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Development Schemes
Kashmir University campus in Leh, Kargil soon
Scholarships for wards of police personnel
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Artificial lake to come up by 2012
Alerting people in PoK on flood situation
Jammu Diary
Minister reviews winter stocks
in Ladakh
PM’s Reconstruction Programme
Soz seeks market intervention scheme for C-grade apple
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Development Schemes
Jammu, August 9 Various development projects have been initiated in this belt to improve road connectivity. However, due to the indifferent attitude of the executing agencies, especially the contractors, these schemes have remained only on paper. As huge amounts have been earmarked for these schemes, some contractors with political backing have managed to get most of the works allotted to them. These contractors are deliberately delaying the completion of the schemes with a deliberate attempt to escalate the cost. During the District Development Board (DDB) meeting of Kathua district, the elected representatives, including a minister belonging to this district, raised this issue and expressed their resentment over the attitude of contractors to whom important works had been allotted. Nawang Rigzin Jora, Tourism Minister and chairman of the DDB, Kathua, directed the authorities to take stringent action against the contractors who had failed to complete the works in allotted time. He also asked the MLAs to monitor the implementation of schemes in their respective constituencies. The 7-km under construction Bani-Duggan road is a glaring example of the indifferent attitude of the contractors. Jora directed the authorities to complete the road on a priority. He directed all the agencies to gear up their works so that by mid-term review, sufficient progress could be achieved. The construction of the road was started 11 years ago with much fanfare and publicity. When the work on the project was started, it was promised that the road would be completed within two years. Eleven years have passed, but the project is still hanging in balance. In the DDB meeting, the chairman approved over Rs 86 crore district plan for the current financial year. The plan includes Rs 53 crore as capital component and Rs 33 crore is the revenue component. Minister of State for Cooperative Manohar Lal Sharma showed his concern over the targets achieved in self-employment sector and also raised the issue of poor road connectivity in Billawar, Basohli and Bani. He demanded the release of additional funds for pending works. Charanjit Singh, MLA, Kathua, pointed out shortage of doctors at District Hospital, Kathua, and other health centres in the district. He said the roads in Kathua were in dilapidated condition. Jagdish Raj Sapolia, MLA, Basohli, said there was shortage of junior engineers in the Rural Development Department, due to which works under MNREGA could not be executed. He demanded that construction work of roads from Kaldi to Palnoo and Dhamlad to Guanban should be initiated as early as possible. |
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Kashmir University campus in Leh, Kargil soon
Srinagar, August 9 The development took place during the week-long visit of Kashmir University vice-chancellor, Talat Ahmad to Leh and Kargil districts beginning August 1, wherein he interacted with top functionaries of the district administration, prominent members of civil society to chalk out the road map for these mega projects. “This decision has been taken with an aim of reaching out to people living in the remote areas of the Ladakh region and providing educational facilities to these communities for their socio-economic development,” said Talat Ahmad. He informed that he would soon be visiting Kupwara district in North Kashmir for the identification of land for the Kupwara campus of the university. Earlier last week, the vice-chancellor had meetings with the district administration of Kargil and Leh and office-bearers and members of the Ladakh Hill Development Council wherein the state-owned sites for the two new campuses in Ladakh region were identified. Minister of Transport Qamar Ali Akhoon was also present. Besides conventional PG courses like Urdu, sociology, education, political science, history and Arabic, some modern day job-oriented course would also be started at Kargil campus and extensive courses on Buddhist studies and geological and geographical studies would be started at Leh campus. “It will be my endeavour to make a concerted and collective effort in moving the university towards the newer heights with an objective to let it contribute in a big way in the socio economic development of the people of this region,” said Talat, while interacting with members of the civil society who called on him at Leh and Kargil. He visited Degree College, Kargil, and the Study Centre of the Distance Education of the University of Kashmir. The VC also presented an invited talk to researchers who had gathered from all over the country to attend a DST-sponsored programme on “rocks and geology of the Ladakh region”. The university has already established its campuses in north and south of Kashmir and is soon planning to establish campus in Kupwara district as well. “Given the fact that Kashmir University is not able to enroll even 20 per cent of the students who apply every year for its various programmes, the need for establishing satellite campuses has increased manifold,” a spokesperson of the university said. New market-friendly programmes, which were to come in these campuses, could be a boon for the student community, he added. |
