By Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 10: Former Union minister and president Pradesh Congress Committee, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz today said that visiting Union Home Minister P Chidambram was satisfied with the security environment in the State and stressed for joint efforts by both the ‘coalition partners’ for further improving the situation here.
The PCC chief who met the Union Home Minister along with a delegation of about fifty Congress functionaries including Dy Chief Minister Tara Chand, some cabinet ministers, legislators and several former ministers and senior party functionaries at State Guest House here this afternoon, told the Excelsior that nearly fifty-five minute dialogue with the Home Minister was held under good and peaceful atmosphere. He said Mr Chidambram was satisfied with the over all security environment in the State. He also referred to the security review meeting which was held here today with various representatives from security agencies. The Union Minister said that last summer had remained peaceful in Kashmir and he was hopeful that this summer will also pass off peacefully. He, however, asked to remain alert from the designs of the anti-national forces. He said it was joint responsibility of both the coalition partners to work in tandem and carry forward the peace agenda and help in improving over all situation in the State.
Prof Soz said the Home Minister expressed that an improvement in the tourists influx and pilgrims rush at Mata Vaishnodevi and Shri Amarnath shrine every year has been witnessed which is clear indicative of normalization of situation in the State. He stressed that both the coalition partners (Congress and NC) have to play a crucial role in further normalizing situation in the State. It was emphasized to improve the tourism infrastructure and facilities for the pilgrims visiting the State. The contribution of security forces including paramilitary forces, VDCs, SPOs and police in improving situation also came for discussion during the meeting.
Referring to the issues of border migrants and PoK refugees, Prof Soz said that he and several other party leaders projected the issue forcefully. It was stressed to resolve their issues once for all by providing adequate compensation. The demand regarding enhancement of cash relief of migrants and special package for Jammu migrants and border people was also projected during dialogue with the Home Minister. When asked about any talks regarding Armed Force Special Powers Act or Interlocutors, Soz said no such issue was discussed with the Home Minister during today’s meeting. He however, said that issue of smooth trade and travel between two sides along the LoC had taken place and he has also emphasized on the same during rally in Kashmir yesterday.
Another senior leader said though earlier, thirty minute time was provided to the 50-member Congress delegation but the time was extended to 55 minutes. He said Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla projected the demand of Rs 1775 crore special package for settlement of PoK, West Pakistan refugees and displaced persons from Chhamb once for all. The demand was also projected before the Union Home Minister to provide cash relief in favour of Jammu migrants at par with the Kashmiri migrants. Some Congress men also pointed out that with the fencing of LoC, infiltration has been contained to large extent specially in Rajouri and Poonch. It was projected that role of armed forces, para-military forces and police besides SPOs and VDCs has been crucial in containing militancy and improving situation in the State. They said that armed forces have a crucial role to play in the State under present situation.
Prominent among those who accompanied Prof Soz included, DyCM Tara Chand, Pt Mangat Ram Sharma, Dharam Pal Sharma, Ministers Raman Bhalla, Sham Lal, Peerzada Mohd Sayed, Dr Manohar Lal, Shabir Khan, Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Madan Lal Sharma (MP), Ch Lal Singh (MP), Ravinder Sharma, Ghulam Mohd Saroori, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Bashir Ahmed Magray, Indu Pawar, Subash Chander Gupta, Naresh Gupta and others.
Meanwhile, another deputation of Pahari Culture & Welfare Forum led by former minister Mushtaq Bhukhari called on Union Home Minister and apprised him about their demands. Several other members of the Forum from Rajouri and Poonch accompanied Mr Bukhari.
A deputation of All Party Sikh Coordination Committee led by Jagmohan Singh Raina, chairman, presented a charter of demands to the visiting Home Minister at Guest House today. The other members of the deputation included Ajeet Singh Mastana, Paramjeet Singh Bali, Dr Sheetal Singh, advocate Teja Singh, Harcharan Singh Khalsa, Kulbir Singh, Mohinder Singh, H S Raina and Surinder Singh.
Chidambaram satisfied with security environment: Soz
HM holds talks with Guv, CM
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had wide ranging consultations with Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on several important matters at a meeting held at Raj Bhavan here today.
During their hour long luncheon meeting, the Governor, the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister discussed several important matters which related, interalia, to the pace of socio-economic development of the State, internal and external security management, measures taken for empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions and ensuing elections to the Urban Local Bodies.
