Excelsior Correspondent
R S PURA, Mar 25: PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that his party has scripted a new chapter in the political history of Jammu and Kashmir by challenging the hegemony of the National Conference (NC) and provided an alternative to the people of the State.
“NC leadership has never allowed democracy to flourish in the State because this political party has brazenly used undemocratic means to remain in power”, Mr Sayeed said while addressing an impressive public meeting in R S Pura.
“Formation of PDP in the year 1999 was turning point in the history of Jammu and Kashmir because, in short span of time, it has earned credibility of the people and the party has emerged as biggest political force of the State”, he said, adding, “I don’t want to praise ourselves but it a historical fact that it was PDP that had revived confidence of the people of the State in the democratic institutions”.
“From 1947 to 2002, NC had never allowed strengthening of democratic institutions in the State because instability in the system as well as in the State suits this party”, he observed and asserted that PDP has challenged domination of NC and changed political discourse of the State through its visionary and pro-peace policies.
He recalled that when PDP was formed there was a sense of fear and insecurity among the people. “Through its pro-peace agenda, PDP had not only created a sense of security among the people but also restored dignity of the common masses by pioneering and implementing peace and reconciliation policies”, he said and added that the healing touch policy implemented by PDP led regime in the State had given encouraging results.
“Although we had just 16 members in the Assembly, our party had convinced successive Governments at Delhi, through our convictions, to take some bold peace initiatives”, he recalled, adding, “PDP had entered into alliance with Congress by formulating a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) in which wishes of all people were incorporated and pro-peace agenda was given first priority”.
“During our regime we have not only restored peace in the State but also created atmosphere for accelerating developmental activities”, he said and regretted that present regime has derailed the process of peace and development in the State. “During the last three years, alienation among people has been increasing due to governance deficit because this regime has failed to connect itself with the people.
“During the last three years this regime has eroded and undermined all prestigious democratic institutions be it Assembly, Urban Local Bodies or Panchayati Raj Institutions”, he said adding that almost one year has passed after elections but no decision has been taken so far to conduct elections of the Block Samities and Zila Samities of Panchayati Raj Institutions.
“Civic bodies elections were scheduled to be held in the month of February 2010 but the Government has been delaying the elections without any reason”, he observed and regretted that Government was not interested in delegation of powers at grass root level.
Trilok Singh Bajwa, Hussain Ali Bafa, Bhushan Dogra, Chatter Saini, Jagjeet Singh Jagga, Som Nath, Shakti Sharma, Amrik Singh Reen, Narinder Pal Singh Raja, B D Gorkha, Choudhary Chuni Lal, S S Sodhi, Sartaj Singh Rana, Capt Hazara Singh, Surinder Singh and others also spoke on the occasion.
PDP challenged NC’s hegemony: Mufti
Cooperative Deptt promotes blue eyed official
From Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Mar 25: The Cooperatives Department has thrown all the rules to the wind as it has promoted a non-feeding employee to the position of Deputy Registrar. In addition to this, three more officers of the department have been given higher charge in clear contravention of the service rules.
The illegal promotion of these officials has led to resentment among the senior officers of the department since they have been denied their right.
According to the order number 03-Coop of 2012 dated 03-02-2012, Bashir Ahmad Lone, In-charge General Manager, Super Bazar, Anantnag has been transferred and posted as In-charge Deputy Registrar, Anantnag against available vacancy in his own pay and grade.
A delegation of the officers of the Cooperative Department while talking to Excelsior said that the promotion of Lone is illegal adding that the officer did not belong to the feeding category for the post of Deputy Registrar. They demanded that promotion order with respect to Lone should be reverted and a deserving person be promoted as Deputy Registrar, Anantnag.
“The General Manager of a cooperative institution did not form the feeding category for filling the post of Deputy Registrar. The promotion of Bashir Ahmad Lone is a glaring example of misuse of powers since he was In-charge General Manager. Lone was not entitled to be promoted as Deputy Registrar, but as he is the blue-eyed boy he got the promotion,” said the aggrieved officers.
