BBA and BCA courses introduced in degree colleges- Shafi
Science stream started in Doda, Kishtwar Colleges

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 20: Keeping pace with the latest technological scenario, professional courses in Business Administration and Computer application have been introduced in various colleges of Jammu and Kashmir. The Government has started Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Government College Bemina, Srinagar and Bachelor of Computer application (BCA) in Government Gandhi Memorial Science College, Jammu and Government College for Boys, Baramulla-Srinagar. The BBA course already exist in Islamia College of Science and Technology, Srinagar and SPMR Commerce College of Jammu.

In yet another decision the Government has decided to start science stream in Government degree colleges of Doda and Kishtwar from the coming academic session. This was announced by the Minister for Education, Mr Mohammad Shafi here today. Mr Shafi said that complete arrangements have been made for funding, for setting up the science faculty and also to provide the necessary laboratory equipment in these colleges.

Mr Shafi said that in the present scientific age, the students from every nook and corner of the State must be able to pursue their education in the field of science and computers in their nearest colleges. The effort of the Government is to introduce science stream in all degree colleges of the state in a phased manner. Degree Colleges of Leh and Kargil are next under consideration for the introduction of science courses, the Minister added.

In all 30 Colleges of general education are present in the State. Of them 21 including Doda and Kishtwar Degree Colleges, will now have science as a subject for the students, Mr Shafi said.

Convinced of the dominant role the IT has in new millennium touching all facets of human activities, J&K Government has approved introduction of IT related courses in all Government Polytechnics and most of the Engineering Colleges of the State. This will help meeting the growing demand of such professionals within and outside the State, Mr Shafi added.

Diploma in Information Technology has already been introduced in four institutes including KITE Polytechnic and Mastro Polytechnic, Srinagar besides National Institute of Technology, Mahant Bachitar Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Jammu, having 60 seats each. Sanction has also been given to introduce IT courses at Model Institute of Engineering and Technology, Jammu, the Minister informed.

The intake capacity of polytechnics and engineering colleges is planned to be almost doubled for courses in computer applications in coming session. BCA and MCA courses have also been introduced in some of the Colleges in the State.

Rs 26.99 crore taxes collected at Lakhanpur check posts
Finance Minister’s surprise visit to Lakhanpur.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 20: The Sales Tax and Excise Check Posts at Lakhanpur have made tax collections of Rs 26.99 crore during April- June this year, registering an increase of Rs 3.43 crores over the corresponding period of last year.

This was stated during a surprise inspection of the Check Posts at Lakhanpur by the Finance Minister, Mr Abdul Rahim Rather, yesterday evening. The Minister went round various sections of these Check Posts and took stock of their working. He issued on the spot instructions for effecting further improvements in their working.

The Finance Minister was told that greater vigil coupled with effective supervision and transparency in the working of the posts has largely contributed in improving the tax collections.

The Minister was informed that an amount of Rs 24.39 crore was collected at the post on account of Toll during the period April-June this year. This reflects an increase of Rs 2.45 crore of Toll over the collections made during the same period of last year.

The Sales Tax Check Post an Lakhanpur, the Minister was told has registered an increase of over 60% in its tax collections during the first quarter of the current financial year over the collections of corresponding period last year. The collections have increased to Rs 2.60 crore.

The Minister was apprised of the measures taken at these Check Posts for surveillance to foil the attempts of tax evasion and enforcement of greater tax compliance. He was told that this year they are expecting to register considerable increase in their revenues over the collections of last year, which too had shown remarkable increase.

The Finance Minister while appreciating the measures taken for improving the working and increasing the revenues stressed upon the functionaries to see that the tax collections at these posts are made within the minimum possible time. This besides minimizing the inconvenience to the people will also help in smooth flow of traffic. He issued instructions for removing bottlenecks in the way of smooth flow of the traffic.

The Minister issued instructions to the District Development Commissioner, Kathua to start the proceedings for acquisition of land in the recently formulated Rs 17 crore Master Plan conceived for Lakhanpur. This, he said has to be done with missionary zeal to give a new improved gateway of the State.

HC frames Robkar against Jaswal

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 20: Justice R C Gandhi of the State High Court has directed the Registry to frame Robkar against B S Jaswal, Controller of Examination, Competent Authority Entrance Examination to show cause within three weeks as to why he be not punished for having committed contempt of court.

