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Labourers await wages
Now, send apples through post
‘Bankrupt’ Kala Kendra fails
to promote art
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Museum to showcase Kashmiri folk instruments
Facing threat
Kashmir handicrafts an attractive career option: Chief Secy
International Travel Mart concludes
in Srinagar
jammu DIARY
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Rural Job Scheme
Jammu, October 11 During an open public darbar of Minister of State for Cooperatives, Finance and Planning Manohar Lal, a large number of people complained about the inordinate delay in releasing payments to the labourers engaged under the MNREGA scheme in the Billawar area of Kathua. As Manohar Lal represents the Billawar assembly segment, locals told him that during the earlier public darbars, the same issue was raised, but no action had been taken so far. They observed that the authorities were not taking minister’s directions seriously and adopting delay tactics in releasing the payments. In the last three such meetings which were held in different areas of Billawar, the locals demanded the release of the pending payments under MNREGA, but nothing has been done so far despite being the fact that the Minister had given directions to the authorities to do the needful. During a public darbar at Lahri-Kadetar in Billawar tehsil on June 1 this year, the same problem was raised before Manohar Lal, but even after more than four months, no step was taken. It is widely alleged that a mafia has been taken control of the MNREGA programme and this mafia is so powerful that it does not even care about the official orders. Meanwhile, the people of the area put various demands and problems before the Minister. The sarpanch of Mangloor panchayat demanded an early completion of a bridge over Tarnah nullah, a tubewell in the area, streetlights and road connectivity to all morhas, repair of roads and lanes, appointment of staff in schools, electrification of remote habitations etc. Master Chamel Singh of Mangloor demanded pending compensation in lieu of their damaged crops and homes while Rakesh Singh of Badholi village demanded the release of pending payments under MNREGA. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the coalition government was committed to provide basic facilities to its people. He said the government was aware of the problems of the people and had been trying its best to mitigate the sufferings of the people. He added that the road connectivity, health, education and drinking water are the priority sectors. Sharma instructed the PWD officers to complete the road works within a stipulated time and asked the assistant commissioner, Revenue, Kathua, and tehsildar to ensure disbursement of pending MNREGA payments. The Minister also asked the sarpanches to identify the families to be covered under Indira Awaas Yojna.
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Now, send apples through post
This is a new and inventive service offered by the J&K Postal Circle to market the sale of Kashmir apples through Mail Order Business. “A-Grade” Kashmir apples of export quality would be delivered through postal network as a gift product. The service would initially be available in the General Post Office, Srinagar, and the Head Post Office, Jammu. Launching the service, the Minister lauded the efforts taken by the Postal Circle in introducing the new services, including philately exhibitions, floating post office, special covers in Siachen Glacier, etc. He said the “Apple Post” would boost the sale of apples through postal network.
As part of motivating the staff, Chief Postmaster General’s Awards were given to the postmen by the Minister. Aftab Ahmad Mir, sorting postman, and Abdul Gani Dar, postman, Srinagar GPO, and Jalal-ud-din Wani, postman, Tral, got the “Best Postman” Awards. On the occasion, the Chief Postmaster General announced the Dak Seva Awards for more than 20 postal officials which would be given during the next month. In his address, Chief Postmaster General, J&K Circle, John Samuel, announced that the Circle would launch the initiative to make Ladakh region as a “fully banked” region in the next three months. “Every house in Ladakh will be given Post Office Savings Bank facility and Postal Life Insurance facility. Such steps would develop the region in a big way,” he maintained. He said a new post office would be inaugurated at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, on October 13. He said in Srinagar, three new post offices would be opened soon and the first one would be set up at Lal Bazaar. Samuel said as part of developing the Ladakh region, two new post offices would be opened in the remote areas. He said recently the post office had launched special covers at various tourist destinations in the state, including Khardungh La and Chang La Passes and Siachen Glacier. These special covers were valuable for the tourists, he added. The Chief Postmaster General declared that the J&K Postal Circle had been taking many initiatives to develop tourism and trade in the state. “’Apple Post’ is one such step under which the best apples of Kashmir can be sent as a gift to customers through post office. The service is available to customers across India,” he informed. As part of the Postal Week celebrations, India Post Gold Coins would be launched at the Srinagar GPO. The gold coins manufactured by Valcambi from Switzerland would be sold at the post offices, the Chief Postmaster General announced. On the day of the inauguration, special discount would be given to customers buying gold coins. The gold coins are of .5 gram, 1 gram, 5 grams, 8 grams, 10 grams and 20 grams, he added.
