Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 29: Ruling National Conference three-time MLA from Kupwara, Saifullah Mir today not only addressed JKLF co-founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat as `Saheb’ but also described Trehgam as historical town of Kupwara district for being birth place of Bhat in the Legislative Assembly.
“I’m not ashamed of calling Trehgam as historical town of Kupwara district for twin reasons. First, it was headquarters of Plebiscite Front of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and second, it was birth place of Mohammad Maqbool Bhat Saheb’’, Mr Mir said when quizzed by PDP MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat as to why he had referred Trehgam as historical town.
MLA Domana, Bharat Bushan was lone voice of dissent to the remarks of Saifullah.
Saifullah Mir was speaking on the Appropriation Bill in the Assembly when he referred to Trehgam as historical town.
PDP MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat interrupted Saifullah Mir and wanted to know that there was no historical significance attached to Trehgam as per his knowledge excepting the fact that it was birth town of Maqbool Bhat.
“He (Mr Bhat) might by accepting that I would say no’’, Saifullah said citing his twin reasons for historical significance of Trehgam.
Mohammad Maqbool Bhat was hanged in Tihar jail of New Delhi on February 11, 1984 for killing of security personnel including a Crime Branch Inspector Amar Chand on September 14, 1966. He was found guilty of killings and sentenced to death. He had escaped from Srinagar prison but was captured in Pakistan. His clemency petition was turned down by the then President Giani Zail Singh as JKLF members had on February 6, 1984 murdered Indian diplomat Ravindra Mhatre in Birmingham, England seeking release of Bhat.

By Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 29: The Government is going to take action against the teachers and the heads of the Government schools which have shown less than 10 per cent result in the Matriculation examination and an inquiry in this regard is being initiated by the Commissioner Secretary Education shortly.
Disclosing this on the floor of the Upper House of J&K Legislature here today, Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, Nwang Rigzin Jora, while responding on behalf of School Education Minister, today said that Government is certainly going to take action against the schools and its staff who have shown less than 10 percent result in the Matriculation examination recently.
Expressing his displeasure and regret in the House of Elders, on the questions raised by PDP Member Murtaza Ahmed Khan and Syed Rafiq Shah from NPP here today, the minister said despite having highly qualified teachers in the Government schools who are getting good salaries, the result has been very poor. Compared to these schools, the private school teachers whose salary is far less, are giving good result. The private school teachers are afraid of losing their job if they will not perform but the Government teachers perhaps are of the notion that they can be placed under suspension and will get their dues after being reinstated. Lack of monitoring by senior officers and heads of the schools is also one of the reasons behind it. He said the directions have gone to the Commissioner /Secretary Education in this regard. An inquiry is being initiated and action will be taken against the teachers/ officers responsible.
Mr Jora disclosed that forty two (42) Winter Zone schools in Kashmir have shown less than 10 percent result during annual Matriculation Examination in 2011. Out of these total 42 schools, 20 of them have given ‘Zero’ per cent result. The things are not very good in Jammu region. A total 108 winter zone schools in Jammu region have given less than 10% result. Out of these 50 schools are in erstwhile Doda (including Ramban & Kishtwar) and 37 schools in Udhampur district. 15 Schools in Doda and 14 schools in Udhampur districts have produced Zero percent result. Over all , 33 winter zone schools in Jammu region have shown Zero percent result. The data provided by the minister indicated that strength of teachers is very high as compared to number of students in many schools in Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag but these institutions have shown dismal picture.
Murataza Khan while reading the figures and names of schools showing zero percent result, opined that names of concerned Directors (SE) be recommended for ‘Bharat Ratna’ award. He strongly demanded that people responsible for such results deserve punishment.
The schools of Jammu region which have shown Zero percent result were Govt High School Maonie, H S Thalala, GHS Pull Doda, H S Thanala, H S Bun Doda, H S Panjsu, H S Manoo, H S Jagota, H S Gurkha, GHS Kilhotran, H S Lohai, H S Banjal, H S Gahan, H S Saranwan, H S Patimahal, H S Keshwan, H S Thumb Ishtiyari,H S Sigdi, GHS Wandmanhasa, H S Gabbar, H S Bagankote,H S Sanglikote, H S Bassan,H S Dhanore, H S Pattian, HSS Balmatkote, H S Charat, H S Joffar, H S Mada, H S Murothi, H S Sewna, HSS Bashat and H S Pattangarh.
