J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

No fresh tax in state Budget
Jammu, March 7
A zero deficit and tax-free Budget was today presented in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by the Finance Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig.

Jammu and Kashmir Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig presents the Budget in Legislative Assembly on Monday. — PTI photo

6 ultras killed in 3-hour encounter
Srinagar, March 7
The Army killed six militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and Al-Barq in the Lolab area of Kupwara district today and seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition. Those killed included a district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, a defence spokesman said.

J&K highway reopened Jammu, March 7 The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway was reopened for vehicular traffic today after a two-day closure. “The highway has been reopened for vehicular traffic after a two-day closure and efforts are being made to clear the 660 stranded vehicles,” police officials said. Nine blockades have been removed by the BRO during the past two days. — PTI

Rift in Congress helps BJP win Mayor’s post
Jammu, March 7
In a severe jolt to the ruling Congress, the BJP candidate, Mr Kavinder Gupta, today won the first-ever election to the post of Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation.

Finally, homes in the offing for displaced Kashmiris
Jammu, March 7
Over 504 families of displaced Kashmiri Pandits received a Shivratri gift when the Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister, Mr Hakim Mohd.

Traders to observe strike against VAT
Srinagar, March 7
The Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation has called for a strike in the valley tomorrow in protest of the implementation of VAT.

Shortage of essential commodities continues in valley
Srinagar, March 7
Despite tall claims by the government about the availability of essential commodities, consumers in Kashmir are faced with acute shortage of LPG, while prices of vegetables and mutton have shot up following frequent closure of the highway.

No fresh tax in state Budget
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 7
A zero deficit and tax-free Budget was today presented in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by the Finance Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig.

The Rs 12,945-crore budgetary proposals envisage to slash the stamps and registration duty to 10 per cent from the existing 21 per cent for the urban areas and from 14 to 7 per cent for the rural areas. He emphasised that the value added tax (VAT) would be introduced from April 1.

Expressing concern over the theft of electricity and mounting arrears of tariff, the Finance Minister stressed the need for a complete overhaul of the entire transmission and distribution system where the loss was Rs 628 crore. Almost whole of state’s revenues were consumed in the purchase of power.

He pointed out that power worth Rs 1,318 crore was purchased during the current financial year, but the deficit on this account was of the order of Rs 1,103 crore.

He said two major infrastructure projects for improving sewerage and drainage system of Srinagar and Jammu at an estimated cost of Rs 1,741 crore and Rs 1,470 crore, respectively, would be taken up with foreign funding. He added that 50 villages were being developed as tourist villages for which Rs 31.50 crore have been earmarked.

The government intends to have a comprehensive long-term policy on tourism with a global perspective so as to make J&K the most preferred leisure destination in the world.

Work on the Rs 634-crore Srinagar-Leh power transmission line would be started and an amount of Rs 120 crore would be spent next year.

The minister announced an amnesty from interest and penalty for the dealers registered with the Sales Tax department for the period between 1999 —2005 subject to the condition that the tax assessed or admitted for these years is deposited by September 2005.

He said his Budget proposals were for reconstructing, reforming and rejuvenating the economy of the state.

He said a sum of Rs 1,155 crore was proposed to be earmarked for the power sector in the Budget against Rs 721 crore of the current year. The allocation for the education sector was proposed at Rs 410 crore against Rs 301 crore of this year.

Earlier, the member of National Conference interrupted the minister when he started delivering the Budget speech in English. Mr M.S. Akhoon (NC) pointed out that Urdu was the official language of the state, so the minister should not deliver his Budget speech in English.

On the other hand, the Panthers Party members, Mr Balwant Mankotia and Mr Faqir Nath insisted that the speech should be in English.

6 ultras killed in 3-hour encounter
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 7
The Army killed six militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and Al-Barq in the Lolab area of Kupwara district today and seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition. Those killed included a district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, a defence spokesman said.

The spokesman told media persons here that the troops, on the basis of a specific information, launched a search operation in the Doruswani forest area of Lolab in Kupwara district this morning. The contact between the militants and the security forces was established at about 11 a.m., which led to a fierce encounter. Six militants were killed in the encounter, which continued for three hours.

Five of them were identified as Nazir Lone, district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Tanveer Ahmad Naikoo, HM, Shabir, alias Danish, battalion commander of Al-Barq, Hyder Ali of Al-Barq (Pak) and Mohammad Aijaz (Pak).

The security forces seized six AK-47 rifles, 22 magazines, 27 cartridges, one UBGL, 20 UBGL grenades and six hand grenades.

Elsewhere, the security forces recovered one AK magazine, 30 cartridges, one IED detonators and a wireless set from a house in Jaggerpora village of Kupwara district.

J&K highway reopened

Jammu, March 7
The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway was reopened for vehicular traffic today after a two-day closure.

“The highway has been reopened for vehicular traffic after a two-day closure and efforts are being made to clear the 660 stranded vehicles,” police officials said.

