NEW DELHI, Mar 6: Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress veteran Karan Singh and JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav have been selected for the ‘Outstanding Parliamentarian Award’, it was officially announced today.
Jaitley, who is Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, gets the award for the year 2010, Karan Singh for 2011 and Sharad Yadav for 2012.
Jaitley and Singh are members of the Upper House from Gujarat and Delhi, respectively, while Yadav is a Lok Sabha member from Madhepura, Bihar.
The Indian Parliamentary Group had instituted the award in 1994 which is conferred each year.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had constituted an Award Committee to select the member for the award for the three years.
The Executive Committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Award Committee at its meeting held today.
The awards will be conferred at a function later, the statement said.
The Award is conferred each year on an Outstanding Parliamentarian recommended by the Committee and approved by the Executive Committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group since 1995. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI, Mar 6: Pakistani soldiers have thrice infiltrated into the Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir in the last one year, including the incident where they killed two Indian soldiers along the LoC in January, Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Rajya Sabha today.

In a written reply, the Minister said in one instance, two soldiers of the Myanmar Army were held in Champhai sector in Mizoram and were handed over to the state police for further action.

Giving details of instances of infiltration by Pakistani soldiers, Antony said that “on July 11, 2012, one Pakistani soldier was apprehended in Poonch sector by the Indian Army and was handed over to Pakistan at flag meeting between the two forces.”

“On February 14, 2013, one Pakistani soldier was killed while attempting infiltration in Naushera sector. His dead body was handed over to Pakistani authorities,” he said.

On the beheading incident, he said a Pakistan Border Action Team ambushed an Indian Army patrol party in Krishna Ghati sector resulting in death of two soldiers of which one was beheaded.

Meanwhile, answering a query on modernisation of the Army, the Defence Minister said 30 battalions (around 30,000 troops) would be raised in the 12th Defence Plan period to enhance the combat capability of the force.

“Mobility of Infantry is proposed to be enhanced through introduction of superior vehicles with better cross country mobility. The budgetary allocation for capital acquisition for modernisation of Army during Financial Year 2012-2013 is Rs.13724.14 crore,” he said. (AGENCIES)

Jammu, Mar 6: Army has occupied over 15,000 acres of land in Kargil district, the Legislative Council was informed today.

The total land under the occupation of Army is nearly 15,800 acres which includes both private and state land, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a written reply to a question.

Cases of both the State and private land have already been taken up with Defence Estates Officer, Leh, he said. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI, Mar 6: Pakistani soldiers have thrice infiltrated into the Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir in the last one year, including the incident where they killed two Indian soldiers along the LoC in January, Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Rajya Sabha today.

In a written reply, the Minister said in one instance, two soldiers of the Myanmar Army were held in Champhai sector in Mizoram and were handed over to the state police for further action.

Giving details of instances of infiltration by Pakistani soldiers, Antony said that “on July 11, 2012, one Pakistani soldier was apprehended in Poonch sector by the Indian Army and was handed over to Pakistan at flag meeting between the two forces.”

“On February 14, 2013, one Pakistani soldier was killed while attempting infiltration in Naushera sector. His dead body was handed over to Pakistani authorities,” he said.

On the beheading incident, he said a Pakistan Border Action Team ambushed an Indian Army patrol party in Krishna Ghati sector resulting in death of two soldiers of which one was beheaded.

Meanwhile, answering a query on modernisation of the Army, the Defence Minister said 30 battalions (around 30,000 troops) would be raised in the 12th Defence Plan period to enhance the combat capability of the force.

“Mobility of Infantry is proposed to be enhanced through introduction of superior vehicles with better cross country mobility. The budgetary allocation for capital acquisition for modernisation of Army during Financial Year 2012-2013 is Rs.13724.14 crore,” he said. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU, Mar 6: Over 40,000 gun licenses were issued during the last two years in the State, the Government today informed the Legislative Assembly.

As per details furnished by the district magistrates, 40,587 gun licenses were issued during the years 2011 and 2012, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a written reply.

The highest number of 7,769 gun licenses had been given in Srinagar, followed by 7,605 in Doda, 7,048 in Shopian and 5,461 in Udhampur.

4,963 licenses were allowed in Ramban, 2,148 in Kulgam, 1,302 in Rajouri and 1,026 in Pulwama among others.

