The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Roshni Act State’s farmers get ownership right to 5.95 lakh kanals Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, March 16 The state government has said it received 2.57 lakh applications from farmers to get ownership rights of state land occupied by them for agricultural purpose under the Roshni Act since its implementation in 2007. It said the farmers were given ownership right to 5.95 lakh kanals under the Act as approved by the price fixation committees concerned. In a written reply to a question asked by MLA Bharat Bhushan in the state Legislative Assembly, Minister for Revenue Raman Bhalla recently said since the implementation of the Roshni Act (an amended form of the J&K State Lands - Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants - Act, 2001), the government gave ownerships rights to the farmers on 5,95,023 kanals. Giving details about the number of applications received and ownership right given to the farmers, the minister said the government received maximum number of 25,628 applications under the Roshni Act in Rajouri district where the farmers were vested ownership right to 2.83 lakh kanals. In Jammu district, 25,009 applicants applied under the Act where they were given ownership right to 44,915 kanals, Bhalla said. “In Poonch, Kathua, Anantnag and Srinagar districts, the government received 22,700, 18,530, 17,069 and 14,467 applications from farmers, respectively,” he said. On February 10, 2007, the state Legislative Assembly had passed the Roshni Bill aimed at giving free of cost ownership right to 16.60 lakh kanals of the state land under the occupation of farmers in the state. Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had said the government would charge a nominal fee from ‘occupant farmers’ for getting mutation in their favour in the revenue records. He had also said giving ownership right to farmers under occupation of the state land for agricultural purposes free of cost was a decision of far-reaching positive impact on the over-all agriculture scenario. On the total number of cases pending disposal in Jammu district, the minister said 660 applications were pending in the district under the J&K State Lands Act, 2001.
	50 more ITIs to be set up Tribune News Service Jammu, March 16 With an aim to promoting small scale industries in the state, the Union Government has agreed to sanction 50 more ITIs and 142 skill-development centres (SDCs) with intake capacity of 300 candidates in each to the state for popularising technical education in the state. Minister of Technical Education RS Chib informed the Legislative Assembly that there were already 59 ITIs, including 11 women and 6 in the private sector. He said these institutes had total 15,427 intake capacity with 70 trades. He said women wing had been opened at ITI, Udhampur. Chib said there were 6 government polytechnics in the state, besides 8 in the private sector with 3,520 intake capacity annually. In these institutions, 22 engineering, paramedical and tourism-related courses were taught. Referring to the sanction of 18 new polytechnics by the Union Government for the uncovered districts for imparting technical education on the doorstep of the people, he said the land had been identified for the purpose in all districts, except Udhampur district. He added that the work on buildings of polytechnic colleges of Kathua, Reasi, Samba, Budgam, Bandipora and Kupwara was going on and 3 branches of engineering disciplines with 60 intakes capacity in each these polytechnic would be started. He said the classes would be started from the coming academic session, adding that 396 posts of different categories had been created for these new polytechnics. The minister informed the Lower House that with the opening of these polytechnics, the total intake capacity of the government and private sector would be enhanced to 6,760 from the existing 3,520, he added.
	Implementation of PM’s Job Package Kashmiri Pandits seek Omar’s intervention Tribune News Service Jammu, March 16 Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) under the banner of the Youth All-India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS) have sought the intervention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the implementation of the Prime Minister’s employment package announced for the relief and rehabilitation of KPs in 2006. The YAIKS continued its hunger strike on the fourth consecutive day today in favour of their demands. They have been demanding the proper implementation of the package as out of the total 6,000 jobs announced by the Prime Minister, only 1,431 have been fulfilled yet. RK Bhat, president, YAIKS, who lead the demonstration of the KPs, said: “Every time we demand the implementation of the package, they give us some excuse. But this time, we want a proper time frame mentioning the progress done about the implementation of the package”. “The government recruitment agency already has details about the unemployed youth in the community. But the Chief Minister is not serious about the package and that is the reason things are getting delayed,” he added. The main demands of the protesters include the immediate implementation of the Cabinet decision about filling up of 800 de-reserved posts and 700 other posts which remained unfulfilled in the last list and advertisement of the remaining 3,000 posts under state sponsorship with five years age relaxation. The youth of the community said they would be forced to intensify their struggle in the coming days if their demands were not accepted immediately.
