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| Friday, December 8, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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News Analysis APHC chief has unique solution to Kashmir Steps for people’s access to
information Rs 1.81 cr for J&K
women corporation J&K Housing Minister
lays foundation stone |
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News Analysis JAMMU, Dec 7 — The All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders, especially its Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, are said to be “disenchanted” with the Government of India’s rejection of their demand for tripartite talks by making Pakistan a party. As a result of this disenchantment, the APHC has plans of holding a fresh meeting of its executive committee in Srinagar shortly to discuss the situation that has emerged after the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, refused to send a formal invitation to the Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen Parvez Musharraf. Mr Vajpayee has made it clear that New Delhi will not hold talks with Islamabad unless Pakistan stopped abetting and encouraging cross-border terrorism. During the past two days, the Government of India has expressed concern over the continued infiltration from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir despite Islamabad’s announcement that its troops have been asked to maintain maximum restraint on the LoC. This candid and firm declaration by the government is said to have irked senior APHC leaders. Prof Bhat and other senior APHC leaders had been camping in Delhi for the past four days, meeting people who matter. They also had a session with senior functionaries of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, hoping that their stay in the Union Capital would motivate the government to accept their demand for tripartite talks. When they saw that the government was not willing to hold tripartite talks, they demanded permission to visit Pakistan to discuss the core Kashmir issue and allied matters. In fact, Gen Musharraf sent an invitation to the Hurriyat leaders to visit Pakistan. The government has so far not accepted this demand also. A senior functionary of the Jammu and Kashmir Government said that the demand of the Hurriyat leaders for visiting Pakistan was a “ploy” to make Pakistan a party to the talks. He said that during the past several years, these Hurriyat leaders and other separatist groups had been in touch with Pakistani leaders on the phone. The APHC leaders frequently visited the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi where they used to hold detailed discussion with the Pakistan High Commissioner and other officials. He said that in the light of this, there was no need for them to travel to Islamabad, where they could simply discuss what they have been discussing with the Pakistani authorities either in the Embassy in Delhi or on the telephone. By demanding permission for visiting Pakistan, the APHC leaders wanted to convey to the world that without involving Islamabad in the peace talks there could be no durable solution to the Kashmir problem. Informed sources in the Hurriyat headquarters in Srinagar and Delhi said that Prof Bhat and others were trying to persuade Delhi to show flexibility. If there was no change in the attitude of the government, the APHC leaders may return to Srinagar within the next two days where the future strategy would be evolved at its executive committee meeting. The APHC leaders had not been impressed by the peace marches and rallies organised, first by one National Conference MLC, Javed Ahmed Shah, and yesterday, by Kukka Parrey, Chief of the Awami League, in Srinagar. As a renegade militant, Kukka Parrey could muster a big public support to his peace rally where he suggested to the government to permit the APHC leaders to visit Pakistan. At the same time, he announced in clear terms that the Kashmir issue had been “settled” in 1947, when the state acceded to India. At the rally, slogans like “Jis Kashmir ko Khoon sey Hum Ney Seencha hein woh Kashmir Hamara hein” (“The Kashmir which we have watered with our blood belongs to us”) rent the air in Srinagar, which meant that there was no room for third party intervention or mediation. Whether the peace march organised by Javed Shah or Kukka Parrey, MLA, it gave a faint picture of the peoples’ urge for peace. Inside reports say that people were for peace and normalcy but they were not prepared to give an open expression to it, fearing the wrath of Pakistan and the militants. The APHC leaders are said to be equally apprehensive of their future if they accept bilateral talks. To play safe, without rejecting the Prime Minister’s ceasefire offer, they plan to insist on tripartite talks, which they know may not be acceptable to Delhi. This would allow them a route back to their shells in Srinagar. In the light of these developments, the overall situation in Kashmir continues to be confusing despite decrease in the incidents of violence after the ceasefire came into force from November 27.
