Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 23: In a major decision ahead of Assembly elections, the Government today ordered creation of 659 new administrative units in Jammu and Kashmir, which had been recommended by a high level Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) and approved by the State Cabinet in the first week of February.
Two orders approving creation of 659 new units were issued by the Revenue Department and Rural Development Department today.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government order has approved creation of 46 new Sub Divisions, 135 Tehsils, 177 blocks and 301 Niabats.
The Government order said the geographical and territorial limits of newly created and adjoining existing administrative units will be notified separately as required under Section 5 of Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act.
The Government, however, has not approved creation of about 3000 new Patwar Halqas as recommended by the CSC headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand. The CSC had recommended that all Panchayat Halqas numbering about 3000 should be declared as Patwar Halqas.
The Government had approved the CSC proposal. The Government order said the orders regarding creation of new Patwar Halqas will be issued separately.
The Government has also approved creation of 1239 new posts in Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department for creation and operationalization of 177 New Community Development Blocks (CD Blocks).
Of 1239 new posts proposed for the Rural Development and PR Departments, 177 each have been proposed for BDOs, Assistant Engineers, Assistant Accounts Officers, Statistical Officers and Junior Assistant com Computer Operations apart from 354 Orderlies.
The Government has approved designation of Assistant Commissioners Development (ACDs) as Nodal Officers for respective districts to identify suitable premises preferably Panchayat Ghars or rented accommodation, where Panchayat Ghars are not available, for making new units functional. The identification will be completed within 15 days.
The Government has asked Planning and Development Department to release Rs 3 lakh per CD block for purchase of office automation equipment/furniture.
The Government has approved creation of permanent infrastructure for new CD blocks including office and residential blocks for housing the BDO office at Rs 40 lakh per unit in summer zone and Rs 42 lakh per units in winter zone for office accommodation and Rs 32.5 lakh per unit for summer zone and Rs 34.5 lakh in winter zone for residential accommodation.
The Government has approved creation of five new Sub Divisions in Jammu district including Marh, Khour, Jammu North (Roop Nagar), Jammu South (Gangyal) and Chowki Chowra. It has approved two new Sub Divisions for Doda at Thathri and Assar, one Sub Division for Kathua in Hiranagar and one Sub Division for Poonch at Surankote.
Three Sub Divisions—Chatroo, Marwah and Paddar have been approved for Kishtwar districts. Kalakote, Sunderbani, Thanna Mandi and Koteranka have been approved as new Sub Divisions in Rajouri district while Ramsoo, Banihal and Gool are three new Sub Divisions in Ramban, Thuroo (Darmari) and Katra will be new Sub Divisions in Reasi district.
The Government has further ordered creation of Ghagwal and Vijaypur as new Sub Divisions in Samba district, Chenani, Dudu and Ramnagar in Udhampur district, Dooru, Pahalgam and Kokernag in Anantnag district, Sumbal in Bandipora district, Gulmarg and Pattan in Baramulla district, Beerwah and Chadoora in Budgam district, Kangan in Ganderbal district, Noorabad in Kulgam district and Lolab (headquartered at Sogam) in Kupwara district.
Tral has been declared as new Sub Division in Pulwama district, Zainpora in Shopian district, Srinagar East and Srinagar West in Srinagar district, Chakar Chiktan and Sanku in Kargil district and Durbuk, Kharu and Likir in Leh district.
Sources said with formal declaration of new administrative units, the Government now would be in a position to name new SDMs for Sub Divisions, Tehsildars for Tehsils, BDOs for blocks and Naib Tehsildars for Niabats to make the units function for which the process has already been set into motion.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, July 23: General Officer Commanding (GOC) 10 Infantry Division, headquartered at Akhnoor, Major General AK Dhar said today that militants have been adopting new strategy of planting mines and then firing on the Army personnel to force infiltration into this side but added that Army was successfully foiling all such bids by the ultras.
Inter-acting with media persons at Akhnoor after paying floral tribute to martyr Army soldier Naik Mong Chon B, who was killed at forward village of Chakla in Pallanwalla sector while thwarting infiltration attempt by the militants, Maj Gen Dhar said: “planting mines and then opening firing simultaneously to infiltrate into this side is new strategy of the militants but we have been able to thwart such attempts’’.
“There has been a kind of an infiltration attempt which was thwarted and in the bargain this boy has lost his life. He was a brave soldier but in this kind of firefight one should be prepared to lay down his life,” the GOC said after paying glowing tributes to the Army soldier before his body was sent to his native town of Aniangan, Noklak in Tuensang district of Nagaland.
