Statehood restoration tops agenda in first Cabinet meeting

Srinagar, Oct 17: Just a day after being sworn in as Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah held his first cabinet meeting on Thursday, where the main focus was on restoring statehood.
The meeting included the new cabinet members and Chief Secretary Atal Duloo, and they plan to finalize the ministerial portfolios by Friday evening.
A senior leader from the National Conference (NC) told Rising Kashmir that restoring statehood was the key topic discussed. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi this week, which will be his first trip to the capital since taking office.
“During the meetings, we talked about how important it is for the bureaucracy and elected representatives to work together. Omar stressed that the issues affecting the public should be addressed as a top priority, and there should be no compromises,” the leader said.
On October 16, Omar Abdullah took the oath of office as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, marking his second term. The ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) and was presided over by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The event also saw attendance from several leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc, highlighting its political importance.