APHC chief has unique solution to Kashmir NEW DELHI, Dec 7 — APHC Chairman Abdul Ghani Bhat says that he has a distinct solution to resolve the Kashmir problem which has not been revealed so far. Mr Bhat told TNS that he would reveal the solution, different from those mooted so far, only at an appropriate time and forum and if such an opportunity does not come by in his lifetime, he would die with his proposals. Mr Bhat, whose tenure as Hurriyat chief has been marked by a thrust towards talks for resolving the Kashmir issue, indicated that the appropriate opportunity for telling his proposal would come when representatives of India and Pakistan are present with the Hurriyat leadership. Refusing to indicate what he had in mind, Mr Bhat said that his solution would suit the people of both countries. “Some people wish good of India but not of Pakistan and vice-versa. But I want welfare of people on both sides as also of Kashmiris,” he said. Mr Bhat, who is in Delhi, says that he was not in favour of including representatives of other organisations, such as that of Kashmiri Pandits, in any talks on finding a lasting solution to the problem. “How can you have serious talks in a crowd,” he asked. Demands would come for inclusion in talks from people of every ethnic community and region of the state which would impair serious talks, he maintained. Mr Bhat, who appears keen on seeing that the Prime Minister’s ceasefire offer results in start of a dialogue, says that the ceasefire could well extend beyond Ramzan. “The Prime Minister has not shot off an arrow in the dark,” he asserted. Differentiating the PM’s announcement from the earlier ceasefire made by the Hizbul Mujahideen, he said that while Hizbul might have liked to see the reaction of the Indian government, Mr Vajpayee’s offer seems to have a wider purpose. Mr Bhat said that Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone, who was in Pakistan, was not holding any talks with the Pakistan Government, political parties and groups on behalf of the APHC as he was on a private visit. The Hurriyat Chairman said that the organisation did not act on anybody’s dictation and the perception that it was a puppet in the hands of Pakistan was misplaced. The APHC Chairman said Hurriyat leaders wanted to go to Pakistan to talk to political leaders and “boys with guns” who have not accepted the ceasefire. He said while India should accept Kashmir as a dispute, he did not want to say anything that could be seen as spoiling the atmosphere generated by the Prime Minister’s ceasefire offer. Hinting that Hurriyat was willing to forget the bitterness of the past in the interest of peace, he said that both India and Pakistan would also have to be magnanimous. Maintaining that Pakistan had duly reciprocated India’s gesture, Mr Bhat said that a propitious atmosphere should be built so that the issue could be finally resolved. “The coming generations would not forgive us if we do not make sincere efforts towards solving the problem,” he asserted.
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Steps for people’s access to
information JAMMU, Dec 7 — Moving towards the concept of responsible administration and good governance, Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to develop a mechanism at the district level for receiving people’s grievances and providing them access to information relating to development and public utilities. This was decided at a two-day high-level meeting of the establishment committee convened by the Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly, here to discuss measures for improving governance and administration in different departments. The meeting discussed the initiatives taken by the works department in this direction. It was decided that development departments shall tabulate the development schemes and put these on priority basis of available resources and comparative urgent public needs. The district Information Officer shall be the focal point in the district to disseminate this information to anyone who seeks it. As a measure of transparency, the Chief Secretary ordered that the works department shall also put up boards in the districts carrying names of the schemes completed or under execution with the cost and other features. The citizens charter listing the time frame of the services and procurement of certificates, including permanent residence certificate, ration card, driving license, among others would be formulated at macro level. In order to respond effectively to the public grievances relating to maintenance of public utilities, especially in the rural areas, possibilities would be explored to provide some token grants at the district level exclusively for maintenance. Guidelines would be formulated for utilising these grants for immediate repairs upto a certain limit. |
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Rs 1.81 cr for J&K
women corporation JAMMU, Dec 7 — The Central Government will provide Rs 1.81 crore to the Jammu and Kashmir Women Development Corporation during the current financial year under the Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) scheme. This was revealed in the eighth meeting of the board of directors of Jammu and Kashmir Women’s Development Corporation held here yesterday under the chairmanship of the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr B.A. Kitchloo. The fund will be utilised for imparting training to 3000 women in traditional trades at 81 centres in different districts of the state. In the meeting it was told that under the NORAD scheme so far 5300 women had been trained in various trades. The meeting was informed that an amount of Rs 4.50 lakh has been provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and OBC Corporation for providing training to girls of the scavengers’ community in Jammu and Srinagar under the National Scheme of Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers for setting up of four more training centres for this community at Jammu and Srinagar. The board also decided to approach the corporation for release of Rs 9 lakh during the current financial year. The board was informed that under the National Minority Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) scheme, Rs 146.29 lakh was advanced to 381 women of the minority community living below the poverty line for setting up their own income generating units. The corporation will utilise over Rs 126.73 lakh for establishing income generating units for the women of minority community at nominal rates of interest during the current financial year. Among others the meeting was attended by MLC, Ms Depinder Kaur, Principal Secretary, Social Welfare, Mr S.D. Singh, Commissioner Secretary, PSU. |
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J&K Housing Minister
lays foundation stone JAMMU, Dec 7 — The minister for Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ghulam Mohu-ud-din Shah, laid the foundation stone of town hall annexe complex of Jammu municipality here yesterday. The Rs 71 lakh project coming up under the 10th Finance Commission award is being executed by the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC). The six-storey complex will be taken up in a phased manner and after completion will have 18,000 sqft office accommodation available for commercial purpose. Addressing a function, Mr Shah said the municipal bodies are playing a key role in the urban development programmes. He said the Jammu and Srinagar municipalities had come up with many commercial projects to become self-reliant. Mr Shah asked the municipal authorities to identify the land available in Jammu city so that it could be utilised for commercial purposes. He said the local bodies were being strengthened and made powerful both at the urban and the rural levels so as to frame and execute the development plans with active public participation.
Flag
Day JAMMU, Dec 7 — The
Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Mr Girish Chandra Saxena, today launched a donation campaign at a function held at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day. Former minister Rajinder Singh Chib and Maj-Gen G.S. jamwal (retd) were also present on the occasion.
Snowfall in Srinagar SRINAGAR, Dec 7 (UNI) — Srinagar and its adjoining areas experienced the season’s first snowfall this evening. Earlier, in the evening light rain had ended the long severe dry spell in the region
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