Raha brushes aside Chinese reaction to Agni-V launch

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JAMMU THURSDAY | DECEMBER 29 2016 | VOL. 31 | NO. 358 | REGD. NO. : JM/JK 118/15 /17 | E-mail : [email protected] |epaper.glimpsesoffuture.com

Glimpses of FuturePrice ̀ 2.00 Pages : 12

www.glimpsesoffuture.com

Power shutdownJAMMU DECEMBER 28

The power supply to JammuUniversity Campus fed from 11 KVRC-2 feeder shall remain affected

See Power on page 11

Vigilance books PDDofficials of Kathua,Rajouri & PoonchJammu, Dec 28:

The sleuths of vigilance todaybooked officials of PowerDevelopment Department (PDD) inKathua, Rajouri and Poonch for

See vigilance on page 11

Girl writing examfor mother held inRajouri SchoolJammu, Dec 28:

A teenager girl was today ar-rested when she as writing an exam-ination for her mother in a

See Girl on page 11

Unidentified cyclistknocked to deathJammu, Dec 28:

An unidentified person was to-day knocked to death in TalabTillo.Police said that unidentifiedcyclist was riding along the

See Unidentified on page 11

Cabinet approves draftof Governor's addressJAMMU, DECEMBER 28:

The State Cabinet which methere today under the chairmanshipof Chief Minister, Ms MehboobaMufti approved the draft of the ad-dress, to be delivered by Governor,Mr N N Vohra, to the joint sitting ofthe State legislature on 2ndJanuary, 2017.

PERSONALLY MONITORING

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INDIAN HOCKEY

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AIR STRIKES KILL 22 civilians in eastern Syria,

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nation, 7P sports, 9P world, 8P

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28:

Chief Minister, MehboobaMufti today asked for updatingthe data base of people affectedby the violence of past almostthree decades in the State sothat some concrete steps fortheir complete integration intothe social set up are facilitated.Chairing the 7th GoverningCouncil meeting of J&KRehabilitation Council here to-day, the Chief Minister saidspecial programmes should bethought of for the rehabilita-tion and integration of thesepoor victims into the socialmainstream of the State. Shesaid concrete interventionsare needed for the proper andcomplete rehabilitation ofwomen and children, particu-larly in education, health and

psychological spheres.Minister for Social Welfare,Sajad Ghani Lone was alsopresent in the meeting.Mehbooba Mufti said theGovernment has the moral re-sponsibility of reaching out toevery single victim of violencein the State, no matter thesource of it. She asked the offi-

cers to factor in the needs andrequirements of these victimswhile framing policies andschemes for the general public.The meeting decided to furtherfine tune the number of wid-ows, orphans and parents ofkilled persons in the State sothat an actual and updatednumber of such victims is

available for their rehabilita-tion. It also decided that theAction plan for the Councilwould henceforth be finalisedin March every year so that theassistances could be disbursedfrom April onwards. The meet-ing also decided to enhance theone time marriage assistanceto young widows and grown-

up daughters to Rs. 40, 000 percase. The meeting also askedthe Council to pursue the vari-ous funding patterns availablein the Central Government forthe benefit of victims of vio-lence in the State. Also presentin the meeting were ChiefSecretary, B. R. Sharma;Financial Commissioner,Planning & Development, B. B.Vyas; Principal Secretary,Home, R. K. Goyal;Commissioner-Secretary,Finance, Navin Chaudhary,Director, National Foundationfor Communal Harmony;Executive Director, J&KRehabilitation Council,Tazayun Mukhtar; officersfrom the Central Government;representatives of various so-cial organisations and mem-bers of the Governing Council.

New Delhi, Dec 28 (PTI)

Blackmoney holderskeen to avail of the new taxevasion amnesty scheme willhave to first deposit 49.9 percent tax and park a quarter oftheir unaccounted cash in ze-ro-interest deposit before be-ing able to apply for it. ThePradhan Mantri GaribKalyan Yojana, 2016, whichprovides last chance to hold-ers of undisclosed income inthe form of old 500 and 1,000rupee notes to come clean,will not be applicable to anyperson facing prosecution forcorruption, holding benamiproperty, money laundering,violation of foreign exchangeor drug trafficking. In a clari-fication on Provisions of theTaxation and InvestmentRegime for PMGKY, CBDT

said the scheme will not be ap-plicable to anyone facingcharges under the ForeignBlackmoney Act. "The provi-sions of this scheme shall notapply in relation to any per-son in respect of whom an or-der of detention has beenmade under the Conservationof Foreign Exchange andPrevention of SmugglingActivities Act, 1974," it said.This is also not applicable tocases of detention orders inrelation to prosecution forany offence punishable underthe Narcotic Drugs andPsychotropic Substance Act,1985, the Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, 1967, thePrevention of CorruptionAct, 1988, the Prohibition ofBenami PropertyTransaction Act, 1988 and thePrevention of Money-

Laundering Act, 2002.Additionally, the provisionswill not cover "any person no-tified under Section 3 of theSpecial Court (Trial ofOffences Relating toTransactions in Securities)Act, 1992". CBDT promisedthat the content of the decla-rations made shall not be ad-missible as evidence againstthe declarant under any Actother than the exceptions list-ed above. IT said that uponmaking a valid declaration,the amount of undisclosed in-come declared will not be in-cluded in the total income ofthe declarant under theIncome Tax Act for any as-sessment year. "A declara-tion shall be void and shall bedeemed never to have beenmade where a declaration has

See Proof on page 11

Mehbooba pitches for proper rehabilitation,social integration of violence victims in JK

Proof of tax paid, 4-yr moneylock-in must to avail of PMGKY


Brushing aside Chinesereaction on the test fir-ing of long-range nu-

clear capable missile Agni-V,IAF chief Air Chief MarshalArup Raha today said Indiashould carry on with its task ofbuilding deterrence capabili-ty. In an apparent swipe atChina, he said one should nottalk about someone else doingsomething unless it is prohib-ited like nuclear proliferationand went on to add that it is"common knowledge" as towhat is happening in this re-gion "in terms of collusion,transfer of technology whichis forbidden". Underlining

that India is only building upits deterrence capability,Raha, who is also the

Chairman Chief of StaffCommittee, said the countrywill have to build its capability

"in order to strike deep into ad-versary's heartland" whichwill act as a deterrent. TheAgni V missile, with an over5000 km range, covers the en-tire China. Reacting to themissile test-firing, ChineseForeign Ministry had yester-day hoped that it compliedwith UN Security Councilrules and safeguarded SouthAsia's strategic balance. "Ithink in international diplo-macy, normal diplomacy ormilitary diplomacy, these pos-turing and signalling will al-ways be there."So we shouldjust go about with our task,meet our own requirements,security challenges," Rahasaid addressing a press confer-

ence here days before he de-motes office on December 31.Not mincing words, Raha saidhe will not like to comment onwhat somebody else is doingunless it is prohibited. "Likenuclear proliferation, which iscommon knowledge to every-one, what is happening in thisregion, in terms of collusion,transfer of technology whichis forbidden. This is all com-mon knowledge. I am not say-ing something new," he said,without naming any country.The IAF chief stated that Indiais legitimately developing itscapability indigenously andhe does not think anyoneshould complain about it.Raha said India is "obviously

Raha brushes aside Chinesereaction to Agni-V launch

Srinagar, Dec 28 (PTI)

Jammu and Kashmir High Court has orderedrelease of senior hardline Hurriyat Conferenceleader Masrat Alam Bhat, who has been in pre-ventive custody under the Public Safety Actsince April 2015. Justice Muzaffar HussainAttar, while allowing Bhat's plea challengingthe latest of the detention orders under PublicSafety Act, held his detention illegal on severalgrounds. "By issuance of writ of certiorari, or-der of detention bearing No. 85/DMB/PSA/2016dated 1.9.2016, passed by the (deputy commis-sioner Baramulla) is quashed with a further di-rection to the (government) to release Alamforthwith from preventive custody," the courtsaid in its order yesterday. Bhat has beenbooked under PSA several times since April2015 and the latest order in the series was issuedby District Magistrate Baramulla. According tothe order, Bhat was accused of making the ongo-ing agitation "successful" while in custody ofthe state authorities. The order was passed onthe basis of Bhat's meeting on August 11 thisyear with four persons who visited him atDistrict Jail, Baramulla. The persons had re-quested authorities to allow them meet oneAssadullah Parray, who is allegedly affiliatedwith Hurriyat Conference led by Syed AliGeelani. The authorities claimed that instead ofmeeting Parray, they met Bhat, who allegedlyadvised them to activate the workers for a morevisible and prominent role in the turmoil. Acase was registered against Bhat at police sta-tion Baramulla on August 30, two days beforethe detention order under PSA against Alamwas passed by the deputy commissioner. "Evenotherwise, record would show statements offour police personnel, who were posted at SubJail Baramulla, have been recorded.Their state-ments would show that Assadullah Parray waslodged in Barrack No.7, whereas (Bhat) waslodged in Barrac No.8. "The allegation in theFIR and statements of all these police personnelwould, prima facie, show that all the police au-thorities, posted at Sub Jail Baramulla, havefailed to discharge their duties in accordancewith law because it was within the competenceand authority of these police personnel to

See HC on page 11

Srinagar, Dec 28:

A large number of officials including several senior officershave preferred to keep away from their offices in valley as mostof them have fled to Jammu. According to the rules, no govern-ment official could stay off from duty for three days in a row with-out a solid reason, but the government officials remain absentfor weeks together. On Wednesday when KNS tried to contact anumber of heads in Srinagar, the response was same. “(DirectorSahab Delhi main hain), the Director is in New Delhi from thelast couple of days,” said one of the officials who picked up land-line number (2452052) of Director Health service Kashmir.However, surprisingly when again it was called on the samenumber this time the response was different. “Director is in thefield”. Similarly, when this correspondent called DirectorFishers on landline number (2312046), the answer was no differ-ent. (Sahab Jammu Main Hain), the officer is in Jammu. TheDirector Agriculture when contacted was also not available inthe office. “Sahab Jammu gayay hain, the officer has gone toJammu; he will be available after few days”. Chief engineer

Roads and Buildings (R&B) when contacted on number (2311364)was also not available in the office. (Sahab haz gayee Juam), theofficer has gone to Jammu, I am not aware when he will return,”said the official who picked the phone. The Managing DirectorCable car corporation when contacted on (2435837) was also notavailable. “(Sahab Jammu main Hain) the officer is

See Sahab on page 11

HC orders releaseof hardline Hurriyatleader Masrat Alam

Srinagar, Dec 28:

While hundreds of water sup-ply schemes were taken upfor execution over the years,number of them has not beencompleted due to non-avail-ability of funds. Officialsources told that during thepast one decade, PublicHealth Engineering (PHE) de-partment has taken up thou-sands of water supplyschemes for execution in thestate. “Ironically, authoritieshave failed to complete anumber of schemes due tonon-availability of funds.People are compelled to con-sume water from the contam-inated sources,” an official ofPHE department said. Hesaid that these schemes werestarted by the government

over the years without know-ing the source of funds. “Thecontractors have stoppedwork on many of theseschemes after governmentfailed to clear their bills,” theofficial said. In Baramulladistrict, sources said duringthe last 10 years, the work onover 200 water supplyschemes was started but onlyfew schemes have been com-pleted. Sources said that inBudgam district’s Chadooraarea, the work on around 30schemes was started for thepast five years, but the gov-ernment has failed to com-plete these schemes owingwhich people fetch waterfrom streams and other con-taminated water sources.Officials sources say theworst affected of non-comple-

tion of these schemes are peo-ple from far-flung areas ofHandwara, Uri, Kulgam andGurez, Baramulla, Sopore ar-eas. “It has been learnt that ofthe 1800 water supplyschemes that were function-ing in the Valley, 1300schemes were damaged bythe 2014 floods. “Governmenthas failed to make their per-manent restoration since thefloods hit the state thus deny-ing clean water to a largechunk of population,”sources said. Sources saidthat in some areas, water isbeing supplied through watertanks while in some areaspeople fetch water fromstreams and rivers withoutbeing filtered. Minister forPHE, Irrigation & Flood

See Water on page 11

JAMMU, DECEMBER, 28:

The State Cabinet whichmet here today under theChairmanship of ChiefMinister, Ms. MehboobaMufti, approved promotion of17 IAS Officers to the variousAdministrative Grades ofIAS. Cabinet approved pro-motion of Mr. Shaleen Kabra,Mr. Bipul Pathak & Mr.Ashok Kumar Parmar to theHigher Administrative Gradeof IAS (Rs 67000-79000 with an-nual increment of 3%) w.e.ffrom 01-01-2017. Consequentupon their promotion, Mr.Shaleen Kabra and Mr. Bipul

Pathak are designated asPrincipal Secretaries to theGovernment in their respec-tive departments. Cabinetapproved promotion of Mr.Sanjeev Verma, Dr. MandeepKumar Bhandari, Mr AnalKumar Gupta, Mr Raj KumarBhagat, Ms. Nirmal Sharmaand Mr. Khurshid AhmadShah to the Super Time Scaleof IAS (Rs 37400-67000 + GP ofRs 10,000) w.e.f from 01-01-2017. Consequent upon theirpromotion, Mr. SanjeevVerma, Dr. Mandeep KumarBhandari, Mr. Anal KumarGupta, Mr. Raj Kumar Bhagatand Mr. Khurshid Ahmad

Shah are designated asCommissioner/Secretaries tothe Government in their re-spective departments.Cabinet approved promotionof Ms Mandeep Kour, MrPandurang K Pole, Mrs SalmaHamid, Mrs Tasneem Maajidand Mr Farooq Ahmad Shahto the Selection Grade of IAS(Rs 37400-67000 + GP of Rs8700) w.e.f from 01-01-2017.Cabinet also approved pro-motion of Ms Avny Lavasa,Mr Anushal Garg and MrVikas Kundal to the SeniorTime Scale of IAS (15600-39100+GP of Rs 6600) w.e.ffrom 01-01-2017.

‘Water supply schemes stuckdue to non-availability of funds’Previous govt executed schemes without knowing source of funds: Minister

Cabinet approves promotionof 17 IAS officers

‘Sahab Jammu mai hain’In Valley, people angry

as works come to halt

Jammu, December 28:

The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue ̀ 500 denomi-nation banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi(New) series with theinset letter ‘E’ in both the number panels, bearing the signa-ture of Dr. Urjit R. Patel Governor, Reserve Bank of India, theyear of printing '2016’ and Swachh Bharat Logo printed on thereverse of the Banknote. Some of the captioned banknotes willhave an additional character ‘*’ (star) in the number panel inthe space between the prefix and the number. Packets contain-ing these notes will have 100 pieces as usual but not in serial or-der. To facilitate easy identification of note packets containing‘star’ notes the bands on such packets will clearly indicate thepresence of these notes in the packet. ‘Star’ banknotes in ̀ 500denomination are being issued for the first time. ‘Star’ ban-knotes in the denomination of ̀ 10, 20, 50 and 100 are already

See RBI on page 11

RBI to Issue 500 banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi(New) Series

Jammu, Dec 28 (PTI)

S P Vaid wastoday appointedas the newDirector Generalof Jammu andKashmir Police inplace of KRajendra Kumar,whose extended tenure comes to an end onDecember 31. 57-year-old Vaid, at presentSpecial Director General (Law and Order),will be in office till October 2019. Vaid, whoplayed a major role in controlling the unrestin the Kashmir Valley following the killing ofmilitant commander Burhan Wani, was afrontrunner for the post. "My focus will be onkeeping the flag of the police force flying highin the state," Vaid said after his appointment.While police force will be tough against theperpetrators of violence and terrorists "I willensure that no common man is harassed. Myidea is to make the police force more and morepeople friendly," he said. Vaid is the second of-ficer from Jammu who has risen to the

See SP Vaid on page 11

S P Vaid appointednew J&K police chief

Man crushed to deathin KathuaJammu, Dec 28:

A person was today crushed todeath on Jammu Pathankot highwayin Kathua.Police said that a

See Man on page 11

One held with heroinJammu, Dec 28:

Police today claimed to have ar-rested a person with heroin.Based oninputs, police apprehended a

See One on page 11

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016obituary2Glimpses of Future

OBITUARYWith profound grief and sorrow we in-form the sad demise of our belovedPrithvi Nath Pandita S/o Late PrasadRam Pandita R/o Jatti road Khwaja BaghBaramulla (Kmr) presently at 78/1 VivekVihar Paloura who left for his heavenlyabode on 20-12-2016 at 11 pm. The 10thDay will be performed on 29-12-2016 atMuthi Ghat near Director SchoolEducation at 9.00 am.GRIEF STRICKEN:Smt. Prabhavati- WifeDaughter-in-law & SonSmt. Rajni & Sh A L PanditaDaughters & Son-in-LawsSmt. Nancy & Kakaji JalaliSmt. Kanta & Anoop Kumar KherSmt. Sarla & V D MarhattaSmt. Rita W/o Late Sh A K KaulSmt. Anita & Dilip RazdanMis Josheeta- Grand DaughterSamast Pandita, Jalali, Kher, Marhatta, Koul, Razdan Parivarand other nears and dears.Mobile number : 9419101086, 9419101272

Prithvi NathPandita

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we in-form the sad demise of our beloved fa-ther Sh. Dwarika Nath Bhat S/o Lt.Sarvanand Bhat R/o ChowdrigundShopian Kashmir A/P Vinayak NagarMuthi (Near Raju Cement Store) passedaway on 23-12-2016. THE TENTH DAYKRIYA will be performed at Muthi Ghatnear Directorate School EducationJammu on 01-01-2017.GRIEF STRICKENDaughter-in-laws & SonsSmt. Jeeta & Ashwani BhatSmt. Sweety & Puran Krishan BhatDaughters & Son-in-lawsSmt. Bita & Ashok Kumar RainaSmt. Gugga & Girdhari Lal KoulSmt. Metha & Tej Krishen BhatSamast Bhat, Koul and Raina ParivarContact No’s: 9858688366, 9858029566

Sh. Dwarika NathBhat

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow we regretto inform the sad demise of our beloved(Papa) Sh. Kanhaya LaI Bhan (RetdExecutive Enginner Govt of J&K) S/oLate Sh. Shivjee Bhan Originally residentof Chandpura, Habba Kadal &Channapora (LaI Nagar) SrinagarKashmir on 22-12-2016 currently atHawa Mahal,Soham Gardens, Thane (W) Mumbai. 10th DayKriya will be performed on 30-12- 2016 (Friday) 0830 AM atKolshet Visarjan Ghat, Near Thane Air Force Station,Thane (W)Mumbai.GRIEF STRICKENKrishna Bhan - WifeSister and Brother-in-lawSantosh & Chaman LaI TikooSmt Chuuni Bhan -Sister-in-lawSuushil & Kalpna Bhan -Son and Daughter-in-lawAnita & Sanjay Dhar -Daughter and Son-in-lawSimmi & Amit Krundu -Daughter and Son-in-lawPh: +919699031032 /9810243406/ 9810491405/ 9873300749/9560783232/9899406688Bhan, Tickoo, Pandita, Trisal, Dhar, Krundu (s)

Sh. Kanhaya LaIBhan

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we in-

form the sad demise of Smt. Somawati

Raina W/o Sh. Amar Nath Raina

(Salia) on 24/12/2016 at House No.8,

Sector-6, Trikuta Nagar. Tenth Day

Kriya will be performed at Muthi Ghat

near Directorate of School Education

Jammu on 2-1- 2017 at 10 AM.

IN GRIEF:-

Smast Raina (Razdan) Parivar of Salia

941927799, 9419202066, LL: 2470848

Smt. SomawatiRaina

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow we regretto inform about the sad and untimely de-mise of our beloved (Sauhbaji) Sh. AshokKumar Munshi (Ex Chief Manager PNB)S/o Late Sh. SomnathMunshi and H/oSmt. Vijay Ji Munshi (PNB) on 20-12-2016 at Banglore. 10th Day Kriya will beperformed on 29-12-2016 atSrirangapatnam - Karnataka.GRIEF STRICKENSmt. & Sh. R.K Munshi - Bantalab, JammuPh: 2595944, 9419110281Smt. Vijay Ji Munshi- 08026592253Smt. & Sh. Dilip Ji Munshi, JaipurMunshi’s, Kaul’s, Nakhashi’s, Watal’s, Magazine’s, Dhar’s,Arya’s, Seru’s, Bhan’s, Tikoo’sPh: 9414043821

Sh. Ashok KumarMunshi

OBITUARYWith profound grief and sorrow, weinform about the untimely and saddemise of our revered father Sh.Kashi Nath Bhat (Papa Ji) R/o GundJaffer (Anantnag) presently residingat House No.85, Lane No.7, LaxmiNagar, Muthi (Near Gemini Palace)on 25-12-2016. His Tenth Day Kriya will be held at MuthiGhat (Near Directorate of School Education)) on 3rdJanuary, 2017 (Tuesday) at 9 AM. GRIEF STRICKENSmt. Prabha Devi - WifeSmt. & Sh. Omkar Nath Bhat - Brother & BhabiSmt. & Sh. Chuni Lal Bhat - Son & Daughter-in-lawSmt. & Sh. Shuban Lal Bhat - Son & Daughter-in-lawSmt. & Sh. Sunil Bhat - Son & Daughter-in-lawVeerji Bhat & Puppli - Son-in-law & DaughterHira Lal Koul & Jeeta - Son-in-law & DaughterPawan Kumar, Ayoush, Shweta, Sakshi, Yogita, Shireen -Grand Children(M): 9419240118, 9419200379, 9419117243

Sh. Kashi Nath Bhat

KRIYA/UTHALAWith profound grief and sorrow we in-form the sad demise of Mrs. ChampaSharma W/o Sh. Dharampal SharmaR/o 85-A, Rampura, Gandhi Nagar,Jammu. Kriya will be performed at herresidence on 29- 12-2016 at 12 Noon.Uthala will be performed on 30-12-2016at 3.30 PM at Lakshmi Narayan Temple.GRIEF STRICKENSh. Dharam Paul Sharma- HusbandMrs. & Mr. D.N. Sharma -Jeth & JethaniMrs. & Mr. S.M. Sharma -Jeth & JethaniSmt Santosh Raina -Sister-in-lawSmt & Sh K C Padha -Sister-in-law & Brother-in-lawManik (Raja) -SonNeha & Megha- DaughtersMrs & Mr Raman Sharma -Son & Daughter-in-lawM/s Sharma Vaishno Bhojanalya, Shiv Market, Railway StationMob.: 9419183524, 9419117903, 9419836628

Mrs. ChampaSharma

10TH DAY/KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we re-gret to inform the sad demise of Sh OmParkash Baigra (Retd ZEO) S/o LateRasila Ram R/o Village Lehnu, Tikri at-tained Moksha on 19-12-2016. TheTenth Day will be performed on 29-12-2016 at our residence from 10 am to on-wards. GRIEF STRICKENSmt Shakuntla Devi -WifeBhabiSmt Madhu Rani W/o Late Sh Ram Lal BaigraSons & Daughters-in-lawSh Varinder Kumar Baigra & Smt ReenaSh Anil Kumar Baigra & Smt NishaSh Raman Kumar Baigra & Smt NeetaNephew & NieceSmt Pushpa Devi W/o Late Sh Hans Raj BaigraSmt Surinder Baigra and Smt SantoshSh Rajesh Baigra and Smt AshuDaughters & Son-in-lawsSmt Neelam & Sh Subash Chander SharmaSmt Sangeeta & Sh Aman JyotiGrand Children: Shubham, Vageesh, Divya, Ruderaksh,Tavishi, Ayushi, Ashir, IrraContact No. 9469867798, 9858827930, 9858341984

Sh Om ParkashBaigra

10TH DAY/KRIYA/RASAM PAGRIWith profound grief and sorrow, we re-gret to inform the sad demise of ourbeloved Devi Chand Sharma S/o lateMunshi Ram R/o Jandrah who left for hisheavenly abode on 20-12- 2016. The10th Day will be performed on 29-12-2016 (Thursday) at 11 AM at our resi-dence Jandrah. Kriya and Rasam Pagriwill be performed on 30-12-2016(Friday) at 12 Noon and 4PM.DEEPLY MISSED & REMEMBERED BY:Smt. Satya Devi -WifeBrothers & Sisters-in-lawSmt. Giano Devi -BhabhiSmt. Vijay Sharma & Sh. Rattan Lal SharmaSmt. Swarna Devi & Sh. Yashpal SharmaSmt. Babli Sharma & Sh. Shambhu Nath SharmaSons & Daughters-in-lawSanjeev Sharma & Shallu SharmaArteev Sharma & Ridhi SharmaDaughters & Sons-in-lawMeena Sharma & Subash Chander SharmaNeeru Sharma & Jagdeep Sharma(M) 9419391611, 9796661611, 9419104223, 9419144613

Devi Chand Sharma

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief & sorrow we informthe sad demise of Sh Niranjan Nath BhatS/o Lt Sh Shiv Ram Bhat R/o SirhamaBijbehara Anantnag, Kashmir at presentH.No. 132, Lane 5, Anand Nagar Bohri(Patta) Jammu on 26th Dec 2016. TenthDay Kriya will be held on 3rd Jan 2017(Tuesday) at Muthi Ghat Near DirectorSchool Education Office Muthi Jammuat 9 AM.GRIEF STRICKENBrother & BabiSh Jagar Nath Bhat & Smt Phoola Ji BhatSons & Daughters-in-LawSh Roshan Lal Bhat & Smt Shami Ji (9419401273)Sh Jawahar Lal Bhat & Smt Asha Ji (9469746973)Sh Maharaj Krishan Bhat & Smt Suneeta Ji (9419943807)Sh Ravinder Kumar Bhat & Smt Veena Bhat (9419208713)Daughters & Sons-in-LawSmt Rattana Ji & Sh Badri Nath RainaSmt Shanoo & Sh Sanjay Hangloo

Sh Niranjan NathBhat

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we in-form the sad demise of our beloved SmtSunita Raina W/o Sh Bansi Lal RainaR/o Karshangam and presently BlockNo.166/F-3, L.No.26, and C/o GaganRaina Tang Narwana HimachalPradesh. Tenth Day will be performed atChamunda Devi Himachal Pradesh onIst Jan. 2017 at 8.00 am. GRIEF STRICKENMohini Devi W/o Prem Nath Raina -Mother-in-lawBansi Lal Raina -HusbandGagan Raina -SonSimmi Raina -DaughterSmt Lalita Tikoo W/o M.M TikooSmt Pupli Bhat W/o M.K BhatLt Babli Dhar W/o R.N DharSamast Raina, Tikoo, Bhat, Dhar Pariwar -09736117180

Smt Sunita Raina

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow we regretto inform the sad demise of our BelovedMother Smt . Somawati Koul(Mandodari) W/o Late Shri ShambooNath Koul (originally belonging toSheshyar, Habakadal) presently resid-ing at NHPC Colony, Sector 41,Faridabad on Monday 26th Dec 2016.Cremation will take place on Tuesday 27th Dec 2016 at 9.30a.m. at Sector 21-D, Faridabad crematorium.10th Day Kriya willbe performed on 4th Jan 2017. GRIEF STRICKEN:Daughter-in-LawSmt Pushpa Koul W/o Late Shri M. K. Koul Maliun Side:-Smt Shanti & Shri B.K.Koul- Son & Daughter-in-Law Raina's Smt Lalita & Shri A. K. Machama- Daughter & Son-in-LawSmt Anjali & Shri Sushil Kaul- Daughter & Son-in-LawGrand Children: Naveen, Ashwani, Sanjay, Hitesh, Himesh, MadhuContact Number’s:- Mr. B.K.Koul (8826146770)Mr. Hitesh Koul (9958166028)Mr. Himesh Koul ( 8588855503)

Smt . SomawatiKoul

10TH DAY With profound grief & sorrow, we informthe sad and untimely demise of ourbeloved mother Smt Shyama Misri(Chuni Ji) W/o Sh Mohan Lal Misri, H.No.15-17/3-A, Roop Nagar Enclave Jammu,originally from Shopian Kashmir on 22-12-2016. Tenth Day will be performed atAkhnoor Ghat on 31-12-2016 (Saturday)and Assembly will be held at our residence at 11.30 AM.GRIEF STRICKENDaughters-in-Law & SonsVeena Ji & Ramesh MisriBita Kumari & Suresh MisriRaksha Ji & Vinod MisriDaizy & Chand MisriPriya & Pintoo MisriDaughter & Son-in-LawGirja Koul & Susheel Koul& All Grand Children’s9596984706, 09416035809, 8803742368, 9419268216,9622147164

Smt Shyama Misri

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we re-gret to inform the sad demise of ourbeloved mother Smt. Shyam Rani RainaW/o Late Prem Nath Raina originally res-ident of Taragam Qazigund Kmr. at pres-ent H.No 22 Lane No 4 Bharat NagarBuntalab Jammu passed away on 20-12-2016. The Tenth Day Kriya will beperformed on 29-12- 2016 at Muthi Ghatnear Directorate Education office at 9 AM.GRIEF STRICKENSmt. & Sh. P L Raina -Daughter-in-law & SonSmt. & Sh. Kanaya Lal Koul -Daughter & Son-in-lawSmt. & Late Sh. C L Pandita -do-Smt. & Sh. C L Hangloo -do-Smt. & Sh. A N Raina -do-Ph: 9419147123

Smt. Shyam RaniRaina

10TH DAY/KRIYA KARAMWith profound grief & sorrow, we informthe sad demise of our beloved Sh RamDutt Malpotra S/o Lt. Sh Ditto RamMalpotra Rtd. DEPO R/o Dhangroli P.O& Teh Hiranagar Distt. Kathua. TenthDay will be performed on Thursday 29thDec. 2016 at 11.00 am at our residence. KriyaKaram will be performed on Friday, 30thDec. 2016 at 11.00 am at our residence.GRIEF STRICKENSmt Chanchal Devi -WifeBrothers & BhabisLt Smt Vidya Devi & Lt Sh Girdhari Lal MalpotraLt Smt Pushpa Devi & Sh Ram Chand MalpotraSmt Tara Devi & Sh Keshov Parkash MalpotraDaughter-in-laws & SonsSmt Kavita Malpotra & Sh Sanjeev MalpotraSmt Shama Rani & Sh Rajeev MalpotraSmt Promila Verma & Sh Andeep MalpotraDaughter & Son-in-lawSmt Rohini Devi & Sh Buta Ram VermaGrand Children: Sony, Aashi, Sonakshi, Aarb, Akshat, Kanu,Divyanshi, Shabhu

Sh Ram DuttMalpotra

10TH DAY/KRIYA KARAMWith profound grief and sorrow, we re-gret to inform the sad and untimely de-mise of our beloved Late Mr. Sunil Kumar(Sunny Laddu) S/o Sh. Jugal Kishore ji.Tenth Day will be performed on29/12/2016 (Thursday) 11:30 A.M at ourresidence near Pandav MandirUdhampur. Kriya will be performed onSaturday 31-12-2016 Devika Ghat. GRIEF STRICKEN:Sh. Jugal Kishore Jee- FatherSmt. Satya Devi Jee- MotherAnd All Kalsotra FamilyMobile: 9858175052

Mr. Sunil Kumar

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we inform

the sad demise of our beloved Karm Yogi

Shri Triloki Nath Koul S/o Late Shri

Keshav Nath Koul of Mir Danter Anantnag

Kmr on 21st Dec. 2016. The Tenth Day

Kriya will be performed on 29th Dec. 16’

(Thursday) at Akhnoor Ghat. The

Assembly will be held at Muthi Ghat near

Director of School Education at 11 am.

