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8 Pages Rs: 1.00 Jammu Edition www.thestudentage.com

STUdent aGE
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

JKENG/2012/41612 Vol. 2 No: 83

NIA allowed to quiz suspected Hizbul militant Liyaqat in jail

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Two women buried under landslide in J&K

IN BRIEF

Congress snubs Digvijay: Projects Sonia Manmohan model ideal for future Delimitation: opposition parties stage walkout

JAMMU GIVEN A RAW DEAL

KATHUA (J&K): Two women were buried alive under a landslide in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. 56-year-old Vaishno Devi and Shanti Devi, 36, were digging mud near a mountain when they were buried under a landslide in Guda phalal area of Kathua, officials said. Their bodies were later recovered Contd. on page 2

Minister quits on charge of domestic tiff, oppn disrupts House

THIRUVANANTHAPURA M: In an embarrassment to the ruling Congress-led UDF, forest minister K B Ganesh Kumar was forced to quit after his wife levelled charges of domestic violence, a development that triggered opposition demand for Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy's resignation. Kumar, who initially took a defiant stand on the charges levelled by his wife Yamini Thankachi Contd. on page 2

JAMMU: Opposition parties from Jammu staged a walkout from the Assembly here on Monday over the delimitation of Jammu and Kashmir assembly constituencies. The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jammu State Morcha (JSM) had demanded a discussion on the delimitation of the state assembly constituencies. However, assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul ruled that the issue could be taken up during the zero hour. This led to a walkout by members of the three parties. JKNPP president Balwant Singh Mankotia said outside the assembly:

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"Discrimination against Jammu region is increasing by the day and it (Jammu region) is not getting its due in employment, development and

funds." JSM leader Ashwini Sharma said: "Jammu region has an area of about 27,000 sq km while the Kashmir

Valley has about 16,000 sq km. Kashmir has 46 seats and Jammu has just 37 seats in the assembly. The remaining four are in Ladakh, which has an area of 89,000 sq km." In November 2010, the Supreme Court had upheld the freeze imposed by the Jammu and Kashmir government on delimitation of assembly constituencies in the state till 2026. Constitutionally, delimitation cannot be taken up in the state without an amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir constitution and the Peoples Representation Act. In April 2002, the then National Conference (NC) government had brought a bill to halt the delimitation process till 2026. The last delimitation Contd. on page 2

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Burmese migrants

Govt will argue for lower RBI rates: Chidambaram

India, China co-operating to counter Talibani terror

NEW DELHI: India and its giant northerly neighbor China are realizing the importance to work together to counter the rise of Talibani threat after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan The jitteriness is palpable, with Afghanistan's neighbours all tying up with each other in different combinations as they scramble to contain what many fear a Taliban surge supported by Pakistan and extremism/terrorism spilling over its borders. China is teaming up with Russia and Pakistan on a trilateral on Afghanistan, and the first meeting is scheduled in a few weeks. This comes weeks after India, Russia and China sat down in Moscow to craft another trilateral dialogue whereby all the three countries would exchange information and coordinate positions on Afghanistan's future. The new trilateral allows Pakistan and China reaffirm their traditional ties, including showing India that their commitment to each other remains unalloyed. The Moscow meeting was the beginning of a bilateral track between China and India, a surprising and significant Contd. on page 2

LPG home delivery in the State by June: Ramzan

95 % sgr, 92% Jammu consumers availing facility currently
JAMMU: Minister for CA&PD and Transport, Ch. Mohammad Ramzan today informed the House that all major towns of the State would be provided LPG cylinder home delivery facility from June this year, adding that this facility would be extended to rural areas also after July this year. Replying to supplementaries raised by some members Contd. on page 2

NEW DELHI: Congress on Tuesday rejected its General Secretary Digvijaya Singh's remarks that the model of two power centres has not worked well, asserting that a unique relationship exists between party chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "The relationship which exists between the Congress president and the Prime Minister today is unique and something which has never been seen before and perhaps this should be the ideal model for future also," Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

Digvijaya Singh had recently dubbed the experiment of "two power centres" in UPA as a failure and suggested that Rahul Gandhi should not opt to nominate a Prime Minister if the party gets a majority in the next Lok Sabha polls. "Personally, I feel this model hasn't worked very well. Because, I personally feel there should not be two power centres and I think whoever is the PM must have the authority to function," he had said. To a question on Rahul Gandhi, Dwivedi said the Congress vice-president has Contd. on page 2

Kashmiriyat incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits:Mir

JAMMU, APRIL 02: "Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of Kashmir and every effort will be made to ensure their return to Valley with dignity and honour. This was stated by Minister for Agricultural Production, Ghulam Hassan Mir, while interacting with a deputation of Pandit Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PPNBMT) which called on him here today. They pleaded to bringing the proposed bill in the J&K Assembly for preserving Contd. on page 2

1764 posts of Docs created for 2 SSHs : Taj

JAMMU: Replying to a question by Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri, Minister for Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din on behalf of the Health Minister informed the House that 56,716 cancer patients have been registered with Oncology departments of Government Medical College, Jammu/Srinagar and SKIMS, Soura. He said that no formal assessment report by the Medical Science expert in the matter is available in the state, adding that as per rough data collected from Contd. on page 2

Honesty contest: Taj locks horns with Sham

SRINAGAR: Calling it as a deliberate attempt for sabotaging his 'ample chances' of becoming President of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Minister for Medical Education and senior Congress leader Taj Mohi-uDin on Tuesday said that some of the Congress leaders are really scared of him and that was the reason PHE Minister Sham Lal Sharma tried his best to tarnish his image in the House. Advising Sham Lal Sharma to smell his own clothes before raising finger on him, Taj Mohiu-Din said that his stint as PHE Minister was an astounding and successful one. Addressing a crowded press conference in Assembly lawns of Jammu, Taj Mohi-u-Din said that Sharma shall apologize to him for his behavior in the House. He said that PHE department was a collective responsibility of all including Chief Minister, so he shall not be entirely held responsible for all the mess. "I have created history in the Department. My efforts bore fruit and the state government was able to receive hefty amounts from NHPC," he said. "See how NHPC is showing them eyes now. The relation between NHPC and the state government is at its lowest ebb. See the State of affairs of Wullar Barrage. One Lakh 33 acres of agriculture land has been rendered barren due to non availability of irrigation facilities. You will realize yourself, how successful they are," he said. He said that with his ten years of experience as a minister, he can teach them better how House is being run. He said Contd. on page 2

Brotherly affection: Mukesh signs Rs 1,200 crore deal with Anil's Reliance Communications
NEW DELHI: What could be termed as a new thaw in the relations between two corporate behemoths of the country billionaire Ambani brothers on Tuesday struck a Rs 1,200 crore deal wherein Mukesh will use his younger sibling's optic fibre network for launch of his telecom venture. Under the pact, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance

Srinagar-Leh Highway may partially open on April 5

SRINAGAR: The arterial Srinagar-Leh national highwaywill be thrown open for light motor vehicles on April 5 if the weather conditions remain conducive, an official spokesman said today. The 434-km highway, the only road link between Kashmir Contd. on page 2

Industries' telecom arm will hire nationwide optical fibre

network of Reliance Contd. on page 2

Causal labour scam Lawyers beat woman admitted to I am not going to abdicate": VC Kashmir University hospital, police registers case
SRINAGAR: The lawyers of the district court in south Kashmir Tuesday allegedly beat a woman to pulp who was later on shifted to hospital. Police said that all the involved lawyers are absconding while the Bar Association Anantnag claimed that they too have lodged a complaint before the Chief Judicial Magistrate. According to reports petitioner Khalida Bano through her counsel had filed a complaint against her husband Mudasir Ahmed Khandey before the court of CJM, Mohammad Contd. on page 2 SRINAGAR: At a time when the issue of 600 casual labors is haunting Kashmir University and the government has altogether refused to allot a fixed budget to pay them salaries, Vice Chancellor, Professor Talat on Tuesday termed the rumors baseless that he is going to leave the University before the expiry of his tenure. "I am not going to leave the University. If I have to say something, I will say it on face. I have informed the government about the issue of casual Contd. on page 2

Italian envoy now free New work policy to affect thousands of Indians in Saudi Arabia to leave India: SC
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday vacated its order restraining Italy's ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving India as the two Italian marines, accused of killing two fishermen, returned here to face the proceedings as per commitment given by him to the court. A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir vacated its March 14 order by which it had restrained the ambassador from leaving the country after the Italian government had refused to send back the marines. The court also directed the Centre to take immediate steps for setting up a special court to hold proceedings Contd. on page 2 NEW DELHI: Thousands of Indians, especially Malayalis employed in Saudi Arabia, may be impacted by a new work policy of the kingdom that seeks to reserve a certain percentage of jobs for locals. According to the new Nitaqat policy - or Saudisation programme - of the kingdom, 10 percent of jobs are to be reserved for locals. The policy is aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Saudi nationals. There are over two million Indians working in Saudi Arabia, including 576,000 from Kerala alone. External affairs minister Salman Khurshid said on Monday Contd. on page 2

Yes, Govt should widen gap between Hurriyat and people!

ROHIT SINGH RANA
The statement of Molvi Umar Farooq of Hurriyat that the government is trying to create gap between Hurriyat and ordinary Kashmiris merits attention. After all if Umar has said so there must be some dimension to it. Certainly it has and definitely a serious one too. Take his statement at face value then Government is doing something that is creating gap or disconnect between the 'wise', 'humane', 'rational' and 'victimised' Hurriyat on one side and the common Kashmiri on the other. For a real friend of Kashmiris and an Indian this should be an ideal situation. Every government which has derived its mandate from the people should ensure that elements like Hurriyat are marginalized, and neutralized politically. Every government worth its salt should celebrate this success if it were so. But the tale is not destined to end with such a pleasing denouement simply, because the government has not yet succeeded in marginalizing Hurriyat. If Umar has thrown a dare at the government then it should be taken as a challenge. So far the Hurriyat has neither been sidelined nor cut to size. Had this been true the Hurriyat leaders of all factions should have been by now behind the bars and tried for treason? The tragedy is that the mainstream parties like the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are ideologically not very vastly different. Both these so called mainstream parties have different views on Accession. NC harps on autonomy and pre 1953 status. The PDP has self rule up its sleeve as if somebody from outside is ruling over the state! For them self rule is pregnant with possibilities. This term---self rule has been deliberately kept vague. It can mean anything and everything yet at times nothing. So how Mr. Umar there is wide gap between your Hurriyat and the people? You are not only the stake holder in fomenting ambiguity. In Kashmir everybody is busy and keen to be seen on both sides of the fence. And that is the real disease Kashmir suffers from. There are numerous architects of ambiguity and uncertainty who sell slogans like self rule, autonomy, independence, joint IndoPak control, Dixon plan and merger with Pakistan. So do not worry Umar even in your absence on the Kashmir's political scene still ambiguity, doubt and haze will always be hanging on the mountains, and vales of Kashmir. No matter how deep ministers issue frantic calls to international tourist but will he feel secure in Kashmir because of the smoke of doubt that has been allowed to waft. The saddest part is that the ordinary children are dying while the children of all those separatists' or mainstream leaders are busy shaping their careers in some prestigious college of India, Europe or America. For this very reason how well it would have been for people like Umar to get marginalized from the common Kashmiris. Because it is Umar, Geelanis and their cohorts who incite them and use them as cannon fodder to embellish their protest calendars perceptibly for some gain. Umar's name sake Omar, who heads the government of Jammu and Kashmir would do well to salvage his sagging reputation as a leader if has the wellbeing of all the State into consideration to take all steps to widen the gap between Hurriyat and ordinary Kashmiri. To embark on this good task he too will have to jettison his own load of ambiguity.

Toilets: what are they for?

Sir! We need toilets said a student to his teacher who had gone through the ordeal of easing himself in the open. The teacher could do nothing but reprimand his student. What toilets, Do you come to school to read or.! That could well be the standard reply of many in the education department. Otherwise how can one explain the chilling fact that 225 schools in Jammu district have no toilets? We can safely guess that many schools among them could be girls' schools. Ask any parent of a girl child what can it mean to him or her if her dear child at the school felt the need of going to toilet which the school does not have. The ordeal through which the girl child goes in such a situation needs no words to describe. The same is true for a boy also. This is the state of affairs in Jammu district. What could be the situation in far flung areas of the state is not difficult to guess. This is the height of insensitivity on the part of the government. But tragically this is not a concern for our leaders, high officers and other powerful persons because their children are studying in schools where even the toilets are air conditioned. So why bother about common man and his children? They are doomed to suffer. With such insensitivity how can common man hope that bigger and complex issues will ever become the priority of those who govern us?

