Jammu, Mar 8 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday amended the warrant of precedence placing the chairpersons of district development councils (DDCs) equivalent to administrative secretaries/inspectors general of police.

The DDC elections were held for the first time last year in J&K and the chairpersons of the DDCs in 20 districts of J&K were chosen by the elected DDC members.

According to the amended warrant of precedence, DDC chairpersons have been placed at serial 26 in the protocol list.

They are equivalent in status to administrative secretaries/IGPs, divisional commissioners, joint secretaries of the government of India and officers of equivalent rank.

Deputy chairpersons of DDCs have been placed at serial 27, equivalent to the vice chancellors of universities in the state/UT.

Members of the DDCs have been placed at serial 28, equivalent to block development council chairpersons, presidents of municipal committees, officers of the rank of brigadier in army, major heads of departments and the district and sessions judges.

The assigning of status to DDC chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and the members in the protocol list is part of the government's empowerment policy at the grassroots level to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system by making it effective and powerful.