Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 18: The relief holders of Jagti township in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Ajay Bhat have criticized the authorities for their failure in constructing the Jagti Hospital.
They said in a recent matador accident at Jagti it took a lot of time in shifting the injured to Jammu Hospital and had the Hospital been ready the injured people could have been admitted there for medicare treatment.
He criticized the authorities for not providing any compensation to the people who were injured in the accident and demanded that all the injured be provided compensation who are poor relief holders and unable to bear the expenses of medical treatment.
Relief holders for early completion of work on Jagti Hospital
Girl dies mysteriously
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 18: A girl student was found dead in suspicious conditions at her home in Budgam on Thursday evening.
A police spokesman said the 18-year-old girl, identified as Maqsooda Akhter resident of Hardsursh, was found dead in suspicious circumstances at her home, Khag Budgam. She was a studying in class 12th.
“Police has started investigations under Section 174 CrPC to ascertain the cause of her death,” the spokesman said.
Govt urged to release funds for salary of FMPHWs
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 18: Jammu and Kashmir Medical Employees Federation (JKMEF), Jammu Province, has appealed the Government to release the funds for salary of FMPHWs before Eid Festival.
In this concern, a deputation of JKMEF led by its president, Sushil Sudan recently met Director, Family Welfare, MCH & Immunization, Dr Baldev Raj Sharma at Jammu and discussed the matter with him.
The Director was apprised that FMPHWS working under 2211 Family Welfare Head are without salary for last 16-18 months, who according to him took up the matter with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, which advised the Government of J&K to meet the requirement of salary at their own.
Accordingly, the Director submitted the requirement to the Commissioner/Secretary to Government Health and Family Welfare, who in turn forwarded the same to Finance Department.
Therefore the Federation has urged the Finance Ministry to release the funds at the earliest so that these FMPHWs can receive the salary before Eid Festival.
GDP growth to improve this fiscal: Jaitley
NEW DELHI, July 18:
India’s economic growth is expected to improve during the current fiscal from 4.7 per cent in 2013-14, helped by a revival in industrial growth, improved fiscal health and external economic situation, Parliament was informed today.
The Economic Survey 2013-14 tabled in the Lok Sabha early this month had projected the country to grow between 5.4-5.9 per cent in the current fiscal.
“The growth rate of the country is expected to increase during 2014-15, compared to 2013-14,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
He said factors such as revival of industrial growth, improved external economic situation characterised by a stable current account, benign outlook on oil prices, improved fiscal health and modest revival in global economy can be expected to contribute to the GDP growth in 2014-15.
The country has been clocking a sub-5 per cent growth for the past two financial years, mainly on account of slowdown in investments.
In a separate reply to another question, the Minister said slowdown in investment has happened due to a combination of factors such as weak business sentiment, global slowdown, lower export demand, infrastructure bottlenecks and rise in interest costs owing to elevated inflation.
“The Government continuously monitors macro-indicators including sectoral investment pattern in the economy,” he said, adding the investment rate declined from 35.5 per cent of GDP in 2011-12 to 34.8 per cent in 2012-13. (PTI)
Flower describes Pak assignment as a “big challenge”
Karachi, July 18:
Pakistan’s foreign batting coach Grant Flower has described his new assignment as a “big challenge” and said he was looking forward to convincing Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi to do away with their habit of throwing away good starts.
A day after reaching Pakistan for his two-year assignment, the former Zimbabwe batsman told reporters in Lahore that there was pressure on him to deliver.
“There is pressure but I look at this job as a big challenge but there is also a feeling that if I succeed the rewards are great and Pakistan cricket will move forward a lot,” Flower said.
“My main focus right now is to ensure there is improvement in batting and fielding departments before the World Cup which is an important event for us,” he said.
“The good thing about Pakistan cricket is that it is always capable of winning anywhere and against anyone. There is natural talent but it has to be honed as well. I am looking forward to convincing talented batsmen like Umar Akmal and Afridi to leave their habit of playing in a hurry and ask them to use their batting skills more significantly for the team.
“I have seen them throw away good starts because of their hurried approach. I know they can be so much more dangerous if they curb their habit and remain at the crease,” he added. (PTI)
I am shattered, want to play again: Dutee Chand
Bhubaneswar, July 18:
The Odisha Government today said it will take up with the Centre the case of athlete Dutee Chand being dropped from the upcoming Commonwealth Games on the ground of high androgen level.
“I am completely shattered over the development. I am an athlete and wanted to bring glory to my country. All my efforts have gone astray,” the 18-year-old girl told reporters on her return to the state.