RANASAHIB

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STUDENT AGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 2013

of next generation services," the statement said. This agreement is the first in an intended comprehensive framework of business co-operation between Reliance Jio Infocomm and RCom to provide for optimal utilisation of the existing and future infrastructure of both companies on reciprocal basis, including inter alia, inter-city fibre, intra-city fiber, towers and related assets. Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJI), formerly Infotel Broadband, won 4G spectrum for pan-India services in 2010, but the company is yet to launch its services. Government recently approved norms that would allow RJI to even provide mobile phone calls service using its 4G spectrum. This leaves room for Mukesh Ambani's re-entry into mobile phone services business after 2005 following Anil Ambani moving out with RCom, formerly Reliance Infocomm, Reliance Energy and Reliance Capital. The agreement provides relief to RCom which reported net debt of around Rs 37,360 crore as on December 31, 2012. The deal paves the way for further sharing of infrastructure between the two firms as the agreement talks about "optimal utilisation of existing and future infrastructure of both companies on reciprocal basis, including inter alia, inter-city fibre, intra-city fibre, towers and related assets." RCom has been looking to sell stake in its tower firm Reliance Infrastructure but has not zeroed in on to any of the proposals. The company has also held discussion with various firms to lower its stake in under-sea cable firm Globalcom. aring RCom's nationwide inter-city fibre optic network infrastructure," RCom said in a statement 1764 posts of... department of Radiation Oncology of GMCs and SKIMS, the incidence of cancer is on rise. The Minister said that Government Medical Colleges Jammu/Srinagar and SKIMS Soura have separate Regional Care Centre having learned faculty. The faculty are involved in public awareness campaigns through audio-visual media besides are regularly contributing to press regarding prevention and early detection of cancer. The faculty organizes such campaigns with Department of Community Medicine, NGOs and other educational institutions in this direction. The Minister while replying to a clubbed question by Ajat Shatru Singh and Dharambir Singh informed the House that it is not a fact that due to increase in population, the two hospitals viz SMHS Hospital Srinagar and SMGS Hospital Jammu are not catering to the needs of the people of two provinces. The Minister said to cope-up with the increasing patient load in these two Hospitals, the facilities have been strengthened and upgraded by way of providing additional infrastructure and latest machinery/equipment. He said two Super Specialty Hospitals (SSHs) one each at Jammu and Srinagar are coming up under PMSSY. The Minister said that there is no proposal to open Super Specialty Hospitals at District levels. He said at District level, the healthcare facilities are being provided in the District Hospitals, which are being strengthened/upgraded by providing additional infrastructure and latest machinery/equipment's, which will reduce the patient rush to the two cities. Taj said that 819 posts of doctors have been created for Super Specialty Hospital, Jammu including 70 posts of Specialists. Similarly, 945 posts stand created for Super Specialty Hospital, Srinagar (Institute of Traumatology) which includes 100 posts of Specialists. These posts stands referred to recruiting agencies. The Minister said that the posts falling under promotion quota are being filled up by making promotions from eligible feeding cadre members. He said under SRO 384, both the Principals have been authorized to engage staff on academic arrangement basis. Besides, selection list of 16 posts of Specialists and 13 posts of Specialists for Super Specialty Hospital Jammu/Srinagar have been received by the Department. Devinder Singh Rana, Khalid Najeeb Sahorawordi, Dr. Bashir Ahmad Veeri, G. N. Monga and Muzaffar Ahmad Paray raised supplementary. Honesty contest: Taj... that if someone has doubt, he can compare the progress of the different departments right now. Taj said it was he who first cracked whip on NHPC and compelled them to pay their share to the state. Taj said that the issue needs to be discussed in the Cabinet. He urged the House form a Joint Legislature Committee to look into the matter thoroughly and come up with a decision. Targeting Sharma, he said that what prompts him calling himself as the honest person of the world. " I did say nothing, his self- praising instigated Davinder Singh Rana who asked him to stop praising yourself," he said. Regarding the appointment of the 15000 casual labors during his tenure as PHE Minister in the Department, he said that they were appointed by officers and he had no prior knowledge of it. "I had no salary to pay them, so how could I have appointed them," he said. When asked was it right that on his advice a retired official who happened to be his cousin was appointed as the Chairman of Communication and Capacity Development Unit (CCDU), he said that the said official was the senior most candidate eligible for the post and hence there was no question of favour. Lawyers beat woman...

CONTD
Amin Mir. When the proceedings were over the prosecutor allegedly had a heated argument with Khalda Bano. The prosecutor was supported by two more lawyers including a lady advocate Shabnam Akhter. Eyewitness told that all the three lawyers beat the women to pulp. Khalida Banoo was immediately shifted to hospital. A case was registered against the three accused lawyers in police station Anantnag. Station House Officer Anantnag, Ashfaq Aalam told CNS that they have filed a case against the three accused lawyers including Shabnam Akhter and Advocate Farooq Ahmed under section 324,354,341 vide FIR number 83/2013. "We registered the case after receiving the complaint. The lady was profusely bleeding and she had been hospitalized" Ashaf Alam said adding that all the accused are absconding. Meanwhile Bar Association Anantnag has vehemently refuted these charges. President Bar Association, Reyaz Ahmed told CNS that the woman beat our lady lawyer and they have filed a complaint before the court of CJM Anantnag. "Our lawyers didn't beat anyone but it was the woman who beat our lady lawyer while her colleagues just saved her from the wrath of the woman," he said. Causal labour scam.... labors and waiting for the response of the government," Talat told CNS adding that it is not his varsity only but this problem persists in Jammu University as well. He said hundreds of casual labors had been appointed before he took over as the VC of the varsity. "Where from the government allot a separate budget for them? It is a problem and needs to be addressed. I am in touch with the government and hopefully this issued will be solved," he said. Vice Chancellor, Professor Talat confirmed that during the last meeting with Governor N.N.Vohara at Raj Bhavan the issue of casual labor was discussed threadbare. "The Governor discussed the functioning of the University with me, particularly issues relating to the recruitment in the past years of non-academic staff without satisfying requirements and norms," he said. He further said that this is not the problem which is being faced by Kashmir University only but this problem persists in Jammu University as well. "It is not me who has to find a solution and I can't solve this problem. The government will hopefully find a solution to this problem," he said and added that there is no way that he is going to leave the University before the expiry of his tenure just because of casual labor mess. Pertinently, there are 600 casual labors which have been from January 2008 up to 2011.These casual labors were appointed on the recommendations of political leaders, University officials and other influential persons. University has to pay Rs 25 lakhs as salary to these casual labors on monthly basis which is Rs 3 cores per year. State Government during the ongoing session has made it clear that they are not in a position to pay salaries to these casual labors. Italian envoy now... against Italian marines Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone, who had allegedly killed two fishermen off Kerala coast last year. The court had on March 14 asked the envoy not to leave the country without its permission. The bench had on March 18 expressed its anguish over the ambassador "reneging" from his undertaking to the court on the return of the marines. It had said that the envoy had breached its trust over his undertaking on return of the marines and had also told him that he did not enjoy diplomatic immunity. Sensing the mood of the apex court, the Italian government later agreed to send back the marines and they reached India within the time limitation fixed by the court. The two marines, who were allowed by the apex court on February 22 to go to Italy for four weeks to cast their vote in the general elections there, had returned on March 22. The bench had on March 18 also said that the period of four weeks for which the marines were allowed to go to Italy to cast their vote was yet to be over and they still had time to return. On February 22, the apex court had questioned the government as to why it was "dragging its feet" on the issue of setting up a special court for trying the two Italians. It had also taken exception to the Centre not following its January 18 direction to consult the Chief Justice of India for setting up a special court. The two marines were on board an Italian vessel 'Enrica Lexie' when they allegedly shot dead two fishermen on February 15, last year. New work policy to ... evening there was no need to panic and the Indian government would provide assistance to Indians forced to return from Saudi Arabia. "If somebody has to go to another country, he has to satisfy the rules of that country. But if there is inconvenience caused to any Indian citizens, then whatever assistance we can give, we will provide," Khurshid assured. "The Kerala government is setting up help desks at the three international airports at Thiruvananthapuram, Calicut and Kochi and 24-hour call centres to help people in distress," an official of the department of NonResident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) told IANS. "Around 576,000 people from Kerala are working in Saudi Arabia. We are requesting for general amnesty and request a review of the ban on re-entry of workers," the official added, declining to be named. C P John, member of the Kerala State Planning Board, said that thousands of Indian workers, especially Malayalis, would be affected "if the Saudi government makes the Nitaqat policy very strict". "A few hundred Keralites have returned to India following implementation of the policy," John told IANS. However, he said that "there was no clear idea of how many Malayalis would to be affected. There is no real picture, we are continuously waiting for real numbers with work permits". "Some will have to come back, some will be expelled from their workplaces. We hope they can carry on and get absorbed in other companies in the kingdom," he added. "Saudis are not accustomed to working like Indians. It is very expensive to employ a Saudi. But the managers will be forced to employ one Saudi, who will work for eight hours and his pay will be 10 percent higher than an Indian's. The Saudis would be forced to rely on cheaper and more efficient Indians, who work for up to 15 hours," John said. Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed discussed the issue with Saudi Arabia's Assistant Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Azees Bin Abdullah Al Saud in Tajikistan Saturday. According to reports, street cleaning and other sanitation works have been hit hard by the Saudisation programme as almost 100 per cent of the workers in this sector are foreigners, mostly Indians. Many of them are illegal immigrants. Labour inspectors and police have begun conducting raids on enterprises suspected of employing illegal workers. Employers complying with the Nitaqat norms would be rewarded with incentives while those failing would have to shut shop as the work permits of their expatriate workers would not be renewed, according to Saudi reports. The work permit is mandatory for getting the residential permit. Two women buried... by the police and villagers, they said, adding the bodies have been handed over families for the last rites. Minister quits on ... as "totally baseless" and also ruled out his resignation till last evening, later drove to the Chief Minister's residence and submitted his resignation. The Kerala Congress (B) leader, who resigned after his wife lodged a police complaint alleging domestic violence, stated in his resignation letter that he was quitting "owing to personal reasons." But later Kumar said his resignation was the "prize" for his fight against corruption, alluding to his tiff with sections in the United Democratic Front over his firm stand against those "illegally" holding vast stretches of forest land beyond lease terms. The exit of the 46-year-old actor-turned-politician became imminent after Chandy advised him to put in his papers. Seizing the issue, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front in the state Assembly demanded the Chief Minister's resignation accusing him of misleading the House that he had not received any complaint from Kumar's wife. As soon as the Assembly began its proceedings, the LDF members were on their feet alleging Chandy had lost moral right to remain in office and demanded an immediate discussion over the issue. The House had adjournment for a brief spell after opposition members insisted for a discussion even as Speaker G Karthikeyan promised to permit a debate during zero hour. The long-running incompatibility between the couple reached a flashpoint yesterday with Kumar filing a divorce petition in a court here. While Kumar charged his wife of "blackmailing" and "manhandling", Yamini rejected the allegations and asserted she was a victim of "domestic violence" for the last 16 years after she objected to her husband's "illicit affairs". Yamini also alleged that she could not get justice from the Chief Minister whom she had approached with a complaint. Kashmiriyat incomplete without.... the Hindu Temples, Shrines and Religious places in Jammu and Kashmir. The deputationists including B .L. Saraf, B. L. Bhat, R. L. Pandita, R. N. Jattu and K. K. Khosa demanded strict measures like the proposed Act for protection and preservation of temples, shrines and other religious properties in the Valley. The Minister assured the deputation that government will consider their demand with open mind."Kashmiri displaced Pandits have constitutional right to safeguard their rights, demands and it is the constitutional duty of the government to protect their rights" Mir added. Srinagar-Leh Highway ... and Ladakh region, remains closed from late November due to heavy snowfall in the area which blocks the road. Minister of State for Science and IT Feroz Ahmad Khan yesterday visited Captain Mode on the highway, 100 kms from here, to take stock of the operation to clear the road, the spokesman said. He said the Minister was informed by officials of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that if weather conditions remains conducive, the road will be thrown open for movement of light motor vehicles from April 5. The Minister appreciated the efforts of BRO authorities, the administration of Ganderbal district and traffic officials for expediting the operation to clear snow and landslides from the highway. Khan also spoke with tourists at Sonamarg and enquired about the facilities being provided to them.

Jammu given a raw.. in the state was in 1995. Jammu-centric parties believe that it was a strategy to "keep Jammu subservient to the Kashmir Valley". JKNPP's chairman Harshdev Singh said: "Kashmir has one assembly seat for every 71,000 voters, which is one seat every 346 sq km, while Jammu has one seat for every 83,500 voters, which is one seat for every 710 sq km" "If delimitation of assembly constituencies is held, then Jammu region is sure to get its justified share in governance," Singh said. Congress snubs Digvijay:... made it clear that his priority is party organisation."Rahul Gandhi has said and as I and the party understand it, he has made it clear that now there is no question of the Prime Minister's post," Dwivedi said.He also said the party will take a call later on the leadership issue after the Lok Sabha elections. "Today, Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister and everybody accepts him," he said. Referring to the relations between the Prime Minister and the Congress president, he said unlike other political parties where the party chief and the government head share uneasy relations, in UPA the two have shared a good equation for a long time. India, China co-operating.. development, given that India and China are generally believed to be on opposing sides of Afghanistan's "Pakistan divide". A bilateral talks between India and China on Afghanistan raised eyebrows within the Indian system since the request came from the Chinese side. But it showed for the first time, that China too was hedging its bets regarding its "lips-and-teeth" relationship with Pakistan. Pakistan's ties with the Taliban show no signs of abating, despite Islamabad's own travails with them. None of the peace talks with the Taliban are going anywhere because Pakistan's ISI retains a stranglehold on them. And, Pakistan seems to be in a minority that believes the Taliban should be part of the power structure in Kabul. China's worries are centered on their concerns in the Xinjiang province and the threat of jihadi spillover from Afghanistan. But also China, like India, wants to protect its considerable investments in Afghanistan. In May China's CNPC will be extracting oil from its wells in northern Afghanistan. This could be the beginning of a resource boom for Afghanistan. India has theoretically invested in Afghanistan's Hajigak mines, but security concerns persist. An IndiaChina bilateral dialogue could be the precursor of a joint approach to securing their investments in Afghanistan. LPG home delivery... to the main question of Nasir Aslam Wani, the Minister said that home delivery of LPG cylinder in capital cities has proved successful and at present 95% consumers of Srinagar city and 92% consumers of Jammu are availing this facility. The Minister said that all blocks of the State would be provided LPG agencies. He said in this regard Government is going to setup 172 new gas agencies in the State and due consideration would be given to each area especially remote areas while opening these gas agencies. He said to enhance the cap of LPG cylinders from 9 to 12; the matter has been already taken up with the Centre. The Minister said that enforcement agency of the Department have been already activated to keep close vigil and check on the smooth delivery and distribution of LPG cylinders to the consumers at all sale outlets, adding that in this regard under Regulation And Supplies Violators Rule the powers have been also vested to Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners to check the same in their districts. Replying to the main question, the Minister said that general public has been informed through print and electronic media to avail the facility of home delivery by booking their request either personally or telephonically at Srinagar and Jammu. He said meetings have been convened with the officers of oil companies and LPG dealers for ensuring home delivery to the consumers with in the Municipal limits of Jammu and Srinagar. Mohammad Irfan Shah, M. Y Tarigami, G. M Saroori and Jagdish Raj Sapolia raised supplementaries and demanded opening of LPG units in their areas besides enhancement in cap of LPG cylinders. Brotherly affection: Mukesh... Communications for the roll-out of 4G services. "Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd and Reliance Communications Ltd today announced the signing of a definitive agreement for approximately Rs 1,200 crore as one-time indefeasible right to use (IRU) fees for Under the terms of the agreement, Reliance Jio Infocomm will utilize multiple fibre pairs across RCom's 1,20,000 kilometres inter-city fibre optic network to provide the backbone for rolling out its 4G services. As per the agreement, RCom will in turn have reciprocal access to optic fibre infrastructure to be built by Reliance Jio Infocomm in the future. "The agreement provides for joint working arrangements to be put in place immediately for upgradation of the optic fibre network, to ensure seamless delivery

KDAC to discuss Navy's Rs 25,000 cr warship proposal

NEW DELHI : A Rs 25,000 crore proposal of the Indian Navy for procuring four large amphibious warfare vessels is expected to be considered by the Defence Ministry here on Tuesday. A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister A K Antony is also expected to approve amendments in the procurement procedure to give a bigger role to the indigenous industry for supplying military hardware to the armed forces. The procurement procedure has already begun with the release of the Request for Information (RFI) by the defence ministry, they said.

