100 return from other routes
Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, May 9: The much publicized Rehabilitation Policy of the State Government, approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been forwarded by the MHA to Ministry of External Affairs for formally taking it up with Pakistani Government.
Meanwhile, the State Government had approved 10 militants out of a total of 56, who crossed over to this side from Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) through different routes but not through the prescribed routes, under the Rehabilitation Policy as their families here had applied for their return under policy following the guidelines.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the families of militants, who had applied for return to the State under Rehabilitation Policy, have been informing concerned Deputy Commissioner and SSPs that their kin have been kept under strict surveillance in Pakistan and PoK by Intelligence agencies and were not being allowed to move outside.
Most of the militants were in regular touch with their families here telephonically.
Sources said Pakistan was afraid that return of Kashmiri youth to Jammu and Kashmir would expose their Army, ISI and other agencies. Therefore, they had kept maximum youth, whose families had applied under Rehabilitation Policy in strict surveillance.
“In view of this, the MHA has referred the Rehabili- tation Policy to the Ministry of External Affairs so that the matter was taken up with Pakistan at appropriate forums and dialogue between the two countries to ensure return of the youths from Jammu and Kashmir stranded in Pakistan and PoK for past several years’’, sources said, adding that the MEA has agreed to take up the Policy with Pakistan.
The MHA approved Rehabilitation Policy had fixed four routes—Poonch-Rawla- kote, Uri-Muzaffarabad (both on Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir), Wagah International Border in Amritsar, Punjab and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi.
However, the militants from these four routes could return only with Pakistan permission as two LoC routes required permits approved by Designated Authority of PoK while two other routes needed Pakistan passports and visas.
Sources said a total of 56 militants of Jammu and Kashmir returned from Pakistan and PoK during 2011 using different routes including Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Nepal borders. Ten of them fell under the Rehabilitation Policy as their families had applied for return of their kin from Pakistan and PoK and completed all formalities.
A Screening Committee set up by the Government for approval of cases under the Rehabilitation Policy had cleared the cases of 10 persons, who used Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh borders for return to Jammu and Kashmir. Though the returnees hadn’t used prescribed four routes, their cases were approved as they had completed other formalities and were not involved under major terrorist acts here, sources said
This year 48 persons including 12 Kashmiri militants have returned using different routes. Four of the militants have applied for their return under Rehabilitation Policy. However, the cases of youth for consideration under the Policy for return, sources said.
The Screening Committee had received 800 applications from families of the militants of Jammu and Kashmir camping in Pakistan and PoK for past several years but cleared only 175 of them.
If approved under the Rehabilitation Policy, the militants after undergoing questioning, examination and reformation at various stages, would be rehabilitated to earn their livelihood and live a peaceful life.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently stated that Pakistan was major hurdle in implementation of the Rehabilitation Policy.
The State Government had taken up the matter with the MHA that many militants wanted to return from Pakistan and PoK, which was evident from illegal crossing by more than 100 persons through Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bangladesh border on Pakistan passports and visas to Bangladesh and Nepal and then reaching Jammu and Kashmir. The militants were unable to use four prescribed routes as Pakistani agencies were not allowing to do this.
Pakistan has been projecting Kashmiri militants as refugees of Kashmir in Muzaffarabad, the Capital of PoK before international organisations and that was why they didn’t want to facilitate their return to India.
It may be mentioned that, according to J&K police and Intelligence agencies reports, about 1300 militants from Jammu and Kashmir were held up at various places in Pakistan and PoK including training camps. Some of them were working at local shops and factories and had even solemnized marriages with local girls. Majority of them were awaiting an opportunity to return.
Few days back nine Kashmiri militants along with their Pakistani wives and 22 children had crossed over to their side from Indo-Nepal border after reaching Kathmandu from Pakistan using Pakistani passports and visas. They have been shifted to Srinagar for interrogation. Families of two militants had applied for their return under the Rehabilitation Policy but the Government would examine whether they fell in the category or not, sources said.