It is not for the first time that Lone has been promoted out of way. He was given the additional charge of General Manager, Super Bazar, Anantnag by virtue of order number 33-Coop of 2011 dated 14-06-2011.
Without confirming him as General Manager, Super Bazar, Anantnag, he was elevated to the Deputy Registrar cadre by virtue of the order issued on February 3, 2012. His name did not figure in the seniority list of Assistant Registrars (Gazetted) issued by the Cooperative Department from time to time.
“The senior officers of the department especially the present Commissioner Secretary have made a mockery of the service rules. Imprudent orders issued by the incumbent Commissioner Secretary during his tenure may land the department in litigations besides demoralizing the senior officials. Officials have been given charge of higher posts despite the fact that they didn’t deserve it,” said the officers.
It would be in place to mention here that Lone’s elevation to the position of In-charge Assistant Registrar (Non-Gazetted) cadre was challenged in the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) meeting held in 1999. The DPC members observed that since Lone was only a senior supervisor he cannot be placed as In-charge Assistant Registrar (Non-Gazetted) since it did not form the feeding cadre.
The committee members in their meeting said that Lone had been temporarily promoted as Inspector in July 1998 by then Registrar, Cooperative Societies pending clearance by the DPC. His case was never cleared by the DPC and instead of retention he was elevated to the higher posts with the passage of time with the latest being elevation to the post of Deputy Registrar.
According to order number 03-Coop of 2012 dated 03-02-2012, three more blue-eyed officials have made it to the higher posts in contravention of the service rules. These officials in their respective cadre do not hold the post substantively, but still then were elevated to higher position.
The order said that Mohammad Ashraf, Assistant Registrar, Anantnag has been transferred and deputed as In-charge General Manager, Super Bazar, Anantnag is his own pay and grade, Jia Lal, Assistant Registrar, Lohi Malhar shall look after the work as in-charge District Audit Officer, Kathua in addition to his own duties as Assistant Registrar, Lohi Malhar and Kamal Singh, Assistant Registrar, Bilawar shall look after the duties as In-charge General Manager, Integrated Cooperative Development Projects (ICDP), Kathua in his own pay and grade relieving Bodh Raj Verma of the additional charge of In-charge General Manager, ICDP Kathua.
CM’s thrust on review, monitoring of projects start yielding dividends
financial assistance of thousands of crores of rupees from the Union Government in a most transparent and effective manner and ensuring its benefits to the common masses is a challenging task for his Government, the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, has attached immense importance to the monitoring exercise for being an invaluable tool of good governance. Instead of confining this exercise at the level of Ministers concerned and Administrative Secretaries of the Departments only, he has put an exclusive mechanism in his own Secretariat where mega projects and schemes are being identified for special and close monitoring after regular intervals.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that in order to ensure that real objective of liberal financial assistance from the Union Government and various Centrally-Sponsored Schemes is achieved at the ground level, the Chief Minister has flagged much importance to the monitoring exercise, which also improves efficiency and effectiveness of the project or agency executing the same and keep the work on track.
“The thrust on monitoring aspect can be gauged from the fact that on one side the Administrative Secretaries and other Heads of Departments have been made accountable for monitoring of developmental works after regular intervals and on the other side a special cell in the Chief Minister’s own Secretariat has been entrusted with this responsibility”, they said, adding “even the concept of 3rd party monitoring has also been introduced to identify the problem and critical areas and submit reports to the CM’s Secretariat for necessary and prompt action”.
“The monitoring assumes much significance when during the current financial year only an expenditure of ` 2300 crore is being registered under various Centrally sponsored schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojana, RGGVY etc”, they said, adding “moreover, it is only through this mechanism that necessary coordination is ensured among different departments, which is imperative for smooth execution of the projects”.