GRIEF STRICKENKoul Family

of Danter Anantnag at present

House No.17, Lane No.2

Bharat Nagar, Barnai Road Bantalab, Jammu

9419147393, 9897701573

Shri Triloki NathKoul

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief we inform about thesad and untimely demise of Smt. SubashDulloo Challu, W/o Dr. Vijay KumarChallu on 24th December 2016 at herresidence in Bangalore TENTH DAY ritu-als will be performed at Srirangaptana,Mysore on Monday, 2nd January 2017 at10 AM followed by 11th and 12th day ritu-als on 3rd and 4th January 2017 at resi-dence (44 Appanna Block, R. T. Nagar,Bangalore 560032) DEEPLY MISSED ANDFONDLY REMEMBERED BY:Dr. Vijay Kumar Challu (Husband) Phone : 9845624752Mrs. Geetanjali & Swapnil Bagad (Daughter & Son in law)Master Rishav Bagad (Grandson)Mr. Bharat Bushan Challu (Brother in law)Dulloos, Valis & Walis (Parental side)Challus, Fotedars, Babus, Rainas, Wangoos, Khers & Halis (Inlaws side)ANDALL NEAR AND DEAR ONES

Smt. Subash DullooChallu

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief and sorrow, we re-gret to inform the sad demise of our re-spected and beloved Sh Lalit Saproo S/oLate Pushkar Nath Saproo originally R/oGulab Bagh, Ganderbal, Kmr on 24-12-2016, presently at Madhuban Society,Madhuvanti ‘A’, Kolhewadi, Opp,Canara Bank, Pune. 10th Day Kriya willbe performed at Alandi Ghat, A/P, Alandi,Tal -Haveli, Distt. Pune, 412105, onMonday 02-01-2017 at 11.30 AM.GRIEF STRICKENSmt Monika Saproo -WifeSmt Uma Shori Saproo -MotherAnjali & Puran Saproo -Bhabi & BrotherSonia & Sachin Saproo -Bhabi & BrotherSonika & Sanjay Dhar -Sister & Brother-in-lawSurli & Amit Wali -Sister & Brother-in-lawDeepika & Rakesh Mota -Sister & Brother-in-lawNephew & Niece: Vardhaan, Ansh, Manasvi, Kartika, Sohamand Saiansh.SAMAST SAPROO PARIVAR, DHARS, SHARMAS, RAZDANSAND WARIKOOSMOB: 09419899303, 09419107074, 08527924505

Sh Lalit Saproo

10TH DAY/KRIYAWith profound grief & sorrow, we regretto inform the sad demise of our respect-ed & beloved Sh Puran Chand Gupta S/oLate Sh Dewan Chand Gupta on 20th ofDec-2016 (Tuesday). Tenth Day will beperform on (Thursday) 29th Dec- 2016(Shri Ram Mandir) at our Village Kir Pind(R.S Pura) Jammu at 11 am. Kriya will beperform on (Sunday) Ist of January 2017at our residence Village Kir Pind (R.SPura) at 12.00 Noon.GRIEF STRICKENSon & Daughter-in-lawSh Jagdish Raj Gupta & Seema GuptaBrothers & BhabisSh Tirath Ram Gupta & Kamla GuptaSh Manohar Lal Gupta & Bachno Devi GuptaSmt Darshana Gupta W/o Lt. Sh Devi Dass Gupta -SisterDaughter & Son-in-lawSmt Ajay Bharti & Sh Jawalla ParsadGrand Children: Parveen GuptaM: 9086242924, 9796841739Pargal Family

Sh Puran ChandGupta

10TH DAY KRIYAWith profound grief & sorrow, we informthe sad demise of our brother ShMakhan Lal Pandita S/o Late Shiv JiPandita original resident of NowgamAnantnag A/P R.K Vihar Udeywala, be-hind Rama Krishna Ashram on 25- Dec-2016. Tenth Day Kriya will be performedon 3rd Jan 2017 (Tuesday) at Muthi Ghatnear Director School Education at 9.30AM.GRIEF STRICKENUsha Ji -WifeSandeep Ji -SonRandeep Ji -SonSmt Drapti Ji -SisterSh Boshan Lal Pandita -BrotherSmt Bimla Ji & Rattan Lal Pandita -Bhabi & BrotherSmt Usha Ji & Avtar Krishan -Bhabi & BrotherSmt Vijay Ji & Pran Nath Kaul -Sister & Brother-in-lawMrs Asha Ji & O.N Pandita of Krangsoo Anantnag.Mrs Kiran Ji & M.L Pandita of Krangsoo Anantnag.Tel. No: 9622459779, 9796249533, 9018339096, 9419237694

Sh Makhan LalPandita

10TH DAY/KRIYA/UTHALAWith profound grief and sorrow, we informthe sad demise of Smt. Pushpa Devi W/oLate Sh. Gian Chand Gupta (AkhnoorWale) R/o 20/8 Sector-2 Trikuta NagarJammu on 20-12-2016. TENTH DAY will beperformed on 29-12- 2016 (Thursday) at 11A.M. at Shiv Mandir Sector-3 (Opp. SainFood Station) Trikuta Nagar Jammu.KIRYA will be performed on 1-1-2017(Sunday) at our residence at 12.00 Noon. UTHALA will be performedon 2-1-2017 (Monday) at Shiv Mandir Sector- 3 Trikuta Nagar,Jammu at 4.00 P.M.GRIEF STRICKENM/s Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Trikuta NagarM/s A G Northern Tours & Travels Trikuta NagarMobile: 9086002323, 9086052323

Smt. Pushpa Devi

UTHALA/RASAM PAGRIWith profound grief and sorrow we in-form the sad demise of our beloved Sh.Davinder Kohli S/o Lt. Sh. Mehta MalikRam Kohli R/o W. No. 10 (NearRaghunath Mandir) Nowshera who leftfor heavenly abode 13/12/2016. Uthala/Rasam Pagri will be performed on 29-12- 2016 (Thursday) at RaghunathMandir Nowshera at 3:00 PM.GRIEF STRICKENSmt. Raj Rani Kohli- MotherSmt. Komal Kohli- WifeAkshit and Aniket Kohli- SonsSmt. Susheel & Sh. Satish Kohli- Brother-BhabhiSmt. Renu & Sh. Naveen Kohli- Brother- BhabhiSmt. Santosh & Sh. Satish Khosla- Sister & Jija JiSmt. Shashi Bala & Sh. Surinder Suri- Sister & Jija JiSmt. Rekha & Sh. Rajesh Puri- Sister & Jija JiMob. 9596698066, 9419955242

Sh. Davinder Kohli

UTHALA/RASAM PAGRIBARKHI of our beloved Late Sm. PushpaKapoor W/o Late Sh. Karam Chand Kapoorwill be performed at our residence 4/128Indra Vihar Patoli Jammu on Thursday 29-12-2016 at 12:00 Noon.DEEPLY REMEMBERED BY:Sons & Daughter-in-lawsSh. C.P. KapoorSh. P R Kapoor & Smt. Asha Kapoor(Retd. Chief Manager JCC Bank)Dr. B.B. Kapoor & Dr. Sharda Kapoor(Prof. Uro-Anaesthesia) SSH GMC, JammuDaughter & Son-in-lawSmt. Usha & Sh. Ashok VohraGrand Sons & Grand Daughter-in-lawsSh. Vikas & Mona KapoorSh. Deepak & Neelam KapoorSh. Amit & Neha VohraSh. Bhanu & Pooja VohraDr. Bhavuk Kapoor & Mayank KapoorGrand Daughters & Grand Son-in-lawSmt. Vaishali & Sanjeev BabbarSmt. Jyoti & Sh. Manish AnandSmt. Meenu & Sh. Vikas SuriSmt. Priya & Sh. Vivek Seghal

SMT. PUSHPAKAPOOR

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016local3Glimpses of Future

GOF Staff Reporter

Jammu, Dec 28 :

Expressing grave concernover the loss of several hun-dreds of crores to the statewhich were withheld by theunion govt due to failure ofthe successive State Govts tohold timely elections to localbodies, Harsh Dev SinghJKNPP Chairman andFormer Minister said that thelapse amounted to “malad-ministration” within themeaning and scope of sec 2 ofthe J&K state AccountabilityCommission Act.

He said that non holdingof local bodies elections wasdeliberate and politically mo-tivated which had deprivedthe general masses of the de-velopmental funds to whichthey were otherwise entitled.He said that the govt func-tionaries and the politicalclass being squarely responsi-ble for the losses sustained bythe state, the stateAccountability commission

was required to take suo mot-to cognizance of the deliber-ate delay caused by the con-cerned Ministers and otherhelmsmen which has causedavoidable losses to the gener-al public.

Singh that the 14thFinance Commission had pro-vided a grant of Rs. 125.30crore in the first instance for2015-16 which however couldnot be availed and got lapseddue to govts. failure to holdsuch elections. He said earlieralso Rs. 169.29 crores of fundsunder 13th FinanceCommission for urban localbodies had lapsed for thesame reason. Likewisearound Rs. 200 crores pro-posed for 2016-17 under 14thFinance and Rs. 197 crore forAMRUT scheme is also likelyto set lapsed as govt. has no in-tentions to constituteMunicipal bodies beforeMarch 2017. He deplored thatthe lackadaisical approach ofthe govt and the dirty politicsplayed by coalition partners

by postponing elections forpolitical reasons was depriv-ing the general masses andprospective beneficiaries ofthe benefits envisaged forthem under various GOIschemes. He said that nonholding of immediate elec-tions would further deprivethe state of ‘PerformanceGrant’ of Rs. 607 crore whichhad been assured by the 14thFinance Commission as addi-tional grant in case the Statefulfilled the benchmarks stip-ulated by it.

Reminding the Govt. ofthe assurances doled out by itrepeatedly for early holding ofULB elections, Harsh DevSingh regretted the ‘in-explic-able’ delay and repeated post-ponements of the same de-spite the state ElectionsAuthorities having indicatedtheir preparedness on scoresof occasions.

Flaying the dilly dally tac-tics of the state govt, he saidthe coalition govt was to beblamed for poor delivery of

basic civic services includingwater supply, sanitationsewage and solid waste man-agement, maintances of com-munity assets, upkeep ofroads, lanes, drains, foot-paths, street lighting besidesother facilities which wereadversely affected by the de-layed elections caused due topolitical expediencies of thealliance partners. He regret-ted that non constitution ofUrban Local Bodies had notonly caused financial loss tothe state but had also enabledthe govt.

to rule and administer theUrban areas by proxy in theabsence of grass root demo-cratic institutions in the mu-nicipal areas.

Harsh Dev Singh said thatthe state govt. has not onlybeen biased and prejudiced inensuring time bound elec-tions to the said bodies buthas committed violations oflegal provisions of MunicipalAct and MunicipalCorporation Acts in the

process besides those of stateAccountability CommissionAct. He pointed out that Sec.14 of Municipal Act categori-cally provides that electionsto constitute a municipalityshall be completed before theexpiry of its duration of fiveyears.

He said “Sec 14 furtherStates that the period of fiveyears shall be reckoned fromthe date appointed for its firstmeeting”.

He said that first meet-ings of all municipal bodieshaving been held in March-April 2005, the Electionsought to be have been com-pleted prior to March 2010which has not been done bythe govt. thus creating a legalinfirmity in exercise of itspowers under the said laws.

Harsh Dev Singh furthermade a reference toMunicipal Corporation Actwhich envisages in Sec 5 thatElections to constituteMunicipal Corporations shallalso be held before the expiry

of its term of five years thuscategorically providing thatelection process ought to havebeen completed in early 2010.He said that deliberate delaycaused in the holding of elec-tions is thus violative ofMunicipal provisions forwhich the state govt. is ac-countable and answerable tothe people of State.

He said that theMunicipal Laws have beencircumvented and defeatedwith a design as the coalitionpartners stood on a weakwicket in view of their totalfailure on the governance anddelivery fronts.

Expressing serious con-cern over frequent postpone-ments of elections, Singh ap-pealed to the State Governorbesides SAC to intervene so asto check further violations oflegal provisions for vested po-litical interests and to furtherensure that the people werenot deprived of their genuinedemocratic rights and aspira-tions.

S A C u r g e d t o t a k e s u o m o t t o c o g n i z a n c e

Govt apathy, maladministration responsiblefor massive losses to local bodies: Harsh

GOF Staff Reporter

Jammu, Dec 28 :

The protest demonstration in the Jammu University contin-ued for 16th consecutive day in support of their long pending is-sues,the Executive body of Non Teaching Employees of theUniversity of Jammu.The Executive Body apprised the NonTeaching Fraternity about the meeting with the authoritieswhich remains inconclusive. Later the Executive Body of JUN-TEU informed that on their directions, similar protest demon-stration was also held in the offsite campuses of the University ofJammu.During the demonstration, the employees under the ban-ner of Jammu University Non Teaching Employees Union rais-ing slogans for fulfillment of their demands. Speakers on the occa-sion while reiterating their demands also highlighted many otherissues which is the pre-requisition for better working conditionsin the University of JammuThey alleged that the dilly dallying at-titude of the University authorities forced the Non TeachingEmployees to follow the agitation path which is neither in the in-terest of Employee nor in the interest of the University. As sched-uled , the Non Teaching Employees take out a protest march of theUniversity of Jammu and completed in front of VC office amidstslogans. The executive body appealed the Vice Chancellor to con-sider their demands as early as possible to avoid further exten-sion of protest demonstration.Thereafter, as scheduled , the NonTeaching Employees took out a protest march of the University ofJammu and completed in front of VC office amidst slogans. Whileconcluding the 16th day demonstration the Executive Body againappealed the Vice Chancellor to consider their demands as earlyas possible to avoid further extension of protest demonstration.Thereafter, the meeting of the Advisory Committee was convenedin the office of Union to decide about the next course of action withthe authorities.The demonstration was addressed by PawanSingh , Ashwani Bakshi, Sham Sharma , Vikas Langer, SanjeevChadha, Abhinav Sharma. Padam Shri Padamani, NiranjanSingh Charak, Joginder Singh Chib, Kewal Kumar, Sunita Amla,Jarnail Singh, Jasjeet Singh and Raghubir Singh Bandral were al-so present during the demonstration .

JU employee’s protestenters 16th day

GOF Staff Reporter

New Delhi, Dec 28 :

A delegation of Gujjarcommunity from Rajasthanheaded by BJP leader and na-tional executive member STMorcha Ishfaq –ur-Poswaland Kalu Ram ji Gujjar, presi-dent Rajasthan GujjarMahasabha today met unionJustice and social empower-ment minister, ThaawarChand Gehlot and pleaded forgrant of ST and SBC status tothe Gujjar community.

The 20 member delega-tion submitted a memoran-dum to the union ministerpleading for the fulfilment oflong pending demand of morethan 50 lakh communitymembers in Rajasthan.

The minister assured del-egation that the governmentwill look into the demands ofthe community, according toPoswal.

Poswal urged PrimeMinister Narendra Modi toresolve the long pending issueof more than 50 lakh Gujjarsin Rajasthan and prevent fu-ture agitations in the country.“Since 2008, Gujjars havebeen fighting for their gen-uine demand of granting thelong ignored community STand SBC status. In one suchrecent agitation, nearly 100people were killed and many

injured. I urge PM to win theconfidence of more than 50lakh Gujjars in Rajasthan byaddressing the issue,” Poswalsaid.

“The meeting was held ina cordial atmosphere at Delhiand the minister assured dele-gation that the governmentwill look into the demands ofthe community. I am hopefulthe Prime Minister will allowa meeting of the delegationmembers and personally lookinto the long pending issue ofthe community,” he added.

The BJP leader said thathe had arranged a meeting ofcommunity members withthe union minister to attractthe government’s attention tothem. “The Gujjars have beenplanning a mass agitation in

support of their demands.Today’s meeting was aimed atcooling down the tempers andprevent a law and order situa-tion. However authoritiesmust realize that the situationcan be brought under controlonly after the resolution oftheir demands,” Poswal said.

The delegation visited theBJP office and tried to meetpresident Amit Shah, accord-ing to Poswal. “We will meetShah ji in near future to seekhis attention towards this se-rious issue. I am hopeful BJPpresident will intervene to re-solve the genuine demands ofcommunity members whohave great faith in BJP gov-ernment led by dynamicleader Narendra Modi,” saidPoswal

BJP ST Morcha pleads for ST,SBC status to Rajasthan Gujjars

GOF Staff Reporter

Jammu, Dec 28 :

Taking up very strongly against the Jammu and Kashmirgovernment for their complete silence over the repeated targetof panchayat members by the anti national elements, AllJammu Kashmir Panchayat Conference called it as inhumanapproach of the government.

Anil Sharma, president of the Organization while speak-ing in a gathering of panchs, Sarpanch in Nagrota AssemblyConstituency anguished over the attack on Panch BashirAhmad Sheikh at Ashtengoo in Bandipora 2 days back.

He said, holding panchayat elections for the sake of onlyfunds without empowerment and security means nothing buta fake exercise of the government.

"The Government is least serious in ensuring security ofthe gullible panchayat members but in stead beating theirchest on the name of holding panchayat election, simply theyare befooling the innocent villagers", he said.

The Pannchayat leader asked the State police chief to pro-vide at least need based security to the panchayat memberswho are apprehensive of their life.

In atmosphere of fear for life and security threat the pan-chayat leaders are unable to reach the remote and vulnerableareas of the state, he stated.

Other panchayat members present on the occassion alsoshared their concern over the apathetic approach of the stategovernment towards Panchayati Raj Institutions and castigat-ed the decision of the government to hold indirect elections forthe Sarpanches.. They too called for constitutional status forPRI's and implementation of 73rd amenment of Indian consti-tution here in the state.

GOF Staff Reporter

Jammu, Dec 28 :

One day farmer aware-ness programme was organ-ized by Department ofAgriculture Zone Samba in re-mote Village KamthaPanchayat Gram Block Sumbdistrict Samba under thechairmanship of ChiefAgriculture Officer Samba ChMohammed Iqbal. Farmersfrom Sarla, Beli and Phogalvillage participated in theawarenessprogramme.Deputy ProjectDirector (ATMA) AshokGupta, on this occasion, awarethe farmers regarding the im-portance of Kissan CreditCard, Pradhan Mantri FasalBima Yojana.Keeping in viewthe ground reality of this re-mote rainfed area, he suggest-ed the farmers to enhance area

under oil seed and Pulses dur-ing Rabi and Kharif for pro-duction and productivity.During the effective and suc-cessful interaction with thefarmers, he advised to main-tain cattle population andadopt Bio-pesticide technolo-gy by using Trichoderma withFarm Yard Manure for soil ap-plication to improve fertilityof soil and moisture conserva-tion. He also awarded thefarmers regarding use of ver-min compost and verminwash technology in theirfield.Agriculture ExtensionOfficer, R.K. Mathu, brief thefarmers of this remote area re-garding seed treatment impor-tance of Soil Health Card anddifferent developmental activ-ities available in his zone forthe betterment of the farmingcommunity.

He advised the farmers to

come forward and avail bene-fit from the Central sponsoredschemes.Balwan Singh Ex-Servicemen on behalf of farm-ers thanks and appreciatedthe efforts of the Zonal OfficerSamba, his villageAgriculture ExtensionAssistant and Dy. ProjectDirector (ATMA) for their ef-fective and successful aware-ness programme for this re-mote area and requested thevisiting officers to arrangesuch type of awareness pro-gramme in near future alsoVillage AgricultureExtension Assistant RajeevKotwal and Rajesh Pathaniaremain present during theprogramme. Literature re-garding yellow rust diseaseand related to field cops was al-so distributed among thefarmers during the awarenessprogramme.

Farmer awareness programme organizedin remote village Kamtha Block Sumb

Panchayat membersare left at the mercy of Terrorists: AJKPC

‘Panchayat election exercise a joke

without security, empowerment reflects’

GOF Staff Reporter

Rajouri, Dec 28 :

BJP senior leader andMLC Vibodh Gupta today vis-ited various far off villages ofRajouri and took stock of vari-ous developmental works be-ing undertaken in these vil-lages.In a special programmeorganized in the honor of dif-ferently abled persons, MLChanded over a brand newScooty to Sudhir Kumar.Addressing the gatheringMLC Vibodh highlighted thefact that differently abled per-sons are a very vital part ofour society with specializedset of skills. There is a urgentneed to harness these skillsfrom such people and alsogive them a secure a dignifiedlife. He retreated the fact thatthese people should never becalled as disabled but theseare the people who have beengifted different skills by God.The need of the hour is to give

this realization to these peo-ple that they also have a spe-cial role in the overall devel-opment of our society.Whilehighlighting variousGovernment schemes, MLCsaid that one of the key featureof various Governmentschemes is to reach to the lastman in the que. He furtheradded that the ultimate yard-stick of any welfare schemedepends on weather or not itsbenefits have reached to thelowest to the lowest strata ofour society.While appreciat-ing various ground level de-velopmental schemes of theGovernment he said that thepreset Government in thestate as well as in the centerhave taken various revolu-tionary steps and have madeschemes which can providedirect benefit to the poor andmarginalized. These schemesare the result of the futuristicvision of PM Narinder Modias well as our Hon’ble CM Ms.

Mehbooba Mufti. In the ab-sence of such visionary lead-ers such schemes could nothave otherwise imagined orvisualized in a developingcountry like India for severalmore decades to come. Hecalled upon the officers of var-ious Government

Departments to act as a in-strument of change and im-plement these schemes withfull conviction and commit-ment. Latter local people spe-cially the women folk in thesevillages thanked MLC for reg-ularly visiting them and forlistening to their genuine

problems. Prominent amongothers who were present onthe occasion included GirdariLal, Komal Chandan, RashuKumar, Dinesh Sharma,Kamal Bakshi, Javeed Iqbal,Muneer Hussain, RakeshSharma, Rakesh Raina andEx Sarpanch Khem Raj.

Govt schemes to benefit last man in queue: VibodhMLC hands over new scooty to a differntly abled person at Rajouri

GOF Staff Reporter

Jammu, December 28 :

Congress Celebrated its132nd foundation day in an im-pressive function held atCongress HQ. ShaheediChowk JammuPCC presidentG.A. Mir unfurled the partyflag at party HQ in the pres-ence of senior leaders andlarge number of party work-ers of the district Congresscommittee Jammu under theleadership of Sh. Anil Chopra.The activists of mahilaCongress, youthCongress,NSUI, and seva Dalalso attended in large num-bers. Addressing the gather-ing the PCC chief GA Mir andsenior leaders and functionar-ies of PCC recalled the longhistory of Congress partywhich is full of sacrificies dur-ing the freedom struggle andpost independence.Prominentleaders who addressedPeerzada Mohd Sayeed (Ex-President PCC) Sham LalSharma, Rigzin Jora, MadanLal Sharma, Mula Ram,Raman Bhalla, G.M. Saroori,Haji Rashid Dar, Mohd AnwarBhat, Kanta Bhan.Mir re-membered the contribution ofgreat leaders and crores ofworkers of the party whofought against the mighty

British rulers and underwentnumerous sufferings and sac-rifices for the sake of attainingfreedom for the country. The132 years of history of con-gress party and this great na-tion can’t be segregated butunfortunately those in powerat the centre are trying to dis-tort the historical facts and be-little the role of congress stal-warts in order to makeyounger generation to forgetthe contribution and sacri-fices of congress leaders andworkers for the nation.Thesenior leaders said that it wasthe vision of congress and itsgreat leaders that the numer-ous challenges before the na-tion at the time of freedomwere successfully overcomeand India today has emergedas a great power and is a leaderin various fields in theWorld.India is recognized inthe World as a messenger ofpeace, and a vibrant democra-cy which is known for its uni-ty in diversity. It is because ofthe principles, policies and theprogrammes framed by theCongress party and incorpo-rated in the Constitution ofIndependent India whichwithstood the test of the timeand the Country has marchedon the path of peace, progressand prosperity and emerged

stronger by maintaining uni-ty in diversity by respectingthe pluralism of thiscountryThe speakers cau-tioned the people about thechallenges posed to the basicidea of India and secularismpromoted by the Congress par-ty and asked the Congressworkers to defeat the designsof communal and divisiveforces in the country. Theysaid that Congress party is amovement and it has to fightagainst the forces who spreadhatred in the society and posechallenge to the unit and in-tegrity of the country and thestate.Prominent leaders whoalso attended included S.Gurmukh Singh, M.S. Niaz,Rajinesh Sharma, YogeshSawhney, Vikram Malhotra,S.S. Channi, ManmohanSingh, Manjit Singh, ShahNawaz, Namrata Sharma,Faqir Nath, Ch. Bashir Naiz,Kuldeep Verma, G.L.Chalotra, Shiv Dev Singh,Indu Pawar, Y.B. Sharma, B.S.Sambyal, Neeraj Kundan, Ch.Sain Rashid Anayat Rather,Surinder Gupta, SashiSharma, Manjit Jatt, ChetanWanchoo .

Later, the DistrictCongress distributed Sweetsand organized a communitylunch to celebrate the occasion.

Congress celebrates 132nd foundation day: JKPCCGOF Staff Reporter

Jammu, Dec 28 :

With ‘govern’ meaning to legallycontrol a country or its people and beresponsible for introducing newlaws, organising public services,how significant is PM NarenderModi led BJP/NDA government tocelebrate ‘Good Governance Day’the birth day of Bharat Ratan AtalBihari Vajpayee of December25.Good governance is a universalpublic cry, vital politically.All know-ing Bharat Rattan former PrimeMinister Atal Bihari Vajpayee a tallselfless leader, parliamentarian oflong standing who stood for high in-tegrity, values & religiously devotedhis life for nation, would welcomeand laud govt decision to celebrate

his birthday of Dec. 25 as SushasanDivas (Good Governance Day), saidS.S. Bijral former IGP & BJP StateSpokesperson. It is to ingrain andstrengthen national spirit of serviceand not to be just customary to cele-brate the day.

Bijral said let us remember whatwe inherited after UPA two termrule- a weak economy riddled withscams and mass corruption, insecu-rity on borders and within, a fallennational pride with good governancea stark casualty. So ‘GoodGovernance’ has to be our year longcry.Absence of ‘good governance’, iswhat fueled J&k state’s turmoil, it iswitnessing for decades. It earned tagof being 2nd most corrupt state incountry. Politicians of the timesplayed their own flute bothering on-

ly for elections to stay in power at thecost of poor. Former IGP said mediaalone serves best the cause of goodgovernance for it gives voice to pub-lic heart beat, brings authoritativeminds to accountability under asser-tion of PM Narender Modi: “Goodgovernance with good intentions isthe hall mark of our govt; implemen-tation with integrity is our core pas-sion.”Let us all celebrate year longthe birthday of Bharat Ratan Atal Jithrough our deeds where ever andwhatever we are at knowing whatour dynamic Prime MinisterNarinder Modi announced: “ Thegovt’s job is good governance foreverybody. My govt will make poli-cies; if you fit into it come on board orstay where you are. My job is not tospoon feed anymore.”

Good governance is a universal public cry: Bijral

Samba, December 28 :

District Employment & CounselingCentre (DE&CC), Samba organized a CareerGuidance Programme for girl students ofGovernment Higher Secondary School,Vijaypur under Rashtriya MadhyamikShiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).Speaking on the oc-casion, District Development CommissionerSheetal Nanda emphasized on the need of pro-viding Career Guidance especially for the girlstudents so that they become self dependent.

