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| Road widening work moves snails
pace Farooq to inaugurate Second Tawi bridge on July 21 Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah will inaugurate Second bridge over river Tawi which has been completed by the...more Style Mini
Kings Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: Style Mini Kings, specially launched to cater to the stylish and discerning smokers.......more JK Bank
scrips Excelsior Correspondent MUMBAI, July 18: Even as the Indo-Pak talks fell through, the share price of Jammu and Kashmir Bank which.....more Disabled
persons Excelsior Correspondent DODA, July 18: Disabled persons of Jammu-Kashmir Handicapped Welfare Association, district Doda organised a rally at district headquarters......more Government
introduces Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 18: The State Government has launched various financing schemes for the economic upliftment......more |
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Maharashtra
Government Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 18: The Government of Maharashtra at the instance of J&K Police Chief, Mr A K Suri and persistent......more Employees
working Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: Justice T S Doabia of the State High Court has held that the employees working within eight kilometers of Municipal limits.....more Rush
of pilgrims declines Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: With a considerable decline in the rush of Amarnath pilgrims from outside the state for over a week now.....more Paswan
visiting on July 29 Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: The National president of Lok Jan Shakti Party and Union Communication Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan is visiting Jammu on July 29............more |
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Road widening work moves snails
pace Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah will inaugurate Second bridge over river Tawi which has been completed by the concerned agencies JKPCC and PWD to take on the heavy volume of city traffic. A senior official from PWD told Excelsior that earlier dates given for the inauguration could not be materialised as the Chief Minister was abroad and remained busy thereafter, in view of India-Pak summit and his other important engagements. He said that bridge has been flood-lit and the entire pending work on the bridge has been completed with the best efforts of JKPCC team in association with PWD officials. He disclosed that 299 mts long four lane bridge has been completed after long struggle of about nine years with the cost of about Rs 8.5 crores. Earlier Banka Companay had been alloted the work which consumed a lot of time in early 4-5 five years. It is balanced Cantilever prestressed type bridge having width of 21.88 mts and 1.20 mts Central Verge. The height of the pier is 19.27 mts and the depth of the well foundation remained up to the level of 18.90 mts. It has Mageba strip seal type of expansion joints and has capability to carry heay loads as well, he added. Meanwhile, the work of widening on Dennis Gate—Jogi Gate-Gujjar Nagar road up to bridge has been moving with snails pace even as the CM is going to throw it open to traffic on Saturday. The PWD authorities are contemplating a proposal to have alternate road through Qasim Nagar, adjoining Exhibition Ground. An alternate approach road to second Tawi bridge via Qasim Nagar and new cremation ground road is being constructed following pressure from the political circles. After having this road the entire traffic from old City side would come to Dogra Chowk—Exhibition ground, just closer to Ist existing bridge and then proceed to Qasim Nagar, Cremation Ground and Gujjar Nagar to cross the bridge and move towards Railway Station, Narwal and Bahu Fort area. This would again create congestion at the cremation ground site and would cause problem in the free flow of traffic. Moreover, the idea of having a separate and peaceful road to the Jogi Gate Cremation Ground via Qasim Nagar would be defeated. It is pertinent to mention here that during cremation, large number of funeral processionists come to Jogi Gate and due to non-availability of parking space they park their vehicles, scooters, motor-cycles etc. along the road. It causes lot of inconvenience to the vehicular traffic plying on this road. With the opening of second Tawi bridge, the problem will increase manifold. In order to overcome this problem and to have enough parking place, about 575 mts long two lane separate road was constructed via Qasim Nagar to the cremation ground site by allotting special funds by the Government. But unfortunately, the diversion will frustrate the purpose of constructing this separate cremation ground road. A senior functionary in Public Works Department said that way back in 1994, the work of widening of the approach road from Dennis Gate (Vivekanand Chowk) to Gujjar Nagar road was taken up by Core Area Development wing of PWD. Under this project over Rs 150 lakhs was spent in widening this road extended up to Gujjar Nagar and Tehsil road. Now this amount is considered to have drained if this project is suspended. Following opposition by a few residents of Gujjar Nagar to have four lane road, the government appeared to have surrendered. As per a survey conducted by the PWD Division -II, about 27 kanals of land is being acquired including some standing concrete structures