“Ministerial Powers in UT Far Weaker Than in State”: Sakina Itoo

Srinagar: Senior cabinet minister Sakina Itoo on Monday said that functioning as a minister in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is far more challenging than in the former state, citing ‘severe’ curtailment of powers.

Talking to reporters, Itoo said, “Despite having nearly three decades of political experience, including serving as a minister and deputy minister in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, working under the Union Territory framework has proved to be extremely difficult. During the early years of my political career, governance was not as constrained as it is today. Power has been clipped. In a Union Territory, a minister enjoys minimal power. It is really tough to work as a minister in a UT.”

She added, “The authority and decision-making space available to ministers in the present setup is far more restricted compared to the past. This affects the pace and effectiveness of governance. Ministers often find themselves unable to implement decisions independently due to structural constraints.”