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Finance dept launches austerity measures
Delay in PM’s Job Package
Members of the All-India Kashmiri Samaj protest in Jammu on Friday. Tribune photo: Anand Sharma
IDPD seeks nuclear weapons convention
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Two killed, 11 injured in accidents
4 soldiers hurt in grenade blast
Cold wave intensifies in Ladakh
Agricultural technocrats’ stir enters 7th day
Pakistani national held
Geelani’s attempt to address rally foiled Protesters pelt stones at police personnel at Budshah Chowk in Srinagar on Friday. Tribune photos: Amin War Telengana fuels separate state demand for Jammu Govt stifling voice of Opposition: PDP ITI diploma holders reject job policy 3 Gujaratis booked under PSA Army to hold recruitment rallies
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Finance dept launches austerity measures
Jammu, December 11 As per the order, the finance department would restrict the release of non-plan budget to 90% of the estimates in respect of all object heads of expenditure except salaries/migrant salaries, stipend and scholarship, leave encashment, electric/power charges, purchase of drugs, wages and medical reimbursement. The Power Development Department would restrict power purchase within the budgeted amount and take steps to draw and supply power during off-peak hours as well as make the requisite cuts during peak hours. Receipts under non-tax revenue would be closely monitored and laid down targets achieved at all costs. All the departments would ensure full recovery of current government dues and also endeavour to recover the outstanding dues of past, especially of electricity charges, water charges, where arrears outstanding are quite huge. As per orders, there would be ban on purchase of furniture, fixture and furnishings except in case of newly established offices. Even in them, such purchase would be rationalised upto a limit of Rs one lakh and beyond this, permission of Finance Department would be required. The expenditure on residential and mobile telephone would be strictly monitored as per the ceilings prescribed by the government. Director, Garages, has been asked to strictly monitor the allotment of vehicles to only such officers that are entitled to it by virtue of orders issued by the government from time to time. Except for operational requirements of law and order agencies and security related organisations, there would be a complete ban on purchase of non-functional vehicles. No liabilities would be created and brought on the budget of next financial year. There would be no official dinners, lunches except those hosted by the Chief Minister or with his specific approval. Travel abroad by offcials on government expenditure would be placed before the designated selection committee for clearance. Travel outside the state on official assignments would be monitored by a committee comprising Administrative Secretary, Commissioner/ Secretary, Finance and Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department. Purchase of stationery from out of ‘office expenses’ has been banned and LTC has been suspended till further orders. |
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Delay in PM’s Job Package
Jammu, December 11 To show their resentment against the indolent attitude of the government, displaced Kashmiri Pandit youth observed one-day mass agitation at the Press Club. While addressing the gathering, RK Bhat, president of the YAIKS, said the delay in the implementation of employment package was causing trouble to thousands of unemployed youth of the community. He also expressed resentment against the state government for segregating displaced Kashmiri youth in the recently declared employment policy on December 5. Bhat highlighted the demand of the implementation of PM’s special package with seven years
age relaxation. “Our concern is not only the 3,000 appointments for which the Centre has given nod but rest 3,000 jobs to be borne by the state government must also be granted in our favour,” Bhat stressed. Speaking on the occasion, Kuldeep Panidta, convener of the JK Thinkers Forum, and Mohanl Lal, member of the forum, expressed solidarity with the YAIKS. Pandita said displaced Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims would have to work strenuously for restoration of communal brotherhood in the valley, which alone could be a guarantee for peaceful coexistence of different ethnic religious committees of the state. Ashwani Chrungoo, president of the Panun Kashmir, KK Khosa of the Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, and HN Jattu of the All-India Kashmiri Pandit Conference also spoke on the occasion. |
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IDPD seeks nuclear weapons convention
Jammu, December 11 Addressing a seminar at Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) here today, general secretary of the IDPD said the nuclear non-proliferation treaty has become unproductive as US was not cooperating. “Even if the states don’t use nuclear weapons, they can fall into the hands of elements that can misuse them. Continuing with the campaign, we are constituting eighth national conference of IDPD on January 30 and 31 next year at Agra on the theme -building future through peace and disarmament,” he said. He added that during the conference health rights bill and health policy would also be discussed. Dr Arun Mitra also spoke on health implications of nuclear energy. Students from Government Medical College Jammu and ASCOMS also shared their view during the seminar. |
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Two killed, 11 injured in accidents