Emphasises on harmony, tranquility

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, May 9:  Terming peace pre-requisite for development, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday stressed the need on maintaining tranquillity and harmony in the State to help comprehensive progress on all fronts of socio-economic and political significance.
“I am time and again making it clear that political issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir require political addressing. Economic measures have their own importance but these cannot resolve matters of political dimensions”, he said, ‘adding that his Government is determined to carry forward development process with commitment and facilitate internal and external dialogue processes to ensure peace in the State.
Addressing a large public gathering at Mujgund near here, Omar Abdullah cautioned the people about the designs of vested interests who aim at disturbing peace and law and order situation in the State.
“These elements are bent upon to divide the people and disturb the peaceful situation in the State. You have to remain cautious about their attempts and foil their anti-peace designs”, he emphasized.
Omar Abdullah said that despite huge financial constraints his Government has enhanced salaries of Government employees from Rs. 6000 crores in 2008 to Rs. 11500 crores at present. “In addition to this Rs. 450 crores of arrears and additional DA instalments have already been provided to the Government employees”, he added questioning the reasonability and rationale behind the protests of employees when his Government has all along been employee-friendly.
The Chief Minister said that one can easily imagine the State of financial affairs of Jammu and Kashmir where the total annual income is Rs. 6500 crores by all sources and it has to incur Rs. 11500 crores on the salaries of Government employees and Rs. 2500 crores on payment of pension to retired Government employees besides bearing Rs. 2000 crores annual losses on supply of electricity.
Rejecting the propaganda by certain people regarding the development of Srinagar city, the Chief Minister said that holistic and equitable development of the State is benchmark of his Government. “Alongwith other areas, the Srinagar district has received equal focus on development front”, he said and substantiated his statement by giving facts and figures.
The Chief Minister said that during the last three years 10 new bridges have been sanctioned for Srinagar city including those at Dalgate, Mujgund, Zero bridge, Zainakadal, Vethapora, Palpora, Maulana Azad, Malru and Barbarshah involving an expenditure of about Rs. 97 crores. He said Jahangir Chowk Flyover has been approved at a cost of over Rs. 250 crores. He said works involving about Rs. 90 crores are being executed in Srinagar under ERA besides projects involving Rs. 122 crores launched for the development of roads, bridges and water supply schemes.
The Chief Minister said Rs. 38.14 crore Nagar Tourist Circuit in Shaher-i-Khas has already been taken in hand besides developing Chinar Bagh at Rs. 3.34 crores. He said 2000 youth of Srinagar city have been recruited under special recruitment drive by Police Department.
Omar Abdullah said that additional block of Lal Ded Hospital is under construction at Rs. 40 crores while new maternity hospital in Srinagar has been approved at a cost of Rs. 50 crores. He said SKIMS is being provided an amount of Rs. 720 crore for its expansion and upgradation besides upgrading and improving hospitals and health centres in Srinagar.
The Chief Minister said that in the Batmaloo Constituency in which Mujgund area is situated, about Rs. 70 crores have been spent on the development of roads in the year 2010-11 while the amount spent on this sector in 2011-12 has been Rs. 26.87 crores and this year Rs. 84 crores have been earmarked for the same. He said 202 kilometres of road length has been black topped and macadamized in Batmaloo Constituency during the last year.
The public meeting was also addressed by Minister of State for R&B Javid Ahmad Dar, MLA Batmaloo Assembly Constituency, Irfan Ahmad Shah and Provincial President, National Conference, Kashmir, Ali Mohammad Dar.
Minister of State for R&B presented resume of the achievements registered in the State during last three years in various sectors with special reference to R&B. He said the commitments made to people are being fulfilled one after one.
Irfan Shah highlighted the demands of the people of the area and requested for a degree college, a maternity hospital, a playfield, drain at Malru and special recruitment drive for the area besides other local demands.
Earlier, the Chief Minister formally inaugurated the 172 metre long double-lane Pre-Stressed Concrete (PSC) girder type Bridge consisting of four spans of 43 mtr over River Jehlum at Mujgund constructed at a cost of Rs. 12.20 crores.
The bridge will provide direct connectivity to National Highway (Srinagar-Bandipora) benefiting about 2 lakhs population residing in the areas of Palpora, Tangpora, Bakshipora, Chochan, Takun and other adjoining areas. This will also provide an alternative route to Srinagar to Ganderbal. It will also benefit to the inhabitants of areas in between Noorbagh and Sumbal.

