Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 31: Lt. Gen. Subrata Saha, GOC, 15 Corps, met Governor N.N. Vohra, here at the Raj Bhavan today.
Lt. Gen. Saha who had just returned from an aerial reconnaissance of the Valley briefed the Governor in detail about the flood situation and the steps being taken to support the civil administration in this regard.
The Governor discussed with General Saha various issues relating to internal and external security management and the arrangements being made by the Army for the security of the forthcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra-2015.
Lt Gen Saha calls on Governor
Cong flays NDA for not releasing Rs 44,000 cr flood relief package
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) today criticized the NDA Government at the Centre for not releasing flood relief package for the J&K state.
In the first meeting of the newly constituted PCC held under the chairmanship of G A Mir (president), the functionaries strongly condemned the NDA Government at the Centre for not providing adequate relief in the Jammu and Kashmir. They said there was immediate need to launch flood relief work at war footing. Moreover, the NDA Government denied Rs 44,000 cr flood relief package to the State
The meet was attended by most of the newly appointed office bearers of the PCC from all the three regions of the State besides party legislators including senior vice president Sham Lal Sharma and CLP leader Nawang Rigzin Jora.
The members discussed the situation arisen out of the rain and floods in several parts of State especially in Kashmir Valley and expressed deep sock and anguish over the loss of lives and property. The meeting observed two minutes silence to pray for peace to the departed souls.
In a resolution adopted on the occasion, the PCC members expressed sympathies and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The resolution expressed serious concern over the flood situation which has taken an alarming level leading to loss of lives and property. The meeting impressed upon the State Government to take up the required measures on war-footing for rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the affected people.
The speakers questioned the BJP over its stand on abrogation of Article 370, AFSPA, Refugees of PoK and West Pak and especially their slogan of “Eik Vidhan, Eik Nishan and Eik Pardhan” as well as on cross border terrorism. The meeting also took a dig at the PDP-BJP Coordination Committee which in its first meeting showed keen interest on the issue of security and accommodation of their leaders.
Mr Mir asked the party leaders to work unitedly at all levels in order to strengthen the party. He asked the party leaders and frontal organizations to gear up their cadres to take up the challenge of a vibrant opposition in order to convert it into an opportunity for rebuilding the organization and wining the faith of the people of the three regions.
Prominent among those who attended the meeting included Raman Bhalla, Mula Ram, Narbu Gailson, G N Monga, Haji Abdul Rashid-MLA, Kanta Bhan, GM Saroori-MLA, Mohd Anwar Bhat, MLC’s Naresh Gupta, Rani Billoria, Sham Lal Bhagat, Ravinder Sharma, Rajnesh Sharma, Vikar Rasool Wani, Gulzar Ahmed Wani, Dildan Namgyal; Abdul Majid Wani, Usman Majid, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Vikram Malhotra, Manmohan Singh, Namrata Sharma, Ghulam Raza, Shabir Ahmed Khan, Shah Mohd Choudhary, Manjit Singh, Shoib Nabi Lone, Shahnawaz, Faqir Nath, SS Channi, Abid Kashmiri, Vijay Manhas, Shamsher Singh Chib, Shashi Sharma, Thomas Khokher, Manjeet Singh Jatt, Ashok Dubey, Ashok Sharma, Narinder Sharma, Raja Farooq, Salman Nizami, Pawan Singh, Ashwani Puri, Nadeem Sharief Niaz, Dr Rashid Choudhary; Indu Pawar-(Mahila Congress chief), Oma Shanker Pandey,Parnav Shagotra, Neeraj Kundan, Shiv Kumar Sharma (INTUC) and Balwinder Singh Sambyal ( Cong Seva Dal)
Meanwhile, PCC chief constituted a team of senior leaders to accompany him to access the flood situation in Kashmir valley. The members are- Nawang Rigzin Jora, Haji Abdul Rashid-MLA, Ghulam Nabi Monga-MLC, Usman Majeed-MLA, Gulzar Ahmed Wani- MLA, Mohd Amin Bhat- MLA, Smt Amreen Bader- vice president PCC, Surinder Singh Channi- general secretary PCC, Hilal Ahmed Shah- general Secretary PCC and Nazir Khan Beerwah- general secretary.
Panasonic launches wide range of Life Conditioners
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Panasonic India, a consumer durable and home appliance major offers its latest line up of the Life Conditioners to beat the heat this summer.
