Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Nov 2: All J&K Panchayat Conference, an apex body of Panchayats has announced that it will contest all the 280 seats of District Development Councils as independent candidates.
This was announced by Shafiq Mir chairman of Panchayat Conference at Srinagar today after week long consultations with the Panchayat leaders of Jammu and Kashmir. Mir told media that by making an amendment in J&K Panchayati Raj Act, Government has opened a door for the entry of politicians in this institution at third stage but “we will not allow them to enter in our institution. That is why we have decided to field independent candidates on all 280 DDC seats for which the preparation for the elections are at final stage,” Mir claimed.
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Addressing a press conference along with large number of Panchayat leaders, Shafiq Mir said that they will not allow the politicians to enter in their institution because these were the people who remained always against the PRI system in Jammu and Kashmir.
Questioning their role regarding Panchayati Raj system in Jammu and Kashmir, Mir said all political parties had boycotted the  first tier and second tier Panchayat elections  held in 2018 and 2019, respectively, but at the third and final stage door has been opened for them.
“Now when they felt they have been sidelined and left jobless they are preparing to enter in this institution but we will not allow them to succeed . We have decided to field candidates on all the seats as independent candidates and we will not allow politicians to enter in this institution”, he said .
Appealing the educated youth to participate in these elections, Shafiq Mir said that  their past policy of boycott has brought only irrrelevent lot in the institutions. The educated youth should realise that they have been always  misguided by the politicians with the false promises and they should take part in these local developmental institutions and serve the people.  The Panchayat leaders  present on the occasion said that they will not allow the politicians to politicize their institution.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 2: A meeting of the general body of Dharmarth Trust employees was held at Arorbans Hall under the chairmanship of Vivek Bandral , president of Dharmarth Trust Employees Association, Jammu wherein many issues related to the employees were discussed.
Various wings of the Dharmarth Trust employees participated and highlighted the problems being faced by them.
During the meeting the Executive Body of Association was also reconstituted. The meeting among other things discussed wages issue of all the employees of Dharmarth Trust. It was resolved that the pay scale of the employees should be at par with Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and should be never less than Rs.20,000. At present, the Dharmarth Trust is paying between Rs.5,000 to Rs.9,000, which is very low, the meeting added.
The meeting said the members of the Association also submitted the memorandum containing all the demands to the president of Dharmarth Trust two months ago but no response was given in this regard and the Dharmarth Trust failed to settle the demands of the employees.
Many more issues related to the employees were also raised by various wings which were discussed in detail and a consensus was arrived at. The Association further demanded that those employees who have completed five years of service as daily wagers, be regularized.
The retirement age of the employees be relaxed from 58 years to 60 years and one month pay be released in favor of all employees as Bonus before Diwali Festival.
The newly elected Executive Body Members included Mrs Vivek Bandral as president, Sumit Sharma as general secretary, Anil Sharma as vice president, Subash Sharma as secretary, Surjeet Singh Salathia additional secretary, Balwant Raj as press secretary, Jagjeet Chand as cashier, Ram Paul spokesperson and Parshottam Sharma as organiser president.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 2: Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma today chaired a meeting to review progress on the tourism infrastructure projects taken up in districts for development of tourism trade in Jammu division.
The meeting was attended by Chief Executive Officer SMDA, Mansar, Chief Executive Officer PDA, Project Manager and other concerned, while Deputy Commissioners along with other concerned officers of Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch attended the meeting through video conferencing.
The Divisional Commissioner reviewed the present status of development projects including Development of Tourist facilities at Jhajjar Kotli, Development of Tourist facilities at Rajouri (Tatapani), Rajouri Development Authority Complex- Midway, Development of Tourist facilities around Rajouri Qila Danitop, Development of Tourist facilities at Noori Chamb, Construction of Amusement Park near Sidra Golf Course Jammu (Shifted to Bhagwati Nagar), Construction of musical water fountain with sound and light at Bagh-e-Bahu, Development of Tourist facilities at Surinsar Lake, Development of Tourist facilities at Bhagwati Nagar, Development of Tourist facilities at Nowshera and other ongoing tourism projects in the districts.
He sought physical and financial progress of each project. It was informed that the work is in progress on all the projects of the tourism sector and the progress is being monitored on a regular basis.
He asked the executing agencies to further gear up men and machinery and set timelines for completion of each component of all these ongoing projects so that the local can avail the benefits from these projects. The Div Com also asked the DCs to develop local tourist sites in their respective districts and encourage schools to visit these tourist sites for the overall development of tourism sector in Jammu division.
Earlier, in another meeting with concerned officers, the Divisional Commissioner reviewed the arrangements for celebration of Republic Day 2021.
The Div Com asked the Additional Secretary Cultural Academy Jammu and Youth Services and Sports to start the process of finalization of cultural items for the national event. Besides, he also asked the SSP traffic to identify parking spaces around the venue and share the details of the same.
He also asked the Director School Education to finalize the number of students and schools to participate in the event. He also emphasized on the inclusion of themes of Corona warriors, swachta and other related subject to be depicted in the cultural program.
