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5 More model degree colleges on anvil: Malik

Work on GCET Phase-II apace

Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik has said that government contemplates to set up five more model degree colleges in the state under Centrally Sponsored Scheme. He said in this regard a proposal have been moved to Centre for necessary approval adding that as and when the proposal is approved by the Centre, one model degree college would be set up in Udhampur district.

This was stated by the Minister in reply to question by Mr. Harshdev Singh in Legislative Assembly here today. He said the construction work of Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), Jammu phase-I was completed in 2006 whileas the execution of phase-II of the college has been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 38.40 crore stands adding that construction of mechanical engineering department of the college completed and work on workshop is under construction.

The Minister said that 72 teaching posts have been sanctioned consisting of 15 professors, 24 assistant professors and 33 lecturers for GCET, against which 30 posts are in position on regular establishment and 27 lecturers on academic arrangement.

He said the recruitment rules for non-gazetted employees of GCET have been already framed and recruitment rules of gazetted faculty have been drafted and are under consideration of the government. The Minister said the matter with regard to providing benefits of 6th pay commission to GCET employees is also under consideration of the government. He said government intends to consolidate and strengthen the infrastructure of the college, adding that at present there is no proposal to upgrade GCET to the level of NIT.
Agri insurance scheme in vogue in State since 2004-05: Chib

Minister for Medical and Technical Education and Youth Service and Sports Mr. R. S. Chib today informed the House that National Agriculture Insurance Scheme has been introduced in the State since 2002 and has been  implemented from 2004-05.

Replying to question by Mr. Ravinder Kumar Sharma, the Minister said the main objectives of the Scheme include providing insurance cover to farmers in the event of failure of any notified crop as a result of Natural calamities, pest attack and diseases, to encourage farmers to adopt progressive practices and technologies, and to stabilize farm income.    

Besides, he said during last three years schemes like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Macro Management of Agriculture (MMA), Horticulture Mission for North-east and Himalayan States (HMNH), Integrated Scheme of Oilseed, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM), Support of State Extension Program for Extension Reform (ATMA) and Seed Village Programme have been adopted for giving a boost to the agriculture and horticulture sectors.
Hullabaloo in Upper House

NC, PDP members’ tirade charges against each other

Jammu, Mar 15 (VOS): The Legislative Council Thursday witnessed uproarious scenes and pandemonium amid allegations and counter allegations between opposition and treasury benches.

The Upper House assembled at 11 am and the question hour was going on smoothly till PDP member Murtaza Khan wanted to raise a supplementary to a question of Nizam-ud-Din Khatana.

However, Agha Syed Ahmad Rizvi and Narboog Gulsan tried to put their point before that. On this Khan asked Narboog to sit down which forced NC members led by Chief Minister’s Advisor, Davender Singh Rana to protest against Khan’s remarks.

Amid protracted uproarious scenes and verbal spat between National Conference and PDP members Rana addressed to the Chairman saying that no member has right to ask other member to sit down. “The authority lies only with Chairman to ask any member to sit down and it is against the parliamentary affairs,” Rana addressed to the Chairman.

On this Khan, Khatana and Asgar Ali shouted back at Rana. “Davender Rana is advisor to Chief Minister not to the House. He should keep his advices for himself only,” they said.

Amid allegations and counter allegations, Speaker asked the members to maintain decorum of the House. “If any member is not satisfied with the answer he can move a resolution for half an hour debate in the House,” Chairman Amrit Malhotra said.

As situation normalized, Khan asked the supplementary alleging that that minister has given wrong figures in reply to a question.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ali Mohammad Sagar stood up and alleged that Khan was misleading the House. “This has become habit of PDP to make false statements to remain in news,” Sagar said.

This prompted reaction from PDP members and the House again witnessed noisy scenes.

At 11:58 all the three PDP members walked out of the House.

Syed Yousuf’s lawyer visits CM residence, CB office

Srinagar, Mar 15 (VOS): On the permission of Justice Bedi Commission probing death of ruling National Conference worker Syed Yousuf, the deceased’s lawyer, Advocate Mushtaq Ahmad Dar visited the office of Crime Branch and Gupkar residence of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.

Talking to VOS Dar said, “I visited the places to know about in which room my client was kept on September 29, 2011 before his death. My aim to visit these places was to assess the situation and the circumstances which led to the death of my client.”

“It would help me a great deal in the case as I got the clues which I will present before the Bedi Commission,” he added.

Dar said that nobody interfered in his work at both the places. “Where ever I wanted to go I was allowed,” he added.

Sources told VOS that Dar will visit Police Control Room Hospital on March 19 where Syed Yousuf was taken on September 29 for treatment.

The next date of hearing of the case before Bedi Commission is March 27.
‘NC misusing institution of Assembly to muzzle opposition voice’

Have not breached privilege of House: Mehbooba

Jammu, Mar 15 (VOS): Alleging that the ruling National Conference was trying to misuse the sacred institution of the legislature to intimidate opposition and to muzzle its voice, Peoples Democratic Party president and legislature leader Mehbooba Mufti today informed the Legislative Assembly secretariat that she and her party MLAs had never tried to breach the privilege of the House as alleged in a notice issued to them.

