21,000
vacancies to be referred to recruiting
agencies soon: CS
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Over
21,000 vacancies in various Government
departments would be referred to the
Recruiting Agencies soon for fast track
selection of the candidates.
Stating
this here today, Chief Secretary B. R.
Kundal said that Government has
sensitized all recruiting agencies for
speedy completion of the process of
recruitment so that vacancies are filled
early.
Chairing
the meeting of administrative secretaries
here today, Mr. Kundal reviewed over all
scenario of physical and financial status
of development schemes and the vacancy
position of functionaries in various
departments.
Out of
these about 15,000 are non-gazetted cadre
posts. Besides, 4000 class IV vacancies
are being referred to the departmental
selection committee of the respective
departments.
Chief
Secretary directed all the departments to
send all the vacancies to the recruiting
agency by April 12, 2008.
It was
revealed in the meeting that 96 per cent
financial targets were completed during
the last fiscal year in the State, of
these achievements of targets in respect
of tide schemes were 100 per cent and
those of untied were 85 per cent to 90
per cent.
It was
told in the meeting that during 2007-08
power development department has realized
Rs 674 crore as revenue including Rs 139
crore from various government
departments. The department has set a
target of Rs 950 crore for the year
2008-09.
Underlining
the importance of monitoring physical
achievements on grounds to ascertain the
relation between expenditure and the work
done, Mr. Kundal said while the
institutions of ADDC, in the districts
were looking after this aspect
fundamentally, officers at the apex level
need to have first hand information about
this.
He
emphasized the need for timely completion
of all developmental schemes to avoid
cost and time over runs.
He said
functionaries down below also need to be
trained in the modern administrative
skills so that efficiency in the offices
was improved.
He
stressed the administrative secretaries
to early finalize the recruitment rules
and also conduct meeting of departmental
promotional committees on regular basis
to remove stagnation and redress the
grievances of the officials.
Regarding
annual darbar move, Mr. Kundal stressed
the need of making all necessary
arrangements to carry the official
material and also provide required
facilities to the move employees so that
they would ferry comfortably.
CM
snubs Principal
Excelsior
Correspondent
GANDERBAL, Apr 10: Chief Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad has highlighted the need
for adherence to social values including
in matters of dress. He said children
should be dressed appropriately and in
tune with moral values so that they grow
up with proper sense of their culture.
The Chief
Minister was commenting on the dress worn
by girl students of a public school who
presented welcome song on his arrival
here in connection with the launching of
the 3-day Bharat Nirman Public
Information Campaign.
The Chief
Minister said the principal of the school
ought to have thought about the kind of
dress worn by the girls before sending
them to take part in the function.
"If they are made to wear such
inadequate clothes at this tender age
what would they wear when they grow
up", he wondered and asked parents
and heads of education institutions to
ponder over it.
Establish
Guru Gobind Singh seat in JU: SGPB
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: While
expressing gratitude to the general
public and the J&K Government for
according grand reception to ‘Guru
Manyo Granth Jagriti Yatra’ in the
State, J&K Gurdwara Parbandhak Board
and heads of various Sikh organisations
have said that a rare example of national
integration and secularism was witnessed
during stay of holy yatra here and it has
further helped in strengthening the bond
of brotherhood in the region.
Addressing
a joint press conference here today,
Tarlochan Singh Wazir (MLC), president
SGPB, Surinder Singh, H S Raina, Babu
Daljit Singh, Gurdev Singh and others
extended their special gratitude to the
Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha and
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, his
cabinet colleagues and Divisional and the
District Administration for according
grand reception to the Holy yatra of Sikh
community. He said the Sikh community was
highly indebted to the members of all the
communities including Hindus, Muslims,
Christians, Jains and others who
participated and accorded welcome to
Yatra.
Referring
to 27-hour journey of yatra on the first
day of yatra on April 4, Mr Wazir said
long queues and public crowd including
majority of them Hindus was witnessed all
along Lakhanpur-Jammu road and the
general public gave overwhelming
response. This shows the true colour of
secularism and democracy in our State.
