Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 24: HDFC Bank and US-headquarterd Wells Fargo have joined hands to enable NRIs in the United States to quickly remit money to their beneficiary’s HDFC Bank saving accounts in India.
The new service will significantly enhance remittance opportunities to India as Wells Fargo has one of the largest number of banking locations among US Banks and HDFC Bank has over 2500 branches in India, a country that has a large number of NRIs based in US.
Executive vice-president and head of Wells Fargo’s Global Remittances Services said, “India has one of the highest remittance volumes in the world according to World Bank, which is also evident by high customer demand as well”, adding that they are glad that they can make payout locations even more conveniently now by working with HDFC Bank.
“While we are a major player in the Gulf-India remittance market, this alliance will help us consolidate in the US-India sector which has been growing exponentially. Given our reach and the web-based nature of the service, this will allow people to send money back home in one of the safest and fastest possible ways”, said Harish Chander, Executive Director, HDFC Bank.
Remittances to HDFC Bank are denominated in Indian Rupees. Once a customer sets up his ExpressSend agreement and the beneficiary account information is verified with HDFC Bank, the customer needs to conduct his first transaction at a Wells Fargo branch. Subsequent transactions can be conducted through Wells Fargo.com, or via Wells Fargo Phone Bank.
Funds are sent to HDFC Bank quickly for credit during HDFC Bank’s local processing hours from Monday to Saturday excluding Indian holidays.

Mamta Joshi’s Rabindra Sangeet recital leaves audience spellbound
Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr: 24 Under the special scheme of J&K Cultural Academy, three monographs on well known personalities of Duggar were released by Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Tourism and Culture, at the K L Saigal Hall, here today.
The monographs on life and works of Prof Shiv Nirmohi, Dev Dass and late Durga Dass have been penned down by Prakash Premi, late Ashok Jerath and Sita Ram Sapolia.
Critical papers on these monographs were also read by Nirmal Vinod, N D Jamwal and Bishan Singh Dardi on the occasion.
Earlier in her welcome remarks Academy’s additional secretary, Savita
Bakshi threw light on the importance of Academy’s monograph scheme.
The release function was presided over by Prof. Ved Kumari Ghai who welcomed the publications on personalities relating to fields like painting, poetry and History and culture. She also recounted their respective contributions in respective spheres.
Coalescing two programs, Academy’s K.L. Saigal Hall also provided the perfect stage, for the recital of Rabindra Sangeet this evening.
Noted Sufi singers Dr. Mamta Joshi, from Chandigarh, as part of her ten assigned programs of Gurudev’s music in different parts of the north India, gave a gripping recital of Rabindra Sangeet. The local singers who also sang in the program included Tsewang Dorjey, Vishal Gupta, and Aastha Raina.
The artistes giving accompaniment included Sunil Sharma, Joginder Paul, Vikas Nagar, Chetan Joshi, Deepak and Puneet.
The chief guest, minister for tourism and culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora praised the Academy for holding events like Rabindra Sangeet, saying such events helped people appreciate the richness of Indian music.
The audience appreciated all the songs with perfectly timed applause, music for which was besides other dignitaries, commissioner secretary tourism and culture and secretary Academy, Atal Dulloo was also present on the occasion. Additional secretaries of Academy, Shamima Akhter and Dr. Arvinder Singh Amn were also present on the occasion. The program proceedings were conducted by well-known broadcaster Ravi Kant.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 24: A meeting of provincial committee of J&K United School Teachers Association (USTA) held here under the chairmanship of its president, Hari Singh, discussed various problems being faced by the teaching community.
Speaking in the meeting, president of the Association appealed the authorities at the helm of affairs to discharge all teachers from non-academic duties. He urged the authorities to adjust all the teachers who were appointed by SSRB recently and also demanded selection grade in favour of trained under-graduate teachers, which is pending since long.
Other demands highlighted in the meeting included DPC of masters, lecturers and fourth class employees, regularisation of headmasters and lecturers, removal of disparity in grade of under-graduate teachers created by SRO 225, bringing back the masters who are working out of their districts and have completed their tenure to their respective districts, enhancement of honorarium of ReT teachers and release DA installment arrears in favour of ReT teachers regularized after January 1, 2010 and a transfer policy for them.
The members appealed the authorities to concede the demands at an earliest otherwise Association would be forced to resort to agitation.

