Jammu, March 30
The much-awaited Border Tourism Project—a Centrally-sponsored scheme completed at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore at the Suchegarh Octroi Post along the India-Pakistan international border in RS Pura—will be inaugurated by Tourism Minister GA Mir tomorrow.

Director Tourism, Jammu, Soujanya Sharma, said in order to promote border tourism, the state authorities had demanded Rs 6.39 crore financial grant from the Union Ministry of Tourism of which Rs 5.30 crore was sanctioned. He said Rs 3.50 crore was spent for completion of the ambitious project, he added. Sharma said the work on the children park and landscaping will be completed soon.

“Keeping in mind the importance of the international border, the department will seek help from the J&K Tourism Development Corporation for its promotion. Not only that, we are also planning to run a regular bus service so that tourists from outside J&K also get an opportunity to visit this place of historical importance,” Sharma said.

“Around 700-800 tourists are visiting the Suchetgarh Octroi Post everyday but with the inauguration of the project we hope the number will grow further,” Sharma said. A 200-year-old ancient Shiva temple and dargah of Baba Budan Ali Shah are other places of interest near the Suchetgarh Octroi Post. The development of various places of tourist attraction in the Jammu region has also been undertaken, sources said.

A three-day Border Tourism Festival was organised at the Suchetgarh Octroi Post recently along the India-Pakistan international border.

The event was jointly organised by the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu, tourism trade organisations and NGO stakeholders. The event witnessed a thick attendance not only from across the region but also from neighbouring states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Various cultural programmes, promotion of local cuisine and handicrafts were organised. Besides the Suchetgarh Model Village and the Octroi Border Outpost, the authorities concerned are also planning to conduct circuital border trips to prominent sites like shrines and temples close to the zero line.

Jammu, March 30
Failure of Jammu and Kashmir government to fill vacant posts of principals, lecturers and headmaster has derailed the purpose of the centrally sponsored Rastriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

Under the scheme hundreds of schools have been upgraded in the state. As many as 16,534 vacancies have not been filled so far. Most of the upgraded schools are without staff to provide better education facilities to students in the militancy-affected region.

As per data submitted by the state government in the Legislative Assembly, 121 posts of principals, 10 ZEPOs, 3,211 lecturers, 627 Headmasters, 5,093 Masters and 7,472 Teachers are vacant in the state.

The process is struck in the Public Service Commission (PSC). Officials said the upgradation of Middle Schools to the level of High Schools was subject to fulfillment of the feasibility norms prescribed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, but providing the staff was the responsibility of respective states.

Under the RMSA, students and schools from Class VIII to XII had been covered. This programme was launched after the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which covered elementary education in the state while RMSA covers secondary schools.

“Thousands of government schools are facing acute shortage of teaching staff but the government is maintaining a criminal silence over the issue. In remote areas, the condition is worse,” said an officer of the Department of Education.

It is pertinent to mention that the state government had admitted in the meeting of the Project Appraisal Board (PAB) held in New Delhi two years back that thousands of posts of teacher were vacant, which had affected the functioning of the institutions at the elementary, secondary and higher secondary level schools. As per the norms, an upgraded school should have one headmaster, five masters, one Daftri and a laboratory assistant, but slow recruitment process was derailing the purpose of the scheme in the state.

Jammu, March 30
The state government has decided to constitute Block Education Committees (BECs) headed by local MLAs, to supervise the functioning of government schools. Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who also holds the education portfolio, said this in the Legislative Assembly today. He said more steps would be taken to streamline the functioning of this vital department, including making the officers concerned accountable for the functioning of government schools in their respective areas.

The government has already constituted Village Education Committee (VECs) in all villages to monitor the functioning of government schools at the village level and this experiment has helped improve the functioning of government schools.

“We are trying to cope with the problems being faced by this department,” Tara Chand said.

Responding to the queries of members regarding delay in the construction of school building, he said that cause of the delay many cases was land disputes.

Member of the Panthers Party, Harsh Dev Singh, who was the Minister for Education in the previous PDP-Congress government, has alleged discrimination with Jammu in upgrading primary schools under the Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan (SSA). He said 91 primary schools had been upgraded in Kashmir but no school has been upgraded in Jammu under the SSA scheme.

Jammu, March 30
Activists of the Shiv Sena and the Dogra Front protested against the Consumer Affairs Department for its failure to ensure adequate supply of ration. The groups alleged that people were not getting the required amount of ration, distributed through Public Distribution System (PDS) stores.

