Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, May 18: The fifth show of the series of Natrang’s mega theatre Dogri production ‘Suno Tagore Di’ written and directed by Balwant Thakur was staged here today in collaboration with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
Sheetal Nanda, District Development Commissioner, Reasi, was the chief guest, who appreciated Natrang efforts in using theatre for a larger welfare of the mankind. Natrang is presenting a series of ten shows of the play ‘Suno Tagore Di’ to commemorate the 150 years of Guru Rabindanath Tagore with the support of Ministry of Culture Government of India and Ministry of Tourism and Culture J&K Government, in all the districts of Jammu Province. Earlier shows were held at Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Jammu.
Inspired by the great writings of Guru Rabindranath Tagore on women a mega Dogri theatre production has been evolved by Natrang in which…..”GUDDI” central character of this play represents the major section of rural lower middle class adolescent young girls who is forced into matrimony at a very tender age. Guddi represents the most of the characters portrayed by Tagore in his prose, short stories, poetry and dramas. As a protagonist, Guddi is fully prepared to fight it out and is aware of the strains of early marriage, as it has taken its toll in untimely death of her mother. She wants to grow and get educated before she takes up the responsibility of married life. The play highlights the plight of young girls who are sacrificed at the altar of rotten, redundant customs of illiterate and ignorant sections of our society.
Tagore spoke of the need to reform the society and as far as women were concerned he repeatedly asserted the need of the extension of women’s role beyond the confines of domestic sphere, influencing the society at large. Tagore’s exhortation always resulted in the demands of the fairer sex emerging from society’s shadows, to impart wisdom and claim their rightful share in power.
A team of over thirty senior actors of Natrang vibrated the auditorium of SMVD with their electrifying performance. Those who excelled in their performance included Suresh Kumar, Anil Tickoo, Sanjeev Gupta, Neeraj Kant, Dimple Sharma, Rahul Singh, Tajasvi Sharma, Mohd. Yaseen, Balwinder Singh, Sushil Raina, Stanzin Paldan, Sunil Sharma, Sushil Raina, Vinay Manhas, Atin Tikka, Sakshi Prakash, Vishal Sharma, Ashwani Bali and Shivika Verma.
The light and sound was looked after by Shummy Kalotra, Ashu Kalotra, Rahul Bhat and Karan Kumar.
Natrang stages ‘Suno Tagore Di’ play at Katra
261 youth selected during on-spot recruitment
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 18: Jammu and Kashmir Police organized a special recruitment rally at Shopian today. The rally was a part of the recruitment drive launched by JKP to recruit energetic youth in the force from the un-represented areas of the State. A total of 261 candidates were selected on the spot from 129 villages of Nayabats of Shopian, Keegam and Kapran/Harman.
A large number of aspirants from these Nayabats were seen in long queues in the ground from early hours to test their luck. The selection committee consisting of IGP Kashmir Zone, S. M. Sahai, DIG, Anantnag Range, Vijay Kumar, AIG (Personnel) PHQ, Ghulam Hassan Bhat, S. P. Shopian, Mumtaz Ahmad, Commandant IRP 18th Battalion, Ghulam Hassan Shah and Deputy S. P. (Personnel) PHQ, Sheikh Zaffar Ullah put the candidates for various tests and 261 candidates were selected on the basis of their qualification and performance in physical tests.
The process was conducted under the close supervision of Director General of Police (DGP), Kuldeep Khoda. The selected recruits include 16 post-graduates, 71 graduates, 130 (10+2 pass) and 44 matriculates. SPOs were also considered by the selection committee on the basis of criteria provided under rules.
Addressing the recruits, DGP asked them to make public service their sole aim which could help in building the image of the organization further. He said that before their deployment in the field for various professional duties they would have to undergo a basic training in police training institutions in the State, where they would be trained in various fields of policing including discipline, selfless service, crime control, law and order maintenance, weaponry handling and respect towards the human rights.
BJP takes steps to rejuvenate party
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 18: To rejuvenate the Party and refurbish its image in the State after the disqualification of seven legislators for cross voting in last year’s Legislative Council Elections, the BJP has taken many steps in this regard for last couple of months.
The rejuvenation process incidentally coincided with the taking over of Ashok Kaul as organizational general secretary, two months back.
According to Party sources the BJP will leave no stone unturned in strengthening the Party in J&K and restore its past image, which the Party had during the time of Pt Prem Nath Dogra a veteran leader of the State and president of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS).
