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State govt in no mood to cut taxes on petrol
Want to resolve K-issue within ambit of humanity: Rajnath
Cabinet meetings in remote areas set off online debate
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Work paralysed at headless govt college in Bhaderwah
Moga-Bhiwani transmission line commissioned
Infant deaths in Srinagar hospital
HC relief for minister in housing scam
Srinagar Book Fair begins today
MS Dhoni
To watch KPL final in Valley
More quota for yatris, pilgrim count crosses 2.55 lakh
Rights group files petition in SHRC
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State govt in no mood to cut taxes on petrol
Jammu, June 1 “We are closely monitoring the situation. The Government of India and oil companies are holding a crucial meeting today. Let’s see the outcome of the meeting,” Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather said. He, however, refused to comment on a specific query vis-a-vis the state government’s own initiative to bring down the petrol prices. The UPA government had recently deputed Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to urge the Chief Ministers of all states to lower the sales tax or VAT on petrol and diesel prior to “similar sacrifice” by the Centre through a cut in excise duty, to work out a combined package that can help bring down the petrol prices by up to Rs 5 a litre. The Principal Secretary, Finance, J&K, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, said, “We have yet to receive a written communication from the Centre. Any decision (on lowering the taxes) will be taken as and when we will be asked (by the Union government) to decide on it.” Sources in the finance department said it would be a tough task for the government to cut the taxes on petroleum products following the poor financial condition of the state. At present, the retail price of petrol in Jammu is Rs 76.25 per litre, while it costs Rs 78.06 per litre for people of the Kashmir Valley. The state government charges 20 per cent Motor Spirit Tax (MST) on petrol and cess at the rate of Rs 3 per litre. Besides, it also charges 12 per cent High Speed Diesel Tax (HSD) and Re 1 cess per litre on diesel. On May 29, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said he would discuss with his Cabinet the possibility of providing some relief to the consumers following the recent hike in petrol prices. However, the Cabinet “failed” to generate a consensus on any such proposal. “The percentage of MST on petrol is higher than its neighbouring states. Also, the diesel is costlier by Rs 2.70 in Jammu and Kashmir as compared to neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab. The government should cut taxes and bring on par with other states,” Anan Sharma, president, Jammu and Kashmir Petroleum Dealers Association, said. He pointed out that the prevalent system has affected the sale of the petroleum products adversely as the rates of these products were relatively cheaper in neighbouring states. |
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Want to resolve K-issue within ambit of humanity: Rajnath
Srinagar, June 1 “The BJP viewpoint is to resolve all outstanding issues facing the state. The issues should be resolved within the ambit of humanity and justice,” Singh, who is on a two-day visit to the Valley, told reporters here. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee too had said the same line during his visit here in 2000. Vajpayee had then made a bold promise that the Centre would resolve the Kashmir issue ‘insaniyat ke dairey main’ (within the ambit of humanity).Singh, who is leading a BJP study group, said they had come to study the situation in Kashmir and prepare a comprehensive report to resolve the issues facing the state. “This is our fifth visit and we have already met 70 to 80 delegations across the state,” he added. When asked whether the BJP leaders intended to meet the separatists, Singh said, “We have not sent invitations to anyone, but we are open to meet all.” He said the BJP did not “entirely reject” the interlocutors’ report, which was released recently. However, Singh said the report lacked clarity, was “ambiguous” and had not touched many issues. Terming the partial rollback of petrol prices too little, he demanded that New Delhi should withdraw the central taxes on petrol and diesel. “If the central taxes are withdrawn, the petrol prices will come down to Rs 40-50,” Singh added. He thanked the people of the country for making successful yesterday’s Bharat Bandh call even as it had failed to evoke any response in the Valley. However, the bandh call had hit normal life in the Jammu region. |
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Cabinet meetings in remote areas set off online debate
Srinagar, June 1 “While it's easy to dismiss the state government's move as gimmickry, the state Cabinet meetings in far-flung areas do carry a strong political message,” wrote pragmatic_desi while another follower tweeted: “This must the first of its kind in India. Haven't heard of any states doing this....is it?” Omar on Wednesday had chaired a Cabinet meeting at the remote Tangdar area of Kupwara district on Wednesday while he intends to hold the next meeting this month at Gurez in Bandipore district. Both Tangdar and Gurez are located close to the LoC. Some followers sarcastically asked Omar whether he had flown to Tangdar as a drive to the area is not smooth and is located 184 km from here. Omar replied: “I drove there & back. Didn't use the chopper.” Even as the debate continues, Omar said only time would tell if the decision of holding Cabinet meetings at remote areas would bear fruit. |
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Work paralysed at headless govt college in Bhaderwah
