Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 16: Asking the functionaries of Government undertakings to make the corporations viable and profitable ventures, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Saturday assured full support to these bodies to strengthen and expand orbit of business.
“We would like you to stand on your own feet, earn profits and decide about your perks and allowances of your own”, he told them asserting that financially sound and profit earning ventures are within their rights to enhance salaries and other allowances.
Addressing the functionaries of Jammu and Kashmir Industries (JKI) and industrialists in private sector after inaugurating Sales-cum-Marketing Centre of Kashmir silk products at Rajbagh Silk Factory, the Chief Minister said that modern designing and consumers interests should be factored in the production of heritage items of handicrafts Jammu and Kashmir is renowned for.
The Chief Minister said that Government undertakings are presently in competition with the private sector and they have to exhibit their skill and managerial capacity to make their mark in the open market and ensure economic viability of the undertakings.
Omar Abdullah said that his Government is more than willing to provide full support by way of equipment, finances, trainings, infrastructure to the Government undertakings to improve functioning and achieve new highs both in marketing and production.
Referring to the recent improvement shown by the public undertakings under industries and commerce sector, the Chief Minister said that the march of the Government corporations on road to progress is highly encouraging. “The considerable forward movement you have shown during last three years is worth noting”, he said appreciating the Industries Minister and his team of officers for infusing new energy in the Public Sector Undertakings.
Omar Abdullah told the JKI to involve Tourism Department in opening retail outlets of their products at various tourist places so that visitors visiting these areas are able to purchase the products hassle-free. He told them to explore the possibility of such a sale centre in Gulmarg near the Gandola. “This would not only enhance your sales but showcase the handicrafts of the State positively”, he added..
The Chief Minister underlined the importance of collaborating with local talent and experts in designing and production to evolve products of present market attraction. He also laid stress on scrupulous transaction of business keeping the interests of corporations above the personal benefits.
The Minister for Industries, S. S. Slathia and Minister of State for Industries, Dr. Manohar Lal also spoke on the occasion while Minister for Medical Education, R. S. Chib, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce, Shant Manu, Managing Director JKI and various senior officers of Industries Department were present on the occasion.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 16: Director General of Police (DGP), K. Rajendra Kumar today visited Hazratbal Shrine and took stock of the arrangements made in connection with Miraj-ul-Alam (SAW). He stressed for coordination among the agencies to ensure security of the devotees and maintenance of law and order during the celebrations.
After paying obeisance at the Dargah, Mr. Rajendra visited the shrine, surrounding area and assessed on spot police bandobust made in connection with Miraj-ul-Alam (SAW) and following Friday. He discussed the arrangements with the police officers and the members of Auqaf management.
The DGP asked the officers to ensure effective security arrangements in consultation with the management for the security of the devotees visiting the Dargah. He said that while making arrangements it should be ensured that the people are not put to any inconvenience during the celebrations. Law and order maintenance should be ensured in coordination with other agencies for which communication network should be strengthened.
Asking the traffic authorities to regulate one way traffic strictly for smooth traffic management on the routes leading to the shrine, he said that it would avoid traffic jams which causes inconvenience to the devotees. He stressed for proper use of already identified parking slots outside the premises.
Volunteers of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) should be pressed into service to help the people and tackle any eventuality during the celebrations. To facilitate the devotees round the clock Police Help Line would be established at the police camp outside the shrine. Night patrolling in the neighbouring areas would also be conducted, disclosed the DGP.
During the visit, SP Hazratbal, Abdul Qayoom briefed the DGP about the deployment and the security measures taken for smooth celebrations. He apprised the DGP that parking slots have been identified to regulate the traffic smoothly during the celebrations.
The DGP was accompanied by ADGP Headquarter, Dr. S. P. Vaid, IGP Kashmir, S. M. Sahai, IGP Headquarter, Arun Kumar, IGP Armed Kashmir, Rauf-ul-Hassan, DIG, Srinagar, Ahfadul Mujtaba, Commandant, Abdul Rashid and other police officers.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 16: Highlighting the importance of peace for carrying out developmental activities, the Minister for Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar today said that the forces inimical to peaceful atmosphere should understand that the people of the State have suffered a lot due to violence, disturbances in the past but could not be cowed down by such cowardly acts.
The Minister was interacting with students of recently upgraded Government Degree College, Bagh-i-Dilawar Khan during his visit to the old city Srinagar.
Mr. Sagar said that Government has underlined education as one of the priority sectors of the State and in this regard several institutions have been upgraded and requisite infrastructure has also been provided. He said that students should understand the importance of peaceful environs for carrying out their educational activities so that they can compete in various competitive exams at national and international levels.
“Ever since the Government took over, it has been our endeavour to augment the already existing educational infrastructure so that our youth get the requisite and latest facilities right at their doorsteps. We have already ensured that all areas of the State come in the ambit of quality and latest educational facilities trends”, the Minister said and maintained that youth should also understand the importance of peace as the State has witnessed turbulent times in which the educational sector suffered a lot.
The Minister announced that he would provide the required funds out of his Constituency Development Fund for the construction of auditorium, science block and wash rooms for the students.
While interacting with the people at Shamswari, the Minister said that the Government is committed to provide all basic amenities and assured them that all their genuine demands would be looked into.
