*Approves inclusion of 38 villages in Backward Areas list

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, June 19: In yet another major decision ahead of the Assembly elections, State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, here this afternoon, enhanced the retirement age of teaching faculties of the Universities of Kashmir/ Jammu, SKUAST, Kashmir/ Jammu and Government Medical Colleges, Srinagar/ Jammu from 60 years to 62 years.
The announcement in this regard was made by the Chief Minister during the Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers conference at Jammu few days back and the same received the Cabinet’s approval today.
The Cabinet also approved the reckoning of the five years of service rendered by Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers before regularization, for the purpose of fixing their seniority and counting such service, notionally, for pension and other retirement benefits, wherever applicable.
It was also decided that after regularization the services of Rehbar-e-Taleem teachers will be transferable within the district to which they belong.
The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a one-man commission headed by Justice (Rtd) M L Koul to enquire into the circumstances, leading to deaths by firing, or otherwise, in law and order situations in different districts of Kashmir valley, during 2010.
The Commission of enquiry will also enquire into the adequacy, or otherwise, of the force used, fix responsibility, wherever excessive force has been used, resulting in fatalities, and where due care has not been taken to avoid such fatalities, suggest measures to avoid the recurrence of such incidents in future and recommend the action to be taken against those found responsible in any such incidents.
The Commission will submit its report to the Government within a period of three months from the date of issuance of the notification in this regard.
The Cabinet also approved the recommendations of J&K State Commission of Backward Classes for inclusion of 38 villages in the list of Backward Areas.
The villages include Balsaroo, Godhan, Kadyal, Lathari, Mawa, Brahmina, Majoor, Sandal and Sumah of tehsil Akhnoor and district Jammu, Dragu, Tehsil Bhaderwah district Doda, Rajool, Kummi, Partyal, Padal, Deon, Mohargarh, Talhar, Kathar-Brahmana and Dhergarh of tehsil and district Samba, Pamrote and Fazalabad of tehsil Surankote and Gursai of tehsil Mendher district Poonch, Lower Bhatian of tehsil Thannamandi, Dehri Ralyote of tehsil Rajouri, hamlet Charung of village Hasplote, Hasyote, Rajdhani, Saim Sammat, Dodason Payeen, hamlet Ghaikhakha of village Dodasan and hamlet Remote of village Dodasan Balla of tehsil Thannamandi district Rajouri, Audsoo, Ganoora and Lalan of tehsil Anantnag, Odina of tehsil Sonawari district Bandipora, Sehpora tehsil Anantnag, Watalbagh tehsil Ganderbal, Khanpoora and Sheikhzoo of tehsil Lar district Ganderbal.
In another important decision, the Cabinet approved formation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for development of the Coal Block at KudnaliLaburi, (Talcher) in Odisha allocated jointly to JKSPD & NTPC by the Union Ministry of Coal.
The SPV Board of Directors will be comprised of five Directors including Administrative Secretary PDD J&K, who will be the Chairperson of the Board of Directors. The approval also includes signing of Joint Venture Agreement by the J&K SPDC & NTPC besides setting up of End Use Power Plant in Odisha with NTPC.
The allocation of the Coal Block is a major achievement for Jammu and Kashmir, which suffers from energy deficit especially during winter season when the generation of power through various HEPs decreases significantly owing to low discharge in the rivers.
The State Government with this major initiative will be able to establish a dedicated base load Thermal Power Station which would effectively wipe out the current energy deficit of nearly 28 per cent and improve the reliability of power supply round the year.
The decision is in line with the broader policy of the State Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to make the State energy sufficient by harnessing huge hydro potential available to the State along with the Solar and Thermal Power.
Within next five years, the State Government expects that these efforts will prove to be fruitful for the people and will give major boost to the economy of the State.
The creation of Local Area Development Fund (LADF) for all Hydro-Electric Projects commissioned during and after 2008 with contribution of 1 % free power generated by the project allocated to State for the purpose by all hydro-electric projects also received the nod of Cabinet.