However, no gun license was issued in Bandipora district of Kashmir valley. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : An inquiry has been ordered into a firing incident in Chandgram area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on December 28 last year when 2 suspected LeT terrorists were killed and three security personnel injured, Government told the Rajya Sabha today.
“An inquiry into the firing incident of December 28 has been ordered. No compensation has been paid yet,” Defence Minister A K Antony said in written reply to a query.
Two suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, allegedly involved in a grenade attack on a tourist cab in July 2012, were killed and three security personnel, including two Army officers, were injured in a gun-battle.
Seven civilians were also injured as security forces opened fire to chase away stone-pelting protestors while evacuating the injured colleagues from the gun-battle site, police had said.
The slain militants were identified as Imtiyaz Ahmed Teli alias “Fahadullah Kashmiri” and Mohammad Aamir Bhat alias “Khalid and Khursheed”.
Meanwhile, answering another query, Antony said the CPWD has been allocated eight roads to be built in Uttarakhand and Sikkim along the India-China road.
He said the work on four roads of length 46 kilometre were on the right track while work on one road from ‘Nyu-sobla-sela-Tedang’is slow on account of land acquisition issues.
The Minister said road construction in Sikkim was slow due to the earthquake in 2011 and shortage of adequate local labour at high altitudes.
He said corrective measures were being taken to speed up the work there. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU, Mar 6:The Government today announced remuneration for Sarpanches and a provision of Rs 231 crores for devolution of powers to Panchayats.

“I have proposed to pay renumeration of Rs 2,000 per month to all the Sarpanches (in the proposed budget for 2012-13)”, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said in the assembly.

He said the Panches will be paid a fee of Rs 300 per sitting subject to a monthly ceiling of Rs 600.

“The question of appropriate renumeration for Sarpanches and Panches have been engaging the attention of the government”, Rather said, adding, “we have collected the relevant information in this behalf from other states in the country where the Panchayat Raj System has been practiced.”

There are 33,000 Sarpanches and Panches in the State elected last year, who had been demanding perks and remunerations besides financial and decision making powers to the Panchayat.

“We welcome the step taken by the State Government which have announced the grant of renumeration to Sarpanches and Panches”, Congress MLC, G Monga said, adding, “Government has fulfilled its promise done with the members of the Panchayats and it has given us great pleasure”.

All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), an organisation of elected Panches and Sarpanches in the state while welcoming the honorarium for Panchayat members said that their prime demand is empowerment of Panchayats and security for its leaders.

“We welcome this step. It is a first victory of members of panchayats as the honorarium is projected by the State Government in the budget”, Chairman of AJKPC, Shafiq Mir told reporters.

However, it was made clear that until Panchayats are fully empowered they can not deliver any thing to the public, he said.

Mir said, “though this step has brought a little smile on their faces but this honorarium can not solve the problems of Panchayats”.

AJKPC general secretary Anil Sharma said though it was not satisfactory but a good beginning and its all credit goes to all the members of Panchayat Conference who raised the voice of Panchayats in a forceful manner.

CPI(M) State Secretary and MLA M Y Tarigami termed the enhancement of in remuneration as inadequate.

“Given the nature of their job, the Government should have not left a big gap between Sarpanch and Panch in terms of their remuneration. Their remuneration is totally inadequate in view of the price rise,” he said lamented. (AGENCIES)

JAMMU, Mar 6: Presenting Budget 2013-14, the State Government today announced a slew of welfare measures such as mediclaim insurance for migrants and hike in daily wage rate, exempted a few essential commodities from VAT and unveiled steps to empower Panchayati Raj.

State Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather presented the Rs 38,068-crore zero deficit budget in the Legislative Assembly.

Under welfare initiatives, Omar Abdullah Government has kept provision of Rs 5 crore for housing and Rs 9 crore for transit accommodation of Kashmiri migrants under PMRP, besides Rs 8 crore set apart for migrants’ group mediclaim insurance.

Government made provision of Rs 2 crore under Medical Aid Trust Fund, wage rates of daily rated workers to be enhanced to Rs 150 per and it will explore and participate in insurance cover for journalists.

“It is a budget for welfare of most of sectors — it is focusing on infrastructural development, addressing demands, welfare initiatives, empowerment of Panchayat Raj system, further tax concessions, and reform measures,” Rather told reporters.

As welfare measures, Rather said a provision of Rs 842 crore has been made to disburse third installment of Pay-Pension revision arrears. The budget also has provision of Rs 700 crore for DA to employees and pensioners, Rs 75 crore for 10 per cent Employer’s share under New Pension Scheme introduced from January, 2010.

For empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions, Rather said a provision of Rs 231 crore is made for devolution to panchayats. Panchayats would implement various schemes like MG-NREGA of the order of more than Rs 1300 crore.

“Sarpanches will get remuneration of Rs 2000 per month and Panches to get a fee of Rs 300 per sitting subject to monthly ceiling of Rs 600 per month,” he said adding that the Government would consider appropriate insurance cover for elected Panchayat representatives.

Besides, tax concessions (VAT Remission) to industry have been extended up to March 31, 2014 or till adoption of new GST regime.