To reach out to senior citizens of the State who were associated with Party ideology and activities since the time of Praja Parishad movement the Party held a meeting with them here on May 16. Out of 150 senior citizens who were invited in the meeting 128 had attended it, the sources added.
The meeting discussed their contribution and sought their valuable suggestions for rejuvenating the Party in the future, sources said.
In addition to it the Party has launched the series of training programmes and workshops on Mandal and tehsil level for the first time in the State to educate its activists and take its message, policies and programmes to people living in the remotest corner of the State, sources said, adding 50 such shivers covering all the mandals and blocks of the State will be held.
To reach out to Muslims as well as Gujjars and bring more and more people of these communities into its fold and to break the myth created by Congress that BJP is a communal organization, it organized a one day convention of Muslims at Sunjwan Bhatindi on May 13 in which over 500 prominent Muslims drawn from different parts of Jammu participated and 50 activists also joined the party on the occasion.
The Party has decided to pay special attention to Sikh community and in this regard Dr Party chief spokesperson of the State and National Executive Member Dr Jitendra Singh has been assigned the task to interact with the prominent members of the community.
The sources said to forcefully highlight the problems of the people belonging to all sections of the society, the Party has also activated the functioning of different cells and morchas.
To express its total solidarity with the SPOs and VDC members who had played a remarkable role during last 23 years of turmoil in fighting terrorism in far-flung and remotest areas of the State, the BJP held district level demonstration in support of their demands to shake the Government on the issue on May 14.
To reorganize the Kashmir unit of the Party new Prabharis and district presidents were appointed in different parts of Valley.
Vyas reviews progress of projects being executed by ERA
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 18: The Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Planning and Development Department, B.B.Vyas on Friday reviewed the progress of various projects being executed by J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (J&KERA) under multisector project for infrastructure rehabilitation (MPIR) and Jammu and Kashmir Urban Sector Development Investment programme (JKUSDIP) funded by Asian Development Bank.
The Chief Executive Officer, ERA, Saurabh Bhagat, J&K, ERA through power point presentation informed the meeting that under MPIR project, an expenditure of Rs.1377 crore has been incurred on various infrastructure projects, while work on 69 Sub-Projects including improvement and up gradation of some major roads, bridges, water supply and drainage schemes has already been completed. He also said equipments worth Rs.34.29 crore, including water tankers, garbage carriers, loaders , sewer cleaning equipments etc have been provided to SMC,JMC and PHED under the project.
Mr. Bhagat further informed the meeting that under tranche-I of JKUSDIP, the agency has taken up work on 9 sub-projects which include five sewerage sub-projects and 5 sub-projects for scientific disposal of solid waste management in Srinagar and 3 Sub-project of Water supplies. Out of these sub-projects work on approach road to landfill site at Achan sanitary landfill site has been completed and substantial progeress has been achieved on laying of 100 mm raw water pipeline from Harwan to Nishat. He said that all the necessary due- diligence reports regarding the Jahangir Chowk-Rambagh Flyover, Vikram chowk-women’s college flyover and other sub- projects have been completed. He also informed the meeting that 99 shopkeepers of cheap/Kabbadi market near Jahangir Chowk have already been rehabilitated in shopping complex constructed by SMC, while the work on rehabilitation complex near Jehangir Chowk is under progress.
Meanwhile, the Principal Secretary directed the agency to speed up the work on shopping complex and asked them to ensure early start of work on another rehabilitation complex near Rambagh, so that the affected shopkeepers may be rehabilitated as early.
The meeting was attended by Managing Director, JKPCC, Director Safeguard, J&K ERA and other concerned officers of the ERA.
Public reach is benchmark of my Government: CM
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 18 : Stating that reaching out to people and ascertaining their difficulties to initiate befitting steps for redressal of grievances is the standard of his Government, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Friday said that his endeavours to empower common masses to make Government answerable to them for its all actions would continue unabated.
Interacting with various deputations, who called on him here at Awami Mulakat, the Chief Minister said that the initiatives and measures already taken by his Government in this direction have visibly impacted on ground.
“You are now empowered to ask any question from any Government Department about its functioning, transactions, commitments to public and outcome of the development schemes completed. We have also empowered the people to receive public services within a fixed time frame to the degree that any official showing laxity or failure in the delivery of the prescribed service within the prescribed time frame is liable for fine which will be detected from his salary and paid as compensation to the affected consumer”, he said, adding that this has brought topsy-turvy in the System and the consumer instead of paying bribe for getting public service will now get the compensation for not receiving it within the prescribed time frame and that too from the salary of the erring official.