The sprinter appealed to the state government to take steps so that she could overcome the androgen level and resume her career. Dutee met state sports minister Sudam Marandi on her return.
Dutee was brought back to the state by the sports department after it came to a conclusion that she would not be able to participate in the Commonwealth Games.
“The state government will seek report from the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) and SAI in regards to Dutee and take required steps,” Marandi told reporters.
With Dutee’s career hitting hurdles, sports secretary Saswat Mishra said the state government would do its best to bring back the sprinter on track.
Dutee was born in a poor weaver family in 1996 and became a national champion in 2012 under-18 category when she clocked 11.8 seconds in the 100 metres event. (PTI)
AED elects office bearers
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 18: Association of Electric Dealers (AED), Jammu, today elected their office bearers for the year 2014-16 in a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Manmohan Singh.
Dinesh Gupta was elected as president, Ravi Gupta as vice-president, Atul Sharma as general secretary while Manoj Abrol was elected as treasurer of the Association.
Further, the executive body nominated Kanwaljeet Singh Bindra and Vikas Khajuria as patron and executive member of the Association respectively.
India’s trade deficit with China may reduce this fiscal: Govt
NEW DELHI, July 18:
India’s trade deficit with China is expected to reduce during the current financial year as the Government is taking steps to check the trend, Parliament was informed today.
“With a view to reduce India’s trade deficit with China, efforts are being made to diversify the export basket with an emphasis on manufactured goods,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
The Government is also pursuing issues of market access for products with strong export potential, to tackle non- tariff barriers in the Chinese market at different fora.
“India’s trade deficit with China is expected to reduce during 2014-15 to some extent due to steps being taken to restrict the same,” Sitharaman said.
The adverse trade balance is being addressed by encouraging China’s investment towards building manufacturing capacities in India, through investment in India’s industrial parks and SEZs, she added.
Recently, India and China signed an MoU on cooperation on industrial parks aimed at attracting Chinese investments.
“These measures are expected to boost exports and reduce India’s trade deficit to some extent,” she said.
Limited market access to Indian products in China is one of the major reasons for widening deficit.
“The limited market access afforded to Indian products in China is also a contributing factor to the growing trade deficit. Indian IT services exports also face barriers in China and therefore unable to compensate for the deficit on account of our merchandise trade with China,” Sitharaman said.
The deficit during 2013-14 was USD 36.22 billion.
Replying to another question on trading firm-STC, the minister said the company has reported a loss of rs 492 crore in 2013-14 due to provisions and write offs.
She also said certain instances of irregularities were noticed in transactions of earlier years in STC which relates to import of pulses, bullion, raw copper, agro commodities.
“Various actions including legal/arbitration proceedings are on against associates for recoveries. STC has been reviewing and revising its trade guidelines from time to time to prevent re-occurrence. A risk management framework has been put in place by STC to objectively assess risks involved in each trade proposals,” Sitharaman said.
Replying to another question, she said the Government is planning to open more border haats in the country.
“The Government has shared a list of 22 locations in Meghalaya with the Government of Bangladesh for their concurrence to establish border haats,” she said.
The haats aim at promoting the wellbeing of the people dwelling in remote areas across the borders of two countries by establishing traditional system of marketing the local produce through local markets. (PTI)
Info Deptt organizes Mushiara
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, July 18: In order to promote languages and culture, Tehsil Information Department, Basholi organized multilingual Mushiara in the premises of District Institute of Education & Training (DIET), Basohli.
Vice Principal Rajesh Bali was the chief guest on the occasion.
The poets who recited their writings included Bhushan Shastri, Shiv Dobali, Narain Dutt Ashraf Ali Matto, Surinder Kumar, Karam Chand, Ab Hamid, Rajinder Kumar and others.
Copper weakens by 0.25 per cent on global cues
NEW DELHI, July 18: Copper prices fell 0.25 per cent to Rs 430.70 per kg in futures market today as speculators trimmed positions amidst a weak trend in global markets.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in August traded lower by Rs 1.10, or 0.25 per cent to Rs 430.70 per kg in business turnover of 308 lots.
Similarly, the metal for delivery in far-month November contract shed 75 paise, or 0.17 per cent to Rs 438.20 per kg in 4 lots.
Analysts said apart from weak global trend, speculation that demand will slow down in China, the biggest user of the metal, mainly influenced copper prices at futures trade.
Meanwhile, copper for delivery in three months retreated 0.3 per cent to USD 7,043.75 a metric tonne on the London Metal Exchange. (PTI)