As far as monitoring cell in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat is concerned, sources said, “Mr Omar is regularly identifying the important schemes and projects for close watch of an in-house team constituted by him”, adding “the team is conducting field visits to assess the financial and physical achievement of the projects following which necessary directions are passed to the Administrative Departments for addressing the problem areas and initiating action on the key observations of the team”.
According to the sources, more than 100 works/ project of prime public importance have been identified for close monitoring by the monitoring cell in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. A total of 66 PMGSY, PMRP, UIDSSMT, RGGY, CRF projects and Centrally Sponsored Schemes have been inspected by the cell so far.
“The Monitoring Cell, which is working under the administrative control of Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, is also ensuring implementation of the directions passed by the Chief Minister during the video-conferencing and announcements made by him during the public meetings”, sources further said, adding “the Chief Minister has also issued clear directions to the cell to closely monitor the implementation of decisions taken in the District Development Board meetings”.
As far as monitoring of State and District Plans is concerned, sources said that in the recent past, Chief Minister identified 50 mega projects under State Plan for close monitoring and progress on the same is being assessed by Omar Abdullah himself so that all these projects are completed within stipulated time-frame.
Though during the current year Chief Minister could not take review meetings of all the District Development Boards in time because of Budget Session yet he will convene the same of rest of the districts soon after the Budget Session, they said, adding it is a wrong notion that review meetings are convened only to sanction additionalities. The main purpose of such meetings is to ensure monitoring of the developmental works.
“It is due to required thrust on the review and monitoring exercise that during the current financial year the District Plan implementation would be to the tune of 95 per cent and State Plan up to 90 per cent”, they said.
Despite multi-tier monitoring mechanism, people have been empowered to bring any shortcoming to the notice of Chief Minister through grievance redressal cell, which has disposed off 14149 complaints out of total 15285 received till date. 
More PHCs, Sub Centres for State on cards Azad to review NRHM scheme in all States including J&K, UP
By Sanjeev Pargal
“We are going to have a countrywide review of NRHM as the scheme aimed at providing healthcare to the rural people was completing seven years. We will like to know progress under NRHM from all the States in the past seven years. The review will be held very shortly and achievements of the States would be taken into consideration for future projects’’, Mr Azad told the Excelsior on telephone during his brief visit to Bhaderwah to review infrastructure development in the town today.
The NRHM has drawn flak in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir besides some other States. In Uttar Pradesh, a number of bureaucrats have been arrested for multi-crore scam in the Central scheme.
Mr Azad said the Union Health Ministry was going to make State wise assessment of progress made in health sector under the NRHM within the next two months as the Central Government’s prestigious flagship programme has completed seven years now.
“The assessment would include utilization of funds, progress on health front in rural areas, the targets given and achieved by the States, the areas and the people benefited out of the scheme and other issues connected with the rural health mission’’, he added.
The Union Health Minister said the further grants to the States under the NRHM would also depend on the progress made by them under the flagship programme and benefits extended in providing health care to the rural people besides satisfactory utilization of funds for the past seven years.
Mr Azad reached here this morning from New Delhi and straightway left for Bhaderwah town of Doda district where he reviewed development works including progress of Sub District Hospital and facilities being provided at the City Hospital, Bhaderwah. He flew back to New Delhi this afternoon from here.
The Union Health Minister said he was again visiting Jammu on a longer tour of four days in first week of April during which he would have a detailed review of all health related projects and schemes in Jammu and Kashmir including NRHM.
Admitting that super specialty hospital of Government Medical College, Jammu had delayed beyond schedule, Mr Azad, however, said he has been assured by the Government that the hospital would be commissioned in next two to three months.
Though the Union Health Minister only reviewed works in Bhaderwah and left for New Delhi, sources said he was critical of the administration for inordinate delay in health projects including super specialty hospital in Jammu and Sub District Hospital in Bhaderwah.
According to sources, Mr Azad was very much perturbed after observing tardy pace of work on the Sub District Hospital of Bhaderwah and took officers of the executing agency to task. He told the executing agencies not to take excuse of snowfall and rains, summer or winter but ensure immediate completion of the Sub District Hospital at Bhaderwah, the work on which had started during his tenure as the Chief Minister.
