State’s
rural development plan extended
by 2 months
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: State
Government has received another
shot in arm as the Centre has
conceded its demand of extending
the State Rural Development plan
by two months, Upto June 2008,
besides agreeing to provide
additional Rs 64 crore under
Indira Awas Yojana and increasing
the cost of household units under
the scheme to Rs. 40,000 for
hilly areas and Rs 35,000 for
plain areas against the existing
limit of Rs 27000 and 25000
respectively.
The
decision was taken after the
Minister for Rural Development
and Panchayats, Mula Ram took up
the demand with Union Rural
Development Minister at his
office Chamber during his recent
tour to the national capital.
The
meeting attended by senior
officers of both Union and state
Rural Development Departments
also discussed threadbare other
demands put forth by Rural
Development Minister Mula Ram.
The
Union Minister principally agreed
to extend the period of
utilization of funds provided to
the state under various centrally
sponsored schemes to June, 2008.
The
State Government has projected
the demand on the grounds that
the pace of utilization under
different schemes suffered due to
inclement weather conditions and
unprecedented snow fall witnessed
this winter.
Following
the decision the State Rural
Department would be able to avoid
the lapse of funds available
under various schemes for the
current financial year by getting
considerable time for their
utilization.
The
Union Minister also agreed to
extend additional Rs 64 crore to
Jammu and Kashmir under Indira
Awas Yojana besides conceding to
the demand of State Government of
increasing the per household cost
under the scheme.
The
Centrally sponsored scheme
provides for extending financial
help to houseless families for
constructing their own shelters.
The
fresh package would enable the
state Rural Development
department to provide financial
assistance to 6732 houseless
families besides covering 37008
families under the upgradation
scheme.
Giving
a patient hearing, the Union
Minister also agreed to consider
the demand of enhancement of the
administrative cost under NREGA
from 4 percent to 6 percent in
case of Jammu and Kashmir and
inclusion of building activity
including construction of lanes
and drains under the employment
scheme from next financial year.
The
adoption of snow clearance as an
activity under NREGA was also
brought before the Union Minister
who agreed to favourably consider
the proposal aimed at tackling
the problem of unskilled labour
during winter months.
He
also agreed to provide additional
funds to the tune of Rs. 10.82
crore for the completion of 21
projects under phase-I and
phase-II of PMGSY as per revised
cost before mid June 2008.
The
other demands including provision
of additional funds for Poonch
district for settling the old
liability under SGRY and
provision of additional funds
under SGRY as a special
dispensation for catering to the
extraordinary situation caused
due to the unprecedented snowfall
also received a favorable
consideration from the Union
Minister. The problems of the new
districts were also highlighted
and the Union Minister agreed to
provide funds for purchase of
vehicles in these districts
besides that of a token grant for
meeting the salary component
during the remaining part of the
current financial year till the
time these would be covered under
DRDA Administration from next
financial year.
The
matter regarding Total Sanitation
Campaign was also highlighted and
it was agreed that the first
installment for all districts
would be released as per revised
cost to facilitate early
implementation of the projects.
The
demand for sanctioning 25
additional projects for
developing additional 1.25 lakh
hectare waste land in the state
was also projected.
Retired officials
criticize Govt
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: The retired
officials and stenographers have
condemned the State government
for depriving them of the after
retirement benefits, in a meeting
held today.
All
the retired section officers,
assistant accounts officers,
senior scale stenographers and
statistical officers assembled
here and severely criticized the
discriminatory attitude of the
State Government for depriving
them of the benefits of SROs 269,
94 and 367 of 2007 in respect of
upgraded pay scale.
They
alleged that those who were still
in service have been getting the
benefits of upgraded pay scale
whereas Government has not given
them any such type of benefits.
They
condemned and criticized this
type of attitude by the
Government and decided to fight
against this sheer
discrimination.
Govind
Ram Sharma, former president of
J&K Civil Secretariat (NG)
Employees Union chaired the
meeting and appealed all the
retired employees to assemble at
Gandhi Nagar, Gole Market Park on
February 20 to decide about the
future course of action.
