The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Benefits fail to lure Kashmiri migrants Rajesh Bhat Jammu, October 25 There has been a lukewarm response from the Kashmiri migrants to return to the valley and take benefit under the Prime Minister’s special package for their rehabilitation in their ancestral land, from where they were forced to migrate in 1990. While some elders from the community, who are nostalgic of their past and crave to return, the youth, particularly those born after 1990, have shown a poor response to the call as they feel that they would not be safe in a land from where their parents and relatives were driven out. Even government’s assurance to provide them jobs does not lure the youth. This is evident from the fact that out of 68 posts provided to Kashmiri migrants in the Social Welfare Department under the PM’s Special Relief and Rehabilitation package, only 39 migrants had joined their duties in their respective districts in the valley. Sources said the remaining selected migrant candidates did not join their duties, despite a number of opportunities during the past one year. Now, the Directorate of Social Welfare has come out with a waiting list and asked all the 14 candidates in the list to join their duties within 15 days. The sources said presuming all the 14 candidates join their duties, 15 posts would still remain unfilled for want of migrant candidates desirous to return. Same was the fate in other government departments like education and health, where such posts had been earmarked for the migrant youth last year. A migrant youth, who had earlier joined one of such posts in the valley but later quit within a month, said he was forced to take the step since he felt alienated in Kashmir, where no one was there to subscribe to his thought. The new generation in the valley has no idea of the Kashmiri Pandits and living in a composite culture, he said. It was not only on the employment front, very few families had expressed their desire to resettle in the valley, despite government’s assurance to provide Rs 20 lakh per family for purchase of land and construction of their houses. “It is not the money that can lure us. There is an absolute trust deficit that haunts migrants. We are not also sure of our future once we return back,” said Amaranth of Kupwara.
	Moving Darbar Parties against shifting of Secretariat to intensify campaign Dinesh Manhotra /TNS Jammu, October 25 Though the BJP has been hesitating to openly support the move against the shifting of the Civil Secretariat at Srinagar and Jammu for six months each, other pro-Jammu parties have decided to create awareness against the ongoing custom. Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh has already launched a campaign to create awareness against the practice and the party has decided to intensify it further to generate a debate among various sections of society. The Jammu State Morcha (JSM), another pro-Jammu organisation, has also supported the demand of creating two separate Secretariats at Jammu and Srinagar cities to stop the practice. Besides approaching the court to get this practice stopped, the Panthers Party has also decided to take the issue among the masses to create awareness among them. “The common man from both the regions has been suffering a lot due to the opening of the Secretariat in their areas for six months,” said Panthers Party state president Balwant Singh Mankotia, who is also an MLA from Udhampur. Mankotia while addressing the Accession Day celebration function at Jammu said instead of shifting the Secretariat from Jammu to Srinagar during summer and Srinagar to Jammu during winter, the government should open two separate Secretariats to avoid huge expenditure after every six months. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in the country that has the distinction of having two capitals - Jammu is the winter capital while Srinagar is the summer capital. As the state has two capitals, the Civil Secretariat moves for six months in Srinagar and remaining six months in Jammu. The practice of shifting the Secretariat from one place another, commonly known as the Darbar Move, was started way back in 1872 when Dogra ruler Maharaja Ghulab Singh ruled the state. This practice is still continuing despite being the fact that autocratic rule has been replaced by the duly-elected democratic government. According to an estimate, the state government has to spend a whopping amount of Rs 100 crore to 150 crore after every six months due to the shifting of the state Secretariat, heads of departments and some other offices between the two places. “The state cannot afford such a practice,” said Mankotia. “Instead of spending the amount on shifting the Dabar, the government should allow functioning of two separate Secretariats at Jammu and Srinagar cities, respectively, and spend the same amount in creating job avenues for the unemployed youth of the state,” he added. Rajinder Singh, a leader of the Jammu Youth Forum, while demanding opening of permanent Secretariats at Jammu and Srinagar cities, respectively, said only the ruling elites had been taking benefit of the practice. “Officers, politicians and a few other employees enjoy pleasant climate of Kashmir during the summer and live comfortably in Jammu during the winter due to the practice,” he said, adding, the common masses were worst victim of the practice. The practice of shifting the Secretariat from one place to another, commonly known as the Darbar Move, was started way back in 1872 when Dogra king Maharaja Ghulab Singh ruled the state. The practice is still continuing despite the fact that the autocratic rule has been replaced by the duly-elected democratic government. The state government has to spend a whopping amount of `100 crore to 150 crore after every six months due to the shifting of the state Secretariat, heads of departments and some other offices from Srinagar to Jammu and vice versa.
