Jammu, January 29
Senior Congress leader and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said today that the Central government could not be more flexible on the Kashmir issue and it was time for the hardliners (separatists) to understand the changed times.

Azad differed with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with regard to his (Omar’s) recent statement calling Kashmir as a political problem. He said it would be wrong to call it just a political problem. “There are economic issues. When the gap between the have and the have-not widens, there is always trouble,” he added.

Azad said this while interacting with mediapersons at a meet-the-press organised by the Press Club here this afternoon. Responding to a query that why the Congress was complacent in handling the Kashmir issue, he said the party had always taken steps to resolve the problem, but it could not be more flexible now.

“I think a lot of initiatives were taken but in response to say 10 steps taken by the Congress, the hardliners (separatists) have not taken a single step forward,”he added.

Azad called upon the Hurriyat leaders to talk with the government and help the three interlocutors appointed by the UPA government. “I urge them to hold talks with the government to find a solution. They should notice the changed times in the state. Now, people demand roads, schools, hospitals and transportation. Azadi is not an issue. The Hurriyat or other hardliners should see the signals and participate in maintaining peace and harmony.”

The lack of initiative by the separatists had cost the state much, the Union minister said. “I was watching scenes of violence in Egypt and was reminded of stone throwing incidents in the Valley. These incidents still pain me. I am relieved that there is peace now, but let me tell you it is always one-way traffic for finding lasting peace. The Government of India is the one taking initiatives.”

Refusing to be drawn into assessing the performance of the present government led by Omar Abdullah, Azad said he always concentrated on the job given to him. “At present my job is to run the Union Ministry of Health and I don’t see any other side.”

Jammu, January 29
Despite the fact that a majority of state Congress leaders have been pressurising the party high command to press for the change of guard after the completion of the three-year tenure of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today ruled out the possibility of the rotation of chief ministership.

In December, a group of Congress leaders had camped in the Union Capital and launched an aggressive campaign demanding the rotation of chief ministership in the state.

Interacting with mediapersons during a meet-the-press organised by the Jammu Press Club here this evening, Azad said in 2002 when the Congress had entered into an alliance with the PDP, a provision of the rotation of chief ministership was incorporated in the Common Minimum Programme and hence the chief ministership was handed over to the Congress after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed completed his three-year tenure.

In 2008, when the Congress handed over the chief ministership to the National Conference, no decision was taken regarding the rotation of chief ministership, he said. He ruled out any possibility of the Congress pressing for a change in chief ministership after the completion of three years of the coalition government.

A group of Congress leaders have been demanding that the party should be given the chance to head the government after three years. Veteran Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma had been repeatedly supporting the demand.

Regarding serious differences between the two coalition partners on the issue of incorporating the 73rd Amendment of the state Constitution in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, Azad said the issue would be resolved amicably. “Both parties are committed to empowering democratic institutions at the grass-roots level, therefore, they will find out a solution to the problem,” he said.

Azad, who remained the Chief Minister of the state from 2005 to 2008, also ruled out any possibility of returning to the state politics at this juncture. “At least for four years there is no chance of my returning to the state politics. At present I am more interested in serving the nation as the Union Health Minister,” he added.

Manu Shrivats, president of the press club, Sohail Kazmi, secretary-general, and Zorawar Singh Jamwal, treasurer, presented a bouquet and a memento to the Union Minister on the behalf of the media fraternity.

Jammu, January 29
“Good Morning. This is your Health Minister calling. Have you taken benefits under this health scheme of the Central government?” Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad made several such calls to poor and needy people in the last few months to ascertain whether they were real beneficiaries or were just fake entries in the records.

But despite the Azad’s monitoring of the records himself with such calls, corruption in the form of fake beneficiaries has been prevalent in the department. “The result has been mixed,” he revealed to mediapersons today saying the phone numbers of several persons were found to be fake. “In order to check corruption, the Ministry of Health had a few months ago started a system of creating name and telephone based data in which any person who availed of the benefits under a health scheme would be included. I personally monitored it and in four states checked so far, one of them had a lot of fake entries.”