Jammu, December 11 The police said Ashwani Kumar of Channi Datyal, Hiranagar, was severely injured when his motorcycle was hit by an unidentified vehicle near Ghagwal here last night. He was rushed to the district hospital, Hiranagar, where he later died. A case had been registered. In another incident, a bus coming from Bishnah hit a motorcycle at KC Morh, Bishnah, and killed the motorcyclist, Suresh Kumar of Chak Murare, Bishnah. Pillion rider Raman Kumar was hurt in the accident. The bus driver fled from the spot and the vehicle had been impounded. A case had been registered. In another incident, 10 persons were injured when a bus being driven by Ajay Kumar of Kathua met with an accident at Chambe-Da-Bagh, Jarai Road, Kathua. The injured were shifted to the district hospital, Kathua. Man found dead
Sita Ram of Ghar was found dead at Hora village in Akhnoor under mysterious circumstances on Friday, the police said. The body has been shifted to the sub-district hospital Akhnoor for postmortem. A case has been registered. Woman ends life
One woman lost her life and three others tried to commit suicide by consuming poisonous substance in the Jammu region here on Friday. The police said Kiran Devi of Nagri, Kathua, Shama of Sarwal and Darshna Devi of Miran Sahib were admitted to the GMCH after they consumed some poisonous substance. In another incident, Bindu Devi of Ramgarh was rushed to the hospital after consuming some poisonous substance. She later died at the hospital. |
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4 soldiers hurt in grenade blast
Jammu, December 11 As per police sources, the accidental blast took place at the Krishna Ghati sector and the police was ascertaining the cause of the blast. Sources said one of the critically injured soldier had been air lifted to the command hospital in Udhampur. SN Acharya, officiating PRO of the Ministry of Defence, said he had no information about the blast. |
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Cold wave intensifies in Ladakh
Leh, December 11 For the first time in recent years, Ladakh residents woke up to a foggy morning today. Due to this, three scheduled and an Army chartered flight has been cancelled. DSP, Khushok Bakula Rinpochey airport, Leh Stanzin Otsal said as many as 1,000 passengers were stranded in Leh today. During winters, flights are the only mode that connect Ladakh with the rest of the country due to closure of Leh-Srinagar National Highway and Leh-Manali Highway. |
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Agricultural technocrats’ stir enters 7th day
Jammu, December 11 Vijay Verma of Billawar, another farm technocrat observing fast, was shifted to the GMC Hospital after he got unconscious today. He was fasting for the past three days. The protesters staging a sit-in in front of the Press Club, Jammu, tried to carry out a symbolic funeral procession. “We want to convey that we can make any sacrifice in our fight against injustice,” Surinder Radhotra, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Technocrats Association, Jammu, said. |
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Pakistani national held
Jammu, December 11 As per a BSF spokesman, 18-year-old Mohammad Bilal was taken into custody after he had crossed the International Border and entered the Nikowal area of the RS Pura sector yesterday. “During the questioning he said he was a resident of nearby Umra Wali border village of Pakistan and had inadvertently entered this side,” the spokesman said. He said as nothing incriminating was found from his possession he was today handed over to the Pakistani authorities. |
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Geelani’s attempt to address rally foiled Srinagar, December 11 A youth, Faizan, allegedly suffered bullet injury in police firing and was admitted to a hospital where his condition is stated to be stable. The city observed a total shutdown on Geelani’s call, who has been demanding withdrawal of troops and giving strike call every Friday in one district. Shops and private offices were closed and there was thin attendance in government offices as people apprehending clashes on roads preferred to stay indoors. Transport services were also affected. His spokesperson Aiyaz Akbar said Geelani, who had gone underground two days back, could not appear in Khankah-e-Moula due to heavy security deployment. However, he surfaced at some distance in a graveyard of people killed in clashes with state forces in 1931. Accompanied by his supporters, Geelani marched towards the Khankah, a shrine of a revered saint, but was stopped by police. Police and CRPF fired tear shells and used batons to disperse the crowd. District administration had yesterday banned any gathering of five or more persons using its power under the Section 144 of CrPC and said it would be in effect for two months. Meanwhile, the city witnessed clashes at several places as supporters of the Islamist leader took to streets, chanting slogans against India. They pelted stones at security forces at several places. The area around Koker Bazar, such as Maisuma, was particularly tense and witnessed day-long clashes between protesters and the police. A commercial complex caught fire in the evening as police fired tear shells to disperse the crowd. Tension also prevailed in Shopian as protesters and police clashed at several places after afternoon prayers. Geelani is expected to announce his new protest programme tomorrow and intensify the stir. |