The Chief Minister said that involvement of general public in development process and bring in transparency in the functioning of administration has been given considerable impetus. He said empowered Panchayat Raj System is rooting fast and grass root public representatives have been given powers to implement schemes and take part in plan formulation.
Omar Abdullah said that close rapport between the people and strengthening of institutions to check malpractices and enhance public vigil on the functioning of the administration have received significant push forward during his Government which is evident on the ground. He said his endeavours in this direction would continue to make good-governance and transparency rule the roast.
As many as 35 deputations from all across the State and from various sections of the society met the Chief Minister and brought to his notice their demands and difficulties for Government attention. Scores of individuals also presented their personal problems to the Chief Minister and sought his help for the redressal.
The Chief Minister gave patient hearing to all and gave on spot directions regarding certain matters of urgent public importance while many more were referred to the concerned Heads of the Departments for action.
The deputations which interacted with the Chief Minister included residents of Tibetan Colony, Idgah, staff of National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation, Saw Mill Owners Association, Kashmir, Bio-medical Electronic Engineers and Professionals Association, Urdu Academy Jammu and Kashmir, Gurdawara Prabandak Committee District Srinagar, Idarah Aquaf Islamia, Litter Pulwama and Tujjar Sharief, J&K Brick Kiln Association, Zamindar Association, deputation of Oncology Department of SKIMS, various NGOs, and inhabitants of Fag Ganderbal, Samboora Pampore, Beminia, Safakadal, Nandpora-Karpora Dal, Chandpora, Khanyar Srinagar, Hyderpora Budgam, Baramulla, Doda and other places.
Where once the guns blazed
NEW DELHI, May 18: The land of incomparable scenic beauty and snow, and of memories of the last Indo-Pak conflagration, Kargil is now opening its arms to a first of its kind film festival that will speak about people of little known territories and their seldom talked about issues.
‘Awam Ka Cinema’, a movement of grassroot cinema that started from Ayodhya in 2006, is taking its caravan of stories to the high altitude Ladakh territory for a two-day film festival starting tomorrow.
While most Indians associate Kargil with little more than the 1999 conflict, the people associated with the movement want to redefine the image of the border region.
“Some remarkable and meaningful films will be showcased during the festival. This film festival will prove to be an unusual gift for the people of Ladakh,” an organiser from the Kargil Film Society said.
The screening list for the festival includes 21 short films—documentaries, fiction as well as two animations—that will be showcased at the Indoor Stadium Hall in Kargil over the next two days.
The aim of the festival is to reach out to the people of the area, which is cut off from the outside world for six months because of snow, and establish a link for regular exchanges and sharing of ideas.
The group believes that meaningful cinema which focuses on social issues has relatively limited audience which is often scattered in different areas, making it difficult for filmmakers who chose to make such films to reach out to their audience.
For this reason, the organisers hold film festivals in smaller cities and regions. Even the contributors are budding film makers who do not get exposure in larger festivals.
The concept of what they call the ‘Awam ka cinema’ emerged in 2004 when a bunch of like-minded people got together to start screenings of documentaries and films on social issues in the twin cities of Ayodhya and Faizabad.
In 2006, the group formed their society, which has so far held similar film festivals in Delhi, Mau, Jaipur, Auriya and other areas of Kashmir.
The Kargil Film Festival will effectively be the first such cultural event of this kind in the Ladakh region.
“The festival will also be an opportunity for the people from other states to enjoy good cinema in the midst of peaceful environment and scenic beauty of Ladakh,” an organiser said.
The films that are showcased are about social and human issues and highlight the need for peace, harmony and democratic rights. (PTI)
Elders oppose heavy user charges on passengers at Del Airport
NEW DELHI, May 18: The imposition of the new User Development Fee(UDF) on passengers at Delhi airport came under attack in the Rajya Sabha today with members saying it was high, especially questioning the levy for incoming passengers.
From May 15, passengers departing or arriving at the Indira Gandhi International Airport(IGIA) here are shelling out more money with the introduction of UDF brought through an executive order last year amid criticism it was high.
Raising the issue through a statutory motion, K N Balagopal (CPI-M) sought modifications in the Airports Authority of India (Major Airports) Development Fees Rules. It was for the first time that incoming passengers are being asked to pay UDF.
He demanded that money already collected to the tune of Rs 1,481 crores by the airport management, which is being run in a PPP model, should be deposited in a separate account and utilised for improving facilities of airports run by Airports Authority of India. The member also sought a thorough audit of such funds by the CAG.
