J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

J-K to finalise development plans for all districts
Srinagar, December 18
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to finalise the plans of all 14 districts of the state before the next financial year so that work on the projects starts from April 15 next year, said the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, here yesterday, while presiding over the meeting of District Development Board, Srinagar, in the absence of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who could not attend it due to ill health.

International delegation visits Uri
Srinagar, December 18
A joint delegation of members of the World Bank, the United Nations, the UNICEF and the Asian Development Bank, headed by Mr John Kellett from the United Nations and Mr Shyanel Sarkar from the World Bank, visited various quake-hit areas of Uri yesterday.

Omar to be re-elected NC chief today
Srinagar, December 18
Mr Omar Abdullah will be unanimously re-elected president of the National Conference here tomorrow as no other candidate has filed nomination for the same.

One killed, explosives seized in valley
Srinagar, December 18
Militants shot dead one person and attacked the Public Service Commission office here, while the security forces seized explosives and arms and ammunition in the valley overnight.

J-K to finalise development plans for all districts
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 18
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to finalise the plans of all 14 districts of the state before the next financial year so that work on the projects starts from April 15 next year, said the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, here yesterday, while presiding over the meeting of District Development Board, Srinagar, in the absence of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who could not attend it due to ill health.

Mr Beigh said that the legislators had been asked to project their demands of works for next year up to February in consultation with heads of urban local bodies. He urged the public representatives and government functionaries to work unitedly for fulfilling the commitments made by the Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, for changing the overall work culture in all units both at political as well as administrative units and curbing corruption.

Mr Baig said this innovative attitude would help in mitigating the sufferings and problems of the common people. He instructed the Commissioners, Secretaries and Heads of Departments’ to ensure implementation of the orders and directions of the Chief Minister in all sectors saying that this process would improve the functioning of the administration across the state.

Warning the authorities against delaying development works, Mr Baig said that flouting of orders to this effect would be viewed seriously. He appreciated the role of various political parties like the National Conference, PDF, Congress and the Panthers Party for extending their support to coalition government in bringing normalcy and peace in the state and that development process without peace was not possible.

The district, the District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Asgar Samoon said that out of an authorised outlay of Rs 34.72 crore, an amount of Rs 29.35 crore had been incurred on various sectors during the current fiscal year till November. The original approved outlay for the district was over Rs 60.78 crore. He said an amount of about Rs 144 lakhs had been spent in roads development sector.

Several ministers, legislators, Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and Commissioners-Secretaries and Heads of Departments were also present in the meeting.

International delegation visits Uri
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 18
A joint delegation of members of the World Bank, the United Nations, the UNICEF and the Asian Development Bank, headed by Mr John Kellett from the United Nations and Mr Shyanel Sarkar from the World Bank, visited various quake-hit areas of Uri yesterday.

This was to make an on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused by the October 8 devastating earthquake to roads, buildings, health and educational institutions, power systems and to other public infrastructures, an official spokesman here said.

The team comprised of Mr George Jhuakan of the World Bank, Mr Srdjan Sjonoriq and Mr Chetrna Khul of the UNICEF and other representatives of the Asian Development Bank.

Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, N.K. Verma, Relief Commissioner, Uri, B.A. Runiyal, SE R&B, SDM, Uri, and a team of officers accompanied the delegation.

The team met people enroute and also interacted with school children at Uri and enquired about the facilities provided to them for continuing their normal studies.

The team also went around various damaged schools and heath institutions.

Relief Commissioner B.A. Roniyal while giving details regarding providing of cash relief and other relief activities said that Rs 88 crores have been distributed among the affected people of the Uri tehsil.

Omar to be re-elected NC chief today
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 18
Mr Omar Abdullah will be unanimously re-elected president of the National Conference here tomorrow as no other candidate has filed nomination for the same.

The NC general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, said the election of the party followed the recent elections of party cadres at the block, district and provincial levels. He said the election of president was being held in accordance with the norms of the party set by the Election Commission. It had already re-elected its provincial presidents, Dr Mehboob Beigh (Kashmir) and Mr Ajay Sadhotra, (Jammu).

Over 8,000 delegates from all over the state would be attending the electoral process at the party headquarters here tomorrow.

One killed, explosives seized in valley

Srinagar, December 18
Militants shot dead one person and attacked the Public Service Commission office here, while the security forces seized explosives and arms and ammunition in the valley overnight.

One militant of Hizbul Mujahideen surrendered along with one pistol, one wireless set and a magazine at Baramula.

Official sources said militants hurled a hand grenade near the Public Service Commission office at Polo Ground, near here, this afternoon. The grenade exploded without causing any damage, they added.

Militants shot dead a former ultra of Al-Jehad at his residence at Pattan in Baramula district today. The security forces during a search operation at Tibetan Colony seized 5 kg of explosives and three hand grenades. — UNI

BSNL cables damaged, 2000 phones dead

Jammu, December 18
Over 2000 telephones in Jammu have become dead due to extensive damage suffered by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited cables during the widening of the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway, official sources said today.

The telephones in six localities of Jammu have gone out of order as underground cables of the BSNL were damaged during widening of the highway between Kaluchak to Kunjwan today, they said.

Those localities where telephones had been affected include Greater Kaliash, Apna Vihar, Shanti Nagar, Langer village, Kaluchak and Ratnuchak, they said.

Besides the phones, the lease lines of banks for the ISDN service had got damaged, the sources said and added the damage to the cables was estimated at lakhs of rupees.

The digging through excavator by the agencies engaged in the widening of the highway caused the damage and it would take at least a week to restore all these phone lines, they said. “Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, B.R. Sharma had directed the officers of the agencies engaged in widening of the highway that they should go in for manual digging to avoid any damage to BSNL cables,” BSNL Jammu circle General Manager R.K. Koul said. — PTI