tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31595354992581717152024-03-12T16:44:57.658-07:00Jk Jammu and kashmir NewsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1325125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-66688029084186569962015-11-23T23:36:00.000-08:002015-11-23T23:36:03.902-08:00Free Basic Internet Services Available in India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVTK-sfVP3KTdrNZmqJsaLMEak2RAW6tc5J-dBhD5UGCaFh8iv2ZsLnO4tlyDV6qeVXMvRfGZ8aSD5wVf56Es1vulf5Kznx7BNgGN25i7JcXWFJvCwyVVemW2Cw4HwJ3t8OwGQ6ELgs8/s1600/internet-free2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVTK-sfVP3KTdrNZmqJsaLMEak2RAW6tc5J-dBhD5UGCaFh8iv2ZsLnO4tlyDV6qeVXMvRfGZ8aSD5wVf56Es1vulf5Kznx7BNgGN25i7JcXWFJvCwyVVemW2Cw4HwJ3t8OwGQ6ELgs8/s1600/internet-free2.jpg" /></a></div>
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Mark Zuckerberg is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to connecting the world. And we make for a significant part of his universe, where "as of today, everyone in India nationwide can access free internet services for health, education, jobs and communication through Internet.org's Free Basics app on the Reliance network."<br /></div>
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Zuckerberg's Facebook post particularly talks about an Indian family in Maharashtra, who, by using Internet.org's Free Basics app, have successfully achieved better results for their farming efforts.</div>
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In a major step to expand its presence in India, Facebook released its controversial free Internet service Internet.org(now Free basics) to all over India in collaboration with Reliance telecom.</div>
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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in his post on facebook said that now evert person in Indian can avail free internet. Zuckerberg also shared the story of a farmer who was benefited through his programme.</div>
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“We just took another step towards connecting India. As of today, everyone in India nationwide can access free internet services for health, education, jobs and communication through Internet.org’s Free Basics app on the Reliance network.” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post.</div>
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Zuckerberg wrote, “Ganesh struggled with traditional farming methods in a region plagued by droughts, but last year he started using Free Basics—accessing services like AccuWeather, which helped him work better through the monsoon season, and Reuters Market Light, which helped him understand commodity prices and get a better deal for his crops. By using Free Basics, Ganesh has doubled his crop yield, eradicated insect infestations and even invested in new crops and livestock.”</div>
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Internet.org(Now Free basics) will allow users to access some websites (as chosen by Facebook) for free or at very low data cost. Here, the cyber experts accuse Facebook of discriminating between the websites as it will only provide access to the portals which are favoured by the internet giant.</div>
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Actually, Facebook’s Internet.org is a partnership between social networking services company Facebook and six companies (Samsung, Ericsson, MediaTek, Opera Software, Nokia and Qualcomm) which claims to bring affordable access to selected Internet services to less developed countries.</div>
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The service claims to increase efficiency, and facilitating the development of new business models around the provision of Internet access.</div>
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The service is accused of violating net neutrality and favoring Facebook’s own services over its rivals. It is said that Facebook will set ''free service'' service as a bait for its users and hamper the bussiness of its rival. On the other hand, it will dominate the choice of the users about website.</div>
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Experts believe that this will lead to a cable TV like system where service provides on one hand charge the different channels to be aired to their users and on other hand they charge the users for subscriptions to different channels as required by them to draw out maximum profits.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWmwXAddoBPevdya00mbJ-sIwuak9sypd3iuZTCGVC6N2TC8yBtZ20aVjPNG8zjmEMLI_Cv1jvSIRR7KWb-Qa67mIrc3iy8eXmj5uiJSuZfm4QI9-5qQ_Rsk7SYWB1FgmHiHFieV1PPA/s1600/internet-free1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWmwXAddoBPevdya00mbJ-sIwuak9sypd3iuZTCGVC6N2TC8yBtZ20aVjPNG8zjmEMLI_Cv1jvSIRR7KWb-Qa67mIrc3iy8eXmj5uiJSuZfm4QI9-5qQ_Rsk7SYWB1FgmHiHFieV1PPA/s1600/internet-free1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, 23 November 2015</span></b></div>
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We just took another step towards connecting India.</div>
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As of today, everyone in India nationwide can access free internet services for health, education, jobs and communication through Internet.org's Free Basics app on the Reliance network.</div>
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<b>Why does this matter?</b></div>
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Just look at the story of Ganesh Nimbalkar and his wife Bharati, who support their family of four by farming a five acre plot their family has tended for generations in Maharashtra.</div>
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Ganesh struggled with traditional farming methods in a region plagued by droughts, but last year he started using Free Basics -- accessing services like AccuWeather, which helped him work better through the monsoon season, and Reuters Market Light, which helped him understand commodity prices and get a better deal for his crops.</div>
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By using Free Basics, Ganesh has doubled his crop yield, eradicated insect infestations and even invested in new crops and livestock.</div>
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Today, nearly 1 billion people are currently without internet access in India. Now with Internet.org's Free Basics available to everyone in India, many more people like Ganesh and Bharati will have access to the information and opportunity the internet brings.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17283203609503085322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-59128165151367457812015-11-19T21:32:00.001-08:002015-11-19T21:57:12.987-08:00Seventh Pay Commission Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXybGqfaCv02WZhtdTIlqZAZC3pw_TjTBPRcSsSW48EsjalfJ-TVF6mOyz3KsnyaQZLp8SkBv51Oep1HR3caC4PTrogSwTc8fCTIshyRFQ8kgk9EDKPBzCkORRYefw-aYBxxEmnFzP0MaZ/s1600/7pcr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXybGqfaCv02WZhtdTIlqZAZC3pw_TjTBPRcSsSW48EsjalfJ-TVF6mOyz3KsnyaQZLp8SkBv51Oep1HR3caC4PTrogSwTc8fCTIshyRFQ8kgk9EDKPBzCkORRYefw-aYBxxEmnFzP0MaZ/s320/7pcr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Seventh Pay Commission led by Justice AK Mathur has just submitted its report to the Central government, recommending a modest 16 percent hike in salary but a 63% increase in allowances and 24 percent hike in pensions. This means the overall hike for central government employees and its pensioners comes to 23.5 percent. This compares poorly with the 35 percent hike after the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission were implemented.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: red;">Highlights of Recommendations of Seventh Central Pay Commission </span></span></h3>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Recommended Date of implementation</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">: 01.01.2016</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: red;">Minimum Pay: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Based on the Aykroyd formula, the minimum pay in government is recommended to be set at Rs 18,000 per month.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: red;">Maximum Pay</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: red;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Rs 2,25,000 per month for Apex Scale and Rs 2,50,000 per month for Cabinet Secretary and others presently at the same pay level.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: red;">Financial Implications:</span></span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The total financial impact in the FY 2016-17 is likely to be Rs 1,02,100 crore, over the expenditure as per the ‘Business As Usual’ scenario. Of this, the increase in pay would be Rs 39,100 crore, increase in allowances would be Rs 29,300 crore and increase in pension would be Rs 33,700 crore.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Out of the total financial impact of </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Rs </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">1,02,100 crore, </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Rs </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">73,650 crore will be borne by the General Budget and </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="font-family: "tahoma";">Rs </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">28,450 crore by the Railway Budget.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">In percentage terms the overall increase in pay & allowances and pensions over the ‘Business As Usual’ scenario will be 23.55 percent. Within this, the increase in pay will be 16 percent, increase in allowances will be 63 percent, and increase in pension would be 24 percent.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The total impact of the Commission’s recommendations are expected to entail an increase of 0.65 percentage points in the ratio of expenditure on (Pay+Allowances+ Pension) to GDP compared to 0.77 percent in case of VI CPC.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">New Pay Structure:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Considering the issues raised regarding the Grade Pay structure and with a view to bring in greater transparency, </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">the present system of pay bands and grade pay has been dispensed with and a new pay matrix has been designed. Grade Pay has been subsumed in the pay matrix. The status of the employee, hitherto determined by grade pay, will now be determined by the level in the pay matrix.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Fitment: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">A fitment factor of 2.57 is being proposed to be applied uniformly for all employees.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Annual Increment</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> The rate of annual increment is being retained at 3 percent.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP)</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Performance benchmarks for MACP have been made more stringent from “Good” to “Very Good”.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The Commission has also proposed that annual increments not be granted in the case of those employees who are not able to meet the benchmark either for MACP or for a regular promotion in the first 20 years of their service.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">No other changes in MACP recommended.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Military Service Pay (</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">MSP): </span><span style="color: #333333;">The Military Service Pay, which is a compensation for the various aspects of military service, will be admissible to the </span><b style="color: #333333;">Defence forces personnel only</b><span style="color: #333333;">. As before, Military Service Pay will be payable to all ranks up to and inclusive of Brigadiers and their equivalents. The current MSP per month and the revised rates recommended are as follows:</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Present</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Proposed</span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">i.