Abtal (Ramgarh), October 20
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today claimed that the situation in the Kashmir valley has shown considerable improvement during the last few days, but there was no room for complacency.

Interacting with mediapersons after laying the foundation stone of model village Abtal, located on the international border, the Chief Minister said normalcy was returning to the Valley but the focus of the government was on the proposed visit of US President Barrack Obama in November.

“There is no question of taking any chances as long as the separatists are issuing strike calendars in the Valley. Our concentration is on the visit of the US President,” he said and hinted at taking some effective steps for restoring normalcy after Obama’s visit.

Earlier addressing a public meeting, the Chief Minister underlined the importance of good relations with Pakistan for peace and development in the subcontinent.

“Jammu and Kashmir always reaps the benefits of the friendly ties between the two neighbours,” he said. Calm borders and thaw in relations produced positive dividends for both countries, he added. He expressed hope that the coming days would witness amity between India and Pakistan.

Omar sought people’s cooperation in fulfilling the development promises that he had made during electioneering. “I am committed to catapulting the development process in all three regions of the state and bringing about a healthy change in the public delivery system,” he said. He asked the people to come along with him in his march towards achieving economic wellbeing and political stability in the state. “I do not ask you to follow me, but I appeal to you to come along with me,” he maintained.

The Chief Minister, while underlining the importance of devolution of power to the grassroots, said his government was determined to hold the panchayat elections in the state.

“The administration at the state, divisional and district headquarters cannot deliver as minutely and as specifically as could be done by the public representatives at the panchayat level,” he added, maintaining that area-specific development schemes could be successfully implemented by the panchayats. He said this would also help to plug loopholes and leakages in the process of spending funds on the schemes.

Udhampur, October 20
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah launched an on-the-spot police recruitment drive for residents of far-flung and backward areas in the Warwan area of Kishtwar district today and announced similar drives in other such areas under a phased programme.

A team of senior police officers under the supervision of DGP Kuldeep Khoda conducted the recruitment drive and completed the selection process.

Addressing a well-attended public gathering at Inshan in Warwan in Kishtwar district, the Chief Minister said the Police Department would continue to hold such recruitment drives in other far-flung areas. He said his government had reduced the qualification criterion for the engagement of the youth in the police from matriculation to middle for areas like Warwan, Dachan, Gurez, Tangdhar and Keran. “The middle pass youths in the backward areas will also be eligible to be engaged under the new policy for casual labourers announced recently by the government. A target of employing 50,000 youth has been fixed under this policy,” he maintained.

The Chief Minister said the government was mulling a comprehensive programme for providing helicopter services to all remote areas in the state. “A proposal has already been sent to the Central government for helping the state to procure its own 20-seater helicopters for launching the services, especially during winter, in the remote areas,” he said, adding that till that time the helicopters of the Indian Air Force would be hired.

Omar expressed the hope that the Centre would soon clear the helicopter service scheme proposed by the state government.

He emphasised that the faster development of the backward and far-off areas, especially the places which remained cut off during winter, was being accorded priority in the planning of the government. “Various schemes in the sectors of roads and building, PHE, power, health and education have been initiated to reach out to every area in a balanced development process,” he said.

On the power front, the Chief Minister said the state government also envisaged setting up small hydroelectric stations of about 2 MW capacity in the far-flung areas under the centrally-sponsored New and Renewable Energy Programme. “These projects will be handed over to panchayats for operational and maintenance purposes and the government will provide expert services,” he added.

Reiterating his government’s commitment to hold the panchayat elections, Omar said though the law and order situation in the Kashmir valley had hampered the process, the government was determined to move ahead in this regard and hold the elections in the next few months.

He added that the devolution of power to the lower level was imperative to implement the development plans successfully as per the requirement of the people in particular areas. The state was losing about Rs 350 crore annually for not having panchayats in place. “There is an urgent need to have panchayats in place and catapult development in the rural areas,” he stressed.

Abtal, October 20
In his first public function in Jammu after his controversial speech in the Legislative Assembly on the accession of the state to India, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was greeted with a black flag and slogans of “Go Omar Go” by a Panthers Party leader.

Although just a handful of Panthers Party activists managed to sneak into the venue, and only one of them raised slogans and waved the black flag, this two-minute drama spoiled the show that was arranged by Minister of Industries and Commerce Surjit Singh Slathia.

As soon as the Chief Minister began his speech, Panthers Party leader Rajesh Pangotra, who was silently sitting with the audience, resorted to raising of slogans. Within no time, he took out a black flag from his pocket and waved it towards the Chief Minister.

