Jammu, February 20
Despite the employment policy announced by the state government recently, the job notification issued by the JK Service Selection Board (SSB) has evoked a huge response. The board has received three lakh applications for 3,000 posts. The applications alone have generated Rs 6-crore revenue for the state government.

Buoyed over the overwhelming response, the SSB has issued another advertisement for 2,000 more vacancies in various departments.

It may be mentioned that the new employment policy has introduced the concept of stipend (which is less than the basic salary) for the first five years of service. Despite a lower basic salary the youth of the state is vying for the state government jobs.

Several student organisations had raised a hue and cry against the new recruitment policy introduced by the government. But unemployment has weakened their resolve to fight against the policy. The youth are craving for the jobs even at a meagre salary.

Meanwhile, a senior official of SSB said, “The response was quite good though the SSB cannot figure out how many forms had been sold so far because the consolidated list was still awaited by the J&K Bank, which had sold the forms. The recruitment is being conducted on a fast-track basis and the written examination has been made mandatory for each post”, he added.

Sources said due to closure of the National Highway and curfew in the Valley since February 9, application forms could not be distributed to the regions which were cut off especially in the Valley, the Board may extend the last date for submission of the forms for seven days to enable unemployed youth from the Valley to apply.

A student leader said the youth was obliged to accept the new policy because they had no alternative. “Other employment schemes introduced by the government, including the Rozgar Policy, subsidy to start business and low interest rate on bank loans were mere eye wash and unaffordable for the youth,” he added.

Jammu, February 20
The government has earmarked Rs 80 lakh for the preservation of the Bahu Fort and develop it as a tourist destination. The conservation project also envisages restoration of the ancient walls, view points, restoration of the water tank, royal residence, besides upgrade of the pathway, landscaping in front of Mahakali temple and installation of spotlights of the fort.

Minister for Culture, Raman Bhalla, said this while interacting with the officers after reviewing the progress on the protection work on the Fort, here today.

The government has asked the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) to take up renovation of the damaged upper ridge of the rampart, sitting and view spots, pathways, fountains, water tank etc. He asked the Department of Floriculture to lay flower beds and landscape the open spaces within and outside the historic fort.

Directions have also been passed to the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and the Department of Museums to issue notices against illegal structures constructed within the shrine area. He said the structures have shrunk the open area and hidden Mahakali Temple beyond the limits. He said every year crores of pilgrims from across the country visit Mahakali Temple to pay obeisance. He said “It is the duty of the present government to provide basic facilities to them at the shrine.” The minister said the government had declared 39 monuments as state protected heritage sites. He added that a whooping amount was being spent on the restoration and conservation of these heritage sites.

Bhalla said all faiths practices by people in the state had their own distinct identities as well as cultural heritage, which was being protected and showcased as heritage tourism.

Later, Bhalla also visited the Government Medical College and enquired about the health of the teachers injured in a road accident near Rani Bagh today. He directed the hospital authorities to provide best medical facilities to the injured.

Rajouri, February 20
The historic Mughal Road, closed for past two months due to heavy snowfall spells doom for local businessmen, hotel owners and transporters running their business ventures alongside the road.

Mohammed Abdullah Sheikh, panch of Saila village said people of the region had sacrificed a lot during militancy in Rajouri and Poonch, but with the return of normalcy and construction of Mughal Road gave them a ray of hope.

“People of the region invested their hard earned money to establish businesses on the Mughal Road by selling their prime lands, constructed small hotels on the roadsides, few of them started travel operator business by taking loan from banks feeling frustrated after the closer of Mughal Road but due to the snowfall over past few months, they have suffered loss in their business,” Sheikh said.

“We want that the Mughal Road should open all year, as is the case with the Banihal tunnel, where the government invests crores of rupees to clear the snow every year for smooth vehicular traffic,” he said.

Sheikh said this year a large number of local and foreign tourists visited Kashmir through the route. If this continues it could become top tourist destination, he said.

He also slammed Omar Abdullah government for delay of the Mughal Road project and extension of the deadlines every year, he said. “Work on the project started in October 2005 and was to be completed by June 2008, but the Rs 640-crore project is now five years behind schedule, which is affecting our businesses,” he said.

