Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Special Judge Anticorruption (CBI cases) Suresh Sharma today framed corruption charges against Maj Gen V K Sharma.
On the complaint of one Inder Singh, the top brass of the Northern Command got investigation conducted against Major General V K Sharma, then posted in ASC Udhampur. During the investigation, allegations were established.
Today, Special Judge Anticorruption (CBI cases) found prima facie commission of offence under Section 161 RPC and 5(2) read with 5(1) (d) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act 2006 made out against the accused.
CBI court frames charges against Major General
Funds for construction of 5 new Medical Colleges awaited: Govt
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Minister for Health and Medical Education today informed the Legislative Assembly that funds for construction of five new Medical Colleges announced for Jammu and Kashmir have yet not been released by the Union Government.
Replying to the question of National Conference MLA, Devender Rana in the Lower House, the Minister said, “all the requisite formalities as per the guidelines of Medical Council of India like submission of Detailed Project Report and signing of Memorandum of Understanding between State and Central Government have been fulfilled”.
“The department had also requested Government of India for release of funds to start for construction work, which are still awaited”, the Minister further said.
These five Medical Colleges were announced by UPA-II at the fag end of its tenure.
Boy held for duping woman of Rs 20,000
Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Mar 31: The police today arrested a youth studying in BA Part- Ist, for robbing a woman of Rs 20,000 at the ATM in the town.
The police said the woman asked the youth to help her for withdrawing Rs 20,000 from the SBI ATM in the Mendhar town yesterday. The boy operated the machine and then returned the card to woman telling that it was out of order.
The boy however, managed to take out money. The woman came to know about the fraud when she went to bank today and found that Rs 20,000 had been withdrawn from her account. She moved to police station and lodged report. The police today nabbed the accused Mohd Safir, son of Najuk Hussain of Ari from Mendhar Bus Stand area today and registered a case against him.
Ajatshatru Singh chairs Rajput Charitable Trust meet
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: President of Rajput Charitable Trust Ajatshatru Singh will visit the remote villages of J&K in order to provide education to the poor and needy students and would also induct more professional members in the Trust make it more workable for the welfare of the people.
Singh stated this while chairing meeting of the Trust held here. The meeting was also attended by PS Pathania, retd Registrar Central University and Dr Ajay Kotwal, both members of the trust, representatives of Delhi Public School including SS Sodhi, Director, CL Malhotra, Administrator, Ramesh Chander Gupta, Accounts Officer, etc.
During the course of the meeting, various issues were discussed in order to fulfill the dream of Maharaja Hari Singh and to carry on the social welfare activities for the betterment of general public including grant of financial assistant to war widows, orphans girl on their marriage and under privileged children.
Ajatshatru Singh advised the members to work out the possibilities of increase of pension of the widows and grant of financial assistance to all other deserving people in the next meeting.
He also advised the Secretary of the trust to ensure the disbursement of the pension to the widows to the actual/proper pensioners.
Absconder nabbed by police
Excelsior Correspondent
RAMBAN, Mar 31: Police arrested an absconder, who was evading his arrest for the past several years.
As per police sources, special team constituted by SSP Ramban Randeep Singh Parihar arrested an absconder, who was at large for the past several years
The accused has been identified as Sham Lal, son of Sain Dass of Gol Gujral, Jammu. He was wanted in a case registered under FIR number 42/2006 under Section 279, 337 and 338 RPC with police station Batote.
Further investigation into the case is going on.
The special team led by its Incharge Inspector Daljeet made the arrest under the supervision of SSP Ramban Randeep Singh Parihar.
It is pertinent to mention here that special team of District Police Ramban constituted by SSP Randeep Singh Parihar arrested 16 absconders in the month of March.
Tickets to museum, zoo to turn cheaper, air travel expensive
NEW DELHI, Mar 31:
Entry tickets to museums, zoo and tiger reserves would become cheaper, while business class air travel, investment in MFs and chit funds would become expensive with some of the service tax proposals announced in the Budget coming into effect from tomorrow.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had came out with a host of proposals last month to rationalise service tax, which is levied at an effective rate of 12.36 per cent.
These also include raising the rate to 14 per cent, but that will come into effect from a date to be notified later by the Government after the passage of the Finance Bill by Parliament.
However, the proposals which will come into effect from April 1, 2015 include tax exemption granted to services like admission to a museum, zoo, national park, wild life sanctuary and a tiger reserve.
Similarly, life insurance scheme Varishtha Pension Bima Yojna, ambulance service, retail packing of fruits and vegetables, too will not attract service tax levy.
On the other hand, air travel will become expensive as service tax will now be levied on 60 per cent of the value of the ticket as against 40 per cent presently.
“At present, Service Tax is payable on 40 per cent of the value of air transport of passenger for economy as well as higher classes e.G. Business class.