“The accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India is full and final and no one would be allowed to preach secession,” he shouted.

“Your speech in the Legislative Assembly was provocative and anti-national. So we will not allow you to address public rallies in Jammu,” he said, and shouted “Go Omar go”.

National Conference workers tried to pacify him but to no avail. The police immediately swung into action and picked him up. Other Panthers Party workers tried to rescue their leader, but the police took him to the Ramgarh Police Station.

Visibly upset by the drama, the Chief Minister asked the security persons to let him go.

“Thousands of people have gathered there, it is not a matter of concern that one individual has indulged in such an act,” Omar said.

Meanwhile, the Panthers Party later alleged that their leader and workers were brutally beaten by the police when they were holding a peaceful demonstration.

Panthers Party state president Balwant Singh Mankotia described this action as “goondaism” of the State Government. The Panthers Party, however, warned that the Chief Minister would be greeted with black flags in future also for his controversial speech.

Ramgarh (Samba), October 20
Education has once again become casualty to fulfil aspirations of political bosses, as teaching staff of almost all government schools of Samba district were ordered to reach Abtal to attend Chief Minister’s rally to make it a grand success.

As majority of the teachers were present in the “official-turned-political function”, most of the schools were closed after the recess due to non-availability of teaching staff.

Although no written official order was issued in this regard, politicisation of education was evident as many women teachers present in the venue were requesting for “lift” after the conclusion of the “official” function.

Not only were the teaching staff of the district ordered to be present, the function was held on the premises of the Abtal boys’ middle school.

“We have been asked to be present in the function. We have even submitted our attendance to the authorities concerned at the venue of the function,” disclosed a teacher. Groups of helpless women teachers were asking for “lift” because the authorities had not made any arrangement for conveyance.

Interestingly, the authorities have projected today’s function as official but not even a single Congress leader was invited. The venue of the function was flooded with flags of the National Conference (NC).

As the function was organised by Minister of Industries and Commerce Surjit Singh Slathia, the administration also showed its might to please the minister.

Government officials at the low hierarchy were told to attend the stone laying of a model village at Abtal, which Omar Abdullah had to preside.

The studies of the students was badly affected as teachers from middle school to higher secondary school, including the anganwari workers, also were directed by the administration to remain present in the function.

“Though we were not served with any official order from the authorities, but were warned of being marked absent, if we did not turn up to make the function a historic success”, disclosed another teacher.

On an earlier occasion also at Bhalwal on September 6, the government had faced anger of the people for organising an official-turned-political function on the premises of the higher secondary school.

Jammu, October 20
A two-day tourism festival “Rajasthan Calling”, being organised by the Rajasthan government in a bid to attract domestic tourists from Jammu and Kashmir, began here today. Being held on the premises of the Brahman Pratinidhi Sabha, the Rajasthan festival is part of the Rajasthan domestic tourism promotion campaign to be held in 19 major cities across the country, including Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Patna, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Chandigarh.

“The major reason for organising “Rajasthan Calling” in the temple city of Jammu is to give a feel of Rajasthan and facilitate a better understanding about the state and provide complete information and at the same time showcase the rich culture of Rajasthan, Rajasthani handicrafts and its delicacies,” said Pawan Jain, Assistant Director of the Department of Tourism, Rajasthan.

Udhampur, October 20
Courtesy the Army, militancy-affected Mahore tehsil, about 80 kilometres from district headquarters Reasi, today got its first information and career guidance centre for the youth of this remote and underdeveloped mountainous area.

The facility called the Youth Employment and Guidance Node opened by the Rashtriya Rifles is percieved to wean away the area youth from falling easy prey to the allurements of joining militant ranks for want of career opportunities.

As a proof of the acute need of such a facility in this area over 50 youths got themselves registered here on the very first day.

As per the Army, Mahore has a special significance for being a sensitive area. Due to difficult terrain and its remoteness, the area’s youth suffer for acute want of channels of information in terms of having access to employment notices.

“The prime objective of the node is to facilitate socio-economic and educational upliftment of the youth of this region and provide them with employment avenues so that they can become economically independent and self-reliant members of the society,” said a senior official.

This initiative by the Army has been received with great enthusiasm by the locals as well as the civil administration. The employment node will act as a one-stop solution and information centre about employment opportunities that are available both in the government and private sector in J&K as well as the rest of the country. It will have an Internet facility so that eligible youth can register themselves at job portals, thus, increasing their chances for employment.