Excelsior Correspondent
PADDAR, Apr 24:The residents of village Dhundi, District Kishtwar, today flayed the Government for its claims to have provided primary and middle schools to each and every nook of the State under SSA norms of 1km and 3km respectively but the ground reality contradicts its claims as the village Dhundi is still without a middle school.
Addressing a gathering, Panchayat, Halqa Gulabgarh, Panch Dheer Singh, said ” The Government Primary School Dhundi was established in 1968 and has at present about 100 students with feeding primary schools at Sanyas, whereas middle schools are at a distance of about five kilometer due to which the students of this institution face tremendous hardships after passing 5th class. The tender aged students have to pass dense forests and deep nallahs and cross rivers to reach the middle schools.”
Chemail Singh, a resident of the village said, “The poverty stricken people of this far-flung area and most difficult hilly terrain do not send their wards to school after 5th due to fear.”
He said on one hand Government has made right to education a fundamental right and on the other hand there is gross denial of this very right to the students of this backward area.
The residents of the village urged the Government to upgrade the school as the school fulfills each and every ingredient for its upgradation.

Shri Amarnath Yatra
Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 24: Governor N.N. Vohra, discussed the required arrangements for the ensuing Shri Amarnathji Yatra at a meeting held at Raj Bhavan here last evening.
The Governor was briefed by Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, and Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, regarding the current status of snow melt at Baltal and Chandanwari and the action being taken for clearing the tracks of the frozen snows and timely putting in place all the Yatra related arrangements at the Base Camps at Baltal and Nunwan, Camps enroute and in the Holy Cave area. He also reviewed the preparations for construction of Entry Gates at the Base Camps at Baltal and Chandanwari.
During the meeting, all Yatra related arrangements, proposed to be made on the Chandanwari and Baltal routes by the C.E.O., Pahalgam Development Authority, various concerned Departments including Tourism, PHE, PDD, CAPD, Health, Labour and Animal Husbandry were discussed at length and the required decisions were taken.
Referring to the implementation of the sector-wise recommendations of High Level Committee which related to the District Administration, the Governor, who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, emphasized that the required action on the ground must be completed timely to ensure the availability of the required arrangements.
Particularly reviewing the Health related arrangements, the Governor instructed the CEO to timely co-ordinate with the Health Department and District Administration for provision of all required measures such as placing experienced and qualified Doctors at identified locations/Camps, positioning of ambulances at Chandanwari and Baltal and provision of hard bed stretchers and oxygen cylinders in the Yatra area. He also gave instructions regarding proper arrangements being made for evacuation of seriously sick pilgrims and in the event of any pilgrim losing life, there should be satisfactory arrangements for conduct of post mortem and issuance of Death Certificate.
Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor and Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Kifayat Hussain Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag; Showkat Ahmad Mir, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal; Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO of the Board; Mir Altaf Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority, and K.G. Bamba, General Manager (Works), Shrine Board, were among those who participated in the meeting.