Udhampur, June 1 The situation has come to such a pass that more than 100 teaching and non-teaching staff members are sceptical about getting salary for the month of May as in the absence of a regular principal, there is no competent authority in the college to sign the salary bill. The higher education department has failed to issue the order regarding temporary charge given to the senior most teacher of the college till appointment of the regular principal. The college teachers had sent a written representation in this regard to the Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education, J&K. Basharat Iqbal, the senior most teacher at the college, said he was given charge by outgoing principal Zargar, which was yet to be formally ratified by the higher education department. Iqbal has no drawing and disbursing powers enabling him to sign the salary bill. Sources said this happened despite assurance by the higher education department that formal order in this regard would be issued soon. Higher Education Minister Abdul Gani Malik and Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education, could not be contacted. Zargar, who retired on April 30 after putting in 6 years as the principal, said such a situation was unusual. Besides 27 regular teachers, the college has 25 ad hoc teachers and 53 non-teaching staff members. A copy of Zargar handing charge to Iqbal was sent to the Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education. |
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Moga-Bhiwani transmission line commissioned
Jammu, June 1 The PGCIL spokesperson said work on the line was completed at a cost of Rs 800 crore, including the ICT, Reactor and associated bays at Moga and Bhiwani substations. “With the commissioning of the transmission line, Northern Region-II has added 2,500 MV
transformation capacity in one go, which is approximately 18 per cent of its already installed capacity. This will
become harbinger of quality power to people of the region,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the feat was achieved through an intense and well-focused drive and initiative of engineers of Powergrid. This link would be catalyst in the economic development of the region, he added. |
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Infant deaths in Srinagar hospital
Srinagar, June 1 Hearing two public interest litigation
(PIL) petitions a special Division Bench of the High Court asked Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital Muneer Masoodi to submit his suggestion as a medical expert before the court so that an action plan could be devised for improving the health care facilities at the only children’s hospital in the Valley. The two petitions were filed by Rouf Mohi-ud-Din
Malik, Tanveer Hussain Khan (both child right activists) and Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, who sought a probe into infant deaths in GB Pant Hospital and compensation to families of the victims. Earlier, the state government submitted a detailed status report about the hospital and informed the court that 480 infants had died in the children’s hospital since January. In May, 110 infant deaths took place in the hospital. The government also informed the high court that six ventilators were available in the hospital and many steps were being taken to improve the facilities. The petitioners today also sought details about the infants who died in the hospital during this year. “We asked for all details about the infants who died in the hospital, the cause of their death and details of the doctors who treated them,” said
Malik. After hearing the arguments, the court has adjourned the case for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Minister for Medical Education RS Chib has said short and long-term measures have been taken to provide better healthcare to the children. “As short-term measures, we have provided additional paramedical staff, medicines and equipment to the hospital. Our aim is to ensure better management of the hospital,” Chib said. “We have also deployed policemen in the hospital to ensure that too many attendants do not enter the wards, which become a source of infection,” he added. The state government is facing sharp criticism for its failure to improve the conditions of the GB Pant hospital. “Our mortality rate at the 135-bed hospital that caters to the entire Valley’s child population is quite less as compared to national figures,” he said. “But I am not defending anyone and for me, even the death of a single child is an issue of concern. The government has already ordered a probe by a senior doctor to find the truth about the infant deaths in the hospital. We are waiting for that report and if it finds any negligence on part of the doctors or paramedical staff, we will initiate action,” the minister
added. Chib, however, admitted that the GB Pant hospital was overcrowded. “The infants are admitted in the hospital from across the Valley. More than 90 per cent of the sick children admitted are neonatal, who mostly belong to rural areas and come to the hospital for tertiary care treatment,” he said, adding that the infrastructure at the district hospitals also needed to be improved. The minister said after the infant deaths, the government felt the need for having an exclusive children hospital in Valley. “As a long-term measure for providing better healthcare facilities to children in the Valley, the government has approved a site at Bemina for the 250-bed new children hospital. The hospital would be constructed in two years’ time,” Chib said. CM pays surprise visit to hospital Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday paid a surprise visit to G B Pant Hospital and inspected new initiatives put in place by the government to improve the functioning of the hospital and upgrade its delivery. Omar received the status of the improvement and issued directions to the authorities concerned that the performance and service delivery of the hospital should be to the satisfaction of the general public. On May 18, too, Omar had made a surprise visit to the hospital and assured a “visible improvement” in its functioning. |
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HC relief for minister in housing scam
Jammu, June 1 Sharma in his petition had alleged that false, frivolous and vague had been levelled against him in all acts of omissions, if any, committed by the Corporation. |