involving shops and houses on both side of this road. The residents of the area are opposing the construction of four-lane road and met the Works Minister Ali Mohammed Sagar and the Chief Engineer PWD, S. Ravinder Singh. The sources said some key officials in the JKPCC and PWD have devised a convenient way of favouritism to their blue-eyed boy. The senior officials in the PWD have reportedly given the cost offer to the agency which constructed this bridge. The alternate approach road work measuring about 110 mts from Qasim Nagar side has been allotted to the JKPCC agency. It is estimated that the work of filling and raising retaining wall ranging from 2 to 7 metres on both the sides, is expected to be completed within the amount of Rs 70—80 lakhs even if the Italian or French technology is adopted. The PWD authorities say that Rs 7 crores has to be paid as compensation to about 126 shopkeepers and other house owners who are to be displaced in road widening process. They say that project report has been submitted to the Land Acquisition authorities of the Revenue Department for further action. |
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Style Mini Kings attracts JK people Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: Style Mini Kings, specially launched to cater to the stylish and discerning smokers in the younger segment, has caught the smokers fancy. It has made enroads in the major towns of the region. Launched recently, in leading cities of the country Style Mini Kings is the first brand in Rs 10 per pack category, to feature the ultra-modern Bar code on the pack. Enhancing their existing range of well-known brands in the cigarette market, GTC Industries Limited have positioned this brand as an exclusive one in an attractive pack in the competitive market. Striving to create an ideal top of mind recall for Style among the targeted segment, the young folk the Style campaign has been an aggressive one, specially in their major markets. |
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JK Bank scrips firm despite Agra Summit failure Excelsior Correspondent MUMBAI, July 18: Even as the Indo-Pak talks fell through, the share price of Jammu and Kashmir Bank which touched an all time high of rupees 47.5 on July 16, remained steady. The Jammu and Kashmir Bank is the only Bank headquartered in the troubled state. Riding on early signals, the scrip moved up on July 16, hoping that there could be positive outcome of the Summit. " It had picked up the early signals, but surprisingly didn’t falter after the talks failed", said an analyst. Although the first public sector bank in the country promoted by J&K Government in 1938, the Bank enjoys the status of a private bank. Incidentally it is the only private bank which has been entrusted with the responsibility of covering the State level Bankers Committee constituted by the Reserve Bank of India. It is also the lead bank in eight of the 14 districts of the State. The Bank has the unique distinction of being the banker of J&K State Government, and has also been appointed by RBI as its agency in J&K responsible for carrying general banking business of the Central Government and collection of taxes pertaining to CBDT. As per the existing arrangement between Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Bank, all State Government department accounts are maintained with the Bank. |
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Disabled persons organise rally Excelsior Correspondent DODA, July 18: Disabled persons of Jammu-Kashmir Handicapped Welfare Association, district Doda organised a rally at district headquarters wherein they alleged that the State Government has turned a Nelson’s eye towards their miserable plight. As per a release, shouting slogans a large number of disabled persons complained that the politicians and the officials have done nothing for redressing their grievances and none of the authorities shown any sincerity in providing any relief to the disabled community of the district. Doda district president of the Association Farooq Ahmed said that all the union members are ignored by the authorities and alleged that authorities are giving step-motherly treatment to the disabled persons. He complained that authorities have failed to implement the Disabled Act of 1998 in toto. Speaking on the occasion, S A Ali alleged that the authorities are pushing the handicapped persons to the wall so that they would beg on streets. No body had taken compassionately that the disabled persons want to live with dignity by way of seeking self-employment and starting their own industrial units. He said that project reports had been framed and several cases recommended to the State Financial Corporation Doda for financial assistance but Branch Manager Doda showed his inability to provide any assistance to the disabled persons. He appealed the Managing Director SFC to give instructions to the Branch Manager Doda for sanctioning loan in favour of disabled community. The Association alleged that the officials of Social Welfare Department had swindled the monthly pension of disabled persons and demanded that pension stopped by the Government between the age group of 19 to 39 should be released immediately and enhanced upto Rs 1500 per month. Later, a memorandum was formulated under the presidentship of Dr Mohd Iqbal Zargar and was submitted to DC and CEO Doda for consideration. |
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Government introduces various
