Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9:  The work in Government and Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) offices remained affected on the second consecutive day today with the ongoing strike of  employees in the region while the Joint Consultative Committee of the employees leadership has decided to observe three day strike on May 24, 25 and 26 in the State.
On the second day of the strike call given by the JCC, a large number of employees assembled at their respective offices and held strong protest demonstrations. They sat on day long dharna and shouted slogans in support of their demands. Many employees were carrying banners and placards in their hands, depicting their demands.
Due to ongoing strike of the State Government employees, the general public had to suffer as the strike was observed in the entire State on the call given by JCC leadership including Abdul Qayoom Wani,  Khursheed Alam, Ram Kumar Sharma, Gafoor Dar, Kulwant Singh, Balwan Singh Jamwal, Rafiq Khaniyari, Ganesh Khajuria, Devanand Gill,  Parshotam Sharma, Madan Sangral, Amrik Singh,  Nazir Ahmed, Babu Hussain, Balvinder Singh and others.
All the sections of State Government, Public Sector Undertakings, temporary and permanent employees observed nearly complete strike. The employees held demonstrations, staged dharnas at district and tehsil headquarters  to lodge their protest against the Government. In majority of the offices in the region, the work was affected due to strike but in some of the offices, the work continued though the attendance was thin. The emergency units in hospitals and other essential services had been kept out of the purview of strike. They alleged that the Government has failed to honour its commitment and address pending issues including 6th Pay Commission arrears, regularization, pay anomalies, enhancement of retirement age etc. The alleged that the agreements reached during meeting with employees’ leaders  on 19-2-2009, 14-5-2010 and on September 15, 2011 were not honoured. They said several representations were given to the Government from time to time but it remained unmoved.
JCC leaders further alleged that Government has done nothing to formulate the policy for regularization of casual, seasonal and daily rated workers. The committees constituted by the Government for enhancement of retirement of age from 58 to 60 years and for removal of pay anomalies in different cadre, have not done their job within the framework of stipulated time. The PSU workers are being deprived of  the Sixth Pay Commission benefits, arrears, DA, linking it with profit and loss.
In Jammu, large protests and dharnas were witnessed at Agricultrure Complex Talab Tillo, Horticulture, DSE office Muthi, Directorate of Health,  JMC, JDA, Department of Economic and Statistics, Udyog Bhawan Rail Head complex, PDD, R&B, RDD, Govt Press, Forest, Sales Tax & Excise, CAPD etc.  A team of employees leaders including Amrik Singh, Arun Moza, Uttam Chand, Jaswant Singh, Madan Sangral, Zaffar Ullah and others visited various offices complexes and addressed the employees in Jammu city.  These leaders also condemned police lathicharge on employees at Srinagar today.
Reports from Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar,  Ramban and  Reasi said that similar  protest demonstrations were held by employees and the normal works remained affected. The emergency units of the hospitals, operational staff of urban local bodies, PHE and PDD remained out of the purview of the strike.
Meanwhile J&K Central Non-Gazetted Electrical Employees Union in a meeting held under the leadership of Ch Mohd Aslam at Janipur today strongly condemned the police lathicharge on the employees at Srinagar.
United Forum of Central, State, Public Sector Trade Unions in an emergency meeting held under the leadership of Ashwani Pradhan here condemned the police lathicharge and arrest of employees taking out protest march in Srinagar today. They appealed the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to desist from gagging the voice of employees and address their genuine and justified demands. United School Teachers Association provincial unit in a meeting held under the leadership of Hari Singh also condemned brutal lathicharge on Government employees.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 9: Underlining the importance of outcome based approach in administration, Chief Secretary Madhav Lal today directed the Administrative Secretaries to select certain priority activities in their departments to be completed within a fixed time frame.
“Every department should identify 3-4 activities which thus undertaken should be accomplished in six months” he said elaborating that these activities should leave visible impact for the citizens, and if undertaken on pilot mode, should be rapidly replicable after six months.
Chairing the periodical meeting of Committee of Secretaries, Chief Secretary asserted that outcome based approach to performance will significantly improve service delivery to the people. “It will also strengthen institutional capacities,” he said.