Excelsior Correspondent

MENDHAR, Apr 24: In a most heinous and barbaric act, a young housewife was tied with ropes from hands and legs and then burnt alive by pouring kerosene oil at village Sagra in Balnoi area of tehsil Mendhar in district Poonch last night.
The deceased is 22-year-old, Tazeem Kouser, wife of Ghulam Rasool of Sagra (Balnoi) and daughter of Mohd Bashir of village Langiot (Balakote). Her husband, is said to be in Saudi Arabia for the last more than four months. She was married to Rasool about two years back. Rasool was already married and earlier working as private security man in Mumbai. He had solemnized marriage there in Mumbai over six years back and had two children, however, Tazeem was still issueless.
The semi-charred body of the deceased was found lying in the backward of in-laws’ house in the cattle shed when father and mother of the girl (Tazeem) came to take her along after coming to know about the torture and victimization of their daughter. Her father in-law Mohd Shafi and other family members claimed that their daughter-in-law was missing since last night and was not traceable. However, sensing some trouble and after through search of the premises, they were shocked to see the semi-charred body of their daughter. It had been covered and perhaps they could not find time to dispose it off. Her legs and hands were tied with thick rope which had also partially burnt.
The parents raised alarm and many people of the area gathered there. Matter was reported to police. SDPO Mendhar Parbheet Singh and SHO Barkat Qureshi reached the spot. The body was shifted to Mendhar hospital. A Medical Board constituted by SDM conducted postmortem. The police detained four members of the in-laws family besides the father of first wife of Ghulam Rassol, who had come to Mendhar from Mumbai 2-3 days back. A case under Section 174 CrPC has been registered by Mendhar police.
It was learnt that parents of Ajmeri Bano, first wife of Ghulam Rassol had come to the house of their son-in law at Mendhar for the last 2-3days. Some pressure was being built up on the parents of second wife to take their daughter back home. Moreover, Tazeem was also being tortured and victimized for the last some time. The parents of the deceased girl had agreed to take their daughter back home. But when they arrived there they found the charred body of their daughter. The police investigation was in progress. Ajmeri’s father Abdul Jabbar of Mina Road, East Mumbai, Mohd Shafi- Ghulam Rasool’s father, his uncle Mohd Lateif and mother- in -law of the deceased have been detained.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 24: The Director General of Police (DGP), Kuldeep Khoda today underscored the importance of armed police in dealing with the emergent situations and maintaining law and order in the State and stressed for better synergy among all ranks.
Addressing the participants after inaugurating 2-day 10th Commandants Conference of Jammu and Kashmir Armed/IRP Battalions at Armed Police Headquarters here this morning, he said the policing has been demanding changes in view of the new challenges posed by the criminals and anti-social elements.
Mr. Khoda expressed his satisfaction over the working of Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police in day-to-day policing and said that JKAP is backbone of the Police Organization and its jawans and officers have demonstrated great professionalism, discipline and valour in maintaining peace and saving life and property of the people. He said that the force has offered many sacrifices for the integrity of the State and the nation will always remember these martyrs.
Elaborating the achievements of the force on various fronts, the DGP said that better supervision and inspection by the supervisory officers would improve the working and performance. Encouragement and rewards for the performers, speedy disposal of departmental enquiries would also help in yielding the desired results, he added.
Referring to the measures taken with regard to trainings and logistics, Mr. Khoda said that the department has taken many initiatives to sharpen the training skills of its men. “Latest equipments have been introduced in the force to tackle any emerging situation and all Police Training Institutions across the State have been imparting trainings with new techniques to face the challenges” he ascertained . He said with the introduction of latest methods of investigation, the force will be able to crack and curb the activities of the elements inimical to peace.
Spelling out the issues of police welfare, infrastructure, building, mobility and training, to be discussed in the Conference, Mr. Khoda said that there was an urgent need to re-orient the force at all levels. Infrastructure has been strengthened across the state to provide better living and working facilities to the jawans and officers. He stressed for early land acquisition so that the battalions are fully accommodated.
Emphasising that better coordination at all levels would help to provide better policing to the public which they expect from the “men in Khaki”, he said that the suggestions and recommendations putforth by the delegates would be considered for follow up action at PHQ level.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Armed/Law and Order, K. Rajendra Kumar gave a detailed power point presentation on the agenda points, aims and objective for conducting the annual Conference. He said that the Conference will deliberate and discuss various aspects of functioning of Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police and formulate a comprehensive policy to enhance the performance of the force.
On the first day of the Conference, presentations were made by several speakers on different topics which include “changing scenario-police reforms” by IGP, Rauf-ul-Hassan, “significance of effective supervision at battalion level” by Dr. K. K. Saini, “role of police in disaster management” by T. Namgiyal, “introduction of non-lethal weapons and their use in dealing with law and order situations” by K. L. Baghat and “functioning of armed police” by Johnny William.
Among other, the Conference was attended by ADGPs, Dr. Ram Lubhaya and Dr. S. P. Vaid, IGPs, Dilbag Singh, Z. H. Chisti, Dr. B. Srinivas, A. K. Choudhary and G. S. Salathia, DIGS, Mr. Yoginder Koul, Alok Puri, A. Q. Manhas, Danish Rana, A. S. Bali, P. R. Manhas, Garib Dass, and G. A. Dar, all Commandants of armed and IRP battalions and other police officers.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 24: Describing as misleading the observation made by Minister for Rural Development, Panchayats and Law, Ali Mohammed Sagar that 73rd, 74th Amendments of Indian Constitution were not applicable to the State because of Article-370, the BJP State chief spokesperson Dr Jitendra Singh said that the minister ought to know that notwithstanding Article-370, these amendments are extendable to State of Jammu and Kashmir much in the same way as around 200 provisions of Indian Constitution are already applicable here.
Talking to reporters here today along with party general secretary, Sat Sharma (CA) and press secretary, Balbir Ram, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the only requirement is that it has to be adopted by the State Legislature and incidentally barring National Conference, all other parties are in its favour. While the Congress has these amendments in its manifesto, the PDP has also supported such empowerment of local bodies, he reminded.
The spirit of these amendments is that every local body should be able to function with same independence as a State Assembly, he explained and added that after 73rd and 74th amendments all the Central grants come directly to the elected representatives in Panchayats and Municipal Bodies with no interference from council of ministers and the audit of these funds is to be done by a committee appointed directly by the Governor of the State.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that while Article-243-ZD provides for creations of district level planning committees, Article-243-ZE provides that for metropolitan areas.
He said by opposing 73rd and 74th amendments, the ruling party had exposed itself to accusation that it wanted to leave scope open for misappropriation of over 300 crore of Central grant that will be available in the name of local bodies.
Making a strong plea for implementation of 74th amendment before holding Municipal Body Election, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the NC, which was opposing it found nothing wrong in demanding autonomy for itself but was opposed to autonomy for local bodies. He said any political party or leader opposing the 73rd, 74th amendments is in fact opposed to basic democratic values for personal or vested interests.