The State Government will also facilitate 1 % by way of Development Grants. A special provision for creation of LADF has been made under the State Hydro Power Policy to carry out Local Development Activities to ensure visible additional benefit to local communities in the project area as part of the cost of the project.
It also approved recasting of Section 185-A(2) of the J&K Water Resources (Regulation & Management) Act, 2010 so that the fund, so created, will be operated upon by the Administrative Secretary, Finance Department, for  the purpose of being utilized for the establishment of hydel projects, hydro-electric projects, multi purpose hydro-electric projects, buying back hydro-electric power projects, already established in the State, capital investment in the electric transmission and distribution network within the territory of the State, and the purchase of power by the State Government or its entities, with the prior approval of the Government.

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 19: Security forces today achieved a major success against Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit by killing its three militants including divisional commander for South Kashmir in a fierce gun battle at village Buchoo in Tral area.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir Range, Vijay Kumar who was supervising the operation at village Buchoo told Excelsior that killing of three HM militants is a major success for the security forces as it has broken the back of the outfit in South Kashmir.
Giving details of the operation, Kumar said that gun battle started at around 6 p.m. in Buchoo village of Tral in which three Hizb militants who were trying to flee from the cordon during the operation were killed by troops.
The DIG said that the operation was launched on a tip off by the security forces including Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police Awantipore, 3 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in village Buchoo Tral.
Kumar said that the militants tried to flee from the village and were spotted by the troops who fired at them leading to a gun battle in which three militants were killed and two Army personnel were injured. He said that the two Army personnel received minor injuries and their condition is stable.
The DIG identified the killed militants as Adil Ahmad Shah son of Abdul Ahad Shah resident of Ratsuna Tral, Adil Ahmad Mir son of Bashir Ahmad Mir resident of Dadsura Tral and Tariq Ahmad Parray son of Ghulam Mohammad Parray resident of Laribal Tral.
Kumar said that Shah was divisional commander of the HM for South Kashmir. “He was active since 2008 and was involved in the killing of 4 Army personnel in Buchoo village in Tral last year.  He was involved in the snatching of four rifles from a minority picket at village Arigam in Tral last year. He was also involved in the killing of Sarpanch Anwar Sheikh Alwar at Amlar Tral in April this year and had fired at and injured a Sarpanch, Qtuabdin in Tral in 2012”, he added.
The DIG said that Adil Mir was active since 2010 and was involved in various militancy related incidents in Tral area. “Tariq was doing Post Graduation from University of Kashmir and had joined militancy last year. He was earlier working as Over Ground Worker (OGW) for the HM”, he added.
Kumar said that operation went off smoothly and there was no damage to the property in the village.
A statement issued by Defence spokesman said here that Army said that Army and police this evening launched an operation based on a specific intelligence input regarding presence of two to three militants in village Buchoo, Tral of Pulwama district.
“While the initial cordon was being laid around the suspected group of houses, the terrorist hiding in one of the houses opened heavy volume of fire on the troops and tried to escape. However, troops reacted swiftly and established an effective cordon and prevented any escape by the terrorists. Thereafter, a fierce gun battle ensued between the security forces and terrorists which lasted for more than an hour. Troops responded in a calibrated manner to avoid any collateral damage. At about 7 p.m. the security forces were able to successfully eliminate three terrorists and recovered large quantity of arms and ammunition from the slain terrorists”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that Corps Commander Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Gurmit Singh commended the troops and the commander on ground for executing a swift and surgical operation culminating into elimination of three top militants.

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 19: In order to make the most important1000 Mega Watt Pakaldul Hydroelectric Project financially viable and bring the project cost to reasonable level, the State Cabinet today announced several concessions, which include exemption of taxes and water usage charges.
This project was to be executed by NHPC, which had done all preliminary works like investigation and DPR formulation, procurement of various statutory clearances. However, the State Government vide Administrative Council decision dated October 24, 2008 decided to execute the project through Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited, a Joint Venture company formed between NHPC, Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation and Power Trading Corporation.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that the completion cost of the project at June 2012 price level is estimated at Rs 12663.03 crore with likely tariff of Rs 8.22 per unit and at such a high tariff, the project would be commercially unviable”.
