The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Omar for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue Says gun no solution to problems, addresses rallies in Kupwara district Ishfaq Tantry/TNS Kupwara, January 24 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today put his weight behind resumption of the Indio-Pak dialogue while stressing that the gun has never been a solution to problems. Omar was addressing his first major public gatherings in Kupwara district in north Kashmir after the recent Cabinet reshuffle, which saw the induction of three MLAs from Kupwara into the Cabinet. The largely attended rallies in Handwara and Kupwara towns in north Kashmiri were organised to welcome the newly inducted Cabinet ministers from the region. “My government will continue to make efforts for revocation of the AFSPA from the areas where normalcy has been restored. Gun has no role in resolution of any dispute. I would continue to bat for successful dialogue between India and Pakistan for resolution of the Kashmir issue,” Omar said in his address. Stating that the presence of UN observers in Kashmir has been of no consequences so far, Omar said: “We know they (UN) remained mute spectators during the saga of militancy as also during the time when the LoC was roaring with shelling of guns for a long time.” “The ceasefire on the LoC was due to talks and agreement between India and Pakistan. Addressing of political issues and finding out a solution to these would be also through the process of dialogue between the two countries. The presence of these UN observers is not required for achieving this breakthrough,” Omar said. Taking on the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omar said the “politics of deceit” had been its (PDP leadership’s) trait. “People are wiser enough to read between the lines and understand this kind of politicking,” the Chief Minister said, adding that since the time of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the National Conference had stood for a peaceful settlement of political issues, including that of Kashmir, through the process of dialogue. “We would continue our endeavour in this regard”, he said. Omar also reiterated that his government had already granted powers of 14 departments to the elected panchayat members for their empowerment. “Panches and sarpanches should exercise their powers. They have a vital role to play in the development of their respective areas. The elected village heads have powers to take note of functioning of anganwadi centres, schools, ration depots and absence of employees at government offices so that people are benefitted,” he said, adding that that the elections to the block development councils for panchayats would be held within the next two or three months. Terming the creation of employment avenues for the youth his top priority, Omar told the gatherings that 70,000 to 80,000 posts in government departments are being filled on a fast-track basis. Describing Kupwara district as the “fortress” of the National Conference, the Chief Minister praised the newly inducted Cabinet ministers Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Mir Saifullah and Kafil-ur-Rehman for “nurturing the National Conference in this district and upholding its high principles”. “I am confident that you would continue to work for the uplift of the people,” he told the MLAs who accompanied at his rallies in Handwara and Kupwara towns. The gatherings at Handwara and Kupwara were also addressed by Minister for Higher Education Mohammad Akbar Lone and NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani. (With contributions from Amin Masoodi) What CM said My government will continue to make efforts for the revocation of the AFSPA from the areas where normalcy has been restored. Gun has no role in resolution of any dispute The ceasefire on the LoC was due to talks and agreement between India and Pakistan. The presence of the UN observers is not required for achieving this breakthrough (in negotiations)
	Panel approves changes to make ‘Udaan’ more relevant Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 24 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved modification in ‘Udaan’ - an industry initiative for Jammu and Kashmir - to make it more flexible and relevant. Within the Central assistance of Rs 750 crore, the flexibility to appropriate the budget among different expense heads will be allowed. Public Sector Undertakings have now been allowed to participate in the scheme and will meet the expenses under their corporate social responsibility head. It allows the inclusion of three-year engineering diploma holders in the scheme, reimbursement of fixed training cost after minimum three months employment instead of one-year employment and provision of medical and accident insurance. Under the scheme, 40,000 youth will be trained in five years. Companies which show interest in the scheme and enter into the agreement with the National Skill Development Corporation, will screen and select students from the state. After assessing the skill gap of trainees, a training module, its duration and nature of training will be designed by the companies. Trainees will be relocated to the training facility. After completion of the training, they will be interviewed for a job with the company and provided jobs. A statement said the scheme targets educated youth who do not have marketable skills. It includes graduates, postgraduates, three-year engineering diploma-holders and youth with professional degrees. The talent pool in the absence of job opportunities becomes highly alienated and their potential in turning around the state’s economy is wasted. The scheme will facilitate gainful employment to the youth of the state. By providing them jobs, the scheme proposes to channelise their energies into creative pursuits.