Missing Voter Card

I, Raman sharma s/o Late Sh. Krishan lal R/O Near toll post kandali n a g a r Jammu (J&K) have lost my voter card. Now I am applying for the duplicate of the same. Objection if any file withing 14 days. Mob:

9596870687

Correction
My wife"s name has wrongly been written as Neelam Jamwal w/o Parshotam Singh Manhas instead of Abhilasha manhas. Now I am applying for the said correction. Objection if any file withing 14 days.

Mob: 9419785866.

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STUDENT AGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 2013

STATE

3 Badherwah deputation calls on Wani

JAMMU, APRIL 02: A deputation from Badherwah led by MLA Muhammad Sharief Niyaz today called on Minister for Roads and Buildings, Abdul Majid Wani, and projected their demands especially dilapidated roads in and around Badherwah town. The deputationists said that the roads taken up under PMGSY, CRF and NABARD have either been delayed or the work has been stopped due to certain land disputes, forest clearance, land compensation and lapses on the part of executing agencies and sought immediate action in this regard. Niyaz demanded upgradation of road from Iddgah to Kotli Pul besides development of Old Bus Stand to Seeri Bazar road under Central Road Fund (CRF) scheme. He also demanded development of major Nallah's flowing in the area besides better road connectivity to important places especially the tourist destinations for the convenience of visitors and the people of the area as well. The Minister assured the deputationists that all their genuine demands shall be looked into for an early redressal. Meanwhile, the Minister directed the executing agencies to speed up the pace of work on ongoing road projects and other allied infrastructure in the area and ensure its completion in a time bound manner. He warned that any laxity on the part of the department or executing agencies will not be tolerated and stern action under rules shall be initiated against the erring officials.

NEWS IN BOX
DGP briefs Governor
JAMMU, APRIL 2 - Ashok Prasad, Director General of Police, called on N. N. Vohra, Governor, at Raj Bhavan here this evening. He was accompanied by Farooq Khan, Director, Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur. Prasad and Khan briefed the Governor about the functioning of the Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy and details of the various training courses being run by the Academy. They were calling on the Governor in connection with the next batch of Dy Superintendents of Police who are passing out on 4th April where the Governor is the Chief Guest. The Governor also reviewed the internal security situation in the State with the Director General of Police.

JK to have 90,000 SHGs in next five years: Jairam Ramesh

UDHAMPUR, APRIL 02:To reduce poverty by enabling the poor households to access gainful selfemployment and skilled wage employment opportunities resulting in appreciable improvement in their livelihoods, the government has planned to formulate 90 thousand Women Self Help Groups in Jammu and Kashmir during next five years under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) under the local name UMEED. This was disclosed by the Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh during an interactive session with Women Self Help Groups at village Bagpur in block Chenani of District Udhampur here on Tuesday. The Union Minister said that 9 lakh

Drawal of salary for March 2013

JAMMU, APRIL 02: As per a circular issued here today by the government, the Treasury Officers have been directed to entertain the bills presented at the treasuries by the drawing and disbursing officers on account of salary, migrant salary, wages, migrant wages, cash assistance to migrants, outsourcing of upkeep and maintenance and repairs (to the extent of wage component only provided under this head for casual workers) for the month of March, 2013 and payable in April 2013 in anticipation of formal authorization of funds. The circular further says that the formal authorization of funds for the financial year 2013-14 to the Controlling Officers/Heads of Departments and other field functionaries will take some time. However, the Treasury Officers shall ensure that no arrear claims on account of salary etc. are entertained without budget provision, as this authority is issued purely for drawal of salary, migrant salary, wages, migrant wages, cash assistance to migrants, outsourcing of upkeep and maintenance and repairs (to the extent of wage component only provided under this head for casual workers) due for the month of March 2013.

rural families would be covered under the Mission and at least one woman of each household would be linked with the Self Help Groups in the state during next five years. Minister of State, Rural Development, Information, Viqar Rasool, Member Parliament, Ch Lal Singh , Legislatures, Balwant

Singh Mankotia and K.C. Bhagat, Commisioner Secretary Rural Development, Farooq Ahmed Peer, Joint Secretary, RDD GOI, Director NRLM, Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Members of women SHGs and officers of various departments were present on the occasion.

" Banks act as oxygen for Self Help Groups and linking of such groups with the banks is the basic aim of the NRLM", Minister said and added that efforts are being made to open up new bank branches in rural areas so that members of the SHGs do not face any difficulty in availing banking facility.

Work in unison for bringing efficiency in Agri Universities: G.H. Mir

JAMMU, APRIL 02: Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir today asked the officers of SKUASTs Kashmir and Jammu to work in unison for further adding to efficiency in the functioning of highest seats of learning and research and also to upgrade the quality of produce of farmers for ensuring overall prosperity of the State. The Minister was addressing a high level officers meeting this evening, convened to review the follow up action on the decision taken in 20th, 22nd and 23rd University Council meetings of SKUAST, Kashmir and SKUAST, Jammu. The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Agriculture Production Asgar Hussan Samoon, Commissioner Secretary, Forests, Eijaz Iqbal, Registrar, SKUAST, Jammu B.B. Gupta, Secretary, Animal Husbandry, M.A. Bukhari, Registrar SKUAST, Kashmir Zaki, Director, Agriculture, Jammu, Ajay Khajuria, Director Agriculture, Kashmir Mushtaq S h a h , Director Horticulture, Kashmir, Narboo, M.I. Teli, Director Planning, APO, M.S. K a t o o , Director, Law Department. The matters related to entrance test for professional courses in SKUAST, Kashmir, participatory seed productions, availability of quality fruit saplings at Wadura, Kashmir, seed production, establishment of KVKS at Shopian and Kupwara, setting up of Ladakh Apricot and apple gene pool, preparation of digital soil health map and constitution of University Research Coordination Committee (RCC) were dis-

Food grains to people as per 2001 census: Ramzan

JAMMU, APRIL 02: Minister for CA&PD and Transport, Ch. Mohammad Ramzan to informed the House that the Government of India is providing food grains to J&K State at the scale of 35 kg per family per month on the basis of projected population as on 01-032001. He said there is no proposal to enhance the present scale of 35 kg to 50 kg per family per month. The Centre has not yet revised the food grain allocation based on the population census 2011. The Minister informed that presently Government supplies 13201 quintals of food grains to Kishtwar, 17686 quintals to Ramban and 2728 quintals to Doda on monthly basis. Besides 23610 quintals of additional food grains was allocated during 2012-13 under poorest districts schemes to erstwhile Doda district (Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban) for coverage of 24520 additional BPL families, said the Minister

Deputations call on CM
ACC Chairman discusses Centre Cooperative Bank matters
JAMMU, APRIL 02 Various deputations, legislators, heads of the institutions and individuals called on CM Omar Abdullah here on Tuesday and discussed matters concerning their organizations and of personal nature. The Vice Chairman Advisory Board of Pahari Speaking People, Khafil-urRehman in his meeting with the Chief Minister talked about issues relating to the development of paharies and strengthening of the Board. The Chairman Anantnag Cooperative Bank (ACC) Sheikh Mohammad Rafi discussed issues relating to the Anantnag Cooperative Bank and sought Chief Minister's support for its strengthening. He said more than three lakh stakeholders are presently associated with the Bank adding that the deposits of the Bank have grown up to Rs. 200 crores this year. He said the Bank has advanced Rs. 15 crores worth loans to the agriculturists for the year 201213 and achieved recovery of same amount during the said year. A deputation from Ganderbal in its interaction with the CM brought to his notice some demands of urgent public importance and sought his intervention in addressing these. A deputation led by former MLC, A. R. Badana presented a memorandum of demands to the CM relating to the development of Gujjar, Bakerwal and Pahari people. It also requests for special recruitment drive by the Police Department in remote and hilly areas for youth belonging to poorer sections of the society.

VC, Kissan Board convenes public rallies in Samba

JAMMU, APRIL 02: Vice Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir State Advisory Board for Development of Kissans, Radhay Sham Sharma, today addressed Kissan rallies at Jatwal and Sagwali in Samba district. Among others, the District Development, Commissioner Samba, District heads of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries, Sericulture and other allied sectoral officers of District Samba besides, Kissan Board Members, Sarpanchs, Panchs, Nambardars, Chowkidars and other stakeholders were present on the occasion. The Vice Chairman highlighted the activities and purpose of Kissan Board and impressed upon the farming community to adopt new and innovative latest agriculture technologies to enhance agriculture production and productivity. Sharma also shared experience gained during his recent visit to the State of Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand where latest agriculture technology is used optimally. He also impressed upon the farming community to get maximum benefit of the central sponsored and state schemes for their overall socio economic upliftment.

NMC delegation calls on Governor

JAMMU, APRIL 2 - An eleven member delegation of the National Mazdoor Conference met N. N. Vohra, Governor, at Raj Bhavan here today and presented to him their demands. The demands presented by the delegation led by Subash Shastri, President, National Mazdoor Conference, included, interalia, constitution of the 7th Pay Commission, providing interim relief to the employees and pensioners, merger of 50% DA in the basic pay and pension, enhancement of Medical Allowance from Rs. 300 to Rs. 1,000 per month in favour of the State Government employees and pensioners and filling up all available vacancies in the various departments in the State. Other issues raised by the deputationists included amendment in SRO-64, regularization of all daily rated workers who have completed seven years of service, issuance of regularization orders of 180 daily wagers working in the Rural Development Department in Jammu region before 1994 and removal of pay anomalies of various categories of State employees, particularly clerical cadre. The Governor heard the deputationists patiently and observed that he shall take up the issues raised by them with the Finance Minister and Chief Minister. Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor, was present on the occasion. The delegation comprised Rajan Babu Khajuria, Sunil Kochhar, Anil Singh Slathia, Rakesh Padha, Sham Lal Sharma, Ram Paul, Pawan Kapoor, Surinder Kumar, Jantoo Ram and Sukh Dev Singh.

cussed threadbare. The Minister urged upon the authorities of both the universities to strictly adhere to the directions and decisions in the best interest of farming community and overall development of the State. The officers assured the Minister that they will leave no stone unturned in following the guidelines of the government in future.

Director Law Enforcement inspected godowns of Pesticide dealers

SRINAGAR, APRIL 02: A team of officers Law Enforcement Department of Agriculture Production under the supervision of the Director Law Enforcement, M.S. Katoo inspected various pesticides and fertilizer dealers of district Baramulla and during their inspection found various dealers running their business in contravention of Insecticide Act 1968 and Insecticides Rule 1983. In this connection, 150 litres of Plantofix manufactured by Hi Power fertilizer and chemicals were put on sale stop from its distributor H.S. Traders Sopore, which was found without license, 155 Kgs of Nativo of Bayer Crop Sciences were put on sale stop its Distributor Kashmir Agro Centre Sopore for Contravention of Insecticide Rules, 1983, 1000 Kgs of Ishan Manufactured by Tata Rallies were put on sale stop, which were found in contravention to Insecticide Rules 1983, 5500 Kgs ofBhoomika -Organic Manure were put on sale stop from Maza Enterprises Sopore, which was found without sales permission. Further raids will continue in coming days in all the districts of Kashmir Valley to curb the sale of spurious pesticides, fertilizers and seeds. A flying squad has also been constituted by Directorate of Law Enforcement in this regard.

Govt mulling to establish hi-tech driving institutes: Ch Ramzan

JAMMU: Minister for CA&PD and Transport, Ch. Mohamad Ramzan today informed the House that Government is committed to improve traffic management system in the State, adding that several measures have been taken to check road accidents in which precious lives are lost. Replying to a discussion raised by Ajatshatru Singh and Khalid Najeeb Suhrwardhy regarding increase in the number of road accidents, especially in hilly areas, the Minister said that 78 per cent accidents occur due to negligence and faults committed by drivers. He said it has been seen that most of the drivers lack proper training and as such Government has decided to establish high-tech driving institutes at Jammu and Srinagar and later at district headquarters as well. T h e Minister said that no licence is granted to persons below 18 years of age and directions have been issued to strictly implement the norms fixed for the purpose. He said the licencing authorities will be held responsible for violation of norms for issuing licence. He said that Government will also increase the number of SRTC buses on hilly routes in view of their better performance viz-a-viz safety. He said that GPS system would be introduced gradually to track movement of SRTC vehicles including passenger buses and load carriers. Ch. Ramzan further said that the existing Motor Vehicles' Act needs amendments in order to make it more stringent to deter traffic violators.

Rather launches e-Post/Fax Post services in J&K

lauds India Post for innovations
JAMMU, APRIL 02: Moving ahead from the delivery of traditional mails the Department of Posts today launched e-Post and Fax Post Services in Jammu and Kashmir for transmission and delivery of greetings & messages. The new services were today launched by Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs in the presence of John Samuel Chief Postmaster General, Jammu and Kashmir at an impressive function at Gandhi Nagar Head Post Office. On the occasion the Minister also released J&K Postal Circle's Calendar for the financial year 2013-2014 depicting the rich diversity and beauty of state of Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking on this occasion, Abdul Rahim Rather lauded the steps taken by Department of Posts especially John Samuel, Chief Postmaster General, J&K for improving the postal services in the state. "Since Samuel has taken the command of Postal establishment in Jammu and Kashmir things in the Department has changed rapidly. He has infused a new sense of enthusiasm among the postal employees which is quite evident from visible change in their working" remarked the Minister. He launched the ePost Service by sending message to all the Postmasters of J&K adding that such services will prove a boon for the rural areas. The minister appreciated the steps taken by and hence play an active role in the financial development of people living in the state. achieving 35% growth which is highest in the country despite being a small state. John Samuel, Chief Postmaster General in his address said that Department of Posts, J&K Circle is keen in development the people of the state and is making an extra effort for brining Post Offices closer to people. Briefing about the new services e-Post/Fax Post the Chief PMG said that through e-POST, customers can send their greetings and messages to any address in state and country. "The internet revolution has allowed rapid exchange of communication through emails. However, the internet has not reached most of the Rural India and other remote areas. To bridge this digital divide, and to bring the benefit of the revolutionary internet technology to people living in these areas, Department of Posts has introduced ePost" said John Samuel adding that earlier there were telegrams to send instant messages when modes of communication were limited but now e Post has replaced the telegrams. ePost message will be printed and enveloped at the destination Post Office and will be delivered by the Postman as a letter. He told that it is for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir that e-post greetings have been introduced with which people can send messages for different purposes on different occasions.