“Moreover, the industry norm for Debt Equity Ratio for Hydroelectric Projects is 70:30 and following the norm, 30% of the project cost was to be infused by the promoters of the company as equity”, they said, adding “since the equity investment amount exceeds Rs 500 crore for major partners—JKSPDC and NHPC, the issue reached before the Public Investment Board for its clearance”.
The PIB in its meeting on May 8, 2013 under the chairmanship of Finance Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Government of India noted that the project cost was too high resulting in unsustainable first year tariff of Rs 9.74 per unit and the levelized tariff of Rs 8.22 per unit on completion cost, sources informed.
Accordingly, the PIB issued directions for re-formulation of the project with the suggestions that Debt Equity Ratio of 70:30 be revisited, J&K Government may consider ways to reduce land cost and incidence of State taxes and efforts may be made to reduce the completion period from 6 years.
As the project is of much importance for Jammu and Kashmir in view of the fact that it will produce around 3.330 billion units of energy per year and will add to the irrigation potential in the State besides leading to generation of enhanced energy from downstream projects like Dulhasti, Ratle, Baglihar, Sawlakote, Salal and Dulhasti-II, the State Government early this year decided to provide concessions if the Union Government also contributes by providing Rs 2500 crore subordinate debt.
Following this decision of the State, Public Investment Board convened its meeting on February 3, 2014 wherein it was agreed by the Union Finance Ministry to support and facilitate the project by way of subordinate debt of Rs 2500 crore subject to the condition that the Government will waive WCT/Entry Tax, Water Usage Charges and 12% free power from the project.
In order to make the project commercially viable, the State Cabinet today gave nod to the exemption from Works Contract Tax/Entry Tax and waiver of 12% free power as well as water user charges for a period of 10 years from the completion of the project. Moreover, the Cabinet gave nod to the issuance of consent to the purchase of 49% of power from Pakaldul project, sources said.
In response to a question, they said, “exemption from WCT/Entry Tax is available to all projects under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme and Pakaldul was also a part of PMRP project to be executed by NHPC and would have been exempted from taxes as per the norms of the programme”.
Moreover, the exemption of water usage charges is available as an incentive to IPP projects for 10 years under the State Hydel Policy of 2011 and can be considered as an incentive to the JVC to make its first project take off on commercially viable lines. “Since, J&K has first right of refusal for the entire power generated from the projects, waiver of 12% free power will ultimately lower the cost of total energy purchased by the State from the project”, they added.

Avtar Bhat
BASOHLI, June 19: Rs 145 crore Cable Stayed bridge over river Ravi on Ranjit Sagar Dam at Basohli that will be an alternative route connecting J&K with neighbouring States of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh will now be completed by March 2015. The bridge is also first of its kind in Northern India.
Sources said earlier the completion date of the bridge was  September this year but due to certain reasons the construction was delayed by nine months.
The work on the bridge was started in September 2010 on the persistent demand of people of Basohli where over 22 villages got submerged in water and were evacuated to other places after the construction of Ranjit Sagar dam, sources added.
The 592 meter span bridge is being constructed by Border Roads Organization (BRO). It is a joint venture of IRCON a Railway Company and SP Singla Construction. Out of 592 Span bridge 350 meter span is cable stayed while rest is plain bridge.
The peculiarity of this bridge is that the main span and back span are balanced by cable and this bridge has been designed by Canadian Company, Infinity Engineers. One Engineer of the company is also monitoring the work at sight.
The 75 percent work of the bridge is complete and 25 percent will be completed within next nine months, said Project Manager, SP Singla Construction, Devender Rana. The two towers of the bridge and side span is complete while 242 meters of main span 121 from each side are to be laid, he added.
He said the construction was delayed by certain reasons which include design rechecking at site of work, the hailstorm at the dam site which hampers the work as great risk is involved in operation tower crane during that period.
The cost of the construction will also increase by 10 to 20 lakh due to price escalation, he added.