Pay Comm scam established
From Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 10: The Deputy Director Technical Education Kashmir today established the violation of the financial code with regard to the sixth Pay Commission arrears by majority of the Drawing and Disbursing Officers of the department.
The Commissioner Secretary Technical Education, Vinod Kaul, today ordered probe into the Sixth Pay Commission arrears scam that was reported by Excelsior today. He has asked the Deputy Director Technical Education Kashmir, Munir Ahmad Shah, to conduct the preliminary inquiry into the scam within a day.
The Deputy Director has reportedly submitted its report to the Commissioner Secretary Technical Education Department this evening where he has confirmed that the Drawing and Disbursing Officers have violated the financial code and demanded special audit of the financial fraud.
Deputy Director Munir Ahmad Shah told Excelsior that majority of the Drawing and Disbursing Officers of the department have released the Sixth Pay Commission arrears in favour of the non-deserving employees and paid amount in cash to them.
Shah said that not only the arrear scam has been established; the fixation in favour of the adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees of the department has also been made in violation of the Government order.
Meanwhile soon after the scam was reported in the newspaper, the Drawing and Disbursing Officers of the ITIs of Pattan, Srinagar and Bandipora were negotiating the remittance of the amount to the respective treasuries to save their skin.
In the meantime, the District Treasury Officer Ganderbal, Syed Farooq Ahmad, told Excelsior he has not passed any of the arrears bills of any adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees of any department.
Ahmad said that ITI Ganderbal had submitted bills of both the regular and adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees of the department together but “we refused to pass them”. He said that they later submitted separate arrear bills of the regular employees that were passed.
The Deputy Director, Munir Ahmad Shah, confirmed that the Treasury Officer Ganderbal has not passed the arrear bills of the adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees of the ITI Ganderbal.
In Jammu division several Drawing and Disbursing Officers of ITIs including Deputy Director Jammu, N K Gupta, have released the sixth Pay Commission arrears bills of adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees of the department.
In the meantime, sources said that the Department of the Technical Education is illegally paying the higher pay scale of Rs 6500-10500 (pre-revised) with effect from 2003 against the sanctioned scale of Rs 4000-6000 to adhoc vocational instructors of all the institutes of ITI sector in the State.
It has been reliably learnt that it is not the Technical Education department only but also Health, PDD and almost all Government departments where DDO’s in league with the treasury officers have released arrears of the sixth Pay Commission to the non-deserving adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees.
The Health department has reportedly released highest amount in cash to its adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees as sixth Pay Commission arrears. According to sources Block Medical Officer (BMO) Ganderbal was pursuing the District Treasury Officer Ganderbal to release two bills worth Rs 4,48,563 and Rs 9,29,043 of these non-deserving employees but the Treasury officer has refused to pass them.
It may be mentioned here according to the Government order (No. 238-F of 2011 dated 30-09-2011) the sixth Pay Commission arrears are to be paid to the regular State Government employees in 5 equal installments in 5 years by debit to their GP Fund.
The arrears are paid in cash to those employees who have retired upto 30-09-2011. The adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees are not entitled to these arrears but crores of rupees has been released in cash to them.
5 Ministers to converge at Attari
NEW DELHI/AMRITSAR, Apr 10:
After the bonhomie-marked visit of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, five Union ministers will converge at Attari on Friday for inauguration of the first Integrated Check Post (ICP) along the border which is expected to give fresh impetus to Indo-Pak ties.
“India is giving a lot of importance to it as this will enhance India-Pakistan trade manifold and increase people-to- people contacts. The high-profile delegation reflects India’s seriousness to the project,” a Government official said.
Pakistani Commerce Minister Makhdoom Fahim and Chief Minister of that country’s Punjab province Shahbaz Sharif will join the Indian delegation from across the border for opening of the ICP, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet in 2010 and will boost trade between the two countries.
Home Minister P Chidambaram will inaugurate the ICP while Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, Science Technology Minister Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State for External Affairs Parneet Kaur and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will attend the function.
Water Resource Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal is also expected to travel to Attari.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who met Zardari while he was in Delhi for a stopover enroute to Ajmer on a private visit, had noted that Pakistan had “moved forward” on the trade front.