Protesters said the state government had failed to provide essential commodities to the masses who were forced to buy rice, wheat and sugar from the open market. They further alleged that black marketing and hoarding was going on unabated in villages and small towns.

Addressing the gathering, Sena president Ashok Gupta said a delegation of members of both the organisations had met CAPD Minister and apprised him of the conditions, but no action had been taken to streamline the ration supply so far.

A delegation met SSP Jammu. Gupta warned of launching an agitation is the demands were not met. He also urged the government to take up the issue of releasing additional ration with the central government, so that it is provided to people as per the 2011 Census.

Jammu, March 30
Refugees from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) today demanded political representation in the Legislative Assembly on the seats kept for the occupied Kashmir. They alleged discrimination by Kashmir- centric political parties in the state. Refugees held a demonstration against what they said was discrimination by successive elected governments.

They also demanded a comprehensive settlement plan, hundreds of refugee families, under the banner of the PoK Refugee Front 1947 1965, 1971, took part in the rally.

“Till India implements the resolution of Parliament on PoK, refugees from the occupied Kashmir should be given representation in the Assembly to discuss and raise their issues, as they have been duped by successive state governments,” president of the Front Rachhpal Singh said.

The front has appealed to all the displaced families to support the organisation so that a single platform could be constituted to fight against the discriminatory policies of the government. The Front has also demanded registration of displaced families, which even after six decades have not been registered in the government records.

Refugee families belonging to Mirpur Bhimber Deva, Watala Chamb, Kotli, Poonch, Bagh, Muzafrabad, which is now under the occupation of Pakistan assembled today at Mubarak Mandi and raised slogans against the government for not considering their long pending demands despite repeated reminders.

Addressing the protesters, general secretary of the Front, Chib said no comprehensive settlement package, including compensation for lost properties, loss of life as well as economic and political rights had been provided to these families who survived the massacre by Pakistan in 1947.

Singh alleged that the Centre had acted half-heartedly only after receiving the directions from the National Human Right Commission (NHRC) and the Supreme Court.

Jammu, March 30
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Youth Congress (JKPYC) will launch a drive against adulterated milk, which has become a menace for the people of Jammu.

Stating this while addressing a press conference, Rajveer Singh, state secretary of the PYC, said India was the world’s largest producer and consumer of milk but in a recently-conducted survey, it was found that about 50% of children, under five years of age, were malnourished.

“One of the reasons for large scale malnutrition is that adulterated milk is consumed by the children, retarding their growth”, he said.

He said the party would start the drive against adulterated milk soon. “80% milk consumed in Jammu is adulterated. A study has found that lack of hygiene and sanitation in handling and packaging milk is affecting its purity. Urea, starch, glucose, formalin, along with detergent, are the other adulterants used”, Singh alleged.

He added that adulterants were used to increase the thickness and viscosity of milk as well as to preserve it for a longer period.

PYC activists said they would start a major awareness drive among the people about the effects of adulterated milk. “We will launch a door-to-door campaign in the city dairies also, to make them aware of the health hazards of adulterated milk and stress upon them to supply pure milk to consumers”, Singh said.

Jammu, March 30
Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather today informed the House that the government had chalked out a comprehensive transfer policy which was transparent and justifiable.

Responding to the debate on Private Members Resolution, moved by Harshdev Singh in the House today, Rather explained the contours of the transfer policy, adding that it was in effect wef July 10, 2010. He assured the members that any violation of the transfer policy would be viewed seriously. He said every effort was being made to implement the transfer policy in letter and spirit.

Rather said the transfer policy was based on four basic parameters, including general principles, calendar for transfer, tenure of posting and delegation of powers for making transfers.

Elaborating on the parameters, he said it shall be imperative for all the government departments to maintain a complete database on transfers and postings of their employees for effective implementation of the policy. While affecting the transfers, the eligibility and suitability of the concerned employees and the interest of government work shall be given utmost priority. The convenience of the employees may also be considered, provided it does not affect the interests of the work, he added.

Rather said postings shall be made on rotational basis to sensitive and non-sensitive (non-field) posts. Every department, particularly the Engineering and Finance Departments shall identify the sensitive and non-sensitive posts and evolve a roster for posting of officers with the approval of the minister in charge, he added.

Jammu, March 30
The J&K Christian Dalit Association greeted the Christian community all over the world as well as the members of other religious communities on Easter, which falls on Sunday, March 31.

