Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: “Youth empowerment is imperative for a better tomorrow. When we empower youth, we empower the future of the Nation. Bringing socio-economic change through youth empowerment is the much-needed practice which requires concerted efforts on the part of all stakeholders to reap the intended benefits and achieve the desired results on ground.
The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha made these remarks during a meeting he chaired to discuss the modalities for the better implementation of the upcoming Youth Empowerment programme envisioned by the UT Government for Youth Engagement and Employment.
The Lt Governor observed that the youth of J&K are inherently talented. The intended programme will prove to be an institutional mechanism for providing the necessary handholding and support to the youth to facilitate and nurture their capabilities, he added.
He asked the concerned officers to adopt the best global practices of youth engagement, besides involving business schools for case studies.
Build an atmosphere of trust and positivity amongst the youth in the region. Identify gaps and be sensitive towards the problems and needs of the youth and resolve the same through various technological and knowledge-based interventions, he added.
The Lt Governor suggested incorporating the establishment of District Youth Centres in every district. He laid special emphasis on creating opportunities for youth through Skill-development, education, sports, employment, tourism, Agri and allied sectors.
Youth engagement is about empowering young people and it is important to pave a solid foundation for the development and growth of our younger generation. The UT of Jammu & Kashmir is predominantly young in terms of its population with almost 65 percent of the population under the age of 35 years. The government is aiming to operate youth engagement programmes in the field of Sports, Livelihood generation, Recreation, Education, Counselling to effectively support and encourage young individuals to shape their future as per their aspirations, observed the Lt Governor.
Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Additional Secretary to the Government, Finance Department and CEO, Mission Youth gave a detailed presentation on the programme and briefed the Lt Governor about various aspects of youth engagement that can be considered under the youth empowerment programme.
The meeting was informed that the intended programme is conceived as a common platform where all activities on youth development would be carried out for better results.
The main objectives of the programme are to synergize all the efforts for the skill development among the youth; to provide means of institutional social outreach to the young population; to provide an institutional mechanism for psycho-social support to youth on scientific lines and to provide the youth an opportunity of livelihood generation, economic growth, social recognition, and systemic support, as and when required.
BVR Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary to the Government, Home Department; Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department and Information Department; Bishwajit Kumar Singh, Secretary to Government, School Education Department; Sh. Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Pandurang K. Pole, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary to the Government, Youth Services and Sports, Tourism and Culture Departments; Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Additional Secretary to the Government, Finance Department and CEO, Mission Youth, and other senior officers attended the meeting at Raj Bhavan.
Identify gaps, be sensitive towards problems of youth: LG to officers
Report about increasing unemployment worrisome: Yaseen
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: Chairman People’s Democratic Front (PDF), Hakeem Yaseen has expressed serious concern over the report of Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) which has claimed that J&K has dismal performance among other States of the country in taping existing employment potential for unemployed youth.
Yaseen quoted the report to state that unemployment percentage in J&K is 16.2, which is highest as compared to other States and Union Territories.
In a handout the PDF leader enjoined upon the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha to concentrate on generating job opportunities for unemployed youth.
He said it was very unfortunate and disgusting that J&K Government has failed to exploit existing employment opportunities both in public and private sectors as indicated in CMIE report.
Yaseen said burgeoning unemployment problem in the politically and strategically sensitive J&K could be easily exploited and misused by the enemies of peace and vested interests.
PDF Chairman has urged upon the Center and UT Governments to focus on exploiting all the available employment opportunities both in public and private sectors without further delay besides announcing a mega employment package for J&K youth in all central Government departments and Public Sector Undertakings.
He urged upon J&K LG to waive off all bank loans under Kisaan Credit Card scheme to win goodwill of poor farming community and to provide some economic respite to them.
Yaseen said people of J&K have pinned high hopes on the new LG after his repeated assurances that no stone with be left unturned to redress genuine grievances of the UT people.
Two thieves arrested with stolen items
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: Pouni Chak Police arrested two thieves along with stolen items.
As per police sources, on August 8 this year, a complaint was lodged by Beena Devi, wife of Vinod Singh from Machail Padder District Kishtwar, at present Sari lodged a complaint with Police Post Pouni Chak regarding theft in her house at Sari.
Acting over the complaint, a case under FIR Number 217/2020 under sections 457 and 380 IPC was registered at Domana Police Station and hunt was launched to nab the thieves.
During the course of investigation, a team from Pouni Chak Police Post arrested the thieves along with stolen items including LED, inverter and battery.
The arrested persons were identified as Ashok Singh alias Chunni, son of Kamal Singh and Ranjeet Kumar alias Jeeta, son of Bachan Singh, both resident of Sari Pouni Chak District Jammu.