schemes for Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 18: The State Government has launched various financing schemes for the economic upliftment of weaker sections particularly for the minorities and those belonging to scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. These include loaning with bank tie-up and direct financing in collaboration with National SC&ST Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) and National Backward Classes Finance Development Corporation (NBCFDC). An exclusive body called J&K SC, ST & BC Development Corporation has been set-up, which undertakes wide range of activities in collaboration with NSFDC, NBCFDC & NKSFDC for socio-economic upliftment of scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. Besides, these the J&K Development Corporation is also collaborating with National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) and J&K Women’s Development Corporation for economic upliftment of the members of minorities living below poverty line. Under the loaning with bank tie-up scheme the corporation arranges, in each district a certain amount of credit, which is to be advanced by different commercial rural and scheduled banks to the beneficiaries sponsored under the scheme. For the loans involving higher unit cost, interest subsidy is also available in addition to normal subsidy. To make the scheme viable and feasible the beneficiary has to pay the amount sanctioned as loan in easy installments over a specified period of time. Under the direct financing schemes the corporation acts as a channelizing agency for the flow of credit from NSFDC, NBCFDC & NKSFDC. Wide range of feasible income generating units particularly in trade, industry, agriculture or service sectors is financed under the said schemes. At present under direct financing schemes, the beneficiary has to contribute only 5 to10 percent of the project cost after examination of suitability and feasibility of the project by the authorities. The selected beneficiary has also to enter into a legal agreement with the corporation for the amount of loan sanctioned and has to complete all such formalities as the management may prescribe. Under the scheme all payments are made directly to the seller/authorized agency and only assets will be given to the beneficiary. The corporation has been also entrusted with the responsibility to act as nodal agency for rehabilitation of persons engaged in occupation of manually removing the night soil and filth under the National Scheme for Liberation and Rehabilitation of Scavengers and their Dependents. Under this scheme, financial assistance is being provided to the scavengers and their dependents to take up alternative dignified occupations in trade, agriculture and service sectors. For effective and progressive implementation of the scheme, the corporation organizes training courses for Scavengers and their dependents at the nearest training institution/centres of the State and Central government. NGOs assistance is also being sought for the purpose of imparting specialized skilled training in trades like cutting, motor winding, computers, house wiring motor driving, etc. A monthly stipend of Rs 150 is also paid to those undergoing training in these courses besides providing financial assistance for setting up of their own entrepreneur unit. |
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Maharashtra Government
concedes reservation Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 18: The Government of Maharashtra at the instance of J&K Police Chief, Mr A K Suri and persistent follow up by Thakur Randhir Singh, former Minister, has conceded to the reservation for the wards of J&K police personnel in the Technical colleges of Maharashtra State. Mr Suri said that over 500 officers and jawans of the force have laid down their lives while fighting militancy in the state during the last few yeara. It was the sacrifices coupled with the relentless fight of the force against the ongoing insurgency that the DGP forcefully initiated the issue of reservation for the wards of police personnel in the technical colleges of Maharashtra state. The matter initiated by DGP was then persistently followed up by Thakur Randhir Singh with the Maharashtra Government. The Maharashtra Government, it may be pointed out, has already extended this concession to the wards of Kashmiri migrants, All India Services and Defence Personnel serving in J&K state. The said concession of reservation in Technical colleges has been granted to the wards of J&K police personnel right from the current year by Maharashtra Government. The DGP has asked his officers and men to avail of this concession of reservation for their wards in Mahashtra state. The forms and other details can be had from Maharashtra Saddan, New-Delhi. Last date for submitting the details in a prescribed proforma is 25th July, 2001. |
