Hyderabad, June 5:
India’s top woman cricketer Mithali Raj has urged the BCCI to organise more Test matches for the national women team, which is set to play its first five-day match in eight year when they tour England in August.
The Test match in England will be their first since 2006.
Mithali, 31, has played 148 ODIs since making her debut in 1999 but has featured in only eight Tests.
“We are touring England in August and we are playing one Test. Though I have scored 214 in a Test match, I am playing a Test after eight long years. It is sad that there are so few Test matches in women’s cricket and I hope the Boards come together and organise more Test matches for women,” said the former women’s captain here.
“As an experienced cricketer, I would take some time to prepare my temperament and preparation needed for Test cricket,” she said last evening on Day 2 of the Sports Journalists’ Federation of India’s annual convention at the Rajiv Gandhi Uppal Stadium.
The right-hander stressed that the takeover of Indian women’s cricket by the BCCI had proven to be beneficial but also had its flip side like a short-duration domestic season.
“I would say it’s good but there is a flip side to it also. The domestic cricket is organised well and we get access to facilities like the National Cricket Academy. There are also monetary benefits like you get paid, but the flip side is that the domestic cricket is very short. I believe that you need to play more domestic matches to produce more players,” she said.
She also asked BCCI to follow the example of the other Boards and offer centralised contracts to the Indian women players. “As far as I know we are the only team which does not have a central contract with the national board. I don’t know what is holding it up but it would be good if it happens because it would give security to players, who do not have a secure job,” she added. (PTI)
Mithali requests BCCI for more women’s Tests
GCE Srinagar organizes Annual Cycle Race
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: Government College of Education (GCE), MA Road Srinagar, organised its Annual College Cycle Race for men and women, here today.
For men’s section, the Race started from College Main Gate to Nishat Gate at 6:15 am, while for women’s section, the Race started from Nehru Park to Nishat Gate at 6:30 am Around 38 students participated in event and all the students ran enthusiastically to vie for the top honours.
Prof B A Bhat, Fazal Illahi and Arshad Sauleh highlighted the importance of the sports activities for overall personality development.
The race was organized by the Department of Physical Education under the supervision of Mohammad Ayub, Physical Director and Daljeet Kaur, Assistant Physical Director.
Tanveer Ahmad (M Ed) bagged first position in men’s section, while the second and third position was claimed by Muhammad Ibrahim (B Ed) and Ishfaq Majeed (B Ed). Ulfat Ara (B Ed) won first place in women’s section, while Aneesa Showkat (B Ed) and Sameena Akhter (B Ed) claimed second and third spot respectively.
24 pilgrims injured in bus accident near Shiv Khori
Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, June 5: At least twenty four (24) pilgrims were injured, three of them seriously when a bus carrying them to Shiv Khori in district Reasi over turned on the road near Kattari Kanda under Taryath police jurisdiction this afternoon.
Reports said the mishap took place around 4.15 pm when the bus No. RS05AP /1497, loaded with Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims was on way to holy cave of Lord Shiva at Shiv Khori from Katra. About 36 passengers were on board. As the vehicle reached near Kattari Kanda T-junction, about 8 kms short of Shiv Khori, the driver lost control after brake failure. He tried to stop the bus and hit the vehicle on the side hill. The vehicle after striking against the hill was over turned on the road.
Immediately after the mishap, the locals of the area and police party from Taryath police Post reached there. This spot Kattari Kanda falls under Taryath in Kalakote. All the pilgrims hail from Mathura city in Uttar Pradesh. They were on pilgrimage to Katra Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori.
The police shifted seven injured persons to nearby Taryath Community Health Centre (CHC) while three seriously injured were referred to Govt Medical College Hospital, Jammu. They were identified as Indira Devi ( 53) wife of Vikay Kumar of Mathura, Sudha (42), wife of Brij Mohan and Ambika (45) from Mathura. Fourteen others were admitted to Pouni Hospital in district Reasi.
Those admitted to CHC Taryath are identified as bus driver Randhir Singh, Jeetu (18), Jitender Singh (40), Fuleshwar Singh (45), Prem Chand (30), Jeeta (35) and Gunjan (18).
Fourteen others undergoing treatment in Pouni Hospital are- Vijay Upadhyaye (55), Dharyam Singh (70), Sunita Devi (55), Jamuna Parsad (50), Parkash Bagil (28), Radha Mohan (40), Gayatri Devi, Pardeep ( 2 yrs), Manish Upadhyaye, Pankaj Sharma (25), Satyajeet (45), Himmat Kaushik (22), Rekha Prasher (15) and Pawan Upadhyaye –all from Mathua city in Uttar Pradesh.
Leopard traps in barbed wire at LoC, dies
Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, June 5: A leopard got trapped in barbed wire fencing in Pathari Galli area of Mendhar, on the Line of Control in Mendhar area of district Poonch today.
Reports said the Army jawans during patrol noticed a full grown leopard trapped in the barbed wire fencing on the LoC near Pathari Galli during morning. The wild beast was trying to get free but was unable to help him out. The jawans informed senior officers of the unit. They then contacted Wild Life Department Officials and Range Forest officer Mendhar.
The team from Mendhar reached there in Compartment No. 144 for helping the trapped animal. During the operation, the wild beast got scared and tried to flee but in the process he started bleeding profusely and died. Later, his body was removed and disposed off in presence of Magistrate after on the spot postmortem.
J&K Bank plans to exit PNB MetLife Insurance
MUMBAI, June 5:
Jammu & Kashmir Bank is planning to exit PNB MetLife Insurance by selling its 5 per cent stake in the life insurance joint venture, an official said today.
“Initial talks to fully exit the insurance business by selling the entire 5 per cent stake in PNB MetLife Insurance are on and it may help raise over Rs 500 crore,” the official told.