“The abatement for classes other than economy is being reduced and service tax would be payable on 60 per cent of the value of such higher classes”, said the memorandum to the Finance Bill, adding that the proposal will come into effect from April 1, 2015.
Services provided by Mutual Fund (MF) agents, marketing of lottery tickets, departmentally-run public telephone and free telephone calls from airport and hospitals will be subject to payment of service tax.
With regard to chit funds, the service tax will be paid by the chit fund foremen at full consideration received by way of fee, commission or any such amount.
They, however, would be entitled to claim Cenvat credit.
As part of the rationalisation programme, construction services will be exempted from payment of the levy from April 1, 2015 if the service is provided to the Government with regard to historical monument, irrigation work, water supply and sewage treatment plant.
Exemption provided to construction, erection, commissioning or installation of original works pertaining to an airport or port will be withdrawn from April 1.
Services provided by folk or classical artists will be exempted from the levy provided the amount charged is less than Rs 1 lakh.
Service tax exemption to transportation of ‘food stuff’ by rail, or vessels or road will be limited to transportation of foodgrains, including rice and pulses, flours, milk and salt only.
The transport of other items, however, will become expensive. (PTI)
Primary, pre-nursery schooling Govt’s top priority: Mufti
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: Descri-bing primary schooling as the pivot of a strong educational system, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today accorded top priority to opening of model schools at pre-nursery and primary levels in all districts of the State to improve the quality of lower education.
Intervening during Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister asked the Education Minister to also take up the issue of opening more Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas with the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
“There is an urgent requirement to establish more Kendriya Vidyalayas. We will have to approach the MHRD Ministry and I will also meet the Minister for MHRD in Delhi in this regard,” he stated.
Earlier, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar informed the House that a new transfer policy in Education Department is under formulation and rationalization of teaching staff has been started, adding that focussed attention will also be given to the development of human resource in the State.
Replying to supplementaries, the Minister said steps would be initiated to make Government educational institutions more vibrant so that people prefer to admit their wards in these institutions instead of private ones.
He said that engagement of contractual lecturers for current academic session has not been stopped, adding that the process of engagement of contractual lecturers would be initiated before the start of next academic session. He said focussed attention will also be given to fill up the vacant posts of teachers in the schools, adding that recruitment process of teaching staff through SSRB would also be expedited.
Replying to the main question by Shakti Raj Parihar, the Minister said that 18 Masters, 149 Teachers and 398 ReTs (Regular) have been transferred in Doda district during the 2014-15. He said as compared to 1967 regular ReTs in the entire district, the number of transferees is large and has led to depletion of staff in rural areas.
The Minister said that out of 440 vacancies of teachers in district Doda, 408 have been referred to SSRB and the interviews for these posts have been already conducted.
Replying to another question by Neelam Langeh, the Minister said that expansion of education is top priority of the Government, adding that focussed attention would be given to upgrade educational infrastructure in remote and hilly areas. He said optimal teacher-student ratio would be maintained in schools.
Horticulture employees apprise Minister of their demands
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: A delegation of All J&K Non-Gazetted Horticulture Employees Union called on the Minister for Horticulture and apprised him of the demands.
The delegation, led by Ab Gani Bhatt, demanded removal of pay anomaly, re-organization of the department and amendment of Horticulture Subordinate Recruitment rules, etc.
The Minister assured early and positive action on the demands.
The delegation comprised of Davinder Kumar Sharma, Fayaz Ahmed Bhat, Mohd Kamal Mir, Mohd Yaqoob and others.
Warm farewell accorded to retiring officers
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: J&K Bank today accorded warm send off to one of its senior officers Nayeemullah Ahmad, who retired as Bank’s President.
Chairman and CEO Mushtaq Ahmad along with Executive President Parvez Ahmad, senior presidents, presidents, vice presidents and other senior officers attended the farewell function at the bank’s Corporate Office.
ED Bank Officers Association bid a warm farewell to founder president of the association Ashvinder Koul on attaining his superannuation today. All the members present on the occasion wished him for his healthy, peaceful and happy post retirement life.
Jammu University Non Teaching Employees Union accorded a warm send off to Mrs Kailash Gupta, Assistant Registrar and Tara Chand Assistant Registrar-IOI on attaining age of superannuation.
S Jang S Verman, TGT (Art, Edu), Kendriya Vidyalaya, No 1, Gandhi Nagar Jammu, got his superannuation after serving in KV Sangthan for more than 33 years.
Conductor injured after fall from bus
Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Mar 31: Conductor of a passenger bus sustained serious injuries after he fell from the moving vehicle near Garhi, here today.
The injured, identified as Varun Sharma (22), son of Hari Krishan of Dansal, was boarding the moving bus when he fell on the road and sustained serious injuries. He was rushed to District Hospital Udhampur and his condition was stated to be stable.