The bonds will further be strengthened,
he maintained.
He said
during grand function at Bibi Chand Kour
Samad at Gumat in Jammu, the Sikh Sangat
passed several resolutions demanding
establishment of seat of 10th Sikh Guru
Gobind Singhji in Jammu University,
naming of Bikram Chowk-Railway Station
Road as Guru Gobind Singh Marg, setting
up of Minority Commission in J&K
State and permanent settlement of PoK
refugees staying in various parts of the
State.
Mr Wazir
said the Sikh Sangat has also demanded
that buses carrying Sikh devotees to
Nanded in Maharashtra in October ending
for grand religious function be exempted
from toll tax/ road tax by all the
states. A large number of Sikh devotees
from J&K and other northern states
will be going there for the pilgrimage.
Clerical
cadre employees protest, stage dharna
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Clerical cadre
employees held protest dharnas and
demonstrations at their respective
offices in support of their demands in
various parts of the State.
The
agitation of the striking ministerial
staff employees entered the 15th
consecutive day today. They are demanding
hike in the pay grades of junior
assistants, senior assistants and the
head assistants besides JSAs and
steno-typists.
The
employees staged dharnas in the PHE
office complex BC Road, Directorate of
Health, PWD, Revenue and Directorate of
Education besides several other offices
here. Several employees' leaders
including Rehmat Ullah Malik, Ravi Singh
Bhau, Anil Kumar Mehta, R P Sharma,
Bashir Malik, Ravi Razdan, K A Diwani,
Anoop Sharma, Sukhbir Singh and others
addressed the gathering at PHE complex
and other offices.
While
speaking on the occasion, they criticised
the State Government for causing delay in
the redressal of employees’ demands.
They said only false assurances came
after several meetings with the
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and there
seems to be no seriousness on the part of
Government to settle the issue. The
leaders claimed that they will continue
their struggle till the demands are
settled.
Reports of
protest demonstrations have also been
received from Kashmir, Ladakh and various
other district headquarters. The
ministerial staff also held demonstration
in Poonch town outside DC office under
the leadership of Mohd Bashir Mir. The
employees claimed that their pen down
strike will go on indefinitely. They
would not succumb to any pressure.
Meanwhile,
Electrical employees under the banner of
PPEU, held a protest rally at Vijaypur in
support of clerical cadre employees.
Ashok Charak was leading the protest. He
urged the State Government to accept the
genuine demands regarding removal of pay
anomalies of the clerical cadre
employees.
Div
Com flags off tourist bus to border areas
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: As part of ongoing
Jammu Festival 2008, the Tourism
department in collaboration with
Summerland Tour & Travels organized a
tour by providing buses to various
locations of pilgrim/ tourist interest on
the border circuit being promoted to
increase the stay of Vaishnodevi pilgrims
in this State. The places visited
included Swankha, Baba Chamblyal, Gharana
bird sanctuary and Suchetgarh border
Octroi Post.
The
contingent of 25 participants was flagged
off by the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu
from TRC, Residency Road, Jammu at 10.30
AM. The contingent was received by
Minister of State for R&B,
Irrigation, PHE, Flood control and Law
Manjit Singh at 1.30 PM at Swankha after
which they proceeded to other areas of
border towns. After visiting the
Suchetgarh Octroi Post the group also
visited the Flower Garden at Bhor Camp on
way back to Jammu.
The
objective of this trip was to promote
Border Tourism so that tourists come to
this place as an attraction as in the
case at Wagah Border in Punjab. A number
of projects have been prepared by the
Tourism Department for various locations
on the circuit for the development of
border tourism.
SFC
realizes Rs 93 cr from sick industrial
units in 4 yrs
Excelsior
Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 10: Jammu &
Kashmir State Financial Corporation (SFC)
has realized a record amount of Rs 93
crore during the last four years under
onetime-settlement scheme from the owners
of defunct and sick industrial units.
