 |
|
Transfer
Salal project to state govt: Mufti
42 blocks under border area plan |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sikh organisations hail J.J. Singh’s appointment Jammu, November 29 Sikh organisations here have hailed the appointment of Lt-Gen J.J. Singh as the first Sikh chief of the Indian Army. A meeting of various Sikh organisations held today under chairmanship of Mr Mohinder Singh, chief organiser, Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Sewa Society, observed that it was for the first time that a Sikh member had been given the top post in the Army. 14, including two cops, hurt in grenade attacks
|
|
Transfer
Salal project to state govt: Mufti Jammu, November 29 He also demanded that the 650 mw Salal project of the NHPC should also be handed over to the state government as the NHPC has earned more than what it had invested in the project. The Mufti was today inaugurating a two-days seminar on political economy of the state. It was organised jointly by Jammu University and the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) here. He said the Indus Water Treaty did not take care of the interests of the state. The rivers flowing from here irrigate almost entire Pakistan, but the state was not in a position to utilize its waters for harnessing the huge power potential that was required for the economic growth. He said in the face of the treaty, the state couldn't construct dams to store water for generating power and hydel projects on the run of the river schemes that do not generate the designed level of power during low water discharge. Pakistan raises objections whenever we want to construct a hydel project,he said. The chief minister pointed out that Pakistan raised objections on the Baglihar power project, which he described as the flagship of the state's economic development, although no clause of the treaty was violated. He said during his meeting with the Prime Minister,Dr Manmohan Singh, he brought to his notice the disadvantages of the treaty. He urged the Prime Minister to hand over the Salal project of the NHPC to the state to compensate the loss. He said that the state has a potential to generate an additional 20,000 mw of electricity, but the treaty has come as a major roadblock. The Mufti said the Rs 6000 crore package for four years recently announced by the Prime Minister could turnaround the economic profile of the state and stressed for its proper implementation. Describing the process of reconciliation between India and Pakistan as a historical necessity, the Mufti said a consensus was emerging in the two countries about imperativeness of peace and friendship. The change of mindset on either side was the outcome of the people's yearning for an end to the long animosity and hatred between the two neighbours. Dr. S.S.Bleoria, Chief Secretary, said the feeling of participation among the people was a must for the economic development of the state. Earlier, Prof Amitabh Mattoo, Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University, called for a fresh look at the education policy of the state. He suggested refocusing of educational goals by broad-basing primary education, vocationalising secondary education and specialisation of higher education. He suggested maximum resource mobilisation for primary education and building world-class institutions for higher education. Prof Rekha Chowdhary of the political science department delivered the keynote address. |
|
Two protesters die in J&K firing
Srinagar, November 29 The protesters were demanding the release of a youth who was arrested from Badgam early this morning. when the residents took to the streets, the security forces opened fire resulting in injuries to four persons, sources said. Farooq Ahmad and Ghulam Hassan Magloo later died in the SK medical institute, Soura, they added. They said the security forces cordoned off a number of villages, including Dangerpora, Kachroo and Chitra in Badgam district early this morning to conduct house-to-house searches following reports that some militants were hiding there. The security forces reportedly asked three elderly persons to accompany them during the searches. However, they refused to do say alleging the security forces were using them as human shields in case of an encounter. A police press release issued here this evening said two persons were killed and another was injured in the incident. However, it gave no further details. A report from Baramulla said life in Kulangam and its adjoining areas in the frontier district of Kupwara remained paralysed for the second day in protest against the killing of four youths, allegedly in fake encounters, by the security forces at Nishat. Shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the road. People of the area took to streets demanding a judicial probe into the incident. They further alleged that all four were arrested from their respective houses by State Task Force personnel and later killed in a fake encounter. Meanwhile, the body of one of the slain youth was cremated today after the chairman of breakaway Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani offered ‘’ Namaz-e-Jehazah’’.
— UNI |
|
42 blocks under border area plan Jammu, November 29 Under the BADP, the state used to get a financial outlay of Rs 34 crore. However, the allocation of this amount was not sufficient to meet the requirement of border people. As such, the Centre announced a BADP fund of Rs 500 crore for the next five years (Rs 100 crore per year instead of the State’s normal share of Rs 34 crore) in 2002. Under the scheme, half of the amount is made available directly in the border area and 15 per cent of the total amount per year has been approved for construction of roads in border areas. The BADP was started during the Seventh Plan with the twin objectives of balanced development of sensitive border areas in the western region through adequate provision of infrastructural facilities and promotion of a sense of security among the local population. The programme was revamped in the Eighth Plan (1993-94) and extended to the states which have an international border with Bangladesh. During the Ninth Plan, the programme was further extended to the states which border, Myanmar, China, Bhutan and Nepal and currently covers 17 states which have international land borders. This programme has helped in filling critical gaps in the social and physical infrastructure in the border areas. |
|
Sikh organisations hail J.J. Singh’s appointment Jammu, November 29 A meeting of various Sikh organisations held today under chairmanship of Mr Mohinder Singh, chief organiser, Bhai Kanahiya Nishkam Sewa Society, observed that it was for the first time that a Sikh member had been given the top post in the Army. Recalling his Jammu connection, they said that Lt-Gen J.J. Singh was born in Pakistan, but he had his early studies in the Model Academy here and during 1959, he got the eighth position in matriculation examination. These organisations pointed out that during its earlier regime, the Congress inflicted wounds on the Sikhs with Operation Bluestar in 1984, but now the Congress, under the chairmanship of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, made a Sikh, Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister and has now appointed the first Sikh the Chief of the Army Staff. “It also gives us great pleasure to note that senior posts have been allotted to Sikhs such as Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia by making him Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission,” they said. Mr Buta Singh and Mr Surjit Singh Barnala had been appointed Governors. These organisations announced that they would strengthen the hands of Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Those who participated in the meeting were Master Amar Singh, president, Sikh Welfare Society, Mr Narbir Singh, president, Shiromani Youth Akali Dal, Mr Jagdev Singh, president, State Akali Dal, Mr Paramjeet Singh, president, AISSF, J&K, Mr Kulwant Singh, chief adviser, Sikh Noujawan Sabha, and Mr Manmohan Singh and Mr Kultar Singh. |
|
14, including two cops, hurt in grenade attacks
Srinagar, November 29 In the first incident militants hurled a grenade at a police patrol near Bisco school at Lal Chowk around 10.45 a.m., injuring 11 pedestrians and constable Gulzar Ahmad of Kothibagh police station, they said. All injured have been shifted to hospital where the condition of two of them was stated to be serious, they added. Minutes after the incident, militants struck at Bohrikadal area of interior city where they lobbed a grenade at a CRPF picket around 11.55 a.m., wounding a jawan and a pedestrain, the sources said. Militants at both places fled the scene. No militant outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the explosions, they added.
— PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
