The state cabinet, in its first meeting after the completion of three years of the coalition government in office, today approved summoning of state legislature for Budget session 2012-13 from February 23, 2012 and it also gave a go ahead to much awaited J&K State drug policy.
Consensus, however, eluded the cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, over the adoption of the parliamentary practice of recess of a week or two in between the budget session as was being anticipated. Sources stated that some of the ministers objected to the proposal stating this would set a wrong precedent. They were not fully convinced with the logic forwarded in support of the proposal.
“Finally the consensus evolved on holding the session from February 23. Though initially it was proposed to be held from February 16 with a recess of a week or two on parliamentary pattern yet in the absence of consensus, the schedule was pushed further by a week,” the sources added.
Yet another important item on the agenda of cabinet meeting was the J&K Drug Policy, which officially speaking, has been formulated with an avowed objective to universalize the quality health session across the state.
Following the cabinet meeting, Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma explained the salient features of the policy and said that the policy would help in ensuring balanced growth of health sector in the state. It would also rationalize the use of drugs.
He said, “The drug policy envisages rationalizing number of drug licenses, only drugs listed in EDL shall be procured and the qualification of drugs would be done, taking into consideration the parameters of demand, lead time, transportation and emergency needs. An appropriate inventory control system to prevent excessive stocking of items and also present stock outlets has been devised in the drug policy which takes care of proper recall and disposal procedures followed as per standard guidelines.”
He said that the features of drug policy included selection of essential drug list by expert committee to be known as State Drug Committee.
The Committee will comprise clinicians, micro-biologists, qualified pharmacists and independent experts besides senior functionaries of the departments. He said for Indian System of Medicines (ISM) there would be a separate committee.
Health minister said that the policy was formulated under the directions of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who was keen to upgrade the health care status of Jammu and Kashmir and universalize the quality health session across the state.
The Health Minister said that the policy also envisages strengthening of Drug and Food Control Organization and Drug Testing Laboratories. “It also provides for promoting rational use of drugs in the state so that patients receive the medicines appropriately. It provides for drugs and therapeutic committees in all the hospitals,” Sham said. He said the concept of essential drugs, rational drug use and generic prescribing would be integral part of basic and in-service training of health professionals under the policy.
He said Drug Information Centre would be established in the state to provide appropriate drug information.
Among other items on agenda, the cabinet also approved of 6627 hectares of forest land as Tata Kuti wildlife sanctuary in Poonch in lieu of proposed de-notification of Trikuta wildlife sanctuary (3140 hectares).
The transfer of land in favour of Social Welfare Department for SOS Children’s village situated at Tullamulla tehsil and district Ganderbal was also given a go ahead besides giving an approval to the creation of employees and pensioners Data Base-Centralized Personal Information System (CPIS) in J&K state.
The proposal to create posts of various categories in the NCC organization, re-employment of Abdul Hakeem, Deputy Director, District Motor Garages, Leh for a period of one year w.e.f. January 1, 2012 too were cleared by the cabinet.
Besides, the cabinet also approved transfer and posting of Mushtaq Ahmed Mir, Additional Commissioner (Administration) Commercial Taxes, Kashmir as Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department, Kashmir against available vacancy.
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