She also advised them to focus on their careerprofessionally in order to shape their future.During the programme guidance regardingdifferent career options for students after 12thand graduation was given through PowerPoint Presentation by a team of specialResource person from Union Ministry ofLabour & Employment. The guest faculty ofthe programme Tarvinder Kour RegionalDirector San Fort School motivated the girlstudents to be entrepreneurs and be jobproviders rather than job seekers.

DE&CC Samba organizes CareerGuidance programme for girls

Veeri inaugurates Rs 132 cr

pedestrian bridge near JVCSRINAGAR, DEC 28 :

Minister for Public Works andParliamentary Affairs, Abdul RehmanVeeri, today inaugurated single span over-head Pedestrian Steel Bridge on Srinagar-Baramulla highway near JVC Beminahere.The overhead bridge, constructed at acost of Rs 1.32 crore, offers a much-neededpedestrian access from across the NationalHighway to the JVC Hospital.On the occa-sion, the Minister interacted with the peoplewho demanded for additional passage ontothe bridge connecting it to the adjoining lo-cality. The Minister gave patient hearing tothe locals and assured them that their de-mands would be taken on priority.Later, theMinister visited under-constructionMaternity & Pediatric Hospital at Beminaand took stock of the ongoing work .


OFFICE OF THE CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER KISHTWARGROUND FLOOR MINI SECRETARIAT NEW DC COMPLEx KISHTWAR

(Email id: - [email protected] Phone/Fax: - 01995-261000)Subject: Tentative Seniority list of Class-IV employees of Education Department of District Kishtwar as it stood on 15-10-2008 for their placement as Class-III employees.

In exercise of the powers got vested upon undersigned by Worthy Director School Education Jammu vide his office letter No. DSEJ/legal/303/ 783/2014-15/333-45 dated: 08-04-2015and DSEJ/Legal/32110-121 dated: 20-10-2015and DSEJ/NG/55121-31 dated 21-12-2016 u/sd hereby circulating the updated seniority list of Class-IV employees of EducationDepartment of District Kishtwar as it stood on15-10-2008 for their placement as Lab. Assistant / Lib. Assistant / Jr. Assistant. The concerned employees are hereby once again in-formed through this publication that they shall file their objections, if any, to this office within three days from the publication of this notice annexed here with under Annexure - "A"

SENIORITY LIST OF CLASS-IV OF DISTRICT KISHTWAR AS IT STOOD ON 15-10-2008

SENIORITY LIST OF LAB BEARER & GASMAN OF DISTRICT KISHTWAR AS IT STOOD ON 15-10-2008 OF ALL THOSE WHO WERE MATRIC AND ABOVE

s. No Name of Class-iV PlaCe of PostiNg DesigNatioN Date of Birth Dt. of 1st aPPoiNtmeNt QualifiCatioN Category remarKs

1 MohD IsMayeel KuMar hss WarWan lab-bearer 10/15/1969 12/21/1988 10th rba

2 GIrDharI lal hss Chatroo lab-bearer 5/15/1961 9/6/1994 10+2 Gen

3 KrIshan lal hs Dehrna lab-bearer 6/1/1962 9/6/1994 10+2 rba

4 Gh. nabI lone Zeo offICe MarWah lab-bearer 10/10/1965 9/6/1994 10+2 rba

5 MohD IbrahIM DIet KIshtWar lab-bearer 4/15/1964 9/7/1994 10+2 rba

6 naZIr ahMeD hs sraWan lab-bearer 11/12/1960 9/9/1994 10th rba

7 abDul ahaD hs KuChhal lab-bearer 5/15/1958 9/19/1994 10th Gen

8 robIna Kousar hss DaChhan lab-bearer 6/15/1973 1/1/1996 10+2 rba

9 naresh ChanDer hss(boys) KIshtWar lab-bearer 12/23/1969 8/7/1996 10+2 rba

10 MasooD ahMeD Zeo offICe MarWah GasMan 7/19/1974 12/18/1997 10+2 rba

11 bushan lal hss DaChhan GasMan 10/25/1976 4/4/1998 10th rba

12 alah raKha Ghss KIshtWar lab-bearer 6/5/1977 4/13/1999 Ma urDu rba

13 MaDhu balla Zeo offICe MarWah lab-bearer 5/1/1975 4/17/1999 10+2 rba

14 rattan KuMar Ghss KIshtWar GasMan 4/20/1960 12/19/2000 10th rba

15 tarIq basher DIet KIshtWar lab-bearer 3/13/1974 6/12/2001 10+2 Gen

16 ParvaIZ ahMeD KoKa hss WarWan lab-bearer 1/27/1981 8/11/2003 10+2 rba

17 KaMeshWar sInGh hss PaDDer lab-bearer 10/15/1985 4/12/2005 10+2 rba

18 shaMIMa beGuM Ghs sanGraMbhatta lab-bearer 4/7/1964 3/3/2006 10th rba

19 sanDeeP KuMar Zeo offICe KIshtWar lab-bearer 10/5/1977 7/18/2006 10+2 Gen

20 Prabha DevI Ghss sounDer lab-bearer 3/23/1984 12/23/2006 tDC rba

21 IrshaDa beGuM Ghs sanGraMbhatta lab-bearer 4/24/1966 7/2/2008 10+2 rba

seNiority list of Class-iV (PeoN, ChowKiDar, safaiwala, CooK & orDerly) of DistriCt Kishtwar as it stooD oN 15-10-2008 of all those who were matriC aND aBoVe


1 MohD shafI lone Zeo offICe WarWan orDerly 5/25/1967 12/21/1988 10th rba

2 MohD IslaM Khan hss bInoon Peon 4/4/1970 2/9/1989 10th rba

3 MohD Gulshan butt hs Dool CooK 3/18/1967 1/6/1990 10th Gen

4 Gh. nabI DIet KIshtWar GarDner 11/3/1964 1/6/1990 10th Gen

5 MohD yaqoob Ghss KIshtWar ChoWKIDar 5/3/1964 1/15/1990 10th rba

6 GhulaM rasool Zeo offICe KIshtWar safaIWalla 4/11/1968 1/15/1990 10th rba

7 Gh. hussan ahanGer hss WarWan Peon 5/1/1966 1/16/1990 10th rba

8 nIab ChanD sharMa Zeo InDerWal Peon 6/18/1957 1/18/1990 e.e Gen

9 shaKtI KuMar hss DaChhan orDerly 1/19/1957 12/16/1991 10th rba

10 Mushtaq ahMeD DIet Ktr Peon 4/5/1965 5/26/1992 10th Gen

11 MaDan lal hss DaChhan ChoWKIDar 7/28/1969 4/17/1994 10th rba

12 boDh raj hs Massu Peon 9/29/1959 9/5/1994 10th rba

13 MohD Iqbal hss naGsenI Peon 10/13/1957 9/6/1994 10th rba

14 MohD yousaf Zeo WarWan ChoWKIDar 6/20/1964 9/7/1994 10th Gen

15 DaleeP KuMar Ghss KIshtWar Peon 4/4/1958 9/7/1994 10th Gen

16 abDul GanI hss(boys) KIshtWar Peon 8/9/1958 9/8/1994 10th Gen

17 raM KrIshan Zeo offICe PaDDer Peon 11/4/1961 9/21/1994 10th sC

18 bansI lal bhanDarI hs tIPrI Peon 4/23/1963 9/21/1994 10th rba

19 shaheena aKhter Zeo offICe PaDDer Peon 1/12/1960 4/5/1996 tDC rba

20 KIrna DevI Zeo offICe PaDDer Peon 10/4/1959 4/6/1996 10th rba

21 babu raM hs KuntWara Peon 8/26/1978 6/30/1997 10+2 sC

22 bushan lal hss DaChhan GarDner 1/1/1978 10/21/1997 10+2 rba

23 lIyaqat alI hs baDhat Peon 3/5/1969 1/16/2002 10th rba

24 haDaytullah WanI hss bInoon Peon 8/15/1978 12/11/2002 10th Gen

25 MuDsIr IrshaD Zeo MarWah Class-Iv 1/1/1984 7/4/2006 10+2 rba

26 aMan-ulaha Zeo MarWah Peon 10/25/1985 7/23/2006 10+2 rba

27 sunIl KuMar hss Chatroo Peon 3/10/1983 10/19/2006 ba rba

28 MuDasIr qaDIr Ghs atholI Peon 4/15/1983 12/18/2006 10+2 Gen

29 abDul KabIr baKshI hss naGsenI Peon 4/7/1988 5/23/2007 10th Gen

30 shenaZ beGuM Ghss sounDer orDerly 5/10/1974 3/28/2008 10+2 rba

seNiority list of liB-Bearer of DistriCt Kishtwar as it stooD oN 15-10- 2008 of all those who were matriC aND aBoVe


1 nIsar ahMeD Dy. Ceo offICe KIshtWar lIb-bearer 6/6/1971 1/6/1990 10th rba

2 abID hussaIn hs baDhat lIb. bearer 5/15/1984 5/16/2005 10+2 rba

sD/-

Chief eDuCatioN offiCer

Kishtwar

Srinagar, Dec, 28 :

People Democratic Party(PDP) has condoled the demiseof Alhaj Ab Majid Bazaz ofSherz Colony Soura, arenowed business man was fa-ther in law of PDP seniorleader Showkat Gayoor. Hebreathed his last on 26thDecember evening.

While expressing sympa-thies with the bereaved familyand Showkat Gayoor, Partypresident & Hon’ble ChiefMinister Ms Mehbooba Muftidescribed the deceased as a no-ble and generous personality.She prayed for everlastingpeace to the departed soul.

The other leaders who ex-pressed solidarity with thefamily and share grief in thedemise of noble soul includeSenior Party Leaders,Muzaffar Hussain Baig;Mohammad Dilawar Mir,se-nior leader; Party GeneralSecretaries Mohammad SartajMadni, Nizamudin Bhat andMehboob Iqbal; senior leaders,Peer Mohammad Hussain;

spokesmen of the party RafiAhmad Mir, Nazir AhmadLaway MP; Fayaz Ahmad Mir,MP; Ab Rehman Veeri ,Hon’ble Minister; GhulamNabi Lone Hanjura Hon’bleMinister; Ab Haq Khan,Hon’ble Minister; SyedBasharat Bukhari , Hon’bleMinister ; Molvi Imran RazaAnsari , Hon’ble Minister;Naeem Akhter Hon’bleMinister; ChoudharyZulufkar Ali, Hon’bleMinister; Dr Haseeb Drabu,Hon’ble Minister; Ms AsieaNaqash, Hon’ble Minister;Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Hon’bleMinister; Syed FarooqAndrabi, Hon’ble Minister;Mrs Nayeema Mehbjoor,Chairman Women’sCommission; Javaid MustafaMir MLA; Syed Altaf Bukhari,MLA; Mohammad AshrafMir, MLA; Mohammad KhalilBandh,MLA; Molvi AbidHussain Ansari ,MLA; JavaidHussain Baig , MLA;Mohammad Abass Wani,MLA; Yawar Dilawar Mir,MLA; Noor Mohammad

Sheikh , MLA; Aijaz AhmadMir ,MLA; Adv Mohd YousufBhat ,MLA; Raja Manzoor,MLA; Mushtaq Ahamd Shah,MLA; Shah MohammadTantrey, MLA; Ch Qammer,MLA; Ab Rahim Rather,MLA;Ab Majeed Padder, MLA; MrsAnjum Fazilli, MLA; SyedBaqir Rizvi,MLA; Zaffar IqbalManhas,MLC; YourajVikramaditya Singh Hon’bleMLC; Mohammad KhurshidAlam, MLC; Yashpal Sharma,MLC; Saifudin Bhat, MLC;Yasir Reshi, MLC; ChSurinder Singh; JavaidMirchal, MLC; FirdousTak,MLC; ChiefCoordinators, Mufti SajjadHussain, Raja Aijaz Ali;Shahzad Khan; YouthPresident Waheed Ur RehmanParra; party leaders Ab GaffarSofi; Ab Razaq Zawoora, QaziMohammad Afzal;Mohamamd Shafi Wani, AbHameed Kosheen; Er,NazirAhmad Yatoo; and all otherleaders including DistrictPresidents & Zone Presidentsof the party.

Jammu, Dec 28 :

Seeking support of everysection of the society to takethe on-going war against drugaddiction to its logical conclu-sion, Chairman of the TeamJammu Mr Zorawar SinghJamwal today said that drugaddiction is destroyingyounger generation of theState and it is need of the hourto evolve a consensus how todeal with this deadly men-ace.Mr Zorawar SinghJamwal was addressing ameeting of the prominent citi-zens of Jammu includingExecutive Committee mem-bers of J&K Excise andCommercial TaxesEmployees Welfare Society(Regd) who invited him intheir meeting to render theirunconditional support of theTeam Jammu in its campaignagainst Drug menace.

Chairman of the TeamJammu said that drug abusein J&K is part of Narco-Terrorism, imported from theneighbouring Pakistan tospoil youth of the State. He re-gretted that no concrete policyhas been so far formulated todeal with this type of terror-ism. “We have already starteda campaign to mobilizeLegislators to make stringentlaws to deal with this men-

ace”, Mr Zorawar SinghJamwal informed members ofthe Civil Society and hopedthat in the coming session ofthe State Legislature someconcrete steps would be initi-ated in this regard by all polit-ical parties.

While sharing details ofdistrict wise records of deathcases due to drug over doseand percentage of youthfalling prey of Drug mafia inJammu Province, MrZorawar Singh Jamwal in-formed the members of theCivil Society that this menacehas consumed lives of hun-dreds of youth in Jammu re-gion and it has grippedyounger generation in its gripbut those at the helm of the af-fairs are still in deep slumber.

“If we failed to untidilyfight against this menace, fu-ture generation will not for-give us”, Zorawar Singh saidand expressed his gratitudetowards members of the CivilSociety to render support toTeam Jammu. “We are pass-ing through a very crucialjuncture. It is high time tocome together to fight thismenace”, he appealed to them,adding, “this menace hasgripped youth all castes,creeds, regions and religion sothere is need to come on a com-mon platform to fight to this

menace”.Mr Jamwal demanded set-

ting up rehabilitation centreon the patter on Punjab inJammu region to save lives ofthose youth who are victim ofthis menace. He said thatthere is urgent need to set upsuch rehabilitation centres inJammu region because par-ents of majority of the drug ad-dict youth could not afford tosend their children to Punjabor other parts of the country.

President of J&K Exciseand Commercial Taxes

Employees Welfare Society,Vijay Sharma and ChiefPatron of Society, AslamQureshi (IAS retd), in their re-spective speeches appreciatedMembers/volunteers of TeamJammu for taking such initia-tive and extended full supportto be part of the movementagainst drug menace and alsoto crush drug mafia.

They also informed thattill date they have 4000 mem-bers registered in their socie-ty across the state and eachand every member will partic-

ipate in the campaignlaunched by Team Jammu asit is need of the hour to edu-cate youth about this menaceso as to save younger genera-tion from becoming victim ofthis menace.Prominentamong others who spoke onthe occasion included secre-tary general K S Arora, chiefadvisor Riaz Ahmed, patronsS T P Singh and NaseemMalik, vice-presidents MohanLal Sharma, S K Sharma, S PKhajuria and NaseemManhas.

Civil Society offers full support to TeamJammu in its War against Drug Abuse

Let’s jointly fight drug mafia to save lives of our youth: Zorawar Singh

PDP Condoles death ofAb Majid Bazaz

ANANTNAG, DECEMBER 28:

A meeting to reviewprogress of Special SummaryRevision of Electoral Rolls2017 of Anantnag and Shopiandistricts was held here today.The meeting was chaired byElectoral Roll ObserverMohammad Javaid Khan.DEO Kulgam Showkat AijazBhat, ADDC AnantnagMohammad Younis Malik,ADDC Kulgam, ACRAnantnag/ Kulgam, SDMPahalgam, SDM Kokernag,Tehsildars of Anantnag andKulgam districts, Officers ofthe Election Department andother concerned attended themeeting.Giving brief of the re-vision done in Kulgam dis-trict, it was given out that inNoorabad Assembly Segment1739 additions, 1392 deletionsand 777 modifications weremade. For Kulgam Assembly

Segment 1214 additions, 1138deletions, 913 modifications,were made, while in HS BughPartly 1101 additions,941 dele-tions,675 modifications and inDevsar partly 1457 additions,1034 deletions , 433 modifica-tions were made during theSpecial Summary Revision.

It was said that the EPICcoverage is 96 percent with72212 EPIC generated against73351 electors of Noorabadsegment, 89850 against 94657electors in Kulgam segment,41995 against 44844 electors inHS Bugh Partly segment and47639 against 50546 electors ofDevsar Partly segment. TheDEO Kulgam said that 5714claims were accepted duringthe Special SummaryRevision.About the progressof Summary Revision of sixAssembly Segments inAnantnag district, the meet-ing was informed that 1194 ad-

ditions, 699 deletions, 416modifications were made inAnantnag Assembly segment,1295 additions , 339 deletions,456 modifications in DooruSegment, 3121 additions, 1013deletions, 356 modificationsin Kokernagsegment.Similarly 1279 addi-tions, 70 deletions, 82 modifi-cations were made in ShangusSegment, 2111 additions ,447deletions, 1349 modificationsin Bijbehara Segment, 3692 ad-ditions, 3095 deletions, 4750modifications in PahalgamSegment were made duringthe Special SummaryRevision.The Roll Observerstressed for door to door regis-tration of left out electors par-ticularly in far flung areas ofthese districts. He also direct-ed for conduct of camps toaware people about the regis-tration process and the valueof exercising their franchise.

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28 :

Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kalakote today con-vened awareness cum public grievances redressal camp hereat Borh.

The functionaries of Agriculture, Horticulture, RuralDevelopment, Social Welfare, Child Development Project,Health & Revenue Department were present at the camp andlistened to the issues raised by the locals regarding their re-spective departments.

The team of officers also made the locals aware about dif-ferent welfare scheme/programs being implemented by theirdepartments.

The SDM also took stock of the grievances of the peopleand asked the concerned departments to take immediate stepsto redress these on priority

He asked the people to avail the benefits of different wel-fare scheme being implemented for their economic develop-ment. He further said that more such awareness camps will beorganized in the far flung areas of Kalakote to create aware-ness about the government schemes among the stakeholders .

The SDM also visited Government High School Broh andreviewed the functioning of the institution. Zonal EducationOfficer ( ZEO) Kalakote was directed to constitute coordina-tion committee involving the parents of the students to takesteps for improvement of education scenario in the school.

Besides general public Anganwari workers, AshaWorkers, tehsildar Kalakote, BDO Kalakote, BMO Kalakote,Divisional Agriculture Officer Kalakote, Tehsil SocialWelfare Officer Kalakote, Horticulture Officer Kalakote werepresent on this occasion.

RAMBAN, DECEMBER 28 :

Around 23 new school buildings and 80 additional classrooms have been completed under SSA, while 19 existingbuildings upgraded under RMSA in Ramban district tillDecember this year .The information was given at a meetingconvened by District Development Commissioner (DDC)Ramban Mohammad Aijaz with the officers of education andother concerned sectors to review the physical and financialprogress under SSA and RMSA.

The meeting was further informed that more than 150computers and lap tops have been provided to 20 primary andsecondary schools along with other equipment to make themICT-enabled institutions.

It was further given out in the meeting that funds over Rs179 lakh have been expended for providing uniforms to the stu-dents, while assessment of disabled children is in progress toscreen them for providing necessary aids and appliances.

The DC stressed on the department and executing agencyto complete the ongoing building projects at an earliest includ-ing those for which formalities have been already completed.Regarding UPS Sundgali for which Rs 27 lakhs have been sanc-tioned, the executing agency was directed to start the workwithout any delay.Laying stress on monitoring, the DDC alsodirected the concerned officers to monitor the ongoing worksto ensure that the timelines are strictly adhered to.

The meeting was attended by ACR Vevaik Puri, CPOUttam Singh, CEO Mohd Shrief, ADs, XeN R&B, BDO Rambanand other concerned.

RAMBAN, DECEMBER 28 :

The District administration Ramban is going to build thir-ty community tanks to augment irrigation facilities in variousparts of the district. In this regard, District DevelopmentCommissioner (DDC) Mohammad Aijaz today discussed themodalities for implementing Pradhan Mantri KrishiSinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) scheme in the district.

Chief Planning Officer Uttam Singh, Chief AgricultureOfficer H K Razdan, officers of Horticulture Department, RDD,IWMP, Hydraulic and other concerned were present in themeeting.The meeting was informed that for implementing thescheme three clusters namely Kanthi-Karol-Neera in Ramban,Dalwa-Daram in Gool and Halimaidan- Chambalbas-Nogam inBanihal have been identified where five departments vizHorticulture, Agriculture, Hydraulic, IWMP and Commandarea development shall work jointly to exploit perennial waterresources.Pertinently, the scheme targets to bring about 22percent area in the district under irrigation from existing 6.5percent. It was further informed that an amount of Rs 42 lakhshas been sanctioned under first phase of the scheme for con-struction of individual and community tanks, supply of pumps,water lifting devices, check dams and pipes. The meeting decid-ed to construct over 30 community tanks in all the three clus-ters. The DDC asked the officers to make extra efforts to intro-duce water conservation practices by generating awarenessamong the people. He also impressed upon the officers to identi-fy the springs and other natural resources across the district toenhance water availability at the farm level and adopt meas-ures to improve water use efficiently.

Detailed discussion was also held on progress in irrigationsector and other major objectives of the PMKSY like expandingcultivable area under assured irrigation, improve on-farm wa-ter use efficiency to reduce wastage of water, enhance the adop-tion of precision-irrigation and other water saving technolo-gies.The DDC also asked the officers to encourage the stakeholders especially farmers for using new techniques and ma-chinery being providing by the agriculture and line depart-ments to irrigate their agriculture land.

Special Summary Revision of Anantnag, Kulgam electoral rolls held

30 community tanksbeing built in Ramban

23 school buildings, 80additional classroomscompleted in RambanDDC reviews progress ofworks in education sector

Kalakote SDMholds grievance redressal camp

KARGIL Dec 28 :

J&K Academy of ArtsCulture and Language Kargilorganized Kargil Losar Festivalat Dak Banglow WakhaMulbekh today . During whichmore than 11 cultural troopsfrom Drass to Kukshow pre-sented clourfull cultural pro-grammes.On this occasionExecutive Councilor LAHDCKargil Mohammad Hussainwas the Chief Guest and DeputyCommissioner Kargil HajiGulzar Hussain was the guest ofhonour.Thousands of peoplefrom all over Kargil reachedWakha Mulbekh to celebrate

the day which is considered asone of the main event to revivethe culture.While talking onthis occasion DeputyCommissioner Kargil HajiGulzar Hussain appreciated theefforts of Deputy SecretaryCulture Nazir Hussain and histeam in reviving the culture,language and traditional ethosof Kargil where there are sixethnic cultures.He furtheradded that Administration istrying its best to promotetourism in Kargil and for whichthis event will be added to thetourism calendar of J&K so thatwinter tourism in Kargil can beboosted.The chief guest of the

occasion Mohammad Hussaintold that such events are veryhelpful in the revival of tradi-tion and culture.He further toldthat LAHDC Kargil is trying torevive the traditional eventssuch as Losar, Strubla, Mamani(Traditional Food Festival),Mendok Haltanmo or MindukGraspa etc so that the tradition-al bonding can be increased inorder to promote tourism inKargil.Talking to mediaAdditional DeputyCommissioner Kargil KachoTruab Shah said that we shouldcelebrate eid and Losar equallyas its also a part of our culture.“IRequest all the people of Kargil

to stand united always andstrengthen the bondings”. Headded.Deputy Secretary cul-ture Nazir Hussain Said thatLosar always celebrated inKargil, Leh ,Gilgit Baltistan andTibet with the same spirit.“Thisday reunited us and also at-tracts us on ethnical grounds”.He adddedDuring the programRanthag Theater Group pre-sented a street play on electrici-ty theft and other social evils.Itspertinent to mention here thatLosar is the New Year festivalcelebrated according to Tibetiand Ladakhi Calendar which iscelebrated all over GilgitBaltistan, Ladakh and Tibet .

Several Cultural Troops presented Colourful programs

Army Chief Visits

Udhampur &

Forward Areas Of

Northern

CommandUdhampur Dec 28 :

Army Chief GeneralDalbir Singh visitedNorthern CommandHeadquarters at Udhampurand forward areas of WhiteKnight Corps, the General in-teracted with troops and ad-dressed officers of NorthernCommand during thefarewell visit. He was accord-ed a warm farewell by offi-cers and men during his visitto all the locations.

The Army Chief in hisaddress complemented thesoldiers of NorthernCommand for their profes-sionalism, selfless commit-ment and dedication to thenation. He also appreciatedtheir role during the recentunrest, ceasefire violationsand in counter terrorist oper-ations.

He exhorted the troops tocontinue to work with zealand dedication to overcomethe numerous challenges.The Army Chief commendedthe synergy between all secu-rity agencies and civil admin-istration in Jammu andKashmir.

New Delhi, Dec 28 :

The Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry has ex-tended the cut-off date for the third and fourth phase of theCable TV Digitisation. According to a statement issued by theI&B Ministry, the cut-off date for Phase-III digitisation is ex-tended to January 31, 2017, and for the Phase-IV to March 31,2017. "In view of uncertainty in the market due to pending courtcases and unsatisfactory progress of installation of Set TopBoxes (STBs) in Phase IV areas, the deadlines have been ex-tended,” the Ministry statement said.

The digitisation of cable networks in rural areas was tar-geted to be achieved by December, 2016 under Phase IV, and inthe urban areas by December 31 last year.

The ministry said it is also providing additional time forthe remaining subscribers in Phase III areas to switch over todigital mode of transmission by 31st January, 2017, on accountof ongoing court proceedings.

The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) AmendmentAct, 2011, has made it mandatory to switch over the existinganalogue cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System(DAS) in four phases.

The ministry will be issuing instructions to all the broad-casters, multi-system operators, local cable operators and theauthorized officers to ensure that no analog signals would betransmitted over the cable networks in Phase III areas afterJanuary 31, 2017. It is also made clear that further extension ofthe deadline would not be allowed. A notification in this regardwill be issued shortly.

I&B Ministry extends datefor Cable TV Digitization


OFFICE OF THE CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER KISHTWARGROUND FLOOR MINI SECRETARIAT NEW DC COMPLEx KISHTWAR

(Email id: - [email protected] Phone/Fax: - 01995-261000)"Subject: Tentative Seniority list of Lib. Asstt, Lab. Asstt of Education Department of District Kishtwar.

In exercise of the powers got vested upon undersigned by Worthy Director School Education Jammu vide his office letter No. DSEJ/NG/55151-31 dated: 21-12-2016 u/sd hereby circulating theupdated seniority list of of Lib. Asstt, Lab. Asstt of Education Department of District Kishtwar. The concerned employees are hereby informed through this publication that they shall file their ob-jections, if any, to this office within three days from the publication of this notice annexed here with under Annexure - "A" and "B".

Annexure-"A"SENIORITY LIST OF LIB. ASSTT

s. Name of the official Designation gender Place of posting Qualification D.o.B Dt. of ist Dt. of Promotion residence as per CategoryNo apptt. next grade if any service record

1 shokat ali Zargar lib-asstt. M hss binoon 10th 4/25/1967 1/1/1990 - binoon Gen

2 suram Chand lib-asstt. M hs Pochhal 10+2 7/12/1964 1/8/1990 - Kishtwar Gen

3 Gh nabi lib-asstt. M hss boys Kishtwar e.e 7/23/1963 1/15/1990 - Dugga Kishtwar rba

4 Devi Dass lib-asstt. M hss sounder e.e 3/15/1964 3/21/1991 - Dachhan rba

5 Kousar jahan lib-asstt. f hss Girls Kishtwar 10th 6/16/1968 3/3/1992 - Kishtwar Gen

6 farida begum lib-asstt. f hss Mugalmaidan Matric 4/3/1965 5/27/1992 - Kishtwar Gen

7 hamida begum lib-asstt. f Ghs sangrambhatta 10+2 5/15/1966 5/30/1992 - Kishtwar Gen.