Members from several parties opposed the levying of user charges from both embarking and disembarking passengers at the Delhi airport and said these charges were the highest here in comparison to other airports in the world.
Balagopal said the particular rule is “basically illegal” and “ultra vires of the Constitution” and that private operators are “siphoning off” public money in the name of cost over-run, which needs to be audited.
Noting that they have reservations against this kind of user fee, Balagopal said, “…Do not kill the hen that lays golden eggs…This is an open case of loot. They can make profit of 10 per cent, 15 per cent of 25 per cent but 300 percent of profit is not acceptable.”
Najma Heptulla (BJP) said as government slept for years in formulating the rules, private operators kept charging user fee from passengers. She said levying user charges on both the embarking and disembarking passengers was unacceptable.
Praveen Rashtrapal (Cong) said AAI has the right to collect development fee, but the charges should be reasonable.
Departing international passengers will have to pay upto Rs.1,068 as UDF while for incoming passengers it will be upto Rs.881.10.
A domestic departing passenger will have to pay Rs. 462.80 for travel over 500 km, and an incoming passenger Rs. 391.60. For travel up to 500 km, a passenger should pay Rs. 231.40 for departure and Rs. 195.80 for arrival. (PTI)
Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 269 cr income tax: Govt
NEW DELHI, May 18: Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 269.06 crore income tax and IT Department has initiated penalty and prosecution proceedings against the private carrier, Government informed the Lok Sabha today.
Kingfisher Airlines was found to have deducted tax at source (TDS) on salary payments but had not deposited it in Government account, Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam said in a written reply.
“Survey…Was conducted at the business premises of the aforesaid company and subsequently tax demand (including interest) amounting to Rs 372.09 crore pertaining to FYs 2009-10 to 2011-12 were raised,” he said.
“Action for recovering has been undertaken and a total of Rs 103.03 crore has already been recovered. Penalty and prosecution proceedings under the Income-tax Act have also been initiated,” Palanimanickam said.
He said in case of Employees State Insurance Corporation, an amount of Rs 23.42 lakh is outstanding against the Bangalore unit of Kingfisher Airlines towards ‘interest and damages’, for which recovery action has been taken. The matter is pending in a court, he said.
The Minister said proceedings under Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, have been initiated against Spice Jet Ltd for assessment of dues from November 2008 to January 2012.
To another question, Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said as on September, 2011, exposure of public sector banks to private airlines was Rs 15,700 crore.
“Out of this, about Rs 14,500 crore was outstanding,” he said, adding banks obtain various tangible and intangible securities from borrowers.
Meena said the Reserve Bank of India has not issued any specific guidelines to banks for providing loan to private airline companies.
Credit related matters have been deregulated by RBI and banks are free to take their decision in the matters of loan eligibility based on their commercial judgement and in accordance with their policy framed within the overall framework of RBI, he added. (PTI)
Govt likely to set up Universities for Research and Innovation
NEW DELHI, May 18: The Government today said it is considering a proposal for setting up of Universities for Research and Innovation, which aims at establishing world- class institutes focused on high-quality research.
“The concept of universities aiming at world class standards has been developed…These universities are called Universities for research and Innovation…A legislative proposal for setting up of Universities for Innovation is under consideration of the government,” Minister of State in the Human Research Development ministry E Ahamed informed Rajya Sabha in reply to a query.
The state governments have been asked by the HRD ministry to identify a suitable site for the proposed universities, he said. (PTI)
Multiple entries by doctors in MCI register: Azad
NEW DELHI, May 18: It took a Lok Sabha question for the Government to wake up to the problem of multiple registration by doctors in the Medical Council of India (MCI) registry.
Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad admitted in the House that while perusing the MCI registry it was found that some doctors were registered in three states and there was no record to show whether the medical practitioners had retired or were actually practising.
“Even the figure of 8.4 lakh registered medical practitioners that I have said in the written reply will have to be revised,” he said during Question Hour.
Azad said these shortcomings were noticed during a meeting with MCI officials do discuss the question asked by member Darshana Jardosh (BJP).
“The MCI has now decided to maintain a live registry wherein one person will not be able to register twice,” he said adding that efforts were being made to identify active medical practitioners.
Currently, Azad said, there was no record of active medical practitioners as there was no provision to check whether a doctor had retired or settled abroad.
The minister said as per information available in the Annual Report of the Medical Council of India for 2010-11, the total number of registered medical practitioners in the country was 8,40,130 as on March 31, 2011.
The Indian Medical Register maintained by the MCI is revised from time to time on the basis of information received from the State Medical Councils, Azad said. (PTI)