The schools of Kashmir region which have shown Zero per cent result included H S Hardpora, H S Balhama, H S Khahmu, H S Najibhat, BHS Draggar, BHS Kachnambal, HSS Kilam, BHS Lamer, BHS Manigah, BHS Haitarah Karnah, BHSS Batpora Magam, H S Bathnoor, GHS Zaindarmohalla Srinagar, GHS Bagwanpora Srinagar, GHS Goswara Srinagar, BHS Harwan Srinagar, BHS Gassi Mohalla Srinagar, BHS Lal Bazar Srinagar and GHS Shalteng Srinagar.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 29: Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone today endorsed demand of some of the MLAs in the Assembly that listing and passing of 14 bills on a single day of Government business on April 4 was not justified.
He was responding to NPP MLA Harshdev Singh and PDP legislator Nizam-ud-Din Bhat’s concern that prime task of the legislators was to make legislation and it wouldn’t be fit to debate and pass 14 bills in just one day.
“The House is called the Legislative Assembly. Our prime task is to make legislation. What kind of justification the legislators would do if the Government asked them to debate and pass 14 bills in one day’’? Harshdev Singh asked.
Nizam-ud-Din Bhat was also of the similar views.
Asserting that he too was of the opinion that more time should be kept for making legislations, the Speaker asked Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather to share concern of the MLAs and come out with the Government response on feelings of the MLAs tomorrow.
Mr Rather without giving a categoric assurance for extending the budget session, which was scheduled to conclude on April 4 (the last day of Government business when 14 bills have been listed for passing) said if some bills were left the House can be extended on that days for one or two sittings.
“There was no problem in extending sittings but a decision can be taken on that day only’’, Mr Rather said.
Nizam-ud-Din Bhat said it would create an uncertainty among the legislators as to whether the bills would be passed on one day or the session would be extended unless the Government first announced more days for passing the bills.
The Speaker asked Mr Rather to take up the matter with his colleagues and take a decision. He said there was no harm if the session was extended for one day.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 29 : In a significant direction, the Ethics Committee of the Legislative Assembly has suggested some measures to the legislators to improve their image in the society including putting assets of the legislators on website for information of general public.
Headed by Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, MLA Jammu City West, the Committee observed: “it is the responsibility of political parties to prevent persons having criminal record from entering into politics and urged upon them to regulate the conduct of their members. It called for taking concrete measures for minimizing the role of money in the elections. The Committee submitted its report today in which it asked the legislators to develop moral values and decency to improve their image.
It laid stress on improving the image of politicians as some of them were implicated/involved in the corruption charges, which tarnish their image in the society as a whole.
The Ethics Committee stated that since Legislature was an important pillar of system “it was duty of every legislator to show transparency in their working”.
Asking the members to develop moral values, the Committee observed that morality or ethnics obviously starts from the school level.
“The morning prayers was one of such norm which boosts ethics in the schools which has been ignored nowadays and the children being the future representatives of the country could guide the society in a better way”, the Committee said.
It suggested election reforms to check criminalization of politics. It called for putting assets of the legislators on website for information of the general public.
The Committee also suggested that members should declare their assets, liabilities and those of their family members and put them in public view on website.
The Ethics Committee of the Assembly comprised 13 members of all political parties. The Ethics Committee is headed by Chaman Lal Gupta, who was expelled from the BJP on the charges of cross voting during the Legislative Council elections held on April 13 last year.
Meanwhile, the Committee of Public Accounts of the Assembly has observed that the Social Welfare Department has failed to implement properly the schemes formulated to provide nutrition to the children belonging to the poor families.
In its report tabled on the floor of the Assembly, the Committee pointed out that despite releasing less then projected allocation, the Department could not utilize/spend even the same which proved its inefficiency and the responsible officers should be taken to task.
The report mentioned that the Committee had asked Directors Social Welfare-both from Jammu and Kashmir regions, to appraise it about the total number of Anganwari Centres, allocation and expenditure on the nutrition but they could not provide the proper figures before the Committee.
Taking cognizance, the Committee observed that though the government was not in a position to provide the projected allocation due to certain reasons yet the released amount could not be spent by the Department resulting thereby in lapse of huge amount in every financial year since 2008-09.
“Such a tendency deprives the deserving poor children from the nutrition”, the Committee observed and added that Director Social Welfare Kashmir, has, however, told the Committee that balance amount has been sent to the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) concerned for revalidation. The Committee has also directed the Department to furnish the breakup of the funds sent for revalidation to the DCs in the next meeting.
The Committee observed that it was prime responsibility of the Department to suggest ways and means for utilization of available funds and address the difficulties they are facing on this account.