Governor inaugurates painting exhibition at Kala Kendra

JAMMU, APRIL 2 - N. N. Vohra, Governor, inaugurated a paintings exhibition by Dr. R. K. Sharma, a physician and local artist of Jammu, at Kala Kendra, here this evening. The Governor and the First Lady went around the Exhibition and evinced keen interest in the artistic creations. The Governor observed that Dr. Sharma being a busy physician deserves congratulations for finding time to do creative work and be an artist. They complimented Dr. Sharma for his creative talents and wished him many years of creative artistic work ahead. 26 attractive paintings done in pastels by Dr. Sharma are on display at the Exhibition which will remain open for public viewing for the next three days. Among those present on the occasion were Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mrs. Savita Bakshi, Additional Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, artists, writers, academicians, art lovers and prominent citizens.

Department of Posts, J&K Circle in making J&K a financially inclusive state adding that Post Offices have wider reach than the banks

"It is impressive that Department of Posts have achieved target of 100 percent Financial Inclusion in 150 villages in the state and

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STUDENT AGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 2013

STATE

7390 daily wage, casual workers in PHE, 45220 shortfall: Sham

JAMMU: Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Sharma today informed the House that 7390 workers on daily wage basis, casual labours and CPS workers have been engaged in PHE department in the State, adding that these are being paid wages@ Rs. 125 per day. He said there is short fall of 45220 staff in the department in both divisions of which 399 short falling Ramnagar Constituency and 417 in Samba Constituency. Replying to a question by Yashpual Kundal, the Minister said to meet the deficiencies of the staff in the department 640 vacancies including vacancies of Ramnagar and Samba constituencies have already referred to the concerned recruiting agencies for selection. T h e Minister said 42 WSS within estimated cost of Rs. 65.55 crore are under execution in Ramnagar Constituency against which Rs. 21.77 crore has been released till date. He said seven Irrigation and Flood Control Schemes at the cost of Rs. 13.61 crore are also under execution in the area and against which Constituency so far Rs. 30.37 crore have been released for the purpose , adding that 3 flood control projects within estimated cost of Rs. 36.19 crore are also in progress in the area and till date Rs. 17.94 crore stands released against these schemes. M. Y. Tarigami, Er. Abdul Rashid, Harshdev Singh, Mohammad Irfan Shah, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Peer Afaq, Mrs. Shamima Firdoz, Haji Mohammad Ashraf, Mrs. Bimla Luthra, Aijaz Ahmed Jan and Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal raised supplementaries to the main question and demanded devising specific policy for engaging casual labours in the Department without discrimination to any area.

Reservation rules adhered in recruitment, promotion quota: Sakina

JAMMU, APRIL 02: Minister for Social Welfare, Ms. Sakina Itoo replying to a Calling Attention Notice of B. R. Kundal, informed the House that all the Government Departments are strictly adhering to the reservation rules both in direct recruitment and promotion to any category including SC category, adding that the Reservation roster is being followed in letter and Spirit. The Minister said that in Engineering Department, particularly, PHE/I&FC Department, due consideration is given to the employees belonging to the reserved categories including the schedule category while making promotions and placements to the next higher grade as per the reservation rules in vogue. The High Court in its order dated 20-09-2012 in a writ petition SWP No. 1945/2012 titled G.A Bhat V/s State has directed the department not to make promotions, against the post of Execut ive Engineer/ Superintending Engineer/Chief Engineer under reserved category. The PHE/I&FC department have filed objections and have moved an application for modification of the interim directions of the High Court. been kept reserved. Further, due to court directions and litigation, the Power Development Department has not been able to issue the seniority lists in different categories. Presently, the vacancies are being filled up under stop gap agreements, placing the incumbents on officiating basis in their own pay and grade. However, while doing so, due consideration is accorded to the reservation roster, the Minister said. She said that the Social Welfare Department has now ensured that a liaison officer is nominated by every department who would ensure the maintenance of reservation roster in the department concerned.

Rs. 2.86 crore have been released so far. The Minister said that 70 WSS at total cost of Rs. 79.74 crore are under construction in Samba

Until the modifications of the said order are not made by the Court, the department cannot proceed in the matter. However, the posts for all such categories including schedule caste category have

Need for comprehensive agri policy stressed

SAMBA, APRIL 02- The Vice Chairman, J&K State Advisory Board for the Development Of Kissans, Radhey Sham Sharma on his visit to Jatwal Block Ghagwal Samba today said that J&K is the only state where Government has constituted first of its kind, Kissan Development Board for looking after the matters related to the farming community and the agriculture sector. He said that Agriculture activities play an important role for the up-liftment of farming community and is the mainstay of State's Economy and there was dire need to exploit the tremendous potential in agriculture and allied sectors in the State. He stressed upon the mechanization/diversification in farming to make farming a profitable business. He enjoined upon the officers and field agencies of the concerned department to ensure timely availability of quality seeds and fertilizers along with adequate irrigation facility for increasing agriculture productivity and production. He underscored the need for a comprehensive agriculture policy in the state and called for constituting farmers Self Help Groups so that living conditions of farming community are improved in an organized manner. He assured that for the uplift of their social as well as economic status, J&K State Advisory Board for the Development of Kissans is ready to extend every possible support and help. DDC Samba Mubarak Singh asked the farmers to come forward and take benefit of the welfare schemes available in Agriculture and allied departments. It was informed that with the efforts of banks and agriculture / revenue department 31,000 Kissan Credit Card to eligible farmers which constitutes about 96.7 percent coverage has been issued. He also advised the farmers for diversification of agriculture and stressed to adopt the dairy farming practice with special reference to cross bred - high yielding cattle. Rajesh Sharma, Chairman Cooperative Society & Member, State Advisory Board for Development of Kissan highlighted the role and activities of the board. Among others present on the occasion were Bikram Singh Jamwal, ADC Samba, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Samba, Chief Agriculture Officer besides, Sarpanches, Panches and farmers of the block.

Mechanism put in place to ensure proper implementation of schemes, transparency: Sagar

JAMMU, APRIL 02: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that the Government has effectively put in place a mechanism to ensure proper implementation of various rural development schemes, which have been instrumental in changing the socio-economic profile of rural and far-flung areas. The Minister was replying to the discussion on the working of Rural Development Ministry in the Legislative Council today. Referring to the Government's initiative for ensuring decentralization of powers, the Minister said that it was due to the efforts of the Government that elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) were held and afterwards ensuring their proper empowerment. He said that it was due to the personal efforts of the Chief Minister that the orders of empowering PRIs with the functions of 14 vital departmentation of the 73rd amendment in the State, the Minister said that a committee has been constituted to examine the suggestions and recommendations from different quarters and that of coordination committee constituted for the same. He said that the committee has prepared a comprehensive report which will be sent to the cabinet. Sagar said that an amount of Rs. 230 crore under 13th Finance Commission has been released manly for the construction of Panchayat Ghars and in convergence with other schemes a set target of 1788 Panchayat Ghars is to be completed with full funding. He said as a grant in aid Rs. 72.24 crore has been released to the Halqa Panchayats for asset creation, furniture and rent. The Minister said an honorarium and sitting fees of Panchayat Representatives has been fixed and steps are being taken to provide Life Insurance Cover. Under BRGF and RGSY, capacity building / extensive trainings are being provided to the Panchayat Representatives as per the national capacity building frame work and for the financial year 2012-2013, an amount of Rs. 11.85 crore has been made available for the purpose, he added. Sagar said that 170 Panchayat Ghars would be completed by March 2013 and during the current financial year 2012-2013 a new scheme of e-Panchayats and RGPSA related to PRIs have been launched. He said that the elections to the Block Development Councils would be held soon so that all the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj System are completed.

New Khasra Nos carved out Repository of documentary films on in lieu of old ones: Ajaz prominent shrines in offing: Rather
JAMMU, APRIL 02: Minister of State for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Ajaz Ahmed Khan replying to a clubbed Calling Attention Notice of Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy and Abdul Majeed Bhat, informed that as per record of rights of 200708 (fresh settlement) new Khasra No. 509, 513, 503, 519 and 544 have been carved out of old Khasra Nos namely; 245 min, 245 min, 252 min, 251 min and 253 min respectively. The Khasra Nos 509, 513, 503 and 544 are recorded as proprietary land in possession of different persons and Khasra No.519 is recorded as State land in possession of State. He said due to carving out of aforesaid new Khasra numbers, the locations of land remains the same as was in the corresponding old Khasra Numbers. The primary requirement for issuance of PRCs to any individual claiming permanent resident certificate is that he/she or his/her predecessors must own immovable property in the State prior to May, 1994. The new ROR is just supplementary evidence. The Minister said ration card, death/birth certificate has no relevance with the new ROR in any way. Any individual, if aggrieved of the entries can approach the appropriate authority under Sections 27 and 32 of the J&K Land Revenue Act, for redressal under law", he added. JAMMU, APRIL 02: As a sequel to preserve and showcase the rich heritage of shrines of the state, the Jammu and Kashmir Board for Muslim specified Waqf and specified Waqf properties have decided to prepare documentaries on all prominent shrines affiliated with the Waqf Board, giving full details of historical, religious, social, cultural and educational perspectives. On the suggestion by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who is also Chairman of the Waqf Board, the documentaries are being prepared through educational multimedia research Centre (EMMRC) University of Kashmir. The proposal in this regard was discussed last night at the 40th meeting of the Finance Committee of Waqf Board held here under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather. The Vice Chancellor of the Muslim Waqf Board, Prof. M. Y. Qadri, exChief Secretary and MLC Sheikh Ghulam Rasool and Secretary, Waqf Board G. M. Rather were present in the meeting.While discussing the proposal, about documentation and digitalization of the shrines, Rather said that it was need of the hour to preserve the authentic record of all prominent heritage shrines to prepare a repository for the posterity. He said that availability of funds shall not be any hurdle to fulfil this noble cause. In the first phase the EMMRC proposes to produce nine educational documentaries and 18,000 copies of multi-colour brochures (2000 for each shrine). Rather emphasized that the documentaries must be based on authentic records of shrines, documenting their heritage and history interwoven with the statements of historians, religious leaders, mute- walis, devotees, besides religious practices, social and architectural richness. He said these documentaries would be telecast on Doordarshan and private channels on royalty basis and mass duplication on DVD for distribution and sale among masses. He said these documentaries would be a strong and effective medium to spread the message and reverence of the great sufi saints and alias (RA) to every distant home of not only Muslims but people of all shades of faith. One documentary shall be exclusively about the history of Waqf, its evolution, management and maintenance and overview of various steps taken by the Waqf Board in the overall development of the Waqf properties and affairs.

ments were issued and implementing in toto the recommendations of the committee constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. The Additional District Development Commissioner in every district has been nominated as nodal officer for ensuring that the orders of empowerment of PRIs are adhered to, he maintained. Referring to the imple-

Plantation drive at International Airport, Srinagar

SRINAGAR, APRIL 02: On the Raising Day of Airports Authority of India (AAI) mass plantation drive was conducted at Srinagar International Airport.Among others, District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Shah besides Commandant, 35 BN, CRPF, Divisional Forest Officer, Srinagar, Superintendent of Police (AHJ), Station Managers of various Airlines, In-charge IOC were present on the occasion. A large number of Deodar saplings were planted on the occasion.

Health Centre Building showing cracks, Doctors declare it unsafe for patients
SRINAGAR: The Health Centre Building constructed by R&B Division Handwara has started showing cracks only after one year of its completion. Doctors deployed in the Health Centre, has termed the building unsafe for patients while the R&B Division Handwara is blaming contractors and not the department. According to CNS, a building for a Health Centre in North Kashmir's Unsoo, Langete area was constructed by R&B Division Handwara last year. Rs one Crore and twenty lakhs was spent on its construction, however only after one year the building has started showing cracks. The plinth of the building is showing up cracks at three places, many of the inner walls and the floor also show cracks. Medical officer, Dr Shabir Ahmed told CNS that the building is totally unsafe for the patients. "It has ample chances of being getting collapsed. Even the rain water is entering into the rooms and we are worried about the medical instruments. Paramedical staff keeps on changing the location of these instruments whenever it rains," he said. People of the area are blaming R&B Division Handwara for all this mess. "It is evident that sub-standard materials have been used to swindle a huge chunk of money. This matter should be verified and action should be taken against the persons behind all this mess," a prominent citizen Abdul Aziz said. Executive Engineer, R&B Division Handwara, Mohammad Saleem told CNS that they can't go for the reconstruction of the building. "The work done by R&B is up to mark while as only plaster has shown cracks and we are ready to do plaster again if it demands," he said.

Rs. 24 lakh utilized on bridge over Anji Nallah in Reasi District: Kichloo
JAMMU: Minister of State for Industries & Commerce, R&B Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo while replying to a question by Jugal Kishore informed the House that the bridge over Anji Nallah in village Sukhal Ghati of District Reasi was approved under District Sector at an estimated cost of Rs. 67.20 lakh against which Rs. 24 lakh stand utilized ending March, 2012 and Rs. 1 lakh has been released last fiscal. The Minister said that the road from Katra Domail to Maghal including a 25 meters bridge has been taken up for construction under Special Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF) in 2007 and partly financed under State Sector Projectization in 201112. The work on bridge has been completed, while as the work on approach road to the bridge will be resumed after acquisition of land. The road namely Panasa to Dasana was not approved under any programme, he added. Replying to another question by Dr. Shehnaz Ganai, Kichloo informed that 20 Tourism Development Authorities have been established in the State during the last ten years. The Minister informed that a whopping amount of Rs.15408.16 lakh and Rs. 4446.47 lakh under State Plan and Central Financial Assistance stands released and utilized for development of tourism related infrastructure at these TDAs. Kichloo said that Central Financial Assistance is the main source of funding for these Development Authorities for creation of tourism related infrastructure. He said that the Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 97 projects at a cost of Rs. 318.68 crore and set target to complete these projects within three years from the date of sanction, adding of these 43 projects have been completed and work on rest of the 54 projects is going on and expected to be completed within stipulated time. The Minister said that the Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned 5 Central Projects at a cost of Rs. 19.11 crore to explore and develop the virgin tourist spots of Poonch for which Rs. 9.37 crore stands released for implementation of these projects. The work on 2 projects has been completed so far and work on the rest of the projects are at different stages of implementation, he said and adding that the Government has also supplemented Rs. 1.25 crore annually under State Plan for execution of smaller projects and schemes for creation of tourist related infrastructure. Referring to development of tourist spots on Mughal road, the Minister said that Development of Mughal road lake Circuit Infrastructure Development of Girgan and the Valley of Seven Lakes, Poonch has been sanctioned by the Union Ministry of Tourism at a cost of Rs. 419.09 lakh and Rs. 83.82 lakh for which Ist instalment has been released and is under implementation through Poonch Development Authority. Construction of cafeteria along Mughal Road at an estimated cost of Rs. 20 lakh is in progress under State Sector. The Union Ministry of Tourism has also prioritized two projects of Rs. 8 crore each for future for providing basic amenities on Mughal Road between various historic sites scattered along the route from Peer Ki Gali to Shopian and development of wayside amenities on Mughal Road Circuit from Jammu side.