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Service Officers </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> 6,000</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">15,500</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">ii.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Nursing Officers </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">4,200</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">10,800</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">iii.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">JCO/ORs </span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 50.9pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">2,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 62.5pt;" valign="top" width="83"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> 5,200</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 12.1pt; page-break-inside: avoid;"><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; height: 12.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 35.2pt;" valign="top" width="47"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">iv.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Non Combatants (Enrolled) in the Air Force</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 12.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 50.9pt;" valign="top" width="68"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">1,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 12.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 62.5pt;" valign="top" width="83"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> 3,600</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Short Service Commissioned Officers:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">Short Service Commissioned Officers will be allowed to exit the Armed Forces at any point in time between 7 and 10 years of service, with a terminal gratuity equivalent of 10.5 months of reckonable emoluments. They will further be entitled to a fully funded one year Executive Programme or a M.Tech. programme at a premier Institute.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Lateral Entry/Settlement:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">The Commission is recommending a revised formulation for lateral entry/resettlement of defence forces personnel which keeps in view the specific requirements of organization to which such personnel will be absorbed. For lateral entry into CAPFs an attractive severance package has been recommended.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Headquarters/Field Parity</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Parity between field and headquarters staff recommended for similar functionaries e.g Assistants and Stenos.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Cadre Review</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Systemic change in the process of Cadre Review for Group A officers recommended.</span></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink" style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Allowances</span></span></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">: </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The Commission has recommended abolishing 52 allowances altogether. Another 36 allowances have been abolished as separate identities, but subsumed either in an existing allowance or in newly proposed allowances. Allowances relating to Risk and Hardship will be governed by the proposed Risk and Hardship Matrix<i>.</i></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">Risk and Hardship Allowance:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">Allowances relating to Risk and Hardship will be governed by the newly proposed nine-cell Risk and Hardship Matrix, with one extra cell at the top, viz., RH-Max to include Siachen Allowance.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The current Siachen Allowance per month and the revised rates recommended are as follows:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; height: 0.2in; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 53.65pt;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Present</span></b></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; height: 0.2in; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 64.35pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Proposed</span></b></div>
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<tr style="height: 16.8pt; page-break-inside: avoid;"><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; height: 16.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.3pt;" valign="top" width="35"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">i.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Service Officers</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 16.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 53.65pt;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">21,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 16.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 64.35pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">31,500</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 16.8pt; page-break-inside: avoid;"><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; height: 16.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 26.3pt;" valign="top" width="35"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">iii.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">JCO/ORs</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 16.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 53.65pt;" valign="top" width="72"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">14,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 16.8pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 64.35pt;" valign="top" width="86"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 1.45pt 10pt 13.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">21,000</span></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">This would be the ceiling for risk/hardship allowances and there would be no individual RHA with an amount higher than this allowance<i>.</i></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">House Rent Allowance:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> Since the Basic Pay has been revised upwards, the Commission recommends that HRA be paid at the rate of 24 percent, 16 percent and 8 percent of the new Basic Pay for Class X, Y and Z cities respectively. The Commission also recommends that the rate of HRA will be revised to 27 percent, 18 percent and 9 percent respectively when DA crosses 50 percent, and further revised to 30 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent when DA crosses 100 percent.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">In the case of PBORs of Defence, CAPFs and Indian Coast Guard compensation for housing is presently limited to the authorised married establishment hence many users are being deprived. The HRA coverage has now been expanded to cover all.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Any allowance not mentioned in the report shall cease to exist.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Emphasis has been placed on simplifying the process of claiming allowances.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Advances:</span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">All non-interest bearing Advances have been abolished.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Regarding interest-bearing Advances, only Personal Computer Advance and House Building Advance (HBA) have been retained. HBA ceiling has been increased to </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">25 lakhs from the present </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">7.5 lakhs.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme (CGEGIS)</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> The Rates of contribution as also the insurance coverage under the CGEGIS have remained unchanged for long. They have now been enhanced suitably. The following rates of CGEGIS are recommended:</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
</td><td colspan="2" style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; height: 18.95pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 238.625px;" valign="bottom" width="38%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Present</span></b></div>
</td><td colspan="2" style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-top-color: windowtext; border-top-width: 1pt; height: 18.95pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 244.625px;" valign="bottom" width="38%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Proposed</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Level of Employee</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Monthly Deduction</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> (₹)</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Insurance Amount</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> (₹)</span></b></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 18.95pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.625px;" valign="bottom" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Monthly Deduction</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> (₹)</span></b></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 18.95pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 111.625px;" valign="bottom" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Insurance Amount</span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> (₹)</span></b></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 11.05pt;"><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; height: 11.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.625px;" valign="top" width="23%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">10 and above</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 11.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.625px;" valign="top" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 20.35pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">120</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 11.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 109.625px;" valign="top" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 8.2pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">1,20,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 11.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.625px;" valign="top" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">5000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 11.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 111.625px;" valign="top" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">50,00,000</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 10.1pt;"><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; height: 10.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.625px;" valign="top" width="23%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">6 to 9</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 10.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.625px;" valign="top" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 20.35pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">60</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 10.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 109.625px;" valign="top" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 8.2pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">60,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 10.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.625px;" valign="top" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">2500</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 10.1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 111.625px;" valign="top" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">25,00,000</span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 4.05pt;"><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-color: windowtext; border-left-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; height: 4.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 137.625px;" valign="top" width="23%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">1 to 5</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 4.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 113.625px;" valign="top" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 20.35pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">30</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 4.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 109.625px;" valign="top" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in 8.2pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">30,000</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 4.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 117.625px;" valign="top" width="19%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">1500</span></div>
