Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC), scheduled to meet tomorrow to take up promotion cases of top police officers, has been deferred in view of investiture ceremony of President’s Police Medals at Raj Bhavan. The DPC comprising Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Home Secretary BR Sharma and Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda was scheduled to take promotion of police officers of the rank of IGPs, DIGs and SSPs
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: Several Opposition MLAs today put the Government in the dock over inordinate delay in the execution of road projects under Prime Minister’s Gramin Sadak Yojana (PMGY) and demanded stern action against the delinquent officers. “It is pity that even one or two kilometer long roads have not been completed during the past four years”, Kathua MLA, Charanjit Singh said while pointing towards the written reply given by the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ali Mohd Sagar on behalf of the Minister Incharge Public Works Department, in response to his question..…..
By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 5: Pandemonium gripped the Legislative Assembly during Zero Hour today with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) MLAs storming to the Well of the House for not being allowed to raise the issues concerning the common masses and members of other Opposition parties holding protest on different issues before staging walk-out. There was also a verbal spat between Speaker and PDP MLA Nizamuddin Bhat. As soon as Zero Hour began, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Nagrota, Jugal Kishore raised the issue of Custodian Department property and demanded that the occupants of the property must be given ownership rights.
Excelsior Correspondent
TEHRAN, Mar 5: India and Iran have agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of renewable energy. In a meeting with Mehmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, in Tehran, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy called for an enhancement in bilateral ties and economic cooperation with Iran especially in the field of renewable energy. President Ahmadinejad agreed that the two countries should use their full potential to enhance cooperation and bilateral ties.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Abdullah had a bilateral meeting with the Iranian Energy Minister, Majid Namjou. Mr Namjou called India a leading country in the production of renewable energy. He added that Iran intended to develop renewable energies in cooperation with India. Dr. Abdullah outlined the progress that India had made in generating power through use of renewable energies, especially wind and solar. He also highlighted the progress of India’s National Solar Mission which has resulted in significant increase in installed capacity and an almost 40% fall in costs.
Dr. Abdullah also had bilateral meetings with the Governor-General of Shiraz, Hossein Sadegh Abedin, and Governor-General of Isfahan, Dr. Alireza Zakar Esfahani.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 5: Dr. Mehboob Beg, Member of Parliament, met Governor N N Vohra, at Raj Bhawan, here today. During the meeting, Dr. Beg discussed with the Governor various issues relating to the efficient and timely implementation of various important development and welfare schemes and programmes.
Amrit Malhotra, Chairman, Legislative Council also called on Mr Vohra.
During their meeting, the Governor and Mr. Malhotra discussed various issues relating to securing the rapid socio-economic advancement of the State.
This was Mr. Malhotra’s first meeting with the Governor after being elected as the Chairman of the Legislative Council recently.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tej Partap, Vice Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir, called on Mr Vohra.
During the meeting, the Governor and Dr. Partap reviewed the progress of the various measures being taken by the SKUAST-Kashmir for the advancement of modern practices in agriculture and its allied sectors in the Kashmir and Ladakh regions, particularly in the rain-fed areas.
Dr. Partap also briefed the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the University, about the status of various ongoing research projects and the new species of plant materials developed and released by the University in the recent past.
After the Independence under the Naya Kashmir’s reconstruction program, our state was one of the first among its counterparts in the country to initiate series of people friendly progressive measures.
The formation of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages in 1958 was one such pioneering act that reflected upon the importance to which State held the sphere of culture and seminal role it plays in the lives of citizens. Status & Mandate: One of the few constitutional bodies in the State like Universities and Public Service Commission, the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages was set up by the Government in the year 1958 by proviso to Section 146 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir for a specific purpose of to foster and co-ordinate activities in the spheres of letters and languages, visual and plastic arts, music, dance and drama and of culture generally. It was declared as an autonomous corporate body, vide SRO No-340 of 1963.
Having jurisdiction over the entire State, the Academy combines in itself the functions of: a) Sahitya Akademi (Akademi of Letters)b) Sangeet Natak Akademi (Akademi of Music, Dance & Drama)c) Lalit Kala Akademi (Akademi of Visual and Plastic Arts). Other than its headquarters at Srinagar, which moves to Jammu during winter in camp, it has also set up regional offices at Srinagar and Jammu and sub- offices at Leh, Kargil, Doda and Rajouri.
NEW DELHI, Mar 4: In a maiden honor for India, a senior woman IRS officer has been appointed as the head of the crucial tax transparency unit of global financial body OECD that also formulates combat policies against black money.
Monica Bhatia, a 1990-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, will now head the Secretariat of the global forum on transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes under the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration (CTPA) in the Paris-based body.