Addressing a meeting of dalit Christians, association chairman S Peter said the day symbolised the victory of virtue over evil and truth over falsehood. “Christ, who was crucified by the wicked rulers two days before Easter, which is celebrated by the Christians as Good Friday, had appeared again on this day, symbolising that truth can never be suppressed and will establish itself despite all efforts to destroy the same”, he said.

Peter and other participants in the Easter eve meeting conveyed their heartiest greetings to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NC president Farooq Abdullahb and leaders and workers of all other parties on Easter.

The celebrations of Easter, in which members of all communities in J&K and even in other parts of the country join, is symbolic of traditional communal amity and brotherhood. 

Jammu, March 30
In continuation of the party’s ‘Gram Chalo, Ghar Chalo Abhiyan’ the BJP state president Jugal Kishore Sharma, leader of the Legislative Party Ashok Khajuria, party MLAs-Sham Choudhary, Sukhnandan Kumar, BJYM state president Ravinder Raina and a number of local leaders addressed a public darbar in Biaspur Parlah village of Suchetgarh assembly constituency.

The darbar was organised by Suchetgarh Mandal president Swaran Chib.

Sharma, while addressing the public darbar, said the discrimination with Jammu continued despite repeated claims of treating all the regions equally. Sanctioning just Rs 95 crore for Jammu and Rs 351 crore for Srinagar fly-overs, recruiting 3,700 youth from Kashmir and just 500 from Jammu under the special recruitment drive, selecting 12 villages from Kashmir to be developed as model villages and keeping Jammu’s share to just two villages were the few recent decisions of the government which exposed its step motherly treatment towards Jammu.

He said the BJP MLAs had been raising the issue of discrimination and development in the assembly but were subjected to suspension for asking the government about Jammu’s share in the development projects.

To escape explanations about discrimination, issues of Afzal Guru and Liaqat Ali were given attention, which was indeed unfortunate, he added.

Sharma said the people of Jammu had unite to fight the Kashmir-centric, pro-separatist political parties as well as the Jammu-based ministers and MLAs of NC and Congress, who had been compromising the interests of Jammu.

Jammu, March 30
The state government has decided to extend the last date of the amnesty scheme for domestic consumers of the Power Development Department (PDD) till April 30. This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, in the Legislative Assembly today. He said the Government had received many representations for extending the deadline in view of which the decision had been taken.

It may be recalled that the scheme envisaged waiver of surcharge on the outstanding electricity dues up to March 31, 2011. The consumers who had defaulted could now deposit the principal amount by April 30, 2013. Domestic consumers who had paid their bills in time would not be entitled to any refund. This scheme would impact the power dues of 2011-12 and 2012-13, which must be deposited by the consumers.

Jammu, March 30
Harsh Dev Singh, leader of Panthers Legislature Party today demanded that the metro service be launched in Jammu as the city fulfills the eligibility criteria laid down by the Centre.

Speaking during the Zero Hour in the Assembly, Harsh Dev said the Centre had announced in January last year that metro service will be provided in cities with the population of more than 15 lakh. He said Jammu district had a population of 15, 26, 406 as per the 2011 Census and hence qualified for the metro service.

He said Jammu city had spread up to Vijaypur, Nagrota, RS Pura and Akhnoor.

Singh said the state government should immediately take up the issue with the Centre so that early steps could be taken to initiate the project. He said vehicular traffic in the city had become unmanageable. He said every year 40,000 new vehicles were added in Jammu district which further compounded the traffic woes of the city. He said repeated announcements by the government had proved a farce.

He said if the traffic issue was not taken seriously it could assume alarming proportions and create great hardship and severe problems for the general public.

Singh said Srinagar had already been provided mono rail service which plied between Baramulla and Qaziquand with further extension up to Banihal. He said the said facility was provided despite the fact that the population of Srinagar district was only 12, 69, 751 as per the 2011 Census.

Singh said the launch of rail service in Kashmir to provide alternate commuter services in the Valley and to ease the pressure on local transport was welcome, but the case of Jammu should not be given a differential treatment.

Jammu, March 30
Minister for Urban Development, Nawang Rigzin Jora, today informed the Assembly that 114 kanal of land had been acquired to construct Traveller Mart at Lakhanpur.

He said the issue acquisition of 98 kanals of land of the Department of Irrigation, Punjab, had been taken up with Punjab Government.

