By IANS,
Jammu : The Jammu and Kashmir government has nominated National Conference (NC) legislator Shamima Firdous as chairperson of the state women’s commission, a post that was lying vacant for over seven years.
The announcement was made by the government Wednesday.
Despite persistent demands by various womens’ groups, the post was not filled by successive governments since 2003, when the first chairperson of the commission Girja Dhar resigned.
Firdous will have the status of a minister of state, an official release announcing her appointment said.
The state government also announced the appointment of the vice chairman of the Pahari Welfare Board and the vice president of the Kisan (Farmers’) Advisory Board.
While former National Conference legislator Mushtaq Ahmad Bukhari will head the Pahari Welfare Board, sitting NC legislator Rachpal Singh will head the Kisan Advisory Board.