The Justice observed that it is now made out that the requisition was made for 13 candidates for undergoing MS Course in Government Medical College Jammu and not for 11 candidates, which was the false stand of Competent Authority Entrance Examination. "The respondents knowing well that their stand before the court is false, have vehemently contested to make the court to believe their false version as truth. During the course of argument, the Competent Authority has misled the court in judicial proceedings, which amounts to the commission of the contempt of court", the court observed.

Justice Gandhi further observed that H A Siddique, Government Advocate has admitted and filed communication of July 9, 2001 which reveals that Dr Ritesh Monga is not undergoing MS Surgery course and is absenting right from June 18, 2001. According to the information of the petitioner, the said doctor is now undergoing MS Surgery course at Varanasi. During the proceedings before the court, the stand of Competent Authority is that, there is no short fall in the discipline of M S Surgery as only 11 candidates required for undergoing the course. The petitioner has made out that the stand of the respondents was false and taken with the intention to cause harm to the petitioner. "The petitioner has successfully proved his stand prima facie as the counsel for the respondents has admitted that the requisition was for 13 candidates. Since a seat is vacant and according to second choice of the petitioner in terms of the application forms, he is entitled to selection and admission to MS Surgery against the seat vacated by Dr Ritesh Monga. Accordingly, Principal Government Medical College Jammu will admit the petitioner Dr Vineet Mahajan to undergo the course in M S Surgery", it was ordered.

Advocate J P Singh appeared for the petitioner in this case.

One day convention of ex-policemen held

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 20: One day zonal convention of retired police personnel of Kupwara-Baramullah zone was held at Baramullah which was presided over by Mr M M Khajooria, Chairman of the J&K Ex-Policemen League.

As per a release, around 400 delegates from all parts of the hilly and far-flung areas including Keran, Karnah, Gurez and Uri attended the convention. It was for the first time that representatives from Jammu region interacted with their colleagues on issues of common concern.

Delivering the presidential address, Mr Khajooria congratulated the organisors and the delegates for their enthusiasm, unity and commitment to the cause of the welfare of ex-policemen and their families.

Employment opportunities for their children, timely release of pensionary benefits, upwards revisions of financial powers of district SSP for granting relief for health care expenses, easy accessibility to senior police officers and identification of the problems of families of deceased ex-policemen were the main problems highlighted during the convention.

He reminded those present on the occasion that bio-data of childrens of ex-policemen seeking employment is already being collected. He appealed the Chief Minister to translate his publically declared and oft repeated commitment to the welfare of ex-policemen by fully implementing the welfare scheme approved by the State Cabinet two years ago.

He also reminded the CM that issues of GP Fund Pass Books and augumentation of health care facilities approved by him in 1997 were yet to be implemented.

Messrs Kirat Singh, retd DIG, Amin Shah, DIG Barumullah Kupwara Range, P R Sharma, Harmesh Sharma, Anoop Singh, Ab Qayoom, Gh Mohhiuddin, Gh Rasool, Gh Mohd and Gh Hassan Masala were among others who spoke on the occasion.

Discrimination against Gaddis, Sippis alleged

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 20: National Panthers Party MLA from Ramnagar has criticised Government for its alleged discriminatory attitude towards Gaddis and Sippis in reservation to Government services and admissions in professional colleges.

As per a release, Mr Singh pointed out that members of these communities who comprise the Scheduled Tribe category have been included under ‘ Other Scheduled Tribes’ and given only 1 % reservation alongwith various other classes under SRO 126. He said reservation is grossly inadequate and dispropotionate to the ratio which this community bears to the total population of the State.

He further demanded the inclusion of Kolis in Scheduled Tribe category. He regretted that although Sippis and Kolis were synonymous in all respects, but yet the Kolis were deprived of the benefits of the Scheduled Tribe Category. Assailing the hostile treatment to this nomadic class, Mr Singh urged upon the Government to review the reservation rules pertaining to them in the light of the recent census as their population had shown significant increase.

The MLA claimed that Gaddis, Sippis and Kolis who are mostly residents of Dudu Basantgarh block, Basohli, Billawar, Bani, Chenani, Pancheri and Ramban would be holding a convention shortly to highlight their grievances, followed by a protest demonstration.

