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Babus, politicians not paying rentals in cash-starved state
Public service guarantee Act scores 92% in just 7 months
Postal Dept to woo villagers with attractive schemes
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Less than 10% applicants travelled across LoC in two years
Army holds skill booster programme
Coalition grilled for poor road connectivity in backward areas
Teachers’ strike paralyses work at Kashmir varsity
Soon, a team to check unregistered industrial units
Man attempts to kill wife
‘Languages can help improve Indo-Pak relations’
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Babus, politicians not paying rentals in
Figures provided in reply to a question of Panthers Party legislator Ash Pal Kundal in the Assembly, the cash-starved state of Jammu and Kashmir has spent a whopping Rs 13.56 crore on the renovation of bungalows of ministers and bureaucrats in the last three years. As much as Rs 98.38 lakh was also spent on the renovation of bungalows of IAS and IPS officers. As the capital moves from Jammu to Srinagar during the six months of summer, accommodation has been provided to politicians and bureaucrats in both cities for the “smooth” functioning of the government. Legislators, irrespective of their party affiliations, have been provided accommodation by the Estate Department and nominal rental charges have been fixed for the accommodation. The figures reveal that legislators have not been paying even the nominal charges as there were outstanding dues of Rs 18,58,181 against legislators who have been living in rented accommodation arranged for them by the Estate Department. Some legislators, who have been allotted rooms in the MLA Hostel, were also provided rented accommodation by the department concerned in private buildings. The data tabled in the Assembly disclosed that there were outstanding dues of Rs 9,80,963 against legislators living in private accommodation or the rented accommodation arranged by the Estate Department in Jammu. Similar dues against legislators who were provided accommodation at Srinagar go up to Rs 8,77,218. The figures disclose that the state government was liberal in providing accommodation to opposition members because accommodation has been providing to some legislators of the opposition parties in the huts of Tourism Department at Chashmashahi. In the financial year 2009-10, Rs 4.83 crore was spent on the renovation of bungalows of ministers and senior bureaucrats. The amount spent on renovation was Rs 6.13 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 2.40 crore in the just-concluded financial year.
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Public service guarantee Act scores 92%
Jammu, April 3 Under the revolutionary Act, which had been enacted by the NC-Congress ruling alliance last year in July, nearly 5 lakh applications were received by various offices in the state till February 25 this year, and out of those 4,60,852 were disposed of within the prescribed time. Responding to a query of National Conference MLC Sheikh Ghulam Rasool during Question Hour in the Upper House here today, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said 4,95,600 applications had been received by the designated officers in various districts of the state as on February 25, 2012. “Out of those 4,60,852 applications have been disposed of within the prescribed time while four affected persons have gone in for ‘first appeal’ to the designated authority,” said Rather. The Minister told the House that in two cases a second appeal had been filed by the applicants, which have been disposed of by the Second Appellate authority. “As on February 25 this year, 34,748 applications were pending disposal with the designated officers. However, no appeal was pending with the appellate authorities,” he said. He also informed that a penalty of Rs 200 had been imposed on the then Tehsildar, Reasi, Kunal Sharma, under the provisions of the Act for not providing the services in time. Directions stand issued to the Administrative Secretaries concerned to ensure strict implementation of the Act by the notified designated officers and appellate authorities, and to streamline back-office systems and procedures, he said. The Finance Minister said the government had issued instructions to all administrative secretaries, state-level nodal officers, deputy commissioners, and district-level nodal officers to inspect the offices of the designated officers and appellate authorities to ensure strict implementation of the Act. “The compliance reports are being reflected by the above officers in their tour diaries,” he added.