The bridge will act as a life line for the people of Basohli and Bani tehsils and it will shorten their distance of travel to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to a great extent.
However the construction of bridge will only serve the purpose after the double lanning of road from Basohli to Mahanpur is undertaken in hand which is presently a single lane road and some potion of which is also in dilapidated condition.
The people of Basohli are demanding that the road be double lanned and handed over to BRO for its speedy construction so that it can become and inter-state connectivity linking Basohli and Bani with Bhadarwah from one side and Basohli and Billawar with Udhampur and Kashmir Valley on other side.
With the construction of the bridge, it will also help in promotion of tourism in the area as a large number of tourists visiting picnic spot of Dalhousie and other sight seeing places in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh can also visit the Ranjit Sagar Dam at Basohli provided the State Government takes interest in developing the dam as a tourist spot, said Jagdish Raj Sapolia, MLA Basohli.
Moreover, it will also help in boosting pilgrimage tourism and other tourists to sight seeing places in Basohli, Bani and Billawar tehsils, he added.
He said after the construction of the bridge, a long pending demand of the people of Basohli and Bani has been fulfilled but it will be of no use till a two lane road is constructed from Basohli to Mahanpur and linked to Dhar road.
The BRO is ready to take the possession of the road and MLA has also written a letter to State Government to handover the road to BRO so that the construction of the same will be taken up in hand and it will be made an inter-State connectivity said Rajat Sharma a social activist from Basohli.
The people of Basohli tehsil are hopeful that bridge will help in promotion on tourism in the tehsils of Basohli, Bani and Billawar, besides giving a boost to the ancient Basohli art and handicrafts, said Ved Fanda president Beopar Mandal Basohli.

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 19: In a major decision, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed restrictions on full occupancy of all flights taking off from Jammu, Leh and Patna Airports in view of safety considerations, temperature and inadequate Runway End Safety Area (RESA).
The DGCA has directed all airline companies operating their flights from Jammu, Leh and Patna Airports not to fly with 100 per cent occupancy and leave at least 15 per cent seats vacant even if the passengers had booked themselves in advance.
“No flight from these three Airports would take off with more than 85 per cent passengers. The airlines, who have booked 100 per cent passengers in advance would have to drop remaining 15 per cent passengers. The ‘first come, first board’ yardstick would apply to adjust the passengers,” official sources told the Excelsior.
The DGCA direction was based on safety considerations, rising temperature and inadequate Runway End Safety Area (RESA), they said.
The DGCA direction has left the passengers as well as airline companies high and dry especially at a time when they had booked 100 per cent occupancy in view of summer vacations leading to rush to Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine and tourist flow to Kashmir and Leh.
Sources said the airline companies had been left with no other option but to drop 15 per cent passengers even if they had booked the tickets month or two months in advance. The companies had been adjusting 85 per cent passengers, who were reporting first to board the plane while tickets of remaining 15 per cent were being treated as cancelled.
SSP Anti-Hijacking, Jammu Airport, Ashok Sharma said this has created piquant situation at Jammu Airport, where 15 per cent passengers in all flights were being left out daily in view of the DGCA guidelines, leading to protests from the dropped passengers.
“The airline companies were asking the dropped passengers to get their ticket money back or leave for Srinagar or other destinations booked by them by taxi for which the companies were paying the fares,” Sharma said, adding they have been persuading the passengers to cooperate with the airline companies as they had to observe the DGCA guidelines.
Sharma said police was trying to maintain law and order at the Airport in view of protests by the passengers, whose tickets were being forcibly cancelled and they were being informed (about cancellation of tickets) only after reaching the Airport.
The SSP Airport said the airline companies were reimbursing the ticket amount to the passengers or giving them the option of travelling to their destinations, for which they had boarded the tickets, by taxi.
Sources said the RESA have been described as not up to the mark at Jammu, Leh and Patna Airports, which was one of the major reasons for the DGCA directive to airline companies to fly with only 85 per cent occupancy. Further, the loads had to be reduced by the companies in view of the rising temperatures especially when they go above 40 degrees Celsius.