</td><td style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid none; height: 4.05pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 111.625px;" valign="top" width="18%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.0667px; margin: 0in -2.3pt 10pt 13.5pt; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">15,00,000</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Medical Facilities:</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Introduction of a <b>Health Insurance Scheme</b> for Central Government employees and pensioners has been recommended.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Meanwhile, for the benefit of pensioners residing outside the CGHS areas, CGHS should empanel those hospitals which are already empanelled under CS (MA)/ECHS for catering to the medical requirement of these pensioners on a cashless basis.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> All postal pensioners should be covered under CGHS. All postal dispensaries should be merged with CGHS.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Pension:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> The Commission recommends a revised pension formulation for civil employees including CAPF personnel as well as for Defence personnel, who have retired before 01.01.2016. This formulation will bring about parity<b> </b>between past pensioners and current retirees</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> for the same length of service in the pay scale at the time of retirement.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The past pensioners shall first be fixed in the Pay Matrix being recommended by the Commission on the basis of Pay Band and Grade Pay at which they retired, at the minimum of the corresponding level in the pay matrix.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">This amount shall be raised to arrive at the notional pay of retirees, by adding number of increments he/she had earned in that level while in service at the rate of 3 percent.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">In the case of defence forces personnel this amount will include Military Service Pay as admissible.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Fifty percent of the total amount so arrived at shall be the new pension.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">An alternative calculation will be carried out, which will be a multiple of 2.57 times of the current basic pension.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The pensioner will get the higher of the two.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Gratuity</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">: </span><span style="color: #333333;">Enhancement in the ceiling of gratuity from the existing 10 lakh to 20 lakh. The ceiling on gratuity may be raised by 25 percent whenever DA rises by 50 percent.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Disability Pension for Armed Forces:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The Commission is recommending reverting to a slab based system for disability element, instead of existing percentile based disability pension regime.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ex-gratia Lump sum Compensation to Next of Kin:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> The Commission is recommending the revision of rates of lump sum compensation for next of kin (NOK) in case of death arising in various circumstances relating to performance of duties, to be applied uniformly for the defence forces personnel and civilians including CAPF personnel<i>.</i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Martyr Status for CAPF Personnel</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">: </span><span style="color: #333333;">The Commission is of the view that in case of death in the line of duty, the force personnel of CAPFs should be accorded martyr status, at par with the defence forces personnel.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">New Pension System</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span><span style="color: #333333;"> The Commission received many grievances relating to NPS. It has recommended a number of steps to improve the functioning of NPS. It has also recommended establishment of a strong grievance redressal mechanism.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Regulatory Bodies</span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">: </span></span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The Commission has recommended a consolidated pay package of 4,50,000 and 4,00,000 per month for Chairpersons and Members respectively of select Regulatory bodies. In case of retired government servants, their pension will not be deducted from their consolidated pay. The consolidated pay package will be raised by 25 percent as and when Dearness Allowance goes up by 50 percent. For Members of the remaining Regulatory bodies normal replacement pay has been recommended.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Performance Related Pay</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">: </span><span style="color: #333333;">The Commission has recommended introduction of the Performance Related Pay (PRP) for all categories of Central Government employees, based on quality Results Framework Documents, reformed Annual Performance Appraisal Reports and some other broad Guidelines. The Commission has also recommended that the PRP should subsume the existing Bonus schemes.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">There are few recommendations of the Commission where there was no unanimity of view and these are as follows:</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Edge:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> An edge is presently accordeded to the Indian </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) at three promotion stages from Senior Time Scale (STS), to the Junior Administrative Grade (JAG) and the NFSG.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> is recommended by the Chairman, to be extended to the Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">Shri Vivek Rae, Member is of the view that financial edge is justified only for the IAS and IFS. Dr. Rathin Roy, Member is of the view that the financial edge accorded to the IAS and IFS should be removed.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Empanelment: </span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">The Chairman and Dr. Rathin Roy, Member, recommend that All India Service officers and Central Services Group A officers who have completed </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;">17 years of service should be eligible for empanelment under the Central Staffing Scheme and there should not be “two year edge”, vis-à-vis the IAS. Shri Vivek Rae, Member, has not agreed with this view and has recommended review of the Central Staffing Scheme guidelines.</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Non Functional Upgradation for Organised Group ‘A’ Services</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">: </span><span style="color: #333333;">The Chairman is of the view that NFU availed by all the organised Group `A’ Services should be allowed to continue and be extended to all officers in the CAPFs, Indian Coast Guard and the Defence forces. NFU should henceforth be based on the respective residency periods in the preceding substantive grade. Shri Vivek Rae, Member and Dr. Rathin Roy, Member, have favoured abolition of NFU at SAG and HAG level.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Superannuation:</span></span></b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 20.8px;"> Chairman and Dr. Rathin Roy, Member, recommend the age of superannuation for all CAPF personnel should be 60 years uniformly. Shri Vivek Rae, Member, has not agreed with this recommendation and has endorsed the stand of the Ministry of Home Affairs.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.7cpc.india.gov.in/pdf/sevencpcreport.pdf" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: red;">Download report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission (7.19MB) </span></b></a></h3>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-43558254206688161682015-07-02T06:11:00.000-07:002015-07-02T06:11:25.240-07:00Gasoline breaks a streak of five weeks to rise and fall 0.97% before the operation exit<div style="text-align: justify;">
The price of 95 octane gasoline stood at 1.325 euros per liter. It is a figure published in the Oil Bulletin of the European Union (EU). Despite the drop this week, the 95 octane gasoline has risen by 0.53% in a month and accumulates an increase of 15.12% so far this year.</div>
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The price of 95 octane gasoline broke a streak of five consecutive upward weeks and is down 0.97% in the last seven days, at the gates of the summer, reaching 1,325 euros per liter, according data from the Oil Bulletin of the European Union (EU). The diesel fuel has fallen again, with what has five weeks of decline , and now costs 1,177 euros per liter, 0.42% less than seven days ago. Despite the drop this week, the 95 octane gasoline has risen by 0.53% in a month and accumulates an increase of 15.12% so far this year. However, the price is still lower by 12 , 94% to the highs reached in September 2012. As for diesel fuel , the price has fallen by 2% in the last month but is up 6.81% so far this year. As in the For gasoline, the price of diesel is well below the highs of 2012, ie by 18.55% less.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-49528017866110591332015-05-25T22:58:00.001-07:002015-05-25T22:59:30.238-07:00JKBOSE Results of Class 10th Board Exams 2015<div style="text-align: justify;">
The girls have outshined boys by bagging 233 top slots while boys got 127 slots out of 360 top 20 positions in merit list of class 10 results of Jammu division declared here on Monday.</div>
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Jammu and Kashmir Board of Education (JKBOSE) had declared the results of Class 10 board exams 2015 of Jammu division with 62.27 pass percentage. However, the overall pass percentage of girls (64 per cent) is higher than that of boys (60.84 percent), the officials said.</div>
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A total of 51,442 students-28,213 boys and 23,229 girls-had appeared in the examination which was held in March this year, out of which 19285 students were not qualified.The top three positions have been bagged by three girls and two boys.</div>
