Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, June 17: Shabir Ahmed Khan, Ex-Minister and MLA Rajouri today laid foundation stone of the Community Hall, Sadyal in Thandikassi area of his constituency in the presence of various district officers.
Addressing the public gathering after laying foundation stone of the Community Hall, which would be completed at the total estimated cost of Rs 20.20 lakh, Shabir said the Coalition Government with the liberal financial support of previous Central Government has brought the development of the area at its peak.
He said that current Five Year Plan in which special focus is on Health and Education sector, Centre has made massive and unprecedented investments to strengthen and expand health and educational systems in Jammu and Kashmir for the benefit of general public.
Khan reiterated that various major developmental works like Mega Community Hall at Rajouri, Abdullah Bridge-2, and Sports Stadium Rajouri are at the verge of their completion costing in crores of Rupees. Even in the last financial year 2013-14, almost 1.5 crore rupees have been spent on these major projects, he added.
In his address, Khan also asked the Congress workers to roll their sleeves up for the coming Assembly elections and assured that the performance of the Congress is commendable and being a truly pro-people party Congress is set to win all seven seats in twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch on merit.
He said overwhelming popularity and familiarity of the Congress needs to be translated into votes in the State in general and in Rajouri in particular, so that party could become a vibrant force in all the three regions.
Meanwhile, Khan inspected several ongoing projects in block Manjakote including construction work on Salehri- Dhar gali via Saroola 6 kms road, which has been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore against which so far Rs 1.20 crore have been spent, besides many other projects.

SRINAGAR, June 17:

As many as 43 fresh guests from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) arrived here while seven Kashmiris crossed over to other side of the Line of Control (LoC) to meet their relatives separated in 1947 due to  partition.
Official sources said here today that 66 returnees also crossed sides at Kaman post, the last Indian military post on this side of the LoC in Uri sector.    They said 43 PoK residents, including 12 women and 14 children arrived at Kaman post after crossing Aman Setu, (peace bridge) on foot.
Sources said 16 Kashmiris who had gone to PoK also returned here after completing their stay in PoK. They included four women.
Seven Kashmiris, including two women and a child, crossed over to PoK to meet their relatives, separated due to  partition.
They said 50 PoK residents, who had come here in previous buses, returned to their homes after completing stay here.    The bus service started on April 7,2005 has helped thousands of divided families to meet each other after both India and Pakistan Governments agreed to allow residents living on both sides of the LoC to undertake travel on ‘Travel Permits’ instead of International passports. (UNI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 17: Exhorting upon the officers to ensure a more transparent and accountable dispensation to people of the state, Minister for Social Welfare, Sakina Itoo today said that it is a matter of great satisfaction that during the past five years the departmental programmes have covered a notable chunk of population in a well knit strategy under the guidance of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
The Minister said this while addressing a gathering of beneficiaries of SWD schemes, Anganwari workers and officers of the department during a cheque distribution cum mega awareness camp.
The Minister said that such awareness camps are a big source of information for the people about the schemes of the department. She asked the officers to further intensify such programmes so that a record number of beneficiaries are covered.
Elaborating the role of Anganwari workers in raising awareness about the departmental programmes, the Minister said that they can disseminate the information about the SWD schemes even better than the media as they have the access to each and every part of the State.
The Minister exhorted upon the officers to be pro-active towards people’s needs and grievances ensuring them an enhanced and transparent deliverance of services. She asked them to make sure that all the offices of the department especially in hilly and far off parts of the state are equipped with adequate staff and infrastructural edifice so that people may not suffer for lack of the same.
The Minister instructed the Director Social Welfare, M.S. Chowdhary to keep a strict monitoring on working of the officers and field staff so that the services are further improved.
Sakina also emphasized the officers to conduct frequent field inspections which are pre-requisite for effective implementation of departmental programmes.
Later, the Minister distributed 138 cheques worth Rs. 41, 40,000 under State Marriage Assistance, 129 cheques worth Rs.12, 90,000 under National Family Benefit Scheme, tricycles and post-matric scholarships among the beneficiaries.
The students of ICDS projects presented a cultural bonanza based on certain social issues like female foeticide, education and other topics of social significance.
Among others present were Deputy Directors Social Welfare Department, Trishla Kundal and Ankur Gupta, District Social Welfare Officers, CDPOs, Anganwari workers and beneficiaries.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 17: Divisional Commissioner Jammu Shantmanu today asked the oil companies to avoid any inconvenience to the public with regard to the delivery of cylinders.
He was chairing a joint meeting of the representatives of oil companies, senior officers of various departments besides representatives of Consumer Welfare Association to discuss issues related to price rise of essential commodities and for effective implementation and control on prices of essential commodities.
While reviewing the stock and supply position of LPG, he asked the oil companies to ensure that people may not face any problem in getting the cooking gas supply. He directed for timely delivery of LPG cylinder and not use of domestic cylinder for commercial purposes.
The Divisional Commissioner was informed that vegetables and fruits are sold at different rates at various places within Jammu city. He directed the concerned officers to ensure that rates of vegetables and fruits are fixed and the rates are conveyed to the retailers and public through media and other means.
Divisional Commissioner also discussed issues related to adulterated milk, over charging by milk suppliers, regulation of Rehries, retail prices of rice, retail prices of clothes, groceries, etc.
Earlier, Consumer Welfare Association expressed concern over shortage, black marketing of LPG and various other vital issues related to common man.
Among others, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Ajeet Kumar Sahu, DIG Jammu-Kathua Shakeel Beig, ADC Jammu K. S. Parihar, Addl. Comm. Commercial Taxes Anoo Malhotra, SP Traffic, Pawan Parihar, Joint Director CAPD Manmohan Singh, Joint Controller Legal Metrology Amar Singh, Asstt. Comm. Food Pankaj Soni, Joint Commissioner JMC Kapil Sharma, Joint Director Animal Husbandry Dr. P. K. Gupta, RTO Jammu Arvind Kotwal, representatives of Oil Companies, besides President CWA Vikram Gour, Secretary CWA Chander Prakash, President Consumer Protection Organization (Regd.) J&K D.R. Danish, General Secy K. L. Magotra.