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Army extending helping hand to unemployed youth in Valley
amarnath yatra
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High-level meeting held
God stopping yatris as there is snow on route: Omar
Missing starlet case
Four killed in mishap on national highway
Srinagar Army School excels in CBSE
Rashtriya Rifles holds skill development programme
Earthquake hits Valley, Ladakh
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Army extending helping hand to unemployed youth in Valley
Bandipore, June 4 Coming from the sleepy Arin village, about 5 km from here, this teenager has taken up the challenge of supporting her family of eight siblings and parents, who have a meagre income. The family’s inadequate income did not allow her to continue her studies after Class XII. The case of Mumtaz Ahmad Zargar from the nearby Aajar village, a student of BA final year in Government College, Bandipore, is no different. He, too, is undergoing training at the ITI and eyeing a respectable job not just outside the Valley but “anywhere in the world”. The Skill Development Programme “Auth Roat” (Helping Hands) is being run under the Army’s Sadhbhavana Project in coordination with Dr Reddy’s Foundation at the ITI, Bandipore, since December 16 last year. The Both Sakina and Zargar are part of the second batch of educated youth -- 56 boys and 20 girls -- undergoing two-month-long training in three categories, namely ITES (Information Technology Enabling Service), CRS (Customer Relations and Sales) and Hospitality. Sakina and Zargar are undergoing CRS training, which also focuses on improvement of English language communication skills. The first batch of 80 candidates, including 12 girls, completed the two-month-long training earlier this year at the ITI, Bandipore. Some of them were taken to various places in Srinagar and outside the Valley for interaction and placement. Of the 57 candidates who were taken outside the Valley, 22 have got jobs in the corporate sector, including some multinational companies. More youth in the Valley are now getting attracted to job-oriented skill development courses as employment opportunities in the government sector have reduced over the years. The Bandipore area, which has been hit hard by militancy due to its proximity to the Line of Control (LoC), is going through a gradual process of normalisation for the past two years. Bandipore, with a population of over 3 lakh, was the “launching pad” for a number of major fidayeen (suicide) attacks carried out in different parts of the Valley, particularly Srinagar. The area has scenic surroundings with mountains on three sides and the fourth being covered by the Wular Lake, Asia’s largest fresh water lake. The “Auth Roat” or Helping Hands, which aims to provide training and jobs to educated but unskilled youth in the private sector, was conceptualised last year on the pattern of “Himayat”, a Central government-sponsored job scheme. “The necessity of engaging the youth was realised when the Valley witnessed agitations and mob hysteria during 2010,” said Brig Anil Puri of the 81 Mountain Brigade here. The administration, trying to get to the root of the problem, felt that the educated and unemployed youth were ready recruits for separatists and there was a need to engage them and channelise their energy into “constructive activities”. But, the youth was lacking the required skills, and needed training for which the pilot project, “Auth Roat”, was conceptualised in coordination with Dr Reddy’s Foundation (DRF), said Brig Puri. The skill development programme costing Rs 10.5 lakh for the current financial year stands approved as Sadhbhavana Project and aims at involving Class XII dropouts and other educated unemployed youth. The programme, first of its kind in the state, will be taken to other areas to help youth find employment outside the government. “It is a good initiative in which the youth are imparted training and given placement opportunities”, said an instructor engaged by the DRF at the ITI. The programme is divided into three parts - skill development, industrial visits and placement of the youth in the corporate world. Sadhbhavana Project
The Skill Development Programme “Auth Roat” (Helping Hands) is being run under the Army’s Sadhbhavana Project in coordination with Dr Reddy’s Foundation at the ITI, Bandipore, since December 16 last year. The second batch began its training in April this year. FIRST BATCH GETs TRAINING, JOBS
The first batch of 80 candidates, including 12 girls, completed the two-month-long training earlier this year at the ITI, Bandipore. Some of them were taken to various places in Srinagar and outside the Valley for interaction and placement. Of the 57 candidates who were taken outside the Valley, 22 have got jobs in the corporate sector, including some multinational companies. |
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amarnath yatra
Jammu, June 4 The protesters demanded that the Amarnath pilgrimage should be extended to 60 days, commencing on Jayesth Purnima (June 4), instead of the 39-day-long schedule fixed by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). The board has decided that Amarnath Yatra would start from
