Epilogue Press

EPILOGUE PRESS
Following is the full text of the Governor’s Address to the joint sitting of Jammu and Kashmir Legislature on February 28:

Hon’ble Chairman of the Legislative Council, Hon’ble Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Hon’ble Members of the State Legislature.

I am pleased to address this Joint Session of the State Legislature today, to fulfill my constitutional privilege of sharing with you the outlines of my Government’s policies and programmes to usher Jammu & Kashmir into an era of peace, development and prosperity.

In January this year my Government completed two years in office. The development which has been achieved during this period would have been on a much larger scale if the past two summers had not remained disturbed. The need for ensuring sustained peace in the State casts high responsibility on all of us.

My Government is committed to fulfilling the hopes and aspirations with which the people had turned out in such large numbers in the 2008 Elections. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have time and again demonstrated their will to overcome difficult situations. The successful functioning of the democratic system in Jammu and Kashmir is a rich tribute to the courage and conviction of the people who have suffered severe adversities in the aftermath of 1990.

My Government’s priority attention to issues relating to development and good governance have started yielding a positive outcome. I take this opportunity to compliment the Chief Minister and members of his Council of Ministers for their success in transforming an apprehensive environment, which prevailed a few months ago, to one of hopeful optimism. For the restoration of normalcy we have to thank our people and all their elected representatives, and the Administration and the Security Forces for their functioning during a difficult period.

There has been a progressive improvement in the internal security situation in the past few years. However, the continuance of terrorist activities and extremist ideologies is a cause for serious concern. Besides causing recurring human and economic losses, the activities of terrorist networks have given a serious set back to the entire process of development and growth in the past years. My Government shall take all necessary steps to restore complete normalcy, which is imperative for sustained growth.

It has been my firm belief that agitation and confrontation cannot resolve issues involving contrary positions. Conciliation and dialogue have been, and will always remain, the best means for seeking a solution to any contentious issue. My Government has been emphasizing the importance of the dialogue process and has welcomed the initiatives in this regard which have recently been taken by the Government of India. The appointment of a team of Interlocutors and the establishment of Task Forces for the Jammu and Ladakh regions have been welcomed by my Government. The Centre’s 8-point formula would also contribute to addressing the internal dimensions of the Kashmir problem. I take this opportunity of appealing to all shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir to seize this historic opportunity of participating meaningfully in the ongoing Dialogue for resolving all outstanding differences.

Ever since 1947, Pakistan has refused to respond positively to India’s sustained endeavours for the maintenance of peaceful and friendly relations, which we wish to enjoy with all our other neighbours. Pakistan’s posture, over the past decades, has been causing serious difficulties and strains for the people of Jammu & Kashmir, particularly those who live in the border areas. My Government compliments the Government of India for its recent initiatives to recommence the dialogue process with Pakistan.

Consequent to extensive discussions held under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Round Table Conferences five working Groups had been established to examine issues relating to Jammu & Kashmir. My Government urges the Government of India to speed up the implementation of the recommendations of the Working Groups as this will contribute to building a strong and stable Jammu & Kashmir and further strengthening the Union-State relations.

The past two years have witnessed a significant improvement in the State’s security environment as a result of the constant pressure maintained by the Security Forces. My Government records its gratitude to the officers and men of the Security Forces who have been valiantly performing their duties in extremely difficult circumstances.

In pursuance of my Government’s commitment to ensure zero tolerance of human rights violations, all Security Forces have been directed to most strictly observe the Standing Operating Procedures while carrying out anti-terrorist operations in any part of the State. Side by side, the functioning of the State Police and Security Forces personnel is being reoriented to deal with stone-pelting agitations and mob violence without the application of excessive force.

The prolonged disturbances during summer 2010 resulted in the loss of innocent lives, large scale economic loss and most irreparable damage to education because of the prolonged closure of the entire educational system. I convey my sincere sympathy to all those who lost their near and dear ones and urge all segments of society to seriously ponder over the factors which led to this turmoil. Whatever be our differences and disagreements there cannot be any justification whatsoever for ruining the academic prospects of the entire student community in Kashmir. For this reason alone, partisan approaches must not be allowed to repeatedly disrupt normalcy and ruin the future of our youth.

I convey my heartfelt sympathy to the families of all those who were killed in the flash floods in the Ladakh region last summer. The State Government launched immediate measures to rescue and evacuate the affected population, including all the stranded foreigners, providing relief to the affected population and commencing measures for the restoration of the damaged infrastructure, particularly the telecom network. The Hon’ble Prime Minister visited Leh and nearby areas and announced a special package of Rs. 125 crore under the PMNRF for the rehabilitation of the affected population. The Hon’ble President of India also visited Leh to personally view the ongoing relief operations. I am happy to note that the State Government have set up an Expert Group for drafting the State Disaster Management Policy to deal with unforeseen disasters in the future.

My Government is committed to devoting priority attention to ameliorate the problems and difficulties of the Kashmir migrants. Thanks to the generous assistance provided by the Government of India, various measures have been taken to provide employment to Kashmiri Pandits and enable them to return to their homes. Efforts are also under way to resolve the problems faced by the Displaced Persons of PoK. The Government is also committed to addressing the still unresolved problems of other refugees and migrants settled in Jammu region.

Last year, the State Government approved a Rehabilitation Policy for persons who had crossed over to PoK at the onset of terrorism and who now wish to return home. The Government will help such persons in managing the transition to leading peaceful lives, rejoining the national mainstream and contributing towards peace, prosperity and progress of Jammu & Kashmir and the country.

The Government recognises that for establishing a vibrant democracy the people need to be empowered to participate in the decision making processes at the grass root levels. My Government is committed to establishing Panchayati Raj in the State and to devolving powers and responsibilities upon elected rural and urban local bodies. The process of elections to the Panchayats shall be completed by summer this year and elections to all Urban Local Bodies and Municipal Corporations shall be conducted as early as possible. I trust that the people of Jammu & Kashmir will choose honest and capable men and women to represent their interests and demonstrate the same high level of involvement in the forthcoming electoral process as they did in the 2008 Elections.

For the 2010-11 Annual Plan the Government secured the largest ever plan outlay of Rs. 6,000 crore and, besides, a provision of Rs. 1200 crore under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan. The Annual Plan 2010-11 also contains the highest ever allocation of Rs. 800 crore which will enable the Government to access over Rs. 2000 crore of funding under various Centrally-sponsored schemes and flagship programmes. Thus, during the current year, we have the opportunity of delivering developmental programmes worth up to Rs. 10,000 crore. It is also notable that for the period 2010-15, the 13th Finance Commission has given a financial award of Rs. 40,557 crore to the State. This award is 94% higher than the award under the 12th Finance Commission.

The Government remains committed to securing the equitable development of all the three regions and sub-regions of the State. Towards the achievement of this objective, the Government has identified bijli (energy), sadak (roads), pani (water supply), sehat (health), taleem (education) and rozgar (employment) as the thrust areas. The policies and programmes aimed to promote the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Gujjars and Bakerwals, Pahari-speaking people and Other Backward Classes, and those living in the backward and remote regions of the State, shall continue to receive high attention.

