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474 habitations lack road connectivity
Baramulla gets school for visually challenged
Not much has changed for Gujjar women in six decades
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President presents awards to young innovators
Saplings, flower bulbs in great demand in Valley
Measures taken to encourage
silkworm rearing
jammu DIARY
Punjabi plays staged in Samba villages
Jammu girl selected for theatre research programme in UK
Saffron production touches 9.55 tonnes in 2011
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474 habitations lack road connectivity
Jammu, March 13 In addition, though 234 habitations (47 having above 1,000 persons, 148 of above 500 persons and 39 of above 250 persons) have been connected through various programmes of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, yet the people are still facing difficulties in travelling from one place to another. According to official documents tabled in the state Legislative Assembly, the Public Works (R&B) Department admitted that all uncovered habitations above 500 persons were required to be connected by March 2009 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) under the Ministry of Rural Development. “In 2001, there were 2,738 unconnected habitations, comprising 618 of over 1,000 persons, 1,034 of above 500 persons and 1,086 of above 250 persons. Under the PMGSY, the government had to cover 1,633 habitations but it covered only 925 habitations till January 2012,” the documents maintained. The department, however, claimed that the coverage of habitations was 71 per cent of 1,633 habitations of sanctioned programme to be covered under the PMGSY. It also includes 234 habitations connected through various programmes of the R&B. “Doda district still has the highest number of uncovered habitations where the residents of 168 such areas have never seen a metalled road even after 65 years of Independence. Similarly, Udhampur and Anantnag districts followed the Doda district where 160 and 80 habitations still don’t have road connectivity, respectively,” the official documents said. “Though the state government had time and again claimed that better connectivity was its priority, a number of legislators, irrespective of their political affiliations, had also expressed concern over poor road connectivity to major hamlets in the state. Even the ruling National Conference and the Congress have criticised the government’s approach for providing better connectivity,” a senior official of the R&B said. The official regretted that poor road connectivity was a major hurdle in the overall growth of the villages. “The prosperity and good economic condition of a village is directly related to better road connectivity. It is unfortunate that hundreds of hamlets are still without roads and children have to travel miles on foot to reach schools,” he said. Interestingly, the road length in Jammu city is just 704.22 km and the density of vehicles is 574 per km. Srinagar is somewhat better off with road length 1,263 km.
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Baramulla gets school for visually challenged
Srinagar, March 13 The school was inaugurated by Major General (Retired) Raj Mehta and Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Bashir Ahmad Bhat at Deewanbagh. “This school will be of immense benefit for the visually impaired students of the district. Children between the age of 7 and 13 years will be imparted training at the school. So far 19 students, including nine girls, have been registered in the school,” a member of the NFD said. Union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is the General Secretary for the School for Visually Handicapped Children Baramulla. Rashtriya Rifles Battalion has provided this school with chairs, tables, computers, Braille slates, Braille books and papers, sticks for the students and sports related items.
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Not much has changed for Gujjar women in six decades
Jammu, March 13 Women here follow the same routine everyday; collecting dung, milking buffaloes, taking care of feed, selling milk and returning home. Not much has changed for most Gujjar women in the state in last six decades, despite the rhetoric of the government about the progress and development of
this tribe. Household responsibilities are carried out by young Gujjar girls. Shamima Bano, mother of six, said, “It is not that we do not know anything. We do all the chores, sell milk and earn for the family. But we do not get into education as it is not our custom.” Experts believe that early marriages, extreme poverty, nomadic way of life, blind faith in some age-old traditions and low hygiene have led to the marginalisation of the community. Javaid Rahi, national secretary, Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, said, “Early marriage among Gujjar girls is an area of concern. Marriage of a girl at the age of 14 or 15 is very common here. At the time of their birth parents fix the boy for marriage that hampers girls’ education and overall development.” “For the last six decades only three or so Gujjar women have cleared KAS as compared to 125 Gujjar boys. Since 1947 the womenfolk of this major community of the state has been unable to get its due space in the state legislative assembly and legislative council or Indian parliament. Even the only government agency that is working for Gujjar affairs in civil secretariat, the State Advisory Board for the Development of Gujjar Community has no Gujjar woman as its employee,” he added.
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President presents awards to young innovators
Srinagar, March 13 The function was organised by the National Innovation Foundation (NIF), an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. About 50 inventors /innovators were honoured on the occasion. From the valley, Jehangir Ahmad Dar, Abdul Rehman Sheikh, Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, Syed Nadeem Ahmad, Sabzaar Ahmad and Zahoor Ahmad Shah were awarded for their innovations which included ‘electrical painting brush’, ‘modified iron cutter’ and ‘modified kerosene stove’. Jehangir stood third and was presented a memento, certificate and Rs 1 lakh. Rehman and Ghulam Mohammad got cash awards of Rs 50,000 and 10,000 respectively. Sabzaar and Zahoor were awarded Rs 25,000 each. A 19-member delegation from Grassroots Innovation and Augmentation Network (GIAN) Cell, University of Kashmir, headed by Prof G Mohiuddin Bhat was also present. On the occasion, Prof Bhat briefed the President about the indigenous gadgets developed by the Kashmiri innovators. Kashmir University spokesperson also said Mushtaq Ahmad Dar from Kashmir had received a similar award in 2009 from the President and that two of his inventions are now in national market.