Madhav Lal also conveyed the directions of the Chief Minister to Administrative Secretaries regarding empowerment of Panchayat Raj Institutions in the State. He asked them to issue detailed orders regarding operationalisation of powers already devolved to panchayats within next 10 days.
Chief Secretary also reviewed the extension of additional services pertaining to various departments to be notified under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act-2011.
Detailed deliberations were also held on the issues pertaining to administrative services, status of departmental websites, file monitoring system, infrastructural development in schools and other government schemes.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 9 : Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday underlined the importance of biological interventions for improving livestock productivity and agriculture produce to benefit the society at large. He said that application of modern technology in the field of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and allied activities promises path breaking achievements in the holistic growth and development of these sectors.
Interacting with the team of scientists of SKUAST who achieved the historic breakthrough in creating Pashmina Sheep-Goat clone ‘Noori’, the Chief Minister said that Government was more than willing to provide all help to the Agriculture University to utilize the cloning technology for the benefit of the society at large.
“Your achievement is praise worthy and I would like that your research and technical work would continue to achieve new highs. I hope your this achievement would be first of many such successes”, he told the team of scientists led by Vice Chancellor, SKUAST, Kashmir, Dr. Tej Partap.
Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Aga Syed Rouhalla, Minister of State for Rural Development Ajaz Ahmad Khan, Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Commissioner Secretary Animal Husbandry, Shaleen Kabra and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
The team of scientists who cloned ‘Noori’ comprising of its leader and Principal Investigator Dr. Riyaz Ahmad Shah, Dr. M. R. Fazili, Dr. Hilal Ahmad Khan, Dr. Masood Hussain, Dr. Nazir. A. Ganai, Dr. Syed Hilal and  Firdous Khan (SRF) were felicitated by the Chief Minister on the occasion.
Asking various questions about the utilization of cloning technology in improving the quality and numbers of livestock in the State, the Chief Minister said that SKUAST should also focus attention on cloning of rear animals like Hangul, Cheeru, Camel and similar other endangered species of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Government wants to own and support projects of SKUAST aimed at application of technology to upgrade and increase the quality production of animals for the benefit of the society”, he said and asked the Agriculture University to formulate proposals in this regard in collaboration with the Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department for State Government for sponsorship.
The Vice Chancellor SKUAST, Kashmir apprised the Chief Minister that the next step of the team associated with cloning of sheep-goat ‘Noori’ is to produce herd of cloned sheep-goats. “This would lead in producing greater numbers and good quality of Pashmina sheep-goats”, he said, adding that University is looking forward to upgrade and rear Pashmina goats at Chang-Thang in Ladakh on modern technological lines. He said the Agriculture University is also working to utilize modern technology for making fodder available to the Pashmina goats population during the winter season easily and smoothly.
He said that cloning technology can also be utilized to produce heavy weight sheep to meet the mutton requirement of the consumers in the State indigenously to a greater extent.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Municipal and Urban Local Bodies Pensioners Association demanded issuance of Senior Citizens (Pensioners) Identity Cards to the senior citizens of Jammu province at par with Kashmir province for availing the facilities as admissible under rules.
Addressing a press conference, president of the association, BS Jamwal, said that the senior citizens identity cards were issued to the senior citizens of Kashmir and Ladakh, but the pensioner of the Jammu region are deprived of that.
He added that this is the callous attitude of the Government towards the senior citizens (pensioners) of Jammu province as nearly 70,000 identity cards were issued amongst the Kashmir and Ladakh senior citizens.
Jamwal said that in this regards they have met Divisional Commissioner Pardeep Gupta and apprised him about the step motherly behaviour towards the senior citizens of Jammu province.
He added that the Divisional Commissioner issued the orders to the concerned authorities and assured them that their matter will be sorted out in the best possible time.
He also pleaded the enactment of the Maintenance and Welfare Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007, which was enforced in 2011.
Jamwal also highlighted other demands including payment of arrears of sixth pay commission in two installments on the basis of Central Government pensioners, enhancement in medical allowances, revision of pension rates on central pattern, besides other demands.