With a view to promoting good governance and providing a clean, accountable, honest and people-centric administration, my Government is pursuing a multi-pronged approach which involves the establishment of an institutional and legal framework, use of modern technology, effective enforcement of various laws and strengthening preventive vigilance to eliminate the scope for corruption. The Prevention of Corruption Act has been amended to give it more teeth and the J&K Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2010, has been enacted to prevent public servants from investing ill-gotten wealth in benami transactions.

The Government has selected and appointed the first State Chief Information Commissioner, who is expected to assume office shortly. The State Vigilance Commission is also being set up and the role of the State Accountability Commission has been re-defined to make it an effective tool for checking corruption.

For speedily redressing grievances of the people, e-Governance Cells have been set up in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat as well as in other offices. A Monitoring Cell is actively functioning in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat to monitor implementation of the developmental projects. A number of other initiatives like setting up of J&K e-Governance Agency, Khidmat Centres, implementation of National e-Governance Plan, Core Infrastructure Projects like the State Wide Area Network, State Data Centre and State Delivery Gateway are being taken up to improve delivery of services in a transparent and efficient manner. It is hoped that these initiatives will significantly contribute towards the successful implementation of the e-Governance mission, leading to the establishment of good governance in the State.

The State has not remained untouched by the global phenomenon of unemployment. By the end of December 2010 the number of registered educated unemployed youth had risen to 5.96 lakh. My government has taken a number of measures to reduce the unemployment problem. These include, interalia, speeding up the process of filling-up vacancies in the Government sector, through the designated recruiting agencies. In the past two years, the J&K Public Service Commission, Services Selection Board and the Police Recruitment Board finalised the selection of 26,866 candidates. The Government has also approved an additional 43,000 casual engagements in designated sectors. Further, 8,000 youth from all over the State have been inducted as volunteers under the National Youth Corpus (NYC) for carrying out various nation building activities. The Government have also launched the Sher-e-Kashmir Employment & Welfare Programme for the Youth (SKEWPY), which combines the possibility of assistance being provided for self-employment and Voluntary Service Allowance (VSA) for the unemployed youth.

In order to gainfully utilize the enormous manpower resources available in the country, the Hon’ble Prime Minister has announced a Skill Development Mission under which about 40 lakh people of our State would be trained by 2022. 18 new polytechnics, being established in the State, will contribute to upscaling our skill development efforts. Under the programme for “Skill Development of Youth of the State of Jammu and Kashmir” (SDYJK), announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, more than 1,200 young men have received training outside the State and 2,000 youth are being trained locally, in various institutions, during the current year.

My Government accords high priority to the development of agriculture which is the bedrock of the State’s economy. For encouraging and sensitizing high income generating crops and related activities, a new Agricultural Policy is being evolved to maximize returns in the agriculture sector. A High Powered Committee has been constituted to recommend an appropriate legislation to arrest the conversion of agricultural land for non agricultural purposes. A State Land Use Board has been constituted to evolve land use policy in the State. A Kissan Development Board has been set up to promote the welfare of the farming community.

Meanwhile, under the “Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana”, investments in the agriculture sector have been considerably upscaled. For the rejuvenation of saffron cultivation in J&K, a plan for the investment of Rs. 372.18 crore is being implemented during 2010-11 – 2014-15. In the horticulture sector, more areas are being brought under fruit cultivation, with a particular focus on aloevera cultivation. In 2010-11, fruit production in the State increased to 20.50 lakh metric tonnes, against 17.12 lakh metric tonnes in 2009-10.

To enable the benefits of technology reach our farmers, an effort has been launched to increase the seed replacement rate and bring it at par with the national average of 25%. To provide weather-based data to the farming community, it is proposed to install automatic weather stations all over the State. A scheme, “Support to State Extension Work Programme for Extension Reforms”, has been launched this year and 28 Kissan Melas and 3 Mega Kissan Melas were organized with large scale community participation. Progressive farmers have been given cash awards.

As a welfare measure, the Government has created a Silkworm Rearers’ Welfare Fund for extending financial support to the farmers who lose their crops due to natural calamities or outbreak of disease. The sale rates of cocoons last year were 50-100% higher than those in 2009.

The livestock sector contributes about 11% to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The developmental activities undertaken during 2010-11 include construction/up-gradation of veterinary centre buildings at block and tehsil levels, introduction of Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Schemes, Backyard Poultry Scheme, Mini-Sheep Farm Scheme and Integrated Development of Small Ruminants and Rabbits (IDSRR). A new scheme, namely, “National Animal Disease Reporting System” (NARDS) is also being launched.

Besides the farm sector, micro and small enterprises hold tremendous promise in our state, both for inclusive economic growth and for employment generation. For the promotion of such enterprises, new industrial infrastructure is being developed in the three regions of the State. 1073 units with an employment potential of around 5500 persons have been set up by the Khadi Village Industries Board. Technological and design support is being provided to the artisans of the State for contemporizing the traditional products. Training in different crafts has been imparted in large numbers through the existing 553 handicraft and 100 handloom training centres. 3507 handicraft artisans have been covered under the “Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Shawasthya Bima Yojna” and 7,358 handloom weavers have been covered under the Health Insurance Scheme.

The Tourism sector holds tremendous potential for boosting economic activities in the State by generating direct and indirect employment. The Government is focussing on building infrastructure and other facilities to boost tourism under the various Central and State schemes. 23 projects were completed this year.

Promotion of heritage, adventure, pilgrim and eco tourism is also receiving the Government’s attention. The J&K Ancient Monument Preservation Act has been amended and the J&K Heritage Conservation and Preservation Act was enacted in 2010, under which the Heritage Conservation and Preservation Authority is being set up. The Government of India has agreed to sanction three mega projects costing Rs. 100 crore. These include Conservation of Heritage Circuit—Nagaar Nagar, Srinagar to Watlub, Development of Leh as Spiritual Destination and Conservation of Mubarak Mandi.

The Government is actively promoting golf circuits and adventure tourism like heli-skiing. A Himalayan Motor Rally, traversing the Mughal Road, was organised in the State last year.

The Government attaches high importance to the conservation of our rich bio-diversity and fast depleting natural resources. A new Forest Policy, which will usher in scientific management and conservation of our green wealth, has been approved. The new Forest Policy is envisaged to achieve nature conservation and ecological balance, besides meeting the requirements of timber for domestic and commercial use. A comprehensive conservation plan has been prepared for the protection of identified water bodies in the State. Under the Comprehensive Management Action Plan for preservation and conservation of Wular Lake, an outlay of Rs. 120 crore has been earmarked under the Thirteenth Finance Commission award, which provides an allocation of Rs. 30 crore during 2011-12.

Poverty alleviation and rural development are among the top priorities of my Government. A number of wage-employment and self-employment programmes are being implemented to generate more employment avenues, create productive assets, impart technical and entrepreneur skills and raise the income levels of the poor. Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGA) which covers all the districts of the State, 35,073 works had been taken up by 31st December, 2010. Out of these 14,986 works had been completed, and employment of 105.16 lakh man-days had been generated. Over 7.57 lakh households were provided job cards under this scheme. The labour budget for the current year, at Rs. 498 crore, has been the highest ever in the State.

Under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), 12,308 houses were completed during 2010-11, out of which 8,874 have been newly constructed and 3,434 houses were upgraded. 2,203 SHGS and 2,347 individuals were assisted for economic activity under the Swranjyanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY). An amount of Rs. 63.04 crore has been spent under the Total Sanitation Programme in the rural areas.

