Daily Excelsior....News Page

Tension in Doda amid complete bandh
Curfew clamped, army called out in Poonch
*Protests against sacrilegious act

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 23: An indefinite curfew was clamped in Poonch town and army was called out after some College students, protesting desecration of a holy book at Amritsar, went on rampage and clashed with police and civilians resorting to heavy stone pelting. Five persons were injured in the clash which took place when Director General of Police (DGP) A K Suri was holding a meeting for maintaining communal harmony in Poonch town.

A complete bandh was also observed in Doda district amidst mounting tension against the sacrilegious act. Security arrangements have been intensified in the entire Doda district.

Our Poonch correspondent reports that state police chief was holding a meeting of all communities at Dak Bungalow in Poonch and persuading both communities to maintain peace. However, a group of degree college students marched in the town in a procession shouting religious slogans at about 12 noon.

Students clashed with other youths and shopkeepers forcing closure of shops and business establishments. They subjected police parties and shops to heavy stone pelting triggering retaliation from police personnel.

Cops fired teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge at several places in the town, the reports said, adding that clashes continued for about an hour. Entire town was filled with stones and smoke of teargas shells, creating panic among shopkeepers, who downed their shutters and fled away. Government offices also wore a deserted look.

Police and civil official rushed to the spot and ordered imposition of curfew in the entire town. As mob didn’t disperse even after the imposition of curfew and continued to fight pitched battles with cops, the administration deployed army in the town.

Troops strictly enforced curfew restrictions after which law and order was restored. Official sources said situation was ‘very tense’ in the town though it was brought under control by army personnel.

Reports said that majority community had earlier given a call for bandh in Poonch on Monday to protest burning of holy book in New Delhi but with the intervention of administration the call was deferred to Friday. Today, announcements were also made from some religious places for protest against desecration of religious place.

Our Doda correspondent adds: All shops and business establishments remained closed during the day today in entire district against sacrilegious act.

Amidst mounting tension, people came out of their houses and took to streets at many places shouting religious slogans and denouncing the act of burning a religious book at Delhi and Amritsar. They were demanding stern action against the accused.

After Friday prayers this afternoon, several people took out processions. Authorities deployed police and para-military personnel in strength in all sensitive areas of the district to keep a vigil on the situation.

However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of Doda district, official sources said.

Special projects for drought launched
Cooperative elections in April-May: Ramzan

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 23: The Agriculture Minister, Ch Mohammad Ramzan today announced holding of elections to cooperative institutions to restore their democratic character in Jammu and Kashmir. This is the second major decision taken by the State Government in restoring democracy at grass-root level in the militancy hit State after the success achieved in Panchayat elections. These elections are being held after a gap of 25 years.

Winding up the discussion on the demand of grants of the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Legislative Assembly today, the Minister said that election to the multi-purpose cooperative societies will be held in April, marketing societies in the first fortnight of the May and Apex level institutions in the last week of May.

Mr Ramzan said that the process of Panchayat elections, which started in the month of January this year, has been completed in the entire State except the districts of Pulwama and Anantnag and three blocks of Budgam district. He said this process has been achieved despite the fact that against our requirement of 150 companies of paramilitary forces, the Centre made available only 20 companies for conducting these elections in the State.

The Agriculture Minister made a mention of drought condition in the State and said that there had been 72% less rainfall during October and March this year resulting in low discharge in rivers and reduction in water table. Referring to the special efforts being made to tackle the situation, he said the Government has formulated a Micro Management Project under which Rs 16 crore are being spent this year and Rs 45 crore next year. He said the Government of India have already released Rs 10 crore, of which Rs 4 crore have been provided for agriculture sector and similar amount for horticulture sector. Besides Rs 1.60 crore has been earmarked for purchase of pump sets. He said Task Force at State level and Divisional levels have been constituted to monitor the situation arising out of the continuous dry spell. He said the SUKAST has devised new cropping pattern, which require less water. He said 4000 quintals of high varieties of seeds of paddy and wheat valuing at Rs. 21 lakh have been kept in readiness for distribution among the farmers.

Another measure proposed is the introduction of new agriculture insurance scheme, he said and added that this would cover all risk to crops and the premium would be 1.5% to 3 %, half of which will be paid by the government. The State cabinet will take the decision on it soon. Efforts are being made to bring horticulture sector also under the scheme.

Mr Ramzan said that introduction of Kisan Credit Cards Scheme, launched by the Chief Minister in 1998, is a revolutionary step towards improving the financial capacity of farmers in pursuit to higher agricultural production. He said by next three years entire farming community of the State would be given Kisan Credit Cards. He said 15,000 cards have been issued to the farmers this year while one lakh such cards will be issued next year.