	At Nari Niketan, girl denied psychiatric help Ashutosh Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, October 25 Fourteen-year-old Rajni, an orphan, has lived half of her life at the Nari Niketan, RS Pura. A few years ago, she was dropped out of government school as the teachers observed that she was “psychologically weak” and required “mental healthcare”. She has also been suffering from eye ailment, beside other serious health problems, Rajni claimed that she was never taken to a psychiatrist or an eye specialist by the staff manning the welfare home. The home does not have its own medical staff. The matter was brought to the notice of the Tribune by Deepika Singh Rajawat, a human rights activist and a member of the Juvenile Welfare Board, Jammu. Deepika recently submitted a report to the state government highlighting sorry state of affairs prevailing in welfare homes run by the Social Welfare Department. When asked about the medical diagnosis of Rajni, superintendent at the home Parveen Kumar said: “There is no eye specialist in the nearby government hospital, whereas her psychiatric disease needs costly treatment. We do not get funds from the Social Welfare Department. All we get is ration as per the requirement of 35 inmates at the home.” According to Parveen, Rajni was admitted in the Nari Niketan by her uncle more than seven years ago and he never visited the home again to know about her well-being. Child Development Project Officer, Jammu, Renu Sarin, blamed the staff for being apathetic. “It is the job of superintendent to facilitate medicare to the inmates. She must take the girl to some government hospital and get her treated. Where is the need for funds when the inmate is to be admitted in a government hospital?” she said. District Social Welfare Officer Rajiv Salaria, who has recently taken over the charge, said: “The Nari Niketan is understaffed as it has only one orderly and a superintendent. At psychiatric hospital, Rajni cannot get admitted unless she has a caretaker with her as per the hospital norms.” “I will certainly seek court’s intervention in this case so that she could get admitted in the hospital and her treatment starts as soon as possible,” he assured.
	silver jubilee celebrations of ihm Omar for short-term courses in tourism, hotel management Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 25 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has advocated for tailoring of schemes to provide short-term trainings to the people in tourism and hotel management sector with no age limit. Addressing the gathering at the silver jubilee celebration of the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) here recently, the Chief Minister said this kind of programme would give new dimension to the promotion of tourism as per the modern trends and requirements. “Present day tourist is hypersensitive to the service and the products he receives in hotels, houseboats and other places he visits during his travel. We have to recognise this aspect and match the demands of the customer by providing qualitative services and products,” he said and asked all stakeholders in the tourism industry to join hands in developing Jammu and Kashmir as one of the best quality service providing states in the tourism sector. Omar said: "The natural beauty and charming tourist destinations of the state will only imprint the lasting impression in the hearts and minds of tourists when the service given to them is as beautiful as our land is”. The Chief Minister appreciated the functioning of the IHM even in challenging circumstances during the past 25 years, adding that the institute had been able to produce degree and diploma holders of par excellence who got jobs globally and exhibited their calibre and capacity. He also praised the scheme “Hunar Sey Rozgar” (employment through skill) being carried forward by the IHM to impart short trainings to the youth for getting employment in various concerns relating to the hotel management and tourism. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah underlined the need for giving trainings in hotel management and services to the staff placed in government guest houses and circuit houses. He also praised the IHM and its faculty for producing brilliant graduates and diploma holders who have made their mark at the national and international level. He announced Rs 1 crore from the MPs Constituency Development Fund for the IHM. Farooq also highlighted the importance of quality service by the hoteliers, houseboat owners and others associated with the tourist trade and said ‘service with smile’ does wonders and motivate tourists to visit again and again. Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister of State for Tourism Nasir Aslam Wani, Union Tourism Secretary RH Khawaja, and Secretary Tourism Atal Dullo also spoke on the occasion, while advisor to the Chief Minister Mubarak Gul were present on the occasion.