The ever-growing urban population has generated a severe strain on the civic amenities in the cities and towns. To tackle this situation development plans have been prepared to provide better quality urban services to the people. Under the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), projects worth Rs. 1,227.23 crore have been sanctioned for the cities of Jammu and Srinagar and the other towns of the State for providing basic infrastructure which includes sewerage systems, roads, water supply and solid waste management. Projects are also under implementation for providing quality dwelling units to the Urban Poor under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) and sanitation facilities under the Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Schemes (ILCS).

The Government is committed to empowering the Urban Local Bodies. To ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning of these bodies, the J&K Public Disclosure Act, 2010 and the J&K Municipal Ombudsman Act, 2010, have been enacted. An exercise has also been initiated for bench marking services like sanitation, sewerage, drainage, solid waste collection and disposal.

The Government has decided to accord high attention to the conservation of water-bodies, which nature has gifted us in abundance. Apart from the on-going project of Rs. 298.76 crore for Conservation and Management of Dal-Nageen Lakes, the Government of India has approved an additional assistance of Rs. 356 crore for the rehabilitation and re-settlement of Dal-dwellers.

As I had mentioned last year, the State’s power sector presents huge challenges and opportunities. Our State is blessed with enormous hydel resources with an assessed capacity to generate 20,000 MW of electricity, against which only 2,460.20 MW have been harnessed so far. My Government has evolved a strategy which focuses on setting up of new hydro-electric projects under the State sector and establishing a mechanism for implementing projects as Joint Ventures and, besides, via the IPP route, on BOOT basis. Projects with a capacity of more than 6,000 MW are being taken up during the 11th and 12th Five Year Plans. The implementation of these projects will improve the overall power situation in the State.

As a sequel to the MoU signed between the J&K SPDC, NHPC and PTC, a Promoter’s Agreement for the formation of a Joint Venture Company (JVC) to develop three hydro electric projects in the Chenab Basin, with a capacity of 2,120 MW, was signed in December, 2010. Ratle HEP (690 MW) has been allotted, on BOOT basis under the IPP route, through a transparent tariff bidding process.

To ensure that the power supply systems become more efficient, the Government has been addressing problems relating to the transmission and distribution of power. To reduce transmission and distribution losses, a scheme under Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme (RAPDRP) has been approved for implementation in 30 towns with a population of 10000 and above in the State, at a cost of Rs. 191.25 crore. To rationalize regulation and address demand-side issues, the J&K State Electricity Act, 2010, has been enacted on the lines of the Central Electricity Act and a new legislation on energy conservation is also on the anvil.

While concerted efforts shall continue to improve the power scenario in the State, my Government is devoting high attention for the utilization of non-conventional sources of energy, with particular focus on un-electrified villages, hamlets, and remote and inaccessible areas. 75 un-electrified villages/hamlets, including 27 villages of Gurez, have been provided around 10,000 solar home lights. Besides, 226 un-electrified villages/hamlets of the State have been taken up for electrification by providing about 31,000 solar home lighting systems. Under the Remote Village Electrification Programme, proposals for the electrification of 75 villages and 531 hamlets have been cleared and 15,150 solar lanterns are being provided to the Gujjars and Bakerwals of the State.

The Government is taking active steps to establish sustainable schemes for providing safe drinking water to the people. This is being done through conjunctive use of surface, ground and rain water harvesting, besides recharging of sources. A number of schemes under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), and under the State sector, are under implementation. Apart from the 823 ongoing water supply schemes, 320 new schemes have been taken up. To ensure supply of quality drinking water, 60 Water Testing Laboratories are in the process of being established across the State. All the 22 districts have been brought under the ambit of the pilot project on Community Capacity Development under the National Drinking Water Surveillance, Quality Monitoring and Testing Interventions including IEC and HRD activities. Re-construction of Lift Water Supply Scheme (LWSS) for Kargil town and re-construction of flood-affected LWSS for Leh town, under the Prime Minister’s Natural Calamity Relief Fund, have been taken up at a cost of Rs. 6.94 crore and Rs. 6.97 crore, respectively. More than 600 habitations have been covered with potable drinking water during the current financial year. To meet the increasing demand of drinking water in Jammu, on a long term basis, a comprehensive draft Master Plan for harnessing the water of river Chenab for drinking purposes has been prepared. Efforts are afoot to achieve household water security in the entire State.

In the irrigation sector, a number of major/ medium/minor irrigation schemes are targeted for completion during 2010-11. These include Rafi Abad High Lift Canal, Dadi Canal and New Pratap Canal. Modernization of Ranbir Canal at the revised cost of Rs. 175.57 crore has been cleared for implementation. To utilize our full share of water from Ravi, a project with the twin objective of irrigating 1 lakh acres of un-irrigated kandi land and generation of power has been framed. A new project for the modernization of Kathua Canal Phase-II, costing Rs. 35.96 crore, has been submitted to the Government of India for approval under AIBP. To tackle the threat of floods from river Jhelum, a comprehensive project report has been rolled out. Phase-I of this project, costing Rs. 97.22 crore, has already been approved by the Government of India. After a gap of 25 years, dredging operations have been re-launched in river Jhelum and the Weir at Chattabal has been reconstructed to facilitate inland water transport and increased water level in the river. Construction of a gated barrage across river Tawi for creation of pondage near Belicharana has been approved at a cost of Rs. 70 crore for the promotion of eco tourism and recharging of ground water. Clearance has also been received from the Planning Commission, Government of India, for the implementation of protection works costing Rs. 15.66 crore, from village Katalbatal to Sidhra Bridge.

A comprehensive legislation, namely, the J&K Water Resources (Regularization and Management) Act, 2010, has been enacted to ensure judicious and optimum utilization of water resources in the State. Under this statute a revised water tariff, for different usages of water, has been approved to kick-start the process of reforming the water sector. A State Water Regulatory Authority is being set up under the aforesaid Act. With the implementation of revised water tariff rates, the State expects a quantum jump of Rs. 900 crore in the annual revenue realization, collected mainly from the various Hydro Electric Projects.

Establishing rural connectivity remains a high priority for both the Central and State Governments. Under the Bharat Nirman PMGSY Phase VII, 494 road projects with an aggregate length of 2239 km have been sanctioned by the Government of India at an estimated cost of Rs. 1463.20 crore. Under Phase-VIII (Batch I and II of PMGSY), 160 schemes have been forwarded to the Government of India for sanction. As many as 102 road schemes covering 79 habitations with a length of about 452 km have been completed during the current financial year. In overall terms, during 2010-11, 1971.69 km of road length has been black-topped / macadamized and 1813.36 km of road length has been completed upto WBM status. During the current financial year, under NABARD RIDF XVI, 193 road projects costing about Rs. 545.02 crore, have been sanctioned. 68 bridges have already been completed and 35 more are likely to be completed during the current financial year.

The Government proposes to connect the remote and inaccessible areas, which remain cut off during winter due to heavy snowfall, by establishing helicopter (MI-17) services. It is gratifying to know that the Government of India has agreed to implement the pending proposal to extend the existing runway of the Kargil Airport and make it suitable for bigger body aircraft being operated by the commercial airlines.