New court complex coming Cabinet approves engagement of consultant up at Pulwama: Saifullah
JAMMU: Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mir Saifullah while replying to a question by Bashir Ahmad Magray informed the House that the proposal regarding construction of District Court Complex, Pulwama at an estimated cost of Rs. 10.52 crore has been cleared by the Finance Department subject to the condition that the department seeks firm and unambiguous commitment of Planning & Development Department on providing State Share for the project. The Minister said that after completion of codal formalities, administrative approval would be accorded and funds shall be released. Mir Saifullah said that the office would be shifted to new District Court Complex; Pulwama only after the project gets completed and handed over to Judiciary. The Minister said that a chunk of land measuring 35 kanal, 8 marlas has been identified for the purpose and an amount of Rs. 3.50 crore stands released for the compensation of land. JAMMU, APRIL 2: The state cabinet which met here today under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, accorded sanction to the engagement of M/S Halcrow Consulting India Pvt. Ltd. as consultant by Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation to quantify losses suffered by Indus Water Treaty. The PDD was earlier advised to quantify the losses on account of Indus Water Treaty so as to take the issue of compensation to a logical conclusion. The cabinet also accorded sanction to giving retrospective effect from 28th of May 2011 to the enhancement of cash incentive from Rs. 5 lakh to 10 lakh per plot per family as compensation for the rehabilitation of families dislocated due to the improvement/widening of the road network in Srinagar City. Earlier in June 2012, the cabinet had accepted the recommendation of high level committee to enhance the cash incentive in lieu of plots from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh per plot per family to the affected families.

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EDITORIAL

Burmese migrants
By Ashok V Desai apan has long been an Asian exception, and has made a success of exceptionalism. Till the middle of the 19th century, however, it was a pretty average Asian feudal state. Then in 1853, Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry steamed into the Tokyo bay with four steamships. The residents of Tokyo could not believe their eyes. They were not unused to Europeans; they allowed a few Dutchmen to visit once in a while. But they had never seen a steamship, made of steel, painted black all over, with a funnel belching smoke. They had seen a lot of dragons in their storybooks; they thought they were seeing real dragons. But then, the ships put down boats, which filled up with longnosed white humans, dressed in fancy naval uniforms. The Tokyans ignored the foreign devils, hoping that they would disappear as they had appeared. But Perry just waited and waited. Finally he wore down the Japanese; after nine months, he left with a treaty which permitted American ships to enter the two ports of Shimoda and Hakodate. The Japanese government was shaken, and decided that it would not be taken by surprise again. In the next decades, Japan discovered the West, imported mechanical spinning and weaving machinery, and became a major textile exporter. It learnt to use Western ships and arms, invaded China and created an empire in Mongolia and Korea. By the early 20th century, Japan was the only industrialized country in Asia. That raised its ambition. It allied itself with Germany in World War II, and occupied the entire region from the western Pacific up to India's borders. For that temerity, the Americans bombed

he arrival of Burmese migrants in Jammu is a new development in the demography of the state. It has many dimensions and the authorities should be well apprised of their arrival and causes thereof. Jammu division is a historical home of refugees and migrants. Since very ancient times those who were persecuted in the neighbouring areas of Jammu found a ready asylum because temperamentally Jammu psyche is that of tolerance and peace. In Mughal period when the imperial armies ravaged the hill rajas of Himachal people took shelter here. In 1947 vast number of people from Mirpur, Bhimber, Kotli and other areas of Western Pakistan settled here. They have slowly become part and parcel of Jammu social fabric. In 1990 another wave of internally displaced persons at least three lakh in number arrived from the valley and took shelter Jammu. But the arrival of Burmese refugees cannot be compared with the past influxes especially those which happened after 1947. Burma is a far off country which has no continuity of border with our state. If by any conservative estimate Burma is about 3700 kilometers away from Jammu. How can a refugee living at such a far off place prefer Jammu and Kashmir to reside? This raises questions. We need to be wary of their influx in the state because Jammu and Kashmir is fighting a proxy war sponsored by Pakistan on the basis of Islamic jihad. So there is vigil required on these refugees who at present are numbering 1000 families which according to their social bench mark means at least seven thousand persons. Tomorrow their numbers can swell which means a sizable population and the state will have to take their care as per the international norms. It is a tricky situation and unfortunately we cannot wash our hands from this new development. At the same time they cannot be allowed to live permanently in India or in this state. The experience of illegal Bangladeshi migrants is before us and in no circumstances can we afford to repeat the same in our sensitive state. We cannot allow foreign nationals to live without proper identification. The authorities have to be careful in this matter as their plight can be exploited by the anti-social or any terror group to wreak heavoc.

JAPAN---THE SECOND RISING

Japanese cities to rubble. Japan still fought on, until 1945 when the Americans dropped just one atom bomb and annihilated Hiroshima. Three days later they dropped another one on Nagasaki. The Japanese government decided that it was wise to stop before all Japanese cities were destroyed, and surrendered. General MacArthur occupied Japan

it to pay royalties. So the Japanese packed up their factories and sent them to China; they became the biggest investors in China. It worked for both. China became the world's biggest manufacturing exporter, and Japanese companies earned good dividends from the business. As long as the Japanese could go on developing new tech-

in London. While Britain's industrial north declined, London boomed. But the Japanese could not do what the British did, for they were not good at English. They had become financiers to Chinese industry, but there was no capital market in China, and the Chinese had no intention of letting one develop. They were happier with their firms

The Japanese had another problem. Their big companies could grow fatter on profits from China. But they could not create jobs for young Japanese. Britain had faced a similar problem after World War II: previously undeveloped countries had industrialized, and the demand for British manufactured goods had fallen. Britain had then turned to finance; it used the new information and internet technology to create a high-technology financial industry in London. While Britain's industrial north declined, London boomed. But the Japanese could not do what the British did, for they were not good at English. They had become financiers to Chinese industry, but there was no capital market in China, and the Chinese had no intention of letting one develop. They were happier with their firms managing their own finances, going to government banks when they needed money, and making financial deals with the Japanese when they wanted.
for seven years. When occupation ended, Japan chose a pacific route to supremacy. It rebuilt industry. But instead of textiles, it concentrated this time on steel, engineering and automobiles. Soon it was exporting engineering goods and earning payments surpluses on an enormous scale. It became better at engineering than the veterans of Europe and the United States of America, and offered equipment at lower prices. It became the machine maker of Asia. Its exports zoomed ahead of imports, and it accumulated big payments surpluses. It invested them all over the world. It lent India a lot of money in the 1980s, which India blew up. By 1990, India was having another of its payments crises. But by this time, Japan found a better imitator in China than it had been of the West: China started making Japanese machinery at much lower cost. China did not follow capitalist rules; it was no use asking nology, the Chinese continued to value their connection. Soon the Chinese were tired to be second to Japanese. They sent lakhs of young people to study and work in Japan. Japanese is a much easier language than Chinese - some would say it is a kind of pidgin Chinese - so the Chinese found it easy to pick up. And once they got familiar with Japanese culture and education, it was only a matter of time before they could start making up their own technology. The Japanese had another problem. Their big companies could grow fatter on profits from China. But they could not create jobs for young Japanese. Britain had faced a similar problem after World War II: previously undeveloped countries had industrialized, and the demand for British manufactured goods had fallen. Britain had then turned to finance; it used the new information and internet technology to create a high-technology financial industry managing their own finances, going to government banks when they needed money, and making financial deals with the Japanese when they wanted. So Japan sees itself facing a crisis. It has always had very low unemployment, because its big business saw it as its duty to give jobs to young people. But to survive, a people have to do some useful economic activity. The Japanese have seen the Chinese beat them in competition in one activity after another. They ask themselves: what will the Japanese of the next generation do to maintain their prosperity? And they have come up with a very interesting answer: they would like Japan to become the technological capital of the world. The Japanese have been good at technology for a long time: they imitated others' up to a point, and then they became good at making up their own as well. But now they do not aim to be the world's best innovators. They see that as an uncertain

Modi magic-will it deliver?

oments arrive in history when you make a departure from the past and look into the future with a new vision. Otherwise the process of life or thought becomes ossified and redundant. No political party even if it were once cadre based can afford to live on hazy notions and irrational rationale. It has to move ahead in order to survive the cruel and unpredictable political climate of the country. In a democracy within any political party an elected chief minister should have a presence in the party's decision-making bodies. In India this is almost always the case in the political parties that have a formalized structure and hierarchy. This is true of the Congress and even of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). In the case of the latter even the chief minister of a state like Tripura, often seen as being away from the national mainstream, is a member of the party's central committee. In a sense, the presence of chief ministers in the higher echelons of a party is one of the features that makes it a national party. Otherwise, political parties remain regional or driven by an individual's whims or both. Thus, it is a bit surprising that it has taken the Bharatiya Janata Party so long to bring Narendra Modi into its National Executive Committee. It would appear that the BJP has woken up to the importance of having Modi in the national executive only after he has emerged as a potential prime ministerial candidate. Whereas political and good sense should have brought Modi into the national executive as soon as he had become the chief minister of Gujarat. The BJP has thus accomplished something that it should have and could have done many years ago. One reason for this failure is the relative newness of the BJP as a political party. Even though the BJP was born from within the Jan Sangh, as a political entity the BJP is fallout of the Janata experiment in Indian politics, an experiment which was a post-Emergency occurrence. Its youth is a factor in its occasional lapses in political wisdom and its failure to give elected chief ministers the importance that is their due in a democratic polity. There is another reason to consider and this is related to the circumstances of the BJP's birth. The BJP sees itself linked by an umbilical chord to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and to the sangh parivar. This has resulted in the RSS and other organizations of the parivar - the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, for example - exerting pressure on the BJP's policies and decisions. This has often led to the neglect of chief ministers and other elected representatives. The BJP is yet to chalk out its own independent and autonomous identity instead of Modi is perhaps the first step in the declaration of autonomy. It presents us with an interesting picture. With some factionalism inside the BJP it will be a spectacle to watch how Modi is able to consolidate his position within the Parlimentary group of the party. The signs are that he could succeed because his opponents cannot be too nave to mar their own chances with the party risking to lose the elections minus the Modi factor. The 2014 elections ware a watershed in India's transition from a weak coalition to an assertive coalition. It could also be a transition from the petty politicking based on populism to developmental politics.

game, in which the Chinese now excel; the Americans continue to have the best universities and research outfits, and to produce the world's best technology in a few things like aeronautics and pharmaceuticals. Instead of trying to beat everyone else and to make Japanese technology the worlds best, the Japanese have decided to invite the world's best innovators to come and settle down in Japan. They thus hope to make Japan the world's technology hub. If a foreign company CEO wants to go and have a look at Tokyo, JETRO will give him an office for 50 days, and arrange appointments for him. It advertises the fact that Dou Yee International set up an LCD manufacturing plant in Shobara City, that Jiangsu Tri-M Special Metals, a Chinese manufacturer, set up a subsidiary in Nagoya, that Juwi Holdings, a German developer of renewable energy, is going to set up an establishment in Japan, and so on. If it succeeds, Japan will look very different in a few decades: it may regain its technological superiority, but it will be very cosmopolitan. It will still not become a Western country; given the geography and the economics, Chinese presence will be substantial. But it will become much less Japanese. I think that will be a cultural tragedy, for I consider the Japanese civilization to be the world's best; but Japan is prepared to pay a high price to continue to be the world's best. Indians do not enjoy going to Japan; they miss curry. They will probably be better served in the future Japan; even if they are not, they will go there to shop for the world's best technology. And if the British get there before them, they will make sure that Tokyo has good curry joints.

STRATEGIC COLONISATION
By Yogesh Sachdeva cross the world, wherever Chinese firms are contracted to execute projects, Chinese labourers follow in droves and often marry locally to create a sizeable Chinese community. The import of such considered semi-permanent or permanent influx cannot be lost on India, writes vinod saighal It has been in the news for long that the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) will soon be completing construction of the natural gas pipeline from the Rakhine coast in Myanmar to Kunming in China. The pipeline will traverse nearly 800 km from the Island of Kyankpyu to Yunnan. The natural gas pipeline is not the only project linking Kyankpyu Island. CNPC is also building an oil pipeline alongside the gas pipeline. Additionally, China plans to build a highway and a high-speed rail link between Kyankpyu and Yunnan. Whatever the size of the infrastructure that will develop around the Kyankpyu terminal ~ the pattern is being repeated in Hambantota and Gwadar, possibly Chittagong as well ~ the fact remains that in Myanmar, the Chinese will be able to push in thousands of labourers, many of whom will marry locally and create a sizeable Chinese community. It has happened in Angola and elsewhere in Africa. What should be more worrying to

India and ultimately to Myanmar as well is that the 800-km-long oil, gas, rail and road corridors will present the Chinese with an opportunity to demand at least a 1,000 or minimum 500 metre land corridor on either side along the entire 800-km stretch for maintenance and other purposes. That represents a huge swath of territory, which (again) for all practical purposes will be held by China with settlements of Chinese labourers and their families all along. The import of this large-scale semi-permanent or permanent Chinese influx cannot be lost on either India or Myanmar. Before the agreements are finalised, Myanmar and India must hold talks to ensure adequate safeguards to obviate a permanent influx of large Chinese settlers. Concomitantly, massive felling of virgin tracts on either side will also take place unless China is prevented from doing so or obliged to keep felling to the bare minimum. It is a potential threat to both countries. Possibility of diversification with Japanese, Indian or Western companies and insistence on local labour being trained for the purpose, with limits on Chinese labour should be gone into at this juncture. Nobody can hazard a guess on the exact figure, but a million-plus Chinese could already have crossed over into Northern Myanmar from Yunnan. There is not very much that the Myanmar government can do

about it. A diplomat from one of the Central Asian countries bordering China ~ actually the Chinese province of Xinjian expressed fears ~ evidently off the record, that his country was worried about the increasing influx of Chinese people in the border region. According to the laws of his country, they were not allowed to own land; so many Chinese people are now marrying locals to get over that difficulty. T he head of another country bordering Xinjian told a top EU diplomat a few years ago that (at the time) there were approximately 30 million Han Chinese living right across his country; when the figure touched 300 million, he said, they would have a big problem on their hands. As it turns out, with the increased pace of infrastructure development westwards, tens of millions of Chinese will move into Xinjian much sooner than the head of state had anticipated ~ as is happening currently in Tibet. Several million will cross over into the open spaces in the sparsely-populated Kazakhstan: quite a large number would have already moved in. Both the Russians and the Kazakhs are aware of the creeping movement into their regions adjoining China. As members of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, they have not raised their voices.