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Pratikha, a student of BVM High School Ramnagar of Udhampur district has secured the first position with 492 marks (98.40 per cent) out of maximum 500.</div>
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The second position has been shared by Kiranpreet Kour, Caramel Convent High School, Kunjwani, Nitin Pandita, SL Memorial Model High School Santra Morh, Anand Nagar and Avantika Jamwal, Little Flower Convent High School, Udhampur with 491 marks (98.20 per cent), while the third position was bagged by Deepanshu Sharma, St Mary Convent School Smailpur, who obtained 490 marks (98.0 per cent).</div>
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The fourth position was shared by Partima Gupta, JK Public School, Panjtirthi, Sarleen Kour, Caramel Convent High School, Kunjwani, Sanya Gupta, St Peter’s High School, BC Road, Abhishek Sharma, Spring Dales English School, Kathua and Mridul Reothia, Sacred Heart Convent High School, Phinter with 489 marks (97.80 per cent).</div>
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It was proud privileged of JK Public School Panjtirthi from which five students made it to merit list. Five students of JK Public School Panjtirthi including Pritma Gupta, daughter of Ajay Gupta and Alka Gupta got fourth position with 489 marks (97.80 per cent), Krishika Gupta, daughter of Naresh Kumar Gupta and Anju Gupta got tenth positions with 483 marks (96.60 per cent), Riya Goswami, daughter of Tara Chand Goswami and Anju Bala secured eleventh position with 482 marks (96.40 per cent), Muskan Wahi, daughter of Kushay Wahi and Rama Wahi bagged thirteenth position with 480 marks (96.00 per cent) and Rhythum, son of Sanjive Kumar and Urmila got seventeenth position with 476 marks (95.20 per cent).</div>
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Talking to news reporters, position holders of JK Public School Panjtirthi, while sharing their success said, “We have not taken coaching from any private tuition centre and it was our own efforts that helped us to understand the concepts better. Apart from hard work, it was the motivation by teaching faculty of the school and support of family that led to our success in board exams. The excellent teaching faculty of the school and our supporting families kindled the required zest and determination into our minds and rest is the history. Regular studies and revision of topics taught everyday in school always helped in strengthening the basic concepts and we thus strongly feel that if you want to succeed in exams then start from the very first day.” They owe their success in board exams to their teachers, school and family.</div>
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Pritma Gupta, a proud top position holder in JK Public School Panjtirthi said, “Somewhere in my mind I was aware that I would definitely score good marks and this was possible only because of my school, my parents and my respected teachers. They all really supported me well. My school provided study material, facilities, good and peaceful environment to study. To evaluate the students time to time, they also conducted many assessments for us. And I really want to thank my Principal Suman Banbah and my respected teachers for their timely guidance and support. Scoring 97 per cent in board exams is a dream come true which is possible because of my school and my hard work. I strongly believe that hard work is the key to success and I would advise the same to all the students.”</div>
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Krishika Gupta, who got tenth position said, “My parents and teachers helped me in my studies and I thanked them for my achievement,” adding that I want to pursue engineering and want to become an IAS officer.</div>
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The fifth position was shared by eight students including Rasmeen Kour, St Peter’s Higher Secondary School, Karan Bagh, Puranamrita, St Peter’s Higher Secondary School, Karan Bagh, Imbroz Singh, Shiksha Niketan Higher Secondary School, Jeevan Nagar, Mansi Charak, St Joseph Convent High School, Arnia, Gurinder Kour, Holly Cross Convent High School, RS Pura, Namoyashi, Spring Dales English School, Kathua, Ashish Singh Manhas, Brahm Rishi Bawra Anant Vidya Peeth Mahanpur with 488 marks (97.60 per cent).</div>
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Supriya Bhat, Conventry Scholars Sr Sec School, Chinore, Dhaman Singh Saini, St Joseph Convent High School Arnia, Manideep Kour, Holly Cross Convent High School, RS Pura, Shifali Choudhary Spring Dales English School, Kathua, Deepali Sharma, Sacred Heart Convent High School, Phinter and Shriya Raina, Sacred Heart Convent High School, Phinter shared sixth position with 486 marks (97.20 per cent).</div>
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The seventh position was shared by Tamnna Choudhary, Shiksha Niketan Hr Sec School, Jeevan Nagar, Anu Sharma, DBN Vidya Mandir, Mubarak Mandi, Rudrakshi Anand, New Era Environmental School, Jammu, Keshav Kakkar, Shangrilla Public School Sarwal, Aditi Mandla, Montessore Nargis Dutt Higher Secondary School, RS Pura, Shamli Jasrotia, Spring Dales English School, Kathua, Meenakshi Gupta, Spring Dales English School Kathua, Sonia Verma, Shastri Memorial Higher Secondary School, Haripur, Piyush Chandan, New National Public High School, Nowshera, Samriti Sumbria, BBSV Peeth Higher Secondary School, Udhampur, Riya Khajuria, Little Flower Convent High School Udhmapur with 486 marks (97.20 per cent).</div>
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Biranjot kour, Shiksha Niketan High School, Gandhi Nagar, Arushi Sharma, Caramel Convent High School, Kunjwani, Tavleen Kour, Caramel Convent High School, Kunjwani, Josheen Kour, Caramel Convent High School Kunjwani, Tejinderpal Singh, St Peter’s Hr Sec School, Karan Bagh, Kashin Brij Khajuria, Shangrilla Public School, Sarwal, Smile Bali, St John’s Convent School, Mandal, Surbi Singh, St Joseph Convent High School, Arnia, Parvinder Singh, Fatima Convent High School, Bishnah, Avneet Kour, Holly Cross Convent High School, RS Pura, Karun Paul Singh, Sacred Heart Convent High School, Phinter, Ambrosia Sarwar, Sacred Heart Convent High School, Phinter, Surjit Singh, Satya Model High School, Billawar, Manjot Kour Sudan, Christ Higher Secondary School, Poonch, Himshikha Bhardwaj, Christ Higher Secondary School, Poonch, Ankita Sharma, New Public High School, Sunderbani, Nisha Choudhary, Christ High School, Nowshera and Aditi Basundhara, BBSV Peeth Higher Secondary School, Udhampur shared eight position with 484 marks (97 per cent).</div>
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Ninth position was shared by Simran Gupta, Shiksha Niketan Hr Sec School, Jeevan Nagar, Charru, CMP Convent Hr Secondary School, Dayalachak, Satish Sharma, Infant Jesus Hr Secondary School, Hiranagar, Vivekni Satya Neta Ji High School, Vijaypur and Ritika Sharma, Govt High School, Malhar, Akshita Sharma, Caramel Convent High School, Kunjwani, Heena Bhardwaj, Caramel Convent High School Kunjwani, Vanshika Thakur, Kotwal National Institute of Technology, Talab Tillo, Raghvi Langer, Dewan Devi Hr Sec School, Rajpura Mangotrian, Surbhi Gupta, Dewan Devi Hr Sec School, Rajpura Mangotrian, Shubam Saini, Shiksha Niketan Hr Sec School, Jeevan Nagar, Ashu Basson, Shiksha Niketan Hr Sec School, Jeevan Nagar, Suryapratap Singh, Ranjit Memorial High School, Barnai and Shubdeep Akash, MHS DAV Public School, RS Pura with 484 marks (96.80 per cent).</div>
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Simran Choudhary, Shiksha Niketan Hr Sec School, Jeevan Nagar, Muskan Arora, Co-Operative Pub High School, Talab Tillo, Yashika Sharma, Jagriti Mission School Talab Tillo , Jammu, Arushi Raina, Conventry Scholars Sr Sec School, Chinore, Ridhi Gupta, Shangrilla Public School Sarwal, Amanat Pikhan, Prince Doll Higher Secondary School, RS Pura, Tamanna, MHS DAV Public School, RS Pura, Hitakshi Gupta, Minerva Public High School, Kathua, Abhinandan Sherpuri, Infant Jesus Hr Secondary School, Hiranagar, Niharika, Sacred Heart Convent High School, Phinter, Anjali Bhardwaj, Satya Model High School, Billawar, Mrinali Sharma, New Public High School, Sunderbani, Simrandeep Kour Johar, Christ High School, Nowshera, Manisha Bhatia, Shangrilla Public School, Sarwal, Krishika Gupta, JK Public School, Panjtirthi, Amandeep, Shiksha Niketan Hr Sec School, Jeevan Nagar, Shahbaz Chowdhary, Brig Khuda Baksh Memorial Public HSS, Byepass Kunjwani, Yogesh Kumar, Kotwal National Institute of Technology, Talab Tillo, Akshay Kumar, Oriental Academy, Jammu, Karma Dorjay, S P Hr Secondary School, Exchange Road, Ranjana Saini, St Joseph Convent High School, Arnia, Jasmine Kour, Holly Cross Convent High School, RS Pura, Samiksha Sharma, Kristu Jyoti High School, Samba, Shamli Slathia, Kristu Jyoti High School, Samba and Sonali Jamwal, National Acad High School, Court Road Udhampur, shared tenth position with 483 marks (96.60 per cent). Simran Gupta, daughter of Sunita and Vijay Kumar Gupta, a student of Indra Sagar Secondary School, Rajpura Mangotria, secured 16th position with 477 marks (95.4 per cent).</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-21718389675333253642015-05-24T22:10:00.000-07:002015-05-24T22:10:40.166-07:00Nirmal Singh reviews Kheer Bhawani Mela arrangements<div style="text-align: justify;">
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Nirmal Singh today directed the administration to ensure that appropriate arrangements are put in place for the smooth conduct of upcoming Kheer Bhawani Mela, so that the devotees do not face any inconvenience.</div>
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The Deputy Chief Minister was interacting with the officers during his visit to Kheer Bhawani Shrine in district Ganderbal to oversee the arrangements for the annual Kheer Bhawani Mela being celebrated on 26th May. Thousands of devotees from within and outside the State are expected to join the festival.</div>
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MLC Ajatshatru Singh, DDC Ganderbal, Showkat Aijaz, SSP Ganderbal Imtiyaz Ismail, SSP Traffic Rural Kashmir, Javaid Koul, SSP Security Kashmir, Maqsood-ul-Zaman, ACR Ganderbal, Chairman Dharmarath Trust and district officers were present on the occasion.</div>
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The Deputy CM said such festive occasions exhibit brotherhood and communal harmony among the people of Kashmir and provide an opportunity to bridge the gap among different geographic regions of J&K. He said the state is known for its pluralistic character and mutual brotherhood among different sections of the society.</div>
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Dr. Singh discussed department-wise facilities to be provided for the devotees and particularly reviewed the position with regard to power, water supply, sanitation, traffic management, security arrangements, availability of essentials and medical facilities.</div>
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The Deputy Chief Minister was given brief about the preparedness of the district administration for the upcoming Mela and was told that a foolproof mechanism was put in place to ensure that the devotees get the requisite necessary facilities for performing religious rituals.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-86782012955004856902014-12-21T22:53:00.002-08:002014-12-21T22:53:41.820-08:00JK election results tomorrow<div style="background-color: white; color: #191919; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; margin-bottom: 20px;">
Stage is set for the penultimate round of the five-phased polls in Jammu and Kashmir in which the fate of 182 candidates including two chief ministerial aspirants and Speaker of the Assembly will be sealed tomorrow.</div>
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Over 14.73 lakh voters including 7.05 lakh females are eligible to exercise their franchise at 1,890 polling stations in four districts of the state – Srinagar, Anantnag, Shopian (Kashmir Valley) and Samba (Jammu region).</div>
