Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 12: The Minister for Rural Development, Panchayat, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar took stock of latest position of a number of development projects currently under execution in the Srinagar city.
The meeting discussed at length various projects including latest progress of the widening of Syed Mirak Shah road, Zadibal to Pandach, preservation of centuries old bridges, regulation of traffic system before Darbar Move, construction of Makhdoom Sahib Community Hall, completion of the construction work of Bulbul Shah Shrine, Rangil Water Supply Scheme, smooth function of street lights, lighting of public parks, construction of flyover from Jahangir Chowk to Natipora and rehabilitation of affected shopkeepers, construction of various bridges in Srinagar city, drainage system, decongestion of traffic jams, especially on some vulnerable places like Pantha Chowk, Dalgate, Rambagh, Jahangir Chowk, Karan Nagar and sanitation, removing of garbage from the different places and its dumping at a proper place including providing better transport facilities to the common people.
While briefing the Minister about the latest progress of widening of Syed Mirak Shah road and Khanyar-Zadibal-Pandach, the Chief Engineer PWD said that work on the said roads is in full swing. The Minister directed the concerned agencies to expedite the work on war footing basis so that tangible results would be visible on the ground.
Referring to the construction of Jehangir Chowk to Natipora flyover, the Minister was informed that the work on this project would be started soon while 116 shops and 43 kiosks have already been allotted to the affected shopkeepers near Kabbadi market while the rehabilitation process of Rambagh onwards affected shopkeepers is also in progress.
While discussing the matter of the smooth functioning of the lighting system of the Srinagar city, the Minister asked the PDD to transfer Electric division to SMC for the maintenance of street lights properly and also said that only two departments SMC for internal and PDD for the main roads should be responsible for the smooth functioning of street lights.
Meanwhile, the Minister was informed that the Dalgate Bridge coming at a cost of Rs.1338 lakh would be completed by July-August and Rs.1050 lakh have been spent on this bridge so far.
Mr. Sagar was further informed that the commercial complex near Exhibition ground-Jahangir Chowk is coming at a cost of Rs. 48.93 crore and Rs. 410 crore have been spent on this project so far.
The Minister also enquired about providing adequate drinking water to the citizens of the city and asked the concerned agencies for early completion of Rangil Water Supply Scheme.
Meanwhile, the Minister was informed that the construction work of Tagore Hall coming at a cost of Rs. 216 lakh will be completed by the end of May. However, the Minister asked JKPCC to expedite the preservation work of the centuries old Zaina Kadal, Habba Kadal and Zero Kadal for which the money has already been allotted.
Mr. Sagar was also informed by the District Development Commissioner Srinagar about the arrangements made for Darbar Move and assured him that every possible step would be taken for smooth functioning of the traffic system in the Srinagar city.
Sagar reviews progress of development projects
Omar reviews PMGSY, calls for e-payment of works
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 12 : Equating dependable road communication with economic prosperity, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday emphasized the need for dovetailing various road development schemes to obtain holistic results and expand benefit orbit.
Taking stock of the progress and status of flagship programme PMGSY here, the Chief Minister said that linking rural and remote areas with highways is all the more important in a State like Jammu and Kashmir with a hilly and difficult terrain.
“Your focus should be on deriving maximum benefits by integrating schemes aimed at construction and upgradation of road communication network in rural areas”, he told the R&B Department, adding that MGNREGA and PMGSY can complement and supplement each other in achieving the goal of rural connectivity.
The Chief Minister said that his Government has flagged construction of roads and bridges as an important segment in the overall development policy of the State. He said a dependable road network in the State and sound linkage between various districts through good inter-district roads is the endeavour of the Government. He said construction of tunnels and making hilly and remote areas accessible for generating economic activities and helping comprehensive development are receiving concentrated attention.
“After successful launch of e-tendering, you should go for e-payment to make the system more transparent and reduce chances of malpractices to zero level”, Omar Abdullah told the concerned department directing for taking early necessary action for introducing e-payment for the works completed. He said that regular physical and financial monitoring by the department at various levels and third party analysis by independent agency should remain the permanent feature of administrative functioning.