Last month, Singh met Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on the sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
At present on an average 200 trucks laden with Indian merchandise cross the Wagah border daily. The new ICP would enable passage of 10 times more the number of trucks.
Pakistan has recently notified a list of 137 items which can be imported from India through land route. The list include vegetables as well as cattle.
Chidambaram had laid the foundation stone of the project in February 2010. The ICP at Attari is being constructed at a cost of about Rs 150 crore on 130 acres of land acquired by the Punjab Government.
The Government had set target to establish six ICPs in the first phase along India’s international borders. They are West Bengal’s Petrapole, Meghalaya’s Dawki, Tripura’s Akhaura (all in Indo-Bangla), Punjab’s Attari (Indo-Pak), Bihar’s Raxaul (India-Nepal) and Manipur’s Moreh (Indo-Myanmar).
The ICPs will have dedicated passenger and cargo terminals comprising adequate customs and immigration facilities, security and scanning equipment, health and quarantine facilities, passenger amenities like waiting areas, restaurants, rest rooms, duty-free shops, banks and financial services, dormitories for drivers and all related facilities like service stations in a single compound.
In the second phase, seven ICPs will be developed of which four are along India-Bangladesh borders-Hilli, Chandrabangha (both in West Bengal), Sutarkhandi (Assam), Kawarpuchiah (Mizoram) — and three are along India-Nepal borders-Jagbani (Bihar), Sunauli and Rupaidiha (both in Uttar Pradesh).
Well-managed ICPs are expected to boost India’s trade with neighbouring countries and also help check smuggling of goods.
Ahead of the ICP inauguration, Secretary Border Management E Ahmed held a meeting with district officials to take stock of the preparations.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal is also expected to be present at the function which will coincide with Baisakhi festival in Punjab.
On April 8, the much-awaited ICP underwent a test run and yesterday 50 Pakistani trucks crossed into the country. (PTI)
4 booked under PSA
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 10: Police today arrested 4 persons and booked them under Public Safety Act (PSA) on charges of human trafficking in north Kashmir and sent them to Central Jail Kot Bhalwal, Jammu for serving the period of detention.
Police said that these persons were involved in immoral business of human trafficking in and around Pattan town in north Kashmir.
Police said that they have been working in an organised gang and exploiting the poor and helpless women hailing from outside State like West Bengal by luring them on the pretext of providing employment in the Valley, but instead they would exploit them sexually and there after sell them to different people for the same purpose for a meager amount of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000.
Police said that the activities of the gang had posed a potential threat to the moral values of the society in general and to the people of the area in particular, besides being prejudicial to maintenance of public order.
Police identified the gang as Ali Mohammad Bhat, 22, son of Sona Ullah Bhat resident of Gund Ibrahim Pattan, Mohammad Subhan Dar, 27, son of Ghulam Nabi Dar resident of Check-Tilwanpora, Mirgund Pattan, Mohammad Altaf Khan, 43, son of Ghulam Mohammad Khan resident of Checki-Razaq Khan Mirgund Pattan and Mohammad Maqbool Dar @Maqbool Kaka, 40, son of Abdul Aziz resident of Check Tilwanpora Mirgund Pattan.
Police said that earlier they had been arrested on January 31 this year at Hanjiwera, Mirgund in Pattan area while they were travelling in a vehicle bearing registration NO: JK01R-1389 along with a victim girl from West Bengal. The girl was found to be a minor of 16 years of age. Medical examination of the girl confirmed her sexual exploitation.
Police said a case (FIR NO: 21/ 2012 U/S 366-B, 376 RPC) stands registered in the matter in Police Station Pattan. Police said that during the course of investigation it was found that this gang of exploiters have been involved in the illegal trade since long. They had lured a number of people of the area into this immoral business in order to make easy bucks, police said. However these exploiters had got themselves released on bail in the instant case, added police.
Meanwhile, Baramulla Police had prepared a dossier of these persons and submitted the same to the District Magistrate Baramulla in order to get them detained under PSA. After studying the dossiers District Magistrate Baramulla issued detention warrants of all the four persons citing that the normal laws are not sufficient to contain the activities of the gang.
People of the area have highly appreciated the role of Police in bringing these notorious persons to book. They have lauded the commitment of Baramulla Police in containing the activities of people involved in immoral and illegal activities.