The meeting was attended by Director School Education Jammu, SSP Security Jammu, SSP Traffic, Additional Secretary J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages besides senior functionaries of PWD, Youth Services and Sports and other concerned.

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Nov 2: The PHE daily wagers under the banner of PHE Employees United Front held strong protest demonstration at BHE Station Barrian, under the chairmanship of Som Nath, senior Trade Union leader of Jammu province.
The PHE/Jal Shakti workers were beating utensils and shouting slogans against the UT Administration and BJP Government at the Centre. They alleged that BJP has failed to resolve the pending issues of the workers despite long protests.
The protesting workers were demanding their regularisation, release of pending wages, implementation of Minimum Wages Act in J&K on Central pattern, clearance of dues of retired daily wagers, biometric attendance for keeping record of un-paid workers and revocation of 12 vouchers rider.
Speaking on the occasion, Som Nath said that Government is spending huge money on the rehabilitation of the militants and their families but the workers who are performing their duties with dedication on meager money are being denied their wages.
He said that due to ‘Kaam Chhoro Hartal’ of workers, the public is suffering badly but the Government is neither bothered about starvation of poor workers nor suffering of common people due to the workers’ strike which entered 39th day today.
Som Nath appealed the LG Manoj Sinha to intervene into the matter and solve the issues of the poor workers before Diwali. At the same time, he announced that the agitation would be continued till the demands of the workers are addressed by the Government.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion include Rajinder Sharma, Kulbushan Bhat, Karan Singh, Shamsher Singh, Suraj Parkash and Dinesh Kesar.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 2: Shiv Sena Bala Saheb Thackeray J&K unit has started preparations at grass root level to become better political alternative in the Union Territory.
In this regard, the party has decided to open grievances and Sampark center in every district of J&K.
Chairing a meeting of all Shiv Sena district presidents of J&K, State Shiv Sena president, Manish Sahni said according to the instructions of high command and national Shiv Sena secretary and MP Anil Desai, instructions have been given to open grievances and contact centers to connect with the public to resolve their problems. In the first round, these centers will be opened in all 20 districts of J&K.
He said, every leader of Shiv Sena has been instructed to raise social and religious issues vigorously.
“The people of J&K are looking for a better political alternative and Shiv Sena will do everything possible to stand the test of the people,” he maintained.
Sahni said that all the leaders of Shiv Sena have been instructed to work at grassroots level and raise the voice for the rights of the people.
He said after districts, these centers will also be opened at Tehsil level.
Meenakshi Chhibber, Shiv Sena Women Wing president; Vikas Bakshi, general secretary; Ashwani Gupta, working president; Harsh Gupta, senior vice president; Raj Singh, secretary; Sanjeev Sharma, president Udhampur; Bhuri Singh, president Reasi; Ramesh Gupta, president Samba; Sanjeev Sudan, president R.S Pura; S.R Bhagat, president Doda, Geeta Rani and Raju Salaria were also present on the occasion.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 2: Lambasting the Govt for denying honorarium to thousands of Village Defence Committee (VDC) members engaged around two decades back in remote and far flung villages of Jammu province, JKNPP chairman and former minister Harshdev Singh today called for personal indulgence of Union Home Minister and Lt Governor J&K for addressing their pathetic plight.
He said that since all these VDC members belonged to Jammu region and that preciously seemed to be the reason behind their neglect and shabby treatment regretting further that the scope of discrimination against Jammu province seemed to have been extended to cover even the VDC members who had performed the most significant role in curbing militancy.
Addressing a press conference here today, Harshdev pointed out that with an aim to contain the activities of militants in rural areas and to ensure security and safety of the identified villages, the VDCs in Jammu region had been defending the mountainous and remote hamlets since 1996. When the militancy in J&K was at its peak and authorities were unable to protect the lives in far-off villages, several people, especially the youth took the initiative and volunteered themselves as VDC members to safeguard their community from militant attacks, Harshdev divulged. Click here to watch video
Revealing statistics, he said there were 4248 VDCs functioning in 10 districts of Jammu region with almost 36000 people working as members. “There are normally eight members including three SPOs in each VDC with an internal arrangement that the honorarium paid to the SPOs has to be equally distributed among all the members of the committee. When the revised honorarium started to get transferred into the accounts of SPOs directly instead of cash, the other members were deprived of their wages. This is the flaw in the system which has marginalized the members of the VDCs despite their sincere continuance with the duty to protect their people from the brunt of terror attacks”, regretted Harshdev.
Lambasting the BJP for discarding the VDC members to languish and yell on roads for their wages, Harshdev said the nationalist people who rose to the occasion to become protective shield of the people, were used by the Saffron party in its election campaigns for political gains. But after assuming power it ruthlessly ignored and disregarded them.
Calling upon the Lt Governor to take cognizance of the sacrifices made by the VDCs for more than two decades, Singh asserted that the deprived members perform similar duties as SPOs and as such their honorarium should be brought at par with the latter.