Without naming the state, Azad said it seemed at least a year or more was needed to weed out corruption through fake entries. This candid statement comes from a man who as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was the first in the country to enact a law to confiscate property of corrupt officials, and had taken on the alleged corruption in the Medical Council of India after he took over as the Union Health Minister.

“I think only constant monitoring through such phone calls at the top level that corruption can be eradicated. I am confident that as all new schemes of the health sector have a mandatory provision for name and telephone data, the probability of fake entires would lessen and end eventually.”

Azad revealed this while announcing a new scheme for the below poverty line people in the country. He said all those BPL cardholders, who undergo treatment in a government hospital for a life threatening disease, would get 100 per cent free treatment. “For ailments other than life threatening ones, a patient would get Rs 20,000 if the cost of treatment was up to Rs 50,000. For medical cost between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, a patient would get Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 for above Rs 1 lakh cost,” he added.

He said all these schemes would also have a name and telephone database, which he would personally monitor to check corruption.

He warned of strict action against corruption reminding that the Health Department was the only department which one visited during births and deaths. “That is why I have coined a new tag for the department. It is Health Department - from conception to cremation. We are the only department that provides help right from the time a women gets pregnant up to the death of an individual.”

Jammu, January 29
A two-day medical camp organised by the Jhangar Battalion under the aegis of the Tithwal Brigade at Andrut and Quila Darhal villages in Nowshera tehsil ended yesterday. It was organised to provide basic medical facilities to the people residing in far flung and border areas of Rajouri district.

Civilian doctors from the Primary Health Centre also attended the camp along with the doctors from the Army. Dental care was also provided at the camp.

The camp was organised on January 27 and 28 and 960 villagers, including 350 women and children, were treated for various ailments by the doctors. Medicines were also distributed free of cost to them.

During the camp wheelchairs were also given to five physically challenged persons.

While addressing the people, the Commander of the Tithwal Brigade praised the doctors and the nursing staff for making the camp a success. The aim of the camp was to provide medical assistance to the underprivileged people of rural and border areas and develop goodwill of the Army among the rural people.

Srinagar, January 29
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh awarded the best Army Directorate trophy to the Jammu and Kashmir National Cadet Corps (NCC) contingent at a rally held at the Parade Ground in New Delhi yesterday.

Cadet Saddam Hussain of Doda received the trophy from the Prime Minister, a defence spokesman here said.

The rally, which is held annually as part of the Republic Day celebrations, also saw an impressive para sailing and micro lite flying display, besides a mass PT display and band display. The grand finale witnessed an awe inspiring and colourful gathering of over 2,000 NCC cadets from all over the country.

This year’s celebrations were also attended by cadets from nine foreign countries.

After presenting the awards, the Prime Minister, in his address, exhorted the youth of the country to be physically and mentally strong to achieve individual excellence. He added that thereafter every individual should contribute to the betterment of society.

Defence Minister AK Antony had honoured Cadet Yeshi Yangmo of the Kashmir Directorate on January 15. The Kashmir Directorate is headed by Col Daljit Singh Goraya.

Jammu, January 29
An under-trial criminal, who is allegedly involved in double murder at Narwal Mandi in February last year, today attacked a relative of the victims on the court premises in Janipur here. The under-trial has been identified as Ranjodh Singh, alias Nalwa.

Official sources said as soon as Surinder Singh, alias Kala, a relative of the victims and eyewitness to the double murder, appeared before the third Additional Sessions Judge for recording his statement, Nalwa, who was in handcuffs, allegedly attacked the former. Surinder Singh started bleeding from his nose.

Sources said Surinder Singh had appeared before the third Additional Sessions Judge while Nalwa was being brought to the court when he intercepted Surinder Singh and attacked him. However, an officer at Janipur police station said no fresh FIR was registered against Nalwa. Since the incident happened in the court, the court itself would take cognisance of the matter, he said.

On February 5, 2010, Gurnam Singh and his maternal uncle Rajinder Singh were murdered at Narwal Mandi.

The Narwal Police has so far arrested eight accused out of a total of nine, allegedly involved in the sensational murder.