A local businessmen from Chanimad, Bashir Ahmed Sheikh who runs a small hotel said, “For past six months we have only paid rents without earning a single paisa due to the road blockage. The government has taken no action to clear the road making it tough for us to survive,” he said.

The road passes through Buffliaz, Behramgalla, Chandimarh, Poshana, Chattapani, Peer Ki Gali, Aliabad, Zaznar, Dubjan, Heerpora and Shopian and this road is the lifeline for the border villages of the Kashmir Valley. It is of great importance as it connects Bafliaz in Poonch district with Shopian in Pulwama district in the Kashmir Valley.

Jammu, February 20
A painting exhibition of Insha Manzoor, one of the youngest painters of the state, will be inaugurated by Usha Vohra, wife of Governor NN Vohra, at Kala Kendra here on Thursday.

Daughter of a truck driver from Anantnag, her paintings are a reflection of what she truly believes in and practices: A world undivided by religion.

The exhibition “Celebrating Creation” will not only showcase her talent but colours will reflect the contracts of restrictions and freedom, joy and suffering, movement and stillness and above all longing for the fire of life and love.

“My elements are the impressions of my milieu where nature has veiled itself with the deepest of the thoughts that inspires within to deal with the movement of thought, love, life and death,” said Insha. “I deal very often with veils and veils of colours that for me is an interesting journey from one realm to another," she said.

Born in Mattan in Anantnag, Insha is pursuing her degree course from Institute of Fine Arts, Jammu, and has been painting since the age of 10. She has number of state and national awards to her credit and was the winner of the North Region Annual Contest-2013.

So far, she has organised her exhibitions in Bengaluru, Bhopal, Meghalaya, New Delhi and Srinagar and has attended number of camps in India.

"Art knows no boundaries and people should not have any divides. We should all live together, peacefully, that is the message of my work," said Insha.

What makes her even more special is that she has received no formal training during her childhood and it was natural to her to draw sketches. “It is because of the support from my family members and my mentor and teacher Harsh Vardan Sharma that I was able to continue my pursuit. Initially, it was a difficult start, my aim is now to become a top painter of the country,” she said.

Jammu, February 20
Banking services were paralysed on the first day of the nationwide strike call given by trade unions in Jammu on Wednesday. Employees of nationalised banks and the insurance sector protested against the policy of Foreign Direct Investment in the banking sector. Members of the Northern Zone Insurance Employees Association held protest at their offices against the policies of the Centre in bringing FDI and privatisation of critical areas in India.

Ramesh Chand, joint secretary NZIEA (Srinagar division), said FDI in the insurance sector would lead to unemployment as private companies don’t follow the labour laws. He said the economic policies adopted by successive central governments were against the interests of the working class.

The employees demanded measures to contain price rise and employment generation. Strict enforcement of the labour laws, universal social security cover for workers in the organised and unorganised sectors and creation of the National Social Security Fund and to end disinvestment in the Centre and State-run PSUs.

Various unions of public sector banks also held a massive demonstration in several parts of the region against the anti-worker policies of the government and attempts of the government and the managements of banks to disintegrate employee unions.

Suresh Wali, Deputy General Secretary, SBI Officers’ Association, J&K Zone and State Secretary, All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), criticised the management for their anti-worker policies and for asking officers not to take part in the strike, which was a legitimate right of the officers and employees.

He also demanded that contracts should not be introduced for work of permanent/perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers should be the same as of regular workers of the industry/establishment. Meanwhile, the strike also affected financial transitions and people had to face lot of problems. There was no cash in many ATMs putting people to great inconvenience.

Jammu, February 20
Days after a girl student of Delhi Public School (DPS) was crushed to death under her school bus, a Class I student was run over by Army vehicle at Chowki Chora area in Akhnoor sub-division on Wednesday morning. The police said Rajan was crushed to death by a speeding Army truck at Chowki Chora. The boy was standing on the side of the road.

Local residents took the child to the hospital where he was declared brought dead. Residents rue that Army vehicles often flout traffic rules and over speed.

Police Post incharge, Chowki Chora, Joginder Singh said the driver of the Army vehicle has been booked.

A middle-aged woman was crushed to death by a bus at Satwari Chowk on Wednesday morning.

In another mishap, Aman Kumar, a native of West Bengal fell off the running Shalimar Express train, near the city railway station resulting in his death.