The significance of this appointment can be gauged from the fact that India at present is just in an “enhanced engagement” and a peer reviewer at Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and not a full-member of the top world body.
Bhatia, currently working as a director in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), will join her new office in Paris from April 1. Her appointment is seen as an acceptance to India’s efforts of tackling tax crimes and enhancing transparency in exchange of financial information.
“This is the first time that an Indian and also a woman is going to head this crucial body in the OECD. The fact that an Indian official will head the department at a time when India is only a partner and not a member of the global body speaks about the importance of the appointment,” a senior Finance Ministry official said.
“Bhatia will lead this major (transparency and exchange of information) OECD programme put in place in 2009 to advance the transparency agenda. She will have to ensure the quick and effective implementation of the peer review schedule which will soon start focusing on practical aspects of information exchange.”
JAMMU, MARCH 4 – Mrs. Usha Vohra, First Lady, inaugurated the day-long Jammu and Kashmir Police-Public Mela in the presence of Mr. N. N. Vohra, Governor, who was Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony, amidst enthusiasm and fanfare, at the Police Sports Stadium, Gulshan Ground, here this morning. Dr. Indu Koul Khoda, Chairperson, Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association, lady members of the Association and Mr. Kuldeep Khoda, Director General of Police, were prominent among those present on the occasion.
The First Lady lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the commencement of the Mela. The students presented a welcome song on the occasion. Later, the Governor and the Lady Governor, along with the Director General of Police, the Chairperson, Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association, and senior Police officers went around 40 stalls put up in the Mela and evinced keen interest in the items on display, particularly the handicrafts products from Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu regions which are on sale. The Governor and the First Lady interacted with the stall holders and enquired about the various items put up for sale. They also witnessed a composite cultural programme based on folk songs and dances of the three regions of the State.
The Governor and the First Lady also inspected the Raffle Draw prizes displayed on the occasion. The Governor and the Lady Governor were briefed by Mr. Khoda and Dr. Indu Koul Khoda about the aims and objects of the Mela and, besides, the activities of the organization aimed at securing the welfare of Police Parivar, with special emphasis on the next of kin of Police martyrs. Mr. Khoda gave details about the recent enhancements made by the Police organization in regard to various welfare measures. The Governor and Mrs. Vohra appreciated the Association’s initiatives, aimed at securing the larger welfare of Police personnel and their families. The Mela was attended by a large number of people from all walks of life. They showed great enthusiasm in purchasing goods kept for sale at the stalls, food of various kinds and witnessed varied cultural presentations.Among others, the Inaugural Function was attended by Mrs. Khem Lata Wakhloo, Chairperson, State Social Welfare Board, Mr. K. Rajendra Kumar, Dr. Ram Lubhaya, Dr. S. P. Vaid, Mrs. D. R. Doley and Mr. Naveen Agarwal, Additional Directors General of Police, Mr. Dilbag Singh, Mr. A. K. Choudhary, Dr. B. Srinivas, Mr. H. K. Lohia and Mr. Z. H. Chishti, Inspectors General of Police, and other senior serving and retired Police officers.
NEW DELHI, Mar 4: US-based search engine Google Inc, facing a civil lawsuit along with 21 other websites for allegedly hosting objectionable contents on its web posts, has told a Delhi court that the blanket ban and monitoring of material would be against the right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
In a reply, filed before Administrative Civil Judge Parveen Singh, Google Inc said, “Its mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Most services offered by it are premised on sharing of information and knowledge without the exercise of any editorial control or of monitoring by it.”
The US giant is being impleaded as a party in the civil suit filed by Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi through his lawyer Santosh Pandey seeking to restrain it and 21 other websites from posting objectionable contents and removal of existing ones from their web posts.
Seeking to set aside the case against it, the company said that a blanket ban on certain contents from being carried by “platforms” would not be legal, given the fact that the Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Mar 4: Reiterating resolve of his party to restore sustainable peace in Jammu and Kashmir, patron of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that PDP would create conducive atmosphere for the return of migrant Kashmir Pandits to their native places in Kashmir Valley.
“Policies and programmes of PDP are formulated by accommodating wishes and aspirations of all sections of the society”, he said and asserted that party would work assiduously to implement its policy of peace and reconciliation in the State.
Interacting with prominent citizens at Gole Gujaral area of Jammu city, PDP patron said that it was his desire to make Jammu and Kashmir as an island of peace. “I was comfortable in the Congress but we formed PDP with an aim of restoring lasting peace in this region”, he said and sought support of every section of the society to fulfill this dream.
He said that some vested interests have launched vicious campaign against PDP to create misunderstanding. “My political life is an open book. My political life is also crystal clear”, he said.