Army Chief sends complaint to CBI
NEW DELHI, Apr 10:
Army Chief General V K Singh today sent his complaint to the CBI regarding Rs 14 crore alleged bribery offer made to him by a retired officer to clear the supply of a tranche of 600 vehicles.
CBI sources said the complaint has been recieved by them and it is being examined.
Singh, who had made the allegation in a media interview that forced Defence Minister A K Antony to order a CBI inquiry, had alleged in a letter to the agency on March 30 that there was a bribe offer from retired Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh, the sources said.
The agency had asked him to furnish a detailed complaint along with a possible witness list and other supporting documents so that they could proceed with the inquiry, they said.
Tejinder Singh has refuted the allegations and also filed a defamation case against the Army Chief and other officers.
A preliminary enquiry or an FIR could be registered soon after completion of the procedural requirements, the sources said.
The Army Chief had claimed in media interviews that an equipment lobbyist had offered him a bribe of Rs 14 crore, a matter which he had reported to the Defence Minister.
The ministry had then recommended a CBI probe into the allegation made by the Army Chief. (PTI)
Employees take out protest rally several detained
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 10: Police today lobbed water cannons and detained dozens of state government employees to foil their plan to stage a protest demonstration in Lal Chowk AREA in support of their demands.
The arrested include the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) member of the State Government employees, Mohammad Khursheed Alam.
Scores of employees owing allegiance to different factions of Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) assembled at the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department complex and raised their protest over the alleged negligence of the state government towards the demands of the employees. The employees raised slogans and reiterated to carry their struggle forward.
Addressing the protesting employees, JCC member and President of his faction of EJAC, Mohammad Khursheed Alam said that the State Government has backtracked from its commitment of fulfilling the demands of the Government employees. He said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had himself committed to fulfill the demands of the government employees.
“Last year in September we struck a deal with the state government according to which all our demands were accepted. However, with the passage of time some of the demands were not met and the situation continues to be same even today. There are some people within the bureaucracy who want that government and employees should be at loggerheads always,” said Alam.
The JCC member said that the demands of the State Government employees are just and government should not have any hesitation in fulfilling the same. demands. He alleged apathy from the Government saying that four and half lakh employees would observe one day strike in support of their demands on September 17.
The protesting employees after raising their protest at the CAPD complex intended to take out a protest rally upto the Lal Chowk. Led by Khursheed Alam the protesting employees wanted to make their presence felt at the city centre, however their plans were subverted by the police personnel present there.
Alam along with some of the employees were arrested near the Shaheed Gunj police just outside the CAPD complex while as the others managed to give police the slip and moved ahead.
As the protesters reached near the Old Secretariat the police cops swooped on them and asked them to refrain from moving towards the Lal Chowk. However, this did not go well with the employees and they moved ahead. On this the police cops pressed the service of a vehicle that is used to spray water cannons.
Due to the strong pressure of the water cannons the protesting employees could not move ahead and they dispersed.
Rs 775 cr spent under MGNREGA: Sagar
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: An amount of Rs 775 crore has been spent under MG NREGA during the year 2011-2012 for accelerating the socio-economic development of rural and far-flung areas of the state.
The information was given at a high level review meeting of the Rural Development chaired by the Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar.
The Commissioner/Secretary Rural Development, Farooq Ahmad Peer, Directors Rural development Jammu and Kashmir, Shafeeq Raina, Jahangir Mir, Director Rural Sanitation, Tufail Mattu, Member Secretary MGNREGA Dr. Hanif Balkhi and other senior officers of the department were present.
While asking the officers to speed up the implementation of the flagship scheme, the Minister said that focus should be laid to ensure that the spirit of the scheme to provide much needed employment and accelerating the development of rural areas is maintained. He said that remarkable progress has been achieved in the implementation of the scheme by ensuring that the benefits percolate to the targeted populace. “We have also put in place mechanism by which the scheme can be monitored and effective feedback can be obtained”, he added.
He asked the officers to conduct tours on weekly basis to assess the impact of the scheme on the ground besides getting the requisite feedback from the locals as well as their representatives. He said that local representatives of the area should also be involved in the implementation the scheme.
He also asked the officers to ensure that MIS of the scheme is uploaded regularly so that the pace of implementation of the scheme can be made available online as well. He also directed that the codal formalities should be strictly observed for administrative expenses.
Directing the Commissioner/Secretary to ensure that proper action be initiated against the officials who are found deviating from the proper implementation of the welfare schemes, the Minister said that laxity will not be tolerated in any case and those found lacking in performing their duties would face strict action.