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Employees working within 8 Kms entitled to HRA: HC Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: Justice T S Doabia of the State High Court has held that the employees working within eight kilometers of Municipal limits are entitled to House Rent Allowance (HRA) at the rate of 15 percent in Jammu. The observation was made on a petition filed by the employees of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghathan seeking HRA on the grounds that they were posted at Nagrota, which is an urban agglomeration of Jammu city and therefore, the petitioners are entitled to HRA at the rate of 15 percent, since Jammu being declared as B2 city. It was pointed that Nagrota falls within eight kilometers of Jammu Municipal Limits and there is no sufficient residential accommodation at Nagrota, and such they were accordingly putting up in Jammu city. The Court said that Union of India and others would take assertions of the petitioners that they are residing in the city of Jammu and accordingly entitled to HRA on the basis of their residence. Decision be taken within a period of three months and till then the interim order passed by this earlier shall continue to operate. Justice Doabia observed that so far as City Compensatory Allowance (CCA) is concerned, the decision of December 28, 1998 does not deal with the same, that would continue to be governed by the earlier order." This is because there is no dispute and grant of CCA has not been dealt with in the order of December 28, 1998". With these observations, Justice Doabia disposed off the petition. P S Dutta and D S Chouhan appeared for the petitioners, while’s P S Chandel represented Union of India. |
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Rush of pilgrims declines Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: With a considerable decline in the rush of Amarnath pilgrims from outside the state for over a week now, the authorities here today registered 970 more stranded pilgrims. According to official sources, these registrations were made at Ambedkar and Chanderbagha Community Halls by a team of the officials this afternoon. The sources said 500 pilgrims were registered at Ambedkar Hall while 470 were registered at Chanderbagha Hall. Not only all the stranded pilgrims were registered today but those who also reached here by train at 1100 hours were also accommodated, the sources said. Meanwhile, the rush of pilgrims has further declined with only 2,034 yatris leaving for Nunwan Camp this morning from M A Stadium Base Camp. This is the lowest number of pilgrims leaving for the Holy Camp since the month long yatra started on July 2. There was no usual hustle and bustle at M A Stadium when this reporter visited their this evening. In past two weeks the stadium was seen overcrowded by pilgrims and vehicles by the evening but today there were hardly few hundred pilgrims and two video coaches inside. Even there was no usual rush at the free community langers in the Stadium organised by Shiv Sena Bal Thakeray J&K Unit, Sewa Samiti Shri Ganga Nagar and Shiv Shakti at the Stadium. The sudden decline in the pilgrims traffic from rest of country has come as a rude shock to various Hindu organisations associated with the Baba Amarnath yatra from years together. While the founder trustee of Baba Amarnath Yatri Niyas, Mr Tilak Raj and president J&K Unit of VHP Dr Rama Kant Dubey held the State Government responsible for the declining rush, the Shiv Sena leaders Mr Vipin Hindu and Suresh Mahey termed it a deliberate conspiracy launched by the Government to discourage the Amarnath pilgrims. They said how do expect that the pilgrims number will increase when they are subjected to lathicharge and other kind of harassment here through the hands of administration. Meanwhile the pilgrims at Nunwan Camp had a providential escape from cloudburst during intervening night of July 16-17. The impact of which was reduced to inundation of the area by five to six feet with no injuries to anyone as the scientific arrangements were in advance made by the administration. This was stated in an official handout issued here today. It said the Mahagunas Top also had snow fall. However, the weather was pleasant today and both the tracks were through for pilgrim traffic. One pilgrims, Mr Vaishno Prasad Patel, son of Damoda of Mehsana Gujarat died at Panjtarni due to cardiac arrest today. It said With the arrival of 2,034 more pilgrims today , the total number of yatris reaching the Kashmir Valley has touched 90,000 mark till this evening. Of them nearly 82,600 pilgrims had performed darshan of the Icy Lingam at the Cave Shrine and 79,000 returned from Baltal and Pahalgam tracks. Meanwhile the various Government agencies associated with the welfare of the Yatris and smooth conduct of the pilgrimage conducted a surprise raid of various markets to check the eatables sold to pilgrims. The raids were jointly conducted by the officials of Weights and Measures, Health Department and Jammu Municipality and 28 shopkeepers were challaned for supplying substandard food to yatris at different places of the City. On spot Rs 5,900 were recovered from them as compensation. The raids were conducted under PFA Act an official spokesman informed Excelsior. So far 128 shopkeepers and 67 auto rikshaw operators have been challaned since the yatra started on July 2 and an amount of Rs 57,750 have been recovered from them. |
