J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Poor emoluments to defence panel members
Jammu, September 20
The PDP-led coalition government has been blamed for violating the commitment made by the Union Home Ministry in the Lok Sabha regarding the release of monthly emoluments to members of the village defence committees.

Ropeway planned to attract pilgrims
Srinagar, September 20
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to run a cable car from the Mubarak Mandi complex to the Bahu fort for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishnodevi cave shirne.

Poor emoluments to defence panel members
Our Correspondent

Jammu, September 20
The PDP-led coalition government has been blamed for violating the commitment made by the Union Home Ministry in the Lok Sabha regarding the release of monthly emoluments to members of the village defence committees (VDCs).

According to the Minister of State for Defence, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, under the Central Government decision each committee was to have three special police officers (SPO). Each SPO was given Rs 1500 per month and some portion of it was diverted to VDC members.

He said today that instead of respecting the norms set by the Union Home Ministry the state government had set up security posts manned by SPOs, leaving only one or two SPOs to lead the VDCs. In several cases, there was not SPO available to lead a VDC, forcing the members of the committee to go without emoluments for several months.

The minister said as a result of shortage of sophisticated weapons “we have been able to provide only one SLR to a VDC.

Meanwhile, in order to enable ex-servicemen and VDC members to get recruited in the proposed territorial Army battalions, the Defence Ministry has fixed 42 years as the upper age limit. One of the battalions would be reserved for surrendered militants.

Ropeway planned to attract pilgrims

Srinagar, September 20
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to run a cable car from the Mubarak Mandi complex to the Bahu fort for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishnodevi cave shirne.

The Minister for Education, Mr Harshdev Singh, at a meeting to discuss the project yesterday, said the ropeway would be a great source of revenue as every year, more than 50 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine.

It has been proposed to begin the cable car from river Tawi near the Mubarak Mandi complex and let it pass over places like the Aquarium, Dogra Art Museum, Amar Mahal, City Museum and various temples in Jammu to end at the fort.

The Union Ministry of Culture and Tourism had been approached for financial assistance for the Rs 6 crore project to be undertaken by the Department of Archives, he said. Efforts to renovate the monumental complex which was once the royal residence of the Dogra rulers was being considered. The complex houses 30 government offices and the lower courts.

The minister said the ultimate objective was to retain this complex on the lines of Fathehpur Sikri in Agra. — UNI