	Rebelling to realise musical dreams Gulmarg, March 16 He is the voice behind popular Hindi song “Dil sambhalja zara” from “Murder 2” that rocked the music charts last year, but Kashmiri singer Saim Bhat says his journey was rocky as he had to be a rebel to realise his musical dreams. “In Kashmir, there is no entertainment. Militants and politicians have left nothing for entertainment,” Saim, who also has his own band named Oak, said. “In Kashmir, music was not considered to be good. It was considered to be against the religion. Like any parents of Kashmir, my parents didn’t love music. I got into it (music), as I was a rebel. I used to play with a friend, Humayun Mirza. I used to be a vocalist and I used to be a guitarist,” he said. “Humayun left Kashmir due to the circumstances that were prevalent in the state at that time and went to the UK. That was the time I decided I will create my own music,” he said. But organising a music concert in the scenic locales of Kashmir was a far cry as people weren’t interested in sponsoring his show. “When I did my first gig, I went to the sponsors but didn't get any money. So, I had to sell some of my own stuff to raise funds and after the performance there was a bomb blast and we were back to square one,” said Saim. Militancy and terrorist insurgency are known to have instilled fear in people in the Kashmir Valley, which forced the 28-year-old singer and his family to move to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. “We belonged to a middle-class family and militants used to come to our home and ask for money. It was difficult to live in such conditions and that’s the reason our family shifted to Riyadh. Music was not allowed in Riyadh, but I still played. I was once caught by cops,” he said. After that, the singer went to Mumbai and music composer Bappi Lahiri gave him a break in 2009 in the film, “Jai Veeru”. “I was in Bombay and played just for 5 to 10 minutes at a concert organised by Mushtaq Nadiadwala and there Bappi Lahiri spotted me. He gave me my first song “Sufi tere pyaar mein” from the film, ‘Jai Veeru’,” Saim, who also performed at the recently concluded maiden edition of the Gulmarg Winter Festival, said. “After “Sufi tere pyaar mein”, I have seen many Kashmiri bands performing. They felt that if one person can do it, then why can't we do it. The idea is to involve the young talent into it,” he said, adding that, “Now things are improving and people are foraying into music.” The singer is now looking forward to his work with the Mozart of Madras, AR Rahman. “I have worked with Rahman and the tracks will be out soon,” he added. Currently, he is working on “Aashiqui 2”. — IANS
	Commercial Floriculture State fixes revenue target of Rs 18 cr Jammu, March 16 Minister for Horticulture and Floriculture Sham Lal Sharma said today that the state aims at promoting commercial floriculture to garner revenue of Rs 18 crore from the segment next year. “In the past three years, efforts have been made to promote commercial floriculture and over 300 hectares of area has been brought under the cultivation. We will further promote the sector,” Sharma said in the state Assembly. He said the revenue from commercial floriculture had been increased from Rs 7.22 crore last year to Rs 15 crore during the current fiscal. A target of Rs 18 crore has been set for the next financial year, he added. To streamline the marketing mechanism for this sector, Sharma said, the government had procured 17 refrigerated vans, and established one flower market at Srinagar. The minister said in view of the increased demands of flowers in the local as well as national markets, the government had organised several awareness programmes for the farmers to attract them towards this profession. “A flower market is under construction at Jammu, besides 13 cold chambers have been installed in all the districts of the Valley for storing floriculture produce like cut flowers, flower bulbs, seeds and ornamental plants,” he said. The government had also been providing attractive incentives to the farmers to promote floriculture, he said. He said it had been observed that a large number of farmers, especially the educated youth, were coming forward to adopt this activity as their livelihood. He hoped that during this year, the number of farmers would increase substantially and the sector would touch new heights and help in improving the GDP growth of the Valley. The minister said to give further impetus to the horticulture activities, the government had strengthened the network of marketing facilities and established 14 satellite markets at an estimated cost of Rs 3,700.87 lakh, besides 18 cold stores of 33,150 MT capacity across the state. “This has enabled farmers to dispose of their products at the doorsteps,” he said. Farmers are encouraged to shift the trend towards the multi-cropping system, which were high-income generating crops, medicinal plants, fruits, and vegetables, he said. — PTI
