Jammu, June 16
Although the Planning Commission has approved the highest-ever Annual Plan outlay of Rs 6,600 crore for the state for 2011-2012, the Opposition as well as economic experts are of the view that the clearance of the plan in mid-June will affect development activity due to the topography of the state.

“As compared to other states, development works in Jammu and Kashmir are not undertaken throughout the year. Hence, the state’s plan must have been approved in the first week of April,” said Dr Nirmal Kamal, a political activist, who teaches economics in the University of Jammu.

“It is unwise to compare the state with the rest of the country. Executing development works in the Ladakh region, many parts of the Kashmir valley and the hill areas of the Jammu province is not possible between November and March. Therefore, the funds usually remain unspent,” she said, and added 93 per cent of the Rs 6,000 plan for 2010-2011 was spent.

She said the approval of the plan in June was a reflection of the non-serious attitude of the state government to the development of the region.

PDP spokesperson Rangil Singh also criticised the state government for its failure to get the plan approved earlier. “Whatsoever may be the excuse of the state government, it is clear that development activities will be badly affected in the state,” he said. After October, the funds would remain unspent this year also. The government should have got the plan approved in April. “I blame the state government for the delay,” he said.

BJP chief spokesperson Dr Jatinder Singh, while condemning the state government for adopting a causal approach in getting the plan approved, said, “There is neither any accountability nor transparency in spending the Central aid. So, it is easy to siphon off the funds in the name of development in the winter”.

“The question is not of the amount but of accountability in the expenditure,” he said and demanded that a transparent system should be adopted in spending the funds.

“We welcome the allocation of the highest Annual Plan in the history of the state, but the government should be made accountable for spending the amount,” he added. 

There is neither any accountability nor transparency in spending the Central aid. So, it is easy to siphon off the funds in the name of development in the winter

— Dr Jatinder Singh, BJP spokesperson 

As compared to other states, development works in Jammu and Kashmir are not undertaken throughout the year. Hence, the state’s plan must have been approved in the first week of April

Srinagar, June 16
The Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla, while inspecting the construction work at a transit accommodation at Vessu in Kulgam, said today that a Rs 60-crore rehabilitation project for Kashmiri Pandit migrants was being executed at various townships of the Kashmir valley.

He added that of the total 713 residential quarters, 388 had been completed to accommodate migrants who had returned to their birthplace. The minister inspected 250 quarters spread over 100 kanals and interacted with the camp inmates, who demanded the augmentation of the water supply and other civic amenities, an official spokesperson said.

Bhalla said the government would widen the rehabilitation programme for the migrants to make it more comprehensive so that businessmen and other classes could also be accommodated.

He directed the Deputy Commissioner concerned to identify more government land for further expansion of the residential quarters. He also directed the officials that there should be an increase in tanker services from three to six to provide potable water to the residents. Referring to problems of those who had joined in Kulgam district under the Prime Minister’s Employment Package, the minister directed the chief education officer, Kulgam, to immediately release the salaries of the teachers in the district. 

Jammu, June 16
The state government is planning amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Value Added Tax Act 2005 to end the stalemate caused due to VAT levied by the government on the cross-LoC trade. “We are examining the issue and hopefully by June 20, the government will arrive at a decision,” Law Secretary GH Tantray told The Tribune.However, he did not elaborate on the contours of the proposed amendments.

Talking to The Tribune, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Chamber of Cross-LoC Trade Pawan Anand said for the specific purpose of removing VAT, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had gone to New Delhi.

“We hope a full house meeting comprising officials concerned and representatives of the cross-LoC traders will be held in Srinagar on June 20,” he said, and claimed that the trans-LoC traders had been assured of the amendments.

The duty-free trade via Chakkan-Da-Bagh in Poonch district, perceived to be the biggest-ever confidence- building measure between India and Pakistan, has been suspended since March 8 this year. “How can they decide to levy VAT even on merchandise sold in occupied Kashmir when it cannot be denied that the area is now under the direct control of Pakistan,” quipped Anand.

Following in the footsteps of their counterparts in Jammu, the trans-LoC traders had also suspended the trade via the Uri-Muzaffarabad route. “We had recently apprised the Chief Minister of our grievances and he had assured us of resolving them at the earliest,” said Anand. The trade was started almost three years ago through the Poonch-Rawalkote and Uri-Muzaffarabad routes.

“No doubt, Parliament had adopted a resolution describing occupied Kashmir as an integral part of India but the fact is that the cross-LoC trade takes place on the barter system between the two countries,” he said.