“The complaint asserts that we presented certain documents in the House on 12.03.2012. Your records will show that none of us presented any documents in the House as alleged. We have documents in our possession that prima facie indicate that serious irregularities and breach of trust and monetary misappropriation appear to have taken place in J&K Cricket Association headed by Dr Abdullah. We wanted to present these documents if Hon’ble Speaker had accepted our adjournment motion for discussion on this issue. If our request for discussion on this subject is allowed we will present these documents in the House. For this purpose, we may move for a discussion on this subject,” Mehbooba said in a statement.

“Since the complaint is founded on the basis of documents which were never presented by us in the House, the factual foundation for the complaint does not exist,” she added.

Quoting extensively from parliamentary procedures and rules, Mehbooba informed the Assembly Secretary that while the party legislators hold the institution of legislature in highest respect the treasury bench created hurdles in the discharge of their duties to the people who elected them.

She also requested that the Speaker use his authority to prevent the treasury bench from obstructing the performance of the PDP legislators from performing their constitutional duties. However, she reiterated the resolve of her party not to get intimidated or deterred from performing their roles without any fear of reprisal.

“We are determined to justify our mandate by upholding the dignity of the office of honorable speaker and the institution of this august house,” Mehbooba said.

The PDP chief alleged that NC had caused incalculable damage to the democratic institutions in the state through fraud and undemocratic methods. “They have trampled the demarcation line between the state and their person interests and have been treating the state for the last many decades as their personal property. It  is not through rigged the elections alone that they subverted democracy but even now when NC is no more in a dominant position in the House they are trying to undermine peoples rights through subterfuge, bribery, and muscle and lung power,” she alleged.

“But PDP is a reality it can no longer wish away”, she said and pointed out that the ruling coalition had blocked discussion in the legislature over any serious matter of public interest and tried to bury scandals like sale of MLC, MLA mandates and ministerial berths leading to Yousuf  Shah killing and the multi crore cricket association scam.

Mehbooba alleged that the NC had been looting the state resources and dominating its institutions like the Auquf, medical institute and other institutions for years and instead of letting them work for public good misusing them for party and family interests of Abdullahs.

“They have not even spared the Cricket Association which is receiving huge funding from BCCI for the promotion of cricket in the state. Crores of rupees have been siphoned off by Farooq Abullah and his cronies in a brazen loot of resources that could have helped large number of youth in showing their talent and follow their passion,” the PDP president claimed.

“But, the Abdullah family has denied even this opportunity to them and instead stolen the money required for building cricket infrastructure to construct their own palaces and secure the future of their own families,” She said the “PDP would continue its crusade against corruption in the state which is spearheaded by none other than the NC and its first family.”
Police produces Masrat before CJM

Srinagar, Mar 15 (KNS): The police on Thursday produced senior separatist leader Masrat Aalam before Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar.

According to a spokesperson of Muslim League, Masrat Aalam was produced before the CJM in a 2009 case. The CJM listed the case for next hearing on May 7.

He said Masrat Aalam was brought from Kuthwa jail yesterday and presently he is lodged in Police Station Shergari.

Masrat Aalam was arrested by the Police on October 18, 2010 during a raid at his hideout in Telbal on Srinagar outskirts after hunting for him for the four months during the peak of 2010 summer unrest.

The 41-year-old General Secretary of the Syed Ali Shah Geelani led Hurriyat Conference had become a cult figure who announced the ‘Quit Jammu and Kashmir’ programme in 2010 when Geelani was in jail.

Police say he was the man behind the 2010 agitation, protest calendars and stone-pelting cartels that claimed 110 lives, most of them in firing by security forces.


 Mirwaiz raises unmarked graves issue in Geneva

Urges Islamic HR commission to use its influence

Srinagar, Mar 15 (KNS):  Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has urged Islamic human rights commission to take note of what he said unabated human rights violations by army in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mirwaiz who is in Geneva, to participate in 19th Human Rights Convention being organized by United Nations, led a delegation on Thursday to meet number of heads of different world organizations who have assembled in the Switzerland capital.

In a statement to KNS, Hurriyat spokesman quoted Mirwaiz as having urged international human rights watchdogs to pay attention towards the human rights issues in Kashmir.

In his meeting with Islamic Human Rights Commission Chairman, Dr Syed Masood Shah Jaraie, Mirwiaz stressed that the organization should use its influence to highlight the ‘unmarked graves’  issue at the international forums.

The delegation also stressed upon the south Asian director of (ICRC) to pay attention towards the ‘inhuman’ treatment given to the Kashmiri political prisoners in different prisons.

According to the statement the Director assured the delegation of working together with the separatist leaders to highlight the human rights abuses in the state.





Malik detained in Ramsoo

Jammu, Mar 15 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik was detained by the police on Thursday near Ramsoo, Banihal when he was on way to Rajouri.

Reports said Malik alongwith other leaders including Showkat Ahmad Bakshi, Sheikh Rashid, Siraj-ud-Din Mir, G M Dar, Bashir Kashmiri, Mohammad Younis, Mohammad Hanief, Mohammad Sidiq Shah and Nazir Ahmad Sheikh were lodged in police station Ramsoo.