Regarding 1700 cases of Anganwari workers pending disposal in the court of law, as stated by the department, the Committee directed the officers concerned to apprise the modus operandi adopted by them to settle these cases and to furnish the breakup of the cases along with the amount spent on litigation as of now.
It was also stated in the report that the Department could not satisfy the Committee regarding the item wise questionnaire sent by the Assembly Secretariat.

NEW DELHI, Mar 29:
The war of attrition between the Army Chief and Government showed no signs of abating with Gen V K Singh describing as “high treason” the leak of his letter on defence preparedness and the Government promising that those responsible would be given “maximum punishment”.
As Gen Singh’s March 12 letter to Prime Minister in which he had complained about lack of defence preparedness continued to generate controversy, he issued a strongly worded statement in which he said the source of leak should be dealt with “ruthlessly”.
In a brief statement released by Army Headquarters, Gen Singh, who is currently in Jammu and Kashmir, said his official communication with the Prime Minister and Defence Minister is “privileged” communication.
“The leakage of the letter should be treated as high treason. Cynical approach to tarnish my reputation should stop. Sources of the leakage should be found and dealt with ruthlessly,” said Singh, who is due to retire on May 31.
At a press conference in Delhi, Defence Minister A K Antony vowed to take the “strongest action” under laws against those responsible for the leak of Gen Singh’s letter to the Prime Minister.
He disclosed that the Intelligence Bureau has been asked to go into the leak of the letter and said the Government will get to the root of it and find out the persons behind the “anti-national” act.
Maintaining that no patriotic Indian would indulge in leak of sensitive communication because it would only help the enemies, Antony said the report will be available at the earliest.
“I assure you that we will not leave it there. We will make every possible attempt to find out the real culprits who have done this anti-national activity and they will be given the maximum punishment under the Indian Penal Code,” he said.
Asked whether Government would take action on demands for removal of Gen Singh, the Minister said, “all the three service chiefs still enjoy the confidence of the Government. They are working…Otherwise, how can they continue”.
He was asked whether Gen Singh still enjoyed the Government’s pleasure and confidence and whether the government would continue to “grin and bear” him till retirement in May or ask him to go on leave following a spate of controversies surrounding him.
The Minister’s remarks on the confidence in the service chiefs came moments after a statement issued by Gen Singh from Jammu that the leak of his letter should be treated as “high treason” and its source should be dealt with “ruthlessly”.
Ever since he lost the battle over the age issue, Gen Singh has been at loggerheads with the Government and has given media interviews claiming he was offered a bribe of Rs 14 crore to swing a substandard defence deal.
On top of acrimony over the issue, the leak of his secret letter to the Prime Minister enraged parliamentarians and political parties, some of whom demanded his removal.
Today, in yet another embarrassment to the Government, a Delhi newspaper carried a story that Gen Singh has referred to the CBI a corruption complaint of a Trinamool Congress MP against Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who commands the Dimpaur-based 3 Corps and is in line to be Army Chief after Singh’s successor.
Initially Antony sought to parry questions on the controversies surrounding the Army chief urging journalists not to bring Army into all controversies and damage institutions.
Asked if he felt a sense of betrayal, Antony said he would not reveal his personal feelings and his judgements would be on the basis on facts. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 29: State Cabinet, which is meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah tomorrow afternoon, is likely to accord approval to the infusion of Rs 203 crore in two cooperative banks to bail them out of financial crisis, which is imperative to obtain license from the Reserve Bank of India.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that due to mismanagement in terms of manpower planning, indiscriminate branch opening resulting in increased establishment expenses without corresponding increase in business operations, poor recovery, the Jammu Central Cooperative Bank (JCCB) is suffering loss of Rs 120 crore and Anantnag Cooperative Bank Rs 77 crore.
“While the JCCB is suffering 10.88 per cent erosion of deposits, the Anantnag Cooperative Bank is having erosion of 45.93 per cent”, sources said, adding “these banks can never manage their own share as the scenario of further losses continues even now”.
“Keeping in view the prevailing situation in these banks and all other aspects, the Cooperative Department is seeking the approval of the Cabinet for infusion of Rs 203 crore so as to meet the requirement of getting the license for these banks from the Reserve Bank of India, which has been made mandatory”, sources said.
They informed that Cabinet will also accord approval to approach the Reserve Bank of India for granting a time of one year to work upon a road map and for meeting the requirement of Rs 203.09 crore from a combination of plan/ non-plan resources, market borrowing and other avenues including institutional financing in case the prescribed amount is not readily made available.
