J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Govt fails to optimally use Central funds
Jammu, March 3
By spending only Rs 39.53 crore, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has so far failed to utilise even half of the Central allocation of Rs 87.15 crore that it received for implementing five poverty alleviation schemes in the state during the current financial year.

Four scam-tainted IAS officers issued notices
Jammu, March 3
The State Accountability Commission (SAC) today issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Mr Vijay Bakaya, and three other IAS officers in an alleged multi-crore rupees computer education scam in Jammu and Kashmir.

35 hurt as protesters, police clash
Srinagar, March 3
At least 35 persons including two press photographers were injured today in a clash between the police and protesters in Jamia Masjid area here as protest against the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad continued in the Kashmir Valley.

Govt fails to optimally use Central funds
S. P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 3
By spending only Rs 39.53 crore, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has so far failed to utilise even half of the Central allocation of Rs 87.15 crore that it received for implementing five poverty alleviation schemes in the state during the current financial year.

The Central grant was meant for implementation of the Sampuran Gramin Rozgar Yojna (SGRY), Indira Awas Yojna (IAY), Swarnjayanti Gramin Samriti Yojna (SGSY), National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP) and Rural Housing Scheme (RHS).

The minister for rural development informed in a written reply to Ajay Sadhotra (NC) in the Assembly today that out of the allocation of Rs 45.89 crore for SGRY, an amount of Rs 22.41 crore was spent till the end of January, 2006.

A sum of Rs 9.67 crore was spent out of the grant of Rs 23.59 crore for IAY. Out of the allocation of Rs 6.85 crore for SGSY, a sum of Rs 3.63 crore was spent so far.

A sum of Rs 3.71 crore has been spent for NFFWP for which a grant of Rs 8.72 crore was received. Rs 9.11 lakh have been so far utilised out of the grant of Rs 2 crore for the RHS.

Not a single rupee was spent during the period on the RHS in the nine districts of Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, Poonch and Doda for which an allocation of Rs 9.30 lakh, Rs 38 lakh, Rs 23 lakh, Rs 7.20 lakh, Rs 14.69 lakh, Rs 5.45 lakh, Rs 9.02 lakh and Rs 13.55 lakh, respectively, were earmarked. No utilisation of funds was made in all the six districts of Jammu.

As regards the NFFWP, a sum of Rs 1.80 crore was utilised out of the allocation of Rs 4.27 crore in the Kupwara district and Rs 1.91 crore out of Rs 4.45 crore in the Doda district.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Mohammad Akbar Lone, who was in the Chair during Zero Hour ordered the Chief Secretary, Mr Vijay Bakaya, to place on the table of the house the report of the Pillai Committee regarding the multi-crore scam in JAKFED and also the action taken report next week.

The issue was raised by Mr Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPM) who pointed out that a question pertaining to the matter could not be taken up this morning because of absence of the member concerned. As the issue was very serious, the government should inform the house about what action has been taken so far.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, while replying to a question of Mr N. A. Mir and Mr N. Din Bhat in the legislative council, said a committee of Central and state government officers has been constituted to review the cases of detinues and release those against whom serious offense did not exist.

He said 77 foreign detinues are lodged in different jails outside the state under the Public Safety Act for more than one year.

As many as 26 foreign mercenaries and 23 illegal border-crossers have completed their sentence but are still detained under the PSA to regularise their stay in the country till orders for their deportation are issued by the Centre.

Four scam-tainted IAS officers issued notices
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 3
The State Accountability Commission (SAC) today issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Mr Vijay Bakaya, and three other IAS officers in an alleged multi-crore rupees computer education scam in Jammu and Kashmir.

The chairman of the SAC, Mr Justice R.P. Sethi, ordered the Secretary, Education, to produce the entire record pertaining to computer education on the next date of hearing on March 20. Mr Ashok Gupta, who filed the complaint through an advocate, Mr D.K. Raina, alleged serious irregularities in the implementation of the centrally-funded Rs 9.16 crore for the computer literacy programme in the 10+2 schools.

He pointed out that tenders were invited for training of teachers in 2001 when a fee of Rs 29,750 per teacher was fixed for three institutes. Thereafter, the Education Department did not invite any tenders till 2005 and the teachers were sent on training at the old approved fee.

He pointed out that the state government continued to pay the fee of Rs 29,750 per teacher, although several other institutes had offered the one-year course at a fee of Rs 6,600 per trainee.

The SAC deleted the name of Mr Mohammad Shaffi Uri, the then Education Minister, from the list of respondents as during his tenure the first tender was invited in 2001.Other officers to whom notices have been issued are Mr G.A. Peer, Director, Rural Development, Srinagar, Mr A.S. Bhat, retired IAS officer, Mr M.M. Bhat, Secretary, Education, Mr H.A. Rashid, Joint Director Planning, Education Department and Mr Farooq Akhtar, Financial Adviser, Education Department.

35 hurt as protesters, police clash

Srinagar, March 3
At least 35 persons including two press photographers were injured today in a clash between the police and protesters in Jamia Masjid area here as protest against the publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad continued in the Kashmir Valley.

Hurriyat Conference hardline faction Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani who gave a call after Friday prayers for “peaceful protests” against the Danish cartoonist was placed under house arrest, officials said.

Photo journalists of Associated Press (AP) Mukhtar Ahmed Khan and the Press Trust of India (PTI) S. Irfan Ahmed covering the clash between the protesters and the police outside Jamia Masjid were injured when hit by stones thrown in the melee, they said.

The trouble started when the police and paramilitary forces prevented protesters from organising processions at Nowhatta and nearby Gojwara, Bohri Kadal, Rajauri Kadal, Saraf Kadal and Khawja Bazar. — PTI

Geelani under house arrest

Srinagar, March 3
Chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani was today put under house arrest, official sources said.

The sources said a police party was deployed outside the house of Mr Geelani to prevent him from coming out. — UNI