Draft 12th Five Year Plan to be discussed
Mohinder Verma

JAMMU, May 9: State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister tomorrow morning, is likely to do away with the stop-gap arrangement at the level of Commissioner-Secretary and Secretary in various Administrative Departments and appoint permanent incumbents for better functioning of the departments. Moreover, it will also discuss the Draft 12th Five Year Plan for the State prepared as per the Approach Paper and Guidelines for Classification of Expenditure issued by the Planning Commission of India.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Chief Minister has decided to do away with the stop-gap arrangement and adhocism in various Administrative Departments and appoint permanent incumbents to the posts of Commissioner Secretary/ Secretary.
At present, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Department, Tanvir Jahan, has been holding the additional charge of Commissioner-Secretary Health and Medical Education since the retirement of Ghulam Ahmad Peer.
Similarly, Commissioner-Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Shaleen Kabra has been holding the additional charge of Commissioner-Secretary Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry since the transfer of Bishen Dass Sharma as Commissioner Secretary Irrigation and PHE. Mr Kabra is also holding the additional charge of Commissioner Secretary Cooperatives since the retirement of Abdul Hamid Wani.
Bipul Pathak has been without posting since his repatriation from the Central deputation earlier this year, sources said.
Commissioner Secretary Revenue, Bashir Ahmad Roniyal has been holding the additional charge of Financial Commissioner Revenue since the retirement of Dr R K Jerath. Likewise, Umang Narula, Commissioner-Secretary Industries has been holding the additional charge of Administrative Secretary Public Enterprises.
Sources informed that Cabinet will thoroughly discuss Draft 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) and Annual Plan 2012-13 before communicating the same to the Planning Commission of India.
“The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission has already conveyed to the State Government that while having Annual Plan discussion for 2012-13, the Planning Commission would like to have a broad idea of the size, sectoral priorities, programmes and other initiatives envisaged in the Draft 12th Five Year Plan of the State”, sources said.
The State has prepared 12th Five Year Plan for an outlay of Rs 67,822.47 crore at 2011-12 prices. This includes Rs 8,630 crore revenue component and remaining capital component, sources said, adding in the draft, power, road connectivity, education, health, irrigation and rural development have been declared as priority sectors.
As per the draft, major portion of the Plan Investment would be spent on the productive sectors like agriculture, horticulture, dairy development and industries. As against growth rate of 6 per cent during 11th Five Year Plan, the average growth of 7.5 per cent during the 12th Five Year Plan period has been projected in the draft, sources said.
As far as employment avenues are concerned, around 6.40 lakh additional job opportunities are likely to be generated during the 12th Five Year Plan. These includes 1.20 lakh salaried jobs, 4.40 lakh self employment and 80,000 casual labourers, sources said quoting the draft, adding for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), an amount of Rs 13,000 crore has been proposed for the 2012-2017 period during which 36 crore mandays are likely to be generated.
In the draft, integration of NREGA works programme with line departments particularly in respect of road connectivity, flood protection and irrigation works has been suggested to maximize the achievement, sources further said, adding for the energy sector, the draft has proposed Rs 17,235 crore while as for the social services sector an amount of over Rs 20,000 has been proposed for the 12th Five Year Plan.
Similarly, as against Rs 1696 crore allocation during the 11th Five Year Plan, an amount of Rs 2947 crore has been proposed during the 12th Five Year Plan for the irrigation and flood control sector, sources said while disclosing that for the first time creation of State Innovation Fund has been proposed for e-governance and transparency initiatives.
It is pertinent to mention here that Draft 12th Five Year Plan has been prepared by the Planning and Development Department headed by B B Vyas with the assistance of two experts in the field— S Mahajan, former Secretary, Planning and Development Department, and G A Qureshi, former Director General, Economics and Statistics Organization.
The Cabinet will also accord approval to the regularization of 262 adhoc and contractual employees in different Departments and transfer of State land measuring 123 kanals and 13 marlas at Thanda Pani in favour of Industries and Commerce Department for setting up of Silk Cluster.
It will also approve transfer of 202 kanals of land for setting up of industrial estate in Udhampur district.
The proposals to change the nomenclature of allopathic dispensary as new type PHC and medical aid center as sub-centre and upgrade Sub Centre Trigam and Sub-Centre Madwan to the level of Primary Health Centres will also be placed before the Cabinet for approval, sources said.