The main node is in Mahore with sub-nodes in Gulabgarh, Dharmari and Gul.

Limited coaching facilities have also been arranged for competitive examinations. Interview techniques will also be taught. A library of books with information for various competitive entrance exams has been made available at the facility.

Palhalan (Baramulla), October 20
In her early thirties,Fatima, a widow,wails in her house in this sleepy village as her relatives try to console her.Fatima’s husband, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, and three others were killed in police firing on September 6. Time has not healed the scars of the death,which landed the poor family in deep trouble. With tears in her eyes, Ashraf’s mother, Khadeeja, tries to compose herself and console her daughter-in-law. Their only consolation is the innocence of the deceased’s six-year-old son, Adil, and daughters, Nadia ( 9) and Mehbooba(11).While other members of the family are engaged in farming, Mir’s eldest son,Bilal, a student of Class VIII, has gone with his uncle to complete legal formalities in connection with the death of his father.

Even though the curfew was recently lifted from here after more than a month, other restrictions continue with a heavy deployment of the security forces. An eerie silence prevails in the village, which has a population of 30,000, and is near the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Ali Mohammad, a shopkeeper, is busy replenishing the stocks after more than a month of bandh.

“During the past few days, some movement has been allowed by the police, which has a heavy deployment in the village”, said residents. They said no movement was allowed, mainly towards the highway, after September 13 when the entire Valley was brought under the curfew following the death of 17 persons in clashes.

Tension had gripped the village after the killing of a teenaged boy, Adil, in a hospital in Pattan on September 6, the residents said. The subsequent firing in which four persons were killed was unprovoked, alleged the residents. They said the police and the CRPF opened indiscriminate fire in which the four persons, including Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who had gone to a nearby shop, and Showkat Ahmad, who tried to help Ashraf, were killed.

“ The civil and police authorities have been assuring us of lifting the restrictions, but nothing has been done,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local resident. The restrictions were lifted only when some officers visited the area, they said.

Srinagar, October 20
With no reports of any untoward incident from any part of the Kashmir valley, normal life was restored across the Valley today.

All shops and business establishments were open and there was a heavy rush in markets. Major traffic conjunctions across the city were abuzz with vehicles throughout the day. Educational institutions, banks and other government offices witnessed normal attendance with the day remaining peaceful as part of the protest calendar issued by the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference.

A police spokesman here said the day passed off peacefully. “There have been no reports of any untoward incident from any place. There were no curfew restrictions across the Kashmir valley today,” he said.

However, some miscreants during the day, attempted to disrupt the functioning of two educational institutions in the Habbakadal and Fethakadal areas in Srinagar. However, the locals and the school staff foiled their attempts and chased them away, the police said.

Srinagar, October 20
The Social Welfare Department has forwarded a comprehensive proposal to the Government of India for securing the necessary funding for undertaking a survey of all physically challenged persons in 
the state.

This was disclosed by Minister for Social Welfare Sakina Itoo, who called on Governor N. N. Vohra at Raj Bhavan here last evening. She said the proposal had been forwarded so that targeted intervention programmes could be planned and implemented in coordination with the other departments concerned. At Itoo’s request, the Governor agreed to follow up the matter with the Central authorities concerned for processing an early approval of the said proposal.

The Minister informed the Governor that the Social Welfare Department, as per its mandate, was actively engaged in monitoring the implementation of various schemes which were meant to benefit the physically challenged persons. Itoo mentioned that the welfare activities required close coordination with other departments concerned like Education, Health and Rural Development.

The Governor stressed the need for wide dissemination of welfare activities of the Social Welfare Department on a regular basis through the print and electronic media for generating the desired awareness and sensitivity towards all requirements of the physically challenged persons being met in a timely and efficient manner. The Minister agreed to suitably advertise the status of employment provided to the physically challenged persons as per the state government’s reservation policy and about other facilities provided to them. The Governor suggested the department could consider providing hearing aids, motorised tri-cycles and other required equipments on a subsidised basis and called for a meaningful interface between the Social Welfare Department and identified non-government organisations which might be rendering useful services to the physically challenged persons.

The Governor and the Social Welfare Minister discussed several issues concerning the welfare of physically challenged persons in the state, in the context of a representation submitted to the Governor a few days ago when a delegation of the All- J&K Handicapped Association called on him .The issues included the need for effective implementation of the state government’s policy of providing reservation for the physically challenged persons to provide them employment, special health and education facilities and the introduction of the Braille system of education in schools and colleges.