“The operation is still on we are still searching for militants. We have to see how many can we get hold of. Putting mines and then trying to fire simultaneously is their strategy. That area is across the river and it’s such a thick jungle area that you cannot really see anything more than three to four yards. So we are facing this kind of problem in searching through the militants,” the Army officer said.
“Of late, they (militants) have been putting mines and then trying to fire at (troops guarding the LoC) and infiltrators take mileage out of this strategy,” Major General Dhar said.
Earlier today, Maj Gen Dhar laid wreath at mortal remains of Martyr soldier at 170 Military Hospital, Akhnoor.  Chong of 3 Naga had attained martyrdom yesterday in the exchange of fire between Army and infiltrating militants in Pallanwalla sector along the LoC.
Replying to the question on yesterday’s attack on Indian troops during an infiltration bid by the militants, the Army officer said, “There has been a kind of an infiltration attempt which was thwarted and in the bargain this boy has lost his life. He was a brave soldier.”
He said “the operation is still on. We are still searching for militants.’’
Major General Dhar said: “that area (terrain of operation) is across the river and it is such a thick jungle area that you cannot really see anything more than three to four yards. So we are facing this kind of problem in searching the militants.”
Many of the high ranking officers of the Indian Army attended the wreath laying ceremony of the martyred soldier at Akhnoor.
Meanwhile, Army last night foiled a major infiltration attempt by the militants in forward area of Tarkundi along the Line of Control (LoC) in Balakote sector in Poonch district.
Official sources said a group of six to eight militants tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory from forward area of Tarkundi at 11.30 pm. The Army jawans opened firing aiming the direction the militants were taking to sneak into this side.
The firing continued for about 40 minutes after which the militants fled back to PoK taking cover of darkness and adverse weather conditions.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 23: The National Conference today released second list of 14 candidates for Assembly elections including 13 for Jammu region and one in Kashmir. Barring two new faces, the NC has fielded a dozen such candidates, who had lost the previous Assembly elections, some of them even twice or thrice.
After Congress and NC made it public that there will be no pre-poll alliance between the two incumbent coalition partners, the NC today announced candidates for six Assembly constituencies, held by the Congress including four Ministers in the Alliance Government.
The National Conference Parliamentary Board cleared the list of 14 candidates after a meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital of the State after a meeting under the chairmanship of National Conference president and former Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah in the presence of Chief Minister and party’s working president Omar Abdullah.
NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar announced the list.
The NC has fielded Rajya Sabha member and former Finance and Education Minister Mohammad Shaffi Uri from Uri Assembly segment in Baramulla district of the Kashmir Valley. Uri had lost two consecutive Assembly elections from Uri in 2002 and 2008 to Congress candidate and present Health and Medical Education Minister Taj Mohi-ud-Din, a veteran Congress leader.
Apart from Taj Mohi-ud-Din, the NC has also fielded candidates against three other sitting Congress Ministers including Works Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani in Doda, Minister for Cooperatives Dr Manohar Lal Sharma in Billawar and Minister for Technical Education Viqar Rasool in Banihal.
NC has against pitted MLC Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardhy from Doda Assembly segment, who had lost twice to Mujeed Wani in 2002 and 2008 Assembly polls and Romi (Sanjeev) Khajuria from Billawar against Minister for Cooperatives Dr Manohar Lal Sharma. Romi had been defeated in Billawar in 2008 Assembly elections.
The party has repeated Sajaad Shaheen from Banihal against Minister for Technical Education and MoS Power Viqar Rasool. Shaheen had lost 2008 Assembly election to Viqar.
The National Conference has repeated its candidates against two more Congress held segments of Ramban and Surankote. They included Peer Mushtaq Bukhari in Surankote and Dr Chaman Lal in Ramban. Both of them had tasted defeat from Congress candidates in 2008 Assembly polls. While Ramban is represented by Ashok Kumar of Congress, Surankote MLA and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Choudhary Aslam had passed away recently.
The National Conference has placed bets on Dr Kamal Arora in Bishnah and Taranjit Singh Tony in Suchetgarh, who had lost three and two successive Assembly elections in 1996, 2002 and 2008. It has again fielded Satpal Lakhotra from Raipur-Domana constituency, who had lost the seat in 2002 and 2008 after winning it in 1996 as Janata Dal nominee and later switching over to the NC.
The party has named Satwant Kaur Dogra from Samba Reserve seat. Dogra had contested 2008 Assembly election from the same constituency in 2008 as BJP candidate but later joined the ruling national Conference.
The party has, however, fielded two candidates KK Bakshi in Kathua and Chandu Ram from Hiranagar Reserve seat.
