Srinagar, April 7
Jammu and Kashmir’s literacy rate has increased by 13 per cent in the last decade even as the state witnessed a dip in the sex ratio and the child sex ratio, the provisional figures of the Census 2011 reveal.

“The literacy rate in Jammu and Kashmir has increased from 55.52 per cent in the 2001 Census to 68.74 per cent in the Census 2011,” Director, Census Operations, Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad told reporters here today.

While female literacy has increased from 20 per cent in 1981 to 58 per cent this year, the male literacy has increased from 44 per cent to 78 per cent during the corresponding three decades, Ahmad said while releasing the data.

Jammu, Samba and Leh districts have the highest literacy rates of over 90 per cent, while Bandipora, Ganderbal, Budgam, Ramban, Kulgam and Reasi districts have literacy rates of less than 60 per cent. Remote Kupwara district has made the biggest stride in improving the literacy rate, moving from 42 per cent in 2001 to 68 per cent this year.

Ahmad said, however, the data regarding the sex ratio was a cause of worry as the numbers had fallen to the level of 1901. The sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir has fallen from 892 in 2001 to 883 in the Census 2011, a drop of nine points. In 1901, the sex ratio was 882. The national average is 940.

Leh district in the Ladakh region has a shocking sex ratio of just 583, which is a massive drop of 240 from the Census 2001. Considering the sex ratio, Leh district is ranked 22nd in as many districts in the state. Nearby Kargil district is one rank above at 21st position with a sex ratio of 775, down 62 from the Census 2001.

Kulgam and Shopian districts have the highest sex ratio of 951, which is 11 more than the national average.

The two capital cities of the state, Jammu and Srinagar, have almost identical figures of 871 and 879 and both have registered improvements over the 2001 figures.

The child sex ratio was equally worrisome, as it has dropped by 100 points from 963 in 1981 to 863 in 2011.

“It will have serious affects on our future population and it is time that we take steps to correct it,” Joint Director, Census Operations, CS Sapru said.

According to the data, the state’s population has grown from 1.01 crore in 2001 to 1.25 crore this year, with the male population accounting for 66.65 lakh. The state has registered a decadal growth of almost 24 per cent, which was the seventh highest in the country. However, the growth rate for the past decade was six percentile points less compared to last four Census operations since 1971. The population density has been stated as 124 in the current Census against 100 in the Census 2001.

While the Kashmir valley has a population of 69.08 lakh, the Jammu division has 53.50 lakh and the Ladakh region 2.90 lakh population. “These figures include whosoever was physically present in the territorial jurisdiction of Jammu and Kashmir during the enumeration period. The security forces posted in the state were also counted,” the Director, Census, said.

He thanked the political leadership, both mainstream and separatists, for extending cooperation to the Census exercise. “I am thankful to people at large and the political leadership on either side of the fence for their wholehearted cooperation in data collection,” Ahmad said.

Governor NN Vohra was keen to see that the Census operations Went on smoothly and also advised the Census officers to ensure a complete coverage of the operations in the state, Ahmad said. He added that the Governor, the Chief Minister and other senior officers of the state administration were being apprised from time to time about the census operations that involved the services of 27,500 enumerators and supervisors.

Jammu, April 7
In a bid to satisfy certain quarters, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said today that it had reduced the duration of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage from 60 to 46 days in the interest of the pilgrims and the organisers of the community kitchens en route the cave shrine.

This year, the yatra will start on June 29 instead of June 15, that is Jaishth Purnima, and will conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan).

However, the SASB said if religious and social leaders across the country desired a change in the yatra duration, the board could review the decision, but from Shravan Purnima onwards. The SASB, giving statistics about the duration of the pilgrimage and the number of pilgrims visiting the cave shrine from 1995 to 2010, said the decision to curtail the pilgrimage to 46 days this year was taken keeping in view the safety of the pilgrims, smooth conduct of the pilgrimage and convenience of the pilgrims and the organisers of community kitchens.

Addressing mediapersons here this evening, SASB member Ved Ghai said the safety and security of the pilgrims was of paramount importance and hence the decision was taken after extensive discussions at a board meeting on February 18.

“Reducing the duration and changing the date of the commencement of the yatra will not impact the number of pilgrims, as the maximum number of pilgrims visit the cave shrine in the first 30 days,” said Ghai. The board’s decision to curtail the annual pilgrimage this year has come under criticism from some organisations.

“If religious leaders across the country evolve consensus on extending the duration of the pilgrimage from Shravan Purnima onwards, I don’t think the board will have any problem,” she said.

Though natural calamities could not be forecast, at the same time we did not want to play with nature, she said and recalled how 243 pilgrims lost their lives due to harsh climatic change in 1996.

The Nitish Sen Gupta Committee report also concluded that the period of the pilgrimage should be spread over 30 days, from roughly July 1 to August 15, she said.

As regards to duration and schedule of the yatra it was necessary to note that the climate pattern and the extent of snowfall during the preceeding winter had a direct bearing on the dates on which both yatra routes were likely to become operational in the succeeding summer, Ghai said.

The board, being an amalgam of spiritual, religious and social figures, took into consideration all pros and cons before arriving at the decision to restrict the pilgrimage to 46 days, she added.

Meanwhile, Shri Amarnath Barfani Langars Organisation, an association of NGOs organising community kitchens during the pilgrimage, expressed gratitude to the SASB for reducing the yatra duration from 60 days to 46 days this year. The organisation also urged the SASB to reduce the yatra duration to one month next year.

Srinagar, April 7
Employees of various state government departments have threatened that they will go on an indefinite strike if the government fails to fulfil their demands. They allege that the government has failed to fulfil the promises made to them, thus forcing them to adopt the path of agitation.