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All eyes will be on the eight constituencies of Srinagar– currently being represented by the National Conference (NC)– as the voter turnout has generally remained low in the district along with some parts of Anantnag and Shopian.</div>
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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is contesting from Sonwar Assembly segment of Srinagar after he chose not to contest from his family stronghold of Ganderbal constituency.</div>
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Omar was also in fray from Beerwah seat, in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, which went to polls in the third phase.</div>
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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron and party chief ministerial candidate Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is seeking re-election from Anantnag constituency in south Kashmir.</div>
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Depending on the eventual party positions in terms of seats won, either Omar or Sayeed is likely to be the front-runner for the chief minister’s post.</div>
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Other prominent candidates who are in fray include J&K Assembly Speaker Mubarak Gul, Omar’s close confidante Nasir Aslam Wani, Congress ministers Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Ahmad Mir, and PDP’s Abdul Rehman Veeri and Altaf Bukhari.</div>
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The campaign in the four districts was by and large peaceful but militants hurled a grenade at a police station in Anantnag town on Thursday, resulting in injuries to three policemen. The ultras also planted an IED under a culvert in Shopian district on the same day but the explosive was detected by security forces and defused by a bomb disposal squad.</div>
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Security arrangements in all the four districts have been strengthened to ensure peaceful polling.</div>
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Union Minister of State Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and Bollywood actor and party MP Vinod Khanna campaigned for BJP candidates in the seats going to polls in the fourth phase.</div>
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The BJP, which is making its first serious bid for power in Jammu and Kashmir, has come out all guns blazing to make its presence felt in the Valley.</div>
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Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Pradesh Congress Committee president Saifuddin Soz also campaigned for their candidates.</div>
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Omar, working president of the NC, was the only star campaigner for his party in the absence of his father and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is undergoing medical treatment in London.</div>
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Omar crisscrossed the four districts to campaign for his party candidates including himself.</div>
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PDP’s Sayeed and party president Mehbooba Mufti also campaigned for their party candidates.</div>
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Of the 18 seats going to polls tomorrow, the ruling NC had won nine in 2008 while the opposition PDP bagged six seats. Congress had won two seats while National Panthers Party clinched the Samba seat in Jammu region.</div>
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With the fourth phase, the polling process will come to an end in Kashmir Valley as all the 20 seats going to polls in the fifth and the last phase on December 20 are in Jammu region.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-57208401769434122462014-12-21T22:48:00.002-08:002014-12-21T22:48:39.403-08:00Chillai Kalan Begins in Kashmir<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The 40-day chilliest part of winter in Kashmir, Chillai-Kalan, began today on a warmer note as night temperatures rose across the Valley.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Chillai-Kalan, is the period when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent and temperatures remain mostly below zero.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">People mostly stay indoors during this chilliest part of winter as day temperature also dips drastically with night temperature being mostly below freezing leading to freezing of most of the water bodies including the famous Dal Lake.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Though minimum temperatures continued to remain below the freezing point, they went up by several degrees across the division, increasing the chances of snowfall in the region which has seen dry weather so far.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">There was light snowfall in Gulmarg and other upper reaches of Kashmir valley making people to shiver with the cold as icy winds were blowing across Kashmir.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The MeT office spokesman here forecast widespread rains or isolated snowfall over the next 24 hours. He said the minimum temperature increased by over two degrees in Srinagar as the city recorded a low of minus 1.8 degree Celsius, compared to the previous night’s minus 4.4 degree Celsius.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The spokesman said that Pahalgam in South Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.4 degree Celsius, up by over three degrees from minus 6.2 degree Celsius recorded the previous night.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The minimum temperature in Qazigund increased by four degrees from minus 5.8 degree Celsius the previous night to settle at a low of minus 1.8 degree Celsius. Kokernag recorded minus 1.7 degree Celsius”, the spokesman said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">“Gulmarg recorded a minimum of minus 2.8 degree Celsius, as against the previous night’s minus 3.4 degree Celsius. The spokesman said that Kupwara town recorded a low of minus 4.3 degree Celsius”, the spokesman said.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The spokesman said that minimum temperature in Leh was recorded at minus 6.0 degree Celsius, over seven degrees up from the previous night’s minus 13.9 degree Celsius. “Kargil registered an increase of over three degrees from the previous night’s low of minus 13 degree Celsius to settle at minus 9.6 degree Celsius”, the spokesman added.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">This year, chill is more and some people attribute it to the September floods that ravaged Kashmir valley.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, chilly weather conditions for the fourth consecutive day with mercury much below the normal and no sunshine, kept the people indoor today and resorting to different means for warmth in Jammu.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">As there was also no improvement in the prevailing foggy conditions, Rail traffic remained disrupted due to poor visibility and maximum trains reached here late behind the scheduled time. However, there was no disruption in flights, which were on time, official sources informed the News.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Almost negligible change was registered in maximum and minimum temperature in Jammu on Sunday in comparison to that of yesterday. Jammu today registered 11.8 degree Celsius day temperature, which was still much below the normal thus triggering cold wave conditions across the region. The minimum temperature witnessed a slight fall from 4.8 degree Celsius (Saturday) to 4.5 degree Celsius (Sunday).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Due to fog and consequent poor visibility, maximum trains were late in their arrival at Jammu. Jammu Mail and Pooja Express reached at 11.30 am and 12.25 noon, respectively, instead of their scheduled time 9.30 am and 8 am, respectively. Sealdah was late by four hours, Jhelum by five hours, Varanasi Express by six hours and Archana Express by eight hours. Similarly other trains were also late in arrival.</span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Late arrival of trains led to rescheduling of their departure also and therefore passengers had to wait for hours together.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">However, there was no disruption in Air traffic and all flights were on time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">According to the Metrology Department, the prevailing cold wave is likely to further intensify in the forthcoming days. Light rains and snow may occur at isolated places in the next 24 hours, Met official said.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-39432389698168908342014-12-20T00:51:00.000-08:002014-12-20T00:51:01.056-08:00Last Phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls<div class="articleLead" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3b3a39; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
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20 constituencies spread over Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts of Jammu region are going to polls.</h2>
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Braving winter chill, a little more than 12 per cent of the electorate on Saturday exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling in 20 constituencies in the final phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir.</div>
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“12.09 per cent of voting has been registered in first two hours of polling till 1000 hours in 20 segments of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts”, an official spokesman said.</div>
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Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and four of his Cabinet colleagues are among the 312 candidates whose fate will be decided in the third phase of polling on Saturday in the 20 seats spread across Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts.</div>
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At many places, voters lined up at polling stations much before the start of the voting time at 8 a.m.</div>
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Despite cold weather, people were seen marching towards the polling booths and long queues of electorate were seen outside the polling booths to exercise their franchise.</div>
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In Bishnah constituency at polling station 27, out of the total 640 votes, 72 have already been cast in the first hour of polling. At polling Station 28, out of 706 votes, 81 have already been cast.</div>
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Similarly, in Suchategarh constituency, at polling station 23, out of 1,009, 107 have already been cast, whereas, in polling station 28, out of 940 votes, 122 have already been cast during the first hour.</div>
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Giving details, election officials said while Akhnoor border constituency in Jammu district witnessed the highest 19.26 per cent of the voters casting their ballot, Rajouri segment registered lowest 4.61 per cent voting.</div>
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R.S. Pura border constituency saw 19 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise, Nagorta 17 per cent while Raipur Domana saw over 16.69 per cent voters casting their ballot, Chhamb and Suchetgarh polled 16 percent each.</div>
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Similarly, Bani recorded 15.22 per cent, Hiranagar 15.02 per cent, Bishnah 14 per cent, Marh 12 per cent, Kathua 11.71 per cent, Basholi 11 per cent, Billawar 10.25 and Gandhinagar and Jammu East polled 10 per cent votes.</div>