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‘Bankrupt’ Kala Kendra fails
to promote art
Jammu, October 11 While the ground floor is being looked after by the Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, the second floor is an undertaking of the Department of Achieves, Archeology and Museums. The society framed for looking after the affairs of Kala Kendra has not held any meeting since its inception whereas three members of the governing council of the society belonging to cultural background, Ram Nath Shastri, Ghulam Rasool Santosh and Tashi Rabgyas, have died and the society is yet to get their replacement. The establishment of a gallery of modern art, art studios and Dogra Chitrakala Sangrahalaya are the main objectives of Kala Kendra which remain unfulfilled so far. The art centre was also aimed at undertaking, promoting and facilitating systematic and scientific study of art, culture and literature in the state. Other goals which the art centre is yet to accomplish include development of linkages with national and international artists, increasing the ambit of its activities to regular conferences, workshops and seminars for promoting visual, vocal and performing arts. Presently, the activities are restricted to occasional painting exhibitions only. Official sources say in the absence of funds, Kala Kendra has not been even able to pay its electricity bills. “The total outstanding electricity bill of Kala Kendra is more than Rs 36 lakh. Many a times, the Power Development Department has snapped power supply to the centre,” the sources add. They say Kala Kendra does not come under the jurisdiction of state’s cultural ministry. According to the rules framed for running the art centre, its governing council should have six ex-officio members, comprising the Governor as its president, chief secretary, secretary in-charge department of culture, vice-chairman of the Jammu Development Authority
(JDA) and an official nominated by the the Department of Culture, Government of India, besides 15 persons of eminence related to the field of art and literature. Soujanya Sharma, joint director, Department of Information, is holding the additional responsibility of the centre administrator. “Kala Kendra does not have its own staff. It is being run through ad hoc arrangements without any government funding. We have been maintaining the upkeep of the complex through whatever funds we get through renting out its premises,” the in-charge administrator says. “The divisional commissioner has sent a proposal to the Governor, suggesting amendments to the rules and regulations,” he adds.
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Museum to showcase Kashmiri folk instruments
Jammu, October 11 The museum will have items like musical instruments, broadcast hardware, documents, photographs and scripts, besides digitalised sound bytes of eminent personalities who had addressed the nation both in the times of peace and war. The Director-General of the All India Radio has asked all station heads across the country to enrich the proposed broadcast museum by identifying the articles of archival value available in their states and prepare an item-wise list. Some rare photographs of Army Generals, leaders, veteran artists, musicians and poets associated with the inauguration of two wings of Radio Kashmir at Jammu
Museum to showcase Kashmiri folk instrumentsand Srinagar in 1947 are Besides, typical Dogri and Kashmiri folk music instruments of yesteryears would be displayed in this museum. Some of these instruments like “Tumbaknari” are still being used in folk recitations. A Prasar Bharati official here said microphones, tape decks, recorders and old community radio sets, which had been installed at block offices, would also be put on display in the museum. The general public having any of such sets and instruments or relevant documents and photographs in their procession could also approach the authorities concerned to enrich the museum, the official added. |
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Kashmir’s green cover halved in 30 years Jammu, October 11 According to state Forest and Environment Minister Mian Altaf Ahmad, the total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir is 1,01,387 sq km, while the forest cover is spread over 16,309 sq km - half of what it was in 1981. Om Prakash Sharma, a forest expert in Jammu, said: “The fundamental rule is that development causes degradation of forests. Development is essential; hence we cannot stop the felling of trees which at times is illegal”. He said the movement of armed forces with heavy vehicles too had caused a loss to forests. “The movement of security forces in the mountainous forested areas has contributed to about 15-20 per cent of loss to forests”. “We also need to control the population of cattle close to the forest areas which has increased 10 times over two decades,” he said. The northern state is famous for its pine, fir, kail and deodar trees. Harish Chander, a professor at Jammu University, believes the main loss to forests happened when the felling of trees in forests was allotted to contractors. That has played havoc with the forests. However, the Forest and Environment Minister blames militancy in the state for the present situation. “The troubled situation in Jammu and Kashmir during the past two decades is mainly responsible for the degradation of forests and forestland,” Ahmad
