Govt. addressing unemployment crisis through multifaceted strategy: Omar
Emphasizes on opening overseas job market for J&K youth
JAMMU, MARCH 31 – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has said that state government is addressing unemployment crisis in the state through a multifaceted strategy. He said the J&K State Overseas Employment Corporation Limited (JKSOECL) is a part of this strategy and underlined its role in opening substantial overseas job market for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar asked the corporation to launch a website as early as possible and subsequently convert it into a job portal. He told the corporation to provide concrete information to youth about job opportunities and vacancies existing in various field in the foreign market and facilitate them in getting absorbed in the overseas job market.
The Chief Minister asked the Corporation to participate in the employment meet of middle-east countries in Chandigarh which is taking place there very soon. He said Corporation should also identify and ascertain such events taking place in the country and prepare a calendar of these meets for regular participation.
Chairing the meeting of the Board of Directors of JKSOECL here, the Chief Minister also directed the Corporation to drop a list of Ambassadors of various countries in India where from lot of overseas recruitment takes place. “You should arrange an interaction meetings with them in which the human resources potential of Jammu and Kashmir in various fields can be shared”, he said adding that these dignitaries can be also invited to the State subsequently to explore the possibilities for seeking meaningful employment for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir in the overseas market.
The Chief Minister said that employment crisis in the State has to be addressed through multifaceted strategy and the constitution of JKSOECL is an important measure in this direction. He asked the Corporation to intensify its activities and come up with a benefitting roadmap for opening international job market to the youth of the State. “You have to work for both skilled and unskilled human resource available in the State including technically qualified people”, he maintained.
Since the taking over as Chief Minister of the State, Omar Abdullah flagged the unemployment crisis as one of the most important concerns of the government and initiated various new initiatives to expand job market for the youth particularly in private job market. He also concentrated on enhancing employability and skill of the educated youth to make them capable of getting absorbed in the job market. Launch of SKEWPY and encouraging MSME sector in the State were significant measures in this direction. The constitution of JKSOECL is a part of SKEWPY which aims at facilitating youth of Jammu and Kashmir to get jobs in the international job market.
The Chief Minister said that after gathering concrete information and the nature of jobs available for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, the JKSOECL should organize camps and make the youth aware of the jobs available in foreign markets besides facilitating them to grab the opportunities. He asked the Corporation to render its service as mission and function as per a comprehensive and well planned roadmap to make necessary dent in the direction of seeking meaningful overseas employment for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
The former Union Secretary in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs who is one of the Directors of JKSOECL, A Dedar Singh shared his experience in the meeting and gave suggestions for strengthening the Corporation and making its functioning smooth and productive.
Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik, Principal Secretary Finance, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary Industries and Commerce, Umang Narula, Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education, G. A. Peer, Commissioner Secretary Labour and Employment, Yedullah, Secretary Technical Education, Vinod Koul, Managing Director JKSOECL, A. Arshid and other Non-Official Directors, A. Dedar Singh, Sheikh Imran, Farooq Amin and Tanveer Singh Gujral were present in the meeting.
The Managing Director of the Corporation presented overview of the functioning and progress of JKSOECL and explained the agenda item wise.
Fai’s sentence aftermath: KAC to continue support Kashmir cause
‘We are receiving donations from friends, well wishers’
Srinagar, Mar 31 (VOS): A day after a US court sentenced Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai to two years in jail on charges of illegally working for Pakistani spy agency ISI to influence American policy on Kashmir, the Kashmir American Council (KAC) Saturday vowed to continue to work for Kashmiris right to self determination in US.
“Come what may the KAC is here to speak for the people of Kashmir and their genuine rights,” KAC board member and spokesperson, Sareer Fazili told VOS over phone from US.
“We will continue to make every effort to propagate the cause of Kashmir. It is very important to Kashmiris to know that KAC hasn’t been imposed any restrictions by US government or the court. We are free to perform our activities so long as they conform to the laws of US,” he added.