Students’ rally in Leh against ailing education system

From Tashi Morup

LEH, July 20: Students and members of Village Education Committees and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) today held a rally here to press their demand including setting up of an inquiry committee to find out defects in the prevailing education system.

This was in succession to the earlier protest march taken out by large number of students from different schools following the announcement of the matriculation result wherein 84 percent students were declared failed.

Holding placards and banners, protestants under the banner of Students Sangh started rally from Leh Girls School which after passing through various areas culminated at Old Bus Stand. The placards read "Don’t blame students or teachers and check the system", "Top priority should be given to education" and "Who will return our wasted 10 years".

A social activist Mr G M Sheikh while addressing the rally said that Matriculation result is just a tip of the iceberg and added that the result indicates the problems at the primary level of schooling.

He further said that apart from sudden change in medium of instruction (Urdu to English) no care has been taken towards Government schools. He added that due to the bad condition of education system the influential persons were not getting their wards admitted in Government schools.

Mr Sonam Wangchuk said that this movement has been launched to invite the attention of the administration towards the ailing education system.

Later, the District Education Committee, Leh and the All Ladakh Students Union, Leh presented a memorandum of demands of the students to the Chairman Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.

Akademi confers highest honour on Ramnath Shastri
No one can divide us on language, cultural lines: CM

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 20: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has said India has a unique and diversified culture and no one can divide us on language and cultural lines.

He was speaking at a function organised here this evening to felicitate Padamshree Ram Nath Shastri on being confered the highest honour, the Akademi Fellowship on him for his life long service to Dogri literature.

Sahitya Akademi president Ramakanta Rath and secretary Sachidanand who had come from New Delhi, handed over the Fellowship to Prof Shastri in front of the J&K Chief Minister, Dr Farooq, officials of J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages and galaxy of writers, poets and prominent persons of Jammu.

Dr Abdullah while congratulating Prof Shastri recalled his life long services for the enriching Dogri cultural. He extended his thanks to the officials of the Akademi to recognise the services of this great writer and poet of the state who worked very hard for the upliftment of Dogri. He hoped that Dogri would find place in the 8th Scheduled of Indian Constitution very soon.

Referring to the diversified culture of the state including Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister asserted that no authority on the earth can divide the state on the cultural lines. The culture of the country or a state unites people of different regionsof diversified culture and not let them disintegrated. It is not only one segment of the state which matters but all the regions and their rich contributions in every field.

He appreciated the contributions of the State Cultural Academy secretary Mr Balwant Thakur and others for progress and development of Theatre and maintained that they have played a crucial role to bringing J&K on the cultural map of the country.

Sahitya Akademi president, Mr Rath said it is first time in the history that a Dogri writer has been invested with this great honour. He is guiding spirit of admiration for the others in the field of Dogri literature. Prof Shastri is a great poet, fiction writer, lexicographer, essayist and editor. There are a few persons in India and elsewhere in the world who excel in so many areas of literature. He is among a very few Indian authors who believe that it is their duty to translate outstanding books of other literatures. Prof Shastri represents this civilised temper and is clearly an example to many writers. He conveyed the Akademi’s esteem and good wishes to Professor Shastri.

Interestingly, all the speakers addressed the gathering in Hindi and English, except great writer and poetess -Padma Sachdev, who recalled the old and memorable events of her life and her association with this great writer. Mrs Padma expressed that she is inspired by the personality and achievements of Shastriji who also remained as guiding force for her in the field of literature.

Dogri Santha president, Prof Lalit Magotra and Chairman Kashmir Times group of Publications Mr Ved Bhasin also spoke on the occasion, They recalled the services of Shastriji and maintained that he carried the mission of true service to the Dogri language and also created sense of inspiration among others. Prof Shastri extended thanks to the Akademi officials and others for their felicitation and honour confered on him.

Rs 11.50 cr project for widening of
Batamalloo-Parimpora Road: Sagar

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 20: The Government have formulated a Rs 11.50 crore project for the widening of the Batamalloo-Parimpora Road to ease the traffic rush in the area. The project is being executed under Central Road Fund (CRF) programme.

This was stated by the Minister for Works, Mr Ali Mohammad Sagar while taking stock of the pace of work on the road during his visit to the area today.