Many countries in Africa are alive to the problem as well. A few have gone on record to demand greater employment for locals at large infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Chinese. The latter are stonewalling such requests by saying that the locals were not skilled enough for the job and that language difficulties would delay the projects. China has been in Africa now for many years, the second time around. They have not even attempted to meet local aspirations by training locals to fill the jobs. Instead, Chinese workers are herded together in labour camps and shifted with the progress of the projects. It is said that the Chinese workers brought in from mainland China are paid comparatively low wages when compared with those paid by other countries implementing projects in Africa. Details are not easily forthcoming and the actual situation cannot be independently confirmed by outsiders. In several other countries around the world, Chinese labourers brought in to execute projects are being encouraged to settle down and take up small commercial activities. The largest influx of Chinese workers, many of whom could ultimately settle down to form Chinese colonies, are in places where China is undertaking port construction and linking infrastructure projects or where the Chinese have taken out

long leases from the host governments, especially those in dire financial straits. An example in the second category would be the Port of Piraeus in Athens. Greece and China signed the US$ 6.32-million agreement for the new management of the port. Under the contract, Pier 2 and 3 of Piraeus' container terminal will be under Chinese management for 35 years. Piraeus is one of the most important ports in the eastern Mediterranean region. The Chinese company plans to make Piraeus the hub of its Chinese exports operation for South-East Europe. The security implications of the development were not lost on Brussels. Greek dock workers protested in large numbers in 2009, but eventually had to reconcile themselves to the reality of an impoverished nation on the lookout for financial bailout. China is evidently repeating the pattern in port cities around the world or where it has been contracted for constructing new ports. The hostility of the native population is never allowed to prevent takeover, as in Baluchistan where the local population is opposed to the Chinese takeover of Gwadar Port. Elsewhere, Chinese settlers are among the largest immigrant communities. China and Australia are cases in point; not to mention the large Chinese populations in several countries of South-east Asia.

Unfair demand
Dear Sir J. Jayalalithaa is aware that the United Progressive Alliance government is in a vulnerable position now, after the exit of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam from the coalition. It is desperately in search of new allies. This knowledge must have convinced Jayalalithaa that she could get away with an act as brazen as preventing Sri Lankan cricketers from playing in Chennai in the IPL. If the Central government had any courage, it would not have agreed to her demand. But the DMK's withdrawal of support from the UPA has put the government in a difficult spot. It must now look for new allies, and is likely to make any concessions to woo other parties into its fold. Perhaps that is why it buckled under Jayalalithaa's demand. With each passing day, it becomes clearer that the UPA gov-

ernment is only concerned about its survival at the Centre, irrespective of the means it adopts in order to stay in power. Yours Etc. Amar Jyoti Kishtwar

Stinking with corruption

Dear Sir There are no denying the facts that a large number of ministers and former ministers, legislators and others holding public offices under successive regimes and even a larger number of government officials working in different capacities and those having retired, have acquired assets quite disproportionate to their known income sources. During the past over six decades there are only a couple of cases where the officials, mostly working at the lower rung of the administration have been brought to book for misusing their position and authority. There is perhaps not a single case where any big fish has been caught in the net for misusing power and authority and

resorting to corruption. That most of those against whom the corruption charges have been made, both in politics and bureaucracy, continue to hold important positions in the administration and polity exposes the chief minister's claim of ensuring good governance. The very fact that four of the ministers facing corruption charges have been inducted in the Omar-led coalition makes it clear that corruption is not an issue before those at the helm. The major portion of the budget meant for socio-economic development and social services like education, healthcare and sanitation etc has been usurped by the corrupt triumvirate of politicians, bureaucrats and buisinessmen. It is this nexus which needs to be smashed but on the contrary is allowed to grow and expand and sabotage all moves for evolving effective, independent and credible institutionalized mechanism to launch out an all-out war against corruption. Yours Etc. Shalini Parihar Chandrabhaga Hostel University of Jammu

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STUDENT AGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 2013

NATIONAL
northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri area while Rakesh had been taken in Prashant Sharma's court room to surrender. Sunil was arrested after the judge refused to hear the matter and handed him over to the Crime Branch police. Both the shooters were later handed over to South Delhi police, who are investigating the case. Sunil, Purushottam and Amit were sent to 10 day' police custody by Patiala court Tuesday. Police have questioned Bhardwaj's wife Ramesh Kumari, their sons and staff over the past few days. Investigators are also looking into the role of an insider who might have tipped off the killers about the movement of Bhardwaj and the topography of the farmhouse. Bhardwaj, a realtor and the richest candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections with declared assets of over Rs.600 crore, was shot dead March 26 around 9 a.m. at his 35-acre farmhouse in Rajokri in south Delhi. The killers entered the farmhouse on the pretext of meeting Bhardwaj. He was shot in the head and chest. NEW DELHI: Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, hit by Maoist movement, will raise specialised forces trained in guerrilla warfare on the lines of the 'Greyhounds', a special police unit in Andhra Pradesh. The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs on Tuesday approved the Home Ministry's proposal under which the special forces will come up in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha and funds will be given to create and upgrade infrastructure, weaponry and equipment to combat the Naxal problem. Andhra Pradesh will also be given fund to upgrade its infrastructure and stregthen the 'Greyhounds' force. The proposed outlay during the 12th Plan in this regard is Rs 373 crore, of which the central government will give Rs 280 crore (75 per cent of the total outlay) and Rs 93 crore by the state governments (25 per cent), the Union Home Ministry said in its proposal. The funding, that is expected to beef up the police forces of these states, will be done under the Home Ministry-sponsored Scheme for Special Infrastructure (SIS). The Home Ministry said the step to adopt a new strate-

7
Special anti-Naxal force for Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh
gy is being taken in the background of success achieved by the Greyhounds in Andhra Pradesh in combating Left Wing Extremism. The Ministry has, however, put certain riders on the release of funds to the states. "The Special Force of the state concerned has to be upgraded as per the approved guidelines of Greyhounds. Even if a Special Force has been raised in some form in the state concerned, they are required to be reoriented through the entire process mentioned in the guidelines. The state will strictly adhere to these guidelines," the Home Ministry said.

BSP leader's killers were hired for Rs.1 crore

NEW DELHI: A week after the murder of BSP leader and business tycoon Deepak Bhardwaj, Delhi Police said Tuesday that the killers were paid Rs.1 crore to eliminate him. A police officer told MEDIA on the condition of anonymity that they were raiding places in Haryana, Delhi and in the National Capital Reigion (NCR) for clues about the people who hired the shooters for Rs.1 crore. "The shooters were given a contract of Rs.1 crore to eliminate Deepak Bhardwaj," said a police officer investigating the murder. Police sources said that initially the shooters were given Rs.10 lakh to buy arms and a car to gain entry to Bhardwaj's farmhouse in south Delhi's Rajokri, where Bhardwaj was killed. The remaining amount was to be paid after the murder. Police said two people were in contact with each other to find contract killers. The source said that police have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) for Rakesh Malik, who had approached the shooters and had given them the

contract to kill Bhardwaj. The hunt is on for Guru Swami, a resident of Jhajjar in Haryana, who had asked Malik to find contract killers. The information came to light after the arrest of Rakesh alias Bhola, the owner of the Skoda car used in the murder and shooters Sunil Mann alias Sonu and Purushottam Rana alias Monu. The fourth arrested is Amit, who was driving the car at the time of the murder. Amit was arrested Sunday from

police custody last Friday after the recovery of the car from his possession. The Crime Branch of Delhi Police arrested both the shooters - Sunil and Purushottam - in a dramatic way when they were about to surrender in Patiala House Court here Monday morning. Purushottam was apprehended outside Patiala House Court complex and Sunil from inside the court as he managed to evade the police and entered Metropolitan Magistrate

Gujarat Assembly passes new Lokayukta Bill

GANDHINAGAR: The controversial new Gujarat Lokayukta Bill, which curtails the primacy of the Governor and Chief Justice of the High Court in appointment of the anti-corrumediaon ombudsman, was on Tuesday passed by the Assembly amid protests from the opposition Congress. Congress dubbed the Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill, 2013 as a ploy by the Narendra Modi government to keep corrumediaon under wraps. The legislation was passed by majority vote after Congress walked out of the House. Apart from curtailing the power of the Governor and the Chief Justice, the bill's character has remained same as the existing Lokayukta Act 1986, which has been held as a "toothless piece of legislation" by some legal experts. The Bill passed two years after Governor Kamala Beniwal returned a Lokayukta amendment bill, proposes to give all the powers of the appointment to a selection committee headed by Chief Minister and wants the Governor to act on its recommendations. The Chief Justice virtually has no role under the new bill. Under the existing Lokayukta Act, the power of selection of Lokayukta rests with Governor and the Chief Justice of the state High Court. The new Bill came after the state government lost a bitter fight legally and politically when Governor Kamala Beniwal, bypassing the state government, appointed Justice R A Mehta as the state Lokayukta which was upheld by the High Court as well as Supreme Court in January this year. The apex court had ruled that "primacy" of the opinion of the Chief Justice in the Lokayukta Act was final. The existing Lokayukta Act and the Lokayukta Aayog Bill both have given power to Lokayukta to merely report their findings to competent authorities, but they have no power to take penal actions. Leader of Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela opposed the Bill, saying "the state government is afraid that Lokayukta Justice Mehta will expose the corrumediaon of the government". Vaghela alleged the bill is just a delaying tactic so that they do not have to appoint Justice R A Mehta as Lokayukta. As per the provision (Sec 12(8)), whoever discloses to the public or to the press any information or publishes such information in contravention of the provisions of this section should invite two years' imprisonment and also the fine of Rs 2 lakh.

Wi-Fi, internet facility in Howrah Rajdhani launched

NEW DELHI: You can now use the internet using Wi-Fifacility free of cost while travelling in Howrah-bound Rajdhani Express train from New Delhi. The facility was launched by railways today in the premier train as a pilot project. It cost Rs 6.3 crores to the Railways to equip the train with the facility. Asked whether passengers will be charged to avail the service in future, Bansal said "the revenue model has not been worked out yet as it is a pilot project and the service will be free of cost for passengers." Railways had conducted a trial run of the Wi-Fi service in MumbaiAhemedabad Shatabdi train for some time before deciding to launch it in Howrah Rajdhani. Depending on the feedback, railways will float tenders for introducing the

Lok Sabha polls likely in November, be prepared: BJP's Rajnath

MUMBAI: Lok Sabha Elections can take place in November, BJP president Rajnath Singh said here on Tuesday and asked partymen to be prepared for them. "I believe the polls can take place even in November," Singh said, addressing party legislators here after visiting droughtaffected areas in Marathwada region. "There are also four states where Assembly elections will take place in OctoberNovember," he said. "Tough Assembly polls in Maharashtra are slated next year, we have to prepare from now on itself," he said. "In Maharashtra, we are out of power for the last 15 years. A party, which was once in power in the state, if it continues to be out of power for so long, I feel it will pose a serious danger. People of the country will feel that these people won't ever come to power," he said. "If people lose trust in a party, it becomes a herculean task to regain that trust," Singh said. "The government has failed on all fronts. People want change. They ask if BJP is ready for a change," he said. Later, speaking to reporters, Singh said, "We won't try to destabilise the government. We feel that no party should try to destabilise a government, because the people of the country bear the brunt. "However, if the government goes owing to internal squabbles, then BJP can't be blamed," Singh said. "It is in the country's interest that the sooner the government goes, the better," he added. Singh was presented a cheque of Rs 25 lakh from the state BJP unit towards drought relief. He asked party leaders to hand over the amount to the Chief Minister.

state-of-the-art service in 50 rakes. Railtel is providing Internet service in the pilot project. According to an official statement, it was a challenge to introduce internet access in a moving train considering that the train passes through all types of terrain and continuous internet access in all weather is to be provided. After due deliberations on various omediaons for providing internet access,

Railways decided for satellitecommunication link to the train and Wi-Fi connectivity to different coaches. The satellite communication link is arranged through satellite hub facility set up Railways. For accessing the internet facility, the bona fide passengers will have to access railways Wi-Fi network. The passengers will be able to register by providing the PNR and other details such as mobile phone number.

Babri case: SC questions CBI over delay in filing appeal

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today questioned CBI for the delay in filing appeal against the Allahabad High Court order that conspiracy charge will not apply to BJP leader L K Advani and others in the Babri Masjid demolition case. A bench headed by Justice H L Dattu directed that an affidavit be filed within two weeks by a senior law officer of the central government after noting that the delay of 167 days was caused because of a law officer. In compliance with the apex court's earlier order, CBI today placed before the bench the case details in which it submitted that the delay was caused as the drafting of the appeal against the Allahabad High Court verdict was pending before Additional Solicitor General and Solicitor General for their approval and opinion. "The delay was on the part of Solicitor General. So affidavit from the concerned person would facilitate us to understand the delay," the bench said. "In your interest it is better if an affidavit is filed," the court said, granting two weeks time to CBI to get the affidavit filed by the senior law officer. The bench, however, in its order did not mention the officer who would be filing the affidavit and said it should be filed by a senior law officer. The apex court was hearing CBI's appeal challenging the verdicts of a special CBI court and the Allahabad High Court dropping conspiracy

Night-vision devices for Indian Army approved

NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry today approved a Rs 2,820 crore proposal to provide night-vision devices to the Army to enable its tanks and infantry combat vehicles to have capability to fight in both day and night conditions. A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister A K Antony also approved proposals to upgrade the 130 mm artillery guns of the Army along with amendments in procurement procedure to boost indigenisation in defence production, Defence Ministry sources said here. Under the plans to do away with the night blindness of Army's mechanised fleet including the Russian-origin T-90 and T-72 tanks and the BMP Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV), around 5,000 thermal imaging sights would be procured from defence PSU Bharat Electronics limited, they said. For the T-72, which are the main stay of the Indian Army, 2,000 pieces of TI sights would be procured for Rs 1,000 crore while 1,200 pieces would be bought for the T-90 Main Battle Tanks for Rs 960 crore. 1,780 pieces of TI sights would be inducted for the BMP Infantry Combat Vehicles for Rs 860 crore, they said. The Army has been worried over night-fighting capabilities of its armoured columns and reports had earlier suggested that only 50 per cent of the tank fleet of the forces had this ability. Meanwhile, the Ministry also cleared a proposal to upgrade the existing inventory of M-46 130mm artillery guns to 155mm guns through the Ordnance Factory Board. The OFB has plans of modernising its facilities under a Rs 15,000 crore plan in the ongoing 12th Defence Plan. The DAC also discussed the amendments in the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) under which efforts to boost indigenisation in defence sector would be encouraged. The amendments are based on the Ravinder Gupta Committee report on boosting indigenisation which has given suggestions to give the first right of refusal to the indigenous industry for the weapon system requirement of the armed forces. The DPP will also focus on bringing more changes in the shipbuilding sector in the country to increase the production capabilities of the Indian shipyards to construct ships at a faster rate.

