Excelsior Correspondent

DODA, June 30: The Deputy Commissioner Doda Mubarak Singh today flagged off a group of 22 children of the district for cleft surgery at Amandeep Hospital Amritsar.
While flagging off the children group, the DDC revealed that under this scheme, in first instance, the Children With Special Need (CWSN) are identified through Zonal Resource Persons /Cluster Resource Persons, followed by organisation of health assessment camps in collaboration with Health Department and a team from ALIMCO Kanpur UP.
He added that the deserving children are prescribed assistive devices by special doctors which are being arranged by Education Department from Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Co-operation of Indian (ALMCO), a government undertaking organisation and under this scheme minor operations, physiotherapy, home based education is also being provided to Children With Special Need (CWSN).
It was also revealed that, during the last two years, 49 cleft surgeries have been successfully conducted at Amandeep Hospital Amritsar and the cured children are now leading a normal life and pursuing studies efficiently.
The main organiser of the schemes Kismat Singh, District coordinator IED said that this scheme has provided benefits to thousands of CWSN across the district.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Doda, Imam Din, Chief Education Officer Doda, Mohd Ayaz Mughal among others were present on the occasion.

Excelsior Correspondent
BHADERWAH, June 30: Deputy CLP leader, Mohd Sharief Niaz today charged the Government with shortage of wheat, sugar and rice in Bhallessa, Bhaderwah, Thathri and Chiralla area of his constituency and urged the Government to supply ration in these area immediately.
He alleged that CAPD stores are totally empty and the people are facing hardship and starvation like situation in these areas that too in ensuing month of Ramzan.
Niaz said the Atta supplied in last month was rotten and not worth eating even for animals following which a FIR was registered in this connection with Gandhoo police station against CAPD officials and mill owner from where Atta was supplied, but till date no action was taken against the culprits, he regretted.
He demanded vigilance probe into this ration scandal and alleged that CAPD officials and floor mill owner of Udhampur are hand in glove with each other.
He also urged the Government to supply ration on the basis of 2011 census and issue new ration card to the public. Niaz also demanded separate ration quota for Gujjar and Bakerwals in Doda district.
The CLP leader further said that the PDD in his constituency has become defunct as more than 40 transformers has been damaged for 1½ years and department has neither repaired nor changed them despite the fact that a list of damaged transformers in Bhaderwah area has already been submitted to Chief Engineer PDD.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 30:  A deputation of All J&K ReT Teachers Forum (ReTTF) led by State president Vinod Sharma called on Director School Education Jammu, T K Sharma and apprised him their genuine grievances.
While interacting with Director School Education Jammu Vinod Sharma brought in his notice their grievances. The grievances are inclusion of eligible regularized ReT Teachers for promotion as Masters by implementing Government order number 469 dated 25-06-2014, issuance of regularization orders of EVs converted ReTs and other ReTs whose files have been submitted in Directorate of School Education, Jammu.
Other demands discussed pertained to entertaining of degrees acquired by ReT Teachers after their regularization, initiated during ReT period and confirmation of services of regularization ReT Teachers who have completed 2 years or more as general line teachers.
The Director School Education gave a patient hearing to the deputation and assured to resolve their grievances on priority basis.
Others who were the part of deputation included Younis Rahi, Rajesh Singh Jamwal, Lekh Raj Parihar, Sukhdev Singh, Sham Sharma, Subash Chander, Rajeet Singh, Ravinder Singh, Sukesh Khajuria, Manzoor Malik etc.