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Besides these, Jammu West and Noushera polled 9 per cent votes followed by 8.50 per cent polling in Darhal and 7.15 per cent in Kalakote.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-12434554366320788652014-12-20T00:48:00.001-08:002014-12-20T00:48:39.235-08:00Holiday on Kabir Jayanti preponed<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"> Restricted holiday for the Jammu province on account of Kabir Jayanti will be observed on June 23 (Sunday) instead of June 25 (Tuesday).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">An order in this regard was issued by the General Administration Department.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-63898715486986606182014-12-20T00:31:00.003-08:002014-12-20T00:31:57.106-08:00BJP candidates attacked by PDP in Nowshera, Billawar<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">BJP candidate from Nowshera constituency, Ravinder Raina and another activist, were injured after he was attacked by some PDP activists near Lamberi late this evening.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Sources said that incident took place when PDP workers were reportedly distributing some items and cash among voters near Lamberi. The BJP candidate Raina along with some of his supporters rushed there after coming to know about the mater. When the BJP activists reached there, some people at the site resorted to stone pelting on them. It was darkness and Safari vehicle of Mr Raina was damaged in stoning.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">The BJP activists also retaliated but rivals were more in number. They had Tata Mobile vehicle with them also hit the Safari of BJP candidate Raina and his associate Manjit Singh were injured in the attack and were removed to Nowshera hospital.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">A large number of BJP activists rushed to hospital after coming to know about the attack on Raina. They started protest against PDP candidate Surinder Choudhary and Police. The BJP candidate was later referred to GMC Hospital Jammu. In view of tension, the local administration deployed more police men.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">SSP Rajouri, Dr Haseeb Mughal when contacted said that in clash between the BJP and PDP activists over an issue of alleged distribution of some items and cash at Lamberi, the BJP candidate Ravinder Raina and his associate were injured. He said in the incident of stone pelting at the site, one Manjit Singh was hit at the head while Raina on his shoulder. He said the doctors at Nowshera hospital referred him to GMC hospital Jammu. He said that police has taken cognizance of the matter and investigation has been started.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, some goonda elements believed to be the supporters of Congress candidate from Billawar Dr Manohar Lal Sharma allegedly attacked BJP candidate Dr Nirmal Singh’s vehicle at Thara Kalwal in Billawar late this evening. The goons damaged vehicle, but Dr Singh escaped unhurt.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">A party spokesman said that Mamta Singh, wife of Dr Nirmal Singh has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India in this regard.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-15174259588941804102014-01-30T05:38:00.001-08:002014-01-30T05:38:26.452-08:00203 snow trapped civilians rescued130 Helicopter Unit – The Condors, of Indian Air Force (IAF) stationed at Jammu yet again undertook a demanding operation of rescuing stranded people from the inaccessible villages of Kishtwar region of J and K.<br />
Braving piercing snow waves, and extreme cold conditions, IAF’s MI-17 choppers in assistance with the local administration airlifted 203 stranded people in 10 sorties from remote parts of Kishtwar region where they had been trapped for the past two days.<br />
The operation was carried out under the captainship of Wing Commander Suresh Tiwari and Co-pilot Wing Commander Anup Sharma and Sqn Ldr Shiv. The aircraft took off at 7:30 AM and continued with the operations in the freezing temperature of minus -10 degree Celsius.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-34088022891885018962013-06-04T22:32:00.003-07:002013-06-04T22:32:56.323-07:00Grenade Attack in Anantnag<div style="text-align: justify;">
At least seven persons including two policemen were injured when suspected militants hurled a grenade towards army vehicle in south Kashmir’s Anantnag township.<br /><br />Eyewitnesses and police officials said the suspected militants threw a powerful grenade towards army vehicle near Super Bazar in Lal chowk area. “The grenade exploded on the road near the parked army vehicle resulting into the injuries to at least seven pedestrians including two cops. The tyres and the oil tank of the army vehicle also suffered damage,” eyewitnesses said.<br /><br />The injured were immediately taken to district hospital Anantnag where they are being treated. “We received seven persons with splinter injuries. Six of them were discharged after being provided treatment while a cop is still under observation,” said medical superintendent, DH, Anantnag, Dr Fazil Kochak. <br /><br />The injured have been identified as Mohammad Ashraf Wani son of Ghulam Rasool Wani of Daksum, Firdos Ahmad Deka son of Mohammad Ramzan Deka of Daksum, Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir son of Abdul Gani of Munghal Anantnag, Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Chicken of Sarnal Anantnag, Mubarak Ahmad Shiek son of Gulzar Ahmad of Dandi Pora Kokernag, Imtiyaz Ahmad Malik son of Ghulam Rasool of Khriwan Anantnag and a police man Mohmmad Abdullah. <br /><br />Talking to media men, senior Superintendent of police, Anantnag, R K Jala, said that seven persons including two cops who were on routine duty in the market suffered injuries in the grenade explosion.<br /><br />He also claimed to have solved the case of grenade attack on police station on Sunday evening.<br />“We have arrested four persons involved in grenade throwing on police station. Two more people involved in the attack are still on run and hunt is on to nab them too. We are hopeful of their arrest very soon,” SSP told media men.<br /><br />He identified the involved persons as Mukhtar Ahmad of Dangar pora Anantnag, Irshad Ahmad Dar of Malaknag, Amir Salati of Reshi Bazar and Muzaffar Ahmad of Pulwama. <br /><br />He also said that today’s grenade attack on army vehicle was in retaliation to the arrest of the four persons involved in grenade attack on police station a day before.<br /><br />“From last two days it seems that militants are trying to revive their activities in the town but we will not allow them to succeed in their designs,” the top cop of the district said.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-29464224433574099432013-06-04T22:28:00.004-07:002013-06-04T22:28:43.747-07:00Karan Singh Visited Kheer Bhawani<div style="text-align: justify;">
Member Parliament, Dr. Karan Singh today visited Mata Kheer Bhawani shrine.<br />Accompanied by MLC Vijay Bakaya Dr Singh enquired about the status of Sewerage Treatment Plant for which the Union Ministry of Tourism has already spent Rs 80 lakh. The MP said he would take up the matter of payment of the balance amount with the Centre as soon as he returns back to Delhi. He was glad to see that the whole complex of the Mata Kheer Bhawani shrine was well maintained.<br />During his visit, Dr. Karan Singh went to the ancient Shiva temple at Gupt Ganga, which for many years has been used as transport headquarters by the CRPF. He said that the trust has already moved for the vacation of this property and thereafter the area will be developed, the Kund cleaned and the temple renovated so that it becomes a tourist attraction for the people who visit Mughal Garden every year.<br />He urged the Centre and the State Governments to take urgent steps to check pollution of the Dal Lake which is an essential part of the Kashmir eco system and for many centuries has been the main tourist attraction.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-32127294178125756972013-06-04T01:59:00.000-07:002013-06-04T01:59:02.249-07:00Anti Tobacco Day<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our country is the second largest tobacco producing and fourth largest tobacco consuming country in the world. Controlling tobacco problem in India is therefore more difficult and demands extraordinary campaign to save the innocent people from its dangerous effects. Organizations and NGOs have together made a documentary to be circulated in the entire country that visually depicts the disastrous consequences of tobacco consumption. In India tobacco is used not only for smoking but also in gutkas, chewing, huqqa, bidi and snuffing etc. Thus its disastrous effects are more widespread in the country. Unfortunately while there is much of propaganda against the consumption of tobacco as injurious to health, tobacco-producing companies are resorting to many clever and subtle ways of continuing the propaganda for use of tobacco. This has been brought to the notice of the civil society by the NGOs who met in Delhi on the occasion of the World Anti Tobacco Day.</div>
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<br />It is now established that tobacco is most injurious to health and should be avoided at all costs. Governments have issued instructions and in most of the countries in the Western world these instructions are faithfully carried out. But in our country people addicted to the consumption of tobacco in different ways are thick skinned and may not change that soon. Therefore more stringent legislation needs to be made to deter them from the use of this dangerous material. A strong nationwide campaign is perhaps needed to help reduce consumption of tobacco. It has been seen that in our country mostly the illiterate and backward people are addicted to tobacco consumption. Awareness and education alone can help in the eradication of this evil.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-16557151664028945022013-06-03T02:00:00.001-07:002013-06-03T02:00:18.539-07:00Katra Railway Station will be linked with Major States<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ahead of the launch of prestigious Udhampur-Katra rail project, a high level team of senior officers of Railways headed by Railways Board Chairman Vinay Mittal today had a detailed survey of Udhampur-Katra track including Tunnel No. 1, the major hurdle in the prestigious project after which Mr Mittal announced that the train would reach Katra in August or September this year.</div>
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<br />Top official sources told the News Agency that the Railways Ministry, whose additional charge is presently being held by CP Joshi after the exit of Pawan Kumar Bansal in much publicized Railways bribery scam, wanted to get Udhampur-Katra railway project inaugurated at the hands of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during his June 25 visit to the Kashmir Valley.</div>
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<br />“The team wanted to explore whether it would be feasible to run the trains up to Katra after inauguration of the new rail project by the Prime Minister,’’ sources said, adding that the team inter-acted with the local officials, Railway engineers, experts and those engaged in execution of the project to get detailed appraisal of the project.</div>
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<br />However, Mr Mittal ruled out such a possibility saying the train would reach Katra in August or September this year.</div>
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<br />“All hurdles in the extension of rail track from Udhampur to Katra have been removed. Problems at Tunnel No. 1 ahead of Udhampur have also been overcome. Now the work is in progress of laying track and, hopefully, the train will reach Katra in August-September,’’ he said while speaking to reporters in Udhampur.<br />Replying to a question, Mr Mittal said 150 to 200 more long distance trains were being equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) while anti-collision devices were also being installed in the trains.</div>
