Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Feb 6: A delegation of Councilors and Sarpanchs of Nubra headed by Chief Executive Councilor LAHDC, Leh Rigzin Spalbar and former Union Minster P Namgyal today called on Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde and had a detailed discussion on various developmental projects and key issues of Leh district.
The delegation recalling the demands projected by LAHDC Leh to Home Minister during his recent visit to Leh, stressed the need for recruiting Ladakhi women in paramilitary forces by giving relaxation in age and qualification considering their capability and efficiency. The CEC also demanded early opening of left out tourist destinations like Yarma Gonbo of Nubra region and inclusion of Bhoti language in 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution, opening of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra road via Ladakh and early sanctioning of funds for training of Leh nallah.
The Home Minister gave patient hearing to the demands of delegation and issued on the spot direction to the Additional Secretary Home to convene a meeting at Delhi shortly to have deliberation and solutions to the issues of Leh.
Others in the delegation were Executive Councilor Agriculture Sonam Dorjet, President District Congress Committee Leh Tsering Samphel, Councilor Panamik Tsering Angchuk, Sarpanch Kubet Deldan Namgyal, Sarpanch Panamik Tsewang Spalbar, Sarpanch Yarma Rigzin Wangdus, President Block Congress Nubra, Lobzang Rinchen.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that the Government is actively considering recommendations of the Committee constituted by the Government for examining the amendments proposed by different quarters in the Panchayati Raj Act (PRA).
The Minister was addressing the high level meeting convened to discuss the recommendations of the high level committee constituted to discuss the amendments proposed by different quarters in the Panchayati Raj Act.
Commissioner/ Secretary Rural Development, Farooq Ahmed Peer, Secretary Law, G.H. Tantary, Director Rural Development, Jammu, Shafiq Ahmed Raina and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
Mr. Sagar said that Government believes in the complete devolution of the powers to the grass root level and in this regard care would be taken to ensure the same. He said “we have to ensure the participatory participation of the people in day to day governance and in this regard the necessary empowerment of different Panchayats has already been ensured.”
The Minister said “we have also to accommodate the view points of different sections,” adding due credence would be given to the recommendations of the committee constituted by the Government for examining the proposed amendments and the same would then be sent to the Cabinet for the necessary approval.
Later, while addressing officers in the meeting, Mr. Sagar said that a grievance cell would be set up in the department to get the requisite feedback from the people of different parts of the State and initiate the necessary action.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: In a significant administrative decision with regard to settlement of seniority positions, Government today issued order for fixation of the seniority position of F A Renzu by making amendment in seniority list of KAS officers of 1999. Now with this amendment Renzu’s seniority has been elivated in the list from No. 167 to 44A1 with immediate effect and fixed above IAS Officers M A Bukhari, M Abbas Dar, Shagufta Parween, Sheikh Mushtaq, M Afzal Bhat and other hundred officers.
The seniority position of Renzu remained as a legal battle for the last 28 years. Earlier on the same analogy the seniority position of M A Bukhari was re-fixed in 2003-2004 by making similar amendments in the seniority list of KAS officers of 1999 and his position was elevated to 44B. He was consequently on the basis of elevation in seniority position became entitled for IAS also.
The Govenment while implementing the Judgment in favour of Bukhari in 2003-2004 could not implement the same in favour of other left out officers. F.A. Renzu who had topped PSC examination in the information cadre in 1980 also was entitled for the similar effect above Ashraf Bukhari, however, the Government at the time preferred to challenge his claim in the Division Bench in case entitled Sheikh Nazir v/s State.
However, the Division Bench on 10-06-2011 up held the Single Bench decision in favour of seniority position of F.A. Renzu. Since then the matter was in the GAD waiting for implementation. The matter was also referred in December 2011 to Law Department and the Law Department gave its opinion in January 2012 for its implementation in letter and spirit.
The matter remained further pending in GAD for process. Now the Government decided to implement the orders of High Court and Division Bench accordingly on the basis of Law Department opinion. The Chief Minister gave approval for fixation of F.A. Renzu’s seniority.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 6: State Vigilance Organization (SVO) today produced challan against revenue official and his accomplice in the Court of Special Judge Anti Corruption for transferring the land by manipulating the official records.
An official spokesman said that, SVO presented challan against Abdul Hamid Reshi, son of Ghulam Hassan Reshi of Ameer Abad Tral, Pulwama, the then Patwari Halqa Noorpora, Awantipora and Farukh Jahanzeb, son of Ghulam Mohi-u-Din Bhat of Awantipora in case FIR No 20/11 registered with Vigilance Organization, Kashmir.
