CM favours currency instead of barter system of trade
PM should accept Zardari’s invitation to visit Pak: Omar
*Election soon to 4 seats of MLCs

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing a public meeting
at Poonch on Thursday.
(See more pic....)

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Apr 26: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should accept the invitation of Pakistan visit extended to him by President Asif Ali Zardari during his one day visit to India recently. He hoped that upcoming meeting between Home Secretaries of India and Pakistan would take a decision on use of currency to boost cross-LoC trade on Poonch-Rawlakote and Uri-Muzaffarabad routes to replace barter system. In a brief chat with media persons in Poonch on first day of his two days tour to the border district, Omar referred to the invitation extended to Dr Manmohan Singh by Mr Zardari during his one-day visit to India on April 7. Mr Zardari had visited Ajmer Sharief and met Dr Singh. He had invited Dr Singh to Pakistan. Omar said good relations between India and Pakistan would directly benefit Jammu and Kashmir and intensify ......more

Pradeep new Div Com Jammu
Major reshuffle in Police Deptt

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 26: State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, this evening, ordered two transfers in the Civil Administration and major reshuffle in the Police Department.Dr Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Commissioner Secretary, Transport Department in place of Pradeep Gupta, who has been transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.In the Police Department, Sheikh Owais Ahmad, IGP (P&T), PHQ, holding additional charge of the post of IGP, Technical Services has been posted as IGP, Technical Services on full time basis. Hemant Kumar Lohia, IGP Traffic has been transferred and posted as Director, SSG, which post is declared equivalent to the rank and status of IGP till held by the officer. Abdul Ghani Mir, DIG, CKR, Srinagar on his promotion as IGP has been posted as IGP Crime against an available vacancy. Mohammad Sulaiman Salaria, DIG Vigilance on his promotion as IGP has been posted as IGP (Personnel), PHQ vice Sheikh Owais Ahmad........more

71 DSPs transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 26: The Government today issued orders of transfers and postings of 71 Deputy Superintendents of Police. Mohd Yousuf Parray, DSP IR 18 Bn has been shifted and posted as DSP DAR Handwara, Atul Sharma DSP IR 17 Bn as SDPO Railways Vijaypur, Randhir Singh DSP Hq Ramban as DSP JKAP 14 Bn, Manzoor Ahmed Mir DSP DAR Handwara as DSP Hq Shopian, Liaqat Ali DSP SKPA Udhampur as SDPO Manjakote, Girdhari Lal SDPO Nowshera as DSP CID SB Batote, Amit Bhasin DSP SKPA Udhampur as SDPO Mendhar, Sukhdev Raj DSP IR 9th Bn as DSP Hq Udhampur, Shafqat Hussian DSP Crime Jammu as DSP IR 5th Bn, Paramvir Singh DSP PCR Jammu as SDPO Railways Jammu, ........more

Cabinet approves DA, Planning Board, work on ICC Jammu

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 26: State Cabinet today ordered payment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to State Government Employees and Pensioners besides giving nod to the creation of first ever State Planning Board and resumption of work on International Convention Centre at Jammu. The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, ordered payment of Dearness Allowance to State Government employees and pensioners—revised rates effective from January 1, 2012. The Cabinet also approved resumption of work on Convention Centre at Jammu, the fate of which was hanging in balance during the past almost 16 years. After remaining in limbo for several years, a comprehensive review of the project was taken by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in January 2011. The project was again discussed during the review of mega projects and finally Chief Minister directed the Hospitality and Protocol Department to revise the project cost. ....more

PDD blames public resistance, climatic conditions for failure
SERC extends deadline for metering of
all connections up to June 2013

Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, Apr 26: Coming to the rescue of the Power Development Department (PDD) in avoiding impending crisis, State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has extended the period for supply of electricity to 4.5 lakh un-metered consumers beyond April 28 and metering of all these connections up to June 30, 2013. Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that as 4.5 lakh un-metered connections were not liable to get electricity supply beyond April 28 as per the provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Act, 2010, the Power Development Department yesterday moved an application before the State Electricity Regulatory Commission seeking extension of period for installation of 100 per cent correct meters at all levels and to supply electricity to all un-metered consumers in the State......more

