Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: A woman hailing from district Udhampur succumbed to her burn injuries at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here.
As per reports, Santosh Devi, wife of Rohit Kumar of Sailan Talab, district Udhampur received serious burn injuries at her home on January 2.
She was rushed to District Hospital, Udhampur and later referred to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where she failed to respond to the treatment and succumbed to her burn injuries today.
The body has been handed over to family members for last rites after completing legal formalities.
Police has taken the cognizance.
Woman succumbs to burn injuries
Wani, Saroori call on Jai Ram Ramesh
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, 19 Jan: Minister for PWD (R&B) Abdul Majid Wani and senior Congress leader and MLA Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori today met the Union Minister for Rural Development Jai Ram Ramesh to discuss various issues on development front and problem is being faced under PMGSY in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress leaders informed Mr. Ramesh that J&K Government had already submitted detail project reports of those unconnected villages/habitation with a low population of 250 souls enabling the Centre to sanction for the better road communication.
The leaders requested Minister for early release of Rs. 710 crore as announced by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s in Srinagar last year, the Union Cabinet had also given nod to a grant of Rs 710 crore for land acquisition for expansion and upgradation of rural roads network in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress leaders demanded for early release of an annual grant of Rs. 10 lakh to be given for each Panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir as announced by vice president AICC Rahul Gandhi in the month of November last year. Saroori demanded sanction of additional Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) 3,145 & 1,423 for district Kishtwar and Doda in which every Panchayat had already submitted the proposal.
They stressed for sanctioning of Stage-II, 119 road projects with new 2012 rates as on these projects department has invited tender for more than 10 times but no one comes to do work on these projects because of very low rates. They demanded revision of rates on these projects.
The Congress leaders said the situation in the State would change only once the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments were incorporated into the J&K Panchayati Raj Act.
The Minister gave patient hearing and assured that he will sanction additional IAY’s, special grant for Panchayats, revision of stage II projects and projects of 10th phase on priority in strengthening core networks in J&K.
Govt talking of commitments instead of its performance: Mehbooba
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 19: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today said that change in the political and governance system is a must to see the people of J&K out of prevailing distress and the PDP has evolved as a best alternate before them to rewrite a new history for the State.
Taking a dig at the Coalition Government, she said it is now talking of commitments and instead of giving an account of its performance for six years, it is making fresh promises. “The Government is making fresh promises to the people besides knowing that it has not been able to deliver on a single promise made to the people in 2008, she said.
She said after failing to secure a deal on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) over the years, the Government is saying it is now its ‘life’s mission’ to revoke the controversial Act from the State. The Government is promising uninterrupted power supply in the future but it has dismantled the entire system, she added.
“It has been now almost three years when the Panchayat elections happened in the State, and after making mockery of the system it now, the Government is pledging to empower them at the end of its tenure,” she said, adding establishment of new administration units is a well thought out political gimmick at a time when NC has badly failed to get anything positive, from Autonomy to free power to cheap gas for the people.
On the occasion, the senior party leader, Tariq Hameed Karra, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjoora, Aga Syed Mehmood, district president, Saif-ud-Din Bhat; Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Mohammad Kumar, Shahnawaz Mir and others were also present.
Sadhotra inaugurates Ammucare workshop on ‘Waste to Wealth’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Minister for Planning, Labour and Employment, Ajay Sadhotra today inaugurated a training workshop WOW ( Waste to Wealth) by Ammucare Charitable Trust at New Modern College of Education.
The aim of this workshop is to empower the young underprivileged. Ammucare will train them to utilize the material that we consider as junk into something beautiful and saleable for sustaining themselves.
Kiran Wattal, Commissioner JMC; M S Bhatti, Director Social Welfare;. Amjad Mirza SSP Security and Tarun Bahl, Chairman of New Modern College of Education, were also present at the inaugural function.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sadhotra stressed the need of organizing more such training programmes to empower the underprivileged.
Sumit Partap Gupta gave a brief introduction on Ammucare Charitable Trust, its activities and efforts.
