J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Rs 564-cr J&K credit plan
Srinagar, May 11
The annual credit plan for Jammu and Kashmir for the current financial year will be to the tune of Rs 564 crore. This was decided at the 56th state-level bankers’ committee meeting, an official spokesman said here yesterday.

Governor, CM condemn Doda killings
Srinagar, May 11
The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, have condemned the killing of six persons in Doda district.

• Killings condemned

New Chrar structure to be ready by July
Charar-e-Sharief, May 11 Six years after the burning or Sheikh Nooruddin Wali’s, shrine here, the work on the new structure is nearing completion. The structure was scheduled to be completed by October last, is expected to be completed by July this year.
Devotees continue to throng the shrine of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali at Charar-e-Sharief, 30 km east of Srinagar, which is coming up on the new architectural pattern after it was damaged in an encounter on May 11, 1995. — Photo Amin War

Package for return of migrants
Srinagar, May 11
The Jammu and Kashmir government is pursuing with the Centre the package of about Rs 44 crore for return of Kashmiri migrants to their houses in the valley.

6 die, 30 hurt as bus falls into nullah
Jammu, May 11
At least six passengers were killed and 30 others were wounded, 10 of them seriously, when a bus in which they were travelling fell into Balni nullah near Katra today.

Rs 564-cr J&K credit plan
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 11
The annual credit plan for Jammu and Kashmir for the current financial year will be to the tune of Rs 564 crore. This was decided at the 56th state-level bankers’ committee meeting, an official spokesman said here yesterday.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly, who presided over the meeting, called upon the banks to come forward in a big way for supplementing government efforts in tackling unemployment in the state. 

He stressed the need for galvanising the youth. All this is possible with speeding up all round development. New schemes need to be identified for financing self-employment schemes, he added.

The targets fixed under various sectors, the Chief Secretary said, should be realistic.

Mr Jaitly said institutions like the RBI, SIDBI, IDBI, NABARD have to contribute not only to financial institutions but also to development agencies. he emphasised that concern of the banks should be development of the state and not only their economic health. He observed that banks should have more commitment for economic development of Jammu and Kashmir and added the RBI should ensure this.

Earlier, the Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd. Mr M.Y. Khan, the convenor of the meeting, highlighted the performance of the banks during the last financial year. He said various banks had disbursed a credit of Rs 275.09 crore under the annual credit plan in favour of 31363 beneficiaries during the first nine months of the last fiscal year. Under the farm sector, the banks have provided credit of Rs 56.20 crore to 11760 beneficiaries while under the non-farm sector, the banks have disbursed Rs 38.82 crore to 1532 beneficiaries. Similarly under the services sector, banks have advanced Rs 180.07 crore to 18071 beneficiaries during the period.

Mr Khan stated that banks had disbursed Rs 46.51 crore to 8628 beneficiaries under various government-sponsored schemes. Giving details, he said under SGSY, banks have disbursed Rs 8.02 crore to 3052 beneficiaries while Rs 17 crore have been provided to 2068 educated unemployed youth under PMRY for setting up various employment generating units. Under JKSES, the banks had advanced Rs 13.67 crore to 1338 youth while under SJSRY, Rs 6.58 crore had been provided to 1490 persons. He said out of total achievements of banks, the contribution of J & K bank alone has been to the tune of Rs 149.07 crore benefitting 15264 beneficiaries.

Governor, CM condemn Doda killings
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 11
The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, have condemned the killing of six persons in Doda district.

Describing this dastardly act as a crime against humanity, Mr Saxena expressed his shock and grief over the incident and extended his deep sympathies to the bereaved families, an official spokesman said here.

The Governor expressed confidence that the culprits will soon be tracked down and punished severely. He appealed the people to remain calm and maintain harmony to defeat the nefarious designs of the militants.

The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, said such acts demonstrate the level of desperation of perpetrators of violence, operating under the command of forces from across the border.

He also expressed shock over killing of civilians in blast at Magam on Wednesday evening.

Dr Abdullah conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families and appealed the people to maintain peace.

Killings condemned
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 11
The Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, and the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, have condemned the killing of six persons in Doda district. Dr Abdullah, said such acts demonstrate the level of desperation of perpetrators of violence, operating under the command of forces from across the border.

New Chrar structure to be ready by July
Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

Charar-e-Sharief, May 11
Six years after the burning or Sheikh Nooruddin Wali’s, shrine here, the work on the new structure is nearing completion. The structure was scheduled to be completed by October last, is expected to be completed by July this year.

The structure on the 600-year old mausoleum of Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, is being completed at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. The state government has already provided pooled Rs 1.5 crore for the construction. The Khanqah, adjacent to the main shrine is to be reconstructed shortly. The new structure is 100 ft square.

“More attention is being given to the completion of the shrine,” said Ghulam Mohiuddin, Administrator of the Sub-Aauqaf, Chrar-e-Sharief, the organisation which looks after the shrines and mosques in the valley. The pilgrims, according to Mr Ghulam Mohiuddin, will have more space. Thousands of Kashmiri devotees throng the shrine every week, mostly on Thursdays and Fridays.

Sheikh Nooruddin Wali is one of the tallest Kashmiri saints and the originator of Rishi order in Kashmir. He was born in Koimoh village near Kulgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir in the 14th century AD. The saint meditated for 12 years in a cave. On his demise, Sultan Zain-ul-Abideen, personally attended the funeral. Four centuries after Sheikh’s death, Afghan Governor Atta Mohammad Khan, issued coins in his name. The renowned saint, Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom, would visit the shrine barefoot. Each of Sheikh’s saying is called “shruk”.

Package for return of migrants
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 11
The Jammu and Kashmir government is pursuing with the Centre the package of about Rs 44 crore for return of Kashmiri migrants to their houses in the valley.

The Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr Abdul Qayoom, said at a meeting here this morning that the package formulated by the State government is under active consideration of the Centre, an official spokesman said.

It was stated at the meeting that those Kashmiri migrants who want to return to the valley will be given an incentive of Rs 0.50 lakh per family and Rs 1 lakh for repair of house. Similarly interest subsidy on new business loan at the rate of Rs 0.50 lakh per family and on loan for orchards at the rate of 0.24 lakh will be provided by the government.

Likewise cash assistance at the rate of Rs 3,000 per month per family and free ration to each family per month for one year will be borne by the government. 

6 die, 30 hurt as bus falls into nullah
Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 11
At least six passengers were killed and 30 others were wounded, 10 of them seriously, when a bus in which they were travelling fell into Balni nullah near Katra today.

Eight of the seriously wounded have been shifted to the Jammu medical college. The police said five passengers died on the spot and another succumbed to his wounds in the medical college. The bus was bound for Reasi. Soon after leaving Katra, it had hardly travelled a kilometre when the driver lost control, possibly due to mechanical fault, and the bus fell into the nullah.

Villagers and the police rushed to the spot and rescued wounded passengers. Some of the seriously wounded have been admitted to a hospital in Katra.