It will also consider and take decision regarding roping in Advocate General/ Vigilance Commissioner and professionals of RBI/NABARD for protecting these institutions from litigation and focus on future working, probe into periodical mismanagement, misappropriation, involvement and role of the department up to Apex Level, sources said.
Sources informed that Cabinet will also consider the proposal of the Home Department regarding amendment in the Code of Criminal Procedure. “If approved, the Home Department will place an amendment bill in the ongoing session of the State Legislature for its nod”, sources said.
They said that the amendments in the Code of Criminal Procedure are being affected keeping in view the directions of the Supreme Court issued vide Order dated February 11, 2011 in the case titled Laxmi versus Union of India.
The Cabinet will also consider the proposals regarding the transfer of forest land for non-forestry purposes. Sources didn’t rule out the possibility of minor changes in the civil administration.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 29: The Government would set up Nursing Registration Council to train nursing professionals in the State as per international standards.
Medical Education Minister RS Chib introduced a bill seeking to set up Jammu and Kashmir Nursing Council for registration and better training of nursing and allied courses in the State today in the Legislative Assembly.
“The bill after its enactment would generate some resources for the Council by charging registration fee from the institutions and persons to be registered under the Act by the Council, which would remain with the Council under a separate fund to be operated upon by designated officer with approval of Financial Committee as per bye-laws’’, Mr Chib said in his introductory statement to the bill.
He said there would be no direct financial implications involved in setting up of the Council as its all officials/officers would be in-service staff working for the State Government.
The Council will provide registration and better training to Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors in the State.
The Principal, Government Medical College, Jammu/Srinagar will be ex-officio president of the Council by rotation for a period of two years.
The Principal, Government Dental College, Jammu/Srinagar, Director Health Services Jammu/Kashmir and a representative of SKIMS (to be nominated by the Government), would be Members of the Council while three Principals of existing Government Nursing Colleges/Institutes i.e. AMT School, Jammu, AMT School, Srinagar and College of Nursing SKIMS, Srinagar would be ex-officio members.
Representatives of GMC, Jammu/Srinagar not below the rank of Assistant Professor, Matron of two major hospitals of the State i.e. SMHS, Srinagar and GMC Jammu, two auxiliary Nurse, Midwives, two female multi purpose health workers, representatives of the Administrative Department not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to Government, two representatives of private paramedical/nursing institutes (one from each division) and two representatives of associations of nursing/paramedical (one from each division) would be members of the Council to be nominated by the Government.
“Nursing profession has wide scope at national and international levels. To promote Nursing Professionals of national and international standards in the State, there is need to upgrade the standards of nursing education. To maintain this standard, enactment of a law on nursing education will meet the present day requirements’’, Mr Chib said.
He added that since the enactment of existing law dated 50 years back, there have been considerable changes in the field of nursing education, which has made it expedient to provide an up-to-date law on the subject by repealing the Jammu and Kashmir Nurses, Midwives, and Health Visitors Registration Act, 1956.
In fact, the Medical Education Minister said, there is no Nursing Council existing for registration of the Institutes, imparting training in the nursing education and for the nursing professionals. The Institutes were getting affiliated with outside the State Nursing Councils especially Punjab Nursing Council, which has now shown its reluctance in granting affiliation to the Nursing Institutes of J&K, he noted.
Mr Chib said the fresh law was imperatives to have an up-to-date State Act on the pattern of the Central Act to have State’s own Nursing Council.
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla today also introduced a bill in the Legislative Assembly seeking to regulate residential and commercial tenancy matters and balance the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. It would provide for fast adjudication process for resolution of disputes.
In his statement attached to the bill, Mr Bhalla said the Economic Administrative Reforms Commission and National Commission on Urbanisation have recommended reforms of the rent legislation in a way that balanced interests of both landlord and tenant and which may also stimulate future construction.
He said the draft bill was also aimed at establishing a framework for regulation of tenancy matters to provide fast adjudication resolution process of disputes between the parties.
“The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, has formulated a Model Residential Tenancy Act, 2011 and has recommended to the State Governments to undertake amendments to the existing rent control laws or enact a new law on the basis of the model law of the Union Government’’, the Revenue Minister said.
Mr Bhalla added that it was considered necessary and expedient to bring about a new legislation in the State for regulation of rent both for residential and commercial tenancies in the spirit of modern economy to meet requirements of the State from perspective of the reforms under JNNURM.
“The draft legislation has been prepared largely in consonance with the model legislation of the Government of India in a manner more suited to the State, which would deal with both residential and commercial tenancies in the State. The new legislation would replace existing Jammu and Kashmir, Houses and Shops Rent Control Act, 1966’’, Mr Bhalla said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Forest, Environment and Pollution Control, Mian Altaf also introduced in the Legislative Assembly a Bill to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Non-Bio Degradable Material (Management, Handling and Disposal) Act, 2007.