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<br />He added that finishing touches were being given to Banihal-Qazigund main railway tunnel.<br />To a question on frequent delay in arrival of trains, Mr Mittal attributed it to single track at most of the places. He said the long distance as well as local trains run on same track. Unless there were separate tracks for long distance and local trains, some problems would remain, he said, adding that separate track was being laid for goods trains.</div>
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<br />The team would submit a detailed report to the Railways Ministry in the next couple of days on the position of Udhampur-Katra rail track.</div>
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<br />The team headed by Railways Board Chairman Vinay Mittal comprised Northern Railways General Manager VK Gupta, Divisional Railways Manager, NC Goyal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Ferozepur Division MM Singh and Divisional Traffic Manager, Jammu, Ram Nath Meena.</div>
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<br />The team inspected Tunnel No. 1 on Udhampur-Katra track, which had become a major bottleneck in launch of the rail project to Katra town, the base camp of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji shrine. The project would have been completed much back but for the problems that cropped up in the construction of Tunnel No. 1.</div>
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<br />However, most of the problems that emerged in the construction of tunnel have been overcome and the track was now almost ready barring minor hiccups but, sources said, the Railways authorities didn’t want to take any chances. They wanted the project to be inaugurated only when the trains were able to chug smoothly on the track especially if it had to be inaugurated by no less a person than the Prime Minister himself.</div>
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<br />Sources said the Department was mulling to extend Jammu Mail and Samparak Kranti, both Jammu-New Delhi trains to Katra from Udhampur, Delhi-Pathankot Express from Pathankot (Punjab) to Katra and introduce new trains including Katra-Kalka (Chandigarh) Express (bi-weekly), Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Udhampur Express, (fully air conditioned) and Ahmedabad-Udhampur Express initially.</div>
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<br />Besides a set of local trains from Jammu to Katra and Pathankot to Katra could also be introduced to clear the rush of Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims from Jammu and Pathankot to Katra. At the later stage, more trains could be introduced to Katra or extended from Jammu and Udhampur.</div>
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<br />Sources said the trains would link Katra to various major stations of India.<br />Worthwhile to mention here that the Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate Banihal-Qazigund railway line during his June 25 visit to Kashmir along with Mughal Road. The Railways Ministry wanted to explore the possibility on whether the project could be ready for inauguration on June 25.</div>
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<br />The high level Railways team headed by the Chairman Railways Board that inspected railway track at Udhampur, Katra and Tunnel No. 1 returned to New Delhi this evening. Sources said that work on 25 km-long Udhampur-Katra rail link is almost complete and Railways will hand it over to Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS) for approval to run trains up to Katra.</div>
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<br />“Safety clearance from CRS is mandatory for making new line operational. Barring the laying of ballast-less track on the 3.1 km long T1 tunnel, the most difficult tunnel in the route, all other works in the Katra route are nearly complete now,” sources said.</div>
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<br />Katra station is ready with three platforms and two more platforms were proposed to be constructed later. With the commissioning of the new route, pilgrims will be able to reach the base camp of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra without having to break their journey at Jammu.</div>
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<br />However, sources were of the view that it wouldn’t be possible to take 30,000 to 35,000 pilgrims daily to Katra by train and other passenger services would remain in force. Half a dozen trains could take 6,000 to 7,000 pilgrims to Katra while others would have to take either local train from Jammu to Katra or travel by bus and other modes of private transport.</div>
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<br />The Udhampur-Katra rail route, coming up at an estimated cost of Rs 960 crore, passes through inhospitable terrain, making it an extremely challenging engineering project.<br />The route consists of seven tunnels and 30 small and big bridges, including a 185-feet high tunnel. A total of seven tunnels span over 10 km of the 25-km stretch.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-15025753142097754462013-05-31T00:07:00.000-07:002013-05-31T00:07:01.661-07:009.3 cr for jammu kashmir students scholarships<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of Indian, has launched a Special Scholarship Scheme for the students of Jammu and Kashmir, appearing for Class XII or equivalent examinations through the State Board of School Examinations (BOSE) or Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools, located within the State.</div>
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Official sources said under this scheme of the Central Government, 5000 scholarships will be given every year to the students of Jammu and Kashmir, who take admissions outside the State to pursue higher education in general degree courses, Engineering and Medical studies in the Government Colleges and Institutes and other non-Government institutes recognized by AICTE or University Grants Commission.</div>
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The Government has split 5000 scholarships giving major share i.e. 4500 scholarships to general degree courses. Rest of 500 scholarships would be equally distributed (250 each) to Medical and Engineering students.</div>
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“An amount of up to Rs 30,000 per annum for general degree courses, up to Rs 1.25 lakh per annum for Engineering and up to Rs 3 lakh per annum for Medical students is being given to every scholar as tuition fees,’’ sources said, adding that in addition to this, hostel fees and incidentals is also being given for all categories of courses up to a ceiling of Rs 1 lakh per annum.</div>
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Sources said that the HRD Ministry was making efforts to popularize the scheme among the students by publicizing it at the school level.</div>
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“In order to improve the delivery mechanism and also effectively monitor the progress of the scheme, it has been assigned to the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for implementation through an e-portal from the academic year 2012-13.]</div>
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Meanwhile, the AICTE has invited online applications from the eligible students through its web portal by advertising it in the leading newspapers. On the basis of the recommendations made by the AICTE, an amount of Rs 9.3 crore has already been released to 1048 students to the AICTE by the HRD Ministry, sources said.</div>
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It may be mentioned here that some of the students studying outside the State under the HRD Ministry’s scholarship scheme had been asked by the management of their colleges to clear the fees or their admissions would be cancelled.</div>
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It was after the issue highlighted by the students that the HRD Ministry had made AICTE as nodal agency for implementation of the scheme.. The HRD has also called for fresh verification of credentials of the students, who were studying in different colleges or had applied for further studies under the scheme.</div>
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Sources in the State Government now said that the fresh HRD directive was likely to remove confusion among the students and help those students, who had taken admissions in various Colleges under the scholarship scheme.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-52333049040811074292013-05-31T00:05:00.002-07:002013-05-31T00:05:28.908-07:00Prohit Sabha Martand discusses arrangements for Amarnath yatra<div style="text-align: justify;">
Prohit Sabha Martand Tirath Improvement Charitable Trust in its meeting here today discussed various issues regarding this year’s holy Amarnath yatra starting next month.</div>
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The meeting while discussing the arrangements for holding of free langer by the Trust at Mattan shrine in Anantnag district of South Kashmir expressed its concern over the deduction of toll from the vehicles belonging to yatris. It alleged the road towards Martand is also in bad condition.</div>
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Mr Yogi in an appeal to Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag has urged him to arrange the basic facilities for yatris by opening medical assistance camp at Mattan, providing LPG, fire wood and K Oil to the Trust.</div>
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Moreover the CAPD be asked to provide quality rice, flour and sugar on subsidized rates out of the quota already sanctioned by the Government.</div>
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He made an appeal to Tourism Department to provide tents, blankets, and mattress for the yatra to the Trust.</div>
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Mr Yogi demanded that no toll be charged from yatri vehicles and he assured full support to Shrine Board and Government on behalf of Trust in smooth running of the holy yatra.</div>
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Veer Ji Pandita general secretary of the Trust urged the Executive members to work round the clock for betterment of the yatra. The meeting was attended by all Working Body members of the Trust.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-91992632087232426122013-05-31T00:04:00.003-07:002013-05-31T00:04:48.101-07:00Summer vacations in jammu courts from June 6The subordinate courts of Jammu Province, excluding Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Doda, Batote and Banihal headquarters, will observe 15-day summer vacations from June 6.<br />
A formal notification in this regard was issued today by Registrar General Suresh Kumar Sharma.<br />
The Principal District and Sessions Judge and Chief Judicial Magistrates of all the districts shall make suitable arrangements for the disposal of urgent criminal business arising during the period of summer vacations in areas within their respective jurisdiction, the notification adds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-26032147161577714362013-05-30T02:32:00.004-07:002013-05-30T02:32:59.280-07:00High Court orders on Air pollution<div style="text-align: justify;">
High Court (HC) today directed respondents to install necessary mechanism to check air pollution as it is dangerous to health.<br /></div>
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People of Mohalla Malwarch Govindsar sought direction to Railway authorities for not loading and unloading cement coal and coal ash from the Railway racks and also direction to shift the railway yard on the other side of the railway station away from the residential area in the open Space available in abundance in the possession of Railway authorities.<br /></div>