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Scholarships for wards of police personnel
Srinagar, August 9 Announcing the scholarships at a meeting of executive body of the Police Parivar Fund held at the police headquarters here recently, Khoda said the police had been taking care of the wards of its personnel, including the wards whose parents have sacrificed their lives for safety of people. He said the sacrifices by these personnel had helped to bring the state back on the track of development and peace. Realising the hardships faced by the men in khaki, the organisation was taking various measures to promote educational career of the wards of its personnel, including setting up police public schools at various district headquarters, grant of scholarships in favour of meritorious wards and the children of deceased personnel. The wards include 128 children of the personnel, who sacrificed their lives for the security of the state. Scholarships were also sanctioned in favour of 52 meritorious wards of serving personnel, who had secured distinctions in 8th and 9th Class examinations during the academic session 2010-11. Khoda said the organisation had the welfare of its jawans and their families on top of its agenda. The department, for the promotion of education among the wards of the personnel, is providing scholarships to the meritorious children, who secure distinction in different examinations up to graduation level. The step has served as an encouragement for these students and boosted their talent to compete in other professional examinations also. He informed that the organisation had been conducting free coaching classes for these wards to prepare them for competitive examinations. |
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Artificial lake to come up by 2012
Jammu, August 9 The Minister said the construction of the artificial lake had been going on in full swing and the project would be completed by 2012. He hoped that with the construction of the lake, this belt would be developed as a tourist spot. The Minister, while interacting with people living along the banks of the Tawi, said the government was committed to provide basic amenities to the people across the state. He said the government would ensure the development of the state on modern lines in terms of better roads, adequate drinking water, power, hospitals, recreational parks, schools, besides streets and drains. He sought the cooperation of the
people in the implementation of the development programmes. To deal with water scarcity in the rural areas, especially in Belicharana situated on the banks of the Tawi, the Minister informed the locals that the government had commissioned a deep-drill tubewell, with a capacity of 5,500 gallon discharge per hour, constructed at a cost of Rs 1.19 crore. He asked the engineers to immediately start the digging works for laying the water supply pipes in the uncovered areas of the village for which the government had earmarked Rs 36
lakh. |
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Alerting people in PoK on flood situation
Jammu, August 9 Every monsoon whenever there is a flood-like situation due to swelling of the Chenab, Ravi or the Tawi, officials of the Radio Kashmir Jammu alert the people living across the border by flashing emergency flood and SOS messages well in advance. This practice has been continuing since the signing of the Indus Water Treaty between the two nations. This year being no exception, the RKJ has already braced up to flash such warning messages with the beginning of this month. Such messages, including information on the flow of water in these rivers, will continue till September. The flood data is gathered by the Central Water Commission (CWC) which works under the Union Ministry of Water Resources. As part of the treaty, the CWC has to pass on the message regarding the rise or fall in the water level to the RKJ, which in turn beams messages at regular intervals of time through its 300 KW high-power medium and shortwave transmitters. A spokesman for the CWC, Chenab division, said there were strict guidelines to broadcast flood messages through RKJ at least thrice a day during the monsoon at 9.30 am, 3pm and 9.30 pm. Such messages are monitored even across the border by different agencies, the spokesman said. He said while the water level of the Tawi was measured at Jammu, that of the Chenab was recorded at Akhnoor. If the Ravi crossed the danger mark near Madhopur, the same was immediately passed on to Pakistan through RKJ, he explained. Ravi Magotra, programme head, RKJ, said the premier broadcasting station of the state ensured that these flood messages were religiously broadcast. “At times, we receive urgent messages for broadcast from the CWC and after interrupting our Interestingly, even when India and Pakistan were engaged in Kargil sector in July 1999 and when tempers were running high, the RKJ in the highest standards of broadcasting and abiding by the treaty, continued to broadcast such mandatory flood messages for the benefit of common masses across the border. The RKJ, which is the part of the All-India Radio, is the only radio station in the region following this practice for the past several decades. |
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Jammu Diary
Although the BJP claims to popularise the Hindi language all over the country for “strengthening” national integration, party leaders themselves lack proper knowledge of the national language.