In another incident, four teachers and the bus driver of a private school were injured when the van they were traveling in collided head-on with another vehicle at Trava in the RS Pura sector near Miran Sahib.

Local residents and the police rushed the victims to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital.

SHO, Miran Sahib police station, Ravi Singh, said soon after the incident a police team rushed to the spot and began rescue operation.

Rajan, a Class I was run over by Army vehicle in Chowki Chora area of Akhnoor sub-division

Aman Kumar, a native of West Bengal, was killed after he fell off the running Shalimar Express train, near the city railway station

A middle-aged woman was crushed to death by a bus at Satwari Chowk

Four teachers and the bus driver of a private school were injured when the van they were traveling in collided head-on with another vehicle at Trava in the RS Pura sector near Miran Sahib

Jammu, February 20
The Department of Posts (DoP) is going to organise a post office festival and a philately exhibition in the border district of Rajouri.

While addressing a press conference, Johan Samuel, Chief Post Master General, J&K Circle, said it was the first time that the DoP was organising the festival with an objective to make people aware about the services being rendered by the India Post.

Samuel said two special covers on Chingus Fort and Poonch Fort would be released on the inaugural day of the festival, which would be followed by a quiz competition and philately workshop for schoolchildren.

“In Poonch district, the DoP will organise ‘I love my post office campaign’ on February 22, followed by a letter-writing competition and a stamp-designing contest. The theme of the contest will be ‘Write a letter to your mother’. For stamp designing, the theme will be ‘Folk dances of J&K’. Prizes will be distributed among the winners of these competitions in both districts,” he said. Samuel said in Rajouri and Poonch districts, the J&K Postal Circle had taken the responsibility of giving scholarships (offered by the government) to over 55,000 schoolchildren who have opened their accounts with post offices.

Jammu, February 20
The Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, team beat the RTM University, Nagpur, by 15-12 goals today in the inaugural match of All India Inter-University Korfball Championship which commenced at the University of Jammu (JU) here.

In other matches, the University of Kota beat the Calicut University, the SG Baba Amravati University beat the Gondwana University, the Punjabi University beat the CD Lal University and the University of Pune beat the DCRUST, Murthal. The matches were officiated by Tarandeep Singh, Deepak Dutta, Amit, Ashok 
and Irfan.

Earlier, Minister for Youth Services and Sports Taj Mohi-ud-Din declared the championship open. Speaking on the occasion, the minister said organisation of such events promoted the sports culture in the state.

Taj also lauded the efforts of the JU in organising tournaments of national repute.

Vice-chancellor Prof MPS Ishar asked the participating teams to give their best and assured that all necessary arrangements were in place for their comfortable stay in the campus. 

Poonch, February 20
Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Shamsheer Hussain, today said the Jammu and Kashmir police was taking a keen interest in promoting the culture of this border district. He was speaking at a talent hunt programme, ‘Choona Hai Aasman Season 3’, organised by the Poonch police at Police Lines here. He said the aim of the programme was to bring forth hidden talent. He said budding singers would be provided a platform to exhibit and refine their talent so that they could contest at the state and national level.

Poonch ADC S Jatinder Singh was chief guest on the occasion whereas Prof GL Sharma, principal, Government Degree College, was the guest of honour.

This singing talent hunt show was started by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the state two years back.

This time, 12 students from Poonch district were selected to take part in the competition. Eight students have been selected for the zonal level competition, which is scheduled to be held in Rajouri shortly. A large number of people were present on the occasion to encourage the performers. The programme was divided into two categories and lasted for more than three hours.

Ahsan Asgar and Ramiz Rather bagged the first and second positions, respectively, in the senior category. In the female senior category, Noureen Fatima was adjudged the winner. In the junior female category, Farheen Kousar and Koushiki bagged the first and second positions, respectively. In the junior male category, Danish Khurshid Rather and Pawandeep Singh bagged the first and second positions, respectively.

Sumit Bhardwaj, who was the winner in ‘Choona Hai Aasman Season 2’, also performed on the occasion. Pardeep Khanna, senior Artist of Poonch district conducted the proceedings.