Trouble erupted after the Sales Tax Department issued a notice to at least 27 traders in Poonch, asking them to remit VAT on goods exported to occupied Kashmir. It may be stated here that VAT can be charged on merchandise sold and resold within a state in India. Further, VAT and central sales tax cannot be levied on the merchandise exported to another country. Despite repeated attempts, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather could not be reached for comment. The government had told the traders that since occupied Kashmir was an integral part of India, merchandise sold there attracted VAT.

Katra, June 16
Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, has been facing drinking water shortage for the past several days.

A visit to various streets and markets of the town revealed that shopkeepers were selling bottles of water. Some residents were providing water free of cost to pilgrims.

Local residents and hoteliers alleged that they had to buy water from tankers to meet their daily requirements.

“There is a nexus between companies manufacturing mineral water bottles and officials of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, which has created the water shortage. We are dependent on tankers, which cost between Rs 600-700 each,” said hotel owner Bhushan Sharma.

He said they had taken up the issue with the authorities, but no steps had been taken to end the shortage. “Since, the PHE Department has failed to provide adequate water to the town, it should seek the help of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), which can solve the problem as there is no water shortage on the track from Katra to Bhawan,” added Bhushan.

Local MLA Baldev Raj Sharma said he was helpless. “A large number of tourists visit the town between May and June. The department concerned has failed to take steps to end the crisis,” he said and added that he had even raised the issue in the state Assembly.

“The supply of water to Katra is only 5 lakh gallons at present against a requirement of 20 lakh gallons daily. Erratic power supply has added to the problem,” he alleged.

He also pointed out that the natural water sources from where the authorities used to bring water had turned dry and they were totally dependant on the Jhajjar water lifting project, which is almost 13 km away from the town.

Sham Lal Kesar, president, Katra Hoteliers, Restaurants and Lodges Association, also criticised the state government and appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Governor NN Vohra to take steps to solve the problem.

A senior official of the shrine board said that on an average, nearly 35,000 to 40,000 pilgrims visited the holy cave shrine daily.

Minister for PHE Taj Mohi-ud-Din said, “The shortage of water happens in the summer. However, we have started a number of projects in the area, which will solve the problem”. 

Jammu, June 16
Growers of basmati rice in the RS Pura area of the Jammu region are eagerly awaiting the monsoon to hit Jammu and Kashmir, as the sowing season has already started and water scarcity is affecting the crop.

RS Pura is known as the rice bowl of the state.“The sowing of rice has already started, but choked canals have affected it. Most of the canals are dry and our produce is now totally dependant on the rain,” said Chaudhary Dev Raj, president of the RS Pura Rice Growers Association.

He alleged that though the government was aware that the rice growers were facing water scarcity, it had not made any arrangement. “Though the Agriculture Department has distributed hybrid seeds to the farmers this year, it has forgotten its prime duty to provide adequate water to the rice growers,” Dev Raj said.

He demanded that either the Agriculture Minister or officials of the department should solve the farmers’ problem, otherwise, the area would lose its name for producing quality basmati rice.

Minister for Irrigation Taj Mohi-ud-Din had recently said the department had removed silt from almost all canals in the state. “If there is any canal still choked or dry, we will definitely remove silt and garbage from it to ensure that water reaches the tail end,” said Taj.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the monsoon is likely to hit the state on July 1. “As per our forecast, the monsoon will hit the state well on time and it will last a longer period, as this year has been cooler as compared to the previous years,” said Sonam Lotus, in charge of the IMD.

He said the monsoon always brought cheer to the farmers, as water was the basic requirement of every crop. “The farmers of the Jammu region will definitely get a respite from the water problem, as most of the agriculture land falls under the rain-fed area”.

Growers of basmati rice await the monsoon as the sowing season
has started

Water scarcity affecting the crop

Farmers rue poor irrigation facilities and government apathy

Jammu, June 16
For the first time in over two-decade-long Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the state, only 63 militants are active in the Jammu region.

“We have a list of 63 militants, who have been identified. Out of them, 16 are active in the Doda, Kishtwar and Banihal areas,” Dilbagh Singh, IGP, Jammu zone, told The
Tribune.

Lt-Gen KT Parnaik, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, had on June 14, put the number of militants active in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch at 27.

The militants belong to outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI).

“Tight vigil on the border, seek-and-destroy operations of the Army, pro-active village defence committees and waning local support to the remaining ultras has started paying dividends as the number of militants is on the decline,” said a senior officer of a counter-insurgency force.