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Postal Dept to woo villagers with attractive schemes
Srinagar, April 3 “There has been 21 per cent growth in post office saving bank business in 2011-12 as compared to only five per cent in 2010-11. This is an indication that post office is on its path to recovery. Now, our focus is on rural areas as villagers have to travel long distances to avail themselves of normal banking services. Under the scheme, every household will be encouraged to have a savings bank account,” Chief Post Master General (CPMG), J&K circle, John Samuel said while addressing a press conference here. While Samuel did not reveal the “confidential” figures related to the amount deposited at post offices, he said they had fixed a target of 25 per cent growth for the financial year 2012-2013. To encourage more people to seek banking facilities at post offices, the DoP will now offer 9.3 per cent interest rate per annum to senior citizens. From the current financial year, interest from saving accounts has been exempted for up to Rs 10,000. The DoP will also offer cheque books to its account holders with minimum deposit of Rs 500 besides setting up ATMs in Srinagar, Rajouri (in Jammu) and Leh (in Ladakh) in the first phase. “The proposal for setting up the ATMs has been approved and groundwork been initiated,” Samuel added. Without revealing the figures, he claimed that the amount deposited at post offices was more than the sum deposited at nationalised banks. Another attractive facility is the Public Provident Fund (PPF) scheme that offers interest of 8.8 per cent per annum. The DoP has also introduced 10-year national savings scheme that offers 8.9 per cent interest exempt under
Section 80 C of the Income Tax Act. There are 1,700 post offices in the state out of which 250 post offices are in towns. The DoP has already taken up the plan of computerising and modernising 250 post offices.
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Less than 10% applicants travelled across
Jammu, April 3 Official statistics reveal that only 4,365 persons, comprising 1,161 Indian nationals and 3,204 Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) nationals, out of 48, 226 applicants travelled across the LoC on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot weekly buses in 2010 and 2011. “As many as 48,226 applications were received from divided families of India and PoK. A total of 23,335 applications from Indian nationals were received up to December 31, 2011,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds the charge of Home Department, told the Assembly here today. Omar, while providing a written reply to a question asked by senior PDP legislator Abdul Rehman Veeri, said 17,630 applications of Indian nationals were cleared while 5,141 applications were not recommended and the remaining 264 cases were under process. Similarly, 24,891 applications from PoK nationals were received up to December 31, 2011, the Chief Minister said, adding that of these, 19,847 applications were cleared while 3,175 were not recommended and the remaining 1,,869 cases were under process. Giving details about the number of persons who travelled across the LoC, Omar said 537 Indian nationals crossed the LoC --- 210 went via Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and 327 through Poonch-Rawalkote -- to visit PoK in 2010. In 2011, 624 Indian nationals visited the other side of the LoC. On the number of PoK nationals who visited Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said a total of 3,204 persons (1,201 in 2010 and 2,003 in 2011) crossed over to this side of the LoC. Both India and Pakistan had started bus services between the two sides of the divided Kashmir (J&K and PoK) as a “humanitarian measure without prejudice” for the people who wanted to visit relatives separated since the 1947 war that divided the region. A bus service connecting Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was launched in 2005, while the second bus service between Poonch and Rawalakot was started in June 2006. These bus services were considered as the most “visible achievements” of a hesitant peace process between the two countries.
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Union Minister reviews Dal development
Srinagar, April 3 The Union Minister was briefed about the progress on the conservation measures like sewage treatment, laying of trunk, lateral and secondary sewer network, working of existing sewage treatment plants (STPs) and progress with regard to new STPs at Brari Numbal and Nullah Amir Khan. The Union Minister appreciated the work done by the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority and also appreciated the water quality
of the lake.
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Army holds skill booster programme
Srinagar, April 3 Athrout, which means “helping hands” in local parlance, is being run under the Army’s Sadhbhavana programme. The second phase of the programme was inaugurated by eminent writer of Bandipore Manzoor Fazili.