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Srinagar Book Fair begins today
Srinagar, June 1 MA Sikandar, Director, (NBT), India, said over 100 printers and publishers, including 20 locals, would be participating in the fair for which 180 stalls have been set up. The NBT is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education in the Central government. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would be inaugurating the Book Fair at SP College here on Saturday morning. Minister for Higher Education, Labour and Employment Abdul Gani Malik, eminent writer Manoj Das, renowned Kashmiri littérateur Mohammad Yusuf Taing and University of Kashmir VC Talat Ahmad will also attend the inaugural function. “We want that the locals as well as the tourists arriving in Kashmir visit the Book Fair,” said Sikandar while interacting with mediapersons. “We want involvement of schoolchildren who would be interacting with the visiting dignitaries,” Sikandar said. He added that prominent writers like Manoj Das and Mohammad Yusuf Taing would be interacting with the students to inculcate among them the habit of reading “good books”. Giving details of the event being held from June 2 to 9, Sikandar said, “We want to promote the publications of regional language writers,” he said. He added that similar programmes would be held in Hyderabad, Ahmadabad and Goa in the near future. Manas Ranjan Mahapatra, editor of the National Centre for Children’s Literature, NBT, said the focus of this event was on interaction between prominent writers and children. In this regard, a literary meet and seminar is being organised on June 9 by the Sahitya Akademi in collaboration with Help Foundation that would involve writers from the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal
Pradesh. THE SCHEDULE June 2: Inauguration of the Book Fair at SP College June 3&4: Interactive session between authors and children June 5: Urdu Academy, J&K, panel discussion on “Jammu Kashmir Mein Urdu Ko Darpesh Masail”; Interactive session between authors and youth June 6&7: J&K Cultural Academy to hold Mehfil-e-Ghazal and seminar on the works of Saadat Hasan Manto June 9: Literary meet by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi |
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Lt Col Dhoni has date with soldiers on LoC today
Jammu, June 1 Donning the Olive Green of the Army, the honorary Lieutenant Colonel will meet soldiers on the LoC. “His visit will certainly motivate soldiers sitting on the LoC in a difficult environment with a mischievous adversary on the other side,” said a senior Army officer. “Dhoni’s visit will boost the morale of soldiers who are eyeball to eyeball with the enemy in a difficult and rugged terrain,” he added. Being a Lieutenant Colonel (honorary) of the Territorial Army, Dhoni will be meeting soldiers in the Army uniform, he said. The officer said the cricketer’s visit might also inspire the younger population of the state to join the Army. “We want to showcase the Army to the countrymen as a capable, disciplined and motivated force, which in turn will encourage youth to join it as officers,” said the officer. The Team India skipper will reach Jammu at 9.20 am tomorrow and will leave in an Army Aviation chopper for Bhimber Gali. He will meet soldiers at a forward location in Hamirpur in Bhimber Gali for one and a half hours and thereafter go to the garrison town of Rajouri to spend some time with troopers of the Territorial Army. After having lunch with soldiers in Rajouri, Dhoni will go to Kalsian, another forward post along the LoC in the Nowshera sector. On June 3, the World Cup-winning captain will visit the Northern Command Headquarters in the forenoon before leaving for Srinagar on a tour of the Chinar Corps Zone. In 2010, the Army had invited Kapil Dev, also an honorary Lt Col of the Territorial Army, to forward locations along the LoC in the Jammu region. |
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To watch KPL final in Valley
Srinagar, June 1 “Dhoni will watch the final of the KPL at a stadium on the outskirts of Baramulla town,” said an Army officer. “The arrangements for the final are in full swing,” he added. The Army said Dhoni’s visit to Baramulla would help promote sports activities in the Valley. The KPL was launched last year by the Army in collaboration with the state government to promote cricket. “We want that through the KPL the local talent of the Valley should be noticed by cricketers and selectors so that they can choose local boys for at least the IPL,” said a senior Army officer. “The local boys can also make it to national team,” he added. — TNS
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More quota for yatris, pilgrim count crosses 2.55 lakh
Srinagar, June 1 The decision to enhance the quota came in a Raj Bhawan meeting today. Held under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra, who is also the SASB chairman, it was decided to increase the quota also for on-line registration through the website of Jammu and Kashmir Bank. Over 2.55 lakh yatris have registered for the yatra while the quota for registration through on-line service as well as at 47 branches of J&K Bank had been exhausted. “More pilgrims can now register themselves at these bank branches or on-line,” SASB CEO Navin K. Choudhary said The Governor asked the officers to focus on sanitation, proper treatment of sewage, effective collection of garbage, smooth water and electricity supply. The officers were told to personally monitor the medical care centres several times a day to ensure that oxygen and medicines are available. |
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Rights group files petition in SHRC
Srinagar, June 1 The FIRs are registered in 28 police stations of three districts of north Kashmir. — TNS |
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Former BJP president Rajnath Singh said today that his party wanted to resolve the Kashmir issue within the “ambit of humanity”.