said. According to him, the other factors were construction of new highways and roads network under various schemes. The Minister said: “The main focus of the policy will be to protect the forestland, increase tree cover in forests and check soil erosion...and these will lead to a boost in the tourism industry”. He said: “Some schemes will be introduced that will provide small-time employment to those living close to forests. The policy will also focus on eco-tourism with the association of the locals”. “We will import timber to meet the requirement of building infrastructure and continue the ban on the felling of green trees. We will give incentives for importing timber to save our forests. We will make strong law enforcement on this issue,” he said. -
IANS
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Kashmir handicrafts an attractive career option: Chief Secy
Srinagar, October 11 While inspecting the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) and the Craft Development Institute at Nowshera here yesterday, the Chief Secretary said modern technology would further facilitate designing and development of handicrafts in a big way. An official spokesman said Madhav Lal showed keen interest in the new loom designed by the IICT. He also witnessed new designing techniques that have been evolved by the institute in various disciplines of Kashmiri handicrafts. Madhav Lal stressed on the State Handicrafts Department to double its effort in highlighting the employment opportunities in this sector for the educated youth and opening their minds to the attractive career options within this sector. “The institutes should work towards extending its support to the new generation artisans and students through skill-based training programmes and workshops,” he said, adding that handicrafts sector offers a great promise for the educated youth to venture upon and earn substantial livelihood for them. Zubair Ahmad Mir, director of the IICT, briefed the Chief Secretary about the various projects undertaken by the institute for revival and promotion of handicrafts in the state. He said carpet design as per the market requirements together with a computerised-designed script (Talim) were being developed with the help of a software and its services were being provided on nominal charges. “Old traditional carpet design in the form of a manually-written script is being digitised to preserve the rich heritage of Kashmiri handicrafts,” he said adding that the institute is also running various skill and upgradation training programmes, including weaving on new modern loom, computer-aided carpet designing, use of dyeing technology and handling of other raw materials used in the handicraft sector. Mohammad Shariq Farooqi, director of the Craft Development Institute, also briefed the Chief Secretary about the projects underway in the institute to enhance the traditional skills and revitalise the traditional handicraft sector.
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International Travel Mart concludes
in Srinagar
Srinagar, October 11 The mart was the first-of-its-kind in the Valley, organised by the India Travel Mart and hosted by the State Tourism Department to provide a platform to tour and travel operators of the country and overseas for buyer-seller meet. During the exhibition, 40 stalls from different states were set up, 20 participants from across the country, besides international tourism delegation from Thailand and Malaysia participated in the exhibition and interacted and discussed business proposals of coming season with their counterparts of the state. Speaking at the concluding function, Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora said the main objective of organising this mart in the capital city was to provide a platform to tour and travel operators of the country and overseas to buy and sell packages of each other which ultimately help promote state’s tourism and boost economic prosperity of the masses. Jora said the government was contemplating to arrange more buyer-seller meets of international level, adding that delegations of over 10 countries would participate in these marts next year. The Minister said the exhibition was aimed at bringing the industry face to face with travel, trade and corporate buyer and the end customer with the requisite purchasing power. He said the event provided a comfortable and joyful ambiance to create a mutually beneficial business relationship among tourist traders. Jora said by the wholehearted cooperation of the masses, the government succeeded in bringing peace and normalcy in the state, which was prerequisite for flourishing the tourism and other trade. He hoped that coming years would help to give further boost to the tourism industry.
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jammu DIARY Recently, the administration installed a number of boards to mark bus stops (see photo), but the officials either installed the boards in the middle of the trees or some other hidden places, where they cannot be seen easily.
Though a huge amount was spent for installing these boards, but their purpose has not been fulfilled. (Contributed by Archit Watts)
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Kala Kendra, the centre for promotion of art and aesthetics, is in a state of utter neglect, thanks to an unclear policy to run its affairs.
Srinagar, October 11
Though the senior officials of the traffic departmentare taking a number of steps to find solution to traffic chaos, yet the indifferent attitude of the subordinate staff in implementing these schemes has been defeating the purpose.