8 Mohd Ishaq Mir lib-asstt. M hs basanwali 10+2 5/19/1973 4/28/2003 - Kishtwar Gen

9 Poonam rathore lib-asstt. f hs Galigad M. lib. b.ed. 9/14/1989 5/11/2016 janwas sarthal rba

10 jyoti Mangotra lib-asstt. f hss shirodh M. lib. b.ed. 8/23/1990 5/13/2016 - badhori saroor rba

11 akshey sharma lib-asstt. M hss filler M. Phill M. lib. net 1/10/1986 5/18/2016 - Pochhal Kishtwar rba

12 susheela sharma lib-asstt. f hss sarthal M.a. b.ed. 4/7/1984 6/3/2016 Pochhal Kishtwar rba

annexure-"B"seNiority list of laB. asstt

s. Name of the official Designation gender Place of posting Qualification D.o.B Dt. of ist Dt. of Promotion residence as per CategoryNo apptt. next grade if any service record

1 Mohd shafi lab. asstt. M hss sounder 10th 4/15/1964 3/9/1981 - sounder rba

2 Mohd yaqoob lab. asstt. M hss shirodh 10th 2/25/1964 7/8/1982 5/23/2009 shirodh st

3 Madan lal lab. asstt. M hss sounder 10th 3/19/1965 11/28/1983 2/19/2014 sounder rba

4 noor Din lab. asstt. M hss Chatroo 11th 3/8/1969 4/7/1988 2/19/2014 Chatroo st

5 abdul rashid Khanday lab. asstt. M hss Warwan 10th 7/9/1963 12/16/1988 2/19/2014 Warwan rba

6 ab. Karim lab. asstt. M hs Dehrna 10th 1/4/1969 12/17/1988 2/19/2014 Marwah rba

7 tota ram lab. asstt. M hss Padder 10th 10/16/1960 12/19/1988 2/19/2014 Padder rba

8 Chuni lal lab. asstt. M hss Dachhan 10+2 5/3/1967 12/19/1988 2/19/2014 Dachhan rba

9 Gh. Mohd lab. asstt. M hss Dachhan 10+2 5/13/1967 12/19/1988 2/19/2014 Dachhan rba

10 Gh. hassan lab. asstt. M hs Dehrna 10th 6/10/1958 12/19/1988 2/19/2014 Marwah rba

11 sh. akbar ali lab. asstt. M hss Padder 10th 4/30/1969 12/20/1988 - Padder rba

12 raj Mohd lab. asstt. M hss nagseni 10th 4/7/1971 4/8/1989 2/19/2014 nagseni st

13 Prehlad bhagat lab. asstt. M hss nagseni 10th 6/1/1959 1/8/1990 2/19/2014 nagseni sC

14 Zubida begum lab. asstt. f DIet Kishtwar 10th 11/11/1959 9/5/1994 12/6/2005 Kishtwar rba

15 yogita sen lab. asstt. f hss boys Kishtwar b.sc 5/4/1987 6/14/2001 - Kishtwar Gen

16 Pawan Kumar lab. asstt. M Ghs sangrambhatta M.a 28-02-1983 14-06-2011 - trigam rba

17 amit sharma lab. asstt. M hss Girls Kishtwar 12th 9/2/1990 7/10/2012 - Kishtwar Gen

18 Imran aziz lab. asstt. M hss Chatroo M.sc, b.ed 3/10/1984 3/26/2013 - Pochhal rba

19 heena Khurished Kichloo lab. asstt. f DIet Kishtwar b.sc, b.ed 10/26/1989 6/7/2014 - Kishtwar Gen

20 Pawan Kumar lab. asstt. M hs Drabshalla 12th 19-04-1990 19-01-2015 - Mali Kishtwar rba

sd/-Chief education officer

Kishtwar

OFFICE OF THE ExECUTIVE ENGINEER, MECHANICAL

HOSPITAL & CENTRAL HEATING DIVISION, GOVERNMENT

MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL, JAMMU

NOTICE INVITING TENDER e-NIT No. MHDJ/DB/e/2016-17/67 Dated: 27-12-2016

OnbehalfoftheGovernor, Government of Jammu &Kashmir,e-tendersareinvitedfrom registered/reputed firms having

sufficient relevant experience for the workmentioned below :-

S. Description of work Name of Earnest Money Cost of Time of Eligibility Criterion

No Division Tender completion of Bidder

document

1. Up gradation of GMCH MHCH 2% of quoted Rs. 500.00 10 days Reputed firms/

by way of Providing, Division amount pledge in shape of authorized deal-

installation, testing and GMCH to the Executive DD pledge to ers having suffic-

commissioningof modu- Jammu Engineer MHCH the Executive ient experience

lar fire extinguishers in Divn GMC Engineer for the work.

isolation ward of GMCH Jammu MHCH Divn

Jammu. GMC Jammu

(Er. M.S. Khorana)

Executive Engineer (Mech.)

Hospital & Central Heating Division GMCH JammuDIP/J-7776Dated : 28-12-16

Jammu Dec 28 :

Promoting his vision todevelop Jammu West as amodel Contituency, StatePresident BJP and MLAJammu West Sat Sharma (CA)started the macdamizationworks at Sarwal main road,near Muslim graveyardfalling under Ward 18 and 25of the Assembly segment. Thestretch which will be coveredunder the same includesSarwal road starting fromgraveyard and a stretch of al-most 200 metres is covered un-der the same. Accompaniedby a large number of people,Sharma started the works inthe presence of PWD(R&B) of-ficials, local residents and po-litical activists of the area.

A total estimated cost ofRupees 8 lakhs will be spenton the same and works will bedone under the supervision ofPWD (R&B) department.

Speaking on the occasion,Sat Sharma Sat Sharma said

that projects worth crores ofRupees have been completedin the Constituency and com-pletion of works for almostevery main road and link roadshows that the Jammu WestConstituency is moving on aprogressive mode and soonit’s example will be given un-der the scope of ModelConstituencies of Jammu andKashmir.

He stated that ERA tookup the works for laying wa-terand sewerage pipes in thearea which worsened the con-dition of the road so the workshad to be taken up in order toprovide best possible infra tothe masses of Jammu Westand this work will benefitthousands of local residentsand people passing throughthis road. He also stated thatplaces where ERA took up theworks of laying new waterpipes and sewerage pipes arekept on priority so that incoming days, those workswhere the condition of roads

and lanes are not in good con-dition are taken up in order toprovide basis amenities to theresidents of Jammu West attheir door steps.

He also appreciated theefforts of PWD (R&B) depart-ment for starting of works andalso expected that the quality

of work done will last long andno spurious material will beused for the works which cancreate problems for the mass-es in the future. Sharma alsostressed on promoting the vi-sion of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to build aclean and green nation and ap-

pealed everyone to come for-ward and contribute in the no-ble cause. EX EN PWD UttarKumar Sharma, AEE YasirKitchloo, JE Shamsher Singh,JE Ravinder Singh,Supervisor PWD RajeshSharma, Sanjeev Sharma,Dinesh Gupta, Ayodhya

Gupta, Sumit Gupta, MintuSharma, Balbir Singh, SanjaySawhney, Jai Singh Chib,Rajeshwar Sharma, AtulBakshi, Ashu Gupta, InderSawhney, Sanjay Gupta,Ankush Sharma and severalothers were also present onthe occasion.

Sat Sharma starts macdamizationworks of Sarwal road

JAMMU, DEC 28 :

Minister for PHE,Irrigation & Flood ControlSham Lal Chaudhary todaychaired a meeting to reviewthe physical and financialachievements of Departmentof PHE under variousschemes in Jammu division,besides discussing the issuesrelated to ensuing BudgetSession at Company Baghmeeting hall here.

Secretary PHE, I&FCDepartment Sanjeev Verma,Director Finance PHE, I&FCDepartment Mahesh Das,Chief Engineer, PHE JammuSusheel Aima and other sen-ior officers of the departmentwere present in themeeting.The Minster directedthe concerned officers to fileprecise and accurate answersto the queries raised by thelegislators. He also enquiredabout the actions taken by thedepartment on the issuesraised by the legislators intheir respective constituen-cies.During the meeting, theMinister also instructed theofficers to prepare a compre-

hensive list of land donorswho gave their land to the de-partment for creation of pub-lic assets and instructed tosubmit the same to his officeat an earliest. The officerswere further asked to submitdetails of vacancies in the de-partment so that they could beforwarded to recruiting agen-cies for necessary action.

The Minister further di-

rected for immediate removalof illegal connections, besidesissuing directions for fixingleakages in water pipes.

Later, Secretary, PHE,I&FC Department SanjeevVerma also convened a meet-ing with the officers ofIrrigation & Flood Control de-partment to discuss the paceof de-silting of various canalsin Jammu.The Secretary di-

rected the officers to expeditethe de-silting works in thecanals so that uninterruptedwater reaches the agricultur-al fields.

Chief Engineer, I&FCRajeev Gandotra, ChiefEngineer Rawi-TawiIrrigation Complex HCJerath and other officers ofthe department attended themeeting.

Zulfkar condoles demise of TSO DarhalCHATTISGARH DECEMBER 28:

Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer AffairsChowdhary Zulfkar Ali has condoled demise of MohammadAlyas, Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) Darhal who passed awaydue to cardiac arrest at his home Rajdhani Thannamandi in dis-trict Rajouri today.

In his condolence message, the Minister conveyed sympa-thies with the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace tothe departed soul.

Meanwhile, Secretary Food, Civil Supplies and ConsumerAffairs Department Shafiq Ahmed Raina, Director FCSCA GSChib have also expressed sympathy with the bereaved family.

SRINAGAR, DEC 28 :

Minister of State for Health & Medical Education andUrban Development, Ms Asiea Naqash today conducted exten-sive tour of Srinagar city to take stock of various ongoing devel-opmental projects.The Minister inspected dumping site atAchan Eidgah and took stock of the pace of the work carried outfor its upgradation. She asked the concerned to expedite upgra-dation and incorporate latest technology in the project, addingthat Rs 6.40 crore worth segregate waste management project isof great importance.Later, the Minister visited, PindichiMandi Bemina and inspected the commercial shopping com-plex comprising 312 shops at ground floor which have been al-ready allotted and 312 more shops at first floor which are yet tobe allotted. The Minister directed the concerned to completethe allotment process of these shops at an earliest.Ms. Asiea al-so visited shopping complex at Batamaloo and directed the con-cerned to start the allotment process of 101 shops there amongthe deserving persons.Deputy Commissioner Srinagar/Commissioner SMC, Joint Commissioner SMC and other con-cerned were accompanying the Minister during her tour.

Asiea Naqash inspects Achandumping site, shopping complexes at Bemina, Batamaloo

Sham Chaudhary reviews progress of water supply schemes

KARNAH, DECEMBER 28:

The SDM today conducted surpriseinspection of various offices here in theSub Division, Karnah, during which 14employees of Cooperative, Education,ICDS, Health, Animal husbandry andSocial welfare Departments werefound unauthorizedly absent from theduty.The SDM took necessary actionagainst the absentees and recommend-ed for their suspension .

DDC Kupwara reviews implementation of PCNDT

KUPWARA, DECEMBER 28:

The District Development Commissioner Kupwara todayconvened a meeting with officers of various departments in-cluding health and information to discuss the issues under Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT)Act and present status of the USG centers.

The Chief Medical Officer Kupwara briefed the meetingabout the work done under the Act. It was given out that 17 USGcenters exist in the district while one diagnostic center hasbeen established in Zachaldara hospital.

On the occasion, two cases were submitted for registrationof USG at SDH Tangdhar and district hospital Handwara.

The DDC impressed upon the all the concerned to keep vig-il on the functioning of all these centers and maintain the rele-vant record of the births.

It was decided in the meeting that awareness programmeswould be organized by the district administration in collabora-tion with social welfare department in Handwara andKupwara hospitals regarding PCPNDT to save the girls child.

ADC seeks attention ofKupwara localsKUPWARA, DECEMBER 28:

The District Magistrate Kupwara has appointed AdditionalDeputy Commissioner, Kupwara as inquiry officer to conductthe magisterial inquiry into the various killing incidents thattook place in different areas of the district during the month ofJuly this year.

In this connection, the Additional Deputy Commissioner,Kupwara has sought information from the person havingknowledge about the killings of Zahoor Ahmad Shiekh residentof Warsun, Bilal Ahamd Dantoo resident of Kawari, MushtaqAhmad Dantoo resident of Kalaroos, Showkat Ahmad Ganieresident of Hatmulla and Gh Mohammad Mir of Khumriyal.

The intending persons can record their statements in the of-fice of ADC Kupwara within seven days.

SDM Karnahinspects offices DODA, DECEMBER 28 :

Jammu and Kashmir Khadi and VillageIndustries Board (JK KVIB), Doda organisedan awareness Camp for the Rural unem-ployed youth at I.T.I here today.

District Development CommissionerDoda Bhupinder Kumar who was the ChiefGuest on the occasion emphasised the need ofholding such camps at Tehsil level to ensuremaximum participation of the unemployedyouth to make them aware with variousschemes implemented by the concerned de-

partments. He said that youth should be moti-vated to avail the benefits of these schemes forestablishing their own ventures and set upsuccessful enterprises for themselves.Dr.Sandeep Kotwal District officer, K.V.I.B.Doda apprised the participants about thePrime Ministers Employment GenerationProgramme “PMEGP” and exhorted uponthem to avail maximum benefits from thescheme. Deputy CEO, KVIB Jammu DivisionSantosh Saraf also asked the youth to comeforward and set up their own income generat-ing ventures under the various schemes.

ANANTNAG, DECEMBER 28:

Justice MuzaffarHussain Attar of J&K HighCourt, who is alsoAdministrative Judge forSouth Kashmir, today inau-gurated additional block ofDistrict Court Complex(DCC) Anantnag.

An expenditure of Rs 50lakh was incurred on re-pairs and renovation of thebuilding which earlierhoused office of SSPAnantnag. The block willprovide accommodation for

Additional District &Sessions Judge Anantnag,Special Judicial MobileMagistrate (Sub Judge) andfor Munsiff / District MobileMagistrate Traffic.

On the occasion effortsof Justice Attar in transfer-ring building to the DistrictCourt were hailed.

Principal District &Sessions Judge Anantnag,Additional District Judge,ADDC, CJM, SSP Anantnag,Sub Judge Bijbehara,Munsiff Vailoo andAishmuqam, President

District Bar Association,Advocates, Judiciary offi-cers, Civil Society Membersand prominent citizenswere present on the occa-sion.

Later, Justice Attar alsoinaugurated shift block ofMunsiff Court Dooru. Onthe occasion various de-mands were put forth be-fore him for the bettermentof lawyers’ community. Heassured that all of these de-mands will be examinedand looked into for their re-dressal.

Justice Attar inaugurates additional block of DCC Anantnag, shift blockof Munsiff Court Dooru

KVIB organizes awareness camp at Doda

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28 :

Jammu and Kashmir Police Wives Welfare Association(PWWA) today organised a farewell function in honour of itsChairperson Mrs. K. Vijaya Rajendra here at Police OfficersMess.On the occasion, speakers highlighted the role of outgoingChairperson in promoting the welfare of police families. Theysaid that Mrs. K Vijaya Rajendra with her leadership qualitiesremained highly interested in taking new initiatives for thewelfare of special children and wards of martyrs. They addedthat her contribution in coordinating the activities for the wel-fare of police families has set new trends.In her address, Mrs. K.Vijaya Rajendra said that she has been proud to be a member ofPWWA and has tried her best to bring changes in the working ofthe Association. She said that PWWA has been focussing to in-stil a sense of confidence among the minds of martyrs’ wivesand develop skills in them. The Association in coordinationwith other departments, NGOs with similar objectives, workedfor the well being of specially-abled children of police person-nel.She said that the Association also focussed to imbibe cultur-al values among the police wards and promoted as sense of com-petition among them .

PWWA organizes farewellfor Mrs Rajendra

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016opinion/edit6Glimpses of Future

Glimpses of Future

Demonetisation unites oppn

Fighting for legitimate rightsBy : mohit KaNDhari

The refugees from west Pakistan settled in J&K deserveto be brought into the Indian mainstream. A tentative deci-sion has been taken to give them identity certificates. Butseparatists and even some mainstream politicians are outto communalise the issue. At a time when the restiveKashmir Valley was gradually limping back to normalcy af-ter witnessing one of the longest spells of unrest in the after-math of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander BurhanWani, the issue of granting ‘identity certificates’ to the chil-dren of West Pakistan refugees for getting into central para-military and the Indian Armed Forces has once again ignit-ed the spark and allowed discredited separatist leaders anddisgruntled opposition parties to spearhead another agita-tion to protect Jammu & Kashmir’s special status. Protestmarches have been planned by separatist leaders and‘wake-up’ calls have been belted out using loudspeakers fit-ted atop religious places, to mobilise large crowds to resistfresh attempts made by the PDP-BJP alliance Governmentto address the long-pending issue of resettlement of westPakistan refugees on humanitarian grounds.

The issue of granting citizenship rights to westPakistan refugees, settled in Jammu region, was hanging inbalance since partition days. Successive State and CentralGovernments either ignored their plight or succumbed topressure tactics adopted by Kashmiri politicians to deprivethese people of their rights. In 1987, the then chairman of theWest Pakistan Refugee Action Committee, Bachal LalKalgotra, had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court,seeking justice. The court had said it was for the the Centreand the State Governments to realise the genuine griev-ances of these refugees and grant them a permanent resi-dent status to enable them vote for the State Assembly andpanchayat elections. Dismissing the writ petition, JusticeChinnappa Reddy had observed, in view of the peculiar con-stitutional position obtaining in the State, “We do not seewhat possible relief we can give to the petitioner and thosesituated like him. All that we can say is that the position ofthe petitioner and those like him is anomalous and it is up tothe Legislature of the State of Jammu & Kashmir to take ac-tion to amend legislature, such as, the Jammu & KashmirRepresentation of the People Act, the Land Alienation Act,the Village Panchayat Act, etc, so as to make persons likethe petitioner who have migrated from West Pakistan in1947 and who have settled down in the State of J&K sincethen, eligible to be included in the electoral roll, to acquireland, to be elected to the panchayat. This could be done bysuitably amending legislations without having to amendthe J&K Constitution. “In regard to providing employmentopportunities under the State Government. it could be doneby the Government by amending the Jammu & KashmirCivil Services, Classification of Control and Appeal Rules.“The petitioners have a justifiable grievance. We are toldthat they constitute nearly seven to eight per cent of the pop-ulation of the State. Surely they are entitled to expect to beprotected by the State. In the peculiar context of the State ofJ&K, the Union of India also owes an obligation to makesome provision for the advancement of the cultural, eco-nomic and educational rights of these persons. We do hopethat the claims of persons like the petitioner and others toexercise greater rights of citizenship will receive due con-sideration from the Union of India and the State of Jammu &Kashmir.” The decision to issue identity certificates to thewards of west Pakistan refugees was taken by the UnionMinistry of Home Affairs in consultation with the StateGovernment in the first week of August this year. The letterwas processed by the Home Ministry after a long gap of over14 years. After receiving the communication from the min-istry, the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, on August 5,wrote to District Development Commissioners of Jammuregion to issue necessary instructions to the revenue au-thorities to issue nativity/identity certificates strictly onthe proforma devised by the Ministry of Home Affairs, sothat the refugees may be in a position to establish their iden-tity at the time of recruitment in Central paramilitary and

Demonetisation of currency notes has affected differentsections of society in different ways. Whereas most ofthe people in the country are happy with the decision

of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, some of the people en-gaged in corrupt practices are not happy with the move andare criticizing the move. Intellectuals in the country have dif-ferent opinions. Few say it is good and few are criticizing andsome say it good but the way it has been done is not good. Butone of the major effect of this demonetization is that, it hasunited the divided opposition in the country. Congressleader Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjeealong with some regional parties have sought to put up a unit-ed face raising the pitch against demonetisation by demand-ing even the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.After the eight-party meeting on yesterdat, the leaders havealso sought a probe into the issue of "personal corruption" ofModi with Gandhi insisting that a "free and fair" inquiry wasneeded to maintain the credibility of the Prime Minister'spost. Banerjee, whose presence rescued the Congress' plan ofreplicating the opposition unity witnessed in Parliament re-cently on the note ban issue, virtually stole the show by plac-ing the resignation demand, a position subsequently echoedby Gandhi. Both Gandhi and Banerjee spoke of a "commonminimum agenda" being evolved to take the opposition unityforward even as he downplayed the absence of several otherparties, including the Left, from today's meet which precededthe press conference. Opposition has escalated its the attackon Modi. Rahul Gandhi is describing the noteban as a "singlearbitrary financial experiment in the history of the worldthat has affected 1.3 billion people" and asked the PM to ex-plain the "real" reason for implementing it and take responsi-bility for giving pain to people. He has also raised the demandthat Modi should answer the charges of "personal corrup-tion" made against him in the wake of his name allegedly fig-uring in the "Sahara and Birla diaries." Mamata Banerjeehas termed the demonetization as a mega scam and has evendemanded resignation of the Prime Minister for putting peo-ple of the country into trouble in the name of demonetization.One can say anything, but it has united the opposition and allopposition leaders are speaking in one voice over the issue.The presence of representatives of RJD, DMK, JD-S, JMM,IUML and AIUDF, besides the Congress and TrinamoolCongress has shown the face of united opposition which shallcreate problems for the government in the coming days.

AFGHANISTAN, INDIA, AND TRUMPBy : raKesh sooD

On January 20, next year, Donald Trumpwill take over as the 45th President of theUnited States of America, at a time when theU.S. remains engaged in the longest war inits history the war in Afghanistan. He willbe the third President to deal with the warlaunched in 2001 by U.S. President GeorgeBush and sought to be brought to a conclu-sion by his successor U.S. President BarackObama. Even though ‘Operation EnduringFreedom’ ended on December 28, 2014 imply-ing an end to formal combat operations bythe International Security Assistance Force(ISAF) forces, the U.S. still maintains ap-proximately 9,800 troops as part of the inter-national troop presence numbering over12,000 under ‘Operation Resolute Support’.Primary responsibility for fighting the in-surgency was transferred to the AfghanNational Security Forces (consisting of themilitary and the police) two years ago butU.S. presence is essential to provide criticaldomain awareness, intelligence and surveil-lance support, air power and special forces.

For Mr. Bush, the war against al-Qaedaand the Taliban in Afghanistan was an inte-gral part of his “war on terror”, launched onSeptember 20, 2001. The U.S.-led effort en-joyed broad international support whichcontinued even after Mr. Bush’s ill-con-ceived invasion in Iraq in 2003 in search ofthe non-existent weapons of mass destruc-tion. The Iraq invasion however dilutedWashington’s focus on the challenges it

faced in Afghanistan. In 2009, Mr. Obamadrew a clear distinction between the wars inIraq and Afghanistan, describing the latteras “a war of necessity”, a “war that we (USA)have to win”. He ordered a troop surge in2009 while simultaneously announcing thedate for withdrawal of the U.S. from combatoperations. This flawed decision may havebeen the result of domestic compulsions butit breathed fresh life into the insurgency.Gains and losses Much blood and treasurehas been expended in Afghanistan. The U.S.alone has spent more than $800 billion inAfghanistan, of which $115 billion has beenspent on reconstruction; more than the infla-tion adjusted expenditure under theMarshall Plan for rebuilding Europe afterWorld War II at $105 billion! The ISAF (con-sisting of over 40 countries) suffered 3,500 fa-tal casualties during the last 15 years, withthe U.S. bearing the largest loss at 2,400 lives.At the NATO summit in Warsaw earlier thisyear, it was agreed to maintain the currentinternational troop presence till 2020 whileproviding annual financial support of $4.5billion for the Afghan security forces.

It is clear that this is unlikely to bringabout a material change in the situation inAfghanistan. In fact, casualties among theAfghan forces and civilians have risen rap-idly in recent years. The total civilian casu-alties are estimated at 31,000; this year wit-nessed a spike. The Afghan security forceshave suffered significant casualties, risingfrom 21,000 in 2014 to about 30,000 today.

Out of 408 districts, the government writ

holds in 258 while 33 have come under thecontrol of the insurgents, largely in thesouth. The remaining 116 districts are con-tested zones. It is true that some progresshas been registered. Life expectancy hasgone up from 40 years in 2002 to 62 years to-day. From 9,00,000 boys in school then, thenumber of children in school is now morethan 8 million, more than a third are girls.Literacy figures have gone up from 12 percent to 34 per cent in 15 years. Today, with amedian age of 18 years, Afghanistan has oneof the youngest populations with 60 per centof the population below 21 years of age. Thisprogress can be sustained only if peace canbe restored. Different political approachesFormer Afghanistan President HamidKarzai realised early on that the key torestoring peace and stability in Afghanistanlay in Pakistan. He described the Taliban as“Pashtun brothers” and tried to improve re-lations with Pakistan. In many of his speech-es, Mr. Karzai referred to India “as an oldfriend” and Pakistan as “a brother and con-joined twin”. The metaphor may not be aptbecause half the conjoined twins are still-born and an additional one-third die within24 hours but it does capture Pakistan’s criti-cal role. Eventually, he became exasperatedwith Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’srebuffs and tried, unsuccessfully, to open uphis own channels for dialogue with theQuetta Shura, first with Mullah Obaidullahand then with Mullah Baradar, only to havethem successively neutralised by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Mr. Ghani went a step further. Havingwitnessed Mr. Karzai’s doomed efforts andconscious of the political fragility of hisNational Unity Government, he swallowedhis pride and even called on the PakistaniArmy chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, at the GHQ,in Rawalpindi in 2014, a departure from pro-tocol that raised many eyebrows. He tacitlyaccepted Pakistan’s demand thatAfghanistan diminish the salience of its re-lationship with India, in the expectation thatPakistan would play a positive role to ensurepolitical reconciliation. A new track wasopened with the Quadrilateral CoordinationGroup consisting of Afghanistan, Pakistan,China and the U.S. However, Mr. Ghani toofelt betrayed when he learnt that the myth ofMullah Omar had been sustained for at leasttwo years and despite his pleading, the ISIwent ahead with the anointment of MullahMansour as the new Taliban leader. As in-surgency grew, he publicly blamed Pakistanof sending “a message of war” when he hadheld out a hand of peace. In their own fash-ion, both Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama saw thePakistan problem but were content to man-age the situation rather than push for a solu-tion. Mr. Bush ensured the first round ofpeaceful elections in Afghanistan by layingdown clear redlines for Gen. Musharraf butduring his second term, he was preoccupiedwith Iraq. Mr. Obama tried diplomacy by ap-pointing the high profile U.S. AmbassadorRichard Holbrooke as SpecialRepresentative for AfPak but eventually de-

By : Dr Nirmal Kamal

There are two issues perturbing meso far, one- absence of welfare services tothe senior citizens and persons with dis-

abilities and two-work cultureamong the serv-ice providers inthe State. Undersuch circum-stances the roleof governmentand non-govern-ment organiza-tions becomes

significant as service providers. Both theplatforms from where these services canbe provided seem to be capable of provid-ing the welfare services to the targetgroups. But there remains a lot to be ac-complished before these platforms be-come vibrant along with capacity inclu-sive of will and power to move ahead.

Talking about the first issue on prior-ity, the State of Jammu & Kashmir hastaken initiative to care and share griev-ances of the senior citizens but is yet to fi-nalize guidelines/rules before shaping inthe form of Act for providing welfare serv-ices to the elders, senior citizens, and theneglected segment of the society. TheCentral government came up with the

Maintenance and Welfare of Parents andSenior Citizens Act, 2007. This Act is be-ing implemented both in letters and spir-its in the rest of the country but the Stateof Jammu & Kashmir is yet to give finalconsent to the blue print focusing on theJ&K Maintenance and Welfare of Parentsand Senior Citizens Rules 2015. TheMaintenance and Welfare of Parents AndSenior Citizens Act 2007, which was en-acted by the Central Government on 29thDecember 2007, has provisions for themaintenance and welfare of parents andsenior citizens, establishment of old agehomes, medical care facilities, protectionof life and property as well other offences.This Act of 2007 is applicable to whole ofIndia including citizens of India outsideIndia, except the State of J&K. Therefore,an urgency for the State to have a separateAct to cater to the needs of the world of eld-ers. The logics behind the urgency of suchActs is common for both J&K State andthe rest of the country. Erosion of tradi-tional socio economic environment andvalue system, fast emergence of nu-clear/smaller families, speedy migration,consumerism, growing sense of dignitydue to attitudinal changes in young gener-ation etc are the reasons behind the needfor such Acts catering to the welfare of theelders by the government. TheGovernment in the Center or in the State

has Constitutional responsibility to ad-dress their grievances. The UnionGovernment took some appreciable stepsin the interest of senior citizens like sepa-rate windows for reservation at railwaystations, reservation of lower berths forthe senior citizens, railway tickets at con-cessional rates, tax concessions, medicalfacilities etc to them. The CentralGovernment has also provided separatecollection windows in the telecommuni-cation collection centers. RBI too, issuednotification to the affiliated banks to pro-vide hassle free door step banking service(DBS) to the senior citizens and also thephysically challenged customers. My of-fice is trying its best to make senior citi-zens to be aware of such services and nowintend to approach Banks operating inthe State to follow the RBI instructions.

The world of people with disabilitiesis another concern which direly needs fo-cus by the J&K State. Till now very casualapproach is adopted but there is requireda focused approach to understand theirsensitivities. Just recently, both the hous-es of parliament passed the DisabilitiesBill to secure the rights of disabled andtheir honor and dignity in consonancewith the spirit extended by the UnitedNations. Hope the State will follow thefootprints. “Prasaar Bharti’ has an-nounced some vacancies for the visually

impaired and disabled through “RozgarSamachar” over Radio, Jammu. The ges-ture is appreciative. As if the destiny hadplanned for me, my visit to Arai, a villagein district Poonch, on 2nd June,, 2016proved an eye opener when found that thephysically disabled people are not givenproper financial, medical and education-al help. Like several other villages, thisvillage too, is not properly connected withrest of the town. Occasional meageramount of Rs.400/- as pension, is not suffi-cient to meet needs of the disabled people.Certainly, the State of J&K has about 3.7lacs disabled people for whom very mea-ger service is rendered. For the first time,on 3rd December this year, strangely sev-eral people with disabilities came out onthe streets of Srinagar, to protest againstdiscrimination meted out to them where-as chosen few such organizations ob-served World Disabilities Day. These cel-ebrations aimed to acknowledge special-ly abled people who brought laurels to thecountry and to boost morale as well im-bibe competitive spirit in them. What thenormal could not achieve in Rio, Parasfrom India achieved for the country bywinning gold and silver medals.Watching Paralympics at Rio, was quiteamazing experience for me as I lack inter-est in sports. Deepa Malik made me feel

Some issues calling Loud Attention in a Welfare State

By : Nissim maNNathuKKareN

We live in ironic times where the estab-lishment quotes Bob Dylan, an anti-establish-ment figure. Last month, the Prime Ministercited lines from Dylan’s song, The Times TheyAre A-Changin’ including “And don’t criti-cise/ What you can’t understand”, ostensiblytargeted at the critics of demonetisation.Demonetisation is an event of biblical propor-tions. But even as its economic consequencesare discussed, what goes unnoticed are thenew cultural imaginaries that are sought to beput in place. Rather than see demonetisationas only an economic measure to curb corrup-tion, the government wants to usher in “a be-havioural change at all levels of society”,which is a part of “the grand ‘cultural revolu-tion’ that the PM is working on” (M. VenkaiahNaidu in The Indian Express, Nov. 29).