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Telengana fuels separate state demand for Jammu Jammu, December 11 Although various organisations have been demanding statehood for Jammu region for the last 20 years, the mainstream political parties are hesitant to come out openly in support. National Panthers Party (NPP) of Prof Bhim Singh had raised the issue of re-organisation of Jammu and Kashmir in 2002, but since the elections the party has not effectively taken up this issue. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had constituted the Jammu State Morcha (JSM) in 2001 to start a struggle in favour of statehood for Jammu region, but the demand was strongly opposed by BJP at that time. All organisations supporting the demand of statehood for Jammu were included in the Morcha, but due to indifferent attitude of the BJP leaders the RSS was ultimately forced to disband the Morcha. Subsequently, some pro-Jammu organisation constituted the Jammu State Morcha Progressive (JSM-P) to continue the struggle. “The decision of the Centre to create a separate state for Telengana region has given us inspiration to intensify our ongoing struggle,” said Dr Varinder Gupta, chairman of the JSM-P. He added that his organisation had convened an emergency meeting to discuss the latest development. Gupta, who has been spearheading the agitation for statehood of Jammu since 1990, said the aspirations of the people of this region would be fulfilled only after a separate state is created. “Our case is strong as compared to Telengana because Jammu region is culturally, politically and geographically different from Kashmir,” he argued. Dr Gupta lambasted BJP and Congress for adopting double standards on this demand. “On the one hand these two national parties have been advocating smaller states, but on the other they are opposing statehood for Jammu,” he said. MLA Bishnah, Ashwani Sharma, who has won two successive assembly elections on statehood plank, also termed Telengana development as encouraging. “This development has boosted our morale to intensify our struggle against injustice and discrimination,” he said. |
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Govt stifling voice of Opposition: PDP Jammu, December 11 It said instead of allowing democratic institutions to flourish in the state, the ruling coalition, especially the NC, had been adopting oppressive measures to stifle the voice of the Opposition. Addressing a meeting of youth leaders of Poonch district in Jammu, president of the youth wing of the PDP Bashir Asad said since the formation of this coalition government in the state the cases of human right violation have increased manifold. He narrated examples of the Shopian case and said it was just an example and there was a number of such inhuman incidents which have been occurred after formation of this regime. This coalition regime had let loose of a reign of terror in the state, he said and added that workers of opposition parties were being terrorised by ruling parties with the state apparatus. He said for quite some time, PDP workers in Poonch district have been unnecessary harassed by
the police. Some of the prominent PDP workers were called in police stations and some senior police officers tried to pressurise them to quit the party, he pointed and said a large number of complaints of such type of incidents have been received by the party leadership. |
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ITI diploma holders reject job policy Jammu, December 11 Addressing a press conference, Rakesh Sharma, president of the All Jammu and Kashmir Unemployed ITI Diploma Holders Association, said the employment policy in no way could solve the problem of unemployment. “As far as unemployed ITI electricians are concerned, we don’t want this policy. We want absorption in the government sector as per the Rehbar-e-Bijli pattern,” he said. “If the government has absorbed agricultural technocrats under the Rehbar-e-Zirat, teachers under the Rehbar-e-Taleem, why not we under the Rehbar-e-Bijli pattern,” he added. Sharma said the Chief Minister on the opening of the Civil Secretariat in Jammu had said the government was planning to adjust the unemployed ITI electricians in the JKPDC. “We were hopeful that in this employment policy there would be something special for us, but again we were disappointed.” Asking the government to come up with a concrete plan to absorb the unemployed ITI diploma holder electricians, the association warned the government that they would intensify their protest and would come on the roads if nothing was done immediately. Meanwhile, the Progressive Students Association (PSA) has flayed the Sher-e-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth and termed it as joke with educated unemployed youth.
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3 Gujaratis booked under PSA
Jammu, December 11 Samba SSP Raghubir Singh said the Jammu Divisional Commissioner has executed the PSA warrants against three persons namely Sheikh Nazir Hussain, alias Imran, Sheikh Mohd Sharief and Mohd Zakir Hussain, alias Lala Bahi, all residents of Ahmedabad. The three are already in police custody as 54 kg of charas, which they were taking to Gujarat from Srinagar, was recovered from their possession in March last year. —
TNS |
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Army to hold recruitment rallies Jammu, December 11 An Army spokesman said the rally would be held only for the candidates belonging to Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh. Screening of documents and medical will be held on the same day. The candidates from Jammu, Samba, Kathua districts should have passed matriculation and candidates belonging to the Ladakh region, including Kargil, should have passed class VIII. Meanwhile, the Sikh Regimental Centre, Ramgarh Cantt (Jharkhand), will be holding a recruitment rally for the categories of soldier general duty and soldier tradesmen from December 29 to January 1 at Mamun Cantt
(Pathankot). |
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Jammu, December 11
Srinagar, December 11