It has again nominated Sunil Verma from Udhampur and Devender Singh Bindu from Basohli, both of whom had been defeated in 2008 Assembly election.
The Parliamentary Board of the National Conference, which cleared candidates, comprised Finance Minister A R Rather, Harbans Singh, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Transport and CAPD Minister Mohammad Ramzan, CM’s Advisor Qamar Ali Akhoon, NC provincial president for Jammu Devender Singh Rana and provincial president for Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani.
The NC has already announced 32 candidates for Assembly elections, which were due to be held in November-December. With today’s list of 14 candidates, the NC has announced 46 candidates. The Assembly has a strength of 87.

NEW DELHI, July 23:
Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet on August 25 in Islamabad to discuss the way forward in bilateral ties, which have made no headway since the interruption of dialogue process nearly two years ago.
A simultaneous announcement about the meeting was made from New Delhi and Islamabad today after Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and her Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had a telephonic conversation.
An understanding that the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries will be in touch to see how to move forward on bilateral relations had been reached during the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here in May to attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders had a “constructive” bilateral meeting for 45 minutes, a day after the ceremony.
Announcing the decision to hold Indo-Pak Foreign Secretaries meet, the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry here said, “The two foreign secretaries had… A telephonic discussion and as part of that discussion they also discussed how they should move forward. And based on that telephonic conversation, they agreed that they will meet in Islamabad on August 25.”
The Spokesperson noted that since there have been incidents of firing along the international boundary, Foreign Secretary Singh used the opportunity to raise the issue.
Singh said “incidents of this nature will impede the positive work” that the political leaders of both the countries wish to undertake, according to the Spokesperson.
“She also reiterated that meaningful cooperation between the two countries cannot take place alongside violence and the sound of bullets on the border. To us and Pakistan, the maintenance of peace and tranquillity on the Line of Control is one of the most important Confidence Building Measures (CBMs),” he said.
Asked about the status of proposed gas pipeline between India and Pakistan, the Spokesperson did not give a direct reply and said the first contact at a diplomatic level following the two Prime Ministers’ agreement happened today when Foreign Secretary Singh and her counterpart from Pakistan Aizaz had a telephonic conversation.
On whether the resumption of the dialogue process will be subject to stopping of firing along the LoC, he said it was too premature to comment on the matter.
In its press statement on the meeting, Pakistan Government said, “In keeping with the vision of the two Prime Ministers to improve and establish good neighbourly relations, the Foreign Secretaries agreed that the dialogue process between the two countries should be result-oriented.”
Meanwhile, the Government has initiated several actions from time to time for resolving the above issues emanating from the domestic and external factors, MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju said in Rajya Sabha.
“Towards the domestic front, the Government in tandem with the State Government adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, which includes, inter-alia, strengthening of border management and multi-tiered and multi-modal deployment along international borderline of control and infiltration routes, improved intelligence and operational coordination and pro-active action against the terrorists within the State,” the Minister said.
The Minister said that during bilateral talks held between the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan following the swearing-in ceremony of the Indian Government on May 26, 2014, “it was agreed that Foreign Secretaries of both the countries would get in touch to explore the possibility of how to move bilateral relations between the two countries forward.
“Our Prime Minister further emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity at the borders and upholding the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC),” he said.
Further in the budget of 2014-15, introduced in the Parliament on July 10 2014, Rs 500 crore have been earmarked for rehabilitation of Kashmir migrants, he added.
Talking about JK further, he said in an another reply, so far, 2,264 Special Police Officers (SPOs) have been converted as constables/followers under Government policy.
“As per report, there is no proposal or policy under consideration of the State Government to consider Village Defence Committees (VDCs) for regularisation, as their nature of engagement is purely voluntary,” Rijiju said. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 23: Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar today ordered adjustment of 82 DySPs and transfer of 21 DySPs.