The problem is that this cultural revolu-tion is neither cultural nor revolutionary.Culture becomes a mere appendage to techno-logical transformations which still mask mate-rial exploitation. In this cultural revolution,the government still needs lucky draw contests(and prizes worth Rs. 340 crore) to incentivisedigital payments and behaviourial change.Also, the revolution will be ushered in through

an executive fiat from above rather than itemerging organically from the people.Emptiness of words Technology is the fulcrum

of the new cultural revolution. As the PrimeMinister puts it, in ‘Digital India’, “your phoneis your wallet.” But when Dylan becomes

yoked to the project of Cashless India andDigital India, culture becomes instrumentaland hollow. Otherwise, how is The Times..., re-flecting the American youth’s anger againstimperialism perpetrated by their own govern-ment, quoted by a government that has comedown heavily on dissent? The cultural revolu-tion is supposed to completely overhaul thesystem. In a reference rich with religio-cultur-al symbolism, the Prime Minister calls demon-etisation a “yagna against corruption, terror-ism and black money.” There is, of course,tremendous hardship for the people. But heasks them to endure it to make the nation greatand modern. Remarkably, in this vision, thereare no cultural revolutions to annihilate caste,the most important barrier to India becomingmodern. Nor there are yagnas against classand gender exploitation.

In this cultural revolution without cul-ture, anything goes, so the Prime Minister canwish that “the youth seize the moment and bethe winds of change” even after his govern-ment has virtually criminalised any youth pol-itics unpalatable to the state. Or a UnionMinister can also quote Dylan to critique patri-archy in Muslim community, but not patri-archy among Hindus. No critical pedagogy

Neither cultural nor revolutionary

Printed, published and owned by Prem Nath Sharma, Printed at Glimpses of Future Press, 63 Padha Street, Purani Mandi, Jammu. Chief Editor Prem Nath Sharma, Associate Editor : Rajiv Sharma, Ph. 2546079, Fax 0191-25472420, RNI NO. 43798/86, emails : [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

By : aNirBaN gaNguly

The State faces an existential andidentity crisis, with the growth of ji-hadism and rabid Islamist lumpens aidedand supported by the party in power. Itposes a severe challenge to the well-beingof the State itself. I mourn for Bengal, be-cause Bengal has pushed itself into an ap-parently inextricable cycle of degenera-tive politics from which it appears unableto lift itself. The land of actual revolution-ary nationalists, of fighters for India’sfreedom, of some of the highest and no-blest thoughts in the evolution of India’sintellectual traditions, has now turned in-to a playground of forces that conspire tobreak India. They are doing all this withthe active connivance of the party in pow-er in the State. While communists workedto weaken Bengal, to dilute and then de-stroy her civilisational and cultural her-itage and memory, her sense of a great pastand systematically hammered away at allthat stood as distinct and inspiring sym-bols of ‘Bengaliness’, the MamataBanerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime

is consciously and assiduously working toturn Bengal into a swamp of intolerance,into a frontier land of jihadism in whichonly the extreme anti-nationals, the ex-treme anti-India forces, and the most rabidelements shall survive and thrive.

One of the first and toughest existen-tial questions before Bengal was duringindependence, when a strong possibilityarose of Bengal becoming part of Jinnah’sPakistan utopia. It was only Syama PrasadMookerjee’s powerful and tactful inter-vention during the period, that saw a solidunity crystallise against the demand thatthe entire Bengal be given away to satisfyJinnah’s appetite for an Islamic state.Syama Prasad Mookerjee had then savedBengal so that Bengalis could live in digni-ty and security. Ironically when he de-manded that Pakistan be sanctioned forperpetrating atrocities on its Bengali mi-norities and for pushing them into India asrefugees, it was the comrades who took outa procession in the streets of Calcutta, con-demning Syama Prasad.

Today, Bengal faces its second exis-

tential and identity crisis, with the growthofjihadism and rabid Islamist lumpensaided and supported by the party in power.This poses a severe challenge to the welL-being-being of the State itself, to its futureand to the vision that had saved it fromclutches of the Muslim League. Yet, exceptfor a few commentators, for a few groupsoperating on the ground, and apart fromthe BJP, no intellectual or leader has ex-pressed concern over these developments;no public intellectual especially the jet-set-ting, foreign-clime beholden type who isever ready to warn people of the spectre of‘HinduRashtra’ and of the bogey of fas-cism has even as much as alluded to therising climate of intolerance in Bengal andto how non-state actors are graduallystriking deep roots, and of how a section ofthe Bengali Hindus especially those be-longing to the weaker and marginalisedsections of society are bearing the brunt ofthis rising jihadism. Our executive classchampions of human rights are strangelysilent on the challenges faced by these sec-tions in Bengal, on the near routine ha-

rassment and atrocities that they have tobear at the hands of jihadists. The latest cy-cle of violence and attacks in Dhulagarh,Mollargate, saw the same blanket of si-lence from the majority among the so-called mainstream Indian media and theso-called mainstream intellectuals. In thelatest cycle of violence, the same pattern ofterror was followed, shops gutted, womenmolested, threatened, homes burnt, menbeaten. And so democratic is MamataBanerjee that each time a central team issent by the BJP only and always by theBJP because no other party dare sendteams because that would offend ‘didi’ andher rabid constituency her police andlumpens prevent them from proceeding tothe affected areas. The same was done dur-ing the Kaliachak episode when a team ledby BJP Member of Parliament BhupendraYadav and SS Ahluwalia tried to visit thespot; and the same was repeated in the caseof Dhulagarh, when the parliamentaryteam constituted by BJP president AmitShah was stopped from visiting the place.One recalls how, when Mamata Banerjeewas prevent by the communistGovernment from visiting Singur, she re-turned to the State Assembly and with her

Monumental betrayal of Bengal, its values

Monumental on PAGE 7

Some issues on PAGE 7

Fighting for on PAGE 7Afghanistan, India on PAGE 7

Neither cultural on PAGE 7

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016national7Glimpses of Future

CONTN. FROM PAGE 6

Afghanistan, India ....................................................................cided that the best way for the U.S. to address the issue

was to reduce its role and presence in Afghanistan. TheKerry-Lugar assistance package for Pakistan turned out tobe more carrot than stick. Pakistan’s overreach Given aporous border with Afghanistan with tribal linkages cut-ting across the Durand Line, Pakistan’s legitimate interestscan be understood as also the fact that it is critical to any po-litical reconciliation in Afghanistan. However, whatPakistan has been seeking is to exercise a veto over Kabul’srelations with Delhi which the Afghans are unwilling toconcede. Pakistan’s policies towards both India andAfghanistan are determined primarily by the Army whichsees India as an existential threat. Looking at its relationswith Afghanistan through the India prism makes it in-evitable that Pakistan can only have a relationship withAfghanistan that is mired in mistrust, suspicion and hostili-ty. Since relations with India are unlikely to normalise inthe foreseeable future, the only way out for Pakistan to playa constructive role in Afghanistan is to accept the idea ofAfghan sovereignty and autonomy and refrain from mak-ing it a zone of India-Pakistan rivalry. Unless Pakistanchanges its attitude, political reconciliation in Afghanistanwill remain unlikely. The Taliban today is a fractured lot,neither a Vietcong nor even a Hezbollah. Its fragmentationdoes not affect its ability to launch terrorist attacks inAfghanistan but certainly makes it more difficult to get it tothe negotiating table. Meanwhile, the National UnityGovernment in Kabul is not a strong and united entitythereby reducing its negotiating space. All this diminishesPakistan’s ability to deliver the Taliban too; it can ensurepresence for a one-off meeting but lacks the political capital

needed to underwrite the reconciliation process. The chal-lenge for Kabul is that it has to engage in multiple reconcili-ation processes — with the Taliban and with the Pakistaniarmy. The hardline Taliban represented by the Haqqaninetwork is determined to continue the fight militarily.However, even the more moderate who are willing to talkdemand the exit of all foreign forces from Afghanistan. Notonly could this bring about a collapse of the fragile coalitionin Kabul but it would also reduce the international financialsupport which is critical to keep the government machineryworking. Power sharing can be worked out, as demonstrat-ed recently in the accord with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, butno government in Kabul can accept this Taliban redline.The India factor India has had the most effective economiccooperation programme, having spent more than $2 billionand committed another billion dollars earlier this year.Indians have also lost lives in deliberate attacks linked tothe Haqqani group and the Lashkar-e-Taiba but this has notdiminished the Indian role. It has only cemented Afghan-Indian relations which are now developing a military di-mension. Never again will India be forced to close down itsembassy in Kabul as it happened during the Taliban regime.When President-elect Donald Trump takes charge, he willfind that he has little choice in the matter. A complete with-drawal is out of question. His challenge will be to change thecalculus of the Pakistani establishment, increase capabili-ties of the Afghan security forces to inflict attrition on theinsurgents, and, in 2019, support an election in Afghanistanthat brings about a more cohesive government. In all this,he will find the Narendra Modi government to be a reliableand trusted partner.

proud when she bagged silver medal in disc throw event.Devendra Thajhoria won a gold medal in Javelin throw andMariyappan Thangarelu and Bhati won gold medal andbronze respectively in high jump event. So, Rio was theshow of these specially abled stars. They made it to touch thesky. Back home, while listening “Jeevan Rekha” a Radio fea-ture programme broadcast in the morning, from primaryservice of Jammu Radio, I became curious to meet a young100% visually impaired girl Azra Qureshi who was being in-terviewed. Hailing from a remote village in Rajouri, this girldid post graduation in Sociology, cleared her NationalEligibility Test (NET) like any other normal student withoutusing Braille language. High in spirits, she is now preparingfor civil exams. Strangely, she was not allowed any writer’shelp for competing State Eligibility Test (SET), though shewas eligible to avail that facility and had also paid requiredfee. Innumerable examples can be found around when suchbrave hearts have been fighting for their survival competingwith those blessed with nature’s competence but are deniedtheir rights by those with negative attitudes. Three monthsbefore, on 1st of October, World Elders Day was observed. Onthis day the world of elders revealed to the public their innerconflicts with regard to the changed attitudes of youngergeneration. Both the elders and persons with disabilities ap-

pear like helpless babies abandoned by legal parents consid-ering them throwaway material after making their inten-sive use. Materialistic apathetic aptitudes among the mod-ern generation has widened the behavior gulf with elderswaiting with open arms on one shore while other end is un-seen. The Government cannot afford to ignore for long. Thetime has arrived to intensify social security measures forboth the senior citizens and persons with disabilities. This isalso the time to shun away inhibitions against the worlds ofsenior citizens and persons with disabilities. Any furtherdelay in passing of an Act for Maintenance And Welfare ofParents and Senior Citizens and similar social securitymeasures for the persons with disabilities will negate allpromissory dreams for equitable justice to all the sections ofthe society which the Constitution of a Welfare State com-mits. It is pertinent to mention that all these requires attitu-dinal change and a positive work culture among the serviceproviders. Leaving the traditional system behind, the socie-ty is fast ushering into an era with positive work culturewhere laws framed ought to be implemented in the best in-terests of the society, where mere symbolism will not bringthe results. A total change in the outlook of the serviceproviders is the pre-requisite. Here lies the spirit of e-Governance

Some issues .....................................................................

Indian Armed Forces. While the exercise to issue thesecertificates was going on smoothly, separatist leaders in thevalley raised a hue and cry and even termed it as an attemptto change the demography of the region by granting domi-cile certificates. The false propaganda launched by theseseparatist leaders was given another lease of life by the op-position parties there, to target the Mehbooba Mufti-led al-liance Government ahead of Budget Session of theAssembly. One had hoped that Kashmiri leaders, both main-stream and separatists, would appreciate the spirit behindthe rather belated decision and not raise a ruckus, consider-ing their own no-holds-barred propaganda about the sancti-ty of human rights. But this was not to be. They took no timeto denounce the State Government and the Centre for a hu-mane approach to the 70-year-old human problem, and inone voice said that an insidious influence was at work tochange the Muslim-majority character and the constitu-tional character of Jammu & Kashmir. Chairman ofDemocratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabbir Ahmad Shah,was the first to oppose the decision. “The Government’smove of issuing the domicile certificates to West Pakistanrefugees is a well-planned conspiracy against the Muslimmajority status of J&K.” Immediately thereafter, Syed AliShah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik took

the plunge. They issued a joint statement, which, besides re-jecting outright the decision of the Union Government andits compliance by the Jammu & Kashmir Government, alsoasked the people of Kashmir to strike work on Friday(December 23). “Issuing domicile certificates to WestPakistan refugees, Supreme Court verdict on Jammu &Kashmir over Securitisation and Reconstruction ofFinancial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act,2002, (SARFAESI Act), are the challenges to the sovereigntyof Jammu & Kashmir”, they said. The main opposition par-ty, the National Conference and the Jammu & KashmirPradesh Congress Committee chief also contributed theirbit in a most disgraceful manner. “Since the issue (issuanceof domicile certificates) was debatable, the Chief Ministershould have called an all-party meeting on it. It was the PDPwhich was vehemently opposing granting of domicile cer-tificate to West Pakistan refugees”, JKPCC chief GhulamAhmad Mir said. He added, “Granting of domicile to westPakistan refugees is an attack on the State’s special posi-tion.” Now, it remains to be seen whether the allianceGovernment in the State will once again succumb to pres-sure or march ahead to fulfil the long-pending demand ofgranting citizenship rights to the deprived population thatwe call as ‘refugees’ and apply the healing touch.

Fighting for .............................................................................

senior leaders in tow, broke furniture in the Assembly lobby,hurled expletives and turned upside down the entire proceedingsof the day. In fact, today, Mamata Banerjee heads one of the mostintolerant and Constitution non-compliant State Government inIndia. She has even outdone her communist opponents in this non-compliance of hers. Reverting to our discussion on the degenera-tive web of politics that afflicts Bengal, the first round of degenera-tive politics set in the early parts of 1970s, when the self-destroyingvision of Charu Mazumdar’s Naxal utopia took hold of a so-calledavant-garde section among the Bengali intelligentsia and inspiredthem to indulge in extreme violence, wiping out an entire genera-tion and turning Bengal into a cesspool of instability and stagna-tion. Interestingly, a section in the State and beyond still contin-ues to hold a fascination with Charu’s utopia and its false dimen-sions, and continues to work to put it into operation and fruition intoday’s India. While their comrades-in-arm openly work to de-stroy and liquidate India through the barrel of the gun, these oth-ers continue to operate in urban India and intellectually push thecause of breaking India into pieces. The second phase of degenera-tive politics began with the advent of the liberators of the prole-

tariat, the political charlatans who, while promising a liberatedexistence full of opportunities, imposed a rule that pushed Bengaleven more backward, destroyed her edifices industrial, educa-tional again erasing possibilities, eradicating opportunities for anentire generation of Bengalis who had to migrate out of the state indroves for its existence and growth. Even Amartya Sen’s econom-ic theories or the supposed power of his personality worshipped bycomrades could not salvage Bengal from the morass it had startedsinking in. This period of three decades and more, saw Bengalcrumbling and deconstructing herself in all her parts. The thirdphase of degenerative politics began when a supposed ‘Poriborton’turned into a mandate for further altering the character of theState, for unlimited oppression, for a shrinking of the democraticspace and for the promotion of lawlessness and jihadism. Like thefirst existential challenge that Bengal faced, the present one isequally if not more acute, more daunting and more lethal for it isabetted by those who are supposedly the democratic trustees of theState. I mourn for Bengal, because she is losing herself. I mourn forBengal, because she seems unable to or incapable of extricatingherself from grips and a cycle of a chronic degeneration.

Monumental ................................................................

Such a conjuncture is itself a result of India’s failure tobuild a critical pedagogy. Instead of questioning the funda-mental bases of exploitation, the entire pedagogy has beenbuilt on a technocratic understanding of society catering tobuilding “meritorious” citizens, a society which merely rein-forces existing hierarchies. In this pedagogy, as the philoso-pher Ivan Illich put it, “medical treatment is mistaken forhealthcare, social work for the improvement of communitylife, police protection for safety, military poise for national se-curity, the rat race for productive work.” It is on this ground al-ready ploughed by conformist currents that the seeds of thenew cultural revolution are sown. How else does one explainsections of the most “educated”, including in the bureaucracy,with a bird’s-eye view of governance, seeing demonetisation asa panacea to all our ills? The crux of technocratic thinking is topaper over systemic causes of issues such as poverty and pre-scribe technological fixes. The root cause for our misery in thistechnocratic vision is a culture steeped in corruption. Whilethere is truth in this, the decadent culture is not caused by theruling classes in general, but only, as a government represen-tative puts it, “encouraged by Congress and its friends all theseyears in power.” Again, the accumulation of privilege by theupper castes/classes or of the state-sanctioned plunder of pub-lic wealth, forests, minerals, etc. by the ruling classes goes un-mentioned. When one identifies the problem as such, the solu-tion can only be superficial. Demonetisation becomes a magicwand to end corruption. When the Prime Minister tells a rallythat the rich are queuing up at the houses of the poor to seektheir help in depositing black money, he is not referring to theultra-rich in India. So, the cultural revolution is already mak-ing a distinction between the rich themselves. In this culturalrevolution, culture becomes a mask to hide fundamental mate-rial realities. Thus, it does not tell us that the top one per cent ofpeople own 58.4 per cent of the country’s wealth. When the bot-

tom 50 per cent own only 2.1 per cent of the wealth, how does thepromised manna of a few thousand rupees in Jan Dhan ac-counts alter anything? The staggering levels of inequality havevery little to do with black money held in high denominationnotes, but are a result of a skewed distribution of wealth, re-sources and power legally enforced. That among the promi-nent economies of the world, India is only second to Russia,which is known for its mafia capitalism, in terms of the wealthowned by the top one per cent says something about our rapa-cious model of development, especially under liberalisation.The cultural revolution does not tell us that the revenue fore-gone by the government in corporate income tax, excise andcustom duty since 2005-06 is Rs. 42 trillion an amount whichcan fund the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act forover 100 years! Neither does it tell us that state-owned bankshave written off Rs.1.14 lakh crore of bad loans from 2013 to 2015or that just two corporate houses alone owe over Rs.3 lakhcrore in debt to the banks. The tragedy is that the questions notasked by the cultural revolution are left unasked by populardiscourse. And they will not be until we are prisoners of whatthe cultural theorist Henry Giroux calls as the “relentless ac-tivity of thoughtlessness” fostered by dominant powerthrough its cultural apparatuses.

What they do is to transform the genuine aspirations of thepeople for equality, a corruption-free society and anger againstthe existing system into sanitised expressions like demoneti-sation which do not fundamentally challenge the system. It isin the absence of a genuine cultural revolution that we havereached a conjuncture in which a nation as diverse and un-equal as India is asked to place its hopes on an individualleader as a talisman for a cultural revolution. A cultural revo-lution in which mobile phones will herald a corruption-free so-ciety. To unveil this cultural revolution, we need to go back todeciphering Dylan ourselves.

Neither cultural ....................................................................

Press Trust of India

Mumbai, Dec 28

Mumbai Customs sleuthstoday seized cash totallingaround Rs 69 lakh in two sepa-rate cases here, which includ-ed recovery of Rs 25 lakh in2,000 rupee notes. The AirIntelligence Unit (AIU) of theCustoms made these seizuresat the international airporthere in the wee hours and fourpersons were arrested in thisconnection.

In the first case, foreigncurrency worth over Rs 43lakh was recovered from three

passengers -- Shaikh WaheedAli, Mohammed Sohail andShaikh Pasha -- who arrivedhere from Hyderabad. "A de-tailed examination of the bag-gage of Ali resulted in recov-ery of 1,39,000 Saudi Riyals,5,65,000 UAE Dirhams and14,000 Australian dollars,"said a Customs official, addingthat the total value was Rs43.97 lakhs. This money wasfound wrapped in newspapersand was concealed in theircheck-in baggage.

The trio in their statementhave said that they broughtthe foreign currency from

Saudi Arabia during their vis-it last week but did not declarethe money before the Customs."They have also said that theycame to Mumbai for conver-sion of the currency expectinggood returns," the official said.They were arrested after acase under Customs Act andForeign ExchangeManagement Act was regis-tered against them. In anothercase, one Arif Koyante whowas departing to Dubai was ar-rested after Rs 25 lakh, in de-nominations of Rs 2000, wasseized from him. Officials saida search of his baggage yielded

1,250 notes kept in 52 differentenvelopes made of white pa-per. "These envelopes contain-ing currency were furtherplaced inside layers of 13 card-boards on which ready madegarments were neatlywrapped," said the officialadding that the currency wasseized on the reasonable beliefthat it was attempted to besmuggled out of India. A caseunder Customs Act and FEMAhas been registered againstArif and he has admitted topossession, carriage, conceal-ment and recovery, the officialsaid.

Rs 69 lakh seized from Mumbaiairport; four arrested


New Delhi, Dec 28

In order to beef up security at airports, allemployees working at these facilities across thecountry will have to furnish their Aadhaarnumber to obtain the mandatory Airport EntryPasses (AEPs) used for entry and exit. TheCentral Industrial Security Force (CISF), themandated force for civil airports, will imple-ment the measure from January 1 after theBureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is-sued an order in this regard on its request.

"From January 1, all AEPs will be made us-ing the Aadhaar number of the individual work-ing or employed at the airport. A committeeconstituted in this regard has mandated thatthese passes will only be made using theAadhaar number. "For the old existing passes,the validity has been extended till March 31,"CISF Director General O P Singh said. The DGadded that the force had made a request in thisregard to the BCAS, the agency that frames air-port security rules, as it was witnessing in-stances of fake or tampered AEPs being used by

people to enter these sensitive facilities.A senior CISF official explained that at

times when an employee working at the air-ports was found to be indulging in a criminal actand his AEP was suspended or blacklisted, itwas found that the individual got enrolled in adifferent company and again started enteringthe airport using a new AEP. This system wasnot ensuring fool-proof ID authentication of em-ployees working across various ranks at air-ports and hence using the Aadhaar number willallow that no duplicity or forging is done whilegetting an AEP, they said. The BCAS, in order toensure that AEPs are not forged and tamperedwith, keeps changing the design and colour ofthe passes every year, but linking the creationof such an ID with the biometrics powered Aadhaarnumber will ensure a fool-proof security, theysaid. The force has also sought creation of a AEPdatabase so that red flags can be raised againstdefaulters or those who have been caught inwrongdoing, the official said. Each AEP ischecked by CISF security personnel during en-try and exit at airports. The force at presentguards 59 civil airports in the country.

Aadhaar-based ID cards forairport employees from Jan 1


New Delhi, DeC 28

ED has arrested a man-ager of a Kotak Bank branchhere in connection with itsmoney laundering probe in acriminal case of detection ofnine alleged fake accountswith deposits worth Rs 34crore post demonetisation.Officials said the agency ar-rested the manager of thebank's branch in the K GMarg area here, late lastnight after questioning.

"The manager has beenarrested under the provi-sions of the Prevention ofMoney Laundering Act andwill be produced before thecourt for further custody,"they said. The EnforcementDirectorate took on the caseand registered an FIR underPMLA laws after taking cog-nisance of Delhi Polices'crime branch FIR in the saidcase. Police had also arrestedtwo persons last week for al-legedly depositing blackmoney worth Rs 34 crore innine fake accounts being op-erated in the Naya Bazarbranch of the said bank here.A bank spokesperson hadthen said in a statement thatit "confirms that it has a ro-bust system of regularly andproactively filing necessaryreports with the statutory au-thorities as prescribed bythem, which include these ac-counts. "The Bank deniesthat there were any fake ac-counts.The Bank is extend-ing full cooperation to the in-vestigating authorities," thespokesperson said.

Notes ban PMLA case:ED arrests private bank

manager in Delhi


New Delhi, Dec 28

Railway Minister SureshPrabhu today said he is per-sonally monitoring the situa-tion following the derailmentof the Ajmer-Sealdah Expressin Kanpur. "We are making al-ternate arrangements for pas-sengers to continue with theironward journey," he said in aseries of tweets. The railwayminister said all assistance isbeing provided to those in-

jured. "Personally monitoringthe situation in wake of unfor-tunate derailment of Sealdah-

Ajmer Express near Kanpur,"Prabhu tweeted. The Railwayminister said ex-gratia will bepaid to the injured passengers.All passengers are being pro-vided with necessary assis-tance to ensure least inconven-ience, "doing our best",Prabhu said. Two personswere killed and 26 others in-jured when 15 coaches of theAjmer-Sealdah Express de-railed this morning near Rurarailway station in Kanpur ru-ral district.

Personally monitoring situation:Prabhu on train derailment

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha with the newly appointed Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa after a press conference at Akash

Officers Mess, in New Delhi

CHENNAI: DECEMBER 28

Hits out at State govern-ment for not standing up forhim Former Tamil Nadu ChiefSecretary P. Rama MohanaRao lashed out at the Centraland State governments onTuesday, calling the recent in-come tax raid on his house andofficial chamber in the Secre-tariat a “constitutional as-sault” on his high office,alleging procedural violationsin the operation and debunk-ing reports of large-scaleseizures. Speaking to the mediaoutside his house in AnnaNagar here, Mr. Rao invokedthe name of former Chief Min-ister Jayalalithaa multipletimes, even questioningwhether such a raid wouldhave happened had she beenalive. Mr. Rao criticised theState government for notstanding up for him. He de-nied any links with SekharReddy, a businessman and pub-lic works contractor arrestedby the CBI and whose proper-

ties were also raided by the tax-men the previous week. On De-cember 21, the Income-Taxdepartment conducted exten-sive searches at the houses andoffices of Mr. Rao and his fam-ily members in Chennai, Ben-galuru and Andhra Pradeshwhere they seized �30 lakh cashand five kg of gold. Three dayslater he complained of chestpain and was admitted to SriRamachandra Hospital andwas discharged on Monday.

After thanking West Ben-gal Chief Minister MamataBanerjee, Congress leaderRahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabhamember S.R. Balasubra-moniyan, who joined theAIADMK recently, for criticis-ing the searches, Mr. Rao as-sailed what he alleged wereirregularities in the raids.ALSO READ BJP says RamaMohana Rao must fight case incourt “My name was not therein the [search] warrant. Myson’s [Vivek Papisetty] namewas there and he does not livehere [Anna Nagar]. After he re-

turned to India he has livedseparately,” he added.Searches based on evidence: of-ficia Mr. Rao questioned theauthority by which his cham-ber at the Secretariat wassearched by the Income-Tax de-partment. “If the former ChiefMinister were alive would any-one have had the guts to enterthe Chief Secretary’s chamber?Where is the State govern-ment? Whose permission didthey get?” he asked. Reacting toMr. Rao’s comments, a seniorIncome-Tax official said theraids were conducted as perlaw. Based on documentsfound in one particular place, asearch can be carried out atmultiple locations withoutprior notification, the officialsaid. Another official added:“Mr. Rao and Mr. SekharReddy had strong connectionsand the raids were based on ev-idence.” Mr. Rao claimed thathe was still the Chief Secretaryof the State, considering thathis transfer orders had notbeen served to him.

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretaryterms raid a ‘constitutional assault’Press trust of India

Mahoba (UP), Dec 28

Amid reports that he mightcontest assembly electionsfrom Bundelkhand, CMAkhilesh Yadav today accusedBJP of making hollow promis-es for development of the re-gion and said only SamajwadiParty can ensure progress inthe area. While socialists gen-erate power from water, coaland solar panels, BJP peopleproduce power from "talltalks", he said inaugurating asolar power plant here. "Youcount and write down the de-velopment projects initiated bythe Centre (since 2014) you willfind they just indulge in talltalks," he said on his visit toBundelkhand. Maintainingthat SP alone can usher inprogress and development, hesaid records will speak forthemselves what SamajwadiParty has done for the develop-ment of the region. Reports aredoing the rounds that Akhileshmight contest from Mahoba orBabina near Jhansi. If he does so,he will become the fourth CMsince Independence to contestfrom Bundelkhand.

BJP making hollow promisesfor Bundelkhand : Akhilesh

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016world8 Glimpses of Future

Air strikes kill22 civilians ineastern Syria,says reportBeirut December 28

Air strikes carried out byunidentified aircraft killed at least22 civilians, including 10 children,in a village held by the IslamicState group in eastern Syria, amonitor said today. The SyrianObservatory for Human Rightssaid the civilians were from twofamilies at Hojna in Deir Ezzor,which borders Iraq and is thecountry’s second biggest provinceafter Homs. The oil-rich provinceof Deir Ezzor is almost totally un-der IS control and has been regu-larly targeted by a US-led militarycoalition. The only part of the east-ern province outside of IS controlis its capital, which is also namedDeir Ezzor and is held by forcesloyal to Syrian President Basharal-Assad. IS has carried out a se-ries of attacks across Europe andhas been targeted by military of-fensives on several fronts in Syriaand Iraq, where it declared anIslamic “caliphate” in 2014. InSyria, IS is targeted by warplanesof the US-led coalition as well asTurkey, the Syrian regime and itsally Russia in the northernprovince of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor andits stronghold of Raqa.