Youngsters steal
the show in Classical
Dance and Music
Festival
By Ravinder Kaul
The
pessimists, who start writing the
obituary of Indian classical
music at every possible
opportunity, would have been
quite disillusioned today. The
last day of the Classical Dance
and Music Festival, organised by
the J&K Academy of Art,
Culture and Languages at Abhinav
Theatre, belonged exclusively to
the youngsters. They proved with
their spirited performance that
the future of Indian classical
music is in safe hands and that
the generation next is ready to
carry forward the legacy of the
rich tradition of our classical
forms.
The
performance today began with
Santoor recital by Rohit Sharma,
a young artiste of Jammu. He
presented Raga Ahir Bhairav in a
very mature manner and impressed
the viewers with his control over
the instrument. The Chief Guest
on the occasion, Mangat Ram
Sharma, Minister for Health and
Medical Education, was also very
impressed by the performance of
this youngster,.
Next
came a stunning display of
virtuosity by a group of young
students of Salwan Public School,
Gurgaon, whose Santoor recital in
the form of an ensemble won over
the hearts of all the viewers.
They were 15 in all, 10 on
Santoor, 3 on Tabla, 1 on
Pakhavaj and 1 on Swar Mandal.
Together they created such an
atmosphere that the whole
auditorium reverberated with
repeated applause time and again.
The Ragas presented by them in
their performance included
Bageshwari, Bhim Palasi and Kafi.
All of them are disciples of
Roshan Ali, who in turn is a
disciple of well known Santoor
maestro Pandit Bhajan Sopori.
Their Principal, Dr Indu
Khetrapal, was also present in
the auditorium, supporting her
students and basking in the glory
of their creditable performance.
Lastly, the students of Institute
of Music and Fine Arts, Jammu
presented 'jugalbandi' on Violin
and Sitar. The students of Sunil
Raina, Sumit Madan and Bahadur
Singh, they all enthralled the
audience with their talented
display. Considering their
talent, it is strange that one
does not often see them perform
in various programmes. In fact
besides performing in musical
concerts, they could also provide
a befitting start to conferences,
seminars and other programmes of
similar nature. This would also
give them more exposure and
confidence.
The
compositions presented by these
artistes were based on Raga Bihag
and Raga Khamaj. They also
presented a few popular melodies
during their performance. They
were accompanied by Rajesh Kumar
and Vijay Kumar on Tabla and
veteran singer Suraj Singh on
Harmonium.
With
this came to an end a very
successful 4 Day Festival of
Classical Music and Dance in
which accomplished artistes from
all over the country, besides our
own artistes participated.
Today's
programme concluded with the sad
news of the passing away of
Rattan Kalsi, a very fine theatre
director and actor. In the
seventies and eighties of the
previous century, Rattan Kalsi
was one of the stars of Jammu
theatre. He was versatile in the
sense that he could act in Hindi,
Dogri and Punjabi plays with
equal ease. He won the coveted
Best Actor Award on a number of
occasions. I particularly
remember one dialogue from 'Thank
You Mr Glad', an excellent
production of Anil Barve's moving
play directed by Kavi Rattan
Sharma. He did a cameo
performance in the play. At a
very poignant moment, he
delivered the lines "Glad
Sahib, barf yun hi pighal rahi
hai" with such feeling and
intensity that the lines are
still indelibly etched in my
memory decades after the play was
performed. Similarly his role as
Pagla Baba in the play 'Azadi
Banam Ghulami' is also remembered
by many viewers, particularly his
line "Six One Di Paune
Chhey". The play also won
him a Best Actor Award. Rattan
Kalsi, besides being a very good
artiste, was a very decent human
being. He was an accomplished
artiste of Radio Kashmir Jammu,
the organisation that he served
with distinction. Life had been
rather unkind to him. But doesn't
that happen to some of our most
decent and talented people. An
irony indeed! A two minute
silence was observed by everyone
on the occasion to pray for grant
of eternal peace to the departed
soul. A condolence meeting is
being held at Kala Kendra on
Friday at 6.00 pm.
EJAC to resume
agitation if Govt fails on
commitment
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: Employees
Joint Action Committee (EJAC) has
claimed that State Government
employees will be forced to
resume their agitation if the
Ghulam Nabi Azad Government
failed to honour its commitment
made with the EJAC leaders.
Addressing
a press conference here today,
president of the organisation
Abdul Qayoom Wani expressed
satisfaction over the recent
meeting held with the Chief
Minister and the Chief Secretary
and the Commissioner Secretary,
Finance. He said that Government
has accepted all the main demands
of the employees and has assured
to settle the same within ten
days.