Later, the Minister also inspected the pace of progress on the renovation of Imambara at Doulatabad, Khanyar being undertaken with an estimated cost of Rs. 7 lakh and directed the officers to ensure that the work is completed within the stipulated time frame.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: Reaffirming its rejection of recently released interlocutors’ report on Jammu and Kashmir at the conclusion of one-day workshop organized by the Party for its workers to educate them about the various aspects of this controversial report, BJP said the report gives an impression as if J&K is not at all part of India.
Party President Shamsher Singh Manhas, who presided over the workshop, formally inaugurated it alongwith National Executive Member & MLA Ashok Khajuria, National Executive Member & Chief Spokesperson Dr. Jitendra Singh, Kashmir Affairs expert Daya Sagar, state vice-president BJP, Chander Prakash Ganga, state general secretary (Organisation) Ashok Kaul, party MLAs Jugal Kishore Sharma and Shyam Choudhary.
The presentation on the subject was made by Daya Sagar, while the introductory address was delivered by Dr. Jitendra Singh.
Shamsher Singh Manhas, in his address, said that the BJP has already rejected the report in its National Executive Meet at Mumbai and Party re-affirm its stand on it. Whatever has been written through the Interlocutors in this report indicates as if Jammu & Kashmir is not a part of India, which is indeed a very serious matter and every nationalist citizen has raised his voice against it.
Daya Sagar said that the Union Home Ministry should have rejected the report outright without making it public. He questioned the Home Ministry as to why it did not read it when it was in their custody for seven long months. He alleged that the report is based on pre-conceived belief. He also referred to certain technical errors like terming the displaced PoK refugees as PoK migrants.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that it is a sacrilege for BJP to accept a report which goes against the party’s principle stand of “Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan” for which the party’s founding father Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerji had laid down his life. He said that Govt. of India owes to explain how the Interlocutors on state pay-roll could be allowed to go scot free even after using unofficial and extra- constitutional expressions like Pakistan administered Jammu & Kashmir (PAJK) in place of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Ashok Kaul declared that nation wide campaign would be launched from June 23 to July 6 which, is being observed as Dr Shamaprashad Mookerjee fortnight against the report across the country.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: In a significant order, State High Court has directed the Sher-e-Kashmir College of Education to fulfill the statutory requirement of conducting and completing 180 teaching days so that the admission of 142 students, which is hanging in fire due to inaction on the part of College, could be regularized.
The University of Jammu took a specific stand through their counsel Wasim Sadiq Nargal in both the petitions filed by the College and submitted that the students were not attending the college regularly and the College has prepared a false attendance.
It was further submitted that in order to ascertain factual position, University of Jammu constituted a committee to monitor the class work of BEd students of Sher-e-Kashmir College. From the perusal of the inspection reports, it came to fore that there was hardly any student present during the college hours and accordingly, University didn’t regularize the admission of 140 students admitted unauthorizedly by the College.
When both the petitions came up for hearing before High Court, the stand of University got vindicated and Justice Virender Singh directed the College to fulfill the statutory requirement of teaching days as per the statue of the University and fulfill all other requirements.
The Monitoring Committee was directed to monitor the classes and students directed to present themselves physically by marking their attendance as only in such eventuality their admissions can be regularized and the examination conducted.
The High Court also directed the University to take steps to conduct the examination of 142 students preferably within one month only when the College does the needful to the satisfaction of monitoring committee.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 16: In a writ petition filed by ITI Diploma Holders Electrical Employees Association through its president Jasbir Singh challenging the promotions of 101 Technician-III in PDD, State High Court today issued notice to Commissioner Secretary PWD, Development Commissioner Power, Chief Engineer EM&RE Wing, Jammu and 101 private respondents returnable within four weeks.
In the meantime, the High Court ordered that the impugned Order No CEJ/ADM/70th/DPC/09 of 2012 dated May 22, 2012 shall remain in abeyance so far as it pertains to private respondents.
In the petition, Advocate Abhinav Sharma submitted that impugned order was not only violative of Government Order No 129-PDD of 1996 but was also in violation of judgment dated February 9, 2012 rendered by Division Bench holding that only those departmental candidates could be promoted to the post of Tech-III who possessed the qualification of Matric with ITI. It had also directed that all those who were not Matric with ITI but promoted on March 31, 1998 should be reverted to various inferior posts.
After hearing Advocate Abhinav Sharma appearing for the petitioners, Court issued notices and kept the impunged order in abeyance so far as it pertains to the private respondents.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 16: Army Chief, Gen Bikram Singh this morning called on Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
Various matters relating to prevailing security situation in the State were discussed during the meeting.
The GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt. Gen K. T. Parnaik and GOC 15 Corps Lt. Gen Om Prakash were also present in the meeting.

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 16: The ITI trained, need based and CP workers of PHE and PDD staged protest dharna at district headquarters as they are not paid their wages for the last over 15 months.
A large number of workers from PHE, PDD and some other departments assembled at the district headquarters here and staged day long protest dharna in support of their demands. Kabla Singh, president Low Paid Employees Federation addressed the gathering. He pointed out that due to non-release of the wages of daily wagers, CP and need based workers for the last over 15 months, they and their families are facing lot of hardships.
Mr Singh said Ministers and legislators got heavy hike in their salaries recently but the poor workers class is denied its wages. He said arrears of senior officers were given in just one go, employees are struggling since long and moreover, daily rated workers are left to face exploitation. He condemned the Government for its behaviour and said that workers left to face starvation will be forced to go on strike, suspending essential services if their wages were not paid.
Later, the workers in the shape of a rally went to the office of SE/ Executive Engineer and held protest demonstration.