Asked whether activities of the KAC have been hampered due to Fai’s arrest since last year, he said, “Initially we were affected by his arrest. But now we are learning how to work without Dr Fai’s presence. It will take us some time to reach to level of efficiency which we were.”
“When Dr Fai’s was first arrested the government froze KAC account. Subsequently KAC was given green signal to open a separate account which we did. Since then KAC has been receiving donations from its friends and well wishers,” Fazili told VOS.
The KAC spokesperson agreed with US court’s decision. “We are in full agreement with judge’s decision on Dr Fai and any relationship that he may have previously had with Government of Pakistan and its involvement in KAC. We don’t find any fault on judges restricting Dr Fai,” he said.
Sareer said that Dr Fai will be free to write and research and he will be able to serve Kashmir cause.
Mehbooba concerned over plight of Kashmiris in Goa
Blames Omar-govt of failing to take cognizance
Srinagar, Mar 31 (VOS): Leader of Opposition in state Assembly and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti Saturday asked the state government to take up alleged inhuman approach towards Kashmiris in Goa with the concerned government at the earliest.
Taking on Omar Abdullah government for “failing” to take immediate cognizance of the events that were “unnerving for most of the Kashmiris in Goa, the PDP leader asked state Government to open up communication channels with the Goa Government immediately so that Kashmiris feel sigh of relief.
Talking to VOS, Mehbooba termed the issuance of particular type of identification cards to Kashmiris by the Goa government as unfortunate and uncalled for.
“This is not done in human societies that you make people identify with such strange mark of identity,” Mehbooba said, adding that issuance of strange identity cards to Kashmiris and that too against the deposition of Rs 1200 has put not only their business into jeopardy but also has affected their life and studies in the tourist state.
“I had raised the issue on the floor of the assembly also but it seems the voice has fallen into deaf ears,” the PDP chief rued.
“Government must take up the issue with the authorities in Goa on priority. PDP was receiving calls from Kashmiris in Goa who were are and frightened,” she added.
Meanwhile VOS office received some calls from Goa where Kashmiris alleged harassment by the authorities.
Shah disappointed with Fai sentence
Hails UN Rapporteur’s AFSPA revocation call
Srinagar, Mar 31 (VOS): Terming imprisonment sentence of Executive Director of Kashmir American Council, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai as unfortunate and disappointing, senior separatist leader and Freedom Party chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah Saturday said such punishments in a democratic country like USA were not only disappointing but undemocratic.
In a statement to VOS, Shah said, “Lobbying is not illegal according to USA law and punishing a separatist who was working for the Kashmir cause can not be justified.”
He vowed that Kashmiris will not be deterred by such acts and the movement would be carried forward at any cost.
Dr. Fai was sentenced by a Virginia district court for two years imprisonment for his alleged links with Pakistan government, an allegation which Fai has repeatedly rejected saying that he was working for the independence of Kashmir.
Meanwhile Shah has hailed the statement of UN Repporteur regarding the revocation of AFSPA and other black laws from state.
Fai’s sentence exposes US double game on Kashmir: Hizb Chief
Says Fai made scapegoat in ISI-CIA tussle after Osama episode
Srinagar, Mar 31 (VOS): Terming the imprisonment sentence of Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai an outcome of a tussle between US and Pakistani intelligence agencies, United Jihad Council supremo and Chief of the Hizb ul Mujahedeen, Syed Salah u din has said that by the sentence was aimed to please India.
In an emailed statement to VOS, Salah u din said, “The sentence has exposed America’s double game and disinterest toward Kashmir cause.”
The Hizb chief added that the entire world knew that Fai’s arrest was a tit for tat for Dr Shakeel Afridi’s arrest after Abattabad operation. “Was not US and its agencies aware of Dr Fai’s activities prior to Abattabad episode,” he questioned.