The Government remains committed to provide better health services to the people by also providing services under other medical systems such as Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Unani. During the current financial year, 19 hospital projects were completed and made functional. The construction of Super-Speciality Hospital, Jammu, the Institute of Traumatology, Srinagar, a Psychiatry Department block at GMC, Jammu, and a 200-beded additional block at LD Hospital, Srinagar, are in progress. Furthermore, 4124 posts of faculty, doctors and para-medics have been created in the Super-Speciality and Associated Hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar.

For enlarging the healthcare facilities in the rural areas, 38 new PHCs have been made operational and 12 CHCs are now functioning as First Referral Units (FRUs) to provide Emergency Obstetric Care to the expectant mothers. 25 Critical Care Ambulances are being shortly procured under NRHM and CT scan machines will be installed in various district hospitals. 50 Ambulances are also being procured under NRHM during the current year to improve referral transport services. 2279 posts of Medics and Para-Medics have been created in the Health Sector.

My Government aims to provide quality education for securing all-round development of children. Through the implementation of various flagship programmes, the enrolment in Government schools has increased from 14.5 lakh in 2004-05 to 16.60 lakh in 2010-11, which represents an increase of 14.48%. The State share of Rs. 440 crore (including Rs. 80 crore included in the Award of the 13th Finance Commission) has been provided for implementation of SSA and Rs. 61.51 crore has been sanctioned under RMSA. A network of 23,167 government schools, 5,986 EGS centres (out of which 5,876 have been converted into primary schools), 78 KGBVS, 563 Model Cluster Schools and 454 Computer-Aided Learning Centres are functioning in the State. 19 Model Schools and an equal number of Girls Hostels have been approved in educationally backward Blocks. 69 Middle Schools have been upgraded as High Schools. Despite the disturbances in the Valley last summer, the internal and external examinations were conducted as per schedule and the results were declared timely. For the promotion of Adult Education, new initiatives focussing on female adult illiteracy, under the Sakshar Bharat Mission Programme, have been launched in 20 districts.

In the Higher Education Sector, 72 Government Colleges have been established, out of which 11 are Girls Colleges. The Government of India has released Special Plan Assistance of Rs. 40 crore for the development of infrastructure for Degree Colleges in the State. Under PMRP Phase-I, 14 College buildings were taken up, of which 11 stand completed and the remaining 3 will be completed by the end of the current financial year. 8 College buildings under PMRP-II and 5 under the State Sector shall be taken up for construction during the current financial year. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has sanctioned four Colleges for J&K, which will be located at Ramban, Billawar, Uri and Bijbehara.

For promotion of sports activities, special focus is being laid on strengthening and development of sports infrastructure in the State. The Sher-i-Kashmir Indoor Stadium and MAM Stadium Jammu are being upgraded with modern sports facilities.

My Government is committed to the empowerment of women who play a vital role in the economic development of the State. Training-cum-Workshops focussing on areas such as women’s health, basic village infrastructure, rural environment, women’s economic empowerment, political empowerment and macroeconomic policy are being given due attention. To provide more effective protection to women from violence of any kind, the Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2010, has been enacted and Advisory Boards have been set up for the welfare of weaker sections of the society. The State Women Development Corporation is also implementing various loan schemes, besides ensuring skill development in different trades to make women self-reliant and self-sufficient.

The Government is alive to the issues confronting the downtrodden and less privileged sections of the society. The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Pahari-speaking people, widows, orphans, physically challenged persons, old age persons, destitute, disabled and victims of militancy are under the special focus of my Government’s development strategy. Under the Annual Plan 2010-11, Rs. 83.63 crore have been spent on various schemes which include Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and Contributory Social Security Scheme (CSSS). Under the ICDS Scheme, 25,251 centres are fully functional and the long-pending demand for the enhancement of honorarium in respect of AWWs and AWHs has since been met.

The Council for Rehabilitation of Widows, Orphans, Handicapped and Old age persons has so far provided pension to 3,515 widows, 2,060 aged persons, 783 handicapped/disabled persons and marriage assistance to 11 young widows and grown-up girls. With a view to addressing the problems of orphans, the destitute and hapless child population, a Child Policy is being devised in collaboration with “Save the Children” – a non-Governmental Organization. The Government also proposes to set-up a Commission under the Child Rights Act. A policy regarding senior citizens and differently abled persons is also under examination of the Government.

The Public Distribution System in the State has been streamlined and additional allocations have been secured from the Government of India, from time to time, to meet the requirements of the consumers. During the period of disturbances in the Valley last summer adequate supplies of food-grains to the public were ensured and even baby food was distributed in Srinagar city. During August and September last year free rations were provided to the flood victims in Leh.

Under the comprehensive e-Governance solution for Transport sector, the computerization of Motor Vehicles Department has been completed in 8 districts, it is in progress in 6 districts, and the remaining 8 districts shall be covered in Phase-III of the programme. The Government proposes to introduce High Security Registration Plates to check thefts and evasion in the payment of taxes. A Passenger Welfare Fund has been created in the Motor Vehicles Department for the welfare of the dependents/legal heirs of the persons who are killed/injured in road accidents involving commercial passenger vehicles.

The welfare of the employees is one of the priorities of my Government. Despite serious financial constraints, the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations were implemented for nearly 4 lakh employees and, besides, a new pension scheme was introduced to cover all those who joined the State service on or after 1st January, 2010. The reduction of qualifying service from 33 to 28 years has brought relief to those who were not able to complete the mandatory 33 years service to qualify for grant of pension. The pay related anomalies affecting the employees have been resolved and the long pending demand of PSUs for conversion of COLA into Dearness Allowance has also been met. Further, the HRA was enhanced by 2.5% during the current year and the Government revised the Voluntary Retirement and Golden Handshake Schemes to make them more employee–friendly and to make the functioning of the State PSUs viable. The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Special Provisions) Act, 2010, which was enacted last year, provides for regularization of the employees who were appointed on ad hoc, contractual or consolidated basis. Pending their regularization through a High Powered Committee constituted for the purpose, these employees have been allowed to continue in service. For the payment of Sixth Pay Commission arrears to the employees a roadmap has been drawn up and announced by the State Government.

My Government is seized of the other aspirational demands of the employees. These shall be duly discussed with the representatives of the employees’ associations to evolve viable approaches. While the Government is doing everything feasible to further the interests of its employees, it expects each and every one of them to most whole heartedly discharge their duties and re-dedicate themselves to ensure prompt, honest and efficient service delivery to the people of the State. The Government shall continue its enunciated policy of encouraging honest, hard-working and industrious employees and, side by side, deal effectively with inefficient and dishonest officials.

Hon’ble Members, the Government’s vision for building a strong and prosperous J&K is akin to the one that Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had for the people of this State as far back as in 1930. He adopted the Naya Kashmir programme as a roadmap for according high priority to provide education, roads, transport and health services to the people of the State. I trust that the Government led by Sh. Omar Abdullah will take every necessary step to translate his grand father’s vision into reality. The people of all the regions have an enormous stake in the collective future of this great State. My Government will redouble its efforts to ensure speedy growth and development of Jammu and Kashmir, on all fronts.