NIA allowed to quiz suspected Hizbul militant Liyaqat in jail

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was on Tuesday allowed by a Delhi court to interrogate suspected Hizbul militant Sayyed Liyaqat Shah, who is presently lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody, in the prison itself till April 30. Shah has been booked for waging war against the country by Delhi Police which claimed he was planning to carry out terror attacks in the national capital. District Judge IS Mehta allowed the NIA's plea seeking permission to interrogate Shah in the jail itself. With Shah's arrest generating conflicting versions from the Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir police, the Centre recently transferred the probe in the case to NIA. While Delhi police has claimed that with Shah's arrest they had foiled a 'fidayeen' (suicide) attack in the capital ahead of Holi, its J-K counterpart insisted that he was one of those who had exfiltrated in 1990s and had returned to India to surrender under the state's rehabilitation policy. 45-year-old Shah, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, was sent to judicial custody by a court here till April 12 after he was produced before it on expiry of his 15 days of police custody. Shah has been quizzed by the special cell of Delhi police since March 21. The police had earlier said that Shah was apprehended on March 20 from the Indo-Nepal border area near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and during had revealed during interrogation that he is a trained militant of banned terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and was settled in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Police had said that in January 2013, Shah and his associate Manzoor, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, were It had said that his associates, including Manzoor are absconding. Shah had planned attacks to avenge the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. J&K police, however, supported the claims of Shah's family that he was a former militant who had surrendered before SSB on the Nepal border and was in a group returning from PoK under the rehabilitation policy. The Home Ministry on March 28 issued a notification facilitating the NIA to take over the case related to Shah. The NIA will now conduct a probe into the circumstances leading to the arrest of Shah. The Delhi Police had earlier told another court that they had information that some well trained and hard core militants have made elaborate plans in coordination with some Pakistani nationals to commit a terrorist attack at some undisclosed vital installation in Delhi.

directed by top-ranks of Hizbul to carry out terror attacks in Delhi. The agency had said that upon disclosure of the accused, a huge consignment of arms, handgrenades, explosive material and other incriminating material were recovered from a guest house in Jama Masjid area here.

Delhi Police said a case was registered under sections 120 B(criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against Government of India), 121A (conspiracy to commit offences against the State) and 123 (concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) of IPC against them. According to Delhi police,

charge against Advani, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar and Murli Manohar Joshi. The others against whom the charge was dropped included Satish Pradhan, C R Bansal, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore, Sadhvi Ritambhara, V H Dalmia, Mahant Avaidhynath, R V Vedanti, Param Hans Ram Chandra Das, Jagdish Muni Maharaj, B L Sharma, Nritya Gopal Das, Dharam Das, Satish Nagar and Moreshwar Save. CBI has challenged in the Supreme Court the May 21, 2010 order of the high court, which had upheld a special court's decision to drop the charge against the leaders. The high court had at that time, however, allowed CBI to proceed with other charges against Advani and others in a Rae Bareily court, under which the case falls. The May 2010 order of the high court had said there was no merit in CBI's revision petition against the May 4, 2001 order of the special court which had directed dropping of criminal conspiracy charge against them. There are two sets of cases -- one against Advani

and others who were on the dais at Ram Katha Kunj in Ayodhya in December 1992 when the Babri Masjid was demolished, while the other case was against lakhs of unknown 'karsevaks' who were in and around the disputed structure. CBI had chargesheeted Advani and 20 others under sections 153A (promoting enmity between classes), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (false statements, rumours etc circulated with the intent to cause mutiny or disturb public peace)of IPC. It had subsequently invoked charges under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC which was quashed by the special court whose decision was upheld by the high court. Bal Thackeray's name was removed from the list of accused persons after his death. While upholding the special court's order, the high court had said CBI at no point of time, either during the trial at Rae Bareily or in its revision petition, ever stated that there was offence of criminal conspiracy against the leaders.

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STUDENT AGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

INTERNATIONAL & ECONOMY

WHO plays down China bird flu fears North Korea restarts operations at Nyongbyon nuclear complex
GENEVA: The World Health Organization on Tuesday played down fears over a strain of bird flu which has killed two people in China, but said it was crucial to find out how the virus infected humans. "It's the first time that H7N9 was found in humans," the UN health agency's spokeswoman Fadela said, referring to the deadly strain of avian influenza. "It is of concern to WHO and we will be following this with the health authorities in China to know more. But for the time being, it's only three cases and it has shown, for the time being, no human-tohuman transmission," she added. China's National Health and Family Planning Commission said over the weekend that two men, aged 87 and 27, died in Shanghai in early March after being infected with H7N9 avian influenza. The presence of the virus in the victims was only confirmed on Friday. SEOUL: North Korea said on Tuesday that it intended to restart a mothballed nuclear reactor to feed its nuclear arms programme and hinted it may begin openly enriching weapons-grade uranium. A spokesman for the General Department of Atomic Energy said that the country will "readjust" and "restart" all nuclear facilities at the complex, including a uranium enrichment plant and a 5MW graphite moderated reactor that had been "mothballed and disabled under an agreement reached at the six-party talks in October 2007". This was being done with a view to "bolstering the nuclear armed force both in quality and quantity" as well as solving "acute" electricity shortages; the spokesman said. The North shut down the Yongbyon reactor in July 2007 under a six-nation aid-for-disarmament accord. The following summer it destroyed the cooling tower. The reactor was the sole source of plutonium for the North's nuclear weapons programme. The country's remaining plutonium stockpile is believed to be enough for four to eight bombs. North Korea revealed it was enriching uranium in Yongbyon in 2010 when it allowed foreign experts to visit the centrifuge facility there. It insisted at the time that it was solely low-level enrichment for energy purposes. The mention of "readjustment" by the energy spokesman will fuel concerns that it will be transformed, if indeed it has not been already, into a facility for producing weaponsgrade uranium. Many observers believe the North has been producing highly-enriched uranium in secret facilities for years, and that the third nuclear test conducted by the North in February may have been of a uranium bomb. Its previous tests in 2006 and 2009 were both of plutonium devices. The Korean peninsula has been caught in a cycle of escalating tensions since the February atomic test, which followed a long-range rocket launch in December last year. Subsequent UN sanctions and annual South Korea-US military exercises have been used by Pyongyang to justify a wave of increasingly dire threats against Seoul and Washington, including warnings of missile strikes and nuclear war. North Korea has already threatened to strike the US mainland and US bases in the Pacific in response to the participation of nuclear-capable US B-52 and B-2 stealth bombers in the drill. "Despite the harsh rhetoric we're hearing from Pyongyang, we are not seeing changes to the North Korean military posture, such as large-scale mobilizations and positioning of forces," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. It followed a meeting of the ruling party's top leadership on Sunday, at which North Korea's young leader, Kim Jong-Un, stressed the importance of upgrading the country's nuclear arsenal. "Modernization of the atomic energy industry is a key to developing the technology to produce miniaturized, lighter nuclear weapons to a whole new level," Kim said. The next day, the annual session of the North's parliament adopted a law enshrining North Korea's status as a nuclear weapons state. A basic uranium bomb is no more potent than a basic plutonium one, but the uranium enrichment path holds various advantages for the North, which has substantial deposits of uranium ore. Highly enriched uranium is the easiest fissile material with which to make a crude bomb, and the technical know-how and machinery for enriching uranium is more readily transferred and sold.

Fire at Islamic school kills 13 boys in Myanmar

YANGON: A fire caused by faulty electrical equipment killed 13 boys at an Islamic school in Myanmar on Tuesday, the fire service said, although some Muslims voiced concern since it followed a wave of anti-Muslim violence in the Buddhistmajority country. The boys suffocated after the fire broke out in a dormitory of the school in the central, multi-ethnic Botataung district of the former capital of Yangon. Yangon Region Fire Service said it was setting up a team to investigate the fire with the police, the electricity company and representatives of Muslim groups. "The fire, caused by the overheating of the transformer placed under the staircase, spread, trapping the boys sleeping in the attic. As a result, 13 twelve-year-old boys died of suffocation after inhaling smoke," a fire service officer said. About 70 boys were thought to have been sleeping in the dormitory, which is in a mosque compound. Most managed to escape when fire officers broke open the doublelocked doors to the building, Colonel Win Naing, chief of Yangon Division police said. At least 5,000 people attended a funeral service for the victims in the afternoon at a Yangon cemetery.

A 35-year-old woman in the eastern province of Anhui, near Shanghai, was in critical condition with the virus, the commission said. "To date the investigation showed no link between the three cases, but the investigation is still ongoing," said Chaib, adding that 88 individuals who had been in contact with the victims were being monitored. China is considered one of the nation's most at risk from bird flu because it has the world's biggest poultry population and many chickens in

rural areas are kept close to humans. The more common H5N1 strain of avian influenza has killed more than 360 people globally from 2003 until March 12 this year, according to the WHO. "There are a lot of unknowns about this H7N9 infection. We need to further investigate the extent of the outbreak, the source of the infection and the mode of transmission," said Chaib. "For that, China shares information with us, we share it with member states," she added.

Central Nigeria ethnic violence kills 19, displaces 4500

Monday. "From the death toll we've compiled, 19 people including women and children were killed by gunmen we suspect to be Fulani herdsmen in attacks on three communities on Saturday night through Sunday," local government official Kumai Badu said AFP of the violence in the Kaura district, a remote area of Kaduna state.

Anti-government strike hits Bangladesh

BANGLADESH: Opposition activists have detonated small homemade bombs and set fire to several vehicles in the latest anti-government protest to hit Bangladesh's capital, according to police. Bangladesh's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its 17 allies staged the protest to enforce a nationwide strike on Tuesday to press for the release of more than 150 opposition members arrested during earlier anti-government protests. Police officials say at least 30 people were injured in the violence. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorised to make public comments. Calling a general strike is a common opposition tactic in Bangladesh to highlight demands, and the country has been hit by a series of strikes and street protests recently that have left at least 70 people dead.

Hamas confirms leader Khaled Mashaal's re-election

Mashaal, 56, led the group since 1996. He is a relative pragmatist who enjoys the backing of regional powers Turkey, Egypt and Qatar. He is expected to tackle the stalled reconciliation with West Bank leader Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas wrested Gaza from Abbas in 2007. Since then, the rivals have established separate governments in the West Bank and Gaza. Two Hamas officials said Mashaal ran unopposed in the Monday vote, winning the support of a majority in Hamas' Shura Council which has about 60 members.

KANO: Weekend attacks on three communities in volatile and ethnically divided central Nigeria have left 19 people dead and displaced some 4,500 others, a local official said on

CAIRO: Palestinian militant group Hamas has confirmed the re-election of longtime leader Khaled Mashaal in a vote held in Cairo. The group said the election came after voting by leaders from Gaza, in the West Bank, in exile and those in Israeli jails.

ECONOMY

Govt will argue for lower RBI rates: Chidambaram

TOKYO: Finance Minister P Chidambaram expressed that the government will continue to argue for lowering of interest rates by the Reserve Bank in the backdrop of the softening of headline inflation and the need to promote economic growth. "The RBI has to weigh the fact that headline inflation has come down yet consumer price inflation is sticky...it has to keep the current account deficit in mind before it lowers the interest rate, he said. "But the Government is pro growth and the Government will always argue for lower interest rates," he added. RBI is scheduled to announce the monetary policy for the current financial year on May 3 during which wholesale prices has come down, retail inflation in double digits has continued to

India eyes trade pact with Eurasia customs union

NEW DELHI: India's Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Viktor Khristenko, chairperson of Eurasian Economic Commission, Tuesday agreed to start negotiations for the agreement during a bilateral meeting. "India is of the view that the need for CECA with the customs union, comprising Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, is a well established concept. We have expressed our desire to begin the negotiations for it," Sharma said after the meeting. Sharma suggested setting up a joint study group for the comprehensive economic pact. "Both sides agreed to discuss the terms of reference for the joint study group, composition of joint study group and fixing the time frames for the submission of the joint study group report in June 2013 when Sharma visits St. Petersburg for the International Economic Forum," India's commerce and industry ministry said in a statement. It said meetings between ministers from all the concerned countries were being worked out. India's total trade with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan increased to $7.43 billion in 2012 from $6.54 billion in the previous year.

ADB offers Rs 1,367 cr loan for road development in India

NEW DELHI: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday offered $252 billion loan for development of rural roads in Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. Representatives of the ADB, Indian government and respective state governments signed the loan agreements here. "The loan represents the first tranche of a $800 million financing facility under the Rural Connectivity Investment Programme," the finance ministry said in a statement. The money will be used to construct 3,461 km of all-weather rural roads in the five states, benefiting nearly 1,600 rural habitations. "The second goal is to improve the capacity of implementing agencies through rural connectivity training and research centres and rural roads network management units," it said. The federal ministry of rural development is the executing agency of the project at the central level while the implementing agencies at the state level will be the respective state rural roads development agencies. The first tranche is expected to be completed in December 2015.

it will take a call on interest rates keeping in view inflation and other macro-economic parameters such as the growth rate and industrial production. Chidambaram further said, although inflation based on movement in

be a cause of concern. "Core inflation has indeed come down. Headline inflation has also come down but the consumer price inflation is still sticky in double digits and that's what affects the people," the Minister said.

Textiles Ministry wants extension of interest subvention scheme

NEW DELHI:With the financial package for exporters becoming a bone of contention between the Commerce and Finance Ministries, labour-intensive sectors such as handlooms, handicrafts and cotton textiles are crying for attention, and are seeking a quick resolution of issues impacting them to avoid further loss of jobs and closure of manufacturing units. In the run-up to the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), now rescheduled to be released in the third week of April, instead of the first week earlier, the Textiles Ministry had submitted proposals to the Board of Trade (BoT) and the Finance Ministry for giving a boost to exports from the handloom, handicrafts, cotton textiles and readymade garments sectors. With exports showing no sign of revival and exporters facing tough competition in various markets, the continued delay in taking decisions for inclusion in the FTP are hurting these sectors badly. The Ministry feels that the 2 per cent interest subvention scheme should be extended beyond the March 31, 2013, date as it would facilitate exporters and help them to stay competitive in the international arena. In its submissions to the BoT, the Textiles Ministry has pleaded that the duty credit scrip equivalent to 2 per cent of the FOB value of exports of handloom products to all countries, effective from August 2009 onwards, should be increased to 5 per cent. Such a move would lead to genuine handloom manufacturer being compensated appropriately so as to feel encouraged to continue his activities, the Ministry has argued.

