Srinagar, Mar 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the legislative assembly on Wednesday that the Jammu and Kashmir Golf Development and Management Authority (JKGDM Authority), established in 2013 to develop golf courses, was repealed in 2020 under the central reorganization laws. The disclo-sure came in response to an un-starred question raised by legislator Farooq Ahmad Shah during the ongoing assembly session.
In a written reply, the Tourism Department stated that the JKGDM Authority was constituted under the 2013 Act (S.O 533) but was dissolved following the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Adaptation of State Laws) Order, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The order, dated March 31, 2020, repealed the Act that originally established the body.
Shah had sought clarity on the Authority’s defunct status and steps toward its re-vival. The government clarified that while the body is currently inactive, it “would consider constituting a Golf Development Authority if the need arises in future.”
The JKGDM Authority, as per a 2018 notification was chaired by the Chief Minis-ter and included high-ranking officials such as the Minister for Tourism, Chief Sec-retary, and Directors of Tourism for Jammu and Kashmir. Its mandate included overseeing golf course development and management. However, its operations ceased post-2020 due to the legislative overhaul following the erstwhile state’s bi-furcation into Union Territories.
The Tourism Department stated that the repeal aligned with broader administra-tive changes but left room for potential revival based on future requirements. No timeline or specific plans were outlined.
The response highlights the lingering impacts of Jammu and Kashmir’s reorgani-zation, with legislative bodies and development authorities undergoing significant restructuring over the past three years. Stakeholders in the tourism and sports sec-tors await further clarity on the government’s long-term vision for golf infrastruc-ture in J&K.
