Srinagar, August 31
The Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, today assigned portfolios to the ministers following the expansion of the Cabinet on Tuesday.

The Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig, has been relieved of the Tourism portfolio and will now be having Finance, Planning, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, said an official spokesman.

Mr Mangat Ram Sharma will be holding the charge of Health and Medical Education, Labour and Employment and Ladakh affairs.

Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar has been reassigned the charge of Agriculture, Sericulture along with Cooperation and Fisheries. Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen will now be the Minister for Transport. Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed will now be the Minister for School Education, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Haj and Auqaf.

Mr Nawang Rigzin Jora has retained the portfolio of Power, while Mr Taj Mohi-ud-Din will now be the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry.

Qazi Mohammad Afzal has been given the portfolio of Forest, Environment and Ecology. Haji Nissar Ali will continue to hold the portfolio of Social Welfare Department, while Mr Tariq Hameed Qarrah will continue to hold Housing and Urban Development along with Tourism.

Mr Mohammad Dilawar Mir, the new face in the Cabinet, will be the Minister for Public Health, Irrigation and Flood Control and Horticulture. Mr Gulchain Singh Charak, who has been elevated to the Cabinet rank, retains Roads and Buildings and Mechanical Engineering.

Mr Jugal Kishore, another Cabinet minister, has been given the portfolio of Rural Development and Panchayats.

The Minster of State (independent charge), Mr Babu Singh, will be looking after Youth Services and Sports, Administrative Reforms, Inspections Trainings and Grievances, Stationery and Printing.

The new face in the ministry, Dr Ramesh Chander Sharma, will be the Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Public Health, Irrigation and Flood Control.

Mr Aijaz Ahmed Khan will be the Minister of State for Agriculture and Horticulture, Forests, Higher Education and Technical Education.

Mr Javid Mustafa Mir will be the Minister of State for Rural Development, Science and Technology and Information Technology.

Mr Manjit Singh will be the Minister of State for School Education, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.

Mr. Prem Sagar Aziz will be the Minister of State for Finance, Planning, Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Revenue.

Peer Mohammad Hussain is the new Minister of State for Power and Health.

Mr Mohammad Khaleel Band has been will now the Minister of State for Roads and Buildings, Animal Husbandry, Sheep Husbandry.

Srinagar, August 31
The Haj House being constructed here at a cost of Rs 9.82 crore will be a prestigious complex next to Mumbai Central Haj House having tourist attraction apart from religious significance.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said this while addressing a gathering after laying the foundation of the Haj House at Bemina here yesterday. He said the project would be spread over 50 kanals and have the state-of-the-art facilities for Haj pilgrims. These would include reception lounge, documents collection, baggage deposit, residential block, mosque, ahram tying facilities, administration block, airline counters, immigration, customs, and foreign exchange counters, parking facilities for 800 vehicles and health facilities under one roof.

The Chief minister directed officials for keeping provision for the air-conditioning of the Haj House. He said boarding cards would also be made available to pilgrims in the house itself. Chief Minister asked the Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation to complete the Haj House within 14 to 15 months instead of 18 months as scheduled by executing work in double shift for which they would be rewarded. He said the Haj House should be ready by September-October next year so that it could be utilised for pilgrims at the earliest.

National Conference president and MP Omar Abdullah, who, was also present on the occasion appreciated efforts of Mr. Azad for the construction of Haj House, adding that he as Union Minister of State for External Affairs got introduced direct Haj flights from Srinagar to Jeddah in 2001-02. He said after the introduction of direct Haj flights from Srinagar, there was urgent need for a Haj House foundation of which was laid now by the Chief Minister. He also suggested for the air-conditioning of the Haj House in view of changes in weather. Minister for Haj and Auqaf Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed greeted people of the state on behalf of the State Haj Committee on laying the foundation of the Haj House.

Minister for Housing and Urban Development Tariq Hameed Karra said it was an important day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir particularly the valley that a long pending demand and need for the setting up of a Haj House got fulfilled. Works Minister Gulchain Singh Charak said switching over to double and triple-shift system of execution of works on the directions of the Chief Minister had started yielding results and soon many such projects would be completed ahead of schedule. 

Jammu, August 31
Mr Bhim Singh, chairman of the Panthers Party, has called upon the youth to expose such Kashmiri leaders who were playing with the sentiments of innocent people and forcing them to rise in revolt against the country. He urged nationalist forces to unite and defeat the ugly designs of the opportunist leadership of Kashmir. — TNS