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Paswan visiting on July 29 Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: The National president of Lok Jan Shakti Party and Union Communication Minister, Mr Ram Vilas Paswan is visiting Jammu on July 29. This was stated by Party’s state unit president Peerzada Abdul Hamid while talking to media persons here today. He said a big public rally will also be organised on the occasion to test the Party’s base and strength in the State which among others will be addressed by Mr Paswan. Peerzada while highlighting the problems of the hapless people of the State who have been crushed by 12 year long turmoil said his Party is committed to the welfare of downtrodden and weaker sections of the society. He said Mr Paswan during his visit will announce a package for the unemployed youth of the State. The Minister will be accompanied by the other senior national leaders of the Party, he added. He said the State unit has apprised Mr Paswan of the problems being faced by the people of state on account of militancy and unemployment. Besides, Mr Hamid said like the other parts of the country his Party will organise the rallies on all district headquarters in the state in support of the several demands of the people. These demands he said, include that the right to employment be included in the fundamental rights, students below 14 years be provided equal opportunities in education, students living below poverty line be provided free uniforms, school books etc, population control programme be got implemented, the Government should provide interest free loan and full security to all the hawkers, rehri and Khokha owners in the country, special programmes be initiated for the upliftment of Dalits and poor people in the country and SCs and STs should be provided Government jobs in proportion with their population. Mr Pankaj Kohli the new state general secretary of the Party who joined it recently while expressing full faith in the leadership of Mr Paswan and Peerzada said the Lok Jan Shakti is the champion of down trodden and weaker sections of the society. He said the Party has a firm believe in the social and secular values. A delegation of the Party will visit Srinagar to hoist the National Tri Colour there on the eve of Independence Day this year, said Mr V K Misra district president of the Party. Peerzada Hamid also disclosed that Mr Jagjiwan Singh a JJSF leader who resigned from the Party and joined Lok Jan Shakti has been nominated president of Party’s Chatra wing while Mr Vikas Padha who also deserted the JJSF has been nominated as vice president of Chatra Wing. |
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Begum Salaria inaugurates Impo Collection shoppee Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: A Gift Shoppee under the name and style of "Impo-Collections" at Indira Market, Parade, was inaugurated by Begum Zubaida Salaria, MLA and provincial president J&K National Conference (women wing) Jammu. As per a release the function was attended by a large number of people and office bearers of the National Conference Party. Speaking on the occasion Begum Zubaida Salaria apprised the people that Government has set up various schemes for the educated unemployed youth and for down trodden. Begum Salaria told the gathering that loans are being provided by the Government on subsidized rates of which unemployed youth should avail benefits to make their own employment avenues for eradicating unemployment. She stressed upon the need of maintaining communal harmony for strengthening the State as well as the Nation. The participants putforth some demands before the National Conference leader who apprised them that their genuine demands will be taken up with the concerned authorities for an early fulfillment. Prominent among those present on the occasion included Mrs Lalita Sharma, Mumtaz Begum, Amita Thakur, Sudesh Sharma, Raj Pal Gupta, Sunil Kumar and Ashok Kumar. |
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5 HoDs, Dean, Provost
replaced with new ones Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 18: In a major administrative reshuffle in Jammu University, the Vice-Chancellor today replaced five Heads-of-Department with new ones and also nominated new Dean for Department of Students Welfare as well as Provost. Prof Kiran Sumbli has replaced Dr S P Suri as HoD Education while Prof G V R Prasad has been nominated as new Head of Geology Department replacing Dr G L Dhar. Prof Zahur-ud-Din, who is also Registrar Jammu University and Dean Languages, has been relieved from his post of HoD Urdu with the nomination of Prof Khursheed Hamara Siddiqui as new Head of the Urdu Department. Prof O P Sharma has replaced Dr Baldev Sharma as new HoD of Zoology while Dr R N Gohil has been nominated as new Head of Botony Department replacing Dr Shashi Kant. The Vice-Chancellor also ordered the appointment of Prof R D Sharma as new Dean Students Welfare replacing Prof N A Ganai. Dr Nirmal Singh, who has been relieved from Wardenship of Nehru Hostel, replaced Dr Dhyan Singh as Assistant Dean Students Welfare. Dr Lokesh Verma succeeded Prof O P Sharma as new Provost while Warden of Girls’ Hostel Dr Archna Kesar was replaced by Aabha Chouhan of Sociology Department. Prof Zahur-ud-Din, who has been replaced by Prof Siddiqui as HoD Urdu, will, however, continue to remain incharge of the newly introduced course of M.A. Urdu (Professional) and Chief Editor of the bi-yearly magazine ‘Taselsul’. According to the JU Director Information Dr Pritam Singh, the reshuffle was in routine and the new nominations have been made on rotational basis. The reshuffle in the Department of Students Welfare and appointment of new Provost as well as warden have been made by the Vice-Chancellor Prof R R Sharma with effect from August 6. However the nominations of new Heads of Departments will effect from different dates. Prof Kiran Sumbli, Prof G V R Prasad and Prof Khursheed Hamara Siddiqui will take over from the incumbent HoDs on August 8 while Prof R N Gohil and Prof O P Sharma on August 12. |
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