The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, April 23, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

J A M M U & K A S H M I R

Special quota of power to meet production losses
Jammu, April 22
The government proposes to earmark a special quota of power for industries in the state to overcome production losses due to heavy power curtailments. A proposal in this regard is being submitted to the Cabinet for approval with the request to allocate 10 per cent of the total available power to the industrial sector.

Job quota likely for border residents
Jammu, April 22
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has proposed to grant job and educational reservations to people living along the International Border in the state, similar to those living along the Actual Line of Control.

6 fast-track courts set up in Jammu
Jammu, April 22
Six fast-track courts have been established in different areas of Jammu province during the past three days. Speaking at the inaugural functions of these courts, the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, Dr B.P. Saraf, said these courts had been set up to provide cheap and expeditious justice to the people.

YOUR TOWN

Jammu

EARLIER STORIES

	Sonia asks J&K dissidents to wait April 22, 2001
	‘Maintain records’ of sexual harassment cases April 21, 2001
	Strike hits life in Kashmir April 20, 2001
	Hurriyat buying time on talks April 19, 2001
	4 militants, panch among 9 killed April 18, 2001
	6 ultras shot in Jammu April 17, 2001
	3 Lashkar men shot in encounter April 16, 2001
	Migrants oppose move to shift them to valley April 15, 2001
	Pant prepares for talks sans Hurriyat April 14, 2001

Special quota of power to meet production losses
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 22
The government proposes to earmark a special quota of power for industries in the state to overcome production losses due to heavy power curtailments. A proposal in this regard is being submitted to the Cabinet for approval with the request to allocate 10 per cent of the total available power to the industrial sector.

This was disclosed by the Industries and Commerce Minister, Dr Mustafa Kamaal, at a function held at Industrial Estate, Kathua, yesterday in connection with the inauguration of a paper mill set up in the private sector. The mill will have a turnover of Rs 46.29 crore with the production of 45 metric tonnes of paper every day.

The minister said the government had taken up several projects to improve the availability of power in the state, which was the pre-requisite for the setting up a sound industrial base in the state. He said the state was expected to get a share of 110 MW from Ranjeet Sagar Dam soon. Besides, Dul Hasti and Bhaglihar power projects were also expected to go into generation within the next two to three years which would, to a great extent, help overcome the existing power scenario in the state. Besides, Dr Kamaal said the Atomic Energy Commission had also been approached to provide energy to the state adding that atomic energy would cost Rs 3 per MW. He said under the proposed arrangement power would be distributed proportionately to the unit holders in each industrial estate through the nodal agencies concerned.

Spelling out measures taken up by the government for reviving sick industries Dr Kamaal said the District Rehabilitation Committees and Industries Rehabilitation Council at the central level had been set up. These are headed by the Principal Secretary, Industries, and Commerce Department.

Dr Kamaal said since the announcement of the new industrial policy by the present government, 35,000 new industries had come up in the state up to March 2001. He said about Rs 30 crore had been disbursed as incentive among the unit holders of the state.

Job quota likely for border residents

Jammu, April 22
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has proposed to grant job and educational reservations to people living along the International Border in the state, similar to those living along the Actual Line of Control (LoC).

Speaking at a function last evening he said ignoring people living along the International Border in respect of job and educational reservations was not justified when people along the LoC enjoyed such benefits.

Referring to granting the OBC status to the Pahari-speaking people, he said bringing any other section under the ambit of the reserved category would not affect those already enjoying such a status.

He said the people living on mountains were facing a lot of difficulties, and called for public awareness, saying that vested interests were habitual of misleading people on trivial issues just to further their nefarious designs.

He said botched attempts were made to incite Gujjars on the issue of granting the SC status to the Pahari people.

Disruptive elements taking refuge under non-issues try to create wedge in society, particularly on the eve of elections, he said. Rajya Sabha member Mirza Abdul Rashid, announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh from his Constituency Development Fund for a Pahari hostel and bhavan. UNI

6 fast-track courts set up in Jammu
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 22
Six fast-track courts have been established in different areas of Jammu province during the past three days.

Speaking at the inaugural functions of these courts, the Chief Justice of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, Dr B.P. Saraf, said these courts had been set up to provide cheap and expeditious justice to the people.

He said the motive behind the setting up of these courts in far-flung areas was to provide justice at the doorstep of the people. He said the fast-track system would decrease the pendency to a considerable extent in the courts.

Comparing the functioning of the courts in Jammu and Kashmir with other parts of the country, Mr Justice Saraf said the functioning of the state courts was far better. He said the average pendency of cases in the courts outside the state was 1,670 cases per court as against 700 cases in Jammu and Kashmir.