As I have said on several occasions in the past, for achieving peace, progress and prosperity, the Government, the Opposition, as well as all the religious, cultural, social and other organizations in the State shall need to work together, most closely. The efforts of the Government to build a strong, stable and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir, which would be a model State for the entire country to emulate, must be supported by one and all.

I trust that this Address shall generate meaningful debates on all the important issues confronting the State. Needless to stress, an objective examination of the obtaining policies and programmes would contribute to improving both the direction and productivity of the entire administrative apparatus. I wish Hon’ble Members fruitful discussions in both Houses of the Legislature.

Jai Hind

EPILOGUE PRESS
JAMMU, FEBRUARY 28 – The Governor, Mr. N. N. Vohra, has asserted that agitation and confrontation cannot resolve issues involving contrary positions, adding that conciliation and dialogue have been, and will always remain, the best means for seeking a solution to any contentious issue.
Addressing the Joint Session of both the Houses of the State Legislature here today, the Governor said that the State Government has been emphasizing the importance of the dialogue process and has welcomed the initiatives in this regard which have recently been taken by the Government of India. He said that the appointment of a team of Interlocutors and the establishment of Task Forces for the Jammu and Ladakh regions have been welcomed by the Government and the Centre’s 8-point formula would also contribute to addressing the internal dimensions of the Kashmir problem. He appealed to all shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir to seize this historic opportunity of participating meaningfully in the ongoing dialogue for resolving all outstanding differences.
The Governor observed that there has been a progressive improvement in the internal security situation in the past few years. However, he added that the continuance of terrorist activities and extremist ideologies is a cause for serious concern. Besides causing recurring human and economic losses, the activities of terrorist networks have given a serious set back to the entire process of development and growth in the past years. He emphasised that the Government shall take all necessary steps to restore complete normalcy, which is imperative for sustained growth.
The Governor said that consequent to extensive discussions held under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Round Table Conferences five Working Groups had been established to examine issues relating to Jammu & Kashmir, adding that his Government urges the Government of India to speed up the implementation of the recommendations of the Working Groups as this will contribute to building a strong and stable Jammu & Kashmir and further strengthening the Union-State relations.
The Governor said, “the past two years have witnessed a significant improvement in the State’s security environment as a result of the constant pressure maintained by the Security Forces. My Government records its gratitude to the officers and men of the Security Forces who have been valiantly performing their duties in extremely difficult circumstances. In pursuance of my Government’s commitment to ensure zero tolerance of human rights violations, all Security Forces have been directed to most strictly observe the Standing Operating Procedures while carrying out anti-terrorist operations in any part of the State. Side by side, the functioning of the State Police and Security Forces personnel is being reoriented to deal with stone-pelting agitations and mob violence without the application of excessive force”.
The Governor said that the Government’s priority attention to issues relating to development and good governance have started yielding a positive outcome and complimented the Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah and members of his Council of Ministers for their success in transforming an apprehensive environment, which prevailed a few months ago, to one of hopeful optimism. For the restoration of normalcy we have to thank our people and all their elected representatives, and the Administration and the Security Forces for their functioning during a difficult period, he added.
The Governor observed that the people of all the regions have an enormous stake in the collective future of this great State and the Government will redouble its efforts to ensure speedy growth and development of Jammu and Kashmir, on all fronts. He stressed that for achieving peace, progress and prosperity, the Government, the Opposition, as well as all the religious, cultural, social and other organizations in the State shall need to work together, most closely. The efforts of the Government to build a strong, stable and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir, which would be a model State for the entire country to emulate, must be supported by one and all, he said.

EPILOGUE PRESS / ADNI
Lt Gen (Retd) Vijay Oberoi
New Delhi: Learn from the Army. Justice is prompt in the Indian Army; there is no shielding of a person on account of his rank or stature. It’s time babus and politicians were put through similar scrutiny.
When Lt Gen Sahni, a three-star General, is dismissed and awarded a prison sentence, one can conclude that the Army does not baulk in punishing its defaulting personnel, irrespective of their seniority. It also calls for introspection by the society on larger issues.

Why is it that it is only in the Indian Army that justice is prompt; that there is no shielding of a person on account of his rank or stature; that meticulous care is taken in selecting the presiding officer and members of a court martial; that there is a higher authority that scrutinises the proceedings in great detail before the verdict of the court martial is finally confirmed; and why every chance is given to the accused to defend himself fully, including nominating an officer of the accused’s choice as a defending officer?

Why does this not happen elsewhere in the country? I well remember the Tehelka exposé of 2001, when I was the vice Army chief. Here was a case where professionally capable and highly regarded personnel of the Army, some of flag rank, were inveigled into accepting baits, in what can only be described as entrapment, so that the media could make a point. Yet, instead of quibbling over the illegalities of this entrapment, the Army moved swiftly to punish the concerned individuals.

What did the government do about political persons and bureaucrats similarly entrapped? The then defence minister was forced to resign, but continued to head the coalition; no action was taken against his party leader caught red-handed on camera or against any of the bureaucrats. The latter were instead promoted, with one additional secretary becoming a secretary and later a governor, perhaps to give him immunity from any future prosecution!

The military has the reputation of punishing any and all crimes that are found out or reported. It may be a lowly misdemeanour like filching something or a grave crime like murder, assault, espionage and the like, but punishment follows swiftly and inevitably. The reason is simple. The military would become ineffective and instead of being a disciplined force, it will turn into a rabble. Why does this not happen in our civil society? Why do the political leaders and the civil officials in the Centre and States dither and look for escape routes, delay and ultimately forget to prosecute?

It is unfortunate that in the last six decades of independence, the system of governance has so evolved that there is no accountability and consequently no punishment. Bureaucrats and police personnel are routinely suspended and then reinstated. Is this punishment or a farce? For political leaders, a similar action is known as resignation, which actually implies a sabbatical, for very soon they are not just reinstated but even promoted! In the case of a minuscule few, a nominal punishment is awarded after decades, thereby losing its entire impact.

The end result is more crimes, criminals not getting salutary punishment and the fear of the law disappearing.

It is the main reason for the extremely bad governance the common man rues every day. In the long term it affects the vitality and security of the nation.

In terms of crime and punishment, our country can be divided into three categories. The first category consists of the well connected who are neither accountable nor punished for any crimes, either because of the position they occupy or because they are so filthy rich that money power whitewashes everything. The second category comprises the common citizen, who becomes a cog in the wheel in our overloaded judicial system and can only hope to get the case finalised if he oils every Amar, Akbar and Anthony of our governance system.

The third category is the Army, where no crime goes unpunished and where promptness and justice prevails. Why don’t the others learn from the Army?

A related point is that the media comes down hammer and tongs whenever a few misguided army personnel commit offences, but always play down and seek justifications for powerful individuals like politicians, bureaucrats, police, judiciary, media barons and corporate honchos. There is no doubt that expectations from the Army are extremely high, but is that the whole story? Many in the Army have often speculated that behind such banner headlines, there is a concerted effort to show the Army in a poor light by those vested interests that are practitioners of the well known Indian crab syndrome — pull down the best to their own gutter level!

