Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, June 23: Under second phase of the agitation in support of their demands, the members of Food Corporation of India Executive Staff Union, State Committee J&K, today held lunch hour demonstration. The protesting FCI employees, working under the jurisdiction of Area Manager Jammu, raised slogans in support of their demands, which included implementation of transfer orders dated 1-3-2014 issued by Area Manager, relieving the staff from Mufassil Departments, release of pending over-time payment of staff, release of category-III promotion of qualified class-IV staff, release of pending pay, EL encashment etc. The protesters also demanded reshuffle of staff and Managers from DO Jammu to RO Jammu and vice-versa as well as posting of Managers in each department as most of the employees have completed more than three to ten years particularly in office. The protest demonstration was addressed by Sukh Dev Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Rattan Lal, B D Sharma, Karam Chand, Balbir Singh, Dharam Pal and Sharief Hussain who reminded that the Union has already submitted a detailed memorandum on which Regional Labour Commissioner has sought comments from FCI Management, which is silent over the issue.

Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, June 23: Agitating against scarcity of drinking water due to irregular supply in Udhampur town and adjoining Panchayats, the locals and Congress activists held a demonstration in front of PHE office, here today.
The protest demonstration was led by Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) State secretary Sumeet Magotra. The demonstrators raised slogans against PHE authorities and broke earthen pots registering their protest against the scarcity of drinking water.
While addressing the gathering, Sumeet Magotra lamented that the area was facing drinking water scarcity for the last two months due to inadequate supply while the concerned higher authorities were maintaining silence over the situation in these summer days.
He threatened a big agitation if the necessary measures are not taken well in time.   A number of Sapanchs, Panchs along with the Congress activists took part in the demonstration.

Excelsior Correspondent

SAMBA, June 23: A meeting of bankers and District/Sectoral Officers was held to review the progress and performance of banks in key areas relating to deposits/advances and priority sector lending for the quarter ending March 2014. District Development Commissioner, Samba RK Varma while chairing the meeting had a detailed and threadbare review of progress achieved in sponsoring the cases by various departments like DRDA, KVIB, KVIC, DIC, Employment, SC/ST/OBC Corporation, Agriculture, Animal/Sheep Husbandry etc. under various schemes like SGSY, SGSRY, JKSSES, PMEGP. It was informed that the deposit and advances of banks as on ending March 2014 stood at Rs 2223.96 Crore and Rs 1210.10 Crore respectively, thus achieving a CD ratio of 54.41 %. Further, District has achieved 74.92% of target under total Annual credit Plan for the year 2013-14. The Lead Bank Manager, B.M. Sharma while giving a detailed account of the performance of Banks during the quarter informed that the progress under priority sectors, weaker sections and credit flow to women beneficiaries has been above the RBI stipulations. The house was informed that against the bench mark of 40% under priority sector advances, the banks have comfortably achieved 52.58% during the quarter. The achievement under advances to weaker sections of the society was 18% against the national goal of 10% and 5.27% to women beneficiaries against national goal of 5%. The DDC appreciated the efforts of banks and Agriculture Department for issuance of 29313 Kissan Credit Cards to eligible farmers. He instructed the Agriculture Department and banks to clear the backlog and ensure that all eligible farmers are covered under the scheme. He also urged upon the bankers to disburse credit under the KCC scheme. The DDC while speaking on the occasion advised the sponsoring agencies to conduct the awareness camps in the villages especially in far flung and border areas to expand their orbit so that more and more people are educated, motivated and facilitated to initiate self employment enterprises. Surinder Singh, DDM NABARD apprised the house that NABARD had sanctioned a watershed development project in the district. He also discussed about the Dairy Entrepreneur Development Scheme and farmers club programme of NABARD and urged upon the bankers and the government departments to utilize these forums for propagating their scheme. SK Wattal, Lead District Officer, Reserve bank of India stressed upon covering the unbanked areas of the district through bank branches or BC/BF model. Later, the DDC also reviewed the progress of SBI RSETI during the Local Advisory Committee meeting.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 23: GREF employee was arrested for eve-teasing women at Jindrah-Domail main chowk, falling under the jurisdiction of Jhajjar Kotli police station.
As per police sources, GREF employee namely Preet Pal Singh, son of Labh Singh of Pathankot, presently at 1623 Pioneer Company Suketar was found indulged in obscene acts at Jindrah-Domail main chowk.
Some passerby informed the police, who rushed to the spot and arrested the GREF employee.
A case under FIR number 77/14 under Section 294 RPC has been registered against the accused at police station Jhajjar Kotli and investigation started.