Bank Chairman and Chief Executive Mushtaq Ahmed had last October said the lender was considering to fully exit the investment. He had hinted the bank would wait for the right pricing to sell out.
Ahmed was not immediately available for comment on the possible stake sale.
PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife) is a joint venture between MetLife International Holdings Inc. (MIHI), Punjab National Bank Limited (PNB), Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited (JKB), M. Pallonji and Company Private Limited and other private investors, with MIHI and PNB being the majority shareholders.
In 2012, the bank had cut its stake to 5 per cent by selling 6 per cent in the insurance venture and raised Rs 190 crore.
State-run Punjab National Bank holds 26 per cent in the venture, while US-based MetLife has 26 per cent stake.
The Srinagar-headquartered lender, held majorly by the State Government, acts as a corporate agent selling policies of the life insurer. (PTI)
Scrap inter-district recruitment policy: Rana
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 5: After scrapping new job policy, Scheduled Tribe representatives are demanding scrapping of the inter-district recruitment policy.
Member of Legislative Council and National Conference leader from Mendhar today said the Government after scrapping the job policy should now scrap the inter-district recruitments as the scheduled tribes “are not getting their due share”.
“The ban imposed by the Government upon inter district recruitment has created dismay among the educated unemployed youth which among reserved categories including Scheduled Tribe (ST), Resident of Backward Area (RBA) and Actual Line of Control (ALC) category,” Rana told reporters at his office in Legislative Assembly.
As per the inter-district recruitment, a candidate can apply for Government jobs only in his/her district. But a youth belonging to the ST or SC community can apply in any of the 22 districts in the State.
“I appeal the Government to review the decision and come to rescue of qualified, unemployed youth belonging to categories,” said Rana, who is the Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council.
“People belonging to SC and ST, especially from Poonch and Rajouri districts are expressing resentment against the policy. In places like Srinagar where there is negligible SCs due to which the posts belonging to the SCs remain unfilled. So the Chief Minister should make efforts to revoke the ban so that the deserved will get their rights,” Rana said.
The NC leader also batted for political reservation to the people with category status in the State.
Rare act of honesty
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: In a rare act of honesty, a woman returned a bad containing over 1.6 lakh to its owner in Arnia.
As per police sources, a woman namely Nirmal Kumari, wife of Jameet Raj of Arnia found a bag along the road side in Arnia containing Rs 1,65,000.
She approached Arnia police station SHO Inspector Kulbir Singh Chaudhary and handed over the bag to police for further handing over its rightful owner.
Later, after proper verification the said amount was handed over to the owner namely Mangal Singh Saini, son of Bana Ram Saini of Shekhupur.
Mangal Singh appreciated Nirmal Kumari and was suitable rewarded for her rare act of honesty.
Body found
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 5: Police has recovered a male body in Chrar-e-Sharief area of Budgam district on Wednesday evening.
A police spokesman said the body of Bilal Ahmad Kumar, aged 30, son of Mohammad Sultan of Kumar Mohalla , Chrar-e-Sharief, who was a tailor, was recovered from Nafulteng stream Budgam.
“We have initiated inquest proceedings under Section 174 CrPC to ascertain the cause of death,” the spokesman said.
Members take oath in LS amid bonhomie
NEW DELHI, June 5:
It was bonhomie all around as a sizeable chunk of members of the newly-elected 16th Lok Sabha including Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath today.
The country’s unity in diversity was in full glare as the House boasting of over 300 first timers – including Modi – saw a festive atmosphere with members donning traditional dress and head gears and many taking oath in their mother tongue.
Attired in spotless white kurta-pyjama, the Prime Minister was the first to take oath amid thumping of desks. He took oath in Hindi in the name of God and was followed by BJP veteran L K Advani.
This was followed by several of his Cabinet colleagues and Congress President Sonia Gandhi taking oath.
With the churning brought out by the elections throwing in contrasts, it was a changed scenario in the House with BJP for the first time coming in with a majority on its own ending the 25-year-long coalition era.
On the opposition side, Congress was the largest party with just 44 members.
Several Union ministers took oath in Hindi in the name of God, with Sushma Swaraj, Uma Bharti and Harsh Vardhan taking oath in Sanskrit.
Sonia Gandhi made the affirmation in Hindi and so did Minister Ram Vilas Paswan of LJP.
Several ministers preferred to take oath in their mother tongue, including D V Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar and G M Siddheshwara, who took oath in Kannada. Sarbananda Sonowal took oath in Assamese and Jual Oram in Odia.
A spirit of democracy was visible in the House as members and leaders who took oath were cheered by even their political detractors.
Many members, including leaders from rival sides, were seen greeting each other after taking oath or making the affirmation.
With the election of the Speaker scheduled tomorrow, the process of oath taking by the all 543 members has to be completed by then. (PTI)
Annual mail of Khajuria, Thathal biradris
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: The biannual mail of Khajuria biradri will be held on June 8 at its Dev Sathan Baba Ambo near Bagh-e-Bahu, Jammu. This was stated in a meeting of Shri Baba Ambo Smarak Committee which was held today at Dev Sathan of Baba Ambo. The function will start with Hawan at 7 am and after Puranahuti, the Preeti Bhoj will be served to devotees.
The half yearly congregation of Sadhotra Biradri will be held on June 8 at Datta Dev Talab, Datta Dhera and Dev Sathan Birpur. The function will start with Hawan and Pooja which will be followed by Bhandara.
The annual mail of Thathal (Randhawa) Biradri will be held on June 7 at Baba Kesar Shaheed JI at village Nundpur in Ramgarh Sector.
This was stated by Sub (retd) Jalandhar Ram and other Committee members of the Devasthan here today.
They said the function will start with Hawan and pooja which will be followed by Bhandara in the afternoon.