While Pakistan’s ISI was desperate to push in militants from the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border, the increased vigil by the Army and the BSF on the border had so far effectively checked infiltration attempts in the Jammu region, he said.

“Though we are alert in guarding the border, special attention is being paid to the Poonch sector because of its topography,” an Army officer said.

“In the past, the Pakistan Rangers used the Poonch sector to push in armed ultras and we had sufficient intelligence inputs of a spurt in the intrusion bids from the sector,” he said.

Out of the total 42 terror camps in occupied Kashmir, 16 were still imparting training to the ultras, the Army officer added.

Srinagar, June 16
Governor NN Vohra today undertook an aerial reconnaissance of both routes of the Amarnath yatra and reviewed the arrangements at the Panjtarni and Baltal camps for the ensuing pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine.

Since the commencement of the registration for the yatra on May 10, nearly 2.29 lakh pilgrims have so far secured permits through 149 designated bank branches across the country and Internet-based e-registration facility. The yatra begins on June 29 and is scheduled to conclude on the occasion of Shrawan Poornima on August 13.

The Governor, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), had an aerial reconnaissance of the track up to Panjtarni on the Pahalgam-Chandanwari axis this morning. During his stay at

Panjtarni, 6 km short of the holy cave, the Governor reviewed the arrangements, particularly with regard to the water and power supply and sanitation.He also interacted with Army, CRPF and PDA personnel deployed at the camp.

After an aerial reconnaisance of the Baltal route, the Governor went around the base camp there and reviewed the logistic facilities and other arrangements being positioned for the pilgrimage. Interacting with the officers of the shrine board, the district administration of Ganderbal, and personnel of the security forces , he reiterated that the safety, security and comfort of the yatris must receive the foremost attention.The Governor directed that the highest importance be accorded to sanitation and cleanliness at the Baltal camp.

Among those present on the occasion were Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Showkat Mir; SSP, Ganderbal, Imtiaz Ahmad; General Manager (Works) of the shrine board KG Bamba, and officers of various organisations concerned.

Jammu, June 16
The Jammu unit of HelpAge India, an international NGO working for the welfare of the elderly, yesterday released its report, “Elder Abuse and Crime in India”, at Home for Aged and Infirm here.

The report was released by Hakim Singh Billoria, secretary All-J&K Senior Citizens Friendship Association, and Vijay Kumar Bagotra, secretary, Home for the Aged and Infirm, Ambphalla.

On the occasion,HelpAge India brought to the fore some startling facts from a study which was conducted across nine cities.

It was observed that at the national level, abuse of the elderly was the highest among the 70 plus people and mostly elderly women faced abuse due to dependence on sons.

The qualitative component included in-depth interviews carried out with respondents such as legal experts, police officers, medical experts, social welfare officers and community-based organisations.

Psychologists says that nationally, daughters-in-law have emerged as major abusers of the elderly (63.4 per cent), followed by sons (44 per cent) from the lower socio economic strata against sons (53.6 per cent) in the higher socio- economic strata last year.

Jammu, June 16
The executive committee meeting of the state unit of the BJP will be held on June 18 and 19 to discuss the latest political developments in the state. The state executive committee will be meeting for the first time after the cross-voting episode of April 13.

According to a press note issued by the BJP, district-level programmes will be held by organising public meetings in the coming days over the issues of corruption, black money and attack on democracy.

State president of the party Shamsher Singh Manhas stated this while taking stock of the preparations for the meeting. Manhas said the BJP had been organising protests for the past few months on the important issues of curbing corruption and black money in all parts of the country. In the next phase, protests would be intensified by organising public meetings at the district level too from June 23 to 26. — TNS

Srinagar, June 16
Two militants were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Handwara area of Kupwara district today.

The police said the encounter took place in the Hamla forests of Handwara last evening after police and 21 Rashtriya Rifles personnel cordoned off the area. The militants fired at an advance party of the security forces,leading to the gunbattle, which ended this afternoon, the police said.

The slain militants were identified as Zabran, district commander of Rajwar, and Muslim Zarrar, both Pakistan nationals, belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Two rifles and ammunition were recovered from their possession defence spokesman Lt- Col J S Brar said.

Meanwhile,in a search operation, the security forces recovered arms and ammunition from a general area of Kant-Bagh in Baramulla district.

The recoveries included one UBGL, one pistol, three pistol magazines, 33 pistol rounds, eight AK magazines, 344 AK rounds, a wireless set, three hand grenades and three UBGL grenades.