China operationalisesone of world's longestbullet train lineBEIJING Dec 28:

China started operations ofone of the world's longest high-speed railways that links the pros-perous eastern coast to the less-de-veloped southwestern part of thevast country. The Shanghai-Kunming line — 2,252 km in length— traverses the five provinces ofZhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan,Guizhou and Yunnan and cutstravel time from Shanghai toKunming from 34 to 11 hours,China Railway Corporation said.The maximum speed is 330 km perhour, Wang Jinda, a train driverwas quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency. The lineis also the longest east-west high-speed railway in China. A longerrail line stretching north to southis the 2,298-km Beijing-Guangzhouline, put into operation in2012.China has built more than20,000 km of high-speed rail lines.According to the government'splan, the mileage will increase to45,000 km by 2030. The launch ofthe Shanghai-Kunming linemeans the country's high-speedrail grid has taken shape, connect-ing almost all provinces on theChinese mainland. China is alsoaggressively marketing its bullettrain technology in different coun-tries, including India.

Global Briefw

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Two more dieafter consumingtoxic liquor inPakistan, tollreaches 34Lahore December 28 (PTI)

Two more people died onWedesday after consuming ille-gally-brewed toxic liquor in atown in Pakistan’s Punjabprovince, taking the overalldeath toll to 34. The incidenttook place in a Christian colonyin Toba Tek Singh city onDecember 24 when residentsconsumed home-made liquor,police said.Police have arrestedfour suspects for brewing andselling toxic liquor during theevent. A case has been regis-tered against the suspects.Dozens were hospitalised afterconsuming toxic liquor onChristmas in MuhallaMubarakabad and ChristianColony areas of Toba Tek Singh,police said. Around 36 other arestill receiving treatment at DHQToba Tek Singh and AlliedHospital Faisalabad. Police offi-cer Mohammad Nadeem saidthat 25 people were still beingtreated in hospitals in Toba TekSingh and Faisalabad to havetheir stomachs pumped. “Themen who belong to the Christiancommunity drank liquor on thenight of December 25 and wenthome. Tragedy struck the nextmorning when many did not risefrom their beds, while others gotsick,” he said. Meanwhile, au-thorities have formed an in-quiry committee to probe thetragedy. Though Pakistan hasallowed some breweries to func-tion, alcohol sales and consump-tion are strictly prohibited forMuslims and tightly regulatedfor minority communities andforeigners. In March, 45 people,including 35 Hindus, had died af-ter consuming spurious liquorduring Holi celebrations inSindh province.

Jerusalem December 28

Israel delayed a vote onWednesday on permits for settler

homes at Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu’s request,ahead of a speech by USSecretary of State John Kerry, an

official said. The discussion waspulled from the agenda in a movefollowing last week’s UNSecurity Council resolution de-

manding a halt to Israeli settle-ment building and with Kerry setfor a major speech on the conflictlater in the day.Hanan Rubin, aJerusalem city councillor and amember of the planning commit-tee that was to discuss the per-mits, told AFP its members hadbeen informed of Netanyahu’s re-quest by the committee chair-man. “We were told by the chair-man… that it was pulled at the re-quest of the prime minister so wecan avoid a conflict with the USgovernment just before Kerry’sspeech tonight,” Rubin said.Netanyahu’s spokesman did notimmediately respond to a re-quest for comment. Rubin saidthe committee had been planningto vote on permits for 492 units inthe Ramat Shlomo and Ramotsettlement neighbourhoods ofmainly Palestinian eastJerusalem. He said the planswould be brought forward at a

later date, though it was unclearwhen. The Ir Amim NGO, whichmonitors settlement activity,had earlier said the committeewas to discuss permits for 618housing units in east Jerusalem.Friday’s UN Security Councilresolution demanded a halt toIsraeli settlement building inPalestinian territory. It passed14-0, with the United States ab-staining. By declining to use itsveto, the United States enabledthe adoption of the first UN reso-lution since 1979 to condemnIsrael over its settlement policy.Netanyahu has reacted furiously,accusing US President BarackObama’s administration of beingbehind the resolution and vowingnot to abide by it. US President-elect Donald Trump, who takesoffice on January 20, has sig-nalled far more favourable policytoward Israel and called for theUnited States to veto the resolu-

tion. Israel’s right-wing has wel-comed Trump’s election, withkey members of Netanyahu’scoalition calling for an end to theidea of a Palestinian state, the ba-sis of years of negotiations.Kerry’s upcoming speech has ledto further concern in Israel, withofficials fearing he could lay outparameters for restarting long-stalled peace efforts that they op-pose. Beyond that, plans byFrance to hold an internationalMiddle East peace conference onJanuary 15 is another point ofworry for Israel. Officials areconcerned Kerry’s speech andthe conference could lead to fur-ther action against Israel thatwould then be taken to theSecurity Council for approval be-fore Trump takes over as US pres-ident. Israel has already takendiplomatic steps in response towhat it calls the “shameful” UNresolution.

Israel delays new settlement permits ahead of John Kerry’s speech

United Nation Dec 28 (PTI)

India played a seminal role inthe Paris Climate Change dealcoming into force in 2016, a land-mark pact that will help define thelegacy of UN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon who handed over thebaton to his successor AntonioGuterres as the raging conflicts inthe Arab world, the refugee crisisand the unabated threat of terror-ism posed significant challengesfor the world body.

The year will go down in histo-ry as the historic moment when thelong-pending Paris ClimateAgreement finally came to fruitionafter Ban, in his final of year at thehelm of the world body, mobilisednations to ratify the agreement,which calls on countries to combatclimate change and limit globaltemperature rise to well below 2 de-grees Celsius. India, which ac-counts for 4.1 per cent of the world

emissions, ratified the Paris dealon October 2 – the birth anniver-sary of Mahatma Gandhi – a movethat allowed the pact to enter intoforce on November 4. The Paris cli-mate agreement will go down inhistory as one of the hallmarks of

the legacy of Ban, whose 10-yeartenure as the world’s top diplomatends on December 31. His succes-sor Guterres, the formerPortuguese premier and UN HighCommissioner for Refugees from2005 to 2015, was named to the top

job after an unprecedented elec-tion cycle. Guterres was appointedby the UN General Assembly inwhat was the culmination of a his-toric process Member States set inmotion last year: the selection of anew UN Secretary-General, tradi-tionally decided behind closed-doors by a few powerful nations,for the first time in history, in-volved public discussions witheach candidate vying for the top po-sition. There was also a strong callby member states and civil societyorganisations to elect a woman,since no female has held the top po-sition in the world body’s 71-yearhistory. India was among the onlyhandful of countries that Guterreshad visited in the months before thepolls, meeting with External AffairsMinister Sushma Swaraj in NewDelhi. “While we were not there inthe Security Council, he understoodand appreciated the role that weplay in matters relating to the UN.

Even in that change process, theSecretary General-designate, evenbefore he was elected, had an aware-ness and an understanding ofIndian position and its impor-tance,” India’s envoy to the UN SyedAkbaruddin said. Akbaruddin saidthe fact that India is “supportive” ofhim was “very clear” that is why hewent to the country before the elec-tions to select the new secretary gen-eral. Earlier this month, Guterreshad voiced appreciation for India’sengagement with the world bodyand its contributions to various ar-eas of the UN’s work during a meet-ing with Foreign Secretary SJaishankar who had called on himsoon after his swearing-in as the 9thSecretary General of the UN. “TheSecretary General-designate appre-ciated India’s engagement with theUN and contributions to various ar-eas of the UN’s work,” a spokesper-son of India’s Permanent Mission tothe UN had said.

Paris Climate deal among UnitedNation’s big achievements in 2016

Beijing December 28

From Sunday, China’s long cam-paign to make sprawling state-ownedindustries more efficient will stretchbeyond commodities like coal andsteel into one of the most ancient mar-kets of all – the salt trade. As ofJanuary 1, almost 80 salt producersand traders from across China will beable to sell their wares in Beijing forthe first time ever. The capital is im-plementing plans drawn up earlierthis year by central government to dis-solve a monopoly that goes back cen-turies.As part of its liberalisation com-mitment, the government has said itwill encourage consolidation amongsales wholesalers and producers –there are more than 2,000 salt makersin China, according to the China SaltAssociation – as well as the injection ofprivate cash into state-controlledfirms. “The salt industry will be con-solidated in the coming years,” an in-dustry regulator told Reuters, request-ing anonymity. The regulator declinedto say how many salt makers might bemerged or shut down. Under new rulespublished by Beijing’s MunicipalCommission of Commerce this week,some 79 registered traders from otherprovinces who will be allowed to enterthe city’s market alongside 16 Beijing-based wholesalers. The capital is oneof 13 cities and provinces stretchingfrom Tianjin to Inner Mongolia thathave received approval from central

government to open up their ediblesalt markets to other regional produc-ers and wholesalers who were previ-ously restricted to operating in theirlocal areas. Other regions of China areawaiting the green light to do thesame. The changes are designed to dis-mantle price controls and distributionchannels in a business dominated bythe state-owned China National SaltIndustry Corp, which had revenue of21.25 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) in 2015,down from 32.43 billion yuan a yearearlier, according to an online compa-ny statement. One of its subsidiaries –Beijing Salt Industry Corp – currentlycontrols the capital’s salt market.

Until now, salt producers have soldtheir wares to state-owned distribu-tion companies. China produced 88million tonnes of salt last year, 10 per-cent of which was edible salt, accord-ing to the China Salt Association, therest being snow-melting industrialsalt. The government has said it willmonitor the market and intervene tostabilise prices if anomalies occur.The authorities will also ensurestocks are available to support de-mand for at least one month. No newlicenses for producers or wholesalerswill be granted to edible salt marketuntil the end of 2018, the central gov-ernment has said.

Beijing prepares to dissolveancient grip on salt market

Trump expands inner circle withnew security official, envoyWest Palm Beach Dec 28:

President-elect Donald Trump tapped an experienced handfrom the George W Bush era and a longtime TrumpOrganisation official to become members of his inner circlewhen he assumes office in January. Thomas Bossert will be-come an assistant to the President for Homeland Security andcounterterrorism. A statement from Trump's transition teamsaid Bossert will advise the president on issues related tohomeland security, counterterrorism and cybersecurity, andcoordinate the Cabinet's process for making and executingpolicy in those areas. The president-elect also appointed one ofhis main advisers on US-Israel relations during the campaignand transition as special representative for international ne-gotiations. Jason Greenblatt has worked for the TrumpOrganisation for over two decades and currently serves as itsexecutive Vice-President and Chief Legal Officer.

Berlin Dec 28:

German authorities say morethan 54,000 migrants, includ-ing failed asylum-seekers, re-ceived approval for govern-ment funding to return totheir homeland 2016, pavingthe way for a significant in-crease in voluntary depar-tures. Germany is keen to in-crease the number of rejectedwould-be refugees leaving thecountry after 2015's influx of890,000 migrants. InteriorMinistry spokesman HaraldNeymanns said Wednesdaythat the total funding ap-proved for returnees in 2016

was $22.5 million. He saidabout 35,500 people obliged toleave Germany did so volun-tarily in 2015, but noted thatthe two figures can't immedi-ately be compared becausethe number of people who ac-

tually departed in 2016 isn'tyet clear. Neymanns stressedthat Interior MinisterThomas de Maiziere "has al-ways said voluntary returnsare always preferable to de-portation."

Puerto Cabello December 28

When hunger drewtens of thousands ofVenezuelans to the streetsin protest last summer,President Nicolas Maduroturned to the military tomanage the country’s di-minished food supply, put-ting generals in charge ofeverything from butter torice. But instead of fightinghunger, the military ismaking money from it, anAssociated Press investiga-tion shows.That’s whatgrocer Jose Campos foundwhen he ran out of pantrystaples this year. In themiddle of the night, hewould travel to an illegalmarket run by the militaryto buy pallets of corn flourat 100 times the govern-ment-set price. “The mili-tary would be watchingover whole bags of money,”Campos said. “They always

had what I needed.” Withmuch of the country on theverge of starvation and bil-lions of dollars at stake,food trafficking has be-come one of the biggestbusinesses in Venezuela,the AP found. And fromgenerals to foot soldiers,the military is at the heartof the graft, according todocuments and interviewswith more than 60 officials,business owners and work-ers, including five formergenerals. As a result, food isnot reaching those whomost need it. The US gov-ernment has taken notice.Prosecutors have openedinvestigations against sen-ior Venezuelan officials, in-cluding members of the mil-itary, for laundering richesfrom food contractsthrough the US financialsystem, according to fourpeople with direct knowl-edge of the probes. No

charges have been brought.“Lately, food is a betterbusiness than drugs,” saidretired Gen. Cliver Alcala,who helped overseeVenezuela’s border securi-ty. “The military is incharge of food managementnow, and they’re not goingto just take that on withoutgetting their cut.” After op-position attempts to over-throw him, the latePresident Hugo Chavez be-gan handing the militarycontrol over the food indus-try, creating a FoodMinistry in 2004. His social-ist-run government nation-alised farms and food pro-cessing plants, then neg-lected them, and domesticproduction dried up. Oil-ex-porting Venezuela becamedependent on food imports,but when the price of oil col-lapsed in 2014, the govern-ment no longer could affordall the country needed.

Venezuela military traffickingfood as country goes hungry

Germany: 54,000 migrants getgrant to return home in 2016

New Delhi December 28 (PTI)

Government on Wednesday gave ex post facto approval to theproposal of Ministry of New & Renewable Energy for ratifica-tion of the International Solar Alliance’s (ISA) FrameworkAgreement by India. “The Union Cabinet, chaired by PrimeMinister Narendra Modi, has given its ex post facto approval tothe proposal of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy(MNRE) for ratification of ISA’s Framework Agreement byIndia,” the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said in astatement.ISA was launched jointly by the Indian PrimeMinister and the France President on November 30 last year inParis on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of the Parties (CoP)meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention onClimate Change, the ministry said. The ISA will strive to bringtogether more than 121 solar resource rich nations for coordi-nated research, low-cost financing and rapid deployment. Thefoundation stone of the ISA Headquarters was laid at GwalPahari, Guragaon in Haryana. India has already committedthe required support of operationalisation of ISA. ISA will putIndia globally in a leadership role in climate and renewable en-ergy issues. It will also give a platform to showcase its solar pro-grammes. The agreement was opened for signature on the side-lines of 22nd CoP meeting at Marrakesh, Morocco. The agree-ment invokes the Paris Declaration on ISA and encapsulatesthe vision of the prospective member nations. The UnitedNations Development Programme and World Bank have al-ready announced their partnership with the ISA. Till now, 25nations have signed the Framework Agreement.

Government nod for ratifying InternationalSolar Alliance Agreement

Dubai December 28 (PTI)

Dubai’s famous GoldSouq, a prime market for yel-low metal, has been witness-ing almost a complete ab-sence of visitors from Indiadue to demonetisation, ac-cording to a media report.For the single-store opera-tors in the market, the de-monetisation hit has been ex-tremely severe. “What youare seeing here is a completemirror image of the crash ingold sales within India sinceNovember 8, when demoneti-sation was announced,” saidCyriac Varghese, GeneralManager of SkyJewellery.“Outside of theGold Souq, shops in areassuch as Bur Dubai too havebeen recording less of Indianvisitor buying interest,”Varghese was quoted as say-ing by the Gulf News. In agood year, rupee-led transac-tions in the market would

have accounted for close to15-20 per cent of sales, andmore when gold prices take adip (as it did last week), thereport said. According to re-tail sources, there has beensome compensation in theform of Chinese visitors whohave been more active in re-cent weeks with their goldbuying. But this is nowherenear the levels of Indian visi-tors. Chinese prefer for the18-karat as opposed to the22k, it said.

“A visitor from Indiawould travel to Dubai hold-ing a sizable value in Indiancurrency, get it exchangedhere and then make the con-version to jewellery,” saidAbdul Salam K P, boardmember of the Dubai Gold &Jewellery Group. “With de-monetisation, surplus cash isjust not available and same isthe case with what someonecould do with their unac-counted rupees,” he said.

Dubai’s gold marketbears the brunt of India’sdemonetisation

Indians among100 held in UK forworking illegallyin nail barsLondon Dec 28:

Nearly 100 people, includ-ing some Indians andPakistanis, working illegal-ly across the UK's nail sa-lons have been arrested, au-thorities said onWednesday. The crack-down led by the UK'sImmigration Enforcementunit as part of OperationMagnify, targeting UK busi-nesses most suspected ofemploying illegal workers,involved the arrest of 97people, a majority of themVietnamese nationals, butalso included immigrantsfrom India and Pakistan aswell as Mongolia, Ghana,China and Nigeria. Thosewho are potential victims ofhuman trafficking will beoffered support, while thosewho have no right to be inthe UK will be removed, theUK Home Office said. UKImmigration officers visit-ed the nail salons, alsoknown as nail bars, inEdinburgh, London andCardiff between November27 and December 3. Theyhave also sent warnings to68 businesses that they willpay 20,000 pounds per ille-gal worker if they cannotprove that they carried outappropriate right-to-workdocument checks. "This op-eration sends a strong mes-sage to those employerswho ruthlessly seek to ex-ploit vulnerable people andwillfully abuse our immi-gration laws. "Modern slav-ery is a barbaric crimewhich destroys the lives ofsome of the most vulnera-ble in our society," said UKimmigration ministerRobert Goodwill.

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016SportS9Glimpses of Future

Vernon Philander completed his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests, South Africa v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Port Elizabeth, 3rd day, December 28, 2016


Faced with a barrage ofcriticism, scam-tainted SureshKalmadi today declined the po-sition of the Indian OlympicAssociation's Life Presidenteven as the Sports Ministry is-sued a showcause notice to theIOA for its controversial deci-sion. "He has taken the deci-sion to step aside. He had noidea that the IOA was going todo this yesterday and has de-clined any post till his name isclear," Kalmadi's lawyerHitesh jain told a TV channel.Kalmadi alongwith anothertainted former PresidentAbhay Singh Chautala were el-evated to Life Presidents by theIOA at its Annual GeneralMeeting in Chennai yesterday.The move triggered a stormwith the Ministry today issu-ing a showcause notice to theIOA and also threatening to se-vere ties with the body if itfailed to sack the duo, of whichKalmadi decided to step back."This move is against the con-stitution of IOA and is not ac-ceptable to the SportsMinistry. I am disappointed bythe decision because both arefacing cases of corruption. Wewant transparency in sports.

Till the time, these two don't re-sign or are sacked, we will notdeal with the IOA," SportsMinister Vijay Goel told re-porters here. Earlier, while theIOA top brass went incommu-nicado for some time beforeAssociate vice-PresidentNarinder Batra, who is now thePresident of InternationalHockey Federation, criticisedthe move and called for the duoto step aside. "I might be quit-ting the IOA soon because Ican't be associated with some-thing which does not makesense to me in terms of goodgovernance. They should notaccept this position till the timetheir names are cleared," Batrasaid, breaking ranks with theofficials, who voted unani-mously for these appointmentsyesterday in Chennai.However, Chautala came out todefend himself by launchingan attack on Goel. But that didlittle to douse the fire and Goelwas joined by Ajay Maken, theSports Minister in the previousgovernment, in criticising themove and calling it "sad andpainful". "As a former SportsMinister and sports enthusi-ast, the IOA's decision to ap-point Kalmadi and Chautala asLife Presidents of IOA is sad

and very painful. This decisionis not good for sports andIndia's image," Maken told re-porters here today. "I requestthe Sports Minister not only toconvey his reservations buttake strong actions to reversethe decision. All the NationalSports Federations are fundedby the Sports Ministry, so thegovernment should exerciseits full powers to reverse the de-cision. If they do so there is noreason the matter can't be re-solved," he added. Chautala, onthe other hand, wondered whatthe fuss was all about, going tothe extent of ridiculing Goel forexpressing pain on his appoint-ment. "I was surprised by thereaction of Sports MinisterVijay Goel. He was claimingthat there are criminal and cor-ruption cases against me. Thecase against me is not a crimi-nal case, it is a political case," alivid Chautala said. "Mr Goelhas failed in his responsibilityas a Sports Minister. I wouldadvise him to fulfil his respon-sibility as Sports Minister be-cause if he does that, our medalcount will increase manifoldand he will get credit for that.Instead of getting into a contro-versy without knowing fullfacts, he should focus on his

job," he added. Chautala alsosaid that he had done enoughfor Olympic sports in India todeserve the IOA LifePresident's post. Maken, mean-while, also questioned BJP MPAnurag Thakur, BJP-allyShiromoni Akali Dal MPSukhdev Singh Dhindsa andIOA sitting vice-PresidentTarlochan Singh for not oppos-ing the appointments being apart of the AGM. Kalmadiserved as the IOA presidentfrom 1996 to 2011 and was jailedfor 10 months for his involve-ment in the 2010 DelhiCommonwealth Games cor-

ruption scandal but was laterreleased on bail. Chautala, onthe other hand, served as thepresident of the IOA fromDecember 2012 to February2014 when the sports body wassuspended by the parent IOCfor fielding charge-sheetedcandidates at the elections. Hiselection as IOA chief was an-nulled by the IOC. Also speak-ing on the issue was Justice(retd) Mukul Mudgal, whoheaded a Supreme Court-ap-pointed committee to inquirecorruption in the 2013 IndianPremier League. Mudgal feltthe IOA has erred .

New Delhi, Dec 28 : (PTI)

A few disappointmentsaside, it was all about Indianhockey's phenomenal rise instature, both on and off the field,in 2016 with a historic silvermedal in the Champions Trophyand Junior World Cup title aftera hiatus of 15 years being thebiggest achievements. If theChampions Trophy silver, goldin Asian Champions Trophy andJunior World Cup title were thehigh points on the turf, formerHockey India chief NarinderBatra's election to the post ofInternational HockeyFederation (FIH) President wasthe talking point off the pitch inthe year goneby. Batra was unan-imously elected to the FIHPresident's post in Novemberthis year, thus becoming the firstIndian and Asian to head theworld body since itsinception.Batra's elevation to theFIH chief's post has also changedthe power centre of world hockeyfrom Europe to Asia. 2016 was anOlympic year and much was ex-pected from India and the eight-time Olympic champions didachieve success on the pitch bar-ring a few failures -- major amongthem being a loss to Pakistan inthe final of the SAF Games and aquarterfinal exit in the Rio

Games. But at the fag end of theyear, the Indian colts lifted theJunior World Cup title after along gap of 15 years on their hometurf in Lucknow. The year, how-ever, started on a bad note for thesport. For those who believe inperfect starts, defeat at the handsof arch-rivals Pakistan inGuwahati in the SAF Games fi-nal for the third consecutive timewas as disastrous a beginning asone could imagine. In the earliertwo editions of the Games in 2006and 2010, Pakistan had won thegold by beating India. But theSAF Games team did give Indiatwo players -- goalkeeper VikasDahiya and Ajit Kumar Pandey --who played an major role in thenation's title triumph in theJunior World Cup later in the

year. Meanwhile, the seniormen's side travelled to Ipoh,Malaysia for the Sultan AzlanShah Cup, a tournament lookedupon as a preparation for the RioOlympics.

Dutchman RoelantOltmans' was at the helm andwas given the charge of prepar-ing the side for the Olympics fol-lowing the unceremonious exitsof Terry Walsh and Paul vanAss.In the Azlan Shah Cup, it wassmooth sailing for India till the fi-nal where they were hammered4-0 by the mighty Australians.The thrashing once again raisedquestions about India's submis-sion against big teams in bigmatches and Oltmans was des-perate to prove the theory wrongin his next assignment.

RAIPUR: DECEMBER 28 :

Mumbai brought inteenaged batsman PrithviShaw for its Ranji Trophysemifinal, to be played inRajkot from January 1.Shaw’s inclusion in place ofopening batsman Kevind’Almeida is the only changeto Mumbai’s 15-membersquad that return from Raipurafter beating Hyderabad by 30runs in the quarterfinal. “Allthe selectors consulted withthe coach and the captain andfelt that we should rewardPrithvi for his performances.Anyway, the final combina-tion will be decided dependingon the conditions in Rajkot,”Milind Rege, the chief selec-tor, told The Hindu onWednesday. Rege watched theproceedings in Raipur fromthe sidelines for the first threedays. d’Almeida, who made areturn to the Ranji Trophy af-ter two years on the back of atriple century. The left-hand-ed opener looked out of sorts,

scoring 9 and 1 at the top of theorder. He also dropped a regu-lation catch in the slips inHyderabad’s second innings.Shaw, on the other hand, hasfor almost a decade now beentouted as one for the future.He, along with Sarfaraz Khanand Armaan Jaffer, have beenbilled as the torch-bearers ofMumbai’s tradition of bats-manship ever since they start-ed plundering runs at will inschool cricket.

While Sarfaraz has movedto Uttar Pradesh and lost hisplace midway through thisyear’s Ranji Trophy, Jafferfailed to translate his age-group heroics in first-classcricket, scoring 44 runs in sixinnings in this year’s RanjiTrophy and lost his place.Shaw, meanwhile, was a partof India’s victorious Asia CupUnder-19 tournament, underthe tutelage of coach RahulDravid. He scored 75 runsfrom two innings while open-ing the batting. Shaw’s inclu-sion has been forced by a

string of injuries to Mumbaibatsmen this season. AkhilHerwadkar, the main opener,is yet to be match-fit after frac-turing his ankle in the leaguestage. Shubham Ranjane, whoimpressed in the limited op-portunities, too broke downduring his match-saving ef-fort against Bengal.

Star batsmen AjinkyaRahane and Rohit Sharmahaven’t conveyed anythingabout their return to the field,according to Rege. Even in thebowling department, Mumbaiwill continue to miss pacespearhead Dhawal Kulkarni,who has missed a better part ofthe season due to a knee in-jury. The squad: Aditya Tare(capt & wk), Praful Waghela,Shreyas Iyer, SuryakumarYadav, Siddhesh Lad,Abhishek Nayar,, ShardulThakur, Balwinder SinghSandhu, Tushar Deshpande,Royston Dias, Sufiyan Shaikh(wk), Vijay Gohil, AkshayGirap, Eknath Kerkar, PrithviShaw .

Pune, Dec 28 : (PTI)

The Maharashtra CricketAssociation has announcedthat tickets for the first One-Day International cricketmatch between hosts Indiaand England, scheduled onJanuary 15, 2017 at the MCA'sInternational Stadium,Gahunje, here, have been soldout. Ticket sales for the day-night fixture commenced onDecember 15 and were soldout in 12 days, MCA said in amedia release, adding thatbookings for both physicaland online tickets have thus,ended. As a result of the sell-out, the stadium will have a to-tal capacity of 37,406 in atten-dance at the game, the secondODI to be hosted at the stadi-um after a three–year gap, therelease said. The last time anODI was played at the MCAStadium was the India-Australia encounter onOctober 13, 2013. "This is agreat moment for MCA.

Among many reasons for thissell-out include, the currentform of the Indian team, thelong gap since the last ODIwas played in Pune, the fol-lowing that the sport has inIndia and undoubtedly thePunekars," said MCAPresident, Ajay Shirke.England is set to play threeODIs, with the other two

scheduled to be played atCuttack (January 19) andKolkata (January 22) on theirreturn to the country after theChristmas and New Yearbreak. Afterwards, the twoteams are also set to play threeT20 Internationals betweenJanuary 26 and February 1 atKanpur, Nagpur andBengaluru .

MELBOURNE DEC 28 :

Australian opener David Warner celebrates after completingcentury during the third day of the second Test against Pakistan inMelbourne on Wednesday. Azhar's double-century, the highestscore by a Pakistan cricketer in Australia, put the tourists well infront. Australia were 278 for two after day three in the second Test inMelbourne Wednesday after Pakistan declared at 443-9. DavidWarner slammed 144 off 143 balls with Usman Khawaja still at thecrease on 95 with skipper Steve Smith on 10 to trail the tourists by 165runs. Earlier, Azhar Ali carved out an unbeaten double-century toset Pakistan up for a first innings declaration at 443-9 but a belliger-ent David Warner had Australia charging out of the blocks in re-sponse on day three of the second test on Wednesday.Opener Warnerwas unbeaten on 77 at tea, with Usman Khawaja 39 not out asAustralia raced to 131 for one, having trimmed the deficit to 312 runsin brilliant sunshine at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pakistanspinner Yasir Shah bowled opener Matt Renshaw for 10 but washammered for 47 runs in a costly seven-over spell as Khawaja andWarner hit out in an unbroken 85-run stand. Pakistan seamerMohammad Amir asked some tough questions early in the inningsbut was also responsible for one of the more absurd reviews seen inthe seven years since the introduction of the Decision ReviewSystem. Warner played and clearly missed the ball from Amir butthe paceman cajoled captain Misbah-ul-Haq into reviewing for acaught and behind decision. The TV footage showed over half a footof daylight between bat and ball. Renshaw tossed away his wicket for10, bowled by Yasir when attempting to slog-sweep the leg-spinner.Khawaja nearly played onto his stumps when on nine off Riaz but theedge raced harmlessly to deep fine leg for four. Warner flicked a fulltoss off Yasir square for two to bring up a quickfire 50 and an off-drivefor three on the next ball gave him 5,000 test runs. Azhar earlier com-pleted a sparkling double-century, only the fourth touring batsmanto score one at the MCG, and strutted off the ground unbeaten on 205.He tucked two runs off paceman Mitchell Starc to bring up the mile-stone and gave a running jump for joy before ripping off his helmet.Spectators gave him a standing ovation and batting partner WahabRiaz jogged over to embrace him. Wahab's dismissal for one trig-gered Pakistan's declaration after adding 133 runs to their overnight310 for six. Rain delayed the start of play and forced a short hiatus af-ter the first drinks break but it did little to slow Pakistan's momen-tum as tail-ender Sohail Khan hammered spinner Nathan Lyon forfour sixes in an aggressive innings of 65.