— TNS
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Funds allocation: Even after 2010 tragedy, Leh gets zilch for flood control
Though Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Taj Mohiuddin claimed that two ambitious projects worth Rs 244 crore for Leh and Rs 84 crore for Kargil had been submitted to the Union government, he attributed the “unfairness” to “non-submission of action plan”. Responding to the queries of MLC Nurboo Gialchan in the Upper House here yesterday, Taj said perhaps the government had not received any action plan and that is why no funds had been sanctioned for Leh. Gialchan in turn claimed that in the past three years not even a paisa had been sanctioned to Leh for flood management. He even referred to annexure ‘A’ where Leh district didn’t figure anywhere under state sector and NABARD funding in the past three years. “I want to know the reasons. At least sanction some funds for Leh under the state sector,” he said. Earlier, in a written reply the Minister submitted that flood control sector fell under the state plan and the funds were not being allocated under the district plan. On August 6, 2010, at least 85 people were killed and many others went missing in flash floods in Leh. The minister had just addressed the concerns of Gialchan when PDP MLC Murtaza Khan drew the attention of the Chair to what he claimed step-motherly treatment being meted out to Poonch district. “Nothing has been given to Poonch district this year. Furthermore, isn’t it a fact that several works taken up by the Department are still incomplete,” he said. Responding to Khan’s query, Taj claimed that Rs 70 lakh had been sanctioned for Suran Nullah in
Poonch. |
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Coalition grilled for poor road connectivity
Although the government claimed that road connectivity had improved in some backward areas during the last couple of years, legislators, including those belonging to the ruling coalition, contested the government’s claim. Members created an uproar in the Assembly and demanded that priority should be given to districts, where road connectivity was poor, as compared to other parts of the state. While as the main question was raised by National Conference MLA from Poonch Aijaz Ahmed Jan, members of all other parties joined the debate and expressed surprise that the government had adopted the same yardstick for all areas, but problem was worse in backward areas. Congress MLA from Doda Abdul Majid Wani said Jammu district had more than 80 per cent road connectivity while it was not more than 10 per cent in Doda district. “One road each under the NABARD has been sanctioned for all the districts, which is discriminatory, because backward areas deserve more roads, as compared to developed districts,” Wani said. Congress member from Inderwal Ghulam Mohammad Saroori also joined the issue and aired his resentment against ignoring erstwhile Doda district comprising three districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban. National Conference MLA from Kishtwar Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo also demanded special attention towards these areas. He said Kishtwar district was spread on 7,800 sqkm, but only 10 per cent of the total area was connected by road. Panthers Party members Harsh Dev Singh and Balwant Singh Mankotia also demanded a comprehensive policy for spreading road network in hilly areas. Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar said 290 road projects of Rs 87,654.67 lakh were approved under the NABARD during the last two financial years in the state, adding that for the purpose Rs. 8,765.48 lakh had been approved as state share for execution of these road projects. He said Rs 18,054.74 lakh was incurred on these road projects till the end of 2012. He added that the construction of seven road projects costing Rs 27.23 crore were sanctioned for Poonch district under the NABARD during the last two fiscals. He said out of these road projects, two projects of Rs 12.14 crore were approved for Poonch-Haveli constituency. |
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Teachers’ strike paralyses work at Kashmir varsity
Srinagar, April 3 “We have extended our strike by a day. We will decide tomorrow whether or not the strike would be extended,” president, KUTA, Prof Mohi-ud-Din Sangmi told the Tribune. The KUTA has been holding protests since yesterday, demanding the release of arrears recommended by the 6th Pay Panel Commission and implementation of the UGC guidelines in toto. Protesters have threatened to launch a full scale agitation, if their demands were not met.