Mr
Wani while appreciating the
concern shown by the Chief
Secretary and Mr Azad over the
employees’ issues hoped that
their demands will be resolved
shortly as per commitment made
recently, otherwise, the EJAC
will be forced to launch struggle
again in this regard. He
criticised some of the ‘so
called’ self-styled
employees leaders for taking
credit and issuing statements.
Describing
the four-day protest programme of
the EJAC comprising nearly ten
thousand employees near Civil
Secretariat in Jammu recently as
a grand success, Mr Wani said
that EJAC managed to project
their demands and draw the
attention of Government towards
the employees’ plight. The
EJAC is convinced this time and
hoped that Government would keep
its promise.
On
this occasion, the newly
appointed office bearers of Jammu
provincial body of EJAC were also
honoured. They included Sanjeev
Singh Bali (president), Jagmohan
Sadhotra ( sr vice president),
Ganesh Khajuria ( gen secy) and
Amreek Singh Sasan ( chief
coordinator). The executive
members are-Uttam Chand, J K
Koul, A M Bhat, Rakesh Rampal,
Mohd Iqbal, Susheel Kumar Pawar,
Nar Singh, Ashok Gupta, J P
Verma, Jagjeet Singh, Jasbir
Singh, Pritam Singh and Saroop
Singh. Shakti Gupta chief patron
of the EJAC was also present.
Clerical staff
demands 4000-6000 grade for JAs
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: The Jammu,
Kashmir & Ladakh All
Departments Clerical Staff
Association has demanded Rs
4000-6000 grade for Junior
Assistants and Rs 4500-7000 grade
for Senior Assistants.
In
a memorandum submitted to the
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
by the representatives of the
Association including Ram Kumar
Sharma, Rehmat Ullah, R S Bhau
and Ravi Razdan today, it was
urged upon the State Government
to remove the pay anomalies and
do justice with the clerical
cadre in the state.
They
pointed out that teachers and
senior teachers were accorded
higher grades besides employees
of other cadre’s while
junior assistants and senior
assistants were not provided
justice. They also demanded hike
in the grade of Head Assistants
to Rs 5500-9000.
It
was pointed out that teachers and
Accountants were provided some
relief by removing pay anomalies
but clerical staff despite much
workload and hard pressing duty,
has been ignored since long. It
was urged upon the Chief Minister
to look into the matter and
provide justice to them.
Again,
it was brought to the notice of
Chief Minister that nearly 90 %
of the posts of Head Assistants
and Section Officers were lying
vacant due to wrong and
anti-employees policies of the
Government. They demanded that
Sectt training exam be waived off
to facilitate the clerical staff
for filling up the vacant posts.
They resolved to go on mass
casual leave on Feb 22 and 23 if
the Government fails to redress
their demand.
Centre provides
incentives for post-harvest
infrastructure
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: In a
significant achievement, the
J&K Government has succeeded
to get approval of the
Centre for provision of front
ended incentives through Bank for
creation of Post-Harvest
infrastructural including C.A
Stores, Cold Chain, Grading and
Packing Houses to promote
horticulture in the State on
modern lines.
Earlier,
the Centre was providing
back-ended incentives for such
horticulture related projects
which hardly attracted
entrepreneurs and business houses
to invest for creating post
harvest infrastructure in the
State, as it requires huge
investments and expenditure.
Minister
for Horticulture, PHE, Irrigation
and Flood Control, Mohammad
Dilawar Mir held two important
meetings with the Union Minister
for Agriculture, Sharad Pawar
last evening and today and
forcibly put forth the plea of
the State for providing front
ended incentives through J&K
Bank for creating Post-Harvest
infrastructure in the State
which, he said was imperative for
the horticulture industry to
withstand stiff market
competition due to WTO Regime.
Mr.
Dilawar pleaded that provision of
front ended incentives through
J&K Bank was primarily
important to attract
industrialists and business
tycoons for making heavy
investments to create
Post-Harvest infrastructure in
the State, known for its good
quality fruits world over. The
Horticulture Minister pleaded
that due to non-availability of
front-ended incentives, the
entrepreneurs could not be
motivated to invest for creating
Post-Harvest infrastructure which
requires heavy investments.
Under
the new pattern of front ended
incentives for the proposed
post-harvest infrastructure
projects, the J&K Bank shall
be enable to utilize incentives
available as equity.