The company’s new range of Life Conditioners promises to offer enriched life to the consumers by introducing technologically advanced products featuring iAUTO-X, Nanoe-G with PM2.5 air purification, inverter and Econavi technologies providing “A Better Life, A Better World” to its consumers.
With an extended line-up of more than 50 models, the wide range of Panasonic Life Conditioners are equipped with smart and innovative features and stylish designs to woo the Indian consumer.
Suresh Bandi, Divisional Deputy Managing Director, AC Division, Panasonic India said “We have always believed in offering our consumers products that can enhance their quality of life, resonating with our management philosophy of creating “Better life, better world” and our wide range of air conditioners is no exception. With the lineup for 2015, we further strengthen our leadership position in the air conditioners segment. We also give our consumers a varied choice of products to choose from. This season, we are looking at capturing a market share of 12 per cent this year with a 20 per cent increase in sales of this segment.
Nikhil Malhotra, Regional Manager, North (Punjab and Haryana), Panasonic India said “The smart range of Panasonic life conditioners comes loaded with technologically advanced features like Econavi and Nanoe-g technology, with the new range of smart air conditioner, we are offering our consumers an array of products at competitive prices. The new range has been developed keeping in mind the needs of the consumers across cities including the Tier-II and III regions which have been equally hit by early summer. Available in capacity of 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2 Tonne model, Panasonic air conditions are compliant with BEE Star rating and are available at 264 exclusive brand shops across the country priced between Rs 24,990 to Rs 67,990.
Naqvi blames constructions for floods
NEW DELHI, Mar 31:
As Jammu and Kashmir faced floods for the second time in seven months, a number of measures have been suggested for addressing the problem by Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was rushed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Valley to assess the situation.
Naqvi presented his report to Modi here today after touring flood-affected areas of Srinagar and Baramulla and holding meetings with officials of the state Government, Army and Paramilitary forces.
The Union Minister of State (MoS) for Minority Affairs also met affected people.
Emerging from his meeting with Modi, Naqvi said the Prime Minister and the Central Government are committed to support the State Government in every way in dealing with the situation arising out of floods.
“The Central Government stands with the people and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir in this hour of crisis and there is no need for people of the State to panic,” he told reporters.
In his report, Naqvi is believed to have said that civil and military authorities are taking immediate steps to deal with the situation, which includes evacuation of affected people and efforts to plug the breaches in embankments in the Jhelum river.
He has suggested strengthening of embankments of the Jhelum river to prevent recurrence of floods, they said.
In the long-run, he has said that the sewerage problem needs to be addressed, sources said.
In his report, the Minister has said that illegal construction along the river and other actions hurtful to the environment are among the causes behind repeated flooding.
Naqvi is also believed to have told the Prime Minister that funds provided after floods in September last year had not been utilised properly as a result of which the same areas have been affected again.
He has said that an action plan needs to be prepared by the State Government outlining permanent solution to the problem. (PTI)
NABARD releases Rs 366 cr
to J&K for Infra Projects
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: NABARD has released Rural Infrastructure Development Fund Loan assistance of Rs. 366 crore to the State Government during the year 2014-15 for rural infrastructure projects in the State, surpassing last year’s disbursement of Rs. 277 crore, in spite of the natural calamity witnessed during the year.
115 new projects, pertaining to Roads & Bridges (62), Rural Market Yard (1), Seed Farms (3), Animal/Sheep Husbandry (33) & Primary Health Centres (16) involving NABARD RIDF Loan of Rs. 307.91 crore have also been sanctioned under RIDF Tranche 20 during the year. All the projects submitted by State Govt. during 2014-15 have been accorded sanction by the NABARD.
Cumulatively, as on March 31, 2015, NABARD has sanctioned 4837 projects for Rs. 4702 crore and released Rs. 4030.35 crore so far, in 20 Tranches, to the State Government. This has helped in creation of economic infrastructure in the State besides creating employment opportunities in rural areas.
Justice Kohli appointed new chairman of SIT, JK Chapter
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Justice Permod Kohli was today appointed new chairman of Sarvodaya International Trust (SIT), Jammu and Kashmir Chapter, by the trustees.
In this regard, a meeting of the trustees was held here today wherein future plans for Jammu and Kashmir for the welfare of the society were discussed.
Speaking on the occasion, Managing Trustee, Pascal Alan Nazareth, who is author of Gandhi’s Outstanding Leadership’, informed that the SIT was established in 1995 to help promote Gandhian values of peace, tolerance and non-violence. “Trust’s chapter opened in all over country from Kerala to Kashmir, “he added.