The expectations of the public from the Army are undoubtedly extremely high, but why are crimes by others condoned? It is nobody’s case that the few Army personnel who commit crimes should not be punished, but the law, procedures and accountability must be the same for everyone. Is anyone listening?—(ADNI)

(The writer is a former vice chief of the Army)

EPILOGUE PRESS /by TANVEER JAFRI/
Many countries of the Middle-East are currently rocked by the people’s protests demanding regime change and political reforms. The awakened public now wants the autocrats, dictators and despots to step down. The “intelligent” rulers of Egypt and Tunisia timely left the thrones in exchange for their lives. But the strange Libyan dictator Col. Muammar Qaddafi has refused to step down until his last breath. For fulfilling this ambition, he is even ready to destroy the nation. And this is the reason that even in the last moments of his rule, Qaddafi has appealed to his numbered supporters to attack the protesters and crush them like “cockroaches”. One can imagine if Qaddafi can do such things at a time when his days are numbered, what he could have done with the opponents and dissidents when he used to rule the roost in Libya.
However, this call of aggression by Qaddafi has little effect on people, though some of them became victims of the violence unleashed by his police, army and hired mercenaries. But since Qaddafi has now crossed all limits of morality, his supporters are gradually dumping him. Libya’s Home Minister has left Qaddafi. Many other ministers are following suit. A major part of the army is also against Qaddafi. Near a dozen Libyan ambassadors and diplomats have resigned in protest against Qaddafi. Indifference of the State, widespread public outcry and Qaddafi’s stubbornness to remain stuck to the chair has created the environment of a potential civil war in Libya. If any large scale violence breaks out in such circumstances, only Qaddafi would be responsible for that. The international community is deeply concerned by the turmoil in Libya. Moreover, the prices of crude oil have skyrocketed due to the ongoing disturbance in the Middle-East.
The spate of people’s demands for regime change is presently limited only to the Muslim populous countries. This wave of change is being looked at in different perspectives. While in some countries the majority Shia community is demanding removal of a minority Sunni dictator, in other places people are against the puppet ruler of America. While people of some countries are fed up by the inefficient and corrupt despots, at some places they are trying to dethrone the monarchs and establish democracy. It can be said that people in every country of the Middle-East have their share of problems. A misconception promoted since centuries has been that democracy is incompatible with the Islam and the followers of Islam only love monarchy or dictatorship. This revolution has also shut the mouths of such propagandist fundamentalists. This revolution has proved that by and large the Muslim society is not only democratic but also non-violent.
Amidst this people’s revolution in the Middle-East, many political analysts are guessing whether such kind of situation can arise in India? The reason behind this thinking is that even after 64 years of freedom, India is struggling with the problems of poverty, hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, corruption and scams. Maoism or Naxalism is deepening its roots very fast. For this too, poverty, hunger, unemployment, ignorance and injustice are responsible. There is no doubt that the common man in India is unhappy with the prevailing administrative system. Every minute a debt ridden farmer commits suicide. More than half of our children are malnourished. Officers of the elite Civil Service, Indian Administrative Service, are either shot dead or burnt alive by the mafias, or kidnapped by the Maoists. In the name of corruption, opposition parties are not letting the Parliament to function. Inflation is at an all time high.
People are losing faith in political parties, leaders and the system. Common man can be heard saying that the laws are only for poor while the rich and influential easily manage to escape the law. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself has admitted this fact. The former President APJ Abdul Kalam also expressed this concern that instead of smile, there is sadness on the faces of the people. Nothing strange if some analysts are worried of potential outburst by the people, influenced by the change in the Middle-East. Notwithstanding that India is the world’s largest democracy; people are equally worried about the future of their family and children as their Middle-Eastern counterparts.
But thanks to our founding fathers and constitution makers, they have woven such a political system, as a result of which the people of India are divided into hundreds of political parties, ideologies, classes, regions etc. Indian Army is constituted on similar lines- disciplined and segmented, so that our politicians can concentrate on their power. On the other hand, by hiding the ground realities, our politicians repeatedly pat their own backs by telling the world that we are the world’s biggest and the most successful ideal democracy. But they should not be indifferent to the reality that people have a threshold for everything. Awakened society can’t tolerate for long the fear, poverty, hunger and uncertainty about the future of their children. If India wants to maintain the tag of being the world’s largest democracy, it will have to deal with the basic needs and problems of the people as soon as possible. Otherwise, the winds of change start blowing anywhere anytime.

EPILOGUE PRESS
JAMMU, FEBRUARY 27- Highlighting the importance of good Indo-Pak relations in peace and development, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday reiterated that friends can be changed but not the neighbours.
“We are always for better Indo-Pak relations and have taken many initiatives to this effect”, he said and called for positive and visible response from the other side of the border in this regard.
Omar Abdullah was addressing separate gatherings of civil population and BSF Jawans at Zero line in R.S. Pura area of Jammu division this afternoon. He alongwith Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and IG, BSF inspected many villages and interacted with people to get first hand appraisal of the difficulties confronting them.
The Chief Minister said that violations of ceasefire create lot of difficulties for the people in border areas on the both sides and even result in loss of human lives and damage to the properties. “While we are taking every care from our side not to indulge in violation of ceasefire, Pakistan should also exhibit its responsibilities in this regard and help maintain truce at borders”, he said adding that peace at the borders is for the mutual interests of the two neighbours.
“In the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere at borders farmers can take part in agricultural activities across the borders and carry on their normal process of living”, he said adding that friendly ties between the two neighbours is the need of hour.
Omar Abdullah told the border people that government has worked out an arrangement with the BSF for providing rent to the land utilized by the BSF for fencing till the time it is properly acquired by the forces. “Papers for acquiring the land are being finalized and Divisional Commissioner Jammu is on the job”, he said and added that the land owners would get compensation for the land when it is acquired by BSF.
Speaking to Jawans Chief Minister lauded their services for protecting the borders and ensuring peaceful sleep in the nights to the civilians living in villages, towns and cities.
“Your valuable duty during severe winters and hot summers is commendable and we are aware of the sacrifice you give for safeguarding the borders” he told the Jawans assuring them all facilities from the State and the Centre Governments to reduce their difficulties.

EPILOGUE PRESS
Jammu, February 27- Minister for CA&PD and Transport Mr. Qamar Ali Akhoon today instructed the functionaries of Consumer Affairs &Public Distribution and PDS dealers to ensure strict adherence to scale of 35 Kg ration per ration card, warning that people should not suffer for want of ration in any case. He said those found violating the scale shall face stringent action.
Speaking at a function organised by Jammu Fair Price Shop Dealers Federation here today, Mr. Akhoon said that there was no shortage of ration stocks in the State and the government is keen to ensure that the rationees get due quantity of food grains.
The Minister asked the dealers and officials of the CA&PD to work in synergy to streamline the distribution of food grains among the people adding that their coordination will bring more transparency in the public distribution system. To contain pilferage and leakage in the system, the Minister asked the dealers to maintain the counterfoils properly, besides displaying rate lists and position of ration at their sale outlets. He also asked them to lift their quota from the stores after proper weighing of the bags.
Mr. Akhoon said after the completion of population enumeration under Census -2011, the problem of deficit in ration would be overcome as the state will get the quota as per the new census. He asked the people to give accurate information to the census workers about their families so that the state gets its share proportionate to its population.
The Minister also instructed the Assistant Directors, TSOs to conduct regular inspections in their areas of jurisdiction to keep a close watch on the distribution of ration through sale outlets.
Later, the organisers honoured Mr. Akhoon by cladding him with traditional turban for the efforts he has taken for streamlining the departments under his charge. The Federation also lauded his selfless services towards the people of the State.
In response to the charter of demands put forth by the Federation, the Minister said that the demands projected would be looked into sympathetically.
The Director CA&PD, Jammu Mr. Parvez Ahmed Malik and various leaders of Federation also spoke on the occasion.