Existing tax exemptions to the tourism sector to continue for another Year, Rather said.

He also said gutka has been banned in the State.

“State Government has totally banned in Gutka — if any one found keeping it he would be punished,” Rather said.

For additional resources mobilisation, Rather, who presented 13th budget of his career, said services provided by authorised automobile service stations, property dealers and consultants other than those already included in a service covered by J&K GST Act will be brought under service tax net.

Besides, toll rate will be increased by 5 paisa per kilogrammes in the existing rate of Additional Toll and Toll rate on import of table birds to increase from Rs 6.00 per kg to Rs 8 per kg besides VAT on cigarettes to increase from 30 PC to 40 per cent.

The total budgetary estimates have been kept at Rs 38,068 crore (total receipts), out of this an amount of Rs 33,970 crore is revenue receipts and Rs 4,098 crore as capital receipts, he said.

Out of the total expenditure, also estimated at Rs 38,068 crore, the revenue expenditure will be Rs 28,690 crore both on account of plan and non-plan, Rather said adding the total capital expenditure is estimated at Rs 9,378 crore both on account of plan and non-plan.

There is Revenue surplus of Rs 5,280, he said.

He said Non Plan Revenue Expenditure (NPRE) consumes Rs 27,096 crore of which Rs 17,002 crore on salaries and pension.

He said provision of Rs 50 crore for clearing statutory liabilities of corporations reported at over Rs 95 crore and provision of Rs 26 crore for meeting cost of VRS and GHS in PSUs have been made.

He said that Annual Plan 2013-14 has been fixed at Rs 8,000 crore and Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan has been kept at Rs 600 crore.

“State share has been kept of Rs 1,000 crore in Plan to access Central funding of about Rs 3,500 crore under Centrally Sponsored Schemes and various flagship schemes,” he said.

Rather said Rs 783 crore provision for Urban Local Bodies, Universities and other autonomous bodies and institutions for supplementing their revenue expenditure requirements.

Rs 50 lakh to be provided annually for victim compensation scheme and Budgetary provision for advertising and publicity to be increased by Rs 4 crore, he said.

On tax concessions, Rather said the Government has exempted commodities such as atta, maida, suji, besan, rice and paddy from VAT for one more year.

He said the rates for Government advertisements to be increased by 50 per cent, honey exempted from levy of VAT, VAT on saffron reduced to 5 per cent, subsidised small tractors, power tiller and other agricultural implements and attachments exempted from levy of VAT.

The limit of exemption from stamp duty increased to Rs 1.50 lakh for both Kissan Credit Cards and Artisan Credit Cards, VAT on cooked food items sold by hotels, restaurants, food joints,dhabas reduced to 5 per cent from 13.5 per cent and Import of Jute fabric exempted from the levy of Entry Tax apart from Raw Pashmina exempted from VAT.

Government also exempted stone made idols, havan samagari both packed and loose and guggal dhoop from the levy of VAT, VAT on durrets, quilt, blanket covers, table cloth, table covers, mufflers, bed spreads, pillow case and pillow sleeps to decrease to 5 percent and VAT rate on CF Lights to be reduced to 5 percent.

Laying focus of infrastructure development, Rather said Plan provision of Rs 1579 crore for Social Services and ` 652 crore for General Services Sectors has been made.

Plan provision Rs 2,207 crore for Special Area Programmes including Rs 87 crore for Leh, Rs 81 crore for Kargil, Rs 128 crore for BADP, Rs 62 crore for Tribal Sub–Plan, Rs 52 crore under Rashtriya Shram Vikas Yojana and Rs 1741 crore for District Plan also featured in the budget.

Plan provision of Rs 384 crore for agriculture and allied activities including Rural Development, Plan provision of Rs 126 crore for Industries and Minerals, Rs 613 crore for Transport, Rs 18 crore for Communication and Rs 4.6 crore for Science, Technology and Environment Sectors are there in the budget, he further said.

For energy sector Rs 889 crore has been allocated, Rs 600 crore under PMRP, of which Rs 477 crore for counterpart fund – Asian Development Bank and Rs 123 crore for rehabilitation of dwellers of Dal and Nageen Lakes have been allocated, Rather said.

He also announced provision of Rs 100 crore for employment-related initiatives including Rs 55 crore as seed capital for SKEWPY and Rs 20 crore for Youth Start-up Loan Scheme, Pending cases under Old Age Pension Scheme to be covered with financial implication around Rs 21 crore. Government will fill 70000 to 80000 posts un the next few years apart from Scheme for financial help to the acid victims to be launched, further Rs 2 crore contribution to the corpus of Cancer Treatment and Management Fund and BPL orphan girls who have passed matriculation to get Rs 30,000 for marriage Rs 3 crore earmarked for the scheme.

