Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 11: Though the voices of discrimination have become louder ever since the initiation of exercise for creation of new administrative units, no serious thought has so far been given to the recommendations of the State Finance Commission, which was otherwise constituted with the sole objective of providing equitable treatment to all the regions and sub-regions of the State in the allocation of funds, and State Government continued to remain undecided on considering the report of this vital Commission.
The State Finance Commission came into being in 2007 to look into regional imbalance or discrimination in the allotment of funds with any region or sub-region of the State and suggest corrective measures for equitable development.
The Commission, which had to accomplish the task to address the voices of discrimination within a period of one year, took more than three years to finalize its recommendations and the report was submitted to the Government in November 2010.
The vigor shown in the framing of Finance Commission faded on the submission of the report as from November 2010 till April 2012 none from those running the affairs of the Government bothered to utter single word about initiating further exercise. However, following massive criticism from the public and opposition parties, the Government in April 2012 engaged two experts to work out the road-map for the implementation of the recommendations.
Thereafter, on May 25, 2012, the General Administration Department issued an Order No. 578 regarding constitution of Group of Ministers for considering the report of the concerned Administrative Departments, on the recommendations of the J&K State Finance Commission, pertaining to various departments.
The Group of Ministers headed by Minister for Finance had to make recommendations to the Cabinet or set up an expert group for in-depth examination of the proposals emanating from various Administrative Departments.
According to the official sources, neither majority of the Administrative Departments bothered to submit reports on the recommendations of the Finance Commission nor the Group of Ministers ever tried to pass on necessary directions to the Administrative Departments.
“What to talk of Administrative Departments even the Ministers concerned and the members of the Group of Ministers never found it appropriate to ensure submission of report by the officers of the departments under their charge”, sources further said while disclosing that ever since its formation the Group of Ministers has not convened even one meeting till date despite the fact that voices of discrimination have become louder.
Sources asked, “what was the fun of constituting the Finance Commission and spending huge money on it for three years when there was no seriousness behind addressing the discrimination”, adding “the fate of the recommendations of Finance Commission has substantiated the general observations that the commissions and committees are constituted to bury the important issues and divert the attention of the people”.
It is pertinent to mention here that State Finance Commission has made admission, in its report, about the inter-district variation in the level of development and mentioned that developmental graph in some districts is very poor.
“Given the non-serious approach of the Government, it seems that the exercise carried out by the Commission was a futility that too at the cost of tax payers’ money”, sources said while disclosing that none of the Coalition partners has so far raised the issue of considering the recommendations of the State Finance Commission.
When contacted, a member of the Group of Ministers, on the condition of anonymity said, “it is a fact that the recommendations of the Finance Commission are gathering dust in the official files and there are hardly any chances of the same receiving the serious thought in near future”.

Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 11: The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway that was closed for fresh traffic last evening will be re-opened for one-way traffic from tomorrow with traffic police clearing around 1700 stranded vehicles today.
Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Muneer Ahmad Khan, told Excelsior that around 1700 stranded vehicles were cleared from the highway. He said that around 500 trucks and 80 Light Mortor Vehicles (LMV) including passenger vehicles that were stranded between Ramsu and Banihal were cleared today.
The IGP said that around 500 passenger vehicles and 600 trucks that were stranded at Qazigund and Ladura were cleared for Jammu this evening. All these vehicles crossed the Jawahar Tunnel and are on way to Jammu.
Last evening Traffic police closed the highway for any fresh traffic as large numbers of vehicles were stranded on either side of Jawahar Tunnel due to snowfall in Banihal and Patnitop areas.
In the meantime, most parts of the Kashmir valley experienced fresh snowfall last night even as minimum temperatures at many places went further down the freezing point.
A MeT Department official said that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.3 degree Celsius compared to the previous night’s low of minus 0.7 degree Celsius while the maximum day temperature of the place settled at 6.8 degree Celsius.
The mercury in Pahalgam, South Kashmir plummeted by over 7 degrees from the previous night’s low of minus 6.8 degree Celsius to settle at a low of minus 14.3 degree Celsius while maximum day temperature of the place settled at minus 4 degree Celsius.
Gulmarg registered a low of minus 11.2 degree Celsius last night after recording a low of minus 10.8 degree Celsius the previous night.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.0 degree Celsius and the maximum day temperature of the place settled at 6.7 degree Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara in North Kashmir settled at a low of minus 4.5 degree Celsius, down by almost four degrees as compared to the previous night’s minus 0.7 degree Celsius while the maximum day temperature of the place settled at 7.7 degree Celsius.
The night temperature in South Kashmir’s Kokernag settled at a low of minus 4.0 degree Celsius, same as the previous night while maximum day temperature of the place settled at 3.4 degree Celsius.
Leh was the coldest place in the State with a low of minus 17.2 degree Celsius while maximum day temperature of the place settled at minus 2.6 degree Celsius.
Kargil, registered a minimum of minus 9.0 degree Celsius against minus 8.6 degree Celsius the previous night while the maximum day temperature of the place settled at minus 3.2 degree Celsius.
The MeT official said that weather will remain mostly dry in the State.

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Jan 11:  Army today launched massive search operation in several villages near North Kashmir’s Sopore forests after apprehensions that some of the militants might have fled to nearby villages after their hideout was busted yesterday.
The operation that was launched by Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police and 27-Rashtriya Rifles yesterday after they received information about a group of militants hiding in the Cherhar forests of Sopore. The operation was extended to nearby villages of Marbel, Chirhar, Hard Shiva, Yemberzal, Rishipora, Rampur and Rajpur of Cherhar forests.
The movement of the people from and to these villages was not allowed by the security forces as they have reports that some of the militants might have fled to these villages after their forest hideout was busted yesterday.
Sources said that Army reinforcement belonging to 14, 22 and 30 RR was rushed to the area to assist the troops who had initially cordoned off the area. Army commandos of 5 PARA were also part of the operation.
The area is sound bound and security forces are battling snow and sub-zero temperatures during the operation.
Army and SOG also fired in Harbang Nallah of Hard Shiva forest area after they found some movement there, but sources say that there was no return fire from militant. Sources, however, said that the security forces believe that at least two militants are hiding in the Nallah.
Security forces during the searches busted a militant hideout and recovered large quantity of eatables, utensils and blankets yesterday and they believe after the busting of the hideout militants might have shifted to nearby villages.
In the meantime, security forces today averted a major tragedy as they detected an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by militants by the roadside in Baramulla district of Kashmir.
Police said a foot patrol of security forces detected a tin canister containing an IED at Janbazpora in Baramulla district this morning.
A bomb disposal squad was called in which detonated the IED without causing any damage. The IED was planted by militants by the roadside to target the security forces vehicles passing through the area.