EPILOGUE PRESS
JAMMU, FEBRUARY 27- Observing that revival of Jammu and Kashmir State Financial Corporation (JKSPC) was imperative to help accelerate the economic activities, the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Mr. A.R. Rather who is also Chairman of the Corporation, has said that the Government has taken all required measures to restore past glory of this premier Institute.
Speaking at the 47th Annual General Meeting of shareholders of the corporation at Jammu, the Minister said steps have been taken to improve the organizational and managerial capability of the Corporation and all issues related to liquidation of its past liabilities are also being consistently followed-up with the State Industrial Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and other Central authorities, “ with the result, the SIDBI has agreed in principal to waive off the interest liability in full and also to waive off 40% of the outstanding principal loan amount”, Mr. Rather said adding that this substantial debt relief from SIDBI is expected to further reduce the debt liability of the Corporation by about Rs. 55 crore.
Besides shareholders, the meeting was also attended by the Economic Advisor to Government, Mr. Jalil Ahmed Khan, Commissioner/ Secretary Finance, Sudanshu Pandey and Managing Director, SFC, A.K. Makroo.
Mr. Rather said that the comprehensive revival plan for the Corporation has been put into operation which will enable it to function again as an important catalyst in the promotion of Industry and allied sectors of State’s economy. Mr. Rather announced that in addition to Rs. 71.47 crore fund support from the State Government to the Corporation so far, it is being contemplated to provide some more funds to the SFC to enable it to discharge its bond liabilities which are becoming due during the course of the year. He said suggestions put forth by the shareholders for revitalizing the corporation would be duly considered.
Meanwhile, under the renewed initiatives, the Corporation has achieved a recovery of Rs. 21 crore during the financial year 2009-2010. The State Government has also approved a fund support of Rs. 21 crore for the Corporation.

EPILOGUE PRESS
Jammu, February 27 – Highlighting the universal role of judiciary as the ultimate arbiter of differences and disputes to dispense justice freely and promptly in a transparent manner, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday said that enhancing the quality of adjudication ultimately aims at enhancing the quality of justice delivery system.
Addressing the valedictory function of 3-day Regional Judicial Conference (RJC) of North Zone at Zorawar Auditorium in Jammu University here, the Chief Minister said that common man holds judiciary in exalted trust and reposes deep confidence and faith in it.
“There is increasing worry in the country regarding burden of pending cases before various courts”, he said emphasizing the need of providing less expensive and speedy justice to sustain the confidence of people in judiciary. “Every effort should be made to address the concerns regarding speedy delivery of justice”, he said laying stress on the quality and efficiency in adjudication and justice delivery. “our anxiety for quick justice should not compromise or sacrifice the quality and efficiency of judgment”, he added.
Saying that quality management in the field of justice should be at the top of any government agenda, Omar said that initiatives aimed at quality judiciary strengthens the peoples’ confidence in justice. He said implementation of reliable and practicable initiatives increase the quality within the judicial system. “The efficiency of any system would depend on the kind of mechanism it has developed”, he said.
Omar Abdullah said that onus of quality of adjudication lies not only on the judges but on all the stakeholders including members of Bench and Bar and others in the process.
“In the matter of delivery of justice, the adjudicatory process is central. The process, be it traditional or any other alternative dispute resolution mechanism, must therefore be directed towards dispensation of justice”, he maintained.
The Chief Minister said that the Constitution lays down certain objectives for securing justice and these can be achieved by providing quality justice to the people.
“The State Government has taken very positive steps in this regard by making necessary amendments in the State laws, improving judicial infrastructure, filling of vacant posts of judicial officers, imparting training to the Public Prosecutors, etc. and undertaking larger capacity building efforts”, he said elaborating that the State Legislation Policy is being finalized shortly on the pattern of National Legislation Policy which will help in enhancing quality of justice and reducing the number of pending cases in the courts.
The Chief Minister said that the judicial officers of the State had to work and perform in very challenging conditions in the last more than two decades but they have by share dedication and commitment and kept the candle of justice burning against all odds.
Omar Abdullah expressed the hope that the Regional Conference on ‘Enhancing Quality of Adjudication’ will surely add input to the debate of quality management in the judicial system. “Learning from each other, developing partnerships, strengthening of the leadership aspect and setting up of effective supporting structure are proven elements in the successful implementation of improved quality”, he said adding that thrust should be on sharing best practices.
“I am confident that your introspective endeavours will generate a wealth of ideas on how to improve the administration of justice to render the greatest good to highest number of deprived in the largest measure. The challenges are enormous as public scrutiny of all State institutions including the judiciary has begun witnessing marked ascendancy. Hence, judicial independence and judicial accountability have to co-exist harmoniously”, he said.
In his valedictory speech the Senior Judge of Supreme Court, Justice Altamas Kabir identified factors and aspects contributing the process of enhancing quality of adjudication. He underscored the unified strategy of Bench and Bar members in the delivery of best judgments.
Saying that both sides of the judicial spectrum-Bench and Bar – should be fully prepared and knowledgeable to contribute for enhancing the quality of adjudication and dispensing of best judgments, he said. “Bar members have responsibility to assist the Bench in arriving at highest judicial pronouncements pointing out law provisions, recent trends and other relevant factors”. He said Bench should be clear, transparent in delivering the decisions which would be simply understandable and of best quality.
Justice Kabir also dwelt in detail about the IT Act and impressed upon the judicial officers to get fully acquainted with the provisions of this Act to deliver judgments effectively and qualitatively on various cyber crimes.
He also laid stress on resorting to the route of Lok Adalats and mutual settlements of disputes by the litigants to reduce the increased pressure on judicial officers due to large number of cases. “Such measures act as safety valve for the increased pressure”, he said.
Justice Kabir highlighted the role of Nation Judicial Academy of India in holding such conferences adding that it provides opportunity for continuous measures to address the need of enhancing quality of adjudication and other aspects confronting the judiciary across the country.
The Judges of Supreme Court, Justice B. S. Chauhan, Justice K. S. P. Radhakrishanan, Justice Swatanter Kumar, senior Judge of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Justice Fakir Mohammad Ibrahim Khalifullah and Director of the National Judicial Academy, Mohan Gopal also spoke on the occasion.
The Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court, Justice Nisar Ahmad Kakroo, the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Justice Rebero, Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Law and Justice, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Judges of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and various High Courts of North Zone, Advisor to the Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul, Advocate General, Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Isaq Qadri, Secretary Law, and large number of judicial officers and advocates were present on the occasion.
On the occasion special number of Special Issue of SJA News Letter was released and certificates were presented to the judicial officers.

