Despite back to back Western Disturbances that brought snow and rains in last week, the Kashmir Division recorded a 52pc rainfall deficit, while the Jammu Division recorded a 46pc deficit.

According to data released by the Meteorological Centre Srinagar, most districts in both divisions received below-normal precipitation during the month of March.

In Kashmir, several districts recorded large deficits in seasonal rainfall. Ganderbal was the only district in the division to record near-normal rainfall during the period.

The data showed that the twin district of Kulgam and Shopian in south Kashmir recorded the highest rainfall deficits in the Valley.

Kulgam recorded only 22.4 mm rainfall, showing a deficit of 86 percent, while Shopian received 16.3 mm rainfall, registering an 83 percent deficit.

Other districts also recorded deficit rainfall, including Budgam with a 71 percent deficit, Anantnag 63 percent deficit, Pulwama and Srinagar 46 percent deficit each, Bandipore 41 percent deficit and Baramulla 38 percent deficit.

Kupwara recorded a comparatively lower deficit of 37 percent, while Ganderbal was the only district to record normal rainfall during the period. Overall, the Kashmir Division recorded a large rainfall deficit during the period from March 1 to March.

Overall, the Kashmir Division received 55.43 mm rainfall against the normal of 115.23 mm, indicating a 51.90% deficit.

In the Jammu Division, rainfall was also below normal in most districts. However, Poonch and Samba recorded normal rainfall, while other districts such as Jammu, Kathua, Ramban and Udhampur remained in the deficit category.

The division recorded 71.12 mm rainfall against the normal of 131.34 mm, showing a 45.85% deficit.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre Srinagar has predicted generally cloudy weather with intermittent light to moderate rain and snowfall over higher reaches across Jammu and Kashmir from March 28 to 30, accompanied by thunder and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph.

The MeT office has also issued an advisory warning of moderate snowfall over a few higher reaches and thunder and lightning at many places, particularly during the night of March 28 to March 30. (Agencies)State Government Orders

Jammu: Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the status of updation of Recruitment Rules (RRs) across various departments, stressing the need for transparency, efficiency and employee welfare in public administration.

The meeting was attended by Shabnam Shah Kamili, Commissioner Secretary, ARI & Trainings Department, along with Administrative Secretaries of different departments.

Emphasising timely finalisation of Recruitment Rules, the Chief Secretary directed all Administrative Secretaries to work in close coordination with the ARI & Trainings Department and complete the process within a defined timeframe. He said updated and well-structured RRs are essential for ensuring a transparent, merit-based recruitment system and for filling vacancies promptly across departments.

Reiterating the Government’s commitment to administrative efficiency, Dulloo instructed that the entire exercise be carried out in mission mode, eliminating delays and ensuring uniformity in recruitment procedures.

During the meeting, Shabnam Shah Kamili informed that the initiative marks a shift towards digital governance. She said a dedicated online portal has been developed in collaboration with BISAG-N to streamline the process of updating Recruitment Rules.

She further stated that from April 1, 2026, all offline submissions for Recruitment Rules will be discontinued and departments will be required to route proposals exclusively through the online portal. The portal has been made fully operational after security audits and includes SMS-based communication features. To facilitate the transition, four high-level training sessions have been conducted for departmental nodal officers.

Highlighting progress, officials informed that the Standing Committee constituted for the purpose has held 53 meetings since early 2024. Recruitment Rules for 33 services have been finalised, while draft proposals for 81 additional services have been prepared. Additionally, 12 services have been cleared through executive orders to address urgent administrative requirements.

The meeting was also apprised that these efforts aim to clear the backlog and align departmental structures with modern governance standards and best practices.

Addressing key issues, officials noted that internal audits have identified outdated pay scales linked to the 5th Pay Commission and 6th Pay Commission, as well as stagnation in “Schedule-I” post allocations.

Departments were advised to adopt uniform model Recruitment Rules for ministerial staff and clearly define parameters such as “experience” to remove ambiguity and ensure fairness in the recruitment process.

The Chief Secretary also directed major departments, including Health, Education, Revenue and Agriculture, to resolve pending mapping issues on priority and finalise their Recruitment Rules without further delay.

The meeting concluded with a reiteration of the government’s resolve to modernise administrative processes, enhance transparency and ensure timely recruitment through a robust, technology-driven framework.