Jammu-Kashmir): The silent but partial shifting of employees and logistics to Jammu from Srinagar under the Darbar Move has created confusion among people and belied the claims of the government regarding the old bi-annual practice of shifting the Civil Secretariat.
In July this year, LG Manoj Sinha's administration had said that it has called an end to the century-old shifting of hundreds of its employees and logistics to Jammu and Srinagar which cost around 2 hundred crore rupees to the government exchequer.
The administration had cancelled residential accommodations of Durbar Move employees officers from Srinagar stationed at Jammu and those from Jammu stationed at Srinagar — and directed them to vacate the government quarters.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt-Governor Manoj Sinha had said on June 20 said the administration had completely transitioned to e-office.
“Now, both Jammu and Srinagar secretariats can function normally for twelve months. The decision of closure of the Darbar Move will save the government Rs 200 crore every year which will be used for the welfare of the deprived sections," Sinha had said.
While switching to e-office, the government has said that the switch to the online mode will avoid wear and tear as well as loss of official record during the bi-annual transit, besides saving the associated transportation cost.
READ: Jammu and Kashmir govt defers biannual Darbar Move due to rising Covid-19 cases
Darbar Move practice, under which the Civil Secretariat, the top seat of the JK government, was shifted to Jammu from Srinagar during winter and vice versa during summer, was started 148 years ago by Dogra rulers of Jammu. Both elected and non-elected governments continued this practice till last year.
The closure of this century-old practice had angered the Jammu residents and traders.
Traders in Jammu said that the closure of the Darbar Move will end their business as thousands of families of employees from Kashmir would travel to Jammu and live in the district for six months.
The Dabar Move employees would take their families and relatives along to Jammu to escape from the freezing cold of the Valley.
Many thought that the Darbar Move was also a cultural exchange between Jammu Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims which would strengthen their bond and create communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the closure of the practice by the government was suspected in Kashmir valley as a consequence of abrogation of Article 370 and many people in the Valley said that it will steady disempower them as the Civil Secretariat may be shifted permanently to Jammu.
Few weeks ago, the government revoked the cancellation order of the employees about accommodation and asked nearly 500 employees to shift to Jammu.
The government silently resumed the Darbar Move practice as and the administrative secretaries were shifted to Jammu leaving only lower rung employees in Srinagar.
Javaid Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar, told ETV Bharat that the government belied its own claims of switching over to e-office.
READ: Jammu traders unhappy with abolition of 149-year old tradition 'Darbar Move'
"Now the administration has spent public money on e-office as well as on employees accommodation and other expenses, which has increased the spending. It has also created confusion among masses whether to go to Jammu or to Srinagar with their grievances," he said.
Contrary to the thinking in Valley, people in Jammu are praising the government decision to resume the Darbar in the district.
"Darbar Move would fuel business in Jammu and also strengthen the bond between Kashmiri and Jammu people. Good, that government has finally rescinded its decision," Aishia Khan, a resident of Jammu told ETV Bharat.
But neither any senior official in the administration nor the Civil Secretariat Employees Union president spoke on the matter despite attempts to contact them.