Mohammad Shafi has been posted as DySP Security  Bursar Hydro Electric  Project Kishtwar on deputation basis;
Ghulam Jeelani was posted as DySP was SSG J&K against available vacancy; Mohammad Aziz Khan was posted as DySP CID SB Rajouri against available vacancy; Ravinder Singh has been posted as DySP SKPA Udhampur against available vacancy;
Ali Mohammad Reshi was posted as DySP CID SB Budgam against available vacancy; Abdul Rashid is posted as DySP DAR Kupwara vice Ghulam Hassan Bhat; Ashok Kumar is posted as DySP in IR-1st Bn and further attached with SP Reasi to function as DySP Bhawan; Madan Lal was posted as DySP in PTTI Vijaypur against available vacancy; Nazir Ahmed Latoo is posted as DySP CID SB Kupwara/Handwara against available vacancy;
Naresh Kumar has been posted as DySP CID SB Kathua against available vacancy; Ram Ji Dass is posted as DySP in JKAP-14th Bn against available vacancy; Mohammad Shafi is posted as AC HG Srinagar against available vacancy; Gurvinder Kour was posted as SO to DIG Armed Jammu against available vacancy; Mohammad Muzafar was posted as DySP AHJ Srinagar against available vacancy; Ayoub Pandit is posted as DySP JKAP-3rd Bn against available vacancy;
Predhuman Krishan is posted as Assistant Commandant, Home Guards (AC HG) Samba against available vacancy;
Mohammad Yousuf was posted as DySP PCR Srinagar against available vacancy; Tejinder Singh is posted as AC HG Udhampur against available vacancy; Abdul Majid Mir has been posted as DySP Civil Defence Budgam against available vacancy; Parvez Ahmed is posted as DySP Crime Srinagar against available vacancy;
Ghulam Mohammad was posted as DySP PTS Manigam against available vacancy; Bashir Ahmed Dar was posted as AC HG Kupwara against available vacancy; Manzoor Ahmed is posted as DySP STC Sheeri against available vacancy; Rakesh Kumar is posted as DySP STC Talwara against available vacancy;
Sushma Kumari is posted as SO to DIG HG Jammu against available vacancy; Bilal Hussain is posted as AC HG Pulwama against available vacancy; Zahid Saif Wani was posted as DySP Traffic Ramban against available vacancy; Farooq Ahmad is posted as DySP CIV PHQ against available vacancy; Mohammad Shafi is posted as DySP Crime Kashmir against the vacant post of DySP Photography Cadre; Syed Hussain Qadri is posted as DySP in SDRF-1st Bn against available vacancy;
Nissar Ahmad has been posted as DySP DAR Handwara vice Azad Ahmad Shah; Manzoor Ahmed is posted as DySP in JKAP-13th Bn against available vacancy; Mohammad Yousuf is posted as AC HG Shopian against available vacancy; Kuljit Singh was posted as DySP DAR Kathua against available vacancy;
Sajad Ahmad is posted as DySP SDPO Badherwah vice Ifroz Ahmad; Sonam Dorjay is posted as DySP Civil Defence Kargil against available vacancy; Arvinder Kotwal is posted as  AC HG Kathua against available vacancy; Mohammad Shafiq was posted as DySP PTS Manigam against available vacancy;
Sukhdev Singh has been posted as DySP in JKAP-4th Bn against available vacancy; Kuldeep Kumar is posted as DySP in JKAP-14th Bn against available vacancy; Varinder Singh was posted as DySP SKPA Udhampur against available vacancy; Mohammad Aijaz Bhat is posted as DySP CID Hqrs J&K against available vacancy; Parvez Alam was posted as DySP in STC Talwara against available vacancy; Abdul Aziz Khan is posted as DySP Security Police Transport workshop Jammu against one Deputation Reserve Post of DySP; Manjeet Singh has been posted as DySP in IR-7th Bn against available vacancy; Altaf Ahmed Dar is posted as DySP Security Kashmir against one Deputation Reserve Post of DySP; Nissar Ahmed No.5034 is posted as DySP Security Kashmir University on deputation basis; Liaqat Ahmed is posted as DySP  in JKAP-13th Bn against available vacancy;
Mohammad Nasir Khan was posted as DySP Civil Defence Srinagar against available vacancy; Ghulam Hassan has been posted as DySP CID SB Bandipora against available vacancy; Raashid Khan has been posted as DySP in SSG J&K against available vacancy; Mohammad Sidiq was posted as DySP in SDRF-2nd Bn against available vacancy; Ghulam Mohi Din is posted as DySP Security Workshop Srinagar against one Deputation Reserve Post of DySP.