He said that during investigation of case FIR No 37/10 under Sections 5(1) C, 5(1) (d) r/w 5 (2) PC Act 2006 and 120-B, 409, 468, 471 RPC registered pertaining to misappropriation of compensation amount of over twenty crores meant for disbursement among the eligible beneficiaries (land owners) of four lanning of National Highway in village Lethpora and adjacent villages of district Pulwama, it came to fore that Reshi hatched criminal conspiracy and transferred land measuring 3 Kanals and 18 Marlas under survey No 303 min and land measuring 3 kanals and 2 marlas under survey No 3643/2168 of patwar halqa Noorpora Tehsil Awantipora to Farukh Jehanzeb by manipulating the revenue records.
The revenue official affixed fraud and fake signatures of attesting authorities–the then Tehsildar Awantipora Mushtaq Ahmad Bajard and the then Tehsildar Settlement Awantipora Abdul Aziz Dar and consequently effected predate mutations, spokesman added.
On the basis of these findings an FIR No. 20/13 has been registered and investigation taken up, he said.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has nominated the Minister for Planning and Development, Labour and Employment, Ajay Sadhotra as the Leader of the Council in pursuance of Section 2(g) of the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Council.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: Government today ordered transfer of KAS officer and posting of staff in the Personal Sections of Ministers.
According to the order issued by General Administration Department, Hashmat Ali Khan, Additional Secretary/Principal Private Secretary to Chief Secretary has been transferred and posted as Joint Director, Hospitality and Protocol (Hqrs) against the available vacancy.
Meanwhile, Ram Krishan Bhat has been posted as Special Assistant in the Personal Section of Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies, Masarat-ul-Islam as Special Assistant in the Personal Section of Minister of State for Industries and Commerce (Independent Charge) and Satish Kumar Sharma as Additional Private Secretary in the Personal Section of Minister of State for Industries and Commerce (Independent Charge).
Manoj Kumar Pandita, PLO, Power Development Department has been transferred and posted as Additional Private Secretary in the Personal Section of Minister of State for Technical Education (Independent Charge).

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: A faction of Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), led by Abdul Qayoom Wani today reviewed strategy for five-day strike programme announced by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of the employees leadership from Feb 19 to 23.
In a meeting of the EJAC held under the chairmanship of Mr Wani here, the employees representatives from various unions and associations of different departments, discussed and chalked out strategy for the proposed strike being launched from February 19, 2013. They alleged that State Government has failed to do justice with the employees who are struggling since long.
The speakers in the meeting pointed out that the Government has failed to enhance retirement age from 58 to 60 years, remove pay anomalies of employees of various cadre, regularize daily wagers, ad hoc and other temporary employees and provide full benefits of 6th Pay Commission to the PSU workers besides clearing their arrears.
The EJAC leaders again issued appeal to the Chief Minister to intervene personally and not to force the employees to adopt agitational path as it was not in the interest of the Government, general public and the employees as well. They said if the Government remains rigid then 4.50 lakh employees of the State will be left with the only option to resort to the agitational path. They also appealed the Civil Secretariat employees union to play big brother’s role in this 5th phase of the agitational programme. The EJAC appealed all the employees and their unions to remain united for their common cause.
Prominent among those present in the meeting included Amrik Singh, Ganesh Khajuria, Amirk Singh Sasan, Ghulam Mohd Hamdarad and Manzoor Pampori.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 6: The 2-day mega Dogri Conference titled ‘Dogri language–challenges and opportunities’ culminated today.
On the concluding day, experts read out papers on various topics relating to Dogri language and literature. The paper reading session was followed by an open-house discussion and question-answer session, which witnessed extensive debate and discussion with audience showing keen interest in every issue.
Those who presented their papers on the concluding day included Parkash Premi, Mohan Singh, Prof Champa Sharma, Prof Shashi Pathania, Dr Nirmal Vinod and Dr Lalit Gupta.
In his paper Parkash Premi laid focus on relevance of translation in Dogri language while Prof Champa Sharma chronicled different milestones in progression of Dogri as a medium of instruction at school, college and university level.
Mohan Singh presented a critical paper on Dogri theatre and its evolution. While presenting her paper, Prof Shashi Pathania spoke about presence and penetration of Dogri in cyber world. Likewise, Dr Nirmal Vinod’s paper highlighted the role of Dogri in the field of media.
Echoing the sweeping changes that are taking place in the world of cinema, Dr Lalit Gupta reflected the various emerging trends in the field of Dogri film media.
The conference culminated with a Dogri mushaira in which several noted poets like Padma Sachdev, Gautum Vythit, Pritush Guleri, Piyush Guleri, Naveem Haldanavi, Om Vidyarthi, Khair Singh and Randhir Singh Raipuria recited their kalam.