EPILOGUE PRESS
Jammu, February 26 – Soliciting unconditional and whole hearted support from people in general and youth in particular to help curb the corruption in the State, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday said that war against this menace tops his list of priorities in the year 2011. “My first target is the smaller corruptions in the form of bribes for ration cards, driving licenses, state subjects, mutation and land papers, death and birth certificates, registration of vehicles, etc”, he said and elaborated that these are corruptions of smaller magnitude but their impact is vast on the society. “Corruption is a two-way traffic. While my government is determined to book the receiver, general people have the responsibility to refuse the payment of bribes”, he asserted and highlighted the role of youth in this regard. The Chief Minister was replying questions of students from various universities at an interaction session at Jammu University here on the concluding day of ‘Virasat-e-Riyasat’ festival. he said that maintenance of peace and eradication of corruption figure on the top of his priority list this year. In reply to another question, the Chief Minister said that government is actively persuading Centre for granting scheduled tribe status to Pahari speaking people and he is shortly taking up this matter with the Prime Minister. “The demand is pending for a long time now and we wish the Government of India responds positively in this matter”, he added. Responding to a question on enhancing the seed money under SKEWPY, the Chief Minister said that with the popularization of the scheme government is open to consider this aspect. “If this aspect would give boost to the government’s endeavours to encourage entrepreneurship in the State and make qualified young persons’ to start independent livelihood ventures government would consider it appropriately”, he told the students. Omar said that government alone is not capable to absorb the huge number of unemployed youth. “We have to harness other means for the purpose and entrepreneurship sector is the most effective one in this direction”, he added and enumerated endeavours of the government to encourage educated youth to venture in agriculture and allied sector for earning respectable livelihood and helping in the growth of State’s economy. On holding of the cultural festival ‘Virasat-e-Reyasat’ organized by Jammu University and participated by all the Universities of the State, the Chief Minister said that the event should be annual feature and be held in rotation by all the universities. “Yes, I would like this kind of cultural activity, showcasing the State’s pluralistic characteristic, heritage diversity and rich ethos of traditional brotherhood, to be a permanent feature in the academic calendar of universities”, he said adding that government would provide every help to the institutions of higher learnings in this regard. The Chief Minister said that politics has polluted the excellent atmosphere of mutual brotherhood and cultural amity of the State. “We have to chip back to our traditions and harmonious traits, we enjoyed and nurtured for centuries”, he said and urged the students to showcase Jammu and Kashmir’s unity in diversity in every area through such festivals and tie the bonds of mutual trust, understanding and communal harmony. on a question about Poonch Campus at Jammu University, the Chief Minister said that his government is committed to the growth and development of all Satellite Campuses opened in the State. However, he said that he would like these Campuses to be develop as the centres of excellence and seats of modern studies. Omar Abdullah told the students of Kargil and Leh in reply to their question about opening of Campuses in these districts, that the land has been identified and handed over to Kashmir University for the purpose. “The Campuses would come up in these Districts soon”, he said. In reply to a question regarding privatization of power sector in the State, Omar Abdullah said that unbundling of generation sector is not as tedious as Transmission and Distribution(T&D) sector. “We have concentrated on roping in private sector in the generation field as a vanguard step to give necessary fillip to the hydro electric generation”, he said stating that unbundling of T&D is the ultimate goal of the government. “I would like to have a full day of free interaction session with the students to deliberate upon all aspects including politics and share views along with receiving their viewpoints”, he said after reply various questions on culture, development, education, employment, etc. The students from Kashmir University, Jammu University, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Mata Vaishno Devi University, Islamic University of Sciences and Technology, Awantipora, SKUAST, Jammu participated in the interaction session and the cultural bonanza present during the festival days. The Chief Minister appreciated the students for presenting enthralling cultural programmes and drama skits highlighting the pluralistic heritage of the State.The Chief Minister presented awards to the participants and trophies to the universities for extra-ordinary performance in the festival. The Jammu University bagged the best trophy for overall performance.Minster for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik, Vice-Chancellors of all the Universities of the State, faculty members and a large number of students were present on the occasion filling the Zorawar Auditorium in Jammu University to its full capacity. The event was marked by the direct interaction session between the Chief Minister and the students transcending the routine speeches making tradition by dignitaries and others on such occasions.

EPILOGUE PRESS:
JAMMU, February 26- Appreciating the Jammu and Kashmir Finance Department for its significant contribution in making Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts of the State on time, the Accountant General’s Office disclosed that this year J&K’s Finance Account 2009-10 was first to be signed by the Controller & Auditor General of India. The office of AG also informed about the progress for adopting accrual based accounting by the Task Force constituted by the Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs Mr. Ab. Rahim Rather. An Advisory Committee headed by Dy. Accountant General has been constituted in the office of AG, Jammu and Kashmir to coordinate with the State Government in this regard.
This was stated at a high level meeting of the Senior Officers of Finance Department convened to have a detailed review and assessment of the fiscal management, maintained by the Director Finance, Financial Advisors and Chief Accounts Officers in their respective Government departments.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Mr. Ab. Rahim Rather.
The Principal Accountant General, Mr. Venkatesh Mohan, Commissioner/Secretary Finance, Mr. Sudhanshu Panday, Director General Accounts and Treasuries, Mr. Wali Mohammed Bhat, Director Audit and Inspections Mr. M.I. Khanday, Director Funds Organization, Mr. Gh. Nabi Bhat, Director Finance Resources Mrs. Rahim Kashyap, Director Codes, Dr. Mohammad Ishaq Wani, Senior Dy. Accountant General, Mr. Y.J. Dassi and Dy. Accountant General Mr. S.L. Bhan and concerned officers were also present in the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rather called upon the concerned officers to be more proactive to streamline accounting and finance functions in their respective departments and in no case allow drawls beyond budgetary allocations. He said FA & CAOs are watchdogs of State exchequer but regretted that some gross violations of financial discipline and codal formalities have surfaced in some cases which was most unfortunate and unacceptable.
The Minister cautioned the officers against any laxity in discharge of their legitimate duties regarding complete Budget controlling and adequate responses to the AGs paras and audit and inspection reports shall be viewed seriously and strict-disciplinary action shall be taken.
“The State’s fragile economy cannot afford financial indiscipline or irregularity of any kind of Public money”, Mr. Rather said adding that time has now come to remove the deadwood from the department.
The Minister emphasized on maintaining budget control registers in each and every department to minutely monitor expenditures with a caution not to exceed drawls beyond budgetary allocation. He called for prompt response from the concerned on Audit and Inspection reports, Draft Audit Paras, Reconciliation of revenues and expenditure, Physical verification of stores in first quarter of every year, submission of Red Accounts and Quarterly Progress Reports (QPR) which are the basic parameters for enforcing the financial discipline and streamlining the financial management.
He said GPF subscription too has not increased despite implementation of 6th Pay Commission in the State. “This speaks about non-seriousness of some finance controlling officers, which cannot be compromised” Mr. Rather said adding that officers indulging in fiscal indiscipline shall have to face the action shortly. He said within three months another meeting will be held to review performance indicators of each officer. “Strict action under rules shall be taken against poor performers which shall include even termination of services, Mr. Rather added.
Mr. Sudhanshu Panday called for improving the mechanism for Budget control and monitoring system adding that Senior Finance Officers /FA/CAOs have a responsibility to guide the department including drawing and disbursing officers in all financial matters.
The Principal Accountant General informed that AG’s office is in the process of transitioning from Financial Accounts to Financial Statements by putting together financial information in relation to various assets and liability of the State.