Among others, Prof. G L Sharma, Principal GDC, Jatinder Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Yougal Manhas, Additional Superintendent of Police, Dy SP HQ Mohd Rashid, Dy. SP M A Qureshi, (Organising secretary of the Season 3), Inspector Sanjeev Singh, SHO Poonch and other police officers were present on the occasion. Poonch Superintendent of Police Shamsheer Hussain honored Pardeep Khanna, an artiste and anchor, for his contribution in the field of cultural activities in Rajouri and Poonch districts. 

Jammu, February 20
Minister for Public Enterprises, Haj and Auqaf Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed today said the adjoining area of Jamia Masjid Sharief, Talab Khatikhan, would be developed as per the Jammu Master Plan. The Minister was chairing a meeting of officers of the Revenue Department, Jammu Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority, Auqaf Islamia and the Jammu Police to take stock of the progress on the reconstruction of Jamia Masjid, Talab Khatikhan.

The minister said the residential buildings and commercial establishments in the adjoining areas would be developed according to the Jammu Master Plan. He said the development as per the Master Plan would add to the attraction of the area and would help in promotion of business activities.

Peerzada asked the Revenue Department, JMC and Auqaf authorities to work in coordination to remove the bottlenecks in the land acquisition for road widening leading to the mosque and expansion of its area.

The minister was told that the process for acquisition of land for the widening of the road had been initiated and would be completed within ten days. The officers concerned told him that steps had been taken by the Auqaf Islamia and the JMC to rehabilitate people who would be affected in the process. Peerzada directed the officers to expedite the construction work. It was decided in the meeting that truck and tippers used for carrying debris and transporting construction material would be allowed only after 9 pm. — TNS

Jammu, February 20
University of Jammu (JU) vice-chancellor Prof Mohan Paul Singh Ishar today felicitated members of the university fencing team which bagged the runners-up trophy in the recently concluded All India Inter-University Fencing Championship held at Punjabi University in Patiala.

A total of 38 teams from all over the country participated in the championship.

The JU fencing team had also clinched the overall trophy in the All India Fencing Inter-University Championship in 2010 in Chandigarh and in 2011 at Jammu. Prof Ishar appreciated the efforts made by the team.

The fencing team comprised Sahib Gupta, Rajay Kumar, Veer Sangram Singh, Satish Kumar, Meheshwar Sharma, Sushant Magotra, Dushant Magotra, Mohd Tariq, Mohit Sharma, Anoop Jyoti and Anupam Pangotra. Rashid Ahmed, an international fencing player imparted coaching to the team.

Varun Salathia and Ajay Khatrol accompanied the team as managers. Directorate of Distance Education director Prof Dhain Singh Bhau, special secretary to vice-chancellor Jai Kumar Sharma and Romesh Sharma were also present on the occasion.

Jammu, February 20
Shiksha Niketan Higher Secondary School, Jeevan Nagar, today organised its 45th foundation day and prize distribution function in here today. BR Kundal, ex-MLC and former Chief Secretary, was the chief guest on the occasion while former minister Abdul Gani Vakil was the guest of honour. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dilbagh Singh and Congress Seva Dal leader Vipan Nischal were the guests of honour. Rameshwar Mengi, principal of the school was also present.

On the occasion, students of the school presented a skit, a Rajasthani dance item and a salsa dance performance. The chief guest released the school magazine, ‘Bagisha’, which highlights the achievements of schoolstudents. 

Jammu, February 20
The Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), Lakhanpur, today sailed into the third round of the pre-quarterfinals by defeating the Satyam XI by five wickets in the Kathua Premier League Twenty20 Tournament at Sports Stadium, Kathua.

Earlier, the KV won the toss and opted to field. The Satyam XI made 105 runs in 16.3 overs. Vishwajeet and Avinash were the top scorers from the Satyam XI with 23 runs each. Ashutosh took seven wickets. In reply, the KV did the needful for the loss of five wickets in 17.5 overs.

Later, the KV attained the goal with ease, making 108 runs in 17.5 overs with five wickets in hand.

Mrigank was the top scorer with 26 runs followed by Karan who made 21 runs. Avinash and Anmol claimed two wickets each from the Satyam XI. Ashutosh was adjudged the man of the match. The match was officiated by Arvind Bhardwaj and Abhinav Sharma as umpires while Munish was the scorer.