Omar Abdullah asked the department to penalize and blacklist those contractors who indulge in unnecessary delaying in the completion of schemes.
The meeting was informed that about 240 habitations have been connected with roads during the last financial year. A road length of 872 kilometres has been added against the target of 750 kilometres indicating 116 percent achievement of the road construction target fixed under PMGSY for the State for 2011-12. In addition to this earthwork has also been completed on 450 kilometres in the same period. The financial achievements registered during the last fiscal amounts to over Rs. 510 crores.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary R&B, K. B. Agarwal, Commissioner Secretary Forests, Shantmanu, Principal Chief Conservator Forests, Vinod Ranjan, Commissioner Secretary Revenue, B. A. Runiyal, Chief Engineers of PMGSY and other officers.
In a PowerPoint presentation the Principal Secretary R&B. K. B. Agarwal explained the status of land acquisition, forest clearance, shifting of structures and other related matters. He said awards for 496 schemes have been issued for land compensation distributing an amount of Rs. 252 crores to land owners.
Joint Committee identifies 35 new progs for JU, KU campuses
- Joint Committee identifies 35 new progs for JU, KU campuses
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 11: The Joint Committee meeting of University of Jammu and University of Kashmir was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu.
Several items common to both the Universities were discussed in detail and a common line of action was evolved. The major items of agenda included the introduction of new Grading System of Evaluation in the Universities, formulation of Transfer Policy for the employees of the Offsite Campuses, establishment of School of Visual and performing Arts, Introduction of combined single paper examination system in the Undergraduate courses of the University, identification of new job and skill oriented short term courses.
Around 35 such new programmes were identified to be launched by the two Universities through their main campuses, Satellite Campuses and Colleges through formal and non formal medium.
The members also discussed several other far reaching policy issues relating to the functioning of the two Universities and the possibility of greater coordination and collaboration between the two Universities and the State Government for promoting the cause of higher education in the State.
The recommendations of the Joint Committee will be placed before the two University Councils for final approval, being the highest decision making bodies of the Universities
Prof. Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu thanked Prof Talat Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor Univerity of Kashmir, Mohd. Iqbal Khandey Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Finance and Financial Advisor Universities and Tanveer Jehan Commissioner Secretary Higher Education and Advisor Educational Universities, for their valuable suggestions and sought their continual support for taking the Universities to newer heights and excellence.
Among others Prof. Naresh Padha, Registrar, University of Jammu, Prof Syed Fayaz Ahmed, Registrar, University of Kashmir, Dr. Jatinder Khajuria, Joint Registrar( CDC) and Dr. Nissar Ahmed Mir, Deputy Registrar were also present.
Govt played fraud with institution of Legislature: Baig
‘CAG findings just tip of iceberg, Govt promoting financial irregularities’
By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 11: Accusing the State Government of facilitating continuation of serious financial irregularities, former Deputy Chief Minister and senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, today said that Government has played fraud with the institution of legislature by tabling on last day of the Budget Session the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which has brought to fore massive frauds, misappropriation of funds, unauthorized, unfruitful and unproductive expenditure of several crores of rupees.
Talking to media-persons at party office here this evening, Mr Baig said, “there was political purpose behind tabling of the CAG report on last day of the Budget Session as CAG has completely exposed the National Conference-led Government for facilitating serious financial irregularities and allowing the defaulting officers to go scot free”.
“As per the parliamentary practice, the audit reports are tabled on the Floor of the House for discussion on the same and take corrective steps based on the outcome of such discussion but by intentionally delaying the tabling of the report the National Conference-led Government has defeated the very objective behind audits of the functioning of the Government departments”, he said.
Stating that Government has played fraud with the institution of legislature, he said, “by denying the opportunity of discussion on the findings of the CAG the Government has tried to render the Legislative Assembly and Council ineffective and disabled”, he said, adding “the discussion on the CAG report was imperative as it has made startling revelations about fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, excess payment/ wasteful expenditure and diversion of funds”.