Government will also open 100 new mobile schools during next year, Surcharge on the electricity bills in case of delayed payments who clear their pending bills during current financial year to be waived off, he said.

As a one time exercise, all the previous energy consumption accounts of Power Development Department with the consuming departments to be squared up, he said adding that Provision of Rs 1.00 crore for giving start to a well designed and effective and educational campaign against the habits of smoking and chewing tobacco.

Government in a bid to rationalise things, have taxed Pipe fittings, hand made or machine made washing soap, cables of all types including industrial cable, ‘Aam Papad’ at uniform rate of 13.5 per cent, VAT system made dealer friendly.

He said that Penalty equivalent to 25 percent of value of goods in case of an offence lowered, however, the penalty at the rate of twice of VAT to continue. (AGENCIES)

NEW DELHI : The Supreme Court today agreed to hear a plea of a death row convict seeking that review petitions filed by him and other condemned prisoners against their sentence be heard in open court instead of being decided by judges in chambers.
A bench of justices P Sathasivam and J S Khehar will also decide the plea that all death penalty matters in the apex court be heard by a bench of five judges as recommended by the Law Commission.
The court meanwhile stayed the execution of death sentence of the petitioner Sundarrajan whose review petition on its judgement for upholding his death sentence is pending before the apex court.
It also issued notices to the Centre and the Supreme Court Registrar on the petition seeking amendment of Supreme Court Rules for allowing hearing of review pleas of death row convicts in open court.
The apex court had on February 5 upheld the death sentence slapped on Sundarrajan by courts below in Tamil Nadu for kidnapping and strangulating a seven-year old boy to death in 2009 when Rs five lakh ransom demand for the child’s release was not paid.
He has pleaded that the safeguard of hearing review petitions in open court is required as “it would be the final barrier against judicial errors resulting in loss of life.”
“The recommendation in the Law Commission report that all death penalty matters in the Supreme Court be heard by a bench of five judges be implemented and, in the alternative, at the least three judges ought to hear criminal appeals where capital punishment is involved,” he has said in his petition filed through advocate Renjith B Marar.
“It is submitted that where life itself is at stake, the fact that the consequence of an error which may be irreversible is grave, and sets death penalty cases distinguishable as a class apart from other cases where review petitions may be disposed of in circulation,” Sundarrajan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, has said.
Sundarrajan had kidnapped class II student Suresh from his school at Karkudal village in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu and asked for Rs five lakh ransom from family members of the boy.
Later on, he had strangulated the boy to death when the ransom was not paid for his release and the body was put in a gunny bag and thrown into a water tank.
Sundararajan was apprehended by the police and put on trial for the offence of murder and kidnapping. The trial court convicted him and sentenced him to death which was upheld by the Madras High Court.
He had then approached the apex court challenging his conviction and death sentence.
The apex court, after hearing his contention, came to the conclusion that he failed to bring out even “a single mitigating circumstance” to interfere in the death sentence.
“Kidnapping of a child was committed with the motive of carrying home a ransom. On account of the non-payment of ransom, a minor child’s murder was committed. This fact demonstrates that the accused had no value for human life. The instant circumstance demonstrates extreme mental perversion not worthy of human condonation,” the bench had said.
“The accused caused the murder of child of 7 years. The facts and circumstances of the case do not depict any previous enmity between the parties. There is no grave and sudden provocation, which had compelled the accused to take the life of an innocent child. The murder of a child, in such circumstances makes this a case of extreme culpability,” the bench had said. (PTI)

JAMMU :  Mainstream opposition Peoples Democratic Party today staged a walkout of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly alleging that the party legislators were not allowed to express their views in the House.
Shouting anti-government slogans, PDP legislators led by Leader of the Opposition Mehbooba Mufti, created uproar and staged a walkout alleging that the PDP members were not given sufficient time to raise certain issues and discuss the killing of a youth in Handwara firing yesterday.
PDP had moved adjournment motion to discuss Handwara youth death in a firing allegedly by the security forces.
Speaking to reporters outside the Legislative Assembly, Ms Mufti alleged that the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has lost his credibility.
“Situation in Kashmir would have been different if the Chief Minister had acted intelligently. No action has been initiated as yet against police or army in any of the previous incidents,” the PDP leader added.
Over 100 people were killed in 2010 in Kashmir but no action was taken so far, she said adding, “Mr Abdullah has failed on all fronts.”
She alleged that he had sacrificed so many things for the ‘chair’ adding,”he even did not spare his father (Farooq Abdullah) and skipped him for the chair.”
The PDP president said National Conference is habitual of ruling in such like situations adding, “whenever NC ruled the Chair, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir got worse.” (AGENCIES)