Zakir Shaheen Mirza  was posted as DySP Hqrs Reasi vice Shri Mushtaq Ahmad; Zahoor Ahmed Bhat is posted as SDPO Railways Baramulla against available vacancy; Mushtaq Ahmed is posted as DySP  in IR-18th Bn against available vacancy; Mohammad Nasir Bhat has been posted as DySP in JKAP-11th Bn against available vacancy; Aijaz Ahmad  is posted as DySP Traffic Shopian/Pulwama against available vacancy; Mohammad Aslam is posted as DySP in IR-9th Bn against available vacancy; Satpal Modi is posted as DySP SDRF-2nd Bn against available vacancy; Mohammad Aslam Mir was posted as DySP Dar Kargil vice Shri Reyaz Ahmad; Sukhdev Raj is posted as DySP in IR-9th Bn against available vacancy; Dev Raj, No. 4113 is posted as DySP in IR-9th Bn against available vacancy; Dev Raj has been posted as DySP in IR-10th Bn against available vacancy; Reyaz Ahmad was posted as DySP Traffic Ganderbal/Bandipora against available vacancy; Mohammad Ayoub is posted as DySP in JKAP-11th Bn against available vacancy; Rukhsar Ahmad is posted as AC HG Kulgam against available vacancy; Zaffar Iqbal is posted as DySP Estates Welfare Jammu against available vacancy; Rashad Akbar  was  posted as DySP in JKAP-13th Bn against available vacancy; Kulwant Singh is posted as AC Homeguards Baramulla against available vacancy;
Madan Lal is posted as DySP in IR-4th Bn against available vacancy; Riyaz Ahmad Shah has been posted as AC Homeguards Anantnag against available vacancy; Habibullah is posted as AC Homeguards Ganderbal against available vacancy; Farooq Ahmad is posted as DySP in JKAP-3rd  Bn against available vacancy; Yashbir Singh was posted as DySP in JKAP-4th Bn against available vacancy; Ishfaq Alam has been posted as DySP in IR-8th Bn against available vacancy; Liaqat Ali is posted as DySP Central Store Srinagar against available post; Mohammad Shafi is posted as DySP in IR-2nd Bn against available vacancy; Abdul Khalid has been posted as DySP in STC Sheeri against available vacancy; Manzoor Ahmad Dar is posted as SO to DIG HG Kashmir against available vacancy; Jabeen Akther was posted as DySP CD Rajouri against available vacancy;
Mohammad Abass is posted as DySP in IR-11th Bn against available vacancy; Further, Aftab Ahmad, DySP JKAP-8th Bn (at present PHQ) was posted as DySP IR-4th Bn against One Deputation Reserve post of DySP; Consequent upon adjustments, five DySPs were transferred by the DGP; Tanveer Jeelani, SDPO Handwara has been transferred and posted as SDPO Awantipora vice Parvez Ahmad Dar; Arif Amin Shah, DySP JKAP-7th Bn was transferred and posted as DySP in JKAP-11th Bn against available vacancy; Sajad Khaliq Bhat, SDPO Khanyar was transferred and posted as DySP CID CIK Hqrs against available vacancy; Dawood Ayoub, DySP Traffic City Srinagar has been transferred and posted as SDPO Sadder Srinagar vice Feroz Ahmad Qadri; Perbeet Singh, DySP CID CI Ganderbal was transferred and posted as SDPO North Jammu vice Kulbir Chand Handa.
Mushtaq Ahmad, DySP Hqrs Reasi is transferred and posted as SDPO Kangan vice Shri Zulafqar Ahmad, who shall report to PHQ till further orders.
Ifroz Ahmad, SDPO Baderwah was transferred and posted as SDPO Handwara vice Tanveer Jeelani; Zaheer Abass, DySP PC Rajouri was transferred and posted as DySP PC Kulgam vice Iftkhar Ahmad; Iftkhar Ahmad, DySP PC Kulgam was transferred and posted DySP PC Rajouri vice Zaheer Abass.
Parvez Ahmad Dar, SDPO Awantipora is transferred and posted as SDPO Khanyar vice Sajad Khaliq Bhat; Balwant Raj, DySP IR-1st Bn is transferred and posted in DySP JKAP-4th Bn against available vacancy;  Shri Kulbir Chand Handa, SDPO North Jammu was transferred and posted as DySP DAR Doda against available vacancy; Feroz Ahmad Qadri, SDPO Sadder was transferred and posted as DySP CID CI Ganderbal vice Perbeet Singh; Swaran Singh, DySP under transfer as ACHG Poonch is posted as DySP in JKAP-14th Bn against one Deputation Reserve post of DySP; Ajay Kumar Sharma, DySP JKAP-12th Bn is transferred and posted as AC HG Reasi against available vacancy; Madan Mohan Singh, DySP JKAP-13th Bn is transferred and posted as DySP in SDRF-2nd Bn against available vacancy; Bodh Raj DySP JAKP-13th Bn was transferred and posted as Principal CTI Jammu against available vacancy;
Azad Ahmad, DySP under transfer as DySP DAR Handwara has been posted as Principal CTI Srinagar against available vacancy; Reyaz Ahmad, DySP DAR Kargil is transferred and posted as DySPP in IR-2nd Bn against available vacancy; Joginder Singh, DySP JKAP-6th Bn was transferred and posted as DySP IR-14th Bn against available vacancy; Ghulam Hassan Bhat, DySP DAR Kupwara was transferred and posted as DySP Traffic City Srinagar vice Shri Dawood Ayoub.