He also highlighted values of Gandhi’s philosophy and elaborated the four core values including truth, non-violence, love for all and untiring desire to serve which can ultimately give happiness to all. He expressed serious concern over the modern society’s scant respect to the ideals of truth and non-violence, preached and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi.
“We should join hand to hand for the welfare of society and to spread the views of Gandhi”, he stated adding the trust has done numbers of works for the youth and society.
Justice Permod Kholi said, “We have some plans and target areas include Central Jail and universities of the country”. He also said, “the trust also focus villages of the State and deprived society for communal harmony and brotherhood in all three regions of the State”.
He further said that trust will hold seminars and film shows to promote Gandhi’s philosophy in coming days.
Dr Renu Nanda, Managing Trustee, SIT, J&K Chapter presented vote of thanks.
Among others who attended the meeting includes Prof GM Bhat, VK Bhutyal, Robin Gill, Tsering Angchok and Ravinder Singh.
Docs barred to meet MRs inside hospitals
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: As per a circular issued by Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, all the Principals of Government Medical and Dental Colleges of the State and Heads of the Departments have been directed to ensure that no medical representative is allowed to meet any doctor in the Health Institutions under their control during working hours.
It has also been directed that no doctor under their control will brand name of any medicine prescribed by him. Only medicines of generic salts will be prescribed by such doctors.
Any kind of deviation of the circular instructions will be dealt strictly in accordance with law.
Govt to set up high level Panel on daily wagers
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: The Government has decided to set up high powered committee of Ministers and external experts to examine the issue of regularization of casual/seasonal labourers and make recommendations.
Minister of State for Finance Pawan Gupta made a statement to this effect in the Legislative Assembly today in response to the Call Attention Notice of Congress MLA and former Minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori.
Recalling that previous Government had set up a Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC), which had furnished its report, Gupta said given the extent and magnitude of the problem i.e. financial, legal and administration, which may arise in regularization of such class of workers, the Government has now decided to set up high powered committee of Ministers and external experts to examine the issue and make recommendations on regularization of casual/seasonal labourers.
He told the Assembly there were 59,883 daily wagers engaged by the Government up to January 31, 1994. Of them, 56,223 have been regularized till February 2015 while remaining 3660 will be regularized as and when proposals complete in all respects are received from concerned administrative Departments subject to the condition that daily wagers (proposed for regularization) fulfill the conditions laid down in SRO 64 of 1994 dated 24.3.1994.
Saroori, however, said that two Committees had been set up in 20 years for regularization of workers and the Government was now proposing another Committee. He said the workers were being paid Rs 4500 per month in Kashmir while in Jammu they were being paid meager wages only on the occasion of Diwali and Eid festivals.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari said the Government will assess the issue but Saroori wanted a categorical assurance on regularization of daily wagers and workers and payment of wages to them every month.
“We will assess it,” Bukhari reiterated.
Not satisfied with the reply, Saroori staged walk-out in the House.
Three injured in road accidents
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Three persons were injured today in two separate road accidents happened in city outskirts.
According to a police spokesperson, two pedestrians were hit and injured by a rashly driven car at Chinore area of city outskirts, this evening. The injured have been identified as Lakhan Singh (40) son of Kamal Singh, a resident of Bantalab and Suresh Singh (37) son of Shiv Ram, a resident of Chinore.
In another accident that occurred this evening at Nagrota, a Santro car and a Winger collided with each other, resulting into injuries to one of their occupants, who has been identified as jai Raj Singh (50) son of Harnam Singh, a resident of Nagrota near Toll Post.
All the three injured were shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu for treatment.
In both cases, the concerned police have taken cognizance.
‘Private schools denying admission to commoners’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Former State president and senior leader of Bahujan Samaj Party Tulsi Dass Langeh expressed serious concern over denial of admission in the private educational institutions to the children of common man, under privileged and BPL category and demanded nationalization of education so that it becomes the responsibility of Government to provide equal education to all.
In a statement issued, Langeh said that on one side in various Government educational institutions there is either acute shortage of teaching staff inspite of good strength of students or in some Government schools surplus teaching staff in the city and there is no transparency in posting/transfer policy of teaching staff.
Moreover some of the Government educational institutions are without infrastructure /buildings. In such circumstances, the children of common man /under privileged section of the society/ BPL are not in a position to continue their education. In this way 75% children of the nation are denied education.
Hence it becomes responsibility of the Government to educate the children of the nation providing equal opportunities to all irrespective of religion, cast, color and creed.