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Amid tight security, Darbar to reopen in Jammu today
Vocational training in state fails to match industrial standards
State reels under food, fuel crises
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More funds for Leh: Home Secy
Religious leaders term HC verdict on talaq as ‘interference’
BJP to take up sarpanches’ security issue in Parliament
BJP finds it difficult to set up party units at grass-roots level
540 constables inducted into border force
Stone-laying function of varsity campus put off
State govt begins survey on out-of-school children
Police detains Hurriyat leader for questioning
Hunt on for hotel attackers
A first: Kashmir rugby team to play in Pak
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Amid tight security, Darbar to reopen in Jammu today
Jammu, November 4 Official sources said the administration has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth and incident-free reopening of “Darbar” (seat of government) in Jammu with additional deployment of security personnel around the civil secretariat, residences of ministers and VVIPs and other sensitive places. The BJP has announced that it would take out a protest rally under the leadership of its state president Shamsher Singh Manhas on the opening day of the Darbar at Jammu. The rally would start from the Janipur area and pass through different localities of the city to oppose the anti-people policies of the state government. The Panthers Party has already announced that it would organise a dharna and hold a demonstration to lodge its protest against the government’s “policy of persistent neglect and deprivation of the Jammu region”. Newly appointed chairman of the Panthers Party Harsh Dev Singh, while defending the decision to hold a protest on the opening of secretariat in Jammu, said the message of the party for justice to the Jammu region was loud and clear and was required to be conveyed to the government on the first day of the opening of winter secretariat in Jammu. Some religious organisations have also decided to hold protests against the decision of the state government to follow diktats of hardcore Hurriyat leader Sayed Ali Shah Geelani on the issue of providing facilities to the pilgrims of the holy cave of Amarnath. On the first day of the opening of Darbar in Jammu as per tradition, the Chief Minister on his arrival in the civil secretariat will be given a guard of honour by the police. The Chief Minister will also interact with mediapersons. Ministers, administrative secretaries, officers and employees will receive the Chief Minister, who will visit various departments in the secretariat. Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal today visited the civil secretariat complex and took stock of the preparations made for the opening of offices in the winter capital tomorrow. Accompanied by the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B B Viyas, and other officials, the Chief Secretary also visited government quarters and inspected the renovation work and other arrangements made for the comfortable stay of the Darbar move employees. The Chief Secretary took a round of the civil secretariat complex and inspected the provision of furniture and other facilities put in place at the offices of various departments. He also inspected the renovation and other works taken up at the complex ahead of the Darbar move. Some religious organisations have also decided to hold protests against the decision of the state government to follow diktats of hardcore Hurriyat leader Sayed Ali Shah Geelani on the issue of providing facilities to the pilgrims of the holy cave of Amarnath
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Vocational training in state fails to match industrial standards
Srinagar, November 4 Around 12,047 ITI graduates have registered themselves with various district employment exchanges in the state, as per the records available with the Labour and Employment Department. The total number of unemployed trained graduates in the state is expected to be much higher as the registration with the district employment exchanges is a voluntary process. Experts cite loopholes in various technical skill development programmes and lack of state-of-the-art infrastructure of the ITIs as major reasons for a large number of unemployed ITI graduates in the state. Although the ITIs have been providing skill development and training in vocational education sector including instrument repairing, electrical repairing, fitting, plumbing, diesel mechanic work and IT & computer hardware- related skills, the availability of upgraded infrastructure is a pre-requisite for trainees to gauge sophisticated industry work tactics for placement. “It is certain that there is a poor connect of ITIs with industries in the state, due to which their graduates have a tough time looking for the right kind of jobs,” opined Dr Murtaza, a subject expert in entrepreneurship at the Kashmir University. Experts feel that the successive state governments in Jammu and Kashmir have failed to leverage the potential of vocational training by sticking to old industry methods when these sectors are constantly evolving. “Skill development programmes can only be successful if they are constantly updated in accordance with the industry standards. Unfortunately, we are not providing such quality and industry-oriented technical education to youths,” an HR executive Ishfaq Shah said. |
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State reels under food, fuel crises