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Saplings, flower bulbs in great demand in Valley
Srinagar, March 13 “Gardening has always been the favourite pastime of Kashmiris ahead of the spring season, as the activity is not possible during the winter season. If you look at any garden here in the spring or summer season, you will see them decorated with flowers and plants of various kinds,” said Rayees Khan, who was seen buying flower bulbs near the Residency Road here, where one can come across a chain of vendors selling saplings. Rashid Ahmad, a roadside vendor selling saplings, said they had put on display around 50 varieties of flowers and trees. “In view of the growing demand, we have put on sale around 50 varieties of flowers such as gaillardia, coronation, dianthus, dog flowers, dahlias, lupine and others. We also sell medicinal plants like olivia,” Ahmed said. Another vendor on the Residency road said they were adding new varieties of flowers every year due to the public demand. “Nowadays customers have access to Internet and satellite television due to which they come to know about new varieties and therefore every season we bring new saplings. Last year I was not selling hybrid prime rose, but this season I brought the same, as a lot of people asked for the variety,” he said. These vendors make every effort to preserve these saplings. “To ensure the longevity of saplings, we put them in soil, which is mixed with dye, black manure, decomposed dung and decomposed waste from the Dal Lake. The saplings are looked after in nurseries for a year, which helps them to grow faster,” a vendor added.
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Measures taken to encourage
silkworm rearing
Giving details of Centrally sponsored schemes, the minister said to improve the quality and productivity of cocoons on scientific lines and under hygienic conditions, farmers were provided rearing kits comprising of different sericulture equipment. “To improve the rearing house of the silkworm rearers, CGI sheets are being given to each rearer enabling him to increase his cocoon crop production,” the minister said. “Under another scheme, assistance is being provided to silkworm rearers for the construction of rearing houses to increase their rearing space and save worms from any damage due to diseases and to conduct the silkworm rearing under hygienic conditions,” he added. Sharma said the state Sericulture Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, also implemented the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). The main objective of the programme is the promotion and development of silk industry by the use of latest technology. “To achieve the desired goal, the thrust areas are raising of exotic/improved mulberry varieties, supply of rearing kits, assistance for the construction of rearing houses and training programmes for the farmers of the state,” he said. To encourage women to adopt this sector, the state government has introduced the concept of health insurance scheme for women. “The scheme has been introduced in the state to attract the women in sericulture activities with an annual limit of Rs 15,000 per family comprising of four members and with a premium of Rs 765 with the beneficiary contribution of Rs 55,” the minister said. In the hilly areas of Jammu province, especially Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur, Reasi and Kathua, have huge potential in this sector. Thus, the government has announced a number of incentives to attract people of this area.
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jammu DIARY
Mini-buses
create chaos Road users in the winter capital city have rightly pointed out that mini-buses are a major source of traffic chaos on the Jammu roads. What’s more upsetting is the casual attitude exhibited by cops towards rampant traffic violations before their eyes. While the mini-bus operators brazenly violate the safety rules, traffic cops fail to act against such erring drivers who damage iron dividers erected on all major roads to streamline the traffic. The department has now started the exercise to erect plastic dividers to create a separate lane for mini-buses, but the drivers do not use these lanes violating traffic norms with impunity. Law-abiding citizens believe that oft-repeated warnings will yield nothing and the Traffic Department will have to initiate some stringent action against the violators if they are really concerned to deal with chaos prevailing on roads. (Contributed by
Jupinderjit Singh and Arteev Sharma)
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Punjabi plays staged in Samba villages
Jammu, March 13 The team also performed both plays on the Jammu University campus in front of a large gathering of students and teachers. The play “Toya” depicted the plight of poor Indian people who are going down and down into the pit of poverty and nobody cares for them. “Rahat” showed the insensibility of administration and politicians towards the masses during natural calamities. Actors of the plays included Sahib Singh, Surinder Singh, Vinod Kumar, Sarvesh Sharma, Baninderjit Singh Buny, Mani and Navdeep. — TNS
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Jammu girl selected for theatre research programme in UK
Jammu, March 13 “For me, academic pursuit has never been a means of livelihood nor was it a mere stepping stone to any job. I have always seen it as an ever-widening and self-liberating path leading to creative success,” says Ifra. She finds herself fortunate enough to learn new things under the guidance of reputed teachers, including B Anantha Krishnan, Mohan Maharshi, Ramgopal Bajaj, Sathyabrata Rout, Rajeev Velichetti, Noushad Mohammed Kunju, Sreejith Ramanan and Bhikshu, as a masters student in Performing Arts (Theatre) at the Hyderabad Central University. She had participated in 12 major workshops in the field of theatre, both before and during her university education. She had acted in plays, including Mother Courage, Satya Harischandra, Iphigenia, Dooth Ghadotkach, Reflection, Alberts's Bridge, Reflection and Jameela, directed by many eminent directors. Ifra has designed and directed two devised projects. One was “Self Stories”, result of a 15-day theatre workshop with the artistes of an amateur theatre group, and the other devised project was a result of a theatre workshop with inmates of the Kot Bhalwal Central Jail.
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Saffron production touches 9.55 tonnes in 2011
Jammu, March 13 He said 3,785 hectares of land was under saffron cultivation and the annual production had reached to 9.55 tonnes. Under the Economic Revival of Saffron National Mission, there was no provision for bringing additional area under saffron cultivation, he said. However, he added that the Department was making all-out efforts for the introduction of saffron on commercial scale in the non-traditional areas in the agro-climatically suitable zones of the state under Centrally sponsored scheme “Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalyan States”. — PTI
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Jammu, March 13
What do you need to access power supply in Jammu? Just a reasonable long stick, a cable peeled off and copper formed as a hook. For this, contraption hangs on to the live power supply carrying overhead wires and the supply comes free of cost to you. This is Jammu and Kashmir where anyone, who matters or does not matter, is talking about saving such pilferage of power and yet the theft of power using kundi connections goes on unashamedly (see photo).