In his statement to the bill, Mr Altaf said that the Jammu and Kashmir State Non-Bio Degradable Material (Management, Handling and Disposal)Act, 2007 was enacted to prohibit and regulate handling and disposal of non-bio degradable material in the State.
“Over the past two years or so, the implementation and enforcing agencies have experienced some administrative and practical difficulties in implementing/enforcing the provisions of the Act’’, he pointed out.
Mr Altaf said ways and means to remove these difficulties have been thoroughly examined in consultation with the concerned agencies. Taking into account the views expressed by these agencies, coupled with the experiences, the State Pollution Control Board has in enforcing the provisions of law, it is proposed to amend certain provisions of the Act to remove such difficulties and for better implementation of the provisions of the Act, he added.

By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 29: At a time when political pressure is being mounted on the Union Government for dismissal of the Army Chief over his letter to the Prime Minister on shortcomings in defence preparedness, chief of the prestigious Northern Command, Lt Gen K T Parnaik, today came to the support of General V K Singh stating that there must be ‘substance’ behind the findings of Army Chief about the defence preparedness.
In an informal chat with the media-persons on the sidelines of national seminar on “Afghanistan Dynamics: Impact on Regional and International Strategic Environment” organized jointly by the White Knight Corps and University of Jammu at Zorawar Singh Auditorium this evening, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, Lt Gen Parnaik, said, “there must be some substance behind Army chief’s observations made in the letter to the Prime Minister on defence preparedness”.
About the impact of chinks in the armour on the situation in J&K, the GOC-in-C said, “there is nothing to worry. The Northern Command is fully prepared to take on any challenge. Our troops are effectively guarding the borders with the Pakistan and China”.
It is pertinent to mention here that Army chief, General V K Singh, in his leaked letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on country’s defence preparedness, has revealed gapping holes in the country’s armour mentioning that tank fleet lacks ammunition, air defence are 97 per cent obsolete and that the elite forces lack essential arms.
Earlier, while delivering inaugural address during the first session of the national seminar, Lt General Balbir Pama, Chief of the Staff, Northern Command, dwelt in detail as to how the Pakistan sponsored radical group—Taliban took control of land-locked country, adding “this was the strategy of Pakistan to have assured strategic depth against India”.
“Though after Al-Qaeda attack on World Trade Centre US led forces toppled Taliban and took control of Afghanistan yet after US diverted its attention and resources to Iraq, Taliban organized themselves into a formidable resistance with the assistance of Pakistan that continues to give them safe havens even today”, the Chief of the Staff said.
About the enduring stability in the Afghanistan, Lt Gen Pama said, “factionalism, drug abuse, desertion and weak civilian administration are some of the security challenges that Afghanistan is facing. The influence of Taliban and the risk of subversion are also very real”, adding “since Afghan National Army and Police with a strength of over 350,000 personnel require USD 7 billion per annum for mere sustenance and US cannot fund this indefinitely, the key to achieving enduring stability and security lies in a vibrant and strong economy of Afghanistan”.
“As the US has already announced its exit strategy whereby 30,000 troops that had surged into Afghanistan will be going back by summer of current year, the next year is going to be very critical for the outcome of secure and stable Afghanistan”, Lt Gen Pama said.
About the impact of Afghanistan situation on J&K, he said, “the situation in instable country has a direct bearing on the insurgency in Kashmir as such we need to monitor the situation very carefully and be ready to take whatever actions are necessary to defend our country”.
Renowned strategic analyst and former Ambassador to several countries, K C Singh, in his key note address, said, “the war in Afghanistan is longest ever fought by US in history. It is costing an expenditure of 8-9 billion dollar per month to US and total expenditure incurred on Iraq-Afghan war since 2001 is to the tune of 2 trillion US dollar”.
Stating that US has dumped Afghan-Pak region every time, he said, “this time withdrawal of US from Afghanistan will depend upon the outcome of elections in US. The re-election of Obama will provide greater flexibility to Government to take strong military action”.
He also elaborated on the role required to be played by India and China to improve situation in Afghanistan.
Earlier, Prof M P Singh Ishar, Vice-Chancellor of University of Jammu, delivered presidential address while as welcome address was delivered by Dr Mohd Monir Alam, Director Department of Strategic and Regional Studies, University of Jammu. Maj Gen, M Ramesh Babu, GOC CIF (D) presented vote of thanks