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Teachers’ tour flagged off
Rajouri, April 3 Chief Education Officer, Rajouri, ML Sharma wished group members a peaceful and happy journey and hoped that they would fulfil their tour objectives. Sharma said all the members of the group would note down their experiences and recommend for their implementation in government institutions for enhancing the quality of education. He added that such tours played a vital role in personality development in general and improving the standard of education in particular. He reiterated that the visit to historical and cultural places would also develop historical and cultural values among participants, besides help in strengthening the bonds of brotherhood and communal harmony. The Chief Education Officer said 25 teachers would visit various prestigious institutions in Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra. |
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Soon, a team to check unregistered industrial units
Jammu, April 3 Responding to queries of PDP MLC Murtaza Khan during Question Hour in the Upper House here today, Forest Minister Mian Altaf said the government had given two weeks to unregistered units to take corrective steps to save themselves from action under the law. “We will also constitute a team of senior officials from the Pollution Control Board and the Industries to look into the issue of unregistered units, particularly in Sidhra,” Mian Altaf said. In his written reply, the Forest Minister informed the House that 21 units that included showrooms, workshops and industrial units were operational in Sidhra. While the consent to two units among 21 was given by the Pollution Control Board, cases of two units were in process and notices to some small units have also been issued, he said. He added that legal action had been initiated by the Pollution Control Board against unauthorised units by issuing notices while closure orders had been issued to two units. Earlier, Murtaza Khan in his supplementary queries, sought to know what action had been initiated against 15 industrial units in Sidhra. “Only two units have been given the permission. What about the remaining 15 units?” he said. In this context, he also mentioned about Eicher Motors, claiming that the company had managed to withdraw a closure order in tandem with officials of the Pollution Control Board. |
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Man attempts to kill wife
Rajouri, April 3 Swarna Devi, 30, wife of Chuni Lal, a resident of Indral, was badly burnt by her husband, who was under the influence of alcohol. He, however, escaped after committing the crime. After the incident, parents and other members of Swarna’s family admitted her to District Hospital, Rajouri. Swarna was married to Chuni Lal, a labourer, 12 years ago. They have three children, two daughters and a son. She had got separated from her husband nine months back and was staying with her parents at Siot, owing to harassment by her husband. “The accused used to beat her under the influence of liquor. He was heavily drunk and burnt her with hot water yesterday,” Narian Dass, father of the victim, said. Pinky Devi, sister of the victim, said, “My sister’s husband used to beat her regularly without any reason.” A case has been registered and investigations are on. |
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‘Languages can help improve Indo-Pak relations’
Jammu, April 3 Mirza Farooq Anwaar, Chief Editor, Pahari, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, disclosed that about 95 per cent of people from the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) spoke Pahari, shared the culture of Paharis living on this side of the border and used poetic forms to express their views through the exchange of letters. “Till the late 1970s, some people were expert in writing letters in the form of poems in our region. Whatever was dictated, they used to pen it down in the form of poems and similar was the format of letters we received from people living on other side of the border. The special letters were called ‘Manzoom Khat’,” Mirza Farooq said. Participants, who represented different languages of the state, expressed their views on the theme ‘Relevance of Literature in Contemporary Era’ and discussed various spheres of literature at length. Most of the writers stressed that languages of the state were the only bonds that existed between the people living on both sides of the border. The literary session began with a keynote address of Sabir Mirza on the Pahari language. He said Pahari language had a rich heritage and considerable work had been done in the language for the past five decades. “The Pahari speaking people have been living on both sides of the border and due to similar culture there exist strong possibilities of strengthening the relation of the two countries,” Mirza added. He said around 10 novels had been published in Pahari from both sides of the border. On the manuscript of the language, he said it was earlier written in Sharda, but presently Persian was being used. When asked about the involvement of female writers, he said about seven women were actively contributing towards the development of the language. In the second session, Dr Usha Vyas threw light on the status of the Dogri language. She said since 1944, Dogri writing had gained momentum and many writers and poets had received international acclaim for their works. She added that the manuscript of the language was written in Takri earlier, but presently Devnagri was being used. Later, the writers also suggested various means to preserve and popularise the regional languages. Aruna Sharma said Facebook could be used to disseminate ideas. |
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Jammu, April 3
Jammu, April 3
Jammu, April 3