The Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was held here today under the Chairmanship of Mohammad Akbar Lone to examine the functioning of Hospitality and Protocol department inside and outside the State.Legislators, Abdul Rashid Dar, Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat and Firdous Ahmed Tak attended the meeting and gave their views and suggestions to improve the working of the H&P department.The detailed discussions were held on the functioning of the H&P department in the State, besides JK House New Delhi and other Guest Houses working in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Mumbai.Principal Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, R K Gupta briefed the Committee about the working of Guest Houses of the department located outside the state and providing accommodation and transport facilities to the Legislators, besides facilities being provided to the patients of the state.The Committee also discussed the issues related to the availability of transport and accommodation facilities to the Legislators during their visits to New Delhi and difficulties being faced by the patients during their visits to New Delhi and other places while getting their treatments.He informed that the department provides the facilities of pick and drop to the Legislators from Airport to JK House/Guest House during their visit at New Delhi to avoid any inconvenience.
The Resident Commissioner informed that the renovation work of C and B blocks is in progress which is the main reason of the shortage of the accommodation. He assured the Committee that the department will provide suitable accommodation to the Legislators on priority basis as per the protocol. He also informed about the vacant post of Manager at Mumbai Guest House for the last 2 years and shortage of other staff in the Guest Houses outside the state for which the department is facing lot of difficulties, he added.The Committee directed the concerned authorities to check any complaint of pick and choose in the guest houses, New Delhi and giving priority to needy and genuine patients during their visits for treatment.Director, Hospitality and Protocol also briefed the Committee about the functioning of the H&P department in the state and steps being taken to upgrade the existing infrastructure of guest houses in the State.Special Secretary, Assembly, R L Sharma, Special Secretary, Resident Commissioner Office, New Delhi, Nazim Khan, Deputy Secretary, Assembly Farooq Ahmed Khan and other senior officers of H&P department and Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.