The Minister said that the upgraded four-lane road likely to be completed by the end of this year would have a width of 92 feet with concrete foot-paths. Mr Sagar asked the executing authorities to speed up the pace of work on the road so that it is completed at the earliest.

The patch between Batamaloo to Parimpora is a major traffic bottleneck on Srinagar-Uri national highway and with the upgradation of this road patch the traffic rush would be eased to a large extent, the Minister said. He said the government have also taken up with the defence authorities the matter regarding shifting of some barracks from the area presently under the occupation of the army.

The Minister also reviewed the pace of work on the improvement of Dalgate-Harwan Road by way of raising of foot-paths. The work being done at an estimated cost of Rs 1.60 crore is likely to be completed by the end of this month.

Mr Sagar also inspected the progress of work on the four-lane Dalgate bridge which is being executed by the JKPCC. The construction of bridge is part of the programme launched by the Government for the four-laning of Dalgate-Zakoora Road.

The Minister was accompanied by senior officers of various engineering departments.

Deposits touch 189 crores
J&KSCB registers 31% growth in deposits

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 20: The Jammu and Kashmir State Co-operative Bank (J&KSCB) has mobilized deposits of over Rs 45 crores during last year raising its deposits to Rs 189 crore. It has registered 31 per cent growth in its deposits in a single year.

This was stated at a meeting held here today to review the performance of the Bank in various operations from deposit mobilization to purveying of credit to various sectors and industries, besides the operational efficiency, profitability and the reach of the Bank.

The Minister for Agriculture and Co-operatives, Ch Mohammad Ramzan presided.

The Chairman of the Bank, Mr Ghulam Qadir Mir, Chief General Manager, NABARD, Mr B Puri, Secretary Co-operatives, Mr Abdul Salam Bhat, Joint Registrar Co-operatives, senior functionaries, and the branch managers of the bank participated in the meeting.

The Bank has advanced Rs 48.13 crore till the end of 2000-2001 of which, Rs 8.90 crore was advanced for a variety of activities during last year alone. The bank being a development agency has sanctioned 46 per cent of loans in agriculture and rural development sector alone.

It was stated in a meeting that bank has invested 154.16 crore in various investment avenues and the growth rate of investment has been registered 39 per cent.

In order to increase the profitability of the bank it was decided that the bank should go for qualitative lending and ensure recovery of all outstanding loans. The income of the bank has grown by 14 per cent and has earned a net profit of Rs. 44.61 lakhs during last year.

The meeting also decided that in order to bring down the non-performing assets, which account for 26 per cent, the bank should adopt one time settlement scheme as per NABARD guidelines.

Addressing the meeting the Minister stressed the need for improving the branch-wise and employees-wise business. The overdraft of Rs. one crore should be recovered within next three months failing which action against the defaulting manager should be initiated. He also asked the management to reduce its non-performance expenditure and improve its lending pattern. He said the bank being the apex institution in Co-operative Credit structure of the State it has to provide lending facilities to a large section of rural and urban population. The main thrust of lendings by the bank should be on agriculture sector so as to improve the socio-economic conditions of the rural poor, he added. He appreciated the bank for reducing its management cost from 2.09 per cent in 1999-2000 to 1.71 per cent in 2000-01, which is much below the national average of 2.5 per cent. He also laid stress for improving the organizational efficiency of the bank so that it can fulfill its role as a developmental agency in the State.

Ch Ramzan asked the management of the bank to ensure that the entire farming community of Kashmir Valley is covered under the Kissan Credit Card Scheme in next three years. He said the bank has to accordingly fix the targets to achieve this objective within the stipulated time.

Chief General Manager, NABARD, Mr B Puri announced that NABARD has formulated a scheme for advancing loans upto a limit of Rs 5 lakhs on low interest rate under the rural housing scheme. He asked the management to avail the benefits under the scheme.

Chairman of the Bank who also spoke on the occasion enumerated the measures being taken by the management for making it more viable and profitable. He said the bank would be concentrating more on investing in farm sector from this year itself.

Secretary Co-operatives stressed for launching a vigorous drive against the chronic defaulters so as to ensure that the accumulated outstandings are recovered in full in a minimum possible time.

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