“The state government did not fulfil the promises made to the employees from time to time. This forced us to adopt the path of protests,” said Aijaz Ahmed, a member of the Employees Joint Action Committee.

He added that, “Earlier when the employees went on a strike for several days, the government had assured them that it would look into their genuine demands. But nothing had been done so far”.

Employees of the state government have been demanding the payment of arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission, enhancement of retirement age from 58 years to 60 years, regularisation of daily wage and ad hoc employees and five-day week.

The government had promised the employees that the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission would be paid in instalments. However, it did not pay anything, the employees said. “Yesterday, we held a token protest in which a large number of employees participated. The police used force and arrested protesting employees. We were beaten up and our peaceful rally was foiled,” said Aijaz.

He added that yesterday’s protest was a warning to the state government not to take the demands of the employees lightly. “Our agitation will continue and in the coming days we will chalk out our strategy as how to intensify it,” Aijaz said. “Lakhs of employees of various departments of the state government will proceed on an indefinite strike if the government fails to fulfil our genuine demands,” he added.

Jammu, April 7
The state government is examining the constitution of child rights commission in the state as mandated under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act.

Chief Secretary Madhav Lal said this at a meeting with the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Prof Shantha Sinha, here today. The Chief Secretary briefed Prof Sinha about the steps being taken by the state government for the protection of child rights in the state.

The Chief Secretary said under the Jammu and Kashmir Juvenile Justice System Act-1997, Juvenile Justice Boards and Child Welfare Committees had been set up at the district level, which were working under the chairmanship of respective district magistrates and district social welfare officials.

The Chief Secretary informed the NCPCR chairperson that the Social Welfare Department was running 36 orphanages comprising 24 Bal Ashrams and 12 Nari Niketans with a total capacity of 1,505 inmates where they were provided with boarding, lodging, food and education.

Prof Sinha appreciated the initiatives being planned by the state government for protecting the child rights in the state.

Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development/Health, Suresh Kumar, Commissioner-Secretary, Higher Education, Tanveer Jehan, and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.

Jammu, April 7
A deputation of 13 representatives of Shri Amarnath Barfani Langar Organisation called on Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today and presented a cheque for Rs 2 lakh to him as a token contribution for the sanitation arrangements in the yatra area.

The deputation led by the organisation president, Vijay Thakur, assured the Governor, who is the Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, that they would maintain cleanliness in the entire yatra area, particularly in and around the langar areas. It added that they shall launch a campaign in this regard.

The deputation thanked the Governor for taking several initiatives for upgrading the facilities for the pilgrims and repeated their request to reduce the duration of the yatra to 30 days in view of the difficulties faced by them to serve langar for a prolonged period. It put forth several suggestions about the improvement in the facilities for the yatris.

The Governor stressed the need for putting in place all facilities, including electricity, water, medical aid, suuply essential commodities and accommodation, at Baltal and Nunwan base camps and at various halting points en route and in the shrine area, well before the commencement of the yatra this year.

He emphasised that the langar service should be ensured for the yatris at all identified places till the conclusion of the pilgrimage.

The Governor asked the Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board RK Goyal to distribute a telephone directory among all stakeholders containing the details of the camp directors and langar organisations to ensure improved coordination at all levels.

He also issued instructions for displaying guide maps and do’s and don’ts display boards at each camp indicating in different colours the location of tents, ponies, pithus, langars, STD booths, medicare units etc.

The Governor said the repair and maintenance of toilets, bathrooms, paths, drains, should be taken up at the base camps and en route on urgent basis, as soon as the snow melts. The meeting was attended by Rajan Gupta, general secretary of the SABLO, Ashok Garg, Charan Das Gaba and Rakesh Kumar Sethi, among others. The Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Preet Pal Singh, was also present in the meeting.

Jammu, April 7
The police arrested the Chief Horticulture Officer of Doda on the rape charge last evening.

An FIR was registered against the accused officer on April 1 after a woman, who was working as a gardener in the Horticulture Department, lodged a complaint against him at Doda police station. Subsequently, he was arrested yesterday and a case under Sections 376 and 506 of the RPC registered against him.

The woman, who is a militancy victim from Gandoh village in Doda district, was appointed as gardener under SRO-43 in the Horticulture Department on compassionate ground.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that the accused raped her at her home on March 7 when she was alone. She said the officer threatened her that he would get her sacked if she dared to complain to the police.

According to her, the accused had earlier also made several attempts to rape her.

Jammu, April 7
A deputation of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) led by its president VY Sharma called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here today. It submitted to the Chief Minister a memorandum of demands of the trading community and industrialists.

The deputation requested the Chief Minister to increase the number of employees from five to 10 for an industrial unit to make an application under the Provident Fund Act. It also urged Omar that they be allowed a post-Budget consultation with Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather.

The demands included a provision of land for industrial units, power connections to new units, a satellite township in Jammu, renovation of Abhinav Theatre, identification of land for the establishment of new warehouses and Transport Nagar and the construction of a ropeway.

Political adviser to the Chief Minister Devender Singh Rana, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister BB Vyas and Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey were also present on the occasion.

Jammu, April 7
Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Raman Bhalla impressed upon the Director of School Education to personally monitor the reconstruction of school buildings taken up under the National Calamity Relief Fund (NCRF) following the earthquake of 2005.

Addressing a meeting convened to take the appraisal of schools reconstructed under the NCRF here today, Bhalla said the government was keen to augment infrastructural facilities to facilitate students to have access to quality education.

The minister said achieving 100 per cent literacy called for an ubiquitous presence of educational institutions with good infrastructure and qualified teaching staff. — TNS