By Our Correspondent
SRINAGAR/LADAKH: Odia IAS officer of Gujarat cadre , Girish Chandra Murmu took oath as the first Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Thursday. He was administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy by Justice Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, at a function held at the Raj Bhavan. Murmu is from Odisha’s tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district bordering Jharkhand.
B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary, read the Warrant of Appointment. Jugal Kishore, Member of Parliament; Dr. Nirmal Kumar Singh, Speaker, J&K Legislative Assembly; Judges of High Court, senior officers of civil administration, police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Army were present on the occasion.
In a simple but historic ceremony, Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, Justice Gita Mittal administered oath of office to R.K. Mathur as the new Lt. Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh .
After swearing in, Mathur said border areas have a lot of development activities to be implemented. Already Government of India is implementing several programmes in the region, priorities for Ladakh will be set in the new regime in consultation with the public and Hill Councils, he said. He added that his experience in the backward areas and border areas in the capacity of Tripura Chief Secretary and as Defence Secretary will be useful.
After swearing in Mathur was given a Guard of Honour at the venue by the Ladakh Police. The swearing in ceremony took place in the presence of officials of Leh and Kargil Hill Councils, Army and Para Military forces, religious leaders and Ladakh public.