Meanwhile, the DGP has also ordered promotion of 23 Sub Inspectors as Inspectors. They are Rajesh Kumar Goutum,  Suresh Kumar,  Narinder Singh, Umesh Nag, Surinder Vir Singh Chib, Gh Rasool Khanday, Joginder Singh,  Romal Singh, Bhovinder Singh, Jasbir Singh, Khalid Qayoom, Charinjeet Singh, Nazir Ahmad, Tanvir Ahmad Khan,  Anil Raina, Farooq Ahmad Hajam, Vikas Kant Parihar, Johan Mohammad, Tilak Raj, Manzoor Ahmad, Rizing Wangchok, Satvir Singh and Davinder Singh.

*Rs 40 crore required to complete ongoing works

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 23: Several villages situated along the India-China and India-Pakistan border in Leh district, which were being discriminated on the developmental front during the past many years, have finally seen a ray of justice as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’s intervention has led to increase in funding for these villages under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) scheme.
Sources in the Civil Secretariat told EXCELSIOR that Ministry of Home Affairs vide communication dated June 17, 2014 had brought the resentment among the border population along the Indo-China border to the notice of State Government through Chief Secretary.
Later, through another communication on the same subject, the Ministry of Home Affairs even forwarded list of priority villages of border blocks of Nyoma and Durbuk along the Indo-China border with the direction that State Government should accord highest priority to these villages while formulating the Plan of BADP for the financial year 2014-15, sources informed.
“The resentment among the border population was justified as during the past several years BADP funds, instead of being utilized in the border villages, were being utilized in all 113 villages of the Leh district under the political pressure”, sources said, adding “due to practice of providing undue benefits to the non-border villages, meagre allocations were being made to the border villages”.
When the Leh district administration studied the funding pattern of the ongoing BADP Plan in the light of MHA’s communiques, it came to the fore that numerous schemes have been taken up at the estimated cost of more than Rs 80 crore against an annual BADP Plan of Rs 13 crore. “At this rate, coupled with the cost escalations, an average small scheme takes 4-5 years whereas a bigger scheme costing more than Rs 90 lakh could take 10 years for completion”, sources said.
“Due to this the contractors have left many works incomplete and are not willing to work unless liabilities are cleared”, sources further said while disclosing that this has created a vicious circle which is leading to resentment among the people particularly the inhabitants of border areas.
Following the MHA intervention, the Leh district administration has initiated some measures towards providing justice to the border villagers.
For the border block of Khaltsi where allocation during 2013-14 financial year was Rs 17.96 lakh, an amount of Rs 48 lakh has been earmarked during the current year’s BADP Plan thereby registering an increase of 36%.
Similarly, an amount of Rs 206.68 lakh has been earmarked for the Nubra block this year as against allocation of Rs 90 lakh during the previous year.
As far as Nyoma and Durbuk blocks are concerned for which specific mention was made by MHA in its communiques to J&K Government, an increase of 15% and 28.6% respectively has been made over last year’s allocation.
In 2013-14, an allocation of Rs 244.35 lakh was made for the Nyoma block and Rs 137.76 lakh for Durbuk block. However, in current year’s BADP Plan, Rs 327.57 lakh has been earmarked for Nyoma and Rs 247.12 lakh for Durbuk block. In this way, the funding in the 22 border villages/panchayats has been significantly increased out of the existing plan by reducing the funding to the non-border villages, which are, however, figuring as ongoing schemes, sources said.
Keeping in view the additional burden on the BADP Plan of the district due to the practice of taking up new schemes, the Leh district administration, according to the sources, has not included any new scheme in the current year’s plan.
Stating that demands of the border areas are required to be addressed on top priority because of the fast Chinese development across the border, sources said, “MHA is being requested to sanction one time grant of Rs 40 crore for completion of ongoing works in 22 border villages of Leh”.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 23: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today condemned the alleged forcing of a Muslim to break his Ramzan fast by some Shiv Sena MPs at Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.
The Chief Minister also sought to know how BJP and Shiv Sena would have reacted had a Muslim MP done a similar act.
“I would like to see how the BJP and Shiv Sena would have reacted if a Muslim MP had forced a non-Muslim vegetarian to eat meat. Shame on them,” Omar wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.Com.