Terming the CAG findings as just tip of an iceberg, the former Deputy Chief Minister said, “if such glaring financial irregularities can be detected in the sample survey of some works in 8-10 departments what could be the state of affairs in all the departments, can easily be presumed”, adding “had the report been tabled just at the beginning of the Budget Session we would have completely exposed the Government during the discussion on Budget as well as grants of different departments but unfortunately the Government had denied this opportunity to the Opposition, which otherwise would have been of immense benefit in checking the financial irregularities in future”.
Picking up some startling figures from the CAG report, Mr Baig said that in 2010-2011 an amount to the tune of Rs 9010.80 crore was available with the Government as Capital Expenditure but it could not spend Rs 2289.77 crore despite the fact that percentage of capital expenditure indicates economic growth. Similarly, an expenditure of Rs 31288.58 crore was registered against total original and supplementary grants of Rs 28920.27 crore thereby registering excess expenditure of Rs 2368.11 crore.
Stating that Government was spending more on non-productive sector than the productive sector that too without seeking permission from the Assembly, he said that in 2009-10 the Plan expenditure was to the tune of Rs 6688 crore but in 2010-11 the same declined by Rs 49 crore to Rs 6639 crore. On the other side, Non-Plan expenditure increased to Rs 17892 crore in 2010-11 as against an amount of Rs 14870 in 2009-10.
“This shows decline in development activities with a sharp rise in non-development expenditure”, he said, adding “the reasons for this shortage in the development expenditure have not been explained by the State Government to the CAG”.
“The excuse of the Government that revenue expenditure registered steep rise because of 6th Pay Commission appears to be false because the projected wages and salaries for 2010-11 were Rs 13173 crore whereas actually it was only Rs 7772 crore”, he said, adding “the Government is answerable to the people as to why it has not utilized Rs 6000 crore to pay the arrears to the employees or to clear the loans it had taken”.
“Such an amount could have even been utilized to provide employment to two lakh people at least for 3-4 years”, he added.
Pointing towards under-spending to the tune of Rs 3762.45 crore in 12 grants in 2010-11, he said, “the functioning of the Finance Department can be gauged from the fact that it has failed to spend Rs 367.60 crore under Revenue Component and Rs 387.82 crore under Capital Component”, adding “similar is the fate of another vital department—Planning and Development, which has failed to spend Rs 679.61 crore under Capital Component”.
About the CAG’s startling revelations viz-a-viz the rush of expenditure during the month of March”, he said, “it is not understandable as to how an expenditure ranging between 51 per cent to 77 per cent can be registered in one month only”, adding “the CAG findings have also proved wrong the tall claims of the Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather about tax realization”.
Mr Baig also expressed concern over how the Government got constitutional amendment bill pertaining to reservation to SCs/STs/OBCs introduced and passed on the last day of the Budget Session. “We were not against the reservation to these sections of society. Had there been discussion we would have stressed for extension of same for 20 years”, he said.
About the report of House Committee on sanctioning and upgradation of health centers, he said, “the report has brought to fore how the Ministries used influence for providing benefits to selective constituencies at the cost of deserving ones”.
Govt nod to DDCs to go ahead with all development works
State to use internal resources till finalisation of plan
By Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 11: In a major decision aimed at ensuring continuation of development works across the State due to delay in sanction of annual plan, the Government has directed the District Development Commissioners (DDCs) to go ahead with the works without waiting for plan sanction. The Government proposed to use its own internal resources for funding the development works.
Official sources told the Excelsior that since the months of summer accounted for major working season in many hilly areas of the State and plan amount was unlikely to be released before next couple of months, the Government, like the previous couple of years, has given a go ahead to the DDCs to go ahead with ongoing development works, which would be funded by the State’s internal resources, which have witnessed a significant increase during just ended financial year of 2011-12.
“We have directed the DDCs to go ahead with all ongoing development works without waiting for sanction of annual plan of the State for 2012-13. The DDCs would get the funds from internal resources of the State till annual plan of the State was finalized by the Planning Commission of India’’, they said.
They added that the DDCs have, however, been directed not to undertake new development works till finalisation of the plan followed by District Development Board (DDB) meetings.
“We have enough amount from our internal resources to ensure that ongoing development works didn’t suffer in any part of the State especially the hilly and far flung areas, which have limited working season in the months of summer as they remained snowbound for most of the months’’, sources said.