Further questioning of the arrested persons is going on to ascertain their involvement in other theft cases.
Police team led by Incharge Police Post Pouni Chak SI Rohit Bhagat made the arrest under the supervision of SHO Domana Inspector Chanchal Singh and SDPO Domana Kosheen Koul.
Villager’s dead body recovered
Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Oct 26: The dead body of an elderly villager was recovered from forest area in tehsil Kalakote of Rajouri district today.
The deceased has been identified as Abbas Ali (72 yrs), son of Said Shah, resident of Dalyot, Panjnara in Kalakote. A villager noticed the decomposed body lying in forest area near Panjnara and informed village Panchayat members. The matter was later brought to the notice of Kalakote police.
The police party led by SHO rushed to the spot and family members recognized Abbas from his belongings. On the spot postmortem was conducted and the body was later handed over to the family for the burial/ last rites. The villager was said to be mentally sick and missing for the last nearly one month. The police registered a case and started investigation.
JKADCSA’s plea to Lt Governor
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: The Jammu Kashmir All Departments Clerical Staff Association (Ministerial Fed) has appealed the Lieutenant Governor to reconsider amendments executed in Article 226(2) of J&K CSR by removing ambiguity and apprehensions of misuse of undefined provision of SO-324 of October 2, 2020.
An urgent meeting of Jammu Kashmir All Departmental Clerical Staff Association ( JKADCSA) was held today under the chairmanship of Jeelani Naik, its president. The agenda of the meeting was to address the uncertainty and fear among the employees due to recent amendments. The meeting was attended by all the Executive members and District presidents along-with their district representatives, members including Mir Mir Muzaffer, Mir Basharat, Gowhar Habib, Riyaz Ahmad, Asif Habib, Mushtaq Ahmad Baba, Basharat Ayaz, Javaid Ahmad Wagay,Towseef Ahmad Ganai,Nazir Hussain Dar, Shabir Ahmad Bhat, Khazir Mohammad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, Javaid Ahmad Sofi, Farooq Ahmad Dar and others.
All the members claimed that these amendments have shrunk the constitutional flexibility under the ambit of natural justice as guaranteed by the constitution of India under Article 14 and Article 16. They unanimously voiced against the narrow and undefined criteria for such premature retirement as amended and recorded under Rule (j) from sub-rule (i) to (vi). They termed this move anti-employee.
They said instead of providing assured career progression to the Ministerial cadre, the Government has now kept a sword of uncertainty on the heads of employees, who can also be exploited/targeted by some superiors, as the grounds/board criteria for such compulsory/premature retirement have not been explained thoroughly and there is ambiguity at large and fear of indiscrimination among the employees, which needs proper clarifications. They appealed to the Lt Governor to review the decision of the J&K Administration.
Cong has ability, vision, all regions’ base to set right J&K turbulence: Bhan
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 26: Senior Advocate and AICC leader Ashok Bhan today said that Congress Party is the only party that has the vision, ability, experience and all regions trust and socio-political base, to get Jammu & Kashmir out of the current turbulence.
“The people of J&K are undergoing colossal trials and tribulations for last three decades. Pakistan had a vicious design, which still persists and together with China, Pakistan wants to keep India on a two horn dilemma. But People have always blunted Pakistan’s nefarious design in past and have rejected it now,” Bhan said while speaking in a webinar.
He said that it was the futurist vision of Indian National Congress leadership led by Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru -that J&K State is an integral part of Union of India. “Currently the affairs of J&K are in utmost mess driven by the failings of the current ruling dispensation. J&K is under LG rule. Need for party independent policy becomes imperative for Union of India to deal with Kashmir affairs,” he added.
Bhan said the J&K LG Manoj Sinha, known to be a seasoned politician by now must have understood the complex political challenges in J&K situation and we expected him to create and facilitate a democratic political space for moderate political narrative to flourish in highly surcharged polarized J&K.
The AICC leader said the Government should acknowledge that use of military force is not a solution to the complex situation of Kashmir. “It is the psychological, attitudinal, social, political and economic grievances that need to be addressed. Therefore, the Government should worry more about winning back the trust of the people to win war against Pakistan’s proxy war and let the terrorism be handled by the security forces professionally,” he asserted.
He said there is a dire need for wining the hearts and minds of common people to fight and blunt the ongoing proxy war inflicted by Pakistan. Congress party is committed to promote and strengthen the idea of plural democratic India in J&K, he added.