Mir Iqbal
Having been representative of the people from the last 12 years, the inhabitants of Bijbehara constituency said their MLA has compounded their grievances rather than finding any solutions to them.
The constituency is represented by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) legislator MLA Abdul Rehman Veeri since 2002. Veeri defeated National Conference defeated Bashir Ahmad Shah by a margin of 10, 000 votes. Veeri polled 23, 320 votes and Shah polled 13, 046.
Inhabitants of the constituency in general said their area has witnessed no perceptible change on developmental front from last more than five and a half years.
Although, some parts of the constituency witnessed some sort of development like construction of drains, pavements and health centre buildings, but people continue to suffer due to absence of basic amenities.
Inhabitants said Bijbehara constituency is one of the most victimized constituencies on development front among the other six Assembly segments in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
They said that it appears to be the victim of inefficiency of local representative as he has failed to address the demands of the people lack vis-a-vis healthcare, drinking water, electricity, education, road connectivity and other major developments.
“Bijbehara Assembly seat has been discriminated by the successive Government on every front and the assurances of all the political party members that once voted to power all the genuine issues would be solved proved hoax time and again,” the inhabitants said, adding, the locals have been deceived by local leaders every time.
The inhabitants of village Kanelwun, which has more than 5000 voters, said that the politico-mafia nexus was ruling the roost in the area and whosoever raised genuine voice against them have been labeled anti-social elements and then harassed one or the other pretext.
“We are fed up with the false promises of these leaders, as they have only benefitted their own people, while rest of the population was left to the mercy of Allah,” they said.
Residents of villages Gur, Arder, Veer, Laribal, Krengam, Nanul, Okera, Kherum, Sirhama, Marhama, Wagama, Chandpora, Banderpora, Aswara, Chinigund and other dozens of villages, said they have been battling with daily issues like pure water, sanitation, ration supply, electricity, health care and education.
Hajira Banoo, 50, an elderly woman of village Laribal told EXCELSIOR that she has been casting vote from decades, but regrets that there was no visible developmental change in the area that could have benefitted her. “I am not asking these leaders for Government job for my children, but atleast they should provide us basic necessities like healthcare services at our nearest town, pure drinking water and sufficient ration per month,” Banoo said.
Other women sitting next to her echoed the same view, saying these politicians have benefitted their close relatives and friends, while “poor” public is struggling for basic amenities.
The condition at public ration depots is worst, as the people complained that some people close to local politicians are enjoying ration cards of Below Poverty Line (BPL) despite working in Government departments, while as “genuine” BPL families are pushed to the wall and ration is provided to them on APL rates.
Khazir Mohammad Lone, a local resident said that hundreds are families are not provided ration at Government depots because they weren’t given ration cards till date, while as every influential family has been sanctioned more than two ration cards.
“Ration cards meant for economically poor families under Antadaya Anna Yojana (AAY) scheme have been distributed among economically well off people and deserving were left,” Lone said.
Officials at the district administration admitted that they have received frequent complaints regarding uneven distribution of ration in Bijbehara area and said that such incidents have been going under the political influence.
“We have been casting votes from past more than 50 years to choose leaders, but till date their performance has upset us, as we lack basic amenities and our representatives hardly bother about our miseries,” said Janak Singh of Bijbehara.
The residents of Gur, Uranhall, Veer, Aadar, Kandipora, Nowbugh, Kreer Zaal and Naanil, situated few kilometers away from the Bijbehara town are up in arms against their MLA for failing to provide basic amenities to them.
They said with dilapidated roads, scarcity of water, erratic power supply and lack of irrigation facility led to a situation that a good number of villagers prefer migration from the area.
“The roads in our area are in complete shambles and even a small down pour inundates roads and these turn muddy during incessant rains thereby making the movement of vehicles and pedestrians difficult,” the residents told EXCELSIOR.
Since a good number of people are associated with transport business but due to bad roads, “our vehicles suffer extensive damage every year,” the residents said adding that the maintenance cost of vehicles had also gone up considerably.
The condition of the Uranhall-Veeri-Naanil road and Veeri-Zirpora road, they say is pathetic. “These two vital road links connecting many villages of Bijbehara with each other are bumpy and dotted with potholes making the movement of vehicles and pedestrians difficult,” said Mushtaq Ahmad of Zirpora. He said that the dust emanating from these roads during summers has been a cause of several respiratory diseases and also responsible for the crop damage.
The residents of Gur, Aadar, Nowbugh, Kandipora, Kreer Zaal, Veer and Naanil also complained that passengers and commuters were facing tremendous inconvenience due to the dilapidated condition of roads.