GoF Staff Reporter

JAMMU, Dec 28 :

Atul International TaekwondoAcademy (AITA) bagged the overallchampionship trophy by securing high-est points in the two-day 19th JammuDistrict Taekwondo (Kyorugi/ Poomsae)Championship held at Dogra BrahmanPratinidhi Sabha Parade, here.The over-all second place went to another academy(VAOT) while JK Public School finishedthird in the overall medal tally.JointSecretary, J&K State Sports Council,Shiv Kumar Sharma was chief guest inthe concluding function, who gave awaythe title trophies to the teams.

Member State Sports Council, NazirAhmed Bhat was guest of honour whilegeneral secretary, J&K TaekwondoAssociation, DN Pangotra was specialguest.Also present were Satpal Sharma,Subash Shastri, Ramesh Sharma,

Hussain Khan, Harvinder Singh Sodhi,Vikas Abrol, Shah Inam, ShalienderSharma, Sanjeet Sharma, AshwaniSharma, Ulfat Bilal and Mohd SalimWazir.The technical team, which con-ducted the bouts during the two-day com-petition included Atul Pangotra,(International Referee), Sanjay Kumar,

Rajat Thakur, Mukta Gupta, BrinderSingh Manhas, Arvind Kumar Satti,Mohd Ali, Rohit Sharma, Tashi Tundup,Rajan Jamwal , Narinder Sharma,Nitish Anand, Vipan Sharma, SouravSharma, Sunil Singh, Pooja Sharma,Mukesh , Amit Sharma and GopalSharma.

Indian hockey rose in stature in 2016 Kalmadi declines IOA post, Ministry showcauses body

Australia makes strongreply to Pak.'s 443 for 9

Tickets for opening India-England ODI sold out

Mumbai includes young openerShaw for Ranji semifinals

AITA bags overall trophy in District Taekwondo

Melbourne Dec 28 : PTI

Opening batsmanAzhar Ali led the wayas Pakistan consoli-dated their first in-nings on a rain-hit sec-ond day of the secondcricket Test againstAustralia here onTuesday. Only 50.3overs were possible onthe day after 50.5 overswere bowled onMonday’s opening dayas rain again curtailedplay. At the close afterrain forced an earlyfinish, the touristswere 310 for six with Azhar providing the foundations. Azhar wasunbeaten on 139 with Mohammad Amir hitting a breezy 28 off 23balls with six fours trying to lift the scoring rate after the dis-missals of Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed. Azhar, playing in his56th Test, raised his 12th Test century and third against Australiawith two runs behind the wicket to fine leg . Azhar’s hundred cameoff 218 balls in 338 minutes and consolidated his position asPakistan’s leading runscorer this calendar year. At the closeAzhar had scored 1089 runs for the fifth highest aggregate for theyear. The last Pakistan opener to carry his bat through a Test in-nings was Imran Farhat (117 not out) against New Zealand inNapier 2009. It has never been done in Pakistan’s Tests againstAustralia. Only Mohsin Khan with scores of 152 and 149 back in1983 has posted higher scores than Azhar as an opening batsmanfor Pakistan in Australia. Shafiq reached 50 before he gave skipperSteve Smith his third catch of the innings ending an 115-run part-nership with Azhar. Jackson Bird got one ball to seam away andShafiq was forced to play a shot and edged to Smith at second slipfor his third wicket. Shafiq, who scored a fighting 137 in Pakistan’snarrow loss in the first Gabba Test, faced 123 balls for his 18th Testhalf-century over three hours. Josh Hazlewood got his reward forhis nagging accuracy with the wicket of Sarfraz Ahmed for 10,snapped up by Matt Renshaw at first slip .

Azhar's ton boosts Pakon rain-hit second day

Chennai

Smashers will do

better this time:

SindhuCHENNAI DEC 28 :

Rio Olympics silvermedalist and India’s top-ranked singles player, P.V.Sindhu, looking dapper andfit, said she was looking for-ward to play for ChennaiSmashers in the PremierBadminton League (PBL) be-ginning January 1. Speakingto mediapersons on the side-lines of annual general bodymeeting of Indian OlympicAssociation here on Tuesdayafter receiving Rs. 30 lakhfrom IOA, the World No.6said that Smashers could dobetter than what it did lasttime when it reached thesemifinals. “This time wewill do much better. From thebeginning we have to be alertas we do not have much timeto think about (as PBL is 11-point game this time vis a visthe 15-point format last time).[It’s] a different atmosphereas players from differentcountries come and play to-gether.” Excerpts:Expectations post-RioDefinitely the responsibili-ties are much more and Ihave to achieve a lot more.That [expectations] will be al-ways there. My aim is to keepplaying at my best. After theOlympics everyone wants tocome back strong .

GoF Staff Reporter

JAMMU, Dec 28 :

Jammu and Kashmir today held Haryana to 1-1 draw in theopening league tie of group in the 72nd Santosh Trophy (NorthZone) Senior National Football Championship underway atSunder Nagar in Himachal Pradesh.

As per the reports reaching here, though J&K conceived thegoal in within the very first 15 minutes of the game. It was fol-lowed by a number of chances created by fight J&K side butcould not be materialized with the result lead remained infavour of Haryana 1-0 at the end of first half play.

After the breather, the young J&K side turned aggressive,keeping more ball possession and always looking for goals.After continuous attacks on opponent goal area, J&K succeededin leveling the score on board just five minutes before the finalwhistle. Hanan scored the all important goal to help the side lev-el the score and share point.

However, in the extra time, both sides made all out efforts tobring in change in the score but could not do so. J&K still havetwo games to go in the group so the hopes are still alive .

J&K holds Haryana to 1-1 drawin Santosh Trophy opener

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016entertain10Glimpses of Future

Deepika Padukone prepones xXxrelease fearing Shah Rukh Khan’sRaees and Hrithik Roshan’s Kaabil?

Ranbir Kapoor’s grim face and Katrina Kaif’s expressionsin the latest Jagga Jasoos still leave you confused

Katrina Kaif’s vacation

pictures will give you

family goals

Nayanthara signs on yetanother big ticket project

Bigg Boss 10: Rohan MehraASSAULTS Om Swami

Shah Rukh Khan aka Raees hasa special message for youahead of New Year

All Deepika Padukonefans can finally rejoice asthey’ll get to see theHollywood debut of theirfavourite actress a little earli-er than it was planned. xXx:Return Of Xander Cage isgonna release in India a weekbefore its US release. The filmwhich was supposed to releaseon January 20, 2017 will nowhit theatres on January 14.The film will now have a clash

of sorts with Aditya RoyKapur and ShraddhaKapoor’s OK Jaanu which re-leases on January 13. The filmwill have huge competitionfrom the second day of its re-lease from DeepikaPadukone’s xXx: Return ofXander Cage. But come tothink of it, the real reason forpreponing the release datemay be the fact that onJanuary 25, 2017, just five days

later the previous release dateof the film, two of the biggestBollywood films – Shah RukhKhan’s Raees and HrithikRoshan’s Kaabil are to hit the-atres.If that’s true than this isnot the first time a Hollywoodfilm has averted a clash with abig Bollywood offering andmainly a Shah Rukh Khanstarrer. During the release ofDilwale, even ‘The Force’ hadto bow down to the power of

SRK, as much awaited andmuch talked about Star Wars:Episode VII – The ForceAwakens saw its release aweek later in India. In fact,Hollywood’s biggest hit inIndia, The Jungle Book toopaved way for ‘The King’when Fan was up for the re-lease. Just like xXx: Return OfXander Cage, The JungleBook too preponed its releasea week before the US opening.

It’s become a yearly ritual for Katrina Kaif to visither family every year during Christmas. And just likeevery year, this year too, the actress took time outfrom her schedule and went to London to spend thisChristmas with her family. After shooting for thebridal issue for a leading glossy with Manish Malhotraand winding up the shoot of Koffee with Karan, seemslike the actress has finished all her assignments forthe month of December and now she’s off on a vacay.The pictures of her have been circulated online inwhich Kat and her family is out rifle shooting. If thepictures are anything to go by, she seems to be havingthe time of her life vacationing in London. God! Howenvious are we! Looking at Katrina’s holiday pictures,all you would want to do is pack your bags and go outon a vacation of your own. These pictures came up onone of Katrina’s fan pages on Twitter. Surprisingly,the actress hasn’t shared any of her pics on Facebook,where she usually posts a lot of stuff.

On the work front, Katrina, who was last seen inBaar Baar Dekho opposite Sidharth Malhotra has justwrapped up the shoot of Jagga Jasoos. The actress re-cently appeared on Karan Johar’s chat show KoffeeWith Karan with Anushka Sharma and looked noth-ing less than a bombsell in a red dress. Coming back tothe pics, let’s hope Katrina shares her London vaca-tion pictures with us soon! And now that she has al-ready made her debut on Facebook this year, let’s hopeshe joins Instagram and Twitter in 2017 too!

Ranbir Kapoor andKatrina Kaif’s Jagga Jasoos isall set to have a summer re-lease in April 2017. A still fromthe film has been released andafter seeing the same, we won-der what’s going on withthem. From the trailer itself,we inferred that the duo are ina big mess and on the run. Inthis latest still though, thepair seem flustered whichleads us to believe that theyare being followed by the bad

guys and their only way out ison a bicycle. As a teenage de-tective, Kapoor maintains agrim expression whereas,Kaif looks confused and wor-ried at the same time. Whilewe think they look absolutelyadorable in the picture, thetone of the pic surely serves adifferent purpose. We’velearnt that Ranbir plays ateenage detective in the filmwho is in search of his missingfather. Of course, his love in-

terest is Katrina. In the trailerwe’ve seen them runningfrom scene to scene. Yes, thereare some very intriguingbackground score supportingthe trailer but their adven-tures seem to be at its peakthroughout. From being shotwith a bullet on a bridge tostraddling on ostriches, thereare some really outrageoussituations Kat and Ranbirfind themselves in. This stilltoo, seems like one such plight

they’ve found their heads in.Ever since the ex couplesigned the film two years ago,fans have been super excitedto see them together. Ofcourse, their breakup didbring problems for the film-maker, Anurag Basu, whohad been trying to wrap thefilm for quite a while. With theamount of trouble this filmunderwent, curiosity has fur-ther soared in the minds offans .

Even after being repri-manded by Salman Khan quitea few times, Swami Om is leav-ing no stone unturned to createnuisance inside the Bigg Bosshouse. Looks like his betiPriyanka Jagga’s unceremoni-ous ouster from the glass walledhouse has made the self-styledGodman go bonkers. Especiallyhis loss in the captaincy taskmade him sabotage the task forthe other contenders. AfterBani J, Lopamudra Raut andOm Swami were out of thegame, Rohan Mehra, ManuPunjabi and Manveer Gurjarwere battling it out in the laststage of the task.

Swami Om, who as we allknow loves to hate Rohanparked himself near the en-trance of the igloo and said thathe wants to enjoy the final com-petition. Manveer asked him tomove aside and watch it from adistance but he refusesd tomove. When the final buzzerrang, Manu, Manveer andRohan tried to get inside theigloo, But then Swami Om

played a dirty game and stran-gled Rohan so that he loses thetask and Manu and Manveerbecome the final two con-tenders. Onlookers Lopa andGaurav Chopra were shockedto see this and lashed out atSwami Om for sabotaging theentire task. When Swami Omwent and hid under his blan-ket, Lopa, Rohan and Gauravconfronted him and made himrealise that he has committeda huge mistake and somebodycould have got hurt in theprocess. So pissed was Rohanthat he ended up hitting himwith a piece of cloth. Amidstall this, Manu lost out on achance of entering the iglooand of becoming the next cap-tain of the house. Then it wereManveer and Rohan, whowere fighting to become thenext captain of the house andwe have now learnt that it’sManveer, who has defeatedthe Yeh Rishta Kya KehlataHai fame to become the nextcaptain of the Bigg Bosshouse.

Nayanthara has been in the industry for more than adecade now and she continues to roll. This year, she has had5 releases and most of them have fared well at the box office.Apart from that she has signed on multiple projects withdifferent directors and now as per Sify’s exclusive report,she has signed on yet another women centric project. It willbe produced by Eros International, a leading Productionhouse. It will be directed by debutante BharatKrishnamachari who earlier worked as a sound engineer.75% of the movie will be shot abroad. As per reports, the di-rector states that the film will be shot across France, Czechrepublic, Germany, Poland, Mongolia. She will reportedlyplay a journalist who is in search of her true identity. Aftertravelling across countries, her search will take her toTamil Nadu. Well, this untitled project is just one amongher many projects. After her successful stint with Horrorwith Maya, Nayanthara has taken on Dass Ramasamy’sDora. Then there’s Minjur Gopi’s Aramm where she plays adistrict collector who looks into the civic problems of herjurisdiction. The first look was out on her birthday as a spe-cial gift for all her fans. Her no-nonsense authoritative lookwas loved by all he fans.The film has reportedly beenwrapped up and is gearing up for a release soon. Thenthere’s Kolaiyuthir Kaalam that narrates a disturbing taleof a young girl .

New Year’s is almost here and Shah Rukh Khan has a special messagefor all you guys out there. The actor has shared a ‘Don’t Drink And Drive’message with his fans but in a rather hatke way.. or rather the Miyan Bhaiway.. As well all know, the actor’s next film Raees is all set to release inJanuary 2017, Shah Rukh in his Miyan Bhai avatar warns everyone to notdrink and drive. He has shared a special video on his Facebook page inwhich he says, “Hmm.. party ka mahol hai.. khoob party karo..majnubanke laila ke sath nacho, lekin sharaab peeke gaadi mat chalana (It’stime to party.. go ahead, party hard with your lover but don’t drink anddrive)”. Like a very responsible human being, Shah Rukh just shared avery important message through this video for everyone out there who isgonna be out partying on New Year’s. That’s indeed very thoughtful ofhim. Don’t you think so? Oh he also mentioned Laila in the video which in-stantly reminded us of his Lalila.. ahem! We mean Sunny Leone. The songLaila O Laila from SRK’s forthcoming film Raees released two weeks agoand it became a RAGE! Sunny with her latkas and jhatkas and Shah Rukhin his sexy kohl-eyed avatar won our hearts and now we can’t wait for thefilm to hit the movie screens. For all those who have watched the videowouldn’t deby that the item number has become the ultimate item song ofthe year! Set in 1980s Gujarat, Raees tells the story of a bootlegger whosebusiness is thwarted by a tough cop. The film is produced by ExcelEntertainment and Red Chillies Entertainment. The film also featuresNawazuddin Siddiqui and marks the Bollywood debut of Pakistani ac-tress Mahira Khan and will hit the movie screens on January 25, 2017.

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016local11 Glimpses of Future

SRINAGAR, DECEMBER 28:

Minister of State for Forest,Environment, Animal & SheepHusbandry, Cooperative and Fisheries,Mir Zahoor Ahmad underscored the needfor introducing hybrid sheep to suffice themutton and wool need in the State. Duringhis visit to Sheep Breeding FarmDachigam, Zahoor took detailed review ofthe farm and instructed concerned func-tionaries to take due care of the sheep, be-

sides pay concerted efforts to promote hy-brid sheep among the farmers. MirZahoor stressed upon the departmentalfunctionaries to open the new and modernavenues for promotion of hybrid sheepamong sheep rearers, with the directionfor strict implementation of variousschemes meant for sheep development inthe State. Mir Zahoor said thatGovernment under the leadership ofChief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti isvery ambitious to promote the animal,

sheep husbandry, sericulture and agricul-ture sectors in the State, which not onlycaters to maximum needs of milk, mutton,poultry but intends to export the produc-tion to outside States. He added it wouldbe beneficial for increasing the income offarming community of the State. TheMinister said that several innovative ini-tiatives including implementation ofCentrally Sponsored schemes werelaunched and implemented in the Statefor boosting hybrid sheep and cattle popu-lation. He asked the departmental func-tionaries to work with vigor and zest forthe development of animal and sheep pop-ulace and ensure that the benefits of theschemes would reach to the cattle andsheep rearers at grass root level. Duringhis inspection, the Minister was apprisedthat Sheep Breeding Farm at Dachigam ispresently having above 500 Marino sheepand about 68 Rams are distributed to fieldorganizations for cross breeding thisyear. The Minister said promotion of hy-brid Sheep in different departmentalSheep Farms is the priority of theGovernment. Earlier, the Minister visitedLaribal Trout Fish Farm and took stock ofthe activities of the unit. He also inspectedthe office of Divisional Forest Officer,Wildlife Dachigam. Later, the Ministerconvened a joint meeting with the officersof the Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries andWildlife Departments and took review ofthe functioning of these departments.

Mir Zahoor inspects DachigamSheep Breeding Farm

Underscores need for promotion of hybrid sheep

RAIPUR, DECEMBER 28:

Minister for Food Civil Supplies andConsumer Affairs Chowdhary ZulfkarAli today called on Chief Minister ofChhattisgarh Raman Singh at Raipur andhold detailed discussion on the highlysuccessful e-PDS model operational inChhattisgarh. Chowdhary Zulfkar Aliwas accorded warm welcome at the CMresidence where the duo held threadbarediscussions on the electronic public dis-tribution system (e-PDS) operational inChhattisgarh. The Chief Minister high-lighted the roadmap of the e-PDS and of-fered full cooperation in implementingthe model in Jammu and Kashmir. TheChhattisgarh CM gave full credit to elec-tronic based monitoring and distributionmechanism for remarkable success ofPDS in his state. He said his governmenthas initiated some far-reaching reformswhich has enabled them to bring aboutcomplete transparency in the system andalso eased people’s problems. “The effi-cient monitoring system has enabled toeliminate bogus ration cards. For in-stance, every house in a Lakhanpur areahad a large round sign, painted next to thedoor, displaying the category of rationcard held by that household and the cor-responding entitlements” he said addingthis serves the dual purpose of generatingawareness about entitlements and nam-ing and identifying those who possess aration card (e.g. an Antyodaya card) forwhich they are not eligible. About the de-livery system of ration, the CM toldZulfkar that they have expanded PDS cov-erage and low issue prices have con-tributed to give voice to otherwise poorand disempowered rural cardholders. Headded that PDS has become a political pri-ority in Chhattisgarh and a decision wasmade to turn it around, instead of siding

with the corrupt officials/dealers. Headded that monitoring grain movementshad become one of the top priorities ofeven patwaris and tehsilars and PDS isthe first agenda item whenever meetingswere held at the district. The ChiefMinister offered all possible cooperationin streamlining PDS in Jammu andKashmir. He praised various measurestaken by Jammu and Kashmir ChiefMinister Mehbooba Mufti despite facingtough time and wished her great successin achieving the goal of transparent andaccountable administration at all levels.He also praised Zulfkar for his untiringefforts to make the PDS more vibrant andefficient in Jammu and Kashmir.Thanking Chief Minister for his offer ofcooperation, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali saidthat Chhattisgarh has adopted very effec-tive public distribution system andJammu and Kashmir can also get benefitby following their model. He said that

since he also wanted to bring total trans-parency in his department, it is impor-tant to compare and contrast variousmodels implemented in different states.He added that best model will be taken in-to consideration and implemented in thestate. Apprising Chief Minister aboutoverall scenario of Jammu and Kashmir,Zulfkar said that even though turmoil thestate government is working hard to helppeople and ease their sufferings. He saidthat Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti isstriving hard to resolve issues of public.He invited Chief Minister ofChhattisgarh and Food Minister of thestate to visit Kashmir and interact withthe consumers. Meanwhile the Ministerwas also given power point presentationby the officers of Food Supplies andConsumer Protection Department ofChhattisgarh government. They briefedevery aspect of PDS and reforms broughtinto the system.

Zulfkar calls on Chhattisgarh CMCalls for adopting best e-PDS model for JKv

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28:

Chairman, Jammu andKashmir Legislative Council,Haji Anayat Ali, today con-vened a meeting with the offi-cers from Police and CivilAdministration to discuss thearrangements put in place forforthcoming Budget sessioncommencing from January2nd . Special DirectorGeneral of Police(Coordination and Law andOrder) Dr. S P Vaid,Additional Director GeneralSecurity, Dilbagh Singh,

Inspector General of PoliceSecurity, Jagjit Kumar, IGPJammu Danish Rana, IGTraffic S A Watali, DirectorEstates Dr G N Itoo, DyDirector Information, AvleenKour and other senior offi-cers were present in the meet-ing. Threadbare discussionswere held on different issuesregarding security and otherrelated matters. TheChairman was apprised aboutthe security arrangementsmade in and around theLegislature Complex. TheChairman enjoined upon the

concerned officers and em-ployees of Legislative CouncilSecretariat to ensure fool proofarrangements are made for thesession. Earlier, the Chairmanheld an interaction meet withthe media persons and dis-cussed various issues with re-gard to the smooth coverage ofthe budget session. Seekingfull cooperation from the me-dia fraternity, the Chairmansaid that necessary arrange-ments have been put in place toensure wide coverage of theproceedings of the session in ahassle-free manner.

Chairman LC reviews arrangements for Budget Session

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28

The ElectionDepartment(ED) Wednesday or-ganised a day long training pro-gramme for ElectoralRegistration Officers (ERO) andAssistant Electoral RegistrationOfficer (AERO). Chief ElectoralOfficer, J&K, Shantmanu wasthe chief guest at the workshopwhich among other things fo-cused on the validation of elec-toral rolls and optimization ofthe polling station location andarea in different constituencies.DEOs, EROs, AEROs, StateLevel Master Trainers (SLMTS)and Election Naib Tehsildars ofJammu province participated inthe training. Joint ChiefElectoral Officer, J&K, Dr.Raman Kaiser, Deputy ChiefElectoral Officer, Jammu,Krishan Lal, Additional State

Informatic Officer NIC J&K,Saleem Khan were also attendedthe programme. The trainingwas held in three sessions basedon online service voters and elec-tronically transmitted postalballot system, J&K electoral rollManagement system, nationalelectoral roll and purificationprogramme (NERP) and EROnet. The aim of the training wasto hold free and fair elections inthe state under the new guide-lines of the ElectionCommission of India. Speakingon the occasion, Shantmanusaid that there was a need tospeed up the activities by the en-tire staff of the ElectionDepartment in the state to fill upthe gaps. Asserting that suffi-cient time is available to com-plete the exercise, he stressed onimplementing all the compo-nents of the new guidelines in

letter and spirit. The CEO fur-ther asserted that the ElectionCommission of India (ECI) givesutmost importance to enroll-ment of all eligible citizens and toassist electors to reach and casttheir votes in hassle free way."No voter to be left behind" is themotto of ECI for the year 2016, headded. Shantmanu further toldthat NERP has been launched inMarch 2016 across the country tocarry out intensive verification,to enhance the purity and fideli-ty of electoral rolls and standard-isation of polling stations forelectors convenience and facili-tate their reach to polling stationwith ease. At the end, the CEOthanked the participants and thetrainers for making the trainingprogramme successful andwished that the future pro-grammes will also be conductedin similar manners.

ED conducts training programme for EROs, AEROs

70 dev worksworth Rs1.71 cr takenup underconvergencein BudgamBUDGAM, DECEMBER 28: ]

A review meeting washeld today under the chair-manship of the DistrictDevelopmentCommissioner, Mir AltafAhmad to take stock of theprogress made on differentdevelopment works takenup under convergence inthe district.

The meeting was in-formed that around 70 de-velopment works are beingexecuted at an estimatedcost of Rs 1.71 crore underconvergence programmein district. The amountcomprises Rs 91 lakh fromMGNREGA and Rs 80 lakhfrom LegislatorsConstituencyDevelopment Fund.

The DDC asked the con-cerned officers, and exe-cuting agencies to redou-ble their efforts so that allthe works taken up arecompleted within the stip-ulated time.

Among others, officersof Agriculture, RDD,Forest, Education,Sericulture, Fisheries,Irrigation and FloodControl were present in themeeting.

CONTD FROM PAGE 1Raha

to actually fight a conflict as it believes in peace and tranquil-lity. "But we also know we have been drawn into conflicts severaltimes in the past. So going by historical experience, we have tobuild our capability. Capability to deter. How do we deter an ad-versary who is strong? We have to build up capability in order tostrike deep into adversary's heartland, take on targets effectivelywhich will hurt the adversary," he said.\ Raha added that this ca-pability is being built up especially with the IAF's strikingprowess. "We are building up our forces in the sea. The army is be-ing strengthened further in terms of a new strike corps. I think alot of effort is going on to tackle any contingency...creation of in-frastructure, induction of equipment," he said. Raha underlinedthat overall there is a thrust by the government and the armedforces to bolster deterrence capability more than anything else."It is not specific to any country," he said. The IAF chief refused toname China in any of his comments despite repeated questions onChina's defence capability. Raha said every country has the rightto make its own assessment of security needs. "It will not be appro-priate for me to speak about any country in the neighbourhood.But definitely, we take everything into consideration when we doa threat appreciation," he said. The air chief said India's efforts oncapability matrix are not based against one single country but onthe threat appreciation as well as its plans for where it wants to bein future, what role does it want to play in the region and on theworld stage and what reputation it wants to create. "Definitelysome of the countries are doing very well. One of our neighbourshas lot of money, lot of wealth. They have progressed very well.They have enough funds to put into research and developmentwhich is common knowledge," he said. PTI

SP Vaid post of Director General of See Banks on page 11Police after

M M Khajuria, who held the position in 1985. However, he is thefirst regular IPS recruit to become the Director General of Policefrom Jammu, while Khajuria had been absorbed in the IPS fromthe state cadre. In the aftermath of the killing of Burhan Wani, lawand order situation in the valley had spiralled out of control andthe state government, while taking a serious note of it, had shiftedhim from the position of DG (prisons) and made him Special DG(Law and order). After taking over the charge, Vaid camped in theValley and initiated various measures, including police-peopleinteraction programmes to help restore normalcy. Vaid was seri-ously injured when militants ambushed his vehicle in March 1999near Sopore crossing on Srinagar- Baramulla Highway. He wasthe then range DIG of Baramulla- Kupwara in North Kashmir.During his stint in the Valley, he started Police- CommunityPartnership Group (PCPG), a Community Policing Project, forthe first time in the state of Jammu and Kashmir which helped re-dress public grievances and improved police- public relations. Healso had a stint at the Bureau of Police Research and Developmentat the Centre where he contributed to various projects, especiallyin conducting a detailed study on Private Security Agencies(Regulation) Act. In recognition of his outstanding performanceduring his deputation at the Centre, Vaid was decorated withPresident's Police Medal for Distinguished Service. He is also a re-cipient of Indian Police Medals for Gallantry and for MeritoriousService, Indian Wound Medal, Sher-e-Kashmir Medal forMeritorious Service, Indian Army Chief's Citation, ParakramPadak Medal and Antrik Suraksha Seva Padak by the HomeMinistry.

Water Control Sham Lal Choudhary admitted that majority of wa-

ter supply schemes on which work was started over the yearscould not be completed. “The previous government had startedwork on water supply schemes for execution without knowingthe source of funds. I will ensure completion of work in due time,”the Minister said. He claimed that government is committed toprovide clean and safe drinking water to people and said thatsteps are afoot to augment water supply in all the areas of thestate. (KNS)

HC ensure that the visitors would meet Parray, for meeting with

whom they had sought permission and not (Alam)," the court ob-served. The court also rendered the detention order illegal for thereason that the bail application of Bhat had been rejected by a courtand he continued to languish in state custody. The detaining author-ity, in this situation, could not assume that there is every likelihoodof (Bhat) being released on bail. The Court said, "democratic societynot only swears but lives by democratic values and principles. Evenin the face of extreme provocations, the laws of the land are to be im-plemented. Laws possess unique quality, in as much as, they, evenat times, protect those who break them. Thus, they prove to be betterthan many human beings". Bhat was released after four-and-halfyears of detention soon after the PDP-BJP government took chargein March last year. However, he was re-arrested on April 17, 2015and detained under the PSA for alleged anti-national activities dur-ing a rally to welcome Geelani home from Delhi.

Sahab in Jammu to attend the meeting,” responded one of the offi-

cial. A top government official said that work in the departmentsinvolving public dealing has come to a grinding halt. Though low-er ranking officials reach the offices but are not able to work in ab-sence of the in-charges. Sources informed that some low rankingofficials prefer to go on leave or not attend offices as they are un-

able to bear the enormous pressure and work load without thehigher officials. Common people have expressed displeasure overthe functioning of government offices. People alleged that the gov-ernment officers receive their salaries and other benefits, butthey do not perform their duty in a proper way in the valley.Habib-ullah, a local said he had been visiting the Chief EngineerR&B Kashmir for the last few days, but every time he could notfind him in the office.People have appealed the Chief MinisterMehbooba Mufti to emphasize officers to perform their duty in aproper way. (KNS)

RBI in circulation . All ` 500 banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi

(New) Series, issued from November 8, 2016 onwards, will contin-ue to be legal tender.

Proof been made by misrepresentation or suppression of facts or

without payment of tax and surcharge of penalty or without de-positing the requisite amount in the PMGKY Deposit Scheme,and in such cases, all the provisions of the Income-Tax Act, in-cluding penalties and prosecutions, shall apply accordingly," itsaid. The scheme provides an opportunity to persons havingundisclosed income in the form of cash or deposit in an accountmaintained with a specified entity (which includes banks andpost office) to declare such income and pay tax, surcharge andpenalty totaling in all to 49.9 per cent of such declared income.Besides, the scheme provides that a mandatory deposit of not lessthan 25 per cent of such income shall be made in the zero-interestbearing Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Deposit Scheme, 2016, forfour years. It commenced on December 17 and shall remain openfor declarations and deposits up to March 31, 2017.

vigilance irregularities. Officials said that they conducted preliminary

enquiry in Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua into the allegations of irregu-larities in purchase of electric items worth of rupees by the PowerDevelopment Department in these districts on highly exorbitantrates from open market without following any formalities.