It was also given out in the meeting that an amount of Rs 2030 crore has been earmarked as labour budget under MGNREGA for the current financial year.
BJP spreading fanaticism: Rana
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr, 10 : Political Advisor to the Chief Minister Devender Singh Rana today said that BJP is spreading fanaticism and creating communal disharmony which has dangerous connotations for the unity and integrity of the state.
Addressing a public meeting at Bantalab in Raipur Domana Assembly constituency, Rana said Jammu and Kashmir is a sterling example of secularism, communal harmony and brotherhood and it is the duty of secular forces to join hands to defeat all communal and divisive forces for the good of the state and its people.
He said BJP has always used the communal card to hoodwink the people and it is imperative that the people see through their nefarious designs and together take a pledge to isolate them and defeat their machinations which have always proved counterproductive to the welfare of the people of the state.
The Political Advisor said the Omar led coalition government took over the reins of the state after 2008 turmoil and despite all odds steered the state from most difficult time to peaceful 2011 only because of a secular ideology and steadfastness. He said this all has been possible due to the visionary leadership of Omar Abdullah, equitable accelerated development and revolutionary initiatives of the Government. He said the time has come when the dividends of peace must reach the people of the state which alone can lead to a resurgent and vibrant Jammu and Kashmir.
Rana said the menace of unemployment is a great challenge for the state and the Coalition government has taken the issue head on and initiated measures to tackle unemployment as well as employability by skill development and capacity building.
He said Omar led Coalition Government in the last three and half years has taken some very revolutionary steps like promulgation of Public Service Guarantee Act, setting up of effective RTI Commission, revival of the State Accountability Commission, holding of the panchayat elections after three decades, setting up of new degree colleges, polytechnics and ITIs, launching of SKWEPY for the unemployed youth besides accelerated pace of development.
Addressing the gathering, Provincial President J&K National Conference Rattan Lal Gupta said that National Conference has astutely led people towards a prosperous future and has always felt concerned for the speedy and balanced development of all regions with a special focus on under developed and in accessible areas. He further said that National Conference will continue to uphold the principals of secularism and work for strengthening democratic institutions to translate developmental policy of the party into reality.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Satpal Lakhotra ex-MLA, K.D. Singh, Bhramanand, Ram Saroop Sharma, Ashok Singh Manhas, Subash Bhagat, Joginder Singh, Sham Lal and Th. Ranjeet Singh.
Daily rated workers stage protest demonstration
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: The daily rated workers from PDD, PHE, I&FC, R&B, Forest and Education Departments held protest demonstration in support of their demands here today.
A large number of workers under the banner of J&K Daily Wagers Joint Action Forum, assembled near Press Club and held demonstration. Forum leaders Gurnam Singh Slathia, Rajan Sharma, Kamal Verma, Swarn Kumar, Surjeet Khajuria, Kuldip Sharma and Subash Chander were leading. They criticized the Government for its anti-worker policy.
All the members present expressed serious concern over the indifferent attitude of the State Government which has miserably failed to frame policy for regularization of daily rated workers for about two decades. They said the Government reached the agreement with the JCC members 19-2-2009, 14-5-2010 and then on 15-09-2011 but did not bother to implement the same. They pointed out that Government representatives including Chief Secretary, Chief Minister’s political advisor Devinder Singh Rana, Principal secretary to CM, Pr Secy Home and Commissioner Secretary GAD during meeting with the JCC members on 15-9-2011 at Srinagar had assured to announce the regularization policy before March 2012 but unfortunately, they have breached the agreement. The employees have no trust in the agreements of the Government and they have now resolved to go for intensified agitation. They said the Government has been forcing the workers to adopt the path of confrontation. The daily wagers are also demanding Rs 250 per day and regular payment of their wages besides regularization of all the workers who have completed seven years in service. The Forum announced strong protest and ‘kam chhor Hartal’ on April 17. The employees will conduct gherao of the Civil Secretariat on this day, a Forum leader claimed.
Some senior JCC members also visited the agitating daily rated workers and assured full support. They included R A Khaniyari, Ram Kumar, Parshotam Sharma, Amrik Singh, Mohd Aslam, Balwan Singh, Madan Sangral, Kulwant Singh, Yashpal and others.