June 25 and conclude on August 2. Senior BJP leaders, including national general secretary Jai Prakash Nadda, Member of Parliament Tarun Vijay, state president Shamsher Singh Manhas and MLAs Sham Choudhary and Ashok Khajuria, were detained at Parade Chowk and were then taken to Amarnath Yatri Niwas in Bhagwati Nagar here. Yesterday around 400 activists of the VHP, BD and other sister organisations were detained by the police from the city after they remained adamant about starting the Amarnath yatra on Jayesth Purnima in defiance of the SASB’s fixed schedule. Earlier, about 150 VHP, Bajrang Dal and BJP activists along with senior BJP leaders assembled at Parade Chowk in the heart of Old Jammu city and demanded that the government should reconsider its decision on curtailing the yatra period. Addressing the protesters, Tarun Vijay accused the Omar-led coalition government of “acting at the behest of secessionist forces”. The curtailment of the yatra period had hurt the sentiments of the people,
he added. The SASB spokesperson said there was accumulated and frozen snow en route and the board would not put the lives of pilgrims at risk by allowing them to undertake the pilgrimage under hostile and inclement weather conditions. On Saturday, Governor NN Vohra, who is chairman of the SASB, had conducted an aerial survey of the Pahalgam-Sheshnag-Holy Cave-Panjtarni-Baltal circuit to assess the status of snowmelt along both the yatra routes and at various camps along the tracks. His chopper could not land because of the accumulation of frozen snow on and alongside the helipad
near the shrine. Reports said similar protests were witnessed in Kathua district where BJP and VHP activists staged demonstrations against the state government for not allowing them to leave for Baltal in Kashmir for undertaking the pilgrimage. The Kathua district administration has deployed CRPF and IRP jawans along the Kathua-Punjab border and has virtually sealed all entry points to restrict the entry of VHP and Bajrang Dal activists who intend to perform the Amarnath yatra in defiance of the SASB’s fixed schedule. |
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High-level meeting held
Srinagar, June 4 During the meeting, Chadda stressed the importance of close coordination among different departments to ensure a successful yatra, an official said. He also directed officers of the Pahalgam Development Authority to complete the clearance of the yatra track and make the necessary repairs by June 10. The BSNL authorities were directed to establish satellite towers en route the holy cave shrine to provide communication facilities to the pilgrims. Chadda also asked the Army, police and para-military forces to make foolproof security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage. It was disclosed in the meeting that three lakh devotees from across the country had been registered for the yatra till date.
— TNS |
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More manpower deployed for clearing tracks
Srinagar, June 4 This information was given by Navin K Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), after performing Puja on the occasion of Jayesth Purnima at Chandanwari, on the traditional Pahalgam-holy cave track today. Choudhary said these measures had been taken in view of disruption of work caused by continuing bad weather and subsequent directions by Governor NN Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the SASB. He said the accumulation of snow on the tracks and at various camps and continuing bad weather had hampered the pace of clearance of tracks and other arrangements. It is hoped that with the deployment of additional manpower, all required arrangements would be timely put in place. Engineers, staff of the Shrine Board, government departments and all agencies concerned were working on a war footing, he said. Later, the CEO reviewed the work on the construction of an entry gate, toilets and shelter at Chandanwari. At the Nunwan base camp, he inspected the pace of work on the repair of toilets, baths, restoration of water and power supplies, laying of paths, repair of drains and sewage treatment plant, besides other arrangements, which were going on in full swing. |
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God stopping yatris as there is snow on route: Omar
Srinagar, June 4 “Actually right now God is stopping you because there is so much snow on the route that it is not possible to move on the route,” Omar wrote on the micro-blogging website, Twitter. He made the remarks after his earlier tweet on this year’s Amarnath yatra drew comments from his followers on Twitter. “If not without you we will restore pride of the Amarnath yatra and no one can stop us,” wrote a follower after Omar offered to organise a chopper ride for those intending to start the yatra ahead of schedule. “I wish the organisers of what is happening in Jammu would take up our offer and fly over the route in the state chopper to see the extent of snow,” Omar had said earlier in reaction to yesterday’s incident where scores of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists attempted to start the pilgrimage from Jammu. The Chief Minister also pointed out that the dates for this year’s yatra, which is scheduled to commence from June 25, were decided by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. “But of course they won't because the truth is inconvenient, as is acceptance of the fact that the yatra dates were set by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji,” he tweeted. Incidentally, the pilgrimage duration was decided by a sub-committee headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Governor N N Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), is closely monitoring the works towards clearance of the yatra tracks as the Kashmir valley had received heavy snowfall in the winter and also last month. Meanwhile, Omar said he was open to a debate on the duration of the Amarnath yatra. “I'm happy to engage all those who are concerned about duration of the yatra but there isn't one person on Twitter criticising me using facts,” he tweeted. |