Jammu, November 4 The Centre has said the state cannot be treated as special, keeping in view the huge subsidy involved in the process, and that a uniform decision will be taken for the entire country. Sources said at the recent meeting between Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Qamar Ali Akhoon and officials of the Union Food Ministry, the state had been asked to wait till the Union Cabinet gives its consent, which is pending for the past one year. At the moment thousands of families living in Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Warwan, Poonch, Rajouri and Doda in the Jammu region and Kupwara, Handwara and Anantnag in the Kashmir valley are facing shortage of ration on a routine basis. People in the state are getting the ration supply as per the 2001 census and the Omar Abdullah-led government has faced flak of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and outside in every session in the past four years. “There is no commitment from the Centre at the moment. They have told us that no separate ration would be released for J&K,” said a CAPD official. As per the 2001 census, the state receives a monthly quota of 63,067 metric tonne (MT) ration from the Centre at the scale of 35 kg per family per month. There is a deficit of 55 MT of foodgrains per month at the existing scale. As per the 2011 census, the population of the state is 1.25 crore with 22.73 lakh families with an average size of 5.52 persons per family. Over 3 lakh families are outside the ambit of the ration supply. “The state has submitted its demand-supply gap details and we are hopeful that the Union Cabinet will take up the issue soon. Till then, we are making alternative arrangements to meet the demand,” said CAPD director Pervez Malik. |
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More funds for Leh: Home Secy
Leh, November 4 The work is being carried under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP). The Home Minister was on a two-day visit to Leh to have first hand information about the prevailing situation at the border areas. On the second day of his two-day visit, RK Singh visited three ITBP border observation posts at Daulat beg Oldi, Morgo and Chongtar and interacted with the troops deployed at these posts, an official source said. The Home Secretary chaired the district officers meeting, under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner, Tsering Angchuk and reviewed the implementation of the Centrally-sponsored schemes in the district. The Deputy Commissioner also briefed about the reconstruction of August 2010 cloudburst flash flood. RK Singh also called on the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh Rigzin Spalbar yesterday. The Home Secretary has been briefed about the problems and issues of the border district by the CEC. CEC urged the Home Secretary to end the inner-line permit system through which the Home Ministry restricts the movement of the non-locals at the border areas. He said it was the major source of irritant and inconvenience not only to the visitors but also to the labour from other parts of the country. The inner-line permit is required for the non-locals, who visit areas, situated at the Indo-Pak and Indo-China borders of the district. |
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Religious leaders term HC verdict on talaq as ‘interference’
Srinagar, November 4 It has agreed to set up a board on the pattern of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, comprising legal experts and religious scholars, to decide and implement decisions arising out of matrimonial disputes and divorces in Kashmir. The meeting was organised by a hardline and an ‘influential’ religious organisation, Jamiat Al-hadees, in Srinagar today. “During the meeting, it was strongly felt that the verdict will have grave consequences. The high court verdict is an interference in the religion, which cannot be tolerated,” a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said. The single Bench of Justice Hasnain Massodi while interpreting the Islamic Sharia law had ruled on April 30 that a husband’s power to pronounce ‘talaq’ was “not absolute”. The high court had held that divorce was the last resort and could be administered only after the husband had exhausted other options. During the meeting held on Sunday, it was decided to set up a separate committee comprising legal experts and religious scholars to study and analyse the high court judgment in the light of Quranic injunctions and the Sharia law and to come up with a detailed report on the issue. “A board comprising prominent legal experts and Islamic scholars will be set up to decide and implement matrimonial disputes and talaq (divorce) in Kashmir. The board will have also sub-committees at the village and block levels to create a social pressure for implementing its decisions,” the statement said. The high court judgment has come under criticism from several quarters, including religious and political leaders. On Saturday, Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Geelani had said that rulings made by “non-Islamic” courts were not binding on the Muslims. He had asked religious scholars to look into the judgment so as to “clear the confusion” created by it. The court verdict
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BJP to take up sarpanches’ security issue in Parliament