Excelsior Correspondent

LOOLIPORA (BUDGAM), June 30: Saying that unemployment problem is the biggest challenge confronting the Government, the Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather today said all the resources are being pooled to create maximum possible job avenues for the unemployed youth of the State. While new posts are being created on regular basis, all the vacancies in various departments would be filled up on fast track basis.
Addressing public gatherings in Hampora and Loolipora villages in Chrar-i- Sharief constituency on Monday, Mr Rather said creation of job avenues for unemployed youth remains the top priority of present Government, which after taking over the reins devised a first of its kind job policy in the country called Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme for Youth (SKEWPY), a scheme acknowledged even at the national level.
He said there are about 60000 vacancies in various departments which will be filled on fast track basis. “We want to see hope and happiness on the gloomy faces of un-employed youth and to make their future bright and safe”, Mr Rather added. He said while every possibility is being explored to provide jobs in public sector, the youth should also venture in private sector by availing attractive incentives available under the State’s Industrial Policy.
Mr Rather cautioned the people against machinations of political opponents who are desperately trying to hoodwink through their falsehood and deceit.”They will try to exploit sentiments and emotions of the innocent people and polarize the communities on religion and regional basis, but be united to thwart their nefarious game plan”, Mr Rather cautioned.
He said opposition is un-nerved with the performance of the present Government and desperately tries to mislead people by false propaganda. He said the Govt is well abreast with the problems of the people adding that no stone will be left un-turned to come up to their expectations. He said promises made to the people will be fulfilled earnestly and all genuine grievances redressed without delay.

Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, June 30: Sub-District Magistrate (SDM), Mendhar, today suspended a doctor of Sub-District Hospital (SDH), Mendhar for his alleged misbehaviour with him.
According to the reports, SDM Mendhar, Ramesh Kumar, on the complaints of local populace that Ultrasound Section of the SDH Mendhar was not functioning for last many days, paid a surprise visit to the hospital, where he found that the technician of the Ultrasound unit was not present there due to which patients were wandering hapless here and there.
But when SDM reached to OPD section, Dr Mukesh Sharma, who was running the OPD misbehaved with him following which the SDM took disciplinary action against him and also suspended him. The SDM also dispatched a formal complaint against the doctor to DC Poonch, Sajjad Ahmed Khan, in which he sought termination of the doctor.
When contacted CMO, Poonch, Dr Mumtaz Bhatti said that he has issued directions to BMO Mendhar, Dr Pervez Ahmed Khan to terminate the accused doctor while DC Poonch, said that I have not got details of the matter yet and as soon as I get it, proper action will be taken against the guilty.

Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, June 30: Deputy Chairman, Legislative Council, Javed Ahmed Rana today said that the Government has proposed  many more Tubewell Water Supply Schemes (WSS) for   Pir Panjal districts to meet the demand in areas facing shortage of drinking water supply.
During last five years, besides all round development in every sector, a large number of tube-well schemes were completed in the most backward areas of Pir-Panjal range and more such schemes have been proposed for left out areas, Javed Rana told deputations from tehsil headquarters Mendhar and its surroundings who called on him  here today.
Deputy Chairman further said that the  State  Government  has been constantly pursuing the proposals    put up to Union Government  for sanctioning adequate funds  under  the Centrally sponsored schemes to ameliorate the fate of people of border areas.
Responding to the issues raised by the deputations, he informed that efforts are also being made to have a separate power Grid Station   to improve power supply scenario in the area.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 30: Demanding release of dues pending for last four years  in their favour, the Voluntary Retired Scheme (VRS) and Golden Handshake Scheme (GHS) employees of the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (J&K SRTC) held a protest dharna at Exhibition ground, Press Club here today.
Amid slogans ‘we want justice’, the demonstrators criticized the callous attitude of the State Government and the adamant approach of transport authorities towards them with regard to releasing of their dues, despite their repeated demonstrations.
The demonstration was held under the supervision of Dev Raj Bali, president VRS Union and S Surinder Singh, general secretary.
Alleging authorities for harassment for unknown reasons, the demonstrators said that due to non-release of the dues, eight VRS/GHS employees have died as they could not afford proper treatment to their diseases.
Charging the Department of Finance and the SRTC Management for playing foul play, the demonstrators appealed the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to intervene in the matter personally and solve their long pending problem at an earliest.
The demonstrators claimed that an amount of Rs 30, 16, 10, 673 of 742 VRS/GHS employees of the State is pending with the Government, which includes leave salary, gratuity, ex-gratia and pending arrears since 1999.
The demonstrators claimed that they had taken VRS/GHS on the assurances of the State Government that their dues will be released within 60 days.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were Kulbir Singh, JD Singh, B V Sharma, Subash Singh, Surjit Singh, Surinder Singh and Sain Mohd.