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Missing starlet case
Jammu, June 4 A few days ago the state police recovered Laila’s luxury SUV-a Mitsubishi Outlander - with a Maharashtra registration number, from a shop in Kishtwar town. “Definitely the vehicle belongs to Laila and her family. We have some vital clues, but unless we arrest Parvez, nothing can be said,” DIG, Ramban-Kishtwar-Doda Range, Garib Dass said. The DIG didn’t rule out the possibility of the vehicle being used in the Delhi High Court blast on September 7, 2011. We are working on the case and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has been probing the Delhi High Court blast case, has also taken cognisance of the development, he said. The vehicle, Mitsubishi Outlander, was parked inside a shop, which had been rented out to Parvez, a forest contractor, said the DIG. “A case under Section 420 of the IPC has been registered against him in Haryana,” he said. |
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Dhoni winds up Kashmir tour, to visit Leh today
Srinagar, June 4 Dhoni interacted with Army officers and troops. He also met patients at 92 Base Hospital in Badami Bagh cantonment. A group of schoolchildren from the downtown area of Srinagar met Dhoni and took his autograph. “Being an officer of Parachute Regiment of the Territorial Army (TA), he visited two TA battalions based in Srinagar. In 126 Infantry Battalion (Jammu and Kashmir Rifles), he was received by Col SS Pathania, the Commanding Officer. Speaking to troops, Dhoni exhorted them to perform their task zealously and also posed for a group photograph with them,” Lt Col JS Brar, Srinagar-based defence spokesperson said. “Later, he visited 162 Infantry Battalion (TA) and Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre,” the defence spokesperson said. Dhoni left for Delhi in the afternoon. The defence spokesperson said he would visit Leh and Siachen in the Ladakh region on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Indian cricket team captain had visited the frontier district of
Baramulla along the Line of Control in north Kashmir yesterday and interacted with Army personnel, local youth and
mediapersons. |
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Four killed in mishap on national highway
Srinagar, June 4 The deceased have been identified as Mohammad Yousuf Kuchay and Farooq Ahmad Kuchay (locals) besides Rajindra Kourda and Bargoie Kumari, both residents of Pune. Four more persons, including the driver of the passenger vehicle, got injured during the incident. A case has been registered in this regard. Meanwhile, five persons were killed in different road accidents across the Valley yesterday, the police said today. Two persons, Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh and Mohammad Iqbal Bhat, were killed after two motorcycles collided at the Foreshore road here. In another incident, a local identified as Niyaz Ahmad Bazaz lost his life after two private vehicles collided at Rayil Gund in Ganderbal district. In yet another incident, a trailer hit a motorcycle near Hyderbeigh Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla resulting in the death of locals identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Mir and Aaqib Javid Rather. |
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Srinagar Army School excels in CBSE
Srinagar, June 4 Principal of the school Sandeep K Maratha said the school had stood first in the northern zone this year, which was also a record. “Student of Class XII of the school Tabina Javid has scored 90 per cent in the science stream and Nahida Akhtar of Class XII has scored 82 per cent in the commerce stream. Khusdil Ajaz and Palak Mahajan of Class X have stood first, securing 10 point CGPA. Nine students of Class X have earned A1 Grade,” Maratha said. |
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Rashtriya Rifles holds skill development programme
Rajouri, June 4 The aim of the training was to educate the youths about basic skills and techniques used in electrical fittings in homes and impart technical training for repairing electrical appliances so that
youths can enhance their self-employment opportunities. Mohammad Iftaq, one of the participants, said, “This is an excellent opportunity for all of us to use these skills to supplement our income.” |
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Earthquake hits Valley, Ladakh
Srinagar, June 4 The epicentre of the earthquake was 247 km north-east of Leh and 458 km north-east of Srinagar. No damage to life or property has been reported so far, the official said. |
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