End discrimination, exploitation of last 73 yrs: SSP
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: President Sainik Samaj Party (SSP), JKUT Colonel SS Pathania (retd) has urged the Union Government to end the discrimination, exploitation and oppression of last 73 years by the Kashmir regime.
In a statement, Pathania said that the people of Jammu had lots of hopes from the ruling dispension post abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A, but after more than one year, the hopes of justice, equality and good governance stands shattered and people of Jammu region are truly angry, desperate and frustrated.
“Gupkar alliance is a congregation of opportunists, anti national parties and individuals. Their inclination towards China and Pakistan is condemnable and suitable cognizance needs to be taken of their display of utter contempt to the constitution and Indian flag”, he said, adding that recently framed Gupkar alliance has an evil and sinister design and pose a grave threat to the security and sovereignty of our nation. Overtly Gupkar alliance declaration is to restore Article 370 and 35 A, but covertly their aim is to polarize Kashmir people on religious line and have a clean sweep in the valley, to form a Government as and when elections are held, he added.
“Mathematical model post delimitation will be in their favour and they will be in a position to muster two third majority with no dependence on Jammu region. Also, considering the vastness of both the regions and its geographical lay out, managing it as one Union Territory, on permanent basis is not possible and will adversely affect the development and governance in the long run”, he added.
Pathania said that it is imperative that safeguard provisions against the discrimination, exploitation and oppression by Kashmir regime against the people of Jammu region can only be effective if Jammu Province is made a separate State. This will also ensure development, good governance and economical prosperity, he added.
He urged the people of Jammu to get united and request Government to consider their demand for a separate State keeping in mind the religious, ethnic and demographic differences between the two regions.
We The Humans distributes COVID-19 hygiene kits, sewing machines
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: We The Human Forum for Nature and Mankind in collaboration with Swasthya Evam Shiksha Charitable Trust New Delhi today distributed 80 COVID-19 hygiene kits and two sewing machines among poor people of village Halqa in Marh block of Jammu district.
Apart from Captain Lalit Sharma Retd APCCF Vice Chairman of We The Humans, its executive body members Mohinder Kumar and Sana, leading social activists of border area Lala Devi Dass Sharma, Ashwani Sharma, Mukesh, Sushma Kumari and a number of local people were present on the occasion.
Giving awareness about COVID-19 Hygiene kits, Captain Lalit Sharma Vice Chairman of We The Humans said that people need to save themselves from the pandemic by taking utmost precautions suggested by the Government of India and Indian Medical Association. Use of alcohol based sanitizer, regular washing of hands and clothes with use of facemasks is essential till the emergence of a vaccine for COVID-19, he added.
He exhorted the agriculturist community to shift back to traditional systems of farming and stop usage of hazardous chemical pesticides, fertilizers weedicides and herbicides. These chemical fertilizers and pesticides not only affect fertility of our agricultural fields in longer run but also are reason behind increasing cases of cancer and serious other ailments in J&K.
He further advised farmers to desist from malpractice of burning stubble and root stock after harvesting is over. Stubble burning is a serious problem in North India and this may aggravate the conditions of patients, especially our children & elders having respiratory problems.
He made a request to Manoj Sinha Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to develop banks of river Chenab at Pargwal as a protected birds sanctuary, where hundreds of species of migratory birds show their charms, during winters.
Mohinder Kumar and Lala Devi Dass Sharma also spoke on the occasion.
Committee of Dhaba Union reconstituted
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: A meeting of Dhaba Union Jammu Province was held here today to discuss various problem of Dhaba owner due to COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking in the meeting Dhaba owners said they have suffered huge losses in lockdown period and demanded compensation from the Government.
On this occasion Committee of the Union was also reconstituted with Ramesh Balgotra as its Chairman; Bodh Raj Dogra as President; Murari Lal Balgotra, Sr. Vice President; Surinder Bajpuria, Vice President; Ashok Lambad, Vice President; Vijay Sham, General Secretary; Anil Kashyap, Secretary General; Kamal Balgotra, Cashier; Vijay Manni, Advisor and Joginder Pal, Advisor.
Members of the newly re-constituted Committee of the Union assured commitment to address the problems faced by Dhaba owners.
Bodh Raj Dogra, President thanked Shiv Kumar Gupta, Vice President CTF and President Bakers Association Jammu who attend the meeting as special guests.
Passenger auto stolen
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 26: A passenger auto has been stolen from Sunder Nagar area of Talab Tillo, a police official said.
A complaint in this regard was lodged by Vijay Kumar, son of late Amar Nath of Panjtirthi, District Jammu.
Acting over the complaint, a case under FIR Number 130/2020 under Section 379 IPC has been registered at Nowabad Police Station and investigation started.