	Conserve heritage sites, says CM Ehsan Fazili Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 25 Underling the importance of restoration and conservation of heritage sites in the state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called for holistic approach by the departments concerned in this regard to preserve historic and cultural speciality of the state. Taking stock of the conservation programme of Samba Fort at a meeting here recently, the Chief Minister said: “Places of heritage have greater historic value and these speak in detail about different aspects of a civilisation”. Omar said the state possesses rich heritage and remarkable archaeological and architectural characteristics. “This special phenomenon of the state needs focused attention,” he said calling for preservation and protection of this glory of Jammu and Kashmir. KA Qadri, consultant of the Department of Cultural and Tourism, in a power point presentation explained various works being undertaken at the Samba Fort for its restoration and conservation. He said a comprehensive plan of restoration of the Samba Fort had been conceived at an estimated cost of over Rs 4.87 crore. He said over Rs 75 lakh had been spent on various works for the restoration of the fort. Qadri said the conservation work of five forts of Hari Parbhat, Bahu, Reasi, Hira Nagar and Samba was being executed by the Department of Culture and Tourism, while the Archaeological Survey of India was working on the restoration of the Ram Nagar Fort. The Samba Fort is situated at a commanding location and has greater historical significance. Sources place date of its first construction around 13th-14th century AD. Samba Town was named after the deity Sumb and Raja Maldev believed to be representative of Sumb deity. In 1808-12, Maharaja Ranjit Singh conquering Jasrota brought Samba under his rule and gave its rule to Raja Suchit Singh brother of Maharaja Gulab Singh. The Samba Fort was rebuilt by Raja Suchit Singh in 1830 on the remains of the earlier fort built by Naga Raja Gour Sen. The government took its restoration and conservation programme in hand in March 2010 and so far Rs 55 lakh have been released for the purpose under the state plan. The works so far undertaken include partial restoration of outer fort wall, restoration of water tank, clearance of malba and wild vegetation inside and outside the fort. The fort has been declared ancient monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act 1920.
	CM announces Rs 30 lakh for reviving Amar Singh Club Tribune News Service Srinagar, October 25 Terming the Amar Singh Club as focal point for social activities for both locals as well tourists, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also president of the club called for restoring its past glory. Addressing the members of the club at the conclusion of its Annual General Meeting here recently, the Chief Minister announced Rs 30 lakh financial assistance from the government and Rs 20,000 as his personal donation. Omar said out of the Rs 30 lakh assistance, Rs 15 lakh would be from the Srinagar Parliament Member’s Constituency Development Fund. Floating an idea for constitution of a society to run the affairs of the club and election of a non-government president, Omar said it is very difficult for a Chief Minister to devote its time to the welfare of the club as its president. “I am sharing this idea with you simply as a thought. It is not any suggestion or proposal,” he maintained. He said he wants to see the Amar Singh Club functioning like the Delhi Gymkhana or the Dilhi Golf Club. Omar said the government would provide matching grants to the club equal to the funds it raises from its own sources for establishment of the health club. The Chief Minister donated Rs 20,000 for this purpose out of his own pocket as a member of the club and asked other members to raise the funds to the maximum. He said the government would extent support to the club for its infrastructural development and expanding social activities.