Srinagar, Mar 30 : A total of 33 private members’ bills have been listed for consideration in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, covering a wide range of issues including prohibition, land reforms, healthcare regulation and social welfare.
According to officials, six bills propose a ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the Union Territory. These include calls for complete prohibition across Jammu and Kashmir as well as region-specific restrictions, particularly in the Kashmir Valley. One of the bills also seeks amendments to the existing excise law to enforce prohibition.
A key proposal relates to healthcare, with a bill advocating a ban on private practice by government doctors to ensure their full-time availability in public health institutions.
Land-related legislations also feature prominently. One bill proposes restoration of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Grants Act, 1960, with provisions as they existed prior to the 2022 amendments, aimed at safeguarding the rights of existing leaseholders. Another bill seeks to grant ownership rights to long-term occupants of state land and calls for greater transparency in land ownership transfers.
The House is also set to take up a bill focused on the protection and management of Kashmiri Hindu shrines and religious places in the Union Territory.
Food safety concerns have been addressed through two proposed bills—one seeking a ban on the import of frozen and chilled food items from outside Jammu and Kashmir, and another proposing strict action against the sale of unsafe or unhygienic meat.
Employment and welfare measures are also part of the agenda, including proposals for regularisation of casual and daily-rated workers and social security provisions for unemployed youth.
Another bill calls for compassionate appointments to the next of kin of deceased government employees, security personnel and civilians affected by militancy or cross-border incidents.
Officials said that 72 private members’ bills have been accepted so far, with the remaining proposals likely to be taken up in subsequent sittings, subject to availability of time. (Agency)
