Former University of Jammu vice-chancellor, Prof Amitabh Mattoo was Wednesday appointed as advisor to J&K Chief Minister. An order in this regard was issued by General Administration Department on Wednesday.Prof Mattoo formerly, too, served as an advisor to former CM late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.The order issued today read that Prof is hereby appointed as Advisor to the Chief Minister, with status of a Cabinet Minister.Mattoo, who is considered very close to People Democratic Party, has been part of various track-II initiatives on Kashmir in the past.Mattoo, who has a Doctorate from the University of Oxford is the Director of the Australia-India Institute in Australia. In 2002, during the PDP government, Matoo was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu until December 2008. Mattoo has also been awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of education and public life.(CNS)