The Union Minister admitted that weather sometime did play spoilsport for the executing agencies and hoped that work on the District Hospital of Bhaderwah would be expedited.
On super specialty hospital of Jammu, he said the staff would come from the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and infrastructure would be arranged shortly.
Worthwhile to mention here that work on super specialty hospital had started in 2004. Work was expedited with generation of funds during two and a half years tenure of Mr Azad as the Chief Minister from 2005 to 2008. Since then, commissioning of the super specialty hospital has missed a number of deadlines. It was set to miss the latest deadline of March 31, 2012 as a lot of work was yet to be completed. Moreover, the hospital hasn’t received the requisite staff and infrastructure for operation theatres etc.
Sources said during his upcoming visit, Mr Azad would undertake a detailed review of super specialty hospital and ask the executing agencies to ensure its early completion.
Mr Azad announced that the Union Health Ministry would be giving more Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Sub Centres to Jammu and Kashmir.
Few days back, the Union Health Minister had announced 12 District Hospitals and Sub District Hospitals for Jammu and Kashmir, which would be constructed at a cost of ` 232 crore. First installment for construction of the hospitals amounting to ` 45 crore has already been released.
The new hospitals included District Hospitals—Samba, Pulwama and Bandipora and Sub District Hospitals—Akhnoor, Gandoh, RS Pura, Bishnah, Banihal, Kangan, Hajin, Pahalgam and Chhanpora.
Mr Azad said the Union Health Ministry would sanction more Primary Health Centres and Sub Centres for Jammu and Kashmir soon to strengthen the health infrastructure.
At City hospital, Bhaderwah, the people complained to Mr Azad that it lacked adequate medicare facilities and they had to go to District Hospital, Doda for normal diseases.
The Union Minister visited Bhaderwah Fort and reviewed pace of work on Museum. He also visited Bhaderwah Campus of University and met Rector to know progress on the Campus. He also reviewed development works at Tourist Reception Centre, Teli Garh, Bhaderwah Fort, Yatra base camp at Nalthi and some other places.
Sources said Mr Azad was critical of the executing agencies on the ground that some works were being delayed for a long time as they should have been completed by now or even before.
He also reviewed progress on construction of district hospital complex at Doda comprising OPD, IPD, administrative blocks, blood bank and other facilities, which were estimated to cost ` 26.38 crore. He directed the executing agencies to complete development work by March next. He reviewed progress of sports stadium at Doda and launched new NRHM scheme at SDH Bhaderwah.
Mr Azad, who was accompanied by former Ministers and Congress MLAs from Bhaderwah and Inderwal—Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori and MLC Naresh Gupta, met citizens of Bhaderwah at Dak Bungalow briefly.
Mr Azad had represented Bhaderwah Assembly segment during his two and a half years stint as the Chief Minister. In 2008 Assembly elections, he was elected from Bhaderwah with a record margin but had quit the seat to join national politics once again.
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Chronicle conducts test series for IAS aspirants
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 18: The Civil Services Chronicle Group today conducted test series at S R College of Competitions, Gandhi Nagar here.
The series was part of Chronicle IAS All India mock test series wherein 100 students participated.
It was beginning of over a month-long exercise for Civil Services aspirants, who are going to appear in this year’s Civil Services examinations slated to May 20.
Director of the College, Parveen Sharma said the students will undergo 10 Sectional Tests in addition to two Current Affairs tests.
The series will also have five mock tests each for Paper-I (General Studies) and Paper-II (CSAT) for the target students.
The Sectional Test conducted today was of two hours duration with having a total of 200 marks. The number of questions and negative marking criteria will be identical to one adopted by UPSC.
The Director added that the test series held at the same time and schedule on PAN India level.
The results along with correct answers and their analysis will be displayed at ias100.in or the same could be collected from SR College of Competitions.