Among others present were YS Jamwal, advisor, JR Sharma, working president, KG Khajuria and BN Bhat, senior vice presidents and BD Sharma, general secretary.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu, Pawan Dev Kotwal today framed charges against then Naib Tehsildar and others in fake PRC case.
The other accused in the case are Parasram, Mangat Ram, Devi Ditta and Ramesh Kumar and charges under Sections 420/468/471/120-B RPC have been framed against them. The Naib Tehsildar Girdhari Lal Mengi has been charged under Section 5(1) (d) read with Section 5(2) PC Act 2006. However, Kuldeep Kumar was discharged of the charges leveled against him.
According to the Crime Branch case, mother of Parasram and Mangat Ram and grand mother of Devi Ditta, Ramesh Kumar and Kuldeep Kumar namely Premi Devi was non state-subject but she obtained permanent resident certificate fraudulently in the year 1964.
Later, other accused persons too managed PRCs on the basis of false statements, affidavits and manipulated copy of electoral roll. However, all these PRCs were cancelled by the Government on the recommendation of Commission of Enquiry.
After completion of investigation into the case, challan was presented in the Court of law.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Government today accorded sanction to the constitution of a committee to examine the possibility of vertical reservation in favour of ex-servicemen.
According to the order issued by General Administration Department, Principal Secretary, Home Department is the Chairman of the Committee while as Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department and Secretaries of Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and General Administration Department are its members.
The Committee will submit its recommendations by May 31, 2012.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Katra police today arrested an absconder, who was evading arrest for past more than six years after his involvement in case FIR No. 163/2006 under Section 379 RPC.
The absconder has been identified as Ved Prakash son of Jagdish Kumar R/o Samba.
He was arrested as a warrant had been issued by the court against him under Section 512 CrPC.
He had been absconding for past six years after committing the crime.
Police also arrested one Kewal Singh son of Tej Ram R/o Udhampur and recovered a large quantity of liquor from his possession, which he was smuggling into holy town of Katra. A case has been registered against him at Katra police station.
Another drug peddler Amit Kumar son of Des Raj R/o Katra was arrested along with liquor.
Police parties headed by SHO Katra Inspector Pradeep Gupta made the arrests under the supervision of SSP Reasi Raghubir Singh, SP Katra Mohan Lal and SDPO Katra Rajinder Katoch.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Government today assigned the charge of post of the Administrative Secretary, Transport Department to the Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, Sudhanshu Panday.
According to the order issued by the General Administration Department, Sudhanshu Panday will hold the additional charge of the post of Administrative Secretary, Transport Department with immediate effect till Dr Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner Secretary, Transport Department joins after completion of mid career training programme.

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, May 9 : Responding to a number of complaints received regarding illegal extraction of bed material from river Ravi, District Magistrate, Kathua, Zahida Parveen Khan alongwith officers of Flood Control, Irrigation, Geology Mining, Police, Industries & Revenue department conducted a joint inspection today.
In view of the importance of saving the assets created over the river besides protecting soil erosion due to extraction of bed materials in and around the area, the DM imposed Section 144 Cr.P.C.
Section 144 Cr.P.C has been imposed in the one kilometer upstream and one kilometer down stream including the inside area from the Barrage , and Railway Bridge. Anybody violating this order will be prosecuted under law.
The order will remain in force for a period of two months.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: J&K Cultural Academy Employees Union (CAEU) in its meeting held under the chairmanship of its president Ramesh Singh discussed various demands and problems of the employees.
The demands discussed in the meeting pertained to appointment of permanent secretary of the Academy; Framing of a rationale transfer policy as per Government norms; Promotion of employees at appropriate time; Immediate filling up of vacant posts; Uniform and enhancement in refreshment charges with a minimum of Rs 100 to theatre employees; Regularization of daily wagers; Promotions of theatre employees like other cadres; and Revival of overtime for Academy staff.
Other demands included retirement benefits to be given at proper time live leave encashment etc; and No body should be appointed in the Academy on deputation basis. The already deputed persons in the Academy should be immediately sent back to their respective departments.