This
information was given to the Minister for
Finance, Tariq Hameed Qarra, who is also
the Chairman of the Corporation, by the
Managing Director of the Corporation
Mohammad Aslam here today.
Initially
introduced in 1997, the
onetime-settlement scheme was aimed at
extending relief to the borrowers, whose
industrial units had suffered during the
turmoil or who had migrated from the
Valley due to unavoidable circumstances.
The
settlement of the loan cases under the
scheme is sanctioned by a high-level
committee comprising MD SFC, DGM SIDBI,
DGM IDBI, Director Industries, J&K
Government, DM LIC and one senior officer
from COSIDICI Delhi and the
recommendations of the Committee are then
implemented after the approval of the
Finance Minister in the capacity of the
Chairman SFC.
Between
September 1997 and May 1998, SFC has,
under onetime-settlement scheme settled
716 loan cases recovering Rs 11.12 crore
from various defaulters. For the benefit
of the borrowers, the Corporation
introduced rehabilitation-cum-settlement
scheme in June 1998. Under the scheme,
1667 loan cases were rescheduled giving a
benefit of Rs 72 crore to the borrowers
on interest.
In August
1999, the Corporation introduced another
amnesty scheme/exit policy for defunct
SSI units and hotels. Under the scheme 88
cases were settled waiving off an amount
of Rs 37.81 crore. In August 1999 itself,
the Corporation launched another scheme
named Special
Rehabilitation-cum-Settlement Scheme.
Seven cases were settled under the scheme
involving interest waiver of Rs 1.35
crore.
The
Corporation introduced another settlement
scheme in December 2001 named Settlement
on Merit of the Case. Under the scheme
393 cases were settled involving interest
waiver of Rs 182 crore.
The
onetime-settlement scheme was again
operationalized in 2007 following an
announcement by the Finance Minister in
his Budget speech. The Corporation has
settled 95 cases involving an interest
waiver of Rs 71 crore.
Due to the
relief measures announced by the
Corpora-tion from time to time, around Rs
93 crore were recovered from the chronic
defaulters during the last four years and
at the same time providing much-needed
relief to the borrowers.
BJP
terms NC, PDP, Congress as anti-Jammu
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Accusing
the National Conference, People’s
Democratic Party and Congress of pursuing
anti-Jammu policies, the state unit of
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the
people of Jammu region to vote in its
favour in the forthcoming Assembly
elections which is likely to be held this
year.
In a party
rally organized by state vice president,
Satish Sharma, BJP state president ,
Ashok Khajuria along with former Union
Minister Prof Chaman Lal Gupta and former
state party president, Dr Nirmal Singh
impressed upon people to vote against all
the Kashmir centric political parties in
the forthcoming elections.
In his
formal address, Mr Khajuria strongly
criticized coalition Government in the
State as well as at Centre for not
curbing spiralling up prices of all the
essential iteams of daily use. "The
steep rise in the prices of food iteams
has threatened the very survival of
common man" said Mr Khajuria.
He also
raised the issue of West Pakistani
Refugees and war refugees of 1965 and
1971. "The backtrack of Congress, NC
and PDP proves that all such political
parties have ditched the people of
Jammu."
Meanwhile
Chaman Lal Gupta in his address applauded
the splendid role of Village Defence
Committees in fighting against
millitancy. However, he regretted that
educated youth are compelled to sit on
dharnas and resort to protests for
availing jobs.
Dr Nirmal
Singh while addressing the party workers
also expressed grave concern over the
growing unemployment among the youth. He
also criticized the Government for
adopting soft approach towards handling
terrorism.
Among
others who spoke on the occasion were
Ajay Jamwal, Sain Dass, Rashpal Verma,
Vikas Gupta, Ashanand Khajuria and
Kuldeep Abrol.
Govt
sanctions 3659 Anganwadi centres
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Government
has sanctioned 3659 Anganwadi centres in
Jammu Division and the process for
selecting Anganwadi workers has been
started.
The
criteria for selection is: female
candidates in the age group of 18 to 44
years, minimum qualification for
Anganwadi worker shall be Matriculate;
and in case no Marticulate candidate is
available; Middle pass candidate will be
considered.