Both Houses of Parliament disrupted Oppn alleges cover up in Bofors case, seeks judicial probe NEW DELHI, Apr 26: Armed with fresh details in the 25-year-old Bofors scandal, an aggressive Opposition today disrupted Parliament, alleging "cover up" and demanding a new probe by a judicial commission. Opposition members, particularly those from BJP and Left, raked up the issue in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, saying the Bofors chapter was not closed yet, leading to clashes with ruling members and affecting pre-lunch sittings severely. In the Lok Sabha, senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh raised the issue, saying it was "a saga of continuing corruption" and a "thorn" which needed to be removed. He demanded setting up of a judicial commission to probe the issue even as he admitted to....more

India launches all weather satellite SRIHARIKOTA, AP, Apr 26: Achieving yet another milestone in its space programme, India today successfully launched its first indigenous all-weather radar imaging satellite RISAT-1 that will boost its remote sensing capabilities and facilitate agriculture and disaster management. The perfect launch of the satellite catapulted India into a select band of countries having indigenous radar imaging technology."Only the US, Canada, Japan and the European consortium have the technology so far," P S Veeraraghavan, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram said. Hailing the launch, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said it was an important milestone in India’s space programme and congratulated the ISRO scientists for displaying mastery of the complex launch vehicle technology. In a textbook launch, the 1,858 kg spacecraft, the country’s first microwave remote sensing satellite .....more

Sachin, Rekha nominated to RS NEW DELHI, Apr 26: Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 39 yesterday, will now become a Parliamentarian with the Government nominating him to the House of Elders, Rajya Sabha, along with actress of yesteryear Rekha and industrialist Anu Aga. The nomination of the three eminent personalities was tonight approved by President Pratibha Patil under Article 80 of the Constitution that allows the President to nominate 12 members to the 250-member Upper House. The names of Tendulkar, who has brought many a laurel to the country through his exploits in the game, Rekha, known for her brilliant and emotional portrayals in Hindi cinema in the 80s, and industrialist and social worker Aga were sent by the Prime Minister to the Home Ministry yesterday for approval by the President. 70-year-old Aga, former chairperson of Thermax Industries and a member of the Sonia Gandhi led National Advisory ....more

EPF interest raised to 8.6 pc NEW DELHI, Apr 26: Interest rate on employees' provident fund will be increased to 8.6 per cent for the current fiscal, a move which will benefit around five crore subscribers. "The rates were brought down due to lower income (on investment in Special Deposit Schemes)...There is no question of minimum or maximum interest rates. We distribute it as per our revenue. Next time, it will be 8.6 per cent," Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said in the Rajya Sabha replying to a debate on working of Labour Ministry.The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had brought down the rate of interest to 8.25 per cent for 2011-12 from 9.5 per cent provided in 2010-11......more

Pak PM convicted in contempt case ISLAMABAD, Apr 26: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was today convicted by the Supreme Court for contempt for refusing to pursue graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and was given a only token sentence but still questions remained over his membership of Parliament. Soon after a 7-member bench headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk gave the judgement and sentenced him till the rising of the court, which was all over in 30 seconds, 56-year-old Gilani faced calls for resignation from the post of Prime Minister.Gilani’s detractors including PMN-L chief Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan have said he has lost his moral authority to continue in the post.However, the Pakistan cabinet decided to appeal against Gilani’s conviction and that there was no need for him to resign.The court convicted Gilani of contempt for failing to act on repeated orders to reopen cases of alleged money laundering against Zardari in Switzerland. Gilani and the Government had refused to act against Zardari, saying the President enjoyed complete immunity in Pakistan and abroad......more

Easier visas for Pakistanis NEW DELHI, Apr 26: The move to ease travel between India and Pakistan for certain categories got the nod of Union Cabinet today amid growing ties between the two countries.The Cabinet gave its approval to signing of an agreement that would allow common people from either country to visit three earmarked cities, sources said.The businessmen with multi-entry non-police reporting visas, can visit five cities instead of three as at present, they said.The provision will apply to business persons whose credentials are certified by the chambers on the both sides. From  .....more