“During the course of enquiry, rates of few common electricItems he supply orders of M&RE Rajouri, Poonch and Kathua andSTD Division-IV, STD Division-III Kathua were randomlychecked and compared with the of the Electric Central Stores,Division Jammu/approved rates of Purchase tee Doda prevalentat that time and it was found that on these purchases a loss hasbeen caused to the State exchequer”, said spokesman ofVigilance.It is found that officers/officials M&RE Rajouri andSTD Division-IV Kalakote namely RK Padha now retired, execu-tive Engineer M&RE Rajouri and BB Sein, then XEN STDDivision-IV , R.L. Kaul then AEE Rajouri, Maqbool Choudharythen AEE Kalakote, Maroof Dar, then Store Officer Rajouri andT.S. Jamwal then Store officer Kalakote; officers/officials ofM&RE Poonch namely U.C. Manchanda now retired and MumtazHussain, then AEE Poonch and Sham Lal, then Store OfficerPoonch; and officers/officials of M&RE Kathua and STD Kathua,S.C. Gupta (now retired). Amlok Singh, then AEE (TO)M&RE/STO Kathua has purchased electric items through vari-ous supply orders to different firms without invitingNITs/Quotations on exorbitant rates.In this way above men-tioned officers/officials of PPD by abuse or their official positionsand in connivance with each other/proprietors of supplier firmsto confer undue benefit to them for their ulterior motives causedhuge loss to the state exchequer. As such three cases vide FIR 28,29 and 30 of VOJ have been registered in vigilance organizationJammu under section 5 (1) (d) r/w 5 (2) J&K PC ACT Samwat 2006and section 120-B RPC on the prima facie establishment of offenceon the part of aforementioned accused public servants and others.

Girl Higher Secondary School in Rajouri.Police said that they ap-

prehended the 19 year old girl (name withheld) was found appear-ing in Bi-annual class 12 in a Government higher secondaryschool in Thanamandi tehsil.“She was writing the exam for hermother who is a Government employee,” said the official. Furtherinvestigation is on.

Unidentified road side, when he was hit by a speedy vehicle in Top area.

The body has been shifted to the hospital for legal formalities.Inquest proceeding has been initiated in this regard.

Man person was riding a scooter on the highway, when a rashly

driven car hit him leading to his on spot death.The deceased hasbeen identified as Kundan Sharma son of Ved Parkash of KootahMorh.Police have registered a case in this regard and further in-vestigation in this regard is on.

One person during a naka checking at Lower Roop Nagar near

Green Land Palace. During his checking, police said, they recov-ered 13 grams of heroin from his possession and arrested him.Acase in this regard has been registered at police station Janipur.

Power on December 29 and Dec 30, 2016 and January 01, 2017 from 08am to 12 noon. The shutdown has been ordered to carry outstringing of Panther conductor/top fitting arrangements of 33KV line from Railway underpass to Railway complex by M/sIRCON International Ltd under R-APDRP scheme.


Seeking a white paper ondemonetisation, Congress to-day posed several questions tothe Prime Minister includinghow much black money hascome in and put forth a charterof demands including liftingall restrictions on money with-drawal and compensation tofarmers, traders and the poorwho have "suffered" due tonote ban. Congress VicePresident Rahul Gandhi alsodemanded that PrimeMinister Narendra Modishould double the MNREGAwages and the number of dayseach labourer can work, be-sides giving 50 per cent rebatein Income Tax and Sales Tax toshopkeepers and 20 per centbonus on MSP for Rabi crops tofarmers and waiving theirloans. Coming out with the"Charter of Demands" beforethe media, he sought a list of allthose who have depositedabove Rs 25 lakh before demon-etisation was announced andsought relief to those badly af-fected including provision ofRs 25,000 to at least one womanof each BPL family. "We wantthat the Prime Minister shouldexplain some things to thecountry. After November 8,how much black money hascome out and how much eco-

nomic loss has the country suf-fered due to demonetisation.How many people lost theirlives and whether any com-pensation has been paid tothem. "The Prime Ministershould also tell whom he con-sulted before taking the deci-sion and spell out the names ofexperts consulted. The PrimeMinister should also provide alist of all those people whohave deposited Rs 25 lakh ormore in their accounts beforedemonetisation," he told re-porters. As part of the de-mands, Rahul Gandhi said allrestrictions on withdrawal ofmoney be lifted with immedi-ate effect and till the time theserestrictions are in place, a spe-cial interest at the rate of 18 pcper annum be given to all. Healso sought that all charges ondigital transactions should beabolished forthwith, addingthat the charter of demandswas "on behalf of the people ofIndia". Gandhi said the price ofof ration distributed under thePDS system should be halvedfor the period of a year underthe provisions of the FoodSecurity Act and a special one-time bonus of 20 per centshould be provided over andabove the MSP of all Rabicrops. "That Rs 25,000 shouldbe deposited in the account ofat least one woman belonging

to each BPL family as compen-sation for the immense suffer-ing caused to women due to de-monetisation," the demandscharter said. Gandhi also saidthat an Income Tax and Salestax rebate of 50 pc should begiven to small shopkeepersand businesses. The centralgovernment should compen-sate state governments for lossof revenue incurred on ac-count of this exemption,hesaid. The Congress VicePresident also demanded thatthe number of guaranteedwork days and the wage rateunder MGNREGA should bedoubled for a period of oneyear. He also demanded thatgovernment should organise aspecial drive to identify andregister those who lost theirjobs since November 8 and pro-vide them compensation at theapplicable minimum wagerate for a period up to March31. Lashing out at Modi, theCongress leader alleged thatthe Prime Minister did this de-monetisation 'yagya' for only50 families while the poor andsmall shopkeepers have suf-fered and government shouldprovide compensation to thesepeople. He said the money de-posited in banks is that of thepeople of the country and thelimit imposed by him on bankaccounts should be withdrawn

immediately to help restoretheir financial independence."The farmers have been hithard. He should waive theirloans and provide 20 per centbonus in MSP to farmers," hesaid, adding that small shop-keepers be also compensatedby providing 50 per cent rebateon sales tax and income tax."The Prime Minister has to tellthe country why he causedpain to the poor people andsnatched their financial inde-pendence. "Narendra Modishould answer when he willpresent the list of all Swissbank holders beforer the lokSabha and Rajya Sabha, thelist that has been provided tohim by the Swiss government.We want to know who arethese thieves and why is Modisaving them," he said. In thequestions posed to the PrimeMinister, Gandhi asked,"What was the process of con-sultation and preparednessfollowed prior to the imple-mentation of demonetization?Why were experts, economistsor the RBI not consulted beforeunleashing this draconian pol-icy upon the people?." He alsoasked the government to placethe names of all persons, insti-tutions and entities that de-posited Rs 25 lakh or more inbank accounts in six monthspreceding November 8. PTI

Note ban: Cong seeks white paperfrom PM, puts forth demands

CYMK

CYMK

CYMK

JAMMU THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2016nation/State12Glimpses of Future


Two days before the deadlinefor depositing old 500 and1,000 rupee notes expires, theCabinet today approvedpromulgation of anOrdinance to make posses-sion of a large number ofscrapped banknotes a penaloffence that will attract mon-etary fine. The SpecifiedBank Notes Cessation ofLiabilities Ordinance makesholding of old 1,000 and 500rupee notes after March 31beyond a threshold amount acriminal offence that will at-tract a monetary fine of Rs10,000 or five times the cashheld, whichever is higher.Furnishing wrong informa-tion while depositing the oldcurrency between January 1and March 31 will attract afine of Rs 5,000 or five timesthe amount. Official sourcessaid the Cabinet headed byPrime Minister NarendraModi approved theOrdinance, but did not say ifthe penal provisions will ap-ply to holding the junked cur-rency after the 50-day win-dow to deposit them at banksends on December 30 or afterMarch 31, till which time de-posit of old currency notes atspecified branches of theReserve Bank after submit-ting a declaration form isopen. The Ordinance alsoprovides for amending theReserve Bank of India (RBI)Act to provide legislativesupport for extinguishing thedemonetised banknotes thatare not returned. While thehigh-denomination currencyceased to be a legal tenderfrom midnight of November8, 2016, a mere notificationwas thought to be not enoughto end the central bank's lia-bility and avoiding future lit-igations. Currency notes car-ry RBI's promise to pay thebearer the amount of the val-ue of the note, a pledge thatcan be nullified only by legis-lation after giving due oppor-tunity to everyone to returnold notes. Sources said theproposal put to the Cabinetwas for a four-year jail term

for anyone possessing a num-ber of demonetised currencyafter March 31, 2017, but itwas not immediately clear ifit was approved. TheOrdinance will have to besent to the President and af-ter his assent will come intoforce. The Ordinance, whichwill have to be converted intoa proper legislation by pass-ing of a law by Parliamentwithin six months, makespossession, transfer or re-ceiving an amount of over Rs10,000 in the now-demone-tised 500 and 1,000-rupeenotes a punishable offence. Amaximum of 10 banned notesmay be allowed to be held byany person. Sources saidwhile the deadline for the de-posit of old currency in bankor post office accounts ex-pires on Friday, time tillMarch 31 is available for do-ing so with RBI with stiff con-ditions by people who wereabroad, armed forces person-nel posted in remote areas orothers who can give validreasons for not being able todeposit the cancelled notes atbanks.While announcing thedemonetisation of the oldcurrency on November 8, thegovernment had allowedholders to either exchangethem or deposit in bank andpost office accounts. Whilethe facility to exchange theold notes has since been with-drawn, depositors have timetill Friday to deposit the hold-ing in their accounts. Depositwith specified branches ofRBI is allowed till March 31,but only for exigencies. In1978, a similar Ordinancewas issued to end the govern-ment's liability after Rs 1,000,Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 noteswere demonetised by theMorarji Desai-led govern-ment. Sources said the legalamendments are neededevery time the governmentdecides to scrap any legal ten-der to put an end to its prom-issory note. Of the Rs 15.4lakh crore worth of currencythat was scrapped, about Rs14 lakh crore has been de-posited in banks or ex-changed.

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28:

Chief Minister,Mehbooba Mufti todaystressed on strict pesticideand fertilizer quality checkin order to maintain the pro-duction quality of horticul-ture sector and save thefarmers from losses.Chairing a meeting ofHorticulture DevelopmentBoard here today, the ChiefMinister said horticultureis the mainstay of a largesection of population in theState and it contributes sig-nificantly to the economy ofthe State. The ChiefMinister said there is a direneed of regulation and qual-ity control of pesticides andfertilizers so that the quali-ty of the horticulture pro-duce is ensured and its ex-port standards are alsomaintained. She laid stress

on early operationalisationof pesticide testing labs inJammu and Kashmirprovinces which have beenalready sanctioned. Shesuggested fertilizer check-ing at the district levels aswell so that farmers remainaware about the standardsand efficacy of sprays andoils they would be using.The Chief Minister alsoasked for redirecting the fo-

cus on the sector and pro-moting horticulture moreas a business activity of im-mense employability poten-tial in the State rather thana routine farming activity.She said thrust should belaid on quick technologytransfer and latest tech-niques to improve qualityand production. The meet-ing decided to conduct anagriculture survey and hor-

ticulture mapping of theState to know the precisearea under cultivation. It al-so decided to impart train-ing in pruning and post har-vest technology at the ITIlevel to prepare trainedmanpower for the horticul-ture industry. The meetingwas told that 35 lakh souls ofseven lakh families are as-sociated with the horticul-ture sector in the State. The

meeting was also informedthat 14 lakh metric tonnes offruit were exported from theState last year. On the occa-sion, the Chief Minister alsoinaugurated the website ofHorticulture Department,www.horticulture.gov.jk.in. Minister for Finance, Dr.Haseeb A. Drabu; legisla-tors, M. Y. Tarigami, BashirAhmad Dar, Javid HassanBaig, Rajeev Sharma, ChiefSecretary, B. R. Sharma;Financial Commissioner,Planning & Development, B.B. Vyas; Commissioner-Secretary, Finance, NavinChaudhary; Secretary,Horticulture, M. H. Malik;Vice Chancellors ofSKUAST, Jammu &Kashmir; officers ofHorticulture Department,some progressive growersand members of the Boardwere present in the meeting.

CM chairs Horticulture Development Board meeting

Mehbooba stresses on strict pesticide, fertilizer quality check

Agri sur vey, horticulture mapping in JK to be doner

Cabinet okays Ordinance to punishold notes holders

JAMMU, DECEMBER 28:

The Deputy Chief MinisterDr Nirmal Singh today calledfor exploring new and viablesources for energy genera-tion in addition to harness-ing the conventional hydro-electric sources. The DeputyChief Minister was speakingat a review meeting ofManagement and FinanceSub-Committee of theJammu and Kashmir StatePower DevelopmentCorporation (JKSPDC) heretoday. CommissionerSecretary Finance Mr NavinKumar Choudhary,Commissioner Secretary,PDD Mr Dheeraj Gupta, MD,JKSPDC Shah Faesal,Executive Directors of PDCMr Muzaffar Lankar, MrAjay Gupta, DirectorPerspective PlanningShahzada Bilal Ahmad andother senior officers of thePower DevelopmentDepartment and JKSPDCwere present. Calling for ex-ploring alternative sourcesfor generating electricity inthe State, the Deputy ChiefMinister said J&K should un-dertake a massive exercisefor the same so that the re-liance on the hydroelectric

generation is minimized. Hesaid JKSPDC should also ex-plore the option of solar pow-er generation as it can effec-tively cut down the costs andother related expenditures.Dr Singh said in the presentage of technological advance-ment we should not be de-pendent on a single sourceand our endeavor should beto fully equip ourselves withall the latest advancementsin power generation. He saidfor the same the corporationshould get in touch with oth-er players in the field. TheDeputy Chief Minister alsoasked for early completion ofthe new projects undertakenby the Corporation so thatthe generation of electricpower gets augmented withthe commissioning of newprojects. He said completesynergy should be main-tained within the departmentand also with other executingagencies so that time-boundcompletion of power projectsis ensured to address the en-ergy deficit in the state. Themeeting was told that workon the new hydroelectricprojects is going on and con-stant monitoring is beingdone to ensure that these arecompleted in accordance

with the set procedures aswell as within the requisitetimelines. It was also givenout that an action plan for de-velopment of 15 small hydro-electric projects of capacitiesbetween 9 MW to 25MW withan aggregate capacity of193.60 MWs has been formu-lated. These plans have been devel-oped keeping in view the gen-eration of local employment,power availability to the lo-cal population and overallsocio-economic developmentof the area. The meeting alsodiscussed several issues likeextension of time for con-struction of 9 MW DahHydroelectric Project (HEP),9 MW Hanu, extension oftime for completion of 325Mtrs span motorable sus-pension bridge at villageTrungal in Doda, powerevacuation system of Dahand Hanu HEPs, implemen-tation of 930 MW Kirthai-IIHEP, development of solarpower parks with installedcapacity of 25MW and abovein Jammu and Kashmir, sta-tus of PMDP projects, IPPprojects, policy for corporatesocial responsibility and alsosome service related issuesof the corporation.

Dy CM for exploring alternative sources to augment JK’s energy needs

Kolkata, Dec 28 (PTI)

Reacting sharply to theCBI issuing summons to twoTMC MPs in connection withthe alleged Rose Valley chitfund scam, West Bengal ChiefMinister Mamata Banerjee to-day alleged that the NarendraModi government at theCentre was resorting to "poli-tics of vendetta", but assertedthat her party could not bestopped in this manner. "Thisis politics of vendetta.Trinamool Congress cannotbe stopped in this way," theTMC chief said. TMC parlia-mentary party leader in LokSabha Sudip Bandopadhyayand party MP Tapas Pal have

been asked to appear at theCBI office here on December30. Banerjee had stated inDelhi yesterday that the coun-try was witnessing a "superemergency" under Modi's rulewithout its formal declara-tion. All sections of the societyare being frightened by"Gabbar is coming, Gabbar iscoming", she had said andadded that the country couldnot be run through suchthreats. She had also accusedthe prime minister of takingaway the people's rights. Ondemonetisation, Banerjeesaid, "Let us wait for two moredays and then, the 50 dayswould be over. We will decideaccordingly." PTI

Modi government resorting to politics ofvendetta: Mamata

Chandigarh, Dec 28 (PTI)

The Punjab's famoushosiery industry has becomethe latest victim of demoneti-sation as the cash crunch hasled to a massive fall in de-mand of woollen apparels,compelling the manufactur-ers to resort to heavy dis-counts in a bid to clear thebuilt-up inventory. Woollengarment makers are offeringlucrative discounts startingfrom 20 per cent to 50 per centin the month of Decembereven on fresh products in thewake of lower offtake, accord-ing to industry representa-tives. They rued that garmentmakers were "forced" to offerheavy discounts in the monthof December itself as againstin January or February in or-der to meet their fixed expens-es including payment of work-ers' wages. "Woollen garmentmanufacturers have startedoffering discounts rangingfrom 20 to as high as 50 per

cent in December month evenon fresh makings to cleartheir stocks which have builtup because of low demand,caused by demonetisation,"said Vinod Thapar,Chairman of Ludhiana basedKnitwear Club. Notably, dis-counts are generally offeredin the month of January orFebruary. He alleged thathopes of hosiery industry togenerate good sales this sea-son were dashed after demon-etisation came into effect."Industrialists, be it small orbig, were panicked thinkingthat their inventory might getstuck and might not be able toclear it during this season andcould cause them heavy loss-es," said Thapar adding thatthe demand for woollen itemswithin the state and fromneighbouring states likeHaryana, Jammu andKashmir, Himachal Pradeshetc shrunk after scrapping ofold notes. Ludhiana-basedprominent industrialist and

maker of Shingora brand ofshawls, Mridula Jain said,"The industry has been hithard because of low demandof products." Jain saidShingora Shawls is also offer-ing 20 per cent discountacross the board. "We are notagainst demonetisation. Wewant the sufficient amount ofliquidity of cash be madeavailable by banks," she said.The troubles for hosiery cameat a time when it was expect-ing boost in sales during win-ter season. Industry represen-tatives claimed that retailssales of woollen items includ-ing pullovers, sweaters werehit hard due to cash crunchsituation. "Industry needscash and they need to makepayments to their labour andmeet running expenses," saidAshok Jaidka, Ludhianabased woolen garment maker.Thapar said, "With industryfacing cash crunch, the pro-duction of summer garmentshas also been suffered." PTI


Nasscom, telecom operators, andNITI Aayog have come together in cre-ating a dedicated helpline - 14444 - foraddressing all queries on digitial pay-ments, as government takes strides topush for more digital transactions postdemonetisation. After the fourth meet-ing of the Committee of Chief Ministerson digital payments, Convenor andAndhra Pradesh Chief MinisterChandrababu Naidu said, plans areafoot to import one million PoS ma-chines to enable cashless paymentsacross India. NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya said ITindustry body Nasscom, telephone op-

erators and the government thinktankare creating the helpline to address allqueries of public regarding digital pay-ments. The helpline number would bemade operational soon. Briefing themedia on the discussions, Naidu alsosaid the Committee of Chief Ministerswill present its interim report on digi-tal payments movement to PrimeMinister Narendra Modi within aweek. "We are planning a sustainable,long-term, policy to attract majority inIndia to move to digital paymentsthrough providing incentives," Naidusaid. To a query on incentives for cardpayments which expires on December31, the Chief Minister said incentives tousers and subsidy for smartphones are

being contemplated to push digital pay-ments across India. "Our focus is onproviding more incentives for makingdigital payments a mass movement,"he said, adding "things are movingvery positively on a digital economy forIndia". He also said the Committeewould recommend continuation of theincentives beyond December 31. Thegovernment has given certain incen-tives post demonetisation like waiverof Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) oncard usage till the year-end. Naidusaid that two major breakthroughs us-ing existing infrastructure have beenAadhaar Pay and modified versions ofUSSD and UPI, and the two would belaunched soon. Significant upgrades

in technology have also been madeand new capacities have been added toenable millions of Indians use digitalpayments, he said. An app for UPI andinteroperability of USSD and UPI hasnow been made possible which will bea major push for 600 million Indiansto use digital payments, he added.The Andhra Chief Minister also saidthat the Committee is working withNITI Aayog to address existing con-straints in connectivity, hardwareand technical infrastructure to pushcashless transactions. During themeeting, a presentation was made re-garding the best practices and learn-ings from other countries for a digitaleconomy in India.

Dial ''14444'' for all queries on digital payments soon

Demonetisation: Punjab's hosierysector facing demand slump

Kashmir Valleyreels undersub-zerotemperatureSrinagar, Dec 28 (PTI)

Kashmir continued toexperience sub-zero nighttemperature as the mercu-ry remained below normalfor this time of the seasonin view of the prevailingdry weather. Srinagarrecorded a low of minus4.1 degrees Celsius, aslight increase from theprevious night's minus 4.5degrees Celsius, an offi-cial of the MeTDepartment said. He saidthe night temperature inthe city is two degrees be-low the normal for thispart of the season. Thenorth Kashmir town ofKupwara was the coldestplace in the Valley as themercury there droppedfurther from the previousnight's low of minus 4.5 de-grees Celsius to settle at alow of minus 4.7 degreesCelsius. The official saidthe minimum tempera-ture in Qazigund the gate-way town to KashmirValley remained same asthat of yesterday's minus3.8 degrees Celsius. Hesaid Kokernag, in southKashmir, recorded a lowof minus 1.9 degreesCelsius nearly a degree upfrom minus 2.7 degreesCelsius. The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, innorth Kashmir, registereda low of minus 1.4 degreesCelsius, while Pahalgamhill resort, in southKashmir, witnessed a lowof minus 4.2 degreesCelsius, the official said.Leh, in Ladakh region,was the coldest recordedplace in the state as thenight temperature theresettled at a low of minus12.9 degrees Celsius, com-pared to minus 13.2 de-grees Celsius, he said. Hesaid the data for the near-by Kargil town was notavailable. Kashmir is cur-rently under the grip of'Chillai-Kalan' consideredthe harshest period ofwinter, when the chancesof snowfall are most fre-quent and maximum andthe temperature dropsconsiderably. However, sofar, the weather has re-mained dry, resulting inincrease in ailments likecough and common cold.'Chillai-Kalan', which, be-gan on December 21, endson January 31 next year,but the cold wave contin-ues even after that. The 40-day period is followed by a20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold). TheMeteorologicalDepartment here has saidthere is possibility of iso-lated rains or snowfallover the higher reaches ofthe Valley over the next 48hours.

New Delhi Dec 28: (PTI)

In its bid to step up the at-tack on the Modi dispensa-tion, the Congress will hold aseries of programmes includ-ing press conferences anddemonstrations across thecountry on the issues of de-monetisation and "personalcorruption" of PrimeMinister. Starting onThursday next, top Congressleaders will hold pressers at alldistrict headquarters to be fol-lowed by similar conferencesat the district level across thecountry on January 2 and 3.Thereafter, it will hold meet-ings of the Pradesh CongressCommittees and and the partyworkers will gherao variousdistrict headquarters onJanuary 6 and 7. It was earlierplanned on January 5 but waspostponed on account of GuruGobind Singh Jayanti. Thiswill be followed by "thali

pradarshans" at Block level tobe organised by MahilaCongress workers on January9. The programme was fi-nalised at a meeting of top par-ty leaders on December 26chaired by Rahul Gandhi.The"personal corruption" by thePrime Minister and suffer-ings of common people due todemonetisation will be high-lighted during these pressers.Thursday's press conferenceswill be addressed by AmbikaSoni at Jammu, C P Joshi atLucknow, Shakeel Ahmed atKolkata, Gurudas Kamath atAhmedabad and RandeepSurjewala at Jaipur. Besides,B K Hari Prasad will ad-dress a press conference inThiruvananthapuram, KRehman Khan in Guwahati,Salman Khurshid at Patna,Pratap Singh Bajwa atDehradun, Raj Babbar atJalandhar and Shobha Ozaat Shimla.

Congress to hold country-wide protests against noteban from January 5

Nagrota, Dec 28:

National Conference Presidentand former Chief Minister DrFarooq Abdullah on Thursdaysought meaningful dialogue forending political uncertainty inJammu and Kashmir.“Alongside opening the chan-nels of dialogue with Pakistan,the Centre must talk to all thestake-holders includingHurriyat Conference, DrAbdullah said while addressinga huge public rally at Ragoodain Nagrota AssemblyConstituency. In a statement is-sued here, he came down heavi-ly on those criticizing him foradvocating dialogue withHurriyat Conference, askingwhy a finger is not being raisedagainst PDP-BJP duo, whichhas incorporated this as one ofthe measures to deal withKashmir problem in theirAgenda of Alliance. He blamedthe coalition for bringing thestate to unprecedented crisisand unleashing rein of suppres-sion, not only in the KashmirValley but also in the Jammu re-gion. In this context, he referredto killing of nearly a hundredyouth, blinding of 300 young-sters and detention of over12,000 people in the Valley dur-ing the past nearly five monthsand harassment being caused

weaker sections of society inJammu by threatening theireviction from the lands rehabil-itated by their ancestors’decades ago. “Aren’t these peo-ple Dogras and integral part ofthe Jammu society, who are atthe receiving end due to whimsand fantasies of the coalitiondispensation”, Dr Abdullahsaid and warned that continua-tion of eviction drive will haveserious ramifications. He saiddiscriminating against the peo-ple on the basis of religion, re-gion or caste is acceptable and ifthe present insensitive govern-ment will go ahead with its poli-cies, it will find stiff resistancefrom National Conference. Hesaid his party has always stoodby the oppressed sections of so-ciety, irrespective of caste,creed and colour and will con-tinue to do so even if entails sac-rifices. “We inherit the legacy ofHindu, Muslim, Sikh Itehadand anybody attempting totrample this ethos will get a be-fitting reply from the people”,he said and advised the ChiefMinister not to lose sense of pro-portion by colluding in inflict-ing miseries on the people. “Therulers must remember that sup-pression to people can reboundand bring tremors in theirthrones”, he added. He held outan assurance to the people of

Nagrota constituency that no-body can dare uproot them fromtheir ancestral dwelling units.Holding PDP responsible for po-litical instability and unrestacross the Valley, Dr FarooqAbdullah said that betrayal ofmandate by aligning with theBJP engulfed Jammu andKashmir into unprecedentedcrisis. He wondered how theparty could join hands with theBJP after high pitch campaignagainst it during electioneer-ing. He said the PDP had vowedto keep the BJP at bay by claim-ing the saffron party to be anti-Kashmir but when it came tosharing power, they forgot theirhollow slogans. He describedthe PDP-BJP alliance as one ofthe major causes of ignitingKashmir unrest, saying peoplewill punish the perpetrators oftheir miseries. The NationalConference President lambast-ed the PDP for playing cheapand opportunistic politics say-ing for decades its leaders haveremained active in intriguesand destabilizing democratical-ly elected governments“Indulging in lies has been thelegacy of PDP leaders”, he saidwhile referring to omissionsand commissions of its leadersfrom time to time. Dr Abdullahalso hit out at the coalition gov-ernment for its failures on all

fronts, saying the people are suf-fering due to developmental in-ertia and lack of utility services.While payments for works un-der NAREGA are not being re-leased, various categories ofemployees are craving for theirsalaries, he said, adding thateven the destitute have been de-nied of much needed financialassistance. Speaking on the oc-casion, former minister MianAltaf Ahmed blamed the coali-tion government for convertingJammu and Kashmir into a po-lice state where it has becomedifficult for self-respecting peo-ple to live with dignity. Altaf re-ferred to the plight weaker sec-tions of society and warned thePDP and the BJP to desist fromharassing them by way of hurl-ing threats about eviction. Hesaid National Conference willresist any move aimed at harm-ing the innocent people, irre-spective of caste, creed andcolour. Addressing the hugegathering, ProvincialPresident and MLA NagrotaMr Devender Singh Rana ex-pressed his gratitude to thehigh command and the peopleof his constituency for reposingtrust in him, saying he will tryto come up to their expecta-tions. He said he is endeavour-ing to satiate the urges and aspi-rations of each segment of the

society. He expressed concernover the threat looming large onweaker sections over evictionand said their ancestors hadbeen rehabilitated by MaharajaPratap Singh himself. “Theyare part and parcel of Jammusociety,” he added. “Now sub-jecting them to harassmentspeaks of the sick mindset of thecoalition partners which areworking in tandem to createwedge between the people onthe basis of religion and caste”,he said and vowed that NationalConference will defeat their sin-ister designs with full might. Helauded the party cadre for re-maining steadfast during mostemotive 2014 elections andhoped that they will demon-strate same resilience and de-termination to be on the rightside in future as well. BesidesBlock Presidents and otherfunctionaries of the NationalConference from theConstituency, former minis-ters Abdul Gani Malik andBabu Ram Pal, MLA Dr KamalArora, former legislators QaziJalal-ud-Din, Ajaz Jan, BabuRampal, Sheikh Bashir andDeepender Kour besides ChHaroon, Showkat Ahmed Mir,Dilshad Malik, Abdul GaniTeli, Israr Khan were amongprominent leaders present onthe occasion.

Farooq for talks with all stakeholders to resolve Kashmir issue

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