Their lack of knowledge of the language was exposed during one-day convention of the party to highlight scams and corruption in the Centre. A big banner written in the Hindi language was put up on the stage to highlight reasons for organising the convention. Some words were spelt incorrectly on the banner (see photo), but none of the BJP leaders took note of it. When some workers drew attention of the leaders towards the mistake, they (leaders) tried to look for excuses. Lack of
‘enlightenment’
On August 9, a meeting of the Congress workers was convened at the party headquarters to commemorate anniversary of the Quit India Movement. Most of the Congress leaders present there were not aware about the importance of the day. Before arrival of senior leaders, majority of the leaders were asking each other about history and importance of the day. They were worried as they had to address the meeting. As soon as some veteran leaders arrived, those present in the meeting appealed them to address the meeting so as to get themselves aware of the importance of the day. (Contributed by
Dinesh Manhotra)
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Minister reviews winter stocks
in Ladakh
Srinagar, August 9 Similarly, about 92,000 quintals against an allocated quota of 1.4 lakh quintals of rice, flour and sugar has been dumped in Kargil district. Winter stocking of other essential commodities is also going on in full swing satisfactorily. This was stated at a high-level meeting held here recently to review the pace of winter stocks of essential commodities and key construction materials in the twin districts of Leh and Kargil. Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather presided over the meeting. It was informed that against an allocated quota of 94,000 Nobs of filled gas cylinders, about 70,000 gas cylinders have been stocked up to date in Leh district, whereas against an allocation of 1.83 lakh gas cylinders, about 67,500 cylinders have been stocked in Kargil district. The stocking of other petroleum products is also going on satisfactorily. There is a target to stock 50.40 lakh liters of petrol, 1.44 crore liters of diesel in Leh district and 15,056 kilo liters of motor spirit, high speed diesel and SKO in Kargil. Rather took department-wise review about the pace of winter stocks in the Ladakh region, which remains snowbound for about six months and called for additional efforts to complete the stocking of essential commodities and key materials in the region in advance to the onset of winter. He directed the concerned to rush cement, bitumen and other construction material in bulk to expedite rebuilding of the damaged infrastructure due to the last year’s flash floods. He asked the Forest Department to stock adequate quantity of fire wood and timber in the twin districts. Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Qamar Ali Akhoon, Chief Executive Councillors of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Ladakh and Kargil, Rigzin Spalbar and AA Kachoo, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asgar Samoon and other senior officers attended the meeting. |
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PM’s Reconstruction Programme
Srinagar, August 9 The state agencies are also executing Central projects costing Rs 6,341 crore. An expenditure of over Rs 1,624 crore has been incurred so far on these works. The Central agencies are executing works worth Rs 20,636 crore and they have so far completed the works of the order of Rs 5,171 crore. This information was given at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah here recently to review the progress on various projects under implementation in the state under the PMRP. Taking brief on power projects, the Chief Minister was informed that under the scheme of strengthening the T&D network, over Rs 939.91 crore has been incurred so far completing 31 schemes which include construction of 14 grid stations. It was stated that under the RGGVY, Rs 519 crore stand spent so far. The meeting was informed that the construction of building complexes for 14 degree colleges has been completed, while for another 10 colleges is under various stages of implementation. Similarly, the work for establishment of nine women ITIs and five other ITIs is under implementation. The meeting was informed that under the Rural Health Mission, Rs 434 crore has been spent as against the outlay of Rs 492 crore. Under this programme, 535 Rogi Kalyan Samities have been registered, besides engaging 9,500 Asha workers. Also, 125 ambulances have been procured and 54 stabilisation units established in addition of engaging 3,961 faculty and other staff in the Health Department. Reviewing the progress on the establishment of super speciality hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu, the Chief Minister asked for upgrading the pace of work on the Srinagar Super Speciality Hospital. The Chief Minister asked the implementing agencies to upgrade the pace of work and expedite the completion within the earmarked timeline. He said mega projects in the sectors of power, road communication, health and higher education should receive added attention so that the benefits of these accrue to the people as early as possible. Laying stress on the monitoring of physical and financial aspects of the projects under execution in the PMRP, the Chief Minister asked the Central agencies executing the works to accelerate the pace on works so that the targets are achieved as per time frame. The Chief Minister took sector-wise appraisal of the progress and gave directions wherever required for fast tracking the works. He said the projects under the PMRP were greatly related to the economic progress and public service infrastructure development, as such had direct bearing on the welfare and upliftment of the people. He emphasised the need for completing these projects with a missionary zeal. |
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Soz seeks market intervention scheme for C-grade apple
Srinagar, August 9 Soz and Sham Lal Sharma pleaded for support for the introduction of the Market Intervention Scheme in the state for the procurement of C-Grade apple on a 50:50 basis. They sought help from the Union government for the installation of anti-hailstorm guns to avoid the damages to orchards on account of hailstorms, an official spokesperson said. While pleading for making the Crop Insurance Scheme more meaningful and farmer friendly, they sought enhancement in the ceiling of insurance cover and greater contribution by the Union Ministry towards the premium. The Union Minister was also urged to waive off the central excise duty on the tree spray oil. The delegation also sought the establishment of KVKs in all districts of the state, including the newly created districts. The delegation was assured that all their requests would be considered however, the project reports wherever required should be formulated and submitted to the Centre immediately. The officers from the Government of India who participated included PK Baru, secretary, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Jt. Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, managing director, National Horticulture Board, Horticulture Commissioner and others. The officers from the state included Javed Khan, director, Horticulture (P&M), GH Shah, director, Horticulture, Kashmir, Zubair Ahmed, special secretary, Agriculture Production Department, JL Sharma, director, Horticulture, Jammu and others. |
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