Arms, explosives haul in Ramban
Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, May 9: Army and police today averted a major tragedy by effecting recovery of a large quantity of arms and ammunition from a hideout of the militants at village Andernar in Sumbar area falling under the jurisdiction of Dharamkund police station in Ramban district.
The hideout of the militants was destroyed in the operation.
Official sources said troops of 58 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and local police conducted search operations at Andernar after developing inputs about a hideout of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. It reportedly belonged to Hizbul militant Ghulam Qadir.
Sources said some cadre of Ghulam Qadir were trying to become active in Sumbar belt but Army and police have foiled their attempt by recovering consignment of their arms and ammunition.
Recoveries made from the hideout included one .303 rifle, one magazine of .303 rifle, 52 rounds of 7.62 mm Self Loading Rifle (SLR), 63 fired cases of 7.62 mm SLR, two anti-personnel mines MK P-4, five grenades of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL),  three small Chinese hand grenades, two Chinese hand grenades, one I Com radio set with battery, one I Com radio set without battery, one Elinco radio set VHF, one Bino Samsung (No. B8X25N), one combat jacket, one packet of Kuber tobacco and some eatables.
Army personnel detected the hideout with the help of some local people and destroyed it with the help of police personnel.
Police parties in the operation were supervised by DIG Doda-Ramban range Gareeb Dass and SSP Ramban Anil Magotra.
Sources said most of the grenades recovered during the search operations were live.
Other items recovered from the hideout could also have been used by the militants to indulge in subversive activities, police said, adding the plot of the militants has been thwarted with timely recoveries made by the joint teams of Army and police.
Police said Sumbar belt was almost free of militancy for past quite sometime now. However, of late, some attempts were being made to revive Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, which have not succeeded due to timely efforts made by Army and police, who have been keeping a close watch on the situation.
Sources said Army and police conducted massive search operations in Sumbar belt after making the recoveries. However, no arrests were made from the spot. Movement of militants or Over Ground Workers has also not been spotted in the area.
Army and police have stepped up vigil in Sumbar belt.

NEW DELHI, May 9:

Against the backdrop of the electoral setback and impending assembly elections in some States, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today sent a strong message to her partymen that they must shed “all manner of factional behaviour”.
In her first address to the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) after the electoral setbacks in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa, she said that unity and discipline was the key to success in future electoral battles.
“We must all shed all manner of factional behaviour, and fight as one disciplined team at all levels. That will be the single-most important factor to decide whether we win or lose. People look to us—but we need to show them our commitment and our unity if we are to convert this sentiment into electoral victories,” Gandhi said.
She sought to gloss over the loss in Uttar Pradesh where the campaign was led by her son Rahul saying that Congress had increased its vote share “quite considerably”. The Congress got a vote share of 11.6 per cent  and won 28 seats in the March elections this year compared to the 8.6 per cent vote share and 22 seats in the 2007 polls.
With a series of State elections approaching, Gandhi said the partymen “must draw upon lessons of the previous polls”.
While Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are scheduled to have assembly elections this year end, polls are due in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan next year.
Without naming BJP-ruled Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, she gave clear hints that the Congress would take up the issue of corruption aggressively there in the wake of CAG and Lokayukta reports.
Gandhi’s remarks on unity and discipline in the party assumes significance as they have come ahead of a reshuffle of the AICC and several States units to refurbish them ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha poll battle.
Commenting on the poll results in the five States including Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi conceded there is “much work to be done” in UP and several other States and that Congress did not perform as well as expected.
“In Uttar Pradesh, even though we did not perform as well as we had hoped to, we increased our vote share quite considerably and were seen as a serious player for the first time in 22 years. Of course there is much work to be done there as in other States,” she said.
She described as “very disappointing” the results in Punjab and Goa.
The CPP meeting has come a few days after a high-power committee of the party led A K Antony that reviewed the party’s performance in the five States, submitted its report to Gandhi.
Gandhi also asked partymen to project the works of the party led Government at the Centre.
The Congress President also chose the occasion to flag urgency over the food security and land acquitisiton bill, which are yet to be brought before Parliament in the backdrop of reservations of allies like NCP and Trinamool Congress.
“On our part, we must do all we can to ensure that the legislative process is not unduly delayed. Whatever motives may guide the Opposition, we have but one singular duty and that is to the people who have elected us…,” Gandhi said.
Seeking to dismiss the critics of NCTC, she  said that Congress and the Government were “fully committed” to strengthening federalism.
“But there are Centre-State issues of major national importance-such as fighting terrorism or dealing with Left-wing extremism-where the Centre cannot shirk its responsibilty,” she said.
With Narendra Modi’s claims of development apparently weighing on  her mind, Gandhi told partymen to “expose the hollow claims of opposition-rule State Governments”.
“Mis-governance and corruption have been widespread in some of these States as revealed by CAG and Lokayukta reports,” she said at a time when there has been indications that the Congress would hit Modi with the corruption stick this time unlike in the past when it had raked up “communal” politics”. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Twenty six Shri Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims got injured when a bus, they were traveling in, turned turtle at Moori, a few kilometers from the holy town of Katra.
The ill-fated sleeper-class bus bearing registration number UP86T-0824 was on its way from Katra to Delhi when it met with accident at Moori due to the negligence of the driver.
The driver of over-speeding bus failed to negotiate sharp curve resulting into vehicle turning turtle on the road and causing grievous injuries to all its occupants.
On getting information, a police party headed by Additional SP Katra, Mohan Lal, rushed to the spot and started rescue operation. All the injured pilgrims were immediately rushed to Katra Hospital in police and other vehicles.
Later, 15 of them were referred to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu for specialized treatment. Two of the 15 injured admitted in GMC had to face amputation of their arms while as condition of others was out of danger when reports last came in.
On getting information about the accident, Minister for Medical Education, R S Chib, issued directions to the administration of the GMC Hospital for free treatment and meals to all the injured pilgrims.  The Minister, while expressing shock over the accident, asked the administration to ensure that neither any injured nor their attendants face any sort of problem.
The injured have been identified as Anita, wife of Lalit Kumar of Delhi, Sukhmati of West Bengal, Shakuntana, wife of Partap of Rajasthan, Ravi, son of Raj Bahadur Sharma of Rajasthan, Sheba Devi, wife of Parveen of Delhi, Kanal, wife of Jatinder Kumar of Bihar, Ashok Kumar, son of Rajan of Rajasthan, Mana, son of Bansa of Doolpur, Rajasthan, Savitra, wife of Raj Kishore Gupta of Delhi, Pintu, son of Mana Lal of Rajasthan, Neelam Devi, wife of Mohinder of Rajasthan, Shama, son of Puran Chand of West Bengal, Krishna, wife of Ramesh of Haryana, Sunehri, wife of Ram Krishan of Haryana, Kashish Yadav, son of Ajay Yadav of Rajasthan, Santosh, wife of Dinesh Chand Sharma of Rajasthan, Bharti Naik, wife of Shatrugun of Delhi, Mahesh Kumar Yadav, son of Rattan Singh of Rajasthan, Shori Naik, wife of Nath Naik of Orissa, Lalit, son of Krishan Lal of Delhi, Babli Gupta, wife of Vinay Gupta of Delhi, Shivali Mana, wife of Sapan Mana of West Bengal and Puran Chand Mana, son of Heera Lal Mana of West Bengal.