	response to Justice Verma committee report Omar must not politicise AFSPA issue, say opposition leaders CM’s proposal for all-party meet receives mixed response Arteev Sharma /TNS Jammu, January 24 Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s proposal for an all-party meeting on the recommendations of the Justice J S Verma Commission to ensure a safer society has elicited a mixed response from political circles in Jammu and Kashmir, with most opposition parties terming it as a “political gimmick”. “We don’t take such statements seriously. The National Conference has continuously been making hollow statements on various issues like plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir and we don’t give much importance to these statements. Let the government come up with a formal invitation. We will decide (on the issue) thereafter,” said PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar. Yesterday, Omar, while welcoming the recommendations made by the Verma panel to the Union government, had said that he was “very impressed” with the recommendations. “Glad to see he has recommended amending the AFSPA to ensure sexual crimes are punished without special sanction. Hope this is implemented”, Omar had tweeted. “I will propose an all-party meeting to discuss the recommendations so that as many as possible are implemented at the earliest in JK,” he had further written in another tweet. BJP state chief spokesperson Jitendra Singh, while showing willingness to take part in the all-party meeting, cautioned that the issue of sexual offences and the AFSPA should not be intermixed in a manner that it may compromise the protective mechanism of the AFSPA for personal defence of security personnel deployed in militancy-affected areas of the state. Harsh Dev Singh, chairman, National Panthers Party (NPP), described it as an “evasive and vague statement” which had been made to score political gains. “An all-party meeting will not serve any purpose. If the Chief Minister is really sincere about amending the laws to protect women, he should bring and table the Justice Verma report in the Legislative Assembly. All political parties have been represented by their legislators in the Assembly and the report should be discussed there because the legislation is to be formulated by the House,” Singh said. He, however, said the Chief Minister should “define the subject” before proposing an all-party meeting on the issue. Chaman Lal Gupta, former Union Minister and MLA, Jammu West, favoured the Chief Minister’s idea of seeking opinions from various stakeholders on the amendments to the laws to protect women in society, but flayed Omar for “politicising” the AFSPA issue.
	State Law Dept studying panel recommendations Tribune News Service Jammu, January 24 The state Law Department has started studying the recommendations of the Justice JS Verma Committee to bring necessary amendments to the laws related to sexual offences. The Committee submitted its report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday. The Law Department has written to all legal experts, retired judges and Law Departments at the University of Jammu and the University of Kashmir for sending their suggestions and opinions to it so that necessary amendments can be made in the existing laws on sexual offences in the state. Sources said the Jammu and Kashmir State Commission for Women (JKSCW) had submitted its suggestions to the Law Department while legal opinion from other stakeholders was yet to be received. “We have received the suggestions from the JKSCW while suggestions and opinions from law professionals, senior lawyers, retired high court judges and Law Departments at the University of Jammu and the University of Kashmir and the women welfare board have not been received yet,” a senior Law Department officer said. The officer said former Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar had decided that the state government would also study the recommendations of the Justice JS Verma Committee. “As Justice Verma has submitted his report to the Prime Minister, we are also studying his recommendations. It will be taken into account while bringing necessary amendments to the state legislation,” the officer said. He said the department has also decided to send reminders to all legal experts, senior lawyers and law departments of the two universities so that they put forth their suggestions at the earliest.