They pointed out that the DDCs have been told that sufficient funds would be available for the schemes after the sanction of State’s annual plan either in May or June and payments to the contractors, where heavy amount was required, could be released later.
Earlier, the development works used to suffer due to delay in sanction of annual plan but the Government has now ensured that the ongoing works continued uninterrupted without waiting for plan sanction as they will be funded from own resources of the State.
According to sources, annual plan of the State for current financial year of 2012-13, which was pegged at Rs 7300 crore in annual budget, was likely to be sanctioned in May or June after a couple of rounds of the meetings between State bureaucrats and top brass of the Planning Commission of India.
First round of the meeting of State bureaucrats with the Planning Commission officials was held on December 15 last year. The meeting among others was attended by Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, BB Vyas, Incharge Planning and Sudanshu Pandey, the then Principal Secretary, Finance. Mr Pandey has since been replaced by Mohammad Iqbal Khandey as Principal Secretary Finance and he would represent the Finance Department in next meeting with the Planning Commission of India.
Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather had pegged State’s annual plan at Rs 7300 crore and Prime Minister’s Re-construction Plan (PMRP) at Rs 700 crore while presenting annual budget in the Legislature on March 6. Sources said the Government was confident of getting same amount of plan and PMRP as the Planning Commission had assured the State of 10 per cent step up in the plan for the current financial year of 2012-13 as compared to last fiscal year of 2011-12 when the State was given Rs 6600 crore worth plan.
Sources said the Planning Commission in its first meeting with the State bureaucrats had sought the details of targets of Own Tax Revenue in the State, reforms in different sectors and expenditure of current financial year’s plan. The Planning Commission had expressed satisfaction over all three issues.
The State bureaucrats had apprised the Planning Commissioner and the Union Finance Ministry officers that it had already initiated some austerity measures but due to security considerations it was not in a position to take more such steps.
The delegation apprised the Planning Commission that the State’s power revenue was also increasing but a big gap remained between power bill and revenue as it can’t initiate all reforms in one go.
“It was in view of this that the State Government had batted for annual power reforms grant to the tune of Rs 2000 crore for few years till the State managed to bring reforms and improve its revenue’’, sources said, adding that the Planning Department assured to give a thought to the State’s demand.
Worthwhile to mention here that J&K Government was given Rs 1300 crore worth annual power reforms grant for three years in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. The grant was later stopped as the Government didn’t take significant power reforms then.
At least two meetings were likely to be held at the official level between the State Government and the Planning Commission before the annual plan was finalized.
The annual plan for 2012-13 and other grants to the State for the next financial year would be finally clinched next year in a meeting between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather and Planning Commission of India Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
During current financial year, the State had been allocated Rs 6600 crore worth annual plan and Rs 1200 crore under PMRP. The State has asked for a 10 per cent step-up in the annual plan for next financial year, which comes around at Rs 7300 crore.
The Planning Commission has also asked the State Government to give projections for 12th five-year plan, which begins April 1, 2012. The 11th five-year plan ended on March 31 this year.
The State was working out the amount, priority sectors and other requirements to be projected before the Central Government and the Planning Commission for 12th five-year plan in the next few days.
The Ministries of Finance and Planning were engaged in hectic consultations over the amount and priority sectors for 12th five-year plan, whose first meeting was expected to be convened by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee shortly.
File objections in encounter involving Gen Singh: HC
From Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Apr11: The State High Court today granted one week’s time to the Government to file objections in the Janglat Mandi alleged fake encounter case of 2001 in which it was alleged that a civilian was killed and then dubbed as a militant.
The case assumed significance since the name of Lt. General Bikram Singh has cropped up. Lt. General Singh was the Brigadier of 1 Sector, Rashtriya Rifles, Anantnag at the time encounter took place in which four persons including two civilians and an army officer were killed. Lt. Gen Singh is Army chief designate.
Court of Justice Hasnain Masoodi after hearing Deputy Advocate General, Ala-ud-din Ganie today directed the State Government to file their objections within one week. The Deputy Advocate General prayed that time should be given to the state in filing the objections. Following this, the court admitted his plea and directed the State Government to file the objections in one week’s time.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anantnag, who is one of the respondents has already submitted his objections in the case. It would be in place to mention here that SSP Anantnag has before the court that the petitioners never approached them with the plea seeking reinvestigation of the case.