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI, May 9:

Holding that the strike by over 200 Air India pilots was “illegal”, the Delhi High Court today barred them from any protest action, as the airline management sacked 16 more pilots.
As the agitation by pilots owing allegiance to the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) entered the second day, harried passengers complained of flight delays by over two hours with some having heated exchanges with airline staff in Delhi and Mumbai for not helping them.
Six international flights were cancelled today. These were from Mumbai-Newark and those from Delhi to Singapore, New York (JFK), Chicago and Toronto.
The Government, which has been talking tough, said it was ready to talk to the protesting pilots but only after they resumed duty. The cancellation of flights has been causing Air India a huge financial loss of over Rs 10 crore per day.
Justice Reva Khetrapal of Delhi High Court said in her order: “The defendant no 1 (IPG), its members, agents and its office bearers are restrained from illegal strike. The pilots are also restrained from reporting sick, holding dharnas, staging demonstrations or resorting to any other modes of strike in and outside the company’s offices in Delhi and other regional offices.”
She also said allowing such strike to continue will cause irreparable loss to the company as well as huge inconvenience to the passengers travelling by the national carrier.
Trying to reason out, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told the pilots, “if you have grievances, we can talk, but discussions and disruptions cannot take place simultaneously. They should withdraw their strike and apologise to the passengers.”
He said the Government has “a back-up plan (to deal with strike)…We can downsize…If employees are not interested that Air India should expand, then Government is not going to provide money to it.”
Singh said agitating pilots reported sick, even when it was well known that they were not.
“Air India is almost bankrupt. It is not able to pay salaries for months, not paid to airport authority and oil marketing companies,” he said, adding the government is trying to revive Air India by infusing Rs 30,000 crore of “public money” over a period of time, but there are strings attached.
He held out the assurance that the Justice Dharmadhikari panel report, on integration of workforce of erstwhile Air India and Indian Airlines including promotions, would be discussed in a month or two and pilots would be actively involved.
Filing an injunction suit against the pilots in the Delhi High Court, counsel for AI management Lalit Bhasin termed the strike as illegal and said due to the pilots’ strike, the company has been compelled to cancel some of its international flights.
When contacted for his reaction to the High Court order, IPG President Jitendra Awhad said, “we have received some information about it. So, we are seeking legal opinion.”
As contingency plans were put in place, Air India’s domestic operations were also “marginally” affected as some narrow-body aircraft like Airbus A-319s and A-321s were taken off from domestic operations and operated on routes like Singapore and Tokyo, where the wide-body Boeing B-777 planes generally fly, airline sources said.
All other international flights are operating as per the contingency plan that has been put in place with the available pilots, the official said.
16 pilots were sacked today while the services of 10 office-bearers of the IPG, which is spearheading the strike, had been terminated yesterday, taking the total of dismissed agitating pilots to 26.
The IPG has a strength of about 250 pilots while the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA) has over 1,200 membership out of a total of 1,600 pilots. The remaining are mostly executive pilots.
The pilots’ strike issue figured in Parliament with members asking Government to ensure that concrete steps are taken to revive the ailing airline. (PTI)

LEH, May 9:

As many as 115 passengers on board an Indian Airlines plane escaped unhurt today when the tyre of an Airbus A-320-200 aircraft deflated while applying emergency brakes after the pilot noticed a fault in one of the engines.
According to official sources, the Airbus A-320-200 was about to take off from Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport here for Srinagar this afternoon when the pilot noticed the snag.
Instead of taking off, the pilot applied emergency brakes which resulted in bursting of one of the tyres of the plane at the airport, located 10,682 feet above sea level, the sources said.
The plane, which is modified for flying to Leh, was taxied to a parallel runway and all the passengers were later flown in another plane that was flown from Delhi, the sources said.
The passengers of AI-448 later arrived at Srinagar airport at 1500 hours while a technical team of Air India attended to the snag in the aircraft here, they said. (PTI)

LUCKNOW, May 9:

BSP supremo Mayawati spent a staggering Rs 86 crores of Government funds to renovate her sprawling Mall Avenue bungalow when she was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh with some windows costing Rs 15 lakh each.
Details of the renovation work and the expenditure incurred were brought in public domain in a RTI reply by the Estate Department to an application filed by PWD Minister and Samajwadi party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav when he was leader of opposition. The house is being occupied by Mayawati in her capacity as the former Chief Minister.
Yadav said an inquiry has been ordered and strict action would be taken against those found guilty of irregularities.
Details of the RTI reply were released by the Samajwadi party in a statement released to press today.
The money, which was spent by the Estate department, could touch Rs 100 crore as the department is assessing the exact cost spent on it, according to an official.
The renovation work of the house, which covers about five acres of prime land in Lucknow’s 13 Mall Avenue, commenced soon after Mayawati became the Chief Minister for the fourth time in 2007 but the work was completed only towards the end of her tenure early this year. Mayawati added the land in the adjacent cane commissioner’s office and demolished its building to include the area in 13 Mall Avenue which was originally only 2.5 acres.
The main single-storeyed building has six inter-connected rooms, which opens to a wide corridor containing rows of lockers. On a wall in this corridor hangs a neatly framed large picture of Mayawati taking her oath as UP Chief Minister for the first time in 1995.
Outside the corridor is a verandah with only two windows, both fitted with bullet-proof glass. Each window cost Rs 15 lakh and was specially designed for the house in Chandigarh, according to the RTI reply. There is a separate two-storeyed well-furnished guesthouse with 14 bedrooms, with pink Italian marble flooring and a meeting hall on the same campus. The campus also had two 20-feet statues on the premises, one of Mayawati and the other of her mentor late Kanshiram besides five marble statues of elephants, it was stated. For the security of the house, an issue of main concern of Mayawati, there is a barbed fencing round the boundary walls. A closed-circuit TV network was also installed to keep a close watch on the visitors. Though bulk of the expenditure was incurred by the Estate department itself, some funds were spent by the Nirman Nigam and some other agencies like the Lucknow Nagar Nigam, Home and Culture Affairs Department, sources said. Mayawati occupied this house, earlier known as Speaker’s House in 1995 when she first became Chief Minister. (PTI)

RANCHI, May 9:

Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda, his wife and four others had a miraculous escape but sustained injuries when a helicopter carrying them crash-landed today at the airport here after it developed a technical glitch.
44-year old Munda suffered multiple injuries including on his shoulder and ankle and is in the ICU of Apollo Hospital but his condition is stable and out of danger, doctors said. All the six persons are conscious and are able to talk coherently, they said.
“The helicopter crash-landed from a height of 20 to 25 feet at the Birsa Munda Airport here. The doctors are examining the Chief  Minister,” Director General of Police G S Rath told. The mishap occurred at 12.30 pm.
Aviation regulator DGCA has launched a probe into the accident in which the chopper turned turtle and lay on a side.
“We have appointed Assistant Director (Air Safety) Sanit Kumar as the Investigating Officer,” Director General of Civil Aviation E K Bharat Bhushan told PTI in Delhi.
Weather was fine at the time of the mishap which revived memories of chopper crashes that had claimed the lives of Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and Dorji Khandu respectively and Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi in the last one decade.
All on board the helicopter were immediately rushed to the Apollo Hospital, Rath said.
A senior airport official said besides the Chief  Minister and his wife Meera, two pilots, a security officer and BJP MLA Barkuanr Gagrai were on board the twin-engined Agusta AW 109 helicopter which suffered damage.
Apollo Hospital Superintendent P D Sinha told the exact nature of injuries suffered by Munde, a BJP leader, and others will be known after completion of all investigations.
“At present he(Munde) is stable and out of danger,” Sinha said, adding doctors are investigating whether they have suffered any internal injury. He said the two pilots had some external injuries.
The Chief  Minister was headed for Kuchai in Sareikela-Kharsawan district to inaugurate a power sub-station but could not land there because of a technical problem and was returning to the airport here when it crash-landed at 12:30 pm, Sub-Divisional Officer Chandra Bhusan Singh said.
A fortnight ago, Munda’s chopper had made an emergency landing in Jamshedpur due to bad weather. (PTI)