Sakshi Gupta, president of Ammucare Charitable Trust, said that the trust stands for empowerment. Ammucare is supporting various imminent causes of the society since the last 10 years and its primary focus has been on doing service in field of food, clothing, medicine, education and skills training, she added.
In this Workshop, Anjali Kamat will be teaching paper weaving and creating utility items from old newspapers. 36 underprivileged children have been selected from various parts of the State for providing them training in this workshop.
Natrang stages ‘Uthal Puthal’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Natrang staged ‘Uthal Puthal’, a play in Hindi based on a short story written by Anton Chekhov and directed by Neeraj Kant, here today under Natrang’s weekly Sunday Theatre Series.
The play revolves around a young girl ‘Malvika’, who lives as a paying-guest in the house of one Maya. She comes home from college one day to find the house in turmoil. When she walks into her room, she sees her mistress rummaging through her things. Maya leaves in hurry and another maid tells Malvika that a very expensive brooch was lost and the ever suspicious and arrogant lady Maya is searching and screening each and every one to find that. She has no regards for anyone’s honesty and all are thieves in her eyes. ‘Malvika’ is very disturbed that the land lady would look through her things, obviously assuming her a thief. She decides to leave the place. While she is packing, ‘Nikhil’, the master of the house and Maya’s husband, comes into her room and reveals that actually he stole the brooch as he was short of money and his dominating wife has captured all the possessions with her and turned him to be a beggar in his own house. This disturbs Malvika even more who stays with her decision to leave the home as there is no dignity in living at a place where there is no respect for your honesty and nothing else is more important than self respect and dignity for an honest person.
The artists included Mohd Yaseen, Sakshi Prakash, Juhi Singh, Kritika Bhau and Masood Qadir. Lights were designed and operated by Neeraj Kant. Ashwani Bali rendered the Music. Sajra Qadir did the presentations and the show was coordinated by Sumeet Sharma.
Efforts underway to ensure inclusive development: Sadhotra
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Minister for Planning and Development, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra today said that a massive effort is underway to ensure inclusive development of the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir with focused attention on remote and far-flung areas.
Addressing a public meeting at Halka Panchayat in Marh, the Minister said while thrust is being laid on ensuring infrastructural development in key sectors like roads and building, health, education, power and drinking water sectors, special attention is being paid towards prioritizing employment generation schemes.
Mr Sadhotra expected continued support of people in implementing developmental agenda and assured that all necessary measures are being taken to meet basic requirements of the people in the far flung areas.
Referring to the initiatives taken for steering the state to progress and development, Mr Sadhotra said that the performance of Omar Abdullah led Government is self explanatory and visible in good measure. This effort will be taken to logical conclusion with the support and cooperation of the people, he maintained.
He said the initiatives taken in recent years have fructified in the empowerment of the people in decision making with the Panchayati Raj becoming a reality. He also referred to the Right to Information and Public Services Guarantee Acts and said these revolutionary measures are aimed at empowering the people to make Government accountable.
He said a new era of peace has dawned across the state that has given fillip to economic activity and spurt to developmental initiatives. He particularly made a mention of turnaround in the situation and said that peace and normalcy have created a situation conducive for enhanced economic activity and faster development.
Mr Sadhotra cautioned the people against the nefarious designs of elements, who are hell-bent to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the state. He appealed the people to remain united and frustrate their designs while maintaining age old tradition of mutual brotherhood and communal harmony. He lambasted the opposition for exploiting the sentiments of innocent and peace loving people of the state for their petty political gains.
He said that opposition was trying to deceit the common people by raising false statement against the success of Omar led Government and create 2008 situation to mislead the people on communal basis. He advised these parties not to get frustrated over their imminent defeat in the coming elections and forget day dreaming as the present generation is wise enough to see through their mechanizations. “They will reject the BJP and other political parties in future as well”, he maintained.
Earlier, the Minister distributed the cheques as a financial assistance among the registered 20 labourer beneficiaries under J&K Building and Other Construction Worker Welfare Board for providing education to their wards and under IAY other 9 beneficiaries received financial help of Rs 6.30 lakh.
Responding to local demands, the Minister assured that these will be examined at appropriate level for early redressal.