In case of
Reserved Category candidates, there shall
be no educational qualification bar;
however, while making selection under
reserved categories , the selection shall
be made giving weightage to aptitude,
personality and performance in viva-voce
besides, preference shall be given to
candidates belonging to BPL category,
merit in Matriculation/ Middle
examination in case candidate is
educationally qualified and candidate in
higher age group within prescribed age
limit i.e 18 years to 44 years as on
01-01-2008.
The
eligible candidates are requested to
contact concerned Child Development
Project Officer for application and
deposition of same within 10 days.
Timing
of HC, Subordinate Courts changed
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: The timing of
High Court and Subordinate Courts has
been changed from May 1, 2008.
According
to notification issued by the Registrar
General of J&K High Court, the
Srinagar Wing office hours will be from
10 AM to 5 PM and for High Court Jammu
Wing, the office hours will be from 8 AM
to 2 PM.
The Court
hours of Srinagar Wing of High Court will
be from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM with a one
hour break from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM while
the court hours of Jammu Wing will be
from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM with a break of
half an hour from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM.
The timing
of Subordinate Courts in the Summer Zone
of Jammu Province will be from 8:00 AM to
1:30 PM except Bhaderwah, Kishtwar,
Gandoh (Bhallesa) and Banihal.
The
Subordinate Courts of Kashmir Province
and Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Gandoh
(Bhallesa) and Banihal will have timing
from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Coal
mines workers on fast unto death
Excelsior
Correspondent
RAJOURI, Apr 10: The workers of
Mogla coal mines in Kalakote tehsil of
district Rajouri are sitting on fast unto
death strike for the last four days.
These
agitating mine workers have been denied
their wages for the last seven months.
After seeking no response despite
forwarding several representations to the
higher authorities, the mine workers went
on the agitational path. Their protest
dharna continued for several days.
In a bid
to intensify their struggle, the 21
workers went on fast unto death strike on
April 7. On the fourth day of the fast
today, the condition of one of the mine
workers-Babu Ram deteriorated. He was
shifted to Sunderbani hospital by the
local administration. His condition was
said to be slightly stable this evening.
The condition of three more workers was
deteriorating this evening but they
refused to accept any food stuff despite
efforts of the management.
It may be
recalled that mine workers and their
families are facing starvation for not
getting their wages for the last seven
months now. They are experiencing this
problem for the last several years now
and the authorities concerned have failed
to provide them wages regularly. They
have sought the intervention of minister
for Industries, Nawang Rigzin Jora and
the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for
getting released their pending wages.
Drug
peddler held with 800 capsules
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Pacca Danga
police today arrested a drug peddler and
recovered 800 intoxicant capsules from
his possession.
Accused
has been identified as Rajinder Kumar
alias Latti son of Amar Nath, a resident
of Camp Road, Talab Tillo.
He had
hidden the capsules in packets under his
socks.
Police
said the drug peddler used to smuggle the
intoxicant capsules from Amritsar and
Pathankote and sold them here among the
youths and some shops.
A case has
been registered against him at Pacca
Danga police station for further
investigations.
Arrest was
made by a Pacca Danga police station
party headed by SHO Inspector Kewal
Kishore Gupta under the supervision of
Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) City
Sawtantar Arora.
Buildings
of 300 health institutions
coming
up this year: Mangat
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10:
Reiterating that upgradation of health
care facilities across the State was top
priority of the Government, Minister for
Health and Medical Education Mangat Ram
Sharma has said that the Centre
Government under Prime Minister Dr.
Manmohan Singh had been very considerate
in accommodating the development
requirements of the State and providing
liberal assistance. He said Government
would construct 100 buildings for primary
health centres and 200 allopathic and ISM
dispensary buildings this year across the
State. He said for the purpose Rs. 200
crore would be made available through
NABARD lending.
The
Minister was addressing a public meeting
today after inaugurating renovated ISM
dispensary building and 3-days free ISM
medical camp at border village Gho
Brahamna in Samba district.