Mr.
Dilawar also demanded liberal
financial assistance of the
government for setting up of 3
terminal fruit markets in state,
one each in North Kashmir, South
Kashmir and Jammu for providing
market accessibility to the fruit
growers and traders. He also
requested for transport subsidy
for fruit transportation from the
state to the terminal markets of
the country.
The
Minister also conveyed concern of
the farmers about increasing rate
in tree sprayer oil which is now
available at the rate of Rs.8000
per barrel in the market and
pleaded for providing subsidy to
the farmers.
The
Union Minister, Sharad Pawar
assured that he would take up
this issue with the Cabinet.
CM visits
Kaljugasar, other far-off snow
hit areas
Excelsior
Correspondent
Kaljugasar
(Doda), Feb 14: Chief
Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today
visited Kaljugasar, Chirala,
Chinta and Chakrabhati, the
far-flung areas of Doda district
hit by recent heavy snowfall and
took stock of the problems of
local people affected by the
vagaries of the weather.
Kaljugasar is situated in the
mountains bordering Chamba
district of Himachal Pradesh.
The
Chief Minister talked with the
people and obtained first hand
report on the situation. He said
that the Government has pressed
into service men and machinery to
reach out to the people in
snowbound areas. He stressed on
the need for immediate snow
clearance from roads and village
paths so that supply of food
grains and other essentials was
restored to the snow bound areas
to meet the requirements of the
people.
He
called for engaging local people
in snow clearance which, he said,
would facilitate early
restoration of connectivity and
supply system besides generating
wage employment for them. He
asked the administration to
restore power supply speedily in
the electrified areas.
Mr.
Azad assured the people that
ration, medicines and other
essentials, wherever required,
would be rushed by the
administration. He said teams of
doctors would also be sent if the
need arrises. He appreciated the
people for facing bravely the
challenge of heavy snowfall. He
issued instructions to the
administration to compile details
of losses caused due to
unprecedented snowfall.
Mr.
Azad said that road connectivity
and ensuring basic facilities in
hitherto neglected areas was high
on the agenda of his government.
He said all villages in the State
would have the facilities of
roads, schools, healthcare, water
and power supply besides other
amenities in the next five years.
Divisional
Commissioner, Jammu, Sudhanshu
Pandey accompanied the Chief
Minister during the visit.
CCI takes up
public issues with RBI, bankers
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: Chamber
of Commerce and Industries took
up the public issues including
increase in flow of fake currency
and large presence of old and
rotten currency notes in banks
with top RBI officials and the
heads of various banks in the
region here today.
Regional
Director of the RBI, Jammu O P
Aggarwal was the chief guest at
the interactive session while CCI
Jammu president, Ram Sahai
presided over.
Vivek
Arya Dy General Manager, Punjab
National Bank, S P Singh DGM
State Bank of India, DGM J&K
Bank N N Sawhney besides
representatives from Union Bank
of India, Oriental Bank of
Commerce, UCO Bank, Bank of
India, Bank of Baroda, State Bank
of Patiala, Punjab and Singh Bank
etc were present besides office
bearers of the Jammu Chamber.
During
the interaction, Ram Sahai drew
the attention of RBI director and
other regional heads of the banks
towards the problems being faced
by the people/ bank customers due
to massive flow of fake currency.
He said in Rajouri-Poonch and
parts of Kashmir, general public
was suffering due to huge flow of
fake currency and the innocent
people are facing lot of
hardships and paying the price
for it. He demanded some
reasonable measures in this
regard.
He
alleged that despite clear
instructions from the RBI,
majority of the banks were
providing old and rotten currency
notes and even not providing
fresh currency even on demand. Mr
Aggarwal assured that fresh
directions will be issued
immediately in this regard. He
also raised issue regarding
non-redressal of customers
complaints and alleged that
during break down of the system
which is frequent problem these
days, the general customers are
left to suffer. Some alternative
measures be taken to provide the
uninterruptive service to them.
Another
issue regarding penalty to the
customer after non-clearance of a
cheque issued by third party was
also taken up and pointed out
that deduction in money should
not be done from the account
holder on whose name the cheque
is issued. It was also requested
that coins and small currency
notes should also be made
available in good number in all
the branches for the general
customers.