Jammu, November 4 The outfit has termed threats to village heads from those who are sitting across the border as an attempt to derail democratic system in Jammu and Kashmir. The militant has reportedly warned that the village heads would be attacked if they didn't quit from their posts. “We will take this issue in the coming session of Parliament,” Rajnath Singh, former national president of the BJP, told The Tribune over phone. Earlier, Singh had written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 18 to provide security to the panchayat members after some village heads were killed by terrorists in the Kashmir Valley followed by mass resignation of the panchayat members. “It is very unfortunate that no action has been taken on my letter written to the Prime Minister about one-and-half month back,” he regretted, announcing to give a reminder to the Union Government on this very sensitive issue, which deserve prompt action. Taking a serious note of the threat given by Sayed Salah-ud-Din to the panchayat members, Singh said those sitting across the border were desperately trying to derail democratic system, but those at the helm of the affairs were not taking it seriously. He said terrorists were frustrated as people had ignored their threats and came out in a large number to cast vote in the panchayat elections. “Instead of fulfilling democratic aspirations of the people, the government is rather trying to undermine democratic institutions through its causal approach,” he opined, while pointing towards adamant attitude being adopted by the ruling coalition for not incorporating 73rd amendment to the Constitution in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Raj Act. Besides, demanding security for the panchayat members, the BJP is also vouching for empowering the Panchayati Raj Institutions in Jammu and Kashmir on par with rest of the country. |
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BJP finds it difficult to set up party units at grass-roots level
Jammu, November 4 Elections of the state unit of the party are going on in full swing but at the grass-roots level there is no enthusiasm among the cadre, especially among those who have been committed to the ideology of the party. Notwithstanding the claims of the leadership, the party has so far failed to set up the party unit in the Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment, where party candidate Nirmal Singh had lost the 2008 Assembly elections by a narrow margin. As per the rules of the party elections, the BJP has to set up committees comprising 12 members up to the polling-booth level. “What to say of constituting committees up to the booth level, the party leadership is even finding it difficult to appoint in charge of all booths,” a senior BJP leader told The Tribune on condition of anonymity. He said it was due to the cross-voting episode that the BJP leadership had lost the faith of workers at the grass-roots level. Sources said out of the total 81 polling booths in the Gandhi Nagar Assembly segment, the party had succeeded in appointing in charge of only 10 booths because “dedicated” workers refused to shoulder any responsibility. The party had also failed to identify potential candidates for wards of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), especially in the Gandhi Nagar area, due to lack of enthusiasm among workers. “Except in the Jammu East and Jammu West Assembly segments, the party has failed to set up an organisational structure up to the polling-booth level in all other constituencies of Jammu province,” a source said. Local leaders have appointed their blue-eyed boys on important positions but have not shown any concern about the poor response of workers towards the party elections. The sources said the cross-voting episode had badly shattered the faith of the workers in the BJP leadership. It is also felt by workers that the present leadership has failed to effectively protect people’s interests. In the Legislative Council elections on April 13, 2011, seven out of total 11 BJP MLAs had voted in favour of National Conference and Congress candidates. The BJP had expelled seven of its MLAs from the party after the cross-voting episode. |
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540 constables inducted into border force
Srinagar, November 4 “Apart from guarding the international border, the BSF has been assisting the civil administration whenever required in maintaining law and order in the state,” Wani said on the sideline of a passing-out parade of 540 BSF constable recruits at the BSF subsidiary training centre (STC) in the outskirts of the city. Earlier while addressing the recruits, the MoS for Home credited the defence forces for maintaining internal security, which, he said, had helped in the country’s economic and social development. “The country has been given an opportunity by its defence forces in undertaking its developmental agenda by effectively securing the country’s borders and nurturing peace. The BSF has been one of our best combat forces and the wonderful passing-out parade today is an outcome of rigorous training undertaken at the Centre,” Wani said, adding he was confident that the nation’s boundaries were in safe hands. While congratulating the new recruits, the minister said he was hopeful that they would disseminate their duties professionally in maintaining safety and security of the country. BSF Inspector General KK Sharma, Budgam Acting Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Akbar Ganai, senior officers of the BSF, CRPF, J&K Police
and the civil administration were present at the function. A BSF spokesman said the trainees had completed 38 weeks of rigorous basic training in which they were put through various dimensions and aspects of training, involving physical fitness and mental robustness, effective use of arms, map-reading and maintaining discipline. “Training has also been imparted in the field of engineering, apart from anti-terrorism, counter-insurgency and commando operations, and on respecting human rights to carry on the legacy of excellence of the Border Security Force,” he said.
