Srinagar, Feb 25 — Jammu and Kashmir cannot function effectively with dual centres of authority, Sports Minister Satish Sharma said on Wednesday, asserting that people are weary of the Union Territory arrangement and that statehood must be restored at the earliest.
Speaking to news agency KNO, Sharma said public sentiment strongly favours the return of statehood, arguing that the current administrative framework has created governance hurdles.
“Statehood restoration must happen soon. People are tired of the UT setup,” Sharma said, adding that Jammu and Kashmir needs a unified administrative structure for efficient governance.
The minister said the present arrangement was unprecedented, noting that a full-fledged state had been converted into a Union Territory, a model which, he said, had not delivered the expected outcomes.
“Jammu and Kashmir cannot operate with two power centres. There has to be a single, accountable system,” he said.
Sharma said restoration of statehood was essential for political stability, economic growth and employment generation, and would strengthen democratic institutions while speeding up development initiatives across the region.
He also expressed hope that the commitment made by the Prime Minister on restoring statehood would be fulfilled in the near future.