Sources, however, said the Airline companies have taken up the issue of reduction in load with the DGCA authorities and there were reports that the issue would be resolved in the next few days.
“We are on the job. We have taken up the issue with the DGCA especially when the tourism season was at its peak in Jammu and Kashmir. Hopefully, a formula was likely to be worked out shortly as the tourists season was suffering due to the DGCA directive,” sources said.
There was heavy rush of pilgrim tourists at Jammu with devotees flocking to holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi Ji and tourists thronging Kashmir and Ladakh.
The sources, however, asserted that the DGCA decision was purely taken keeping in view the safety and security of the passengers flying in the places from three Airports of Jammu, Leh and Patna.
“The safety of the pilgrims is always our priority, which can’t be compromised at any cost,” they said.

WASHINGTON, June 19: The US is prepared to carry out “targeted and precise military action” in Iraq if required, President Barack Obama said today.
“Going forward, we will be prepared to take targeted and precise military action if and when we determine that the situation on the ground requires it,” Obama told reporters at the White House following his meeting with the national security team on the unfolding developments in Iraq.
In addition to him and Vice President Joe Biden, the meeting was attended by Secretary of State John Kerry, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Director of CIA John Brennan and General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Emerging out of the meeting, Obama said the US has significantly increased its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets so that they get a better picture of what’s taking place inside Iraq, and this will give the US a greater understanding of what ISIL is doing, it’s location and how it might support efforts to counter this threat.
The US will continue to increase its support to Iraqi security forces, Obama said announcing that the US is prepared to create joint operation centres in Baghdad and northern Iraq, to share intelligence and coordinate planning to confront the terrorist threat of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
“Through our new Counterterrorism Partnership Fund, we’re prepared to work with Congress to provide additional equipment. We have had advisers in Iraq through our embassy, and we’re prepared to send a small number of additional American military advisers – up to 300 – to assess how we can best train, advise and support Iraqi security forces going forward,” he said.
American forces will not be returning to combat in Iraq, but will help Iraqis as they take the fight to terrorists who threaten the Iraqi people, the region and American interests as well, he asserted.
“Because of our increased intelligence resources, we’re developing more information about potential targets associated with ISIL, and going forward, we will be prepared to take targeted and precise military action if and when we determine that the situation on the ground requires it,” Obama said.
“If we do, I will consult closely with Congress and leaders in Iraq and in the region. I want to emphasise, though, that the best and most effective response to a threat like ISIL will ultimately involve partnerships where local forces like Iraqis take the lead,” he said.
Obama said the US will lead a diplomatic effort to work with Iraqi leaders and the countries in the region to support stability in Iraq. At his direction, the Secretary of State, John Kerry, will depart this weekend for meetings in the Middle East and Europe, where he’ll be able to consult with US allies and partners.
“Just as all Iraqis’ neighbours must respect Iraq’s territorial integrity, all of Iraq’s neighbours have a vital interest in ensuring that Iraq does not descend into civil war or become a safe haven for terrorists,” he added.
Urging Iraqi leaders to rise above their differences and come together around a political plan for Iraq’s future, he said Shia, Sunni, Kurds, all Iraqis must have confidence that they can advance their interests and aspirations through the political process rather than through violence.
“National unity meetings have to go forward to build consensus across Iraq’s different communities. Now that the results of Iraq’s recent election has been certified, a new Parliament should convene as soon as possible. The formation of a new Government will be an opportunity to begin a genuine dialogue and forge a Government that represents the legitimate interests of all Iraqis,” said the US President.
“It’s not the place for the United States to choose Iraq’s leaders. It is clear, though, that only leaders that can govern with an inclusive agenda are going to be able to truly bring the Iraqi people together and help them through this crisis,” he said.
The United States, Obama asserted, will not pursue military actions that support one sect inside of Iraq at the expense of another.
“There’s no military solution inside of Iraq, certainly not one that is led by the United States. But there is an urgent need for an inclusive political process, a more capable Iraqi security force, and counter-terrorism efforts that deny groups like ISIL a safe haven,” Obama said. (PTI)