J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Senior Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Javed Ahmad Mir (C-red vest) stands on top of a vehicle in the Kashmiri capital of Srinagar 13 May 2000. Hundreds of supporters received Javed Mir at Srinagar airport after he was released from six months long detention. — AFP photo

6 killed in J&K violence
SRINAGAR, May 13 — Five persons including two militants and two policemen were killed and another person was injured in militancy-related violence, while security forces busted two more militant hideouts in Kashmir valley since last evening.

J&K census operations from May 16
SRINAGAR, May 13 — The first phase of census operations in Jammu and Kashmir will commence from May 16 and all preparations for it have been completed. No census was conducted in the state in 1990 due to the militancy trouble in the valley.

J&K House to meet from June 19
SRINAGAR, May 13 — The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will meet from June 19 in Srinagar.

J & K to impose ban on recruitments
JAMMU, May 13 — The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre under which the state has agreed to impose blanket ban on fresh recruitments in government offices, including public sector undertakings, for one year.

6 killed in J&K violence

SRINAGAR, May 13 (PTI) — Five persons including two militants and two policemen were killed and another person was injured in militancy-related violence, while security forces busted two more militant hideouts in Kashmir valley since last evening.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said two militants identified as Mohammad Muzzafar Yatoo and Mohammad Ashraf Dar were killed in an encounter with troops of Rashtriya Rifles at Palamaidan-Mujpathri in Badgam district last evening.

The spokesman said two AK assault rifles, six magazines with 125 rounds, a rocket launcher and eight grenades were recovered from the possession of the slain militants of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen.

Militants shot dead a special police officer, Nazir Ahmad Ganai in his village in Baramulla district and a constable of Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police at Areh-Mohanpora in Anantnag district yesterday, he said.

An unidentified body was picked up by the police from Handwara area of Kupwara district today, official sources said.

The spokesman said police and security forces smashed two militant hideouts at Kalaroos and Warsun in Kupwara and recovered two rocket projectile guns, two 107-mm rockets and some arms and ammunition.

JAMMU, UNI: A foreign militant of the Lashker-e-Toiba was killed by troops during an encounter in the border district of Poonch today while troops recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition during overnight operations across the district.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said that troops received specific information about the presence of two to three militants in the dense forests near Surrankote of Poonch district early today.

Immediately after receiving the information troops conducted searches in the area, he said. During the search operation militants attacked the party. The jawans returned fire.

During the encounter one foreign militant Abu Suban was killed while his two associates managed to escape taking advantage of the dense forests.

A massive combing operation has been launched to nab the militants. Three AK 56 rifles with six magazines, four hand grenades, two rifle grenades and 130 rounds were recovered from the encounter site, the spokesman said.

The spokesman further said troops recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition and explosive during overnight operations across the Poonch district besides five kg IED, eleven rockets, five small calibre rockets and over 800 rounds of AK ammunition.

J&K census operations from May 16
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, May 13 — The first phase of census operations in Jammu and Kashmir will commence from May 16 and all preparations for it have been completed. No census was conducted in the state in 1990 due to the militancy trouble in the valley.

The Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitley, reviewed the arrangements for the census operations at a high-level meeting held here yesterday. The meeting was attended by senior officers, Deputy Commissioners of the valley and the Administrator, Srinagar Municipality.

The census is being undertaken by the administration in two phases. In the first phase house-listing and house-numbering will be done by the enumerators from May 16 to June 5. In the second phase, the actual enumeration and head count will take place from September 11 to 30.

The Deputy Commissioners have also set up monitoring cells at district and tehsil levels. Transfers of all those engaged in census have been banned up to June 10.

The Chief Secretary was apprised that enumerators had been appointed and trained. House-listing material had also been delivered. People had been requested to cooperate and provide correct information about the status of their house so that accurate data was collected, which was essential for planned development, he added.

Mr Jaitley said it was on the basis of this data that entire planning for development was done, including allocation of funds etc. As such, the exercise was very important from the point of view of the development of the state, he added.

Beg seeks relief
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, May 13 — The Jammu and Kashmir General Secretary, Mr Mirza Muzaffar Beg, yesterday expressed shock over the loss of life in a bus accident at Doda.

He demanded that the state government should hold a judicial inquiry and proper relief be given to the families of those killed and injured in the accident.

J&K House to meet from June 19

SRINAGAR, May 13 (PTI) — The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will meet from June 19 in Srinagar.

The Assembly, which was adjourned by the Speaker on April 10 at Jammu — winter capital of the state — will now meet from June 19 to discuss the State Autonomy Committee Report, an official announcement said yesterday.

Speaker Abdul Ahad Vakil, on the last day of the Budget session in Jammu, had said the state legislature would have a week-long special session from June 19 for discussing the report.

J&K to impose ban on recruitments
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, May 13 — The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre under which the state has agreed to impose blanket ban on fresh recruitments in government offices, including public sector undertakings, for one year.

The MoU has been signed in order to ensure the release of additional funds for resolving the two-year old cash crunch in the state. The Union Finance Ministry is said to have forced the state government to sign the MoU so that whatever additional funds were released by the Centre were not utilised on non-productive schemes.

Under the MoU the state government has agreed to impose a ban on filling leave vacancies. The LTC facilities have been withdrawn. The state government has also agreed to subsidise the sale of timber in concessional zones and decided to hike the rate of timber in non-concessional zones in order to generate internal resources.

The Centre has agreed to release an additional amount of Rs 300 to Rs 400 crore for the current year if it signed the MoU. The state Cabinet at its recent meeting agreed to sign the MoU as the financial health of the state was further dwindling to the extent that the state had not a penny to spent on various development projects.

Under the MoU the state Government has agreed to initiate comprehensive expenditure reform programmes to reduce unproductive and wasteful expenditure. The state Cabinet has ordered a ban on the purchase of furniture and furnishings for the government offices for a period of one year, increase rent in guest and circuit houses in the state and other government quarters and flats.

It has assured the Centre that the tax revenue would be increased by 10 per cent each year over the base of Rs 627 crore for 1999-2000.