Arshad Farooq
Srinagar, Aug 23 (KINS): Cabinet Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, in the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government, on Saturday said that the historic Darbar Move tradition would be restored this year.
“This year we would restore the Darbar Move,” Rana told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
When asked whether the upcoming Assembly session, likely to be held in mid-September in Srinagar, was discussed in Friday’s cabinet meeting, the minister said, “A lot of important issues were taken up. Cabinet deliberations cannot always be shared publicly, but yes, these meetings focus on crucial decisions.”
The Darbar Move, introduced by Maharaja Gulab Singh in 1872, was a biannual practice under which the Civil Secretariat and other offices functioned in Srinagar during summer and in Jammu during winter.
The practice was scrapped in 2021 by the Lieutenant Governor, citing an annual saving of around 200 crore for the exchequer.
However the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has consistently pledged to restore the tradition.
In December last year as per KINS, he said, “We assure you that the Darbar Move will be restored. Jammu holds its own importance, and we will not allow its uniqueness to diminish.”
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary had also backed the move, noting its impact on Jammu’s economy.
“The Darbar Move supported jobs and livelihoods by generating business for hotels, transport, and local industries. While government jobs alone could not meet everyone’s employment needs, this tradition created alternative opportunities,” he had said.
He had further emphasized that the practice was originally introduced by the Dogra Maharajas to maintain economic balance between the Jammu and Kashmir regions. “Our government respected this legacy and was committed to upholding it for the prosperity of our people,” he had added.”. (KINS)