Mr. Mangat
said focussed attention was given for
upgradation of health care facilities
across the state so that better treatment
is ensured. He said government has
decided to provide ISM and allopathic
treatment facilities to the people under
one roof adding for the purpose the
posting of ISM doctors in allopathic
hospitals has been started. He said that
dental care facilities have been also
prioritized by the government and dental
surgeons are being posted in all primary
health centres. He said for the purpose
creation of over 400 dental surgeon posts
has been approved by the Government being
engaged on contractual basis to serve the
people in rural and far-flung areas.
Mr. Sharma
said that Azad led Government has
revolutionized the overall development
scenario of the State. He said to uplift
the socio-economic condition of the
people especially far-off, Kandi and
border areas various welfare and
employment oriented schemes have been
launched in the State. He asked the
people to come forward and take full
benefits of these schemes. He said only
Congress being national party could
fulfil all aspirations of the people and
appealed them to give their wholehearted
support to Azad led Government for making
Jammu and Kashmir prosperous.
Referring
to the recent statement of PDP President
Mehbooba Mufti during her visit to
Pakistan that joint control of both India
and Pakistan was imperative for Jammu and
Kashmir, the Minister expressed his
displeasure and said that such
irresponsible statements create confusion
among the people. He said that concepts
like dual control and self rule amount to
deceive the people of the state for
deriving political mileage. He appealed
the people to be vigilant against
nefarious designs who are trying to use
them for their vested interests. He
called upon the people to strengthen the
decades old secular character,
brotherhood and communal harmony of the
state.
Director
ISM Dr. Abdul Kabir, senior officers of
the department and various district
officers of Samba accompanied the
Minister during his tour to the area.
HC
quashes appointment of Lecturer
in
Higher Education Department
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Justice
Nirmal Singh of State High Court has
quashed the appointment of a Lecturer in
Higher Education Department and directed
the authorities concerned to issue
appointment order in favour of
petitioner.
The
judgement has been passed in a writ
petition filed by Suresh Sharma Sadhotra,
who was ignored for the post of Lecturer
in Business Administration and private
respondent selected. The petitioner
challenged the appointment of private
respondent on various grounds including
the relaxation of rules.
After
hearing Advocate K S Johal appearing for
the petitioner, AAG BS Salathia appearing
for the State, Advocate F A Natnoo
appearing for the PSC and Advocate Z A
Mughal appearing for the private
respondent, Justice Nirmal Singh observed
that no appointment can be made in
deviation of procedures laid down in the
statuary rules.
The
relaxation as per the rules could be
given only for a period of 5 years with
effect from July 1998 onwards and
thereafter, the relaxation, if any, could
be given only when there is no suitable
candidate possessing the requisite
qualification as prescribed under the
rules is available, the Court said.
"But
in the present case, admittedly, the
petitioner is the candidate who is
eligible as per the qualification
prescribed under the rules and therefore,
the stand taken by the Public Service
Commi-ssion that the benefit of
relaxation was given as no selection was
made for 5 years from 1998 onwards,
cannot be accepted and the selection of
private respondent No 4 in ignorance of
the mandatory provisions of the rules is
held to be bad", the Court observed.
While
quashing the appointment of private
respondent, Justice Singh further
observed "this petition is allowed,
the condition of relaxation prescribed in
the notification of February 17, 2004
regarding the requirement of National
Eligibility Test (NET) or State Level
Eligibility Test (SLET) is held to be in
violation of the rules and appointment of
the private respondent No 4 made to the
post in question vide impugned order
October 4, 2006, is accordingly quashed
as the petitioner is the only eligible
candidate whose name appears in the
panel".
With these
observations, the Court directed PSC to
recommend the name of the petitioner for
the appointment of Lecturer in Business
Administration within a period of 15 days
and thereafter the authorities concerned
shall issue appointment order in favour
of the petitioner within a further period
of 15 days.
The
petitioner shall be entitled to all
consequential benefits minus monetary
benefits, the Court ordered.
|