The Minister said there has been significant increase in the production of food-grains, milk, wool and mutton during the last two years in the State. He said the State achieved a record production of 18 lakh metric tonnes of food-grains this year against 14 lakh metric tonnes in 1999-2000. This achievement was made possible by transfer of technology and timely supply of inputs to the farmers.

He said out of 14 lakh hectares of agriculture holdings, 7 lakh hectares are cultivable and irrigation facilities are available to only 3 lakh hectares. He said the agriculture sector contributes 39.68 % to State's grass domestic product.

The Minister said that there is no shortage of chemical fertilizers and sufficient stocks have been raised in advance to meet the requirements of the farmers. He said over 15,000 metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers have been stocked in JAKFED and Agro-Industries. MOP has been imported from Jordan to meet the demand of the farmers.

Referring to allegation of sale of spurious fertilizer, the Minister said that the Government have made the law more stringent for such offences. He said punishment of Rs 500 has been raised to Rs 50,000 and in case of second offence the fine would be Rs 75000 with two years imprisonment. He said the Government is contemplating to set up a separate Enforcement Directorate to monitor such sales and bring the unscrupulous elements to book.

Ch Ramzan said that the Rural Development Department has sent 2,720 projects to the Centre for approval under National Rural Road Connectivity Programme launched by Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. R. 25.34 crore have already been released for the purpose while Rs 80 crore are expected to be provided next year.

The Minister also highlighted the achievements of horticulture sector and said that horticulture production has increased from 8.60 lakh metric tonnes in 1995-1996 to 11.5 lakh metric tonnes last year, registering an increase of 35 per cent in four years. The area under orchards has gone up to 2.17 lakh hectares from 1.98 lakh hectares in 1995-1996. He said that horticulture sector generates a revenue of Rs 1000 crore annually besides foreign exchange of Rs 50 to Rs 60 crore through import of Walnuts. He said 16 satellite markets are being set up in the State to provide marketing facilities to the orchardists. Rs 23 crore have been provided for acquisition of land required for these mandies. The work on Rs 14 crore self-financed Sopore fruit mandi is in progress and 700 shops sites are being allotted to the prospective orchardists soon.

Mr Ramzan said that the State is poised for self-sufficiency in milk production in next three years. He said the milk production has touched 962 thousand metric tonnes in 1998-1999 against 930.19 thousand metric tonnes in 1997-1998 indicating a growth rate of 2.79% annually. The egg production has crossed 430 crore eggs against 410 crore eggs in 1997-1998 reflecting the growth rate of 3.4%. Similarly the mutton and wool production has reflected annual growth rate of 4.9% and 6% respectively.

The Minister said that the cocoon production has registered 14% increase during last one year. The production has gone up to 8.28-lakh metric tonnes kilogram in 2000-2001 against 7.31 MT kilograms in 1999-2000. 'A' grade cocoon production has been registered at 83% in Kashmir and 70% in Jammu. The average productivity of cocoon has increased to 35 kilograms in 2000-2001 from 15 kilograms in 1995-1996.

Mr Ramzan said that greater thrust is being laid on Vegetable cultivation and various steps have been taken to boost production. He said as a result of these measures the import of vegetables have come down. Against the import of 1.65 lakh tonnes of vegetables in 1999-2000, the State imported only 97000 metric tonnes in 2000-2001. He said Rs 2 crore have been earmarked for current year to boost the vegetable cultivation in the State. For the first time the State also export it 3404 quintals of tomatoes and quail flowers to different State of the Country.

Mr Tarigami and Mr Somnath withdrew their cut motions while the House rejected the motion moved by Mr Prithvi Chand. Mr Shiv Charan Gupta and Mr Harsh Dev Singh who two had moved cut motions were absent when these were taken up and hence rejected by the House. Later the House passed the grants amounting to Rs 4, 11, 17, 54, 000 for the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Earlier, those who took part in the discussion included Mr Chuni Lal, Mr Harsh Dev Singh, Saif-ullah Mir, Mr Dorjay, Mr A R Veeri, Malijk Abdul Gani, Mr. Mohammad Shafi Bhat, Mr Ashok Sharma, Mr. Mohammad Dilwar Mir, Mr Jagdish Raj Dubey, Mr M Y Tarigami, Qazi Jalal-ud-Din, Mr Sadiq Ali, Mr Prithvi Chand. Sheikh Mohammad Rafi, Mr Jagjivan Lal and Mr Soom Nath.