V Umashankar appointed govt director on MTNL Board

NEW DELHI: The Government has appointed Telecom Joint Secretary, V Umashankar as its representative on the board of state-run telecom firm MTNL. "V Umashankar, Joint Secretary, (Telecom) DoT has been appointed as Government Director w.e.f. March 15, 2013 in place of Shri Malay Shrivastava," MTNL informed the BSE in a filing on Tuesday. Umashankar, Haryana cadre IAS of 1993 batch, was appointed joint Secretary at Department of Telecom on March 5 in place of Shrivastava. MTNL's Technical Director Kuldeep Singh has resigned from the board following his appointment as member TDSAT, it said. In a separate filing, the stateowned firm said it has floated nonconvertible debentures, in the form of bonds under sovereign guarantee, on private placement basis, which has been subscribed to the extent of Rs 1,005 crore as on March 28, 2013. The Government has permitted MTNL to raise up to Rs 3,000 crore through these sovereign guarantee bonds.

India signs enhanced air services pact with Singapore

SINGAPORE: India and Singapore on Tuesday signed an enhanced air services agreement to build on the existing 216 weekly flights and meet the growing demand for air connectivity between the two countries. "As demand for air services between both countries continue to grow, the bilateral air services agreement was enhanced to include more capacity entitlements," a statement from Singapore's Transport Ministry said. "As part of the enhancement of the agreement, both countries also agreed to meet regularly to review air services matters," the Ministry

GAIL to explore legal options to resume work on pipeline project

CHENNAI: GAIL India will explore further legal options to re-start work on the Tamil Nadu section of the Kochi-Bangalore high pressure LNG pipeline project with the Madras High Court closing a contempt petition filed by farmers opposing the project. According to farmers' representatives, the Tamil Nadu Government, the main respondent in the petition, has said that GAIL should run the underground pipeline adjacent to highways rather than through agricultural lands in the State, where the pipeline traverses over 310 km through seven districts. GAIL should also restore the fields, where trenches have been cut and pipelines laid, to their original condition and compensate farmers. This was in line with its announcement last week in the Assembly, according to the petitioner P. Kandasamy, General Secretary of the farmers' association. The Court has directed the State Government to inform GAIL of its decision within three days. Sources associated with the case said GAIL had hoped to file a sub-petition in the contempt proceeding No. 550 of 2013 in W.A. No. 1666 of 2012 explaining its stand, backed by expert views against running the pipeline along the highway and that the global norm is to run it across country under open lands. But the Court has directed GAIL to file a separate petition.

said. Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh and Singapore Transport Minister Liu Tuck Yew were present during the signing of the agreement. Singh, in Singapore from April 2 to 4, also exchanged views on air transport issues with Lui. Singh would also discuss the importance of air connec-

tivity in enhancing bilateral trade ties between India and Singapore, with S Iswaran, Singapore's Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Trade & Industry and Home Affairs. Currently, Singapore is linked by air services to 12 Indian cities, having the most frequent flights to India out of Southeast Asia.

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STUDENT AGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 2013

MISC

8
NADA refuses to test Vijender for heroin, Ministry in a fix
NEW DELHI: The National Anti-Doping Agency's refusal to test star boxer Vijender Singh for heroin has left the Sports Ministry flummoxed and it will wait for a written response from NADA before deciding its next move. The NADA, which is an autonomous body, is willing to conduct a regular out-ofcompetition dope test on Vijender but has expressed its inability to test the Olympic bronze-medallist for heroin citing World Anti-Doping Agency's protocol. In response, the Ministry said it would decide on its next move after getting NADA's reply in writing. "We have not asked NADA to proclaim anything on his guilt but just conduct a test to find out whether he took heroin... the NADA has not conveyed anything to us in writing, let them do that first and then we will think of our stand," Sports Secretary P K Deb said. "We will not be testing Vijender for heroin. We will strictly go by the NADA and WADA code. We are independent and will strictly follow the protocol for out-of-

IPL 6 2013 ceremony kicks off in grand gala style

KOLKATA: The 'City of Joy' opened its heart to the cricket world as a dazzling Bollywood-style opening ceremony kicked off the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday, with American rapper Pitbull and superstar Shah Rukh Khan stealing the limelight. The city let its hair down with SRK, Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone grooving to the desi moves, leaving the healthy turnout at the Salt Lake Stadium enthralled. It reached a crescendo when the evening's biggest attraction of them all, Pitbull, took to the stage. The 120,000 capacity football stadium transformed into a magical kaleidoscope high on entertainment, has surely made the 60,000-plus turnout forget the controversial build up cash-rich T20 league. The opening though, at times, appeared to have fallen short of the standards Khan had promised prior to the event. Divided into six segments, the evening began with Khan doing a poetic rendition of popular Rabindra Sangeet Aguner Paroshmani with the popular poetry 'Where the mind is without fear "being played in the background. As is the tournament's wont, the build-up to this edition, too, had been blighted by controversies, but the gala opening has put to rest all apprehensions.

Katrina Kaif performs during the IPL opening ceremony at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata of Rabindra Sangeet, 'Play hard, play fair'. slowly and smoothly into the Bollywood dance, songs and, Flying drummers, hot air above to the sound of above all, unfettered enthusi- Chinese percussionists, fire- drums, music and the cheers asm as the 2013 leg formally works were the some of the of people, with a performer opened with all the nine team other attractions that were on carrying the winner's trophy. captains taking the ICC offer for the event. After that The 1 hour and 45 minute Spirit of Cricket Pledge, a collection of balloons rose extravaganza, which was

Ajay Vaid from Jammu felicitated by Harbans Kapoor in Dehradun

DEHRADUN: In an impressive function held at Dehradun, the capital of Uttrakhand , Akhil Bhartiya Swarankar Sangh National Core Committee Member from Jammu and Kashmir Ajay Vaid was felicitated by Chief guest Harbans Kapoor, 7 time MLA of BJP, who offered him certificate of appreciation (Tamra Patra). The function was organized by Bahadur Singh Verma , All India President , Swarankar Sangh and it was attended by delegates from 29 states of the Country. The name of Ajay Vaid was proposed by Raj kumar babbar, Jammu province President of Swarankar Sangh to the central team keeping in view his social services besides active Railway Station on his arrival from Dehradun , congratulated himand said that the honoured showered on Ajay Vaid is the appreciation of the Public Serviceput in by him during the past few years. He said that Vaid has been seen taking rounds of different offices with the grievences of the poor, needy people as well as agitating over the issues related to the Swarankar Community. He expressed gratitude to the Central team for honouring a Jammu male at the age of just 34 years. Ajay Vaid said that it is the honour of all the members of Swarankar Sangh of the state who have been working in unison for the welfare of the people across the state.

GT1 World Series: Armaan and team 11th overall

NOGARO /FRANCE : The BMW Sports Trophy team featuring JK Tyre-sponsored Armaan Ebrahim of India and Frenchman Julien Jousse finished 11th overall and third in the Pro-Am class in the opening round of the FIA GT 1 World Series. After qualifying 17th for the first of the two races, the BMW team moved up to seventh overall and second in Pro-Am before getting shunted out. The second race turned out to be a disaster as the team was docked a 30second penalty for the incident in the previous outing and a damper failure ended their outing. Armaan Ebrahim said: "We had a good start to the weekend, but some unfortunate incidents pushed us back. I am happy with the good performance in the wet thanks to the correct set up we had during the qualifying rounds. "Race 1 was very good as we finished third in the Pro Am Class and 11th Overall despite getting hit from behind which cost us four places. Race 2 was a total disaster.

competition testing of an athlete irrespective of what the Sports Ministry has said," NADA director-general Mukul Chatterjee said. "NADA can't go against the WADA code. The blood and urine test will be strictly conducted under the WADA code and the NADA rules. We cannot contradict the Sports Ministry as well as we are being funded by the government," he said. "In the WADA list of prohibited substances for out-ofcompetition, heroin is not there. It's correct that traces of heroin can be found out in a hair sample for a period of more than three months. We can check on heroin within a

time frame of blood and urine sample test...there is a limited time span but the hair sample has a larger time frame. So, neither NADA nor the NDTL can do a hair test because there is no protocol," he explained.On the other hand, despite mounting pressure, Vijender has kept mum on the scandal which is snowballing into a career-threatening controversy for him. The Indian Boxing Federation, which itself is in doldrums after being suspended by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) for "possible manipulation" in elections, has advised Vijender to come clean on the matter.

Farooq Abdullah announces Rs five lakh reward for Parveez Rasool

JAMMU: Praising Parveez Rasool for his impressive performance at the national and international level, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday announced a reward of Rs five lakh for the cricketer. Abdullah has announced a reward of Rs five lakh for J&K cricketer Parveez Rasool in recognition of his outstanding performances both at the national and international level, chairman JKCA media committee Ranjeet Kalra said on Tuesday. your brilliant all round performance for the J&K side and the other top teams like India A that you have represented in the recent past," Abdullah said . "All of us in the State of Jammu & Kashmir in general and the JKCA in particular are proud of you and pray for your success in the IPL season as well," Abdullah said. Abdullah later in the evening also spoke to Parveez at Pune and wished him good luck. The JKCA will soon organize a function where Parveez and the J&K

Young Akhil Bhartiya Swarankar Sangh National Core Committee Member from Jammu Ajay Vaid being felicitated by Harbans Kapoor at Dehradun participation in the day to day redressal of the problem being faced by Swarankar Sangh people in the state. Raj kumar babbar, who received Ajay Vaid at

Geeta Phogat to lead India women at Asian wrestling meet

NEW DELHI: The battle for the women's wrestling continental crown will witness some of the top contenders take to the mats of the K.D. Jadhav Wrestling Stadium at the Asian Wrestling Championship to be held here April 18-22. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announced the squad, selected on the basis of trials held at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala Tuesday. Olympian and 2012 World Championship bronze medallist Geeta Phogat (59kg) will lead the Indian charge. The 24-year-old, who bagged a podium finish at the 2012 Asian Championship with a bronze, will be aiming for a different medal this time around. "The Asian Championships will be a women to excel with the home advantage. "The women's discipline in the sport has witnessed a gradual but steady rise in the country. Geeta has pioneered the way, giving the future a woman wrestles the required impetus to dream big. Indian women have been performing consistently and this championship will play a very significant role in the growth of the sport in India," said Yadav.The level of competition also promises to be of high standard with strong holders like China, Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia confirming their participation.

Dera Kesari dangal on April 12

JAMMU: Organised by Dera Baba Banda Bahadur Parbandhak Committee, the 22nd Dera Kesari Vishal Dangal shall take place on April 12 at Dera Baba Banda Bahadur in district Reasi on the eve of Baisakhi Festival. This was decided in a meeting held under the chairmanship of president J&K Indian Style. Wrestling Association, Shiv Kumar Sharma and attended besides others by Baba Jatinder Paul Singh Sodhi Gaddi Nasheen, Dera Baba Banda Bahadur and Baba Bahadur Sikh Samardai Malik Ram Lubhaya Paruthi, Sant Kumar Juneja, VP Makar, Sanjay Kumar and Mohan Singh. Around 60 wrestlers, including those from outside the state, have confirmed their participation for this dangal.

Abdullah in a message to Parveez, who is all set to play in the IPL for Pune Warriors team, has expressed happiness on his impressive performance this season. "I am extremely happy at

Inter-department cricket tourney of JU Sajjad, Rajan guide EVS to big win

Law Department wins Volleyball tourney

JAMMU: Department of Law on Tuesday clinched the volleyball trophy after they beat Department of Geology 3-2 in the final of the annual interdepartment sports meet of University of Jammu (JU), played on the campus. The final turned out to be a real entertainer with both sides displaying superb spike work throughout the five set game. However, Law Department emerged winners making it 32. The score: 25-19,25-20,2325,23-25 , 17-15 From winners Law Department, Ashwani, Mohit Sharma, Anshu Mahajan and Aman Bhagat played fine game while Neeraj Kumar and Sanjeev Sharma defended well from Geology. Final was officiated by Mulkh Raj Sharma, Imtiaz Ahmed and Stanzin Namsas. Meanwhile, the chess title went to Department of Computer Sciences (MCA), who beat their counterparts from Department of Law in the final. Earlier, in the semifinals, Department of Law beat Department of Physics and Electronics 2-0 while Computer Sciences outplayed Department of Chemistry in similar fashion 2-0.

good test for us as some of the best wrestling nations will be participating. The championship will also provide me a good opportunity to access my game before the World Championship later this year," said Geeta. Chief national coach O.P. Yadav believes that the tournament will be an ideal opportunity for Indian

Eleven students of Lawrence Public School awarded Rajya Puraskar by Governor

JAMMU: The Governor,NN Vohra on Tuesday who is Patron of the J&K State Bharat Scouts and Guides, presents the 8th Rajya Puraskars to Eleven students of Lawrence Public School, during Puraskar investure ceremony of J&K Bharat Scouts & Guides in the presence of 'Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Sh. Madan Lal Sharma, President Scouts & Guides Sh. R.S Chib, CEO Raj Bhawan Sh. Naveen Chowdhary, Chief Commissioner Scouts & Guides N.A Khan, DG Youth Services & Sports I.G Naveen Aggarwal, held at the Governor House lawns. The Governor said that while the Scouts and Guides movement has gained good JAMMU: Sajjad and Rajan on Tuesday guided Department of Environmental Sciences (EVS) to a huge 80 runs win over Department of Buddhist Studies in the ongoing Interdepartment Twenty20 Cricket Tournament of University of Jammu (JU) on the campus. Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, EVS set a challenging target of 209 runs losing four wickets, which, in reply, Buddhist Studies could not attain. Sajjad played brilliant innings of 72 runs coming off just 37 deliveries with the help of 13 boundaries while Rajan, who batted equally good, contributed 33-ball 53 runs including eight fours. Arvind added 20-ball 27 runs. From Buddhist Studies, Varinder claimed two wickets while Bikram bagged two. Batting second, Buddhist Studies exhausted their quota of 20 overs for 120 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Varinder remained top scorer with 38-ball 54 runs studded with five fours and one six. Surinder and Stanzin contributed 13 and 15 runs respectively. From EVS, Pankaj was most successful bowler with two for 16 in three overs while Sumit also took two wickets.

progress in J&K there is need for pooling resources and efforts to further strengthen it. He stressed the need for providing the required support to secure the objective of

constantly increasing the activities of the Scouts. The students who were awarded the Rajya Puraskar included Naina Puri, Shriya Mahajan, Arti Thakur,

Vagisha Mehra, Aasha Sharma, Aditya Kaul, Akshay Kumar Sharma, Ankit Suri, Ajit Singh, Partikshan Badyal, Akhil Abrol.

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