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Stone-laying function of varsity campus put off
Srinagar, November 4 The university at present operates from three campuses in Srinagar. The foundation-laying ceremony was scheduled for November 16 with former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal as the chief guest. The Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, Prof Abdul Wahid, had intimated Pallam Raju about the ceremony which was to be held in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. “We have been told that the minister is not available in November. So, the foundation stone of the Central University will not be laid as per the previous plan,” said Wahid. Wahid said that they were yet to decide about the next date for the function. “An alternate date will be decided shortly,” he said. Government sources, however, said the function was now likely to get delayed by at least four months. “There is no possibility of having the function during winter. The function is now likely to be held after March 2013,” said a government official. The state government was keen to announce the opening of the new campus of the three-year-old Central University of Kashmir at Ganderbal, a constituency represented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but now it will have to wait for some more time. The university currently offers courses in 10 streams and operates from three campuses in Srinagar. There are 570 students enrolled with the university and the government has acquired nearly 3000 kanals in Ganderbal for the new campus. |
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State govt begins survey on out-of-school children
Jammu, November 4 A detailed report based on the survey will be made public by the end of this month. The School Education Department has decided to rope in panchayat members for bringing ‘out of school children’ to schools. Official sources claimed that the number of such children had increased over the years despite the fact that the Central government had been pumping in crores of rupees to overhaul the education sector of the state under various schemes. “A similar survey was conducted about 10 years ago and at that time, there were 40,000 out-of-school children who had never attended school. If the literacy rate in J&K increased from 55 per cent in the 2001 census to 68 per cent in the 2011 census, the state has also witnessed an increase in out-of-school children, including those who were never enrolled in schools, due to population explosion over the years,” a source said, adding that the increasing number of such children puts a question-mark on oft-repeated claims of high literacy rate by successive governments. Sources said that the failure of the government in this regard was a matter of concern because the Central government had been giving liberal funds for putting education system back on the track in the state. As per the 2011 census, the state had over 72.45 lakh literate persons, including 43.70 lakh males and 28.74 lakh females. State School Education Department secretary Farooq Ahmed Factoo said the survey would not only focus on the number of such children, it would also identify infrastructural requirements in government schools. “The report based on this exercise will be available with the government by the end of this month, which will help us in identifying areas of improvement,” he said. Acknowledging that the number of such children could have increased over the years, Factoo said the government had decided to seek the help of panchayat members to identify them and bring them to schools so that the objective of 100 per cent literacy rate is achieved. At present, 23,454 government schools (14,453 primary schools, 6,976 middle schools, 1,418 high schools and 607 higher secondary schools) are functioning in the state. |
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Police detains Hurriyat leader for questioning
Rajouri, November 4 Sources said a police party headed by a Nagrota DSP raided the house of Mir around 6.30 pm on Saturday and took him to Jammu for questioning. In May, the Jammu police had arrested constable Zahid Wani, a relative of Mir, and had recovered Rs 5 lakh hawala money from him. During preliminary interrogation, Zahid had reportedly disclosed that the money belonged to Mir but at that time, sources said, Mir had said that Zahid was carrying the money he got after selling a piece of land which belonged to him. — OC
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Hunt on for hotel attackers
Srinagar, November 4 “We have got some inputs from the police and we will track them soon,” he said on the sidelines of a cricket match which in Srinagar. On October 19, militants had opened fire at security forces near a four-star hotel in the Nowgam area leaving two hotel employees dead. “The recent attack in the outskirts of Srinagar was an attempt to create disturbance and to remain in the news,” he said. Regarding threats to panchayat members, the GOC said the militants did not want democratic institutions to succeed. “No one will be allowed to disturb peace in the state,” he said.
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A first: Kashmir rugby team to play in Pak
Srinagar, November 4 The sports festival in Lahore will also feature rugby teams from Uzbekistan, New Zealand, Laos and the host country. Minister for sports R S Chib said the tournament would generate a new hope for peace. “The tournament will go a long way in bringing peace between the two countries as this is for the first time that a team from the state will travel to Pakistan to play a match,” said Chib. President of Jammu and Kashmir Rugby Association (JKRA) Sarmad Hafeez said the event would be a great experience for the young players who would get an opportunity to compete with international players. "The players will also act as ambassadors for J&K in Pakistan,” Hafeez said. The players, who will cross over to Pakistan through Wagah on Monday, said they were excited about playing in Pakistan. “Once we play in Pakistan, a message of peace will travel across the borders. It is sports that bring nations together,” said Junaid Hussain, 26, a resident of Rainawari. Another player Adil Bashir from Kralpora Budgam said the event would give more exposure to the players. “We have a lot of potential for rugby in state and playing against international rugby players will help us as players.” The JKRA chairman, Mohammad Iqbal, said the competition would be tough. “The team will gain a lot of experience from the tour.” |
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Srinagar, November 4
Srinagar, November 4
