Sunday, March 24, 2002, Chandigarh, India





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J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

J&K Assembly passes Appropriation Bills
Jammu, March 23
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today passed Appropriation Bills providing for supplementary grants for 2001-2002 and grants for 2002-03. The Bills, moved by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, were passed unanimously.

Farooq Abdullah favours POTO
Jammu, March 23
The National Conference (NC) has decided to support the POTO Bill in the joint session of Parliament on March 26 after fears of its misuse was removed by the Centre.

Lathi charge on Muharram processionists
Srinagar, March 23
The police lathi-charged Muharram processionists for violating prohibitory orders at Abi-Guzar, near here, this afternoon. About a dozen processionists were later taken into custody.

J&K bans smoking at public places
Srinagar, March 23
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has banned smoking in public places in the state with immediate effect.

Muharram procession Jabeena (2) watches a Muharram procession in Srinagar on Saturday, to commemorate the martyrdom of Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammad. 
— photo Amin War


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J&K Assembly passes Appropriation Bills
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 23
The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today passed Appropriation Bills providing for supplementary grants for 2001-2002 and grants for 2002-03.

The Bills, moved by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather, were passed unanimously.

The Appropriation Bill for supplementary grants authorises the payment and appropriation of Rs 7,38,38,71,000 out of the consolidated fund of Jammu and Kashmir for the financial year 2001-2002 whereas the second Bill passed by the House authorises the appropriation of Rs 10103,01,63,000 for the year 2002-03 out of the consolidated fund.

Earlier, replying to the points raised during the discussions by Mr Harsh Dev Singh, Mr Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Mr Mubarak Gul, Mr Sadiq Ali and Mr Prithvi Chand, the minister said the state government had offered to facilitate the Accountant-General to conduct the audit of the accounts of various departments in Doda and some other faraway areas at the district headquarters.

This had fallen in arrears as the office of Accountant-General could not do the same earlier due to the prevailing law and order situation in these areas. He said audit by the Accountant-General in some offices located in these areas had already begun.

Regarding the demand for conducting the audit of Food and Supplies Department at Doda, the minister said the matter would be taken up with the Accountant-General.

Replying to another point raised by Sheikh Abdul Rehman, (BSP), the Finance Minister said steps had already been taken for early release of fund under the centrally sponsored schemes.

He said the funds that could not be utilised last year in time had been revalidated and utilised.

Referring to the demands for the abolition of Upper House, constitution of some new committees of legislature, provision of full-time staff for the legislators by Mr Harsh Dev Singh, he said these issues required the approval of the legislature for which members could follow the requisite procedure.

With regard to problems of migrants, an issue raised by Mr Prithvi Chand, the minister said the Revenue Minister had already apprised the House of the steps taken for providing relief to the migrants. He assured the members that the government was keen to provide more amenities to these people.
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Farooq Abdullah favours POTO
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 23
The National Conference (NC) has decided to support the POTO Bill in the joint session of Parliament on March 26 after fears of its misuse was removed by the Centre.

This was announced by the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, while making a suo motu statement in the Assembly here today.

Dr Abdullah said NC MPs in the Rajya Sabha had abstained from the House when the Bill was put to vote because “we had fears it was being used against one community.”

He said: “During the three-hour NDA meeting, the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, had removed our fears and he had categorically informed that POTO was not being used against a particular community”. He said after “our misgivings were removed,” it was decided he would support the Bill.

Paying rich tributes to Bhagat Singh on “Balidaan Divas”, the Chief Minister told the House that Bhagat Singh and others had sacrificed their lives to win freedom.

Referring to the implementation of POTO in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said the provisions of POTO were to be used against those supporting Pakistanis. “It will not be used to settle scores,” he said, and added that he would get cases regarding the arrest of some people under POTO reviewed and if it was established that the Act had been misused, stern action would be taken against erring officers.

In reply to a question tabled by Mr Tara Chand of the Congress he said he had not promised to increase the quantum of free ration to border migrants by 100 per cent. His government was aware of the difficulties of border migrants, he said. He had raised the issue with the Central Government. There was foodgrain glut in Punjab and additional quantities of foodgrains should be sent to Jammu for the migrants, he said.

He asked the Revenue Minister to submit a report to him so that he could sanction funds for paying compensation at the rate of Rs 5,000 per cattle killed in Pakistani firing.

He said he would arrange a meeting of legislators with the Prime Minister during his visit to Srinagar so that they could raise the problems of border villagers with him.
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Lathi charge on Muharram processionists

Srinagar, March 23
The police lathi-charged Muharram processionists for violating prohibitory orders at Abi-Guzar, near here, this afternoon.

About a dozen processionists were later taken into custody.

The trouble started when a large number of Shia and Sunni Muslims tried to march towards Dalgate Imam Bada from Abi-Guzar and police personnel, deployed in good numbers at Abi-Guzar, did not allow the processionists to move towards Residency Road.

Several people were injured in the ensuing police action.

Processions and public meetings were recently banned in the city under Section 144 by the District Magistrate.

No Muharram procession is allowed in the city for the past 10 years.

However, Muharram and Tazia processions are allowed in the Shia-dominated Badgam and other areas.

Senior Shia leader and executive council member of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference Moulana Abbas Ansari has criticised the government for not allowing Muharram processions and termed the action a direct attack on the religious sentiments of Muslims. UNI
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J&K bans smoking at public places

Srinagar, March 23
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has banned smoking in public places in the state with immediate effect.

Smoking will be banned at hospitals, auditoriums, educational institutions, libraries, court buildings, public offices and railways, an official announcement said yesterday.

The ban has been imposed in compliance with a Supreme Court directive, the sources said. PTI
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