Mian Bashir calls
on Governor
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: Veteran
Gujjar leader and former
Minister, Mian Bashir Ahmed today
called on Governor, Lt. General
(Retd) S K Sinha at Raj Bhavan.
The
Governor congratulated Mian
Bashir for being conferred Padam
Bhushan for his contribution and
service to the Nation in general
and the people of Jammu and
Kashmir in particular.
Mian
Bashir, born in November 1923 at
Wanghat, Kangan in Kashmir, is a
respected spiritual leader,
having wide following in the
sub-continent. Mian Sahib has
closely remained associated with
Indira Gandhi, Sheikh Mohammad
Abdullah and other towering
leaders of the country. He has
also remained a Minister during
different stints in the State and
worked for the welfare of the
people especially Gujjars.
Accompanied
by his son and former Minster,
Mian Altaf Ahmed, MLA, Mian
Bashir spent about an hour with
the Governor.
SRTC employees
warn to go on strike from Feb 19
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: Serving an
ultimatum to Government, the All
J&K State Road Transport
Corporation Workers Union
(SRTCWU) to day warned it that in
case it failed to solve the
demands by February 18, the Union
will go on indefinite strike from
February 19 by suspending its
services on all routes in the
state.
This
ultimatum was served to the
Government by the chairman of the
Union, Shakeel Ahmed Kuchay,
while addressing a press
conference here, today along with
other office bearers.
Making
a scathing attack on Government,
he warned that all SRTC services
will be off the routes from
February 19 till demands are
settled.
Expressing
concern over the plight of SRTC
employees, Mr Kuchay said the
employees are at the verge of
starvation as they did not get
their salaries for last three
months.
He
said the Union during its
previous agitation was given
assurance by Transport Minister
that the demand will be settled
by February 18 and incase the
Government failed to solve the
problem by that time, the Union
will be constrained to launch a
forceful strike.
He
said all the unions and
associations of SRTC have come on
a single platform and pledged
their support to the agitation.
Moreover the SRTC Employees
Federation has merged with the
Union to take the present
struggle to its logical
conclusion, he added.
Mr
Kuchay, while highlighting the
other demands of the SRTC
employees also demanded
implementation of SRTC Act 1950
and release of COLA in favour of
its employees.
Darhal deputation
calls on CM
Excelsior
Correspondent
Jammu, Feb 14: A
deputation of people from Darhal
in Rajouri district called on
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
here last evening and thanked him
for sanctioning a degree college
at Budhal.
The
deputation led by MLA, Thakur
Puran Singh also presented to Mr.
Azad development demands of the
area including electrification of
left over hamlets and
augmentation of drinking water
supply in the area.
The
Chief Minister gave patient
hearing to the deputation and
said that their demands would be
looked into.
Munshi Shawl
passes away
Excelsior
Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb
15: Social
Reformer, Political Activist,
Founder Member and Former
President Jammu and Kashmir
Unjuman-i-Ithad-ul-Muslimeen and
well-known revenue expert of the
State Munshi Ahmad Ali Shawl
passed away last night after
having heart stroke.
He
was 85 and recovering from
recently conducted operation.
Father
of Deputy Director Information
(PR) Fida Ali and father in law
of Imdad Saqi journalist, Mr.
Shawl is survived by two sons,
three daughters and grand sons
and great grand sons and
daughters.
His
demise has widely been condoled
by the people in general and
opinion leaders of various shades
in particular, describing him a
God fearing, honest and noble
soul who always championed the
unity of Muslim community and
served the people in general.
He
was the front runner in Quit
Kashmir Movement and a member of
State Demarcation Committee that
finalized the boundaries of Jammu
and Kashmir with Himachal
Pradesh. He also remained
President of J&K Patwar
Association almost throughout his
service period.
The
Chaharum of Mr. Shawl will be
observed on February 15, 2008
(Friday) at Bhagwanpora Lal Bazar
Srinagar
At
his funeral and burying ceremony
thousands of people from all
walks of life participated.
Director
Information Zaffar Ahmad, Joint
Director of Information, Jammu S.
K. Sharma, Joint Director of
Information Kashmir Khursheed
Ahmad Geelani and Officers and
the officials of the Information
Department expressed grief over
the demise of Munshi Ahmad Ali
Shawl popularly known as Shawl
Sahib and conveyed heartfelt
sympathies to Fida Ali and
bereaved family and prayed for
peace to departed soul.
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