The police report has already rubbished the claim that the encounter at Janglat Mandi was fake saying the death of two civilians, an army officer and a soldier were facts to the contrary.
The case was listed for today on the submission of senior counsel K S Johal, representing Union of India, that the case should be listed earliest.
The petition has been filed by Zaituna, who is claiming that her son Abdullah Bhat is innocent and is not a militant as claimed by the army. Army dubbed Abdullah Bhat as Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Ramzie, as a foreign militant saying that he was a resident of Pakistan.
Zaituna, a resident of Kalaroos in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district, filed the petition before the High Court last year through her counsel Zaffar Ahmad Qureshi seeking reinvestigation of case on the plea that the alleged militant was her son Abdullah Bhat, who was not involved in militancy.
Lt. Gen Singh who is Eastern Army Commander was a Brigadier commanding the 1 Sector Rashtriya Rifles in South Kashmir at the time of encounter. He was injured in the militant attack left four persons, including an Army officer and two civilians dead.
The dead included Colonel J P Jam, the then Commanding Officer of a local RR unit, Sepoy Ganesh Kumar, Muhammad Shafi son of Abdul Rasheed of Hazratbal-Anantnag, and Abdul Ahad Sheikh son of Ghulam Muhammad Sheikh of Janglat Mandi-Anantnag.
Another person was killed in the retaliatory action of the army and police later ‘identified’ him as a resident of Pakistan.
On October 13, 2011 the High Court served notices to Ministry of Defence and state government asking them to file objection within a week. Earlier, a single bench of High Court had directed District and Sessions Judge-Anantnag to submit all the records pertaining the case in the court before October 18.
Pertinently, a group of retired officers and bureaucrats had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Supreme Court to prevent Lt General Bikram Singh from taking Army’s top post.
The PIL filed by a group of retired officers and bureaucrats headed by Admiral Laxmi Narayan Ramdas, who retired as the Navy Chief, stated: “In March 2001, a 60-year-old man was killed in encounter by the Army in Anantnag and Lieutenant General Singh was then a Brigadier heading 1 Sector Rashtriya Rifles headquartered in Anantnag. He was injured in the encounter and was given a gallantry medal. A colonel and another soldier were also killed in the encounter.”
The petition further stated that Lt General Singh failed to take action against officers who were involved in sexual harassment and rape when they were posted at Congo in 2008 as part of the UN Peace-Keeping Mission.
Patil visits Vaishno Devi shrine
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 11: Punjab Governor and former Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil today visited holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji and offered prayers.
Mr Patil along with his spouse and some staff flew-in to Sanji Chat and trekked to Vaishno Devi Bhawan.
They offered prayers inside the holy cave shrine and returned to Chandigarh in the afternoon.
Yesterday, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had visited Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
Another Union Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal was scheduled to visit the holy cave shrine yesterday but his helicopter couldn’t land at Jammu due to bad weather conditions in the afternoon. He flew back to New Delhi and would be visiting Vaishno Devi Bhawan on another date.
SC’s warning to 8 States on mercy plea of death convicts
NEW DELHI, Apr 10:
The Supreme Court today asked 7 states to furnish “within 48 hours” details of mercy petitions filed by death row convicts pending with respective Governors, failing which it warned that Home Secretaries of the states concerned would have to appear before it.
A bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhyaya passed the direction after expressing dismay at the non- compliance of its earlier order in this regard which was brought to its notice by Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval.
The states which reportedly failed to comply with the order are Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal.
The bench said it would like to examine the cases relating to all other death row convicts whose mercy petitions are pending with the President or Governors, though they have not approached the court for various reasons.
In a dig at the media, the apex court said “their cases are not highlighted by the media. The media highlights only those cases which are taken up by political organisations, which get support from people outside the country.”
The bench further said it would also like to examine the judicial accountability for the delay and disposal of cases relating to death row convicts at various levels including the apex court.
