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Unfilled vacancies withdrawn from SSSRB
Village Committees to make recruitment of teachers
No jobs but Rs 5 Lakh for militancy victims

From Ahmed Ali Fayaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 11: In an unprecedented declaration, Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah today said that all the unfilled vacancies of teachers in the State were being withdrawn from the autonomous State Subordinate Services Recruitment Board (SSSRB) and the recruitments would now be made by Village Level Committees (VLCs) on the pattern of Rehbar-e-Taleem scheme. He also announced that, now on, the families of anybody killed in militancy-related incidents or cross-border shelling would get ex gratia of Rs 5 Lakh in cash and the system of providing jobs under SRO-43 had been abolished.

Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah’s all important statement came during the course of supplementaries over Panthers Party MLA Harsh Dev Singh’s question regarding non-functional schools in Jammu & Kashmir. In reply to the basic question, during the Question Hour of today’s proceedings in the Legislative Assembly, Education Minister Mohammad Shafi claimed that all the defunct educational institutions had been re-activated by the National Conference Government. He denied having stated in the Budget Session of the State Legislature that he would step down as Education Minister in case he failed to revive all the non-functional schools in a stipulated period of three months.

Harsh Dev insisted that the Government had failed to revive the non-functional schools. He alleged that there had been glaring irregularities in Rehbar-e-Taleem scheme and rather than making the schools functional it had come as a boon for corrupt elements. He claimed that in spite of the official claim hundreds of schools had still unfilled vacancies and those appointed as teachers on contract basis had been posted disproportionately in different schools.

Making an intervention, Dr Abdullah asked his Education Minister why the unfilled vacancies be not filled by VLCs on the pattern of Rehbar-e-Taleem. Mr Shafi opined that it could well be decided by the Cabinet. Thereupon, Dr Abdullah told the House: "As Chief Minister of the State, I, hereby, announce that all the vacancies of teachers, which had been referred to Services Recruitment Board but the interviews for the same could not be conducted till date, are being withdrawn immediately. Village Committees will be restructed with more educated members and the same shall make recruitments of the teachers".

Chief Minister said that similar committees would be constituted in urban localities for the purpose of making recruitment of teachers under Rehbar-e-Taleem scheme. Dr Abdullah regretted that the process of selection by SSSRB was too sluggish and time consuming.

Even as Dr Abdullah’s announcement spread a wave of joy among the treasury benches, Opposition members like Harsh Dev and Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami of CPI(M) opposed the same strongly. They expressed apprehensions that the novel system of making Government recruitments would accentuate the rot of corruption and, consequently, lead to abject degradation of institutions in the State.

Later, in reply to a question by BSP leader Sheikh Abdur Rehman, Chief Minister announced that the system of providing Government jobs to a family member of any individual killed in militancy-related incidents, under SRO-43, had been abolished with immediate effect and today onwards State would instead pay sum of Rs 5 Lakh in cash as ex gratia munificence. He informed the questioner that as many as 3,500 cases, under SRO-43, were pending with the State Government as there were no jobs. Dr Abdullah said that necessary decision in the matter would soon be taken in a Cabinet meeting.

As Mr Rehman expressed his apprehension that Dr Abdullah’s announcement may not be implemented "like so many of his commitments", Chief Minister assured him that cheques of Rs 5 Lakh would be drawn without any delay and the same would be delivered on the victim’s family through MLA and DC concerned. While the announcement generated a debate in the House whether a Government job was better for the families or the ex gratia in cash, NC’s MLA from Doda Khalid Najeed Suharwadey remarked in lighter vein that the families, "thanks to our system," would have to spare Rs 2 Lakh and they would get the job as well.

"Those members who would be found taking bribe of Rs 2 Lakh from the families would have to face Jaya Lalitha’s fate", Dr Abdullah warned his own colleagues.

Shrine Board for Amarnath, elections to co-operative
societies in 6 months

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Oct. 11: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has decided to set up Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

The State Cabinet, which met here late last evening with Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah in the chair, took this decision.

Announcing the Cabinet decisions, the Chief Secretary, Mr Ashok Jaitly said that the proposed Board would be on the pattern of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. A Bill in this regard will be prepared by the Tourism Department to give a statutory status to the proposed Board.

Need for a statutory Board for Shri Amarnath Shrine was felt in view of the requirement for strengthening and creating adequate infrastructure for the pilgrimage in south Kashmir. The shrine, receiving increasing number of devotees, was thronged by a record number of 1.80 lakh pilgrims this year. Six to seven years ago, their number used to be less than 50,000. The pilgrimage passes through difficult and snow bound mountain ranges where better infrastructure is required to be created for convenience of the pilgrims.

Mr Jaitly said the Cabinet also decided to make cooperative societies, especially the apex societies, fully representative. These bodies have since been superceded and are presently being managed by the Government through nominated boards. It directed that the Cooperative Department should complete all formalities, including finalisation of rules, within one month and hold elections within six months.

By another decision, it approved the proposed amendment in Jammu and Kashmir Societies Registration Act. It provides for powers of registration of Forest Development Agencies and Village Forest Committees by Chief Conservator of Forests or by any other officer appointed by the Government. For the purpose, the memorandum of association shall be filed with the Chief Conservator of Forests or any other officer appointed by the Government.

Mr Jaitly said that by another decision, Cabinet approved the draft Jammu and Kashmir Willow (Prohibition on Export and Movement) Bill which provides for prohibition on export and movement of willow wood outside the State. The willow tree is the monopoly of Kashmir and is used for manufacturing cricket bats.

The Cabinet also approved the draft bills for amendment to the J&K Grant of Permanent Resident Certificate (Procedure) Bill and J&K Veterinary Council Bill. All these draft bills would be introduced in the legislature for approval.