	Attendance machine installed at govt office Srinagar, March 16 In an effort to ensure punctuality at the government offices, the authorities have installed fingerprint attendance machine at the office of the Divisional Commissioner while directions have been passed to install similar machines at other offices as well. Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, was the first person to register his fingerprints on the machine that was installed at his office yesterday. An official said the machine would ensure that no proxy takes place. “It will also keep a track of the log in and log out of the employees, which can be used to calculate the total number of hours an employee has actually put in. Incentives have also been announced for employees who would attend office regularly,” he added. Samoon has directed all the HoDs and Deputy Commissioners to install similar type of biometric attendance machines. — OC
	Consumer Rights Day observed Srinagar, March 16 The Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), Kashmir, organised a seminar on World Consumer Rights Day at the CAPD complex here yesterday. The seminar was attended by officers of the CAPD, Legal Metrology, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Education and representatives of different strata of society, including media and NGOs. Mir Mushtaq, director, CAPD, Kashmir, presented mementos to the students who spoke at the seminar. Meanwhile, Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), Budgam, in collaboration with the district administration also organised a convention on the World Consumer Rights Day at Sheikh-ul-Alam Hall, Budgam. Mohammad Rafi, District Development Commissioner, Budgam, who was the chief guest on the occasion, inaugurated the convention. — TNS
	Seminar concludes at Kashmir varsity Tribune News service Srinagar, March 16 A three-day international seminar on “Shah-i-Hamadan contribution to learning and society” organised by the Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies concluded at the Ghandi Bhawan Hall of Kashmir University here recently. During the valedictory function, Vice-Chancellor of Kashmir University Talat Ahmad felicitated participants, scholars and renowned personalities for making the conference a success. In his presidential speech, Saidbeg Saidov, Ambassador, Republic of Tajikistan, who was also the guest of honour at the valedictory event, said his country had issued currency in the name of the great saint as a mark of respect. He said all great saints, including Hazrath Bulbul Shah (RA) and Shah-i-Hamadan, had arrived in Kashmir from the Central Asia. The Ambassador assured all possible support to the Department of Islamic Studies of the university. “It gives me great pleasure to inform the audience and guests who had come from different areas of the country and all over the world that more than 50 research papers on the life and teaching were presented by participants during the three-day seminar chaired by distinguished historians, academicians and learned scholars highlighting different dimensions of Shah-i-Hamadan's personality,” said the Vice-Chancellor. Referring to one of his experiences, the Vice-Chancellor said: "I had the privilege of offering prayers at one of the first mosques built by Shah-i-Hamadan in this region in Ladakh and that sense of serenity, calm and tranquility which I experienced during my stay there still echoes in my mind and soul". In his address AM Shah, dean, Academic Affairs, University of Kashmir, said Mir Syed Ali Hamadani had a unique strategy to educate people. He said Kashmir University would do its best to introduce Islamic studies as a subject in all the colleges and higher secondary schools of the Valley.
	srinagar DIARY Gearing up for summer With the bright sunshine welcoming the people in the Valley, the authorities are gearing up for the hectic summer months ahead. Even as the seat of government still functions from winter capital Jammu till the end of April, various government departments have started gearing up for the facelift of city roads to welcome the Darbar. A number of footpaths and road dividers these days are seen dug up at various places mainly along the heart of the city. This had become necessary after a few years, especially following winter months, when roads footpaths and lanes get damaged due to snowfall, rains and freezing conditions. But, it is the time for the authorities to accomplish on time all the tasks taken up recently. There are a number of instances in which the development tasks are left unaccomplished creating more trouble for the public, even after heavy expenses from the state exchequer. Drive against tinted glasses The traffic police recently launched a drive against the use of tinted glasses on the light motor vehicles. The cops were seen fining offenders and removing films from the windows at many places (see photo) as the police said it had received numerous complaints regarding the misuse of such vehicles, especially by teenagers. However, this is not the first time that the police has launched a drive against the use of tinted glass. In the past, it has been observed that these drives lost steam very soon after the initial enthusiasm. Therefore, is hoped that this time, the police drive is not left halfway as it would help in keeping a check on crime incidents. (Contributed by Ehsan Fazili & M Aamir Khan)