	Kashmir gives thumbs up to suggestions on AFSPA Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, January 24 A day after the Justice Verma panel suggested amendments to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), it has generated hope that the security men allegedly involved in sexual crimes against women in the state would be punished under ordinary criminal laws. “Now that Justice Verma has suggested that the sexual offences by Armed Forces and uniformed men in conflict areas should be brought under the ordinary criminal law, it is now up to the state as well as the J&K Government to ensure that it is implemented in letter and spirit,” said member of the Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) Shakeel Qalander. In fact, he claimed that these suggestions by the panel were incorporated after the chairperson of the group Professor Hameedah Nayeem deposed before it. “Our chairperson told the panel that there are at least 900 rape and gang rape cases documented so far, whereas a large number has gone unnoticed. But, no prosecution of the perpetrators has been ordered in the ‘interest of national security’,” Qalander said while expressing his gratitude to the panel which has suggested amendments to the AFSPA. “The state government is now accountable to people of J&K and duty-bound to lobby for passing the Justice Verma report in Parliament for its implementation,” he added. The three-member panel was set up a week after the December 16 gang rape of a paramedical student in New Delhi which shook the nation and led to widespread protests. Immediately after the report was submitted, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the report and suggested an all-party meeting. “Glad to see he has recommended amending the AFSPA to ensure sexual crimes are punished without special sanction. Hope this is implemented. Parliament will do what it has to but I promise the people of J&K that we will look at the Verma committee report with all seriousness. I will propose an all-party meeting to discuss the recommendations so that as many as possible are implemented at the earliest in J&K,” Omar posted on social networking site twitter. The Justice Verma panel has now generated a debate on the AFSPA once again. While the J&K Government has been advocating the partial revocation of the AFSPA from areas where the Army was not required to operate, the Army has been extremely reluctant to withdraw the Act. Independent legislator from Langate Abdul Rashid Sheikh also appreciated the recommendations of Justice Verma panel. “Taking a cue from the Justice Verma panel report, New Delhi should announce the revocation of the black law from J&K and the North-East on the eve of January 26, which would be a great gift from New Delhi to the people of the state,” Sheikh said. “The AFSPA should not be amended but the entire Act should be revoked completely,” he added.
	Security tightened in Valley ahead of Republic Day Tribune News Service Srinagar, January 24 While security has been tightened ahead of the Republic Day celebrations in Srinagar, a full dress rehearsal of the parade was held at Bakshi Stadium - where the main R-Day function would be held. The police, paramilitary forces and the Army have been put on a high alert across Kashmir to ensure peaceful R-Day functions. The police and the CRPF personnel have been conducting surprise checking of vehicles in the heart of city. The vehicles entering the city from various district headquarters are also being checked. The security has also been tightened around vital installations in Srinagar. Police sources said sharp shooters have been deployed around the main R-Day function venue to avoid any militant attack. Security personnel have been deployed at the rooftops of several buildings to keep track of any suspicious movement on the roads. “A close liaison is being maintained at every level to foil any untoward incident, besides ensure a peaceful and successful conduct of the national event,” a senior police officer said. CRPF spokesman Sudhir Kumar said the security agencies were on a high alert in view of Republic Day. “We have fool proof arrangements in place for a peaceful R-Day,” he said
	Sudhir Jain is new V-C of Mata Vaishno Devi varsity Tribune News Service Jammu, January 24 Sudhir K Jain, presently professor and former Head of the Department of management studies, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, was appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, today. Governor NN Vohra, who is the Chancellor of the SMVDU, has appointed Prof Jain as the Vice-Chancellor for three years. Professor Jain was selected from among a panel of four recommended by a Search Committee headed by Dr Sudhir S Bloeria, Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Jammu. The Committee consisted of Prof M Anandakrishnan, chairman, IIT, Kanpur; Dr Prem Kalra, Director, IIT, Rajasthan; and Prof SC Saxena, acting Vice-Chancellor of the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida. Professor Jain was born at Dholpur in 1951 and completed his bachelors degree in science from Rajasthan University, Jaipur, in 1970. He did M.A in economics from Rajasthan University in 1972 and Ph.D in applied economics/econometrics from IIT, Kanpur, in 1979. He started teaching at IIT, Delhi, from March 1985. He also served as an assistant professor, ISEC, Bangalore, from February 1980 to February 1985 and as Assistant Director, Indian Council of Social Science Research, from June 1979 to February 1980. He has also held several administrative positions during his career. Professor Jain is a life member of the All India Management Association, Indian Society for Training and Development, Indian Economic Association, Indian Econometric Society and Indian Association for the Study of Population. He is also the founder editor of the “SSI Management Vision” and “Training and Development Reporter”. His research papers have been published in reputed international and national journals and presented at various conferences. He has co-authored a book with Prof HC Petersen and Prof WC Lewis, “Managerial Economics”, which was published by Pearson Education in 2006 and co-edited another book titled “Productivity and Quality, Multi-disciplinary Perspective” with Prof Anuradha Sharma, Prof V Upadhyay and Dr Seema Sharma which was published by Tata McGraw Hill in 2005. He has supervised 19 Ph.D programmes, 150 dissertations for M.Tech and MBA and completed 20 research/consultancy projects. He is a recipient of many awards and honours.