Chief Secretary administers oath to Rajesh Sharma as JKWRRA member

JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo on tuesday  administered oath of office to former Custodian General, J&K, Rajesh Sharma as the member of Jammu & Kashmir Water Resources Regulatory Authority (JKWRRA) here.

On the occasion the ACS, Jal Shakti; Member, JKWRRA; Secretary, Jal Shakti; Chief Engineers of the Department besides other officers were present.

Dulloo complimented Sharma for assuming his charge and asked him for using his expertise in bringing innovations into the working of the Authority.

The Chief Secretary took this occasion to ask the I&FC Department to further expand their command area under different irrigation schemes here in the UT. He also sensitized them about the preparedness of the UT to receive the waters from the Shahpur Kandi barrage. He asked them to further explore possibilities of bringing more land under crop production by devising requisite irrigation schemes under NABARD etc.

On the occasion the ACS, Jal Shakti Department, Shaleen Kabra informed the gathering that the regulatory authority has now become fully functional as 3 out of 5 members are in place now making the quorum viable.

He gave out that the Authority has an essential duty of regulating water resources in the UT. He said that its mandate includes ensuring judicious, equitable and sustainable management, allocation and utilization of these resources, fixing the rates for use of water, and all other relevant matters.

Pertinent to mention here that Sharma, an erstwhile IAS officer has served in higher administration and management roles in J&K government holding senior responsibilities.

He had been the Regional Director (Survey & Land Records), Udhampur, Director Handloom Development Department, Secretary Public Service Commission (J&K) and lastly the Custodian General of J&K before superannuation from active government services in June, 2023.