Replying to a question raised by Jagdish Raj Spolia, he said out of this 85 kanals of land have been taken over from the district authorities and construction work of Traveller’s Mart has been started.

Minister informed that about 30 kanals of private land is still under the encroachment and efforts are on for its eviction.

He said in order to expedite eviction of encroachers, Chief Executive Officer Lakhanpur Sarthal Development Authority have been nominated as nodal officer to coordinate with the District administration for taking over possession of the land from encroachers. He said Rs 81 lakh had been released for construction of Traveller Mart at Lakhanpur and necessary works started, which would be completed in stipulated time frame.

Jammu, March 30
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who also holds the charge of the Education Department, today said the government had taken several steps to promote regional languages in the state. He said the J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages had been established to promote local languages, art and culture of all the three regions.

Replying to a resolution moved by Prof Chaman Lal Gupta in the House regarding promotion of local languages and making local language subjects mandatory from primary to higher secondary level, the Deputy Chief Minister enumerated the steps initiated by the government in this regard. He said subjects of local languages were available for options. Books and syllabus had been devised for the same. He assured the House that the government would take the members into confidence while effecting change in the proposed education policy. Gupta withdrew the resolution. —TNS 

Jammu, March 30
A warm farewell was given to Dr Kanwaljit Singh, senior consultant, orthopaedics. He retired after serving 30 years in the Health Department.

Singh, in his message, thanked the Almighty for giving him strength to work with full dedication and devotion. He also expressed his regards to the higher authorities who were nice, kind and considerate to put him near to his work place. He thanked all the employees of the institution who helped him to work with the best of his capabilities during his 18 years of service. Dr Ramesh Gupta, Medical Superintendent of the Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, appreciated the job of Dr Singh by calling him the motivating force for other doctors. 

Jammu, March 30
Young Star Club will take on Guru Nanak Club in the final of the ongoing Senior District Hockey Championship, being played at KK Hakhu Astro Turf Stadium here. Both the semifinals were played earlier today.

In the first semifinal, Young Star Club trounced Baghe Bahan Club, Simbal Camp, by 8-3 goals. Infact, the match was decided in the first half with Young Star Club scoring as many as six goals.

Narinder Kumar drew first blood in the 3rd minute, followed by Narinder who struck in the 6th minute to make it 2-0. The lead was further stretched to 3-0 in the 7th minute when Rajinder Singh scored a goal. Taranpreet Singh of Baghe Bahan Club managed to minimise the lead in the 8th minute.

Varinder Singh, Rajinder Singh and Rana Partap Singh scored goals in the 15th, 29th and 30th minute respectively, to make it 6-1 at the end of first half. Baghe Bahan Club succeded in scoring two more goals with an improved game plan, but it was not enough. The goals were scored by Joginder Singh and Manjeet Singh.

For Young Star Club, the remaining two goals were scored by Narinder and Rajinder Singh to make it 8-3.

In another semifinal, Guru Nanak Club registered a 3-1 win over Zorawar Club. The final of the tournament will be played on April 1.

jammu, march 30
Krishna Cricket Club (KCC) got the better of Sahil Cricket Club (SCC) by five runs in a thrilling second quarterfinal of the ongoing T20 Cricket Tournament, being played at Sarore village playfield here.

Batting first after winning the toss, KCC accumulated a challenging total of 168 runs in their allotted quota of overs, losing five wickets in the process. Sudhir played a brilliant knock of 56 runs with the help of five delectable hits to the fence. Aman provided a handy support by playing a defiant knock of 38 runs. His quick-fire knock contained four boundaries and a six.

At one stage, KCC was struggling at 32/2 but Sudhir and Aman did the rescue work and ensured no further damage. For SCC, Mohit was the pick of the bowlers with a three wicket haul while Surinder chipped in with two wickets.

Chasing 169 runs to win, SCC got off to a decent start but lost their way in the middle overs, owing to a mini batting collapse. Openers Naresh and Jugal were going great guns as they garnered 45 runs in just five overs. But after the dismissal of Naresh (32), things started slowed down for SCC. After Naresh, Jugal also lost his cool and gifted away his wicket just when he looked all set to score a big one. He contributed 46 runs.

Manoj and Amit chipped in with 19 and 14 runs respectively but that was not enough. SCC managed to score 163 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. For KCC, Girish, Atul and Kamal shared two wickets apiece.