Pensioners hold protest in support of their demands
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: All J&K State Pensioner Association, Jammu staged one day protest under the leadership of Mukand Lal Sharma and Madan Lal Abrol in support of their long pending demands at Press Club, today.
Speaking on the occasion. Mukand Lal Sharma , convenor of the association said that the pensioners and employees of the State has been struggling for the last four years in connection with their problems in relating to implementation of Sixth Pay Commission. But unfortunately the State Government has shown no response.
Madan Lal Abrol, general secretary of the Pensioner Association flayed the Government for not accepting the genuine demands of the State pensioners who are struggling for the so many years. He said that the arrears of the pension are due w.e.f. 1.1.206 to 30.06.2009 to be paid in one installment.
They speakers laid stressed the State Government has failed to accede the demands of the pensioners and employees in near future, the concerned community will launch an aggressive through the length and breath of the State.
Others who addressed the gathering were Pavitar Singh, S M Khtotra, Prof B L Bhardwaj, Som Nath Sharma, Yashpal Sasan, Sardari Lal, Mohinder Singh, Bodh Raj Shram, S K Jain, Ram Dass Bhagat, Dev Raj Gupta, Mulakh Raj, Kapil Dev, Subash Chander Sharma, Sudesh Sploia among others.
CSC to prepare roadmap for scrutiny of 700 representations
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Even as the political brinkmanship among the coalition partners over the formation of new administrative units touched new heights, the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC), which has been given the mandate to hold consultations with people and make suitable recommendations is likely to only formulate the roadmap for scruitinizing the inputs obtained from all the stakeholders in 22 districts of the State.
Members of the Cabinet Sub-Committee affiliated to Congress and National Conference (NC) told EXCELSIOR on conditional of anonymity that the exercise to scrutinise the inputs obtained from the district headquarters is likely to continue for atleast three days and tomorrow’s meeting is going to start at 3 pm in the State Guest House.
“In view of the tremendous response obtained from all quarters, the sessions for formulating guidelines to scrutinise the representations is likely to continue for few days and the process is unlikely to be completed soon as there are financial implications worth several crores of such decisions, if taken”, sources said adding, “Jammu and Kashmir, which is already reeling under financial crunch can’t even bear the cost of creating such administrative units”.
Dwelling over the response obtained from across the State, sources shared, “about 700 representations had been received from various people, who deposed before the Cabinet Sub-Committee during its tour to several districts of the State”, adding, “about 50% of the representations had been received from Jammu and Kashmir respectively. Only few delegations had come from Leh and Kargil region to meet the CSC.”
“There has been demand to create nearly 1000 administrative units across the State, which included from Patwar Halqa to tehsil level and even some sub-divisions”, sources said adding, “one common demand among several delegations is to treat all Panchayats coterminous as Patwar Halqas”. Presently, there are 4198 Panchayats in the State including 2145 in Kashmir region and 1900 in Jammu region.
Giving further break-up of the inputs received from various district headquarters, sources said, “maximum representations had come from Udhampur and Doda districts in Jammu province while as in Kashmir region, highest representations had been received from Baramulla and Anantnag “.
“Revenue Department, which is the nodal agency for entire process has received inputs from all the Deputy Commissioners and the details will be put before the Cabinet Sub-Committee members tomorrow at 3 pm”, sources said adding, “while some of the demands for administrative units had been already covered by the Ganai Committee, remaining shall have to be addressed fresh”.
However, some of the District Magistrates on condition of anonymity confessed, “several representation had been forwarded to the Revenue Department under political influence as even some of the Ministers in the present Government wanted to ensure that demand for more administrative units are highlighted before the Sub-Committee”.
“Since it is election year, both Congress and National Conference are jittery over the implications of the decision to constitute administrative units and both the parties feel that the decision can help them in electoral gains”, source said adding, “serious differences have cropped up among the coalition partners over the creation of new administrative units in the State with none in mood to compromise with the other”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mushtaq Ganaie Committee has recommended creation of a total of 955 new administrative units, which include Sub-Divisions, Tehsils, Niabats, CD Blocks and Patwar Halqas across Jammu and Kashmir. Of these administrative units, Jammu has an edge over Kashmir valley in respect of Tehsils and Niabats while as Valley outnumbers Jammu as far as Sub-Divisions and Patwar Halqas are concerned.