“Due to the pathetic condition of the roads, less transport plies on them, making the passengers, students and office goers to suffer. The problem gets complicated when we have to ferry the patients and expecting mothers to tertiary hospitals,” said Irshad Farooq.
They said that the main road passing through Bijbehara town and another leading from Bijbehara Chowk to Pehalgam via Kanelwun is full of pot holes and narrow due to which traffic remains stuck every day in Bijbehara town and commuters and locals have to face a lot of inconveniences.
“Drain water flow over roads at many places in these two vital roads. We approached the authorities but they didn’t respond,” They said, adding, the authorities however, told them that it was the responsibility of the contractors to repair the roads.
The inhabitant said that Kanelwun, Gur and its adjoining villages were without a proper water supply scheme and at times the villagers crave for even a single drop of water. “The water supplied to a village and the adjoining area through a water tank is not enough to cater to the needs of the people. We get water supply only two hours a day and its flow is low in summer while during winters our taps run dry,” they said, adding, women folk of the area have to walk several miles to fetch water even during harsh winters.
They also said that the villages are without any water supply scheme and as such they are forced to consume the contaminated water as the pipes have been dipped in the Lidder river directly at Okera village which is highly contaminated these days due to the massive presence of tourists and Amarnath yatra pilgrims in the area.
“We approached dozens of times to our local MLA, and other officials for setting up a water filtration plant in the area but nothing changed on ground,” they said.
The inhabitants said that works done under MGNREGA program have benefitted some influential people, while as deserving areas were left out of this scheme in most villages of this constituency.
They alleged that it has been hijacked by the contractors for their personal benefits who receive work orders together with their political leaders.
“If at all any work has been done in any village under MGNREGA scheme, substandard material has been used for construction of drains, streets and bunds,” Sajad Ahmad Dar, a local resident said.
The electric supply in the area, villagers complained, is very much erratic and people are fed up with unscheduled power cuts. “There is no proper schedule for electricity supply and at the most we get only few hours of electricity a day while at times the villages reel under darkness for days altogether,” the villagers said.
They said that the electric supply lines are fraught with danger and can lead to a mishap as they are passing through windows and rooftops of the houses as the Power Development Department (PDD) has not even erected electric poles at many villages including in village Kanelwun.
The villagers have also complained that some areas remain plunged into darkness as they are without electric transformer.
“Some hamlets in the area are being fed electricity from the transformer of adjacent villages but due to the excessive load, the voltage remains so low that only a filament of a bulb is visible,” the inhabitants said while demanding separate transformers for these hamlets.
MLA Bijbehara, Abdul Rehman Veeri admitted that the inhabitants are being supplied contaminated water as the filtration plants were not working well. “The residents are right that they are being supplied dirty water. The filters don’t work well. They need to be changed after two years which is not done,” Veeri said.
Veeri said that dozens of water supply schemes have been taken up in the area during his tenure and some of them have been completed, while others “will take some time in its completion”.
“Water supply schemes in Khiram, Banderpora, Chandipora, Gadhanjipora, Bijbehara, Veeri-Krandigam, Kharbug-Bungund, Nanil, Kanelwun, Wupzan, Sirhama, K.Kalan, Thalnag, Viday, Balyar Marhama, Karewa Bijbehara and Shalgam have been completed,” he said.
Veeri said there were some cases pending in the Food and Supplies Department, who have not been given ration under BPL quota. “I have raised this ration issue with food and supplies department, hopefully these cases would be solved soon,” he said.
On dilapidated roads in his constituency, he claimed 99 percent of the roads have been macadamized in the last five years, and some have damaged due to the heavy snowfall and other physical impediments.
Over misappropriation in works done under MGNREGA scheme which have benefitted influential people, Veeri replied the MGNREGA works are handled by panchayat members and Block Development Offices and MLAs hardly have any role their execution.
“MGNREGA are not big projects that money can be bungled out of them. Maximum funds are spent on labour class, so there is no such huge scam in it,” he said.
Veeri said that Government Degree College, Bijbehara, Trauma Hospital Bijbehara, four higher secondary schools, 13 high schools and dozens of middle schools and public health centers at Marhama, Mattan, K.Kalan, Sirhama, Khiram and Veeri have been taken up by him for the welfare of people.
“I have also laid special emphasis on Irrigation projects including lift irrigation in my constituency,” he said, adding, “Five power receiving stations at Khiram, Halmulla, Duptyar-Zarpora, Aukeera and Veeri are functional in my constituency and all have been sanctioned in my tenure since 1999,” he said.