The apex court had on April 3 directed the Centre to furnish details of 18 mercy pleas, including that of Parliament attack death convict Afzal Guru pending before the President for 7 years.
The court passed the directions while dealing with the appeal filed by death row convict Sikh militant Devender Pal Singh Bhullar, challenging the undue delay in disposal of his mercy petition by the President.
The court had earlier asked eminent jurist Ram Jethmalani to file written submissions on “whether the President should objectively apply mind while deciding mercy petitions”.
The apex court had felt the role of the state was perhaps advisory and the final verdict is that of the President.
Appearing for Bhullar, senior counsel K T S Tulsi had earlier told the court that between 1997 and 2011, the President has disposed off 32 mercy petitions, 13 of which were done after a 10-year wait.
The bench is hearing the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorist Bhullar’s family plea that his capital punishment be commuted to the life imprisonment as there has been an “inordinate” delay in deciding his mercy plea and he is not mentally sound.
He had submitted prolonged incarceration awaiting his execution amounted to cruelty and violated his fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Bhullar was awarded death penalty for triggering a bomb blast here in September, 1993, here office killing nine people.
The Supreme Court had on March 26, 2002, dismissed Bhullar’s appeal against the death sentence awarded by the trial court and endorsed by the Delhi High Court. He had filed a review petition, which was also dismissed on December 17, 2002. Bhullar had then moved a curative petition, which too had been rejected by the apex court on March 12, 2003.
Bhullar, meanwhile, had filed a mercy petition before the President on January 14, 2003.
The President, after a lapse of over eight years, dismissed his mercy plea on May 25 last year. (PTI)
Pak scientist freed from Ajmer jail
AJMER, Apr 11:
After spending over 14 months in jail, 80-year-old ailing Pakistani scientist Mohammed Khalil Chisti was today released on bail from Ajmer jail in a two-decade-old murder case and said he wanted to return to his homeland soon.
“I am happy to be out of the jail. I believe in god and thank him. My wish is to see my family members in Pakistan as soon as possible,” Chisti, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday, said as his brother Jamil Chisti and cousin Aaiyad Anwar-ul-Haq along with others gave him a warm welcome on stepping out of Ajmer central jail.
Speaking in English, Chisti said, “I would also thank President Asif Ali Zardari for making efforts for me and for visiting Ajmer”.
Chisti was granted bail on humanitarian grounds a day after his case was discussed between the authorities of the two countries during Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to India. Activists in India and Pakistan have been demanding Chisti’s release.
After furnishing a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and two securities of 50,000 each in a fast track court, his brothers went to the jail where he was released after completion of formalities.
Dressed in a white Pathani suit and a skull cap and holding a ‘bidi’ in hand, a relieved Chisti said he was eagerly waiting to go back home.
When asked about the case of Indian convict Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in Pakistan and is lodged in a jail there for 22 years, Chisti said he did not know about him but asserted that “every human being should get justice”.
While granting bail, the apex court had directed Chisti not to leave the country without prior permission from the court.
An ailing Chisti had been lodged in the jail hospital.
A microbiologist by profession, Chisti had come to visit his sick mother in Ajmer in 1992 when he got embroiled in a dispute and, in the ensuing melee, one of his neighbours was shot dead while his nephew got injured.
Born in Ajmer to a prosperous family of caretakers of the shrine of sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Chisti was studying in Pakistan at the time of partition in 1947 and chose to stay back in that country.
“This is the blessing of Khawaja Garibnawaz,” said Jamil Chisti on his release
The apex court bench comprising justices P Sathasivam and J Chelameswar considered his old age and the fact that he has been in India since 1992, after the murder case was lodged against him, and granted the bail.
Reacting to his release, the BJP hoped that Pakistan would reciprocate the gesture and free Sarabjit Singh.
“Obviously, we all stand in India with the aspiration that there is a reciprocity that Pakistan must follow on this,” BJP leader Arun Jaitley said. (PTI)
Govt played fraud with institution of Legislature: Baig
‘CAG findings just tip of iceberg, Govt promoting financial irregularities’
By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 11: Accusing the State Government of facilitating continuation of serious financial irregularities, former Deputy Chief Minister and senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, today said that Government has played fraud with the institution of legislature by tabling on last day of the Budget Session the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), which has brought to fore massive frauds, misappropriation of funds, unauthorized, unfruitful and unproductive expenditure of several crores of rupees.