“Dr Fai was being made a scapegoat in the infighting between the intelligence agencies of USA and Pakistan. Dr Fai has been working on diplomatic front for Kashmir cause for three decades. Such acts won’t stop Kashmiris from taking the movement to its logical conclusion,” he added.
Incentives cheques worth Rs. 19 lakh distributed among Farmers
One day Kissan Mela cum Exhibition held at Mattan
ANANTNAG, MARCH 31: District Development Commissioner Anantnag, Kifayat Hussain Rizvi said that there is urgent need to adopt a new strategy of cultivating crops of higher economic values and to make optimum use of the available land to achieve self sufficiency in agriculture production.
The District Development Commissioner was addressing a Kissan Mela cum Exhibition at Town hall Mattan on Friday. He said diverse cropping pattern and use of modern farm technology are significantly important in this regard. He said the key challenge confronting Agriculture is to produce more food grains for growing population in sustainable manner. He stressed upon the Officers to act as bridge between labs to land so that the communication gap from scientists to farming community is reduced. He advised farmers to take advantage of all the schemes launched by the Department and cooperate with Agriculture Department in implementing all the programmes for making state self sufficient in food crops. He appreciated the efforts of Department to reach out to the farmers in far flung areas of the valley.
Director Agriculture Kashmir Dr Farooq A. Lone said that food security, sustainability and profitability are the main focus of Agriculture. He said Department of Agriculture is making all out efforts for achieving higher productivity by way of tapping the land resources, irrigation potential, introduction of high yielding variety and hybrid seeds, maintenance of soil fertility and farm mechanization.
He said Department is very much committed for upliftment of farming community and Kisasn Mela shall provide them an opportunity to interact with the experts of various fields besides availing the benefits of various schemes. He advised farmers to adopt the high tech agriculture to boost agriculture and allied sectors and adopts side by side Bee keeping, mushroom, vegetable and flower cultivation.
Among others Chief Agriculture Officer, District Agriculture Officers, Officers and Officials of the Department besides large number of farmers including Panchs and Sarpanchs were present on the occasion.
Later, District Development Commissioner and Director Agriculture Kashmir distributed incentive cheques worth Rs 19 lakh among farmers who have purchased farm machinery.
Govt making efforts to achieve self reliance in Maize production: Mir
SRINAGAR, MARCH 31: The Government is making every effort to achieve self reliance in maize production in the dry lands of the state, but the need is to adopt scientific methodology of raising and managing the maize crop.
This was stated by the Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Ghulam Hassan Mir while addressing the maize conference organised by Directorate of Extension Education, Dry Land (Karewa) Agriculture Research station for the tribal farmers of the valley.
The problems of tribal farmers were highlighted and solutions too were discussed in the conference under tribal sub plan announced by Government of India from time to time.
The main theme of the conference was livelihood opportunity on sustainable basis for upliftment of tribal maize growers of Kashmir valley. The tribal farmers of six districts participated in the conference besides other dignitaries. The conference discussed and deliberated the issue of advance technology of maize production. It was given out that SKUAST-K has developed 11 high yielding varieties of maize which are adapted to diverse agro-ecology of Kashmir.
Later, the seeds, fertilisers, seed bins, pumps and polyhouses were distributed among tribal farmers of valley.
The programme was sponsored by Directorate of Maize Research (ICAR), New Delhi.
The Vice Chancellor, SKUAST, Tej Pratap also spoke on the occasion.
Among others, Director Research, Director Extension, Senior Scientist Government of India, Director Horticulture and Director Agriculture were present on the occasion.
Power shut down
SRINAGAR, MARCH 31: According to Power Controller, Kashmir to carry out necessary repairs the power supply will remain off in areas fed from 33 KV line Pampore-BK Pora and 132/33 KV Grid Station Habak on April 02, 2012 and April 03, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. respectively.
New Delhi: Mohammed Ahmad Kazmi, arrested for alleged role in diplomat car attack, pleaded in court, he "should not be pushed to point of committing suicide."