Sources said that for the creation of 955 proposed administrative units, Government would require whopping amount of more than Rs 800 crore, which include recurring and non-recurring expenditure.
“The Revenue Department has worked out the requirement of around Rs 200 crore recurring revenue per annum, which include salaries of the staff, and more than Rs 600 crore for non-recurring expenditure (creation of infrastructure) for the proposed administrative units”, sources informed. In addition to this, an amount of more than Rs 50 crore would be required for acquisition of land for establishment of these administrative units. Moreover, the Government would have to create more than 4600 posts under various categories for these units.
It is pertinent to mention here that the process of ascertaining the demands of people for new administrative units was actually started in 2007 when the Government had constituted a Committee headed by former Chief Secretary of the State, Dr S S Bloeria. However, the report of the Committee was termed as ‘inconclusive’ in 2009 and in January 2010, the Committee was revived with Mushtaq Ahmad Ganaie as its head.
BLCT organizes medical aid camp
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Bhagya Laxmi Charitable Trust (BLCT) in association with Assistant District Medical Officer (ADMO) Indian System of Medicine (ISM) organized a medical aid camp at Kanji House Ward No. 7 Jammu East.
Pranav Shagotra, vice president Pradesh Youth Congress was the chief guest, who inaugurated the camp in presence of BLCT volunteers.
The team of specialists and staff including Dr KK Sharma, Assistant District Medical Officer (ADMO), Dr Ashok Sharma, Medical Officer and incharge Camp, Dr Ravi Dutt Sharma, Dr Shefali Sharma, Jeet Raj and Kewal Sharma, pharmacists examined the patients.
Free medicines as per the prescription of doctors were also provided to all the patients and this was lauded by the local leaders also.
Highlighting the importance of being health conscious, Shagotra advised people to take care of their ailments in time and not to linger on. It would be appropriate especially for those, suffering from different types of ailments, to avail the benefits of these medical camps, so that diseases could be identified and cured timely, he stressed.
Mahesh Padha, president JKTTF, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Manmohan Kumar, Sachin Gupta, Shivender Kumar, Varun Gupta, Ashok Kumar, Varinder Gupta, Raj Kumar, Ramesh Kumar, Rattan Singh, Anoop Gupta, Amit Sawhney, Anoop Trikha, Amit Gandotra, Ricky Dalhotra, Farooq Salaria and Sunil Kumar were also present.
JKPUF convention held
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 19: Jammu Kashmir People’s United Front, the newly formed umbrella organization of several political outfits held its second convention here today.
Explaining the aims and objectives of the Front, convener Mohammd Yousuf Tarigami highlighted the acute problems and miserable conditions being faced by the people of the State. He exhorted the people to come out of slumber and prepare themselves for a relentless, protracted and result oriented struggle.
Tarigami said that instead of taking concrete measures to mitigate the sufferings of the masses and provide good governance, the political parties, which have been ruling the State for decades, are creating mere illusions and selling dreams for electoral gains.
He demanded food security, fool proof health care, right to employment, adequate unemployment allowance and welfare schemes for senior citizens and differently abled persons.
Sheikh Abdul Rehman, former MP and State president of Samajwadi Party highlighted the issues of unemployment, price rise and food security. He criticized the Government for its dismal performance and alleged that the present dispensation has failed to fulfill its promises and has instead taken anti-people measures for the benefit of a privileged few.
I D Khajuria, State chief of Internationalist Democratic Party, attacked the Government for perpetuating corruption and making it a way of life rather than weeding it out.
In the convention, it was resolved to approach all those who want basic changes and alternative policies for improving the lot of the common people. Political outfits, intellectuals and civil society groups were asked to come forward and join the People’s United Front for better future of the State.
Others who addressed the convention, included Sham Prasad Kesar, CPI (M) leader, Ishtiyaq Qadri PDF leader and Santosh Khajuria IDP leader.