Talking to media-persons at party office here this evening, Mr Baig said, “there was political purpose behind tabling of the CAG report on last day of the Budget Session as CAG has completely exposed the National Conference-led Government for facilitating serious financial irregularities and allowing the defaulting officers to go scot free”.
“As per the parliamentary practice, the audit reports are tabled on the Floor of the House for discussion on the same and take corrective steps based on the outcome of such discussion but by intentionally delaying the tabling of the report the National Conference-led Government has defeated the very objective behind audits of the functioning of the Government departments”, he said.
Stating that Government has played fraud with the institution of legislature, he said, “by denying the opportunity of discussion on the findings of the CAG the Government has tried to render the Legislative Assembly and Council ineffective and disabled”, he said, adding “the discussion on the CAG report was imperative as it has made startling revelations about fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, excess payment/ wasteful expenditure and diversion of funds”.
Terming the CAG findings as just tip of an iceberg, the former Deputy Chief Minister said, “if such glaring financial irregularities can be detected in the sample survey of some works in 8-10 departments what could be the state of affairs in all the departments, can easily be presumed”, adding “had the report been tabled just at the beginning of the Budget Session we would have completely exposed the Government during the discussion on Budget as well as grants of different departments but unfortunately the Government had denied this opportunity to the Opposition, which otherwise would have been of immense benefit in checking the financial irregularities in future”.
Picking up some startling figures from the CAG report, Mr Baig said that in 2010-2011 an amount to the tune of Rs 9010.80 crore was available with the Government as Capital Expenditure but it could not spend Rs 2289.77 crore despite the fact that percentage of capital expenditure indicates economic growth. Similarly, an expenditure of Rs 31288.58 crore was registered against total original and supplementary grants of Rs 28920.27 crore thereby registering excess expenditure of Rs 2368.11 crore.
Stating that Government was spending more on non-productive sector than the productive sector that too without seeking permission from the Assembly, he said that in 2009-10 the Plan expenditure was to the tune of Rs 6688 crore but in 2010-11 the same declined by Rs 49 crore to Rs 6639 crore. On the other side, Non-Plan expenditure increased to Rs 17892 crore in 2010-11 as against an amount of Rs 14870 in 2009-10.
“This shows decline in development activities with a sharp rise in non-development expenditure”, he said, adding “the reasons for this shortage in the development expenditure have not been explained by the State Government to the CAG”.
“The excuse of the Government that revenue expenditure registered steep rise because of 6th Pay Commission appears to be false because the projected wages and salaries for 2010-11 were Rs 13173 crore whereas actually it was only Rs 7772 crore”, he said, adding “the Government is answerable to the people as to why it has not utilized Rs 6000 crore to pay the arrears to the employees or to clear the loans it had taken”.
“Such an amount could have even been utilized to provide employment to two lakh people at least for 3-4 years”, he added.
Pointing towards under-spending to the tune of Rs 3762.45 crore in 12 grants in 2010-11, he said, “the functioning of the Finance Department can be gauged from the fact that it has failed to spend Rs 367.60 crore under Revenue Component and Rs 387.82 crore under Capital Component”, adding “similar is the fate of another vital department—Planning and Development, which has failed to spend Rs 679.61 crore under Capital Component”.
About the CAG’s startling revelations viz-a-viz the rush of expenditure during the month of March”, he said, “it is not understandable as to how an expenditure ranging between 51 per cent to 77 per cent can be registered in one month only”, adding “the CAG findings have also proved wrong the tall claims of the Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather about tax realization”.
Mr Baig also expressed concern over how the Government got constitutional amendment bill pertaining to reservation to SCs/STs/OBCs introduced and passed on the last day of the Budget Session. “We were not against the reservation to these sections of society. Had there been discussion we would have stressed for extension of same for 20 years”, he said.
About the report of House Committee on sanctioning and upgradation of health centers, he said, “the report has brought to fore how the Ministries used influence for providing benefits to selective constituencies at the cost of deserving ones”.