Nine blockades have been removed by the BRO during the past two days. — PTI

Rift in Congress helps BJP win Mayor’s post
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 7
In a severe jolt to the ruling Congress, the BJP candidate, Mr Kavinder Gupta, today won the first-ever election to the post of Mayor of the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC).

However, Mrs Rani Beloria of the Congress, wife of Chief Secretary S.S.Beloria, won the election to the office of Deputy Mayor.

The surprising result for the Mayor's post was because of the cross voting by certain Congress councillors.

Mr Bansi Lal, an independent who was being backed by the Congress for the post of Mayor, lost after securing 34 votes as against 36 polled by Mr Gupta in the 71-member JMC.

One of the councillors, Mr Balwant Raj, a Congress rebel, abstained from voting.

Mrs Beloria also got 36 votes to become the Deputy Mayor. The National Conference (NC), which was supporting the BJP, could not grab the chair of Deputy Mayor as its nominee, Mr Dharam Vir, got only 34 votes.

With the crucial election having been accomplished, the BJP and the Congress would now share the office of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the JMC.

The Jammu Municipal Council was recently upgraded as a corporation and this was for the first time that a Mayor and Deputy Mayor had been elected.

The defeat of the Congress- backed candidate was being seen here as the biggest setback to the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, who was handling the party's prospects.

All other Congress ministers, including PCC chief Peerzada Sayeed, were actively engaged in the election.

Finally, homes in the offing for displaced Kashmiris
Our Correspondent

Jammu, March 7
Over 504 families of displaced Kashmiri Pandits received a Shivratri gift when the Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister, Mr Hakim Mohd. Yasin, laid the foundation stone of Rs seven crore project for the construction of two-room tenements at Muthi camp, Phase-two, today.

Though the project was pending for the last several years forcing the displaced families to live in subhuman conditions in makeshift small and shanty rooms, the foundation stone for the project was welcomed by the Kashmiri migrants.

Mr Yasin said the entire project of the construction of two-room tenements would be completed in several phases.

However, president, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference, A.N. Vaishnavi, said both the state and the Central Governments had maintained an “intriguing silence” over the fate of the announcement made by the Prime Minister, Mr Manmohan Singh, that two-room flats would be constructed for the displaced families in Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua, Delhi and other places.

He said the announcement was made in November last and so far no follow-up action on the project was visible.

Meanwhile, the state government hoped to see the cluster of flats at Sheikhpora in Budgam district of Kashmir completed by the end of next month so that those families of displaced people who were willing to return to the valley were rehabilitated as early as possible.

Mr Yasin said about 1300 families had given in writing that they were willing to return to Kashmir.

Traders to observe strike against VAT
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 7
The Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation has called for a strike in the valley tomorrow in protest of the implementation of VAT.

This was stated by a spokesman of the federation after its meeting here yesterday. The issue of implementation of VAT in the state from April 1 was discussed in the meeting. The government was blamed for introducing an ‘anti-trader and anti-customer regime’ in the state. It has asked the business community to participate in the strike.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has also opposed the government move to implement VAT in the ‘economically poor state’.

Shortage of essential commodities continues in valley
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 7
Despite tall claims by the government about the availability of essential commodities, consumers in Kashmir are faced with acute shortage of LPG, while prices of vegetables and mutton have shot up following frequent closure of the highway.

The Srinagar-Jammu national highway reopened on Tuesday last after two weeks of closure due to heavy snowfall and rain in the region while all stocks of the essential commodities had been exhausted. Vegetables, kerosene and other items were airlifted with the help of the Army to overcome shortage of essential commodities in the valley.

Even as the essential supplies started pouring into the valley with the reopening of the highway, long queues of consumers waiting for LPG refills were seen in different parts of the city over the past three days.

Consumers have been crying hoarse over the apathetic attitude of the authorities in coping with the shortage of essential commodities, even after the reopening of highway.

During the days when the highway remained closed, the government took control of the distribution of kerosene and LPG. Consumers were provided with 5 kg cylinders instead of 14 kg ones with an intention to overcome the shortage. The stocks of HP gas were used for this purpose as the BP and IOC had no stock in the absence of any storage facility.

“There is no proper procedure for transporting LPG from Jammu to the BP and IOC dealers here,” said an outlet holder. He said there was a need to dispatch at least 20 to 25 truckloads per day to the valley, but only four truckloads were sent here everyday. If that much supply was maintained, it would also avoid shortage due to frequent road blockades to the valley.

According to an official spokesman, about 1.94 lakh LPG cylinders had been provided to consumers up to February 24. From February 19 to 22, when the road was closed, 75,000 LPG cylinders and 1,800 litre of kerosene were issued to consumers through emergency counters.

To cope with the situation and check hoarding, LPG and kerosene were distributed through police stations. Eight truckloads of LPG and 108 kilo litre of kerosene were distributed daily through police stations by rotation.