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Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar of J&K High Court Jammu wing directed Secretary through Ministry of Railway, divisional Railway Manager Freozpur, Commercial Manager Northern Railway Jammu and SSP Kathua to put in place such mechanism and paraphernalia which would ensure that Air Pollution does not raise to a level which would expose the lives of inhabitants of the area to all kind risk and health hazard. Respondents to install necessary mechanism within two months from today. The Regional Director State Pollution Control Board, Jammu shall supervise installation of necessary mechanism and paraphernalia. The official respondents shall have liberty to initiate action in accordance with law for removing the alleged encroachment. In the alternative, the official respondents shall formulate a scheme for re-location of inhabitants, who have occupied the area, to a different place where their health would not be exposed to such danger and risk caused by the activities of the Railway administration. The re-location scheme be formulated and given effective within six months.</div>
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Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar disposed of the petition with the direction to respondents shall ensure that all the private agencies which are involved in the activities of loading and unloading shall adhere to the instructions/orders issued by the said authority(s) so as to ensure that inhabitants of the Mohalla Malwarch, Govindsar, Kathua do not suffer any further.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-65525288164607949352013-05-30T02:31:00.002-07:002013-05-30T02:31:59.986-07:00Govt imposes ban on constructions in Katra<div style="text-align: justify;">
Taking serious note of the mushrooming growth of concrete jungle in and around the holy town of Katra, the base camp of pilgrimage to cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, in blatant contravention of various laws and its adverse impact on the environment and ecology, the State Government today imposed ban on constructions in violation of Master Plan and Civil Laws in this important town of the State.</div>
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Highly placed sources in the Civil Secretariat told EXCELSIOR that Government has imposed ban on all types of construction activities in the Katra town (including the area covered under Master Plan 2021 and within the limits of Katra Municipal Committee) in violation of Master Plan or any other Civic Law. An order in this regard was issued by the District Development Commissioner Reasi, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.</div>
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The order is also in compliance with the interim directions issued by the State High Court in the matter of residents of Ward No.3 Katra Versus State of J&K and Others, sources said, adding “in the case the High Court recently directed that any construction activity to be undertaken by any owner of the immovable property has to synchronize with Civic Laws and the Master Plan and all the authorities including the Katra Development Authority and Municipal Authorities are duty bound to implement the Civic Laws and the Master Plan”.</div>
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“Acting on the interim directions of the High Court, the Government began exercise to assess the ground reality and it came to fore that Chief Executive Officer of Katra Development Authority, who is also the custodian to ensure implementation of Master Plan, was finding it difficult to deliver on ground due to inadequate staff, sources said, “it was also observed that things have been taken up in most casual manner in the most important town in the State from religious as well as economic point of view”.</div>
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Notwithstanding rampant and unchecked constructions, neither Katra Development Authority nor Municipal Committee Katra were in a position to explain if the Master Plan and Civic Laws are being followed in letter and spirit, sources said, adding it was also found that Master Plan was approved in November 2007 but even after lapse of more than five years no mechanism was put in place to ensure that land reserved for various civil amenities and infrastructure is saved for the intended use.</div>
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They disclosed that it was also found that at a number of places around the township forest area is also visibly encroached upon or attempts are being made to occupy the prime forest and Government land as reported, in some cases, by the Chief Horticulture Officer and Divisional Forest Officer.</div>
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Stating that with increasing property rates every available chunk of land is being targeted upon by various vested interests, sources said, “the ban on constructions in violation of Master Plan and Civic Laws has been imposed in order to prevent the important town from becoming concrete jungle and protect its environment and ecology”.</div>
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From today onwards constructions will be allowed in a case-by-case manner only after certification by a team of officers from KDA, Municipal Committee and Revenue Department and other authorities as provided under various laws to the effect that it is as per the provisions of the Master Plan and the 1976 Act wherever applicable, sources informed.</div>
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A committee comprising of Chief Executive Officer, Katra Development Authority, Town Planner, Tehsildar Reasi, Tehsildar Settlement Reasi, Executive Officer Municipal Committee Katra and Naib Tehsildar Katra to be constituted within a day or two will survey the entire area falling under the jurisdiction of Katra Municipal Committee and the area defined under the Master Plan in order to make inventory of all the constructions post November 11, 2007 when Master Plan came into force.</div>
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The team will also classify all the constructions into—having followed the provisions of Master Plan and the 2010 Act; having followed the Master Plan only (if it is covered under exceptions to 1976 Act); in violation of Master Plan; in violation of 1976 Act, where land has not been acquired. Moreover, the committee will also report if any public utility or any construction has been made by any Government/ Semi Government agency in violation of the rules/laws and the Master Plan and furnish detail about the officer heading the project/scheme/work along with present posting details.</div>
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“Every month, the CEO Katra Development Authority, Executive Officer Municipal Committee Katra and an officer of Revenue Department to be assigned responsibility separately and stationed at Katra, will submit an affidavit before the Deputy Commissioner Reasi to the effect that no construction has taken place in violation of the Master Plan or any Civic Law by any person as directed by the High Court, sources said, adding “moreover, the affidavit will indicate that any construction to be raised will be strictly in accordance with the permission granted by the Competent Authority and any shortcoming in the affidavit or violation on ground will be treated as contempt of court”.</div>
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Additional Superintendent of Police Katra based on monthly reporting of the concerned SHO will file an affidavit to the effect that no violation has been reported. The cases for according permission to various projects/works (housing, industrial, or public utilities or any other provided under Master Plan) will be placed before the Competent Authority /BOCA for approval only after a certificate to the non-violation of Master Plan and Civic Laws is submitted to the authority to ensure that directions of Court are followed in letter and spirit, sources further said.</div>
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In response to a question, sources said that Divisional Forest Officer Reasi will survey the entire forest area around the township, come up with a map of forest land indicating Khasra Numbers, demarcation details and a comprehensive map indicating the present status of forest land. He will bring on record any kind of encroachment in forest area and indicate period of such encroachment. The DFO has also been directed by the Government to file an affidavit every month that no forest land has been encroached upon and effective measures put in place to protect forest land and ecology of the area.</div>
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DFO Reasi has also been directed to file a status report on the revised Master Plan of Katra in consultation with CEO KDA and Town Planner indicating forest land proposed to be included in Master Plan for maintaining ecology. The DFO has also been entrusted the job of mapping all the forest areas along all roads leading to Katra township, along the highway starting from his jurisdiction upto Aghar Jitto, areas surrounding Katra towards Reasi.</div>
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“A compartment wise list indicating area and Khasra numbers, indicating boundary pillars and demarcation attested by Settlement Officer will be made available to the office of Additional Advocate General, the Deputy Commisisoner Reasi, Additional Deputy Commissioner Reasi, CEO Katra Development Authority, Executive Officer MC Katra”, sources said, adding the DFO will display boards along highway indicating forest land and displaying contact numbers of Block Forest Officer, Range Forest Officer, Divisional Forest Officer for information of general public to report any kind of attempt to encroach forest land.</div>
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This will also be done by Tehsildar Reasi at prominent places for both State land and forest land and the Additional Deputy Commissioner will monitor the same and submit a compliance report, sources said, adding “all the Government departments owing land in and around the township will map their land as per revenue records and copies of same will be made available in the office of KDA, MC and ADC Reasi every month”.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-46465491017688449892013-05-28T00:10:00.000-07:002013-05-28T00:10:04.117-07:00Installation of a Water Meters<div style="text-align: justify;">
Water is a rare commodity. With each passing day, scarcity of water is increasing. This is a global scenario. Migration to urban areas and population explosion are two main reasons causing pressure on supply of drinking water. Water sources are depleting owing to geological changes and glaciers are melting with the result that perennial flow of water is threatened. Condition in dry and arid areas and deserts is worse.</div>
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Water supply scheme has brought many urban and rural areas under its ambit. Many regions that suffered scarcity of water especially the kandi regions are now having access to water though some areas still remain deprived. That much should go to the credit of the State Government.</div>
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But we in the state are faced with a man made problem in the context of supply of drinking water for individual or commercial use. The problem is wanton waste of water and total ignorance about its economic use. The waste is of much larger scale in commercial units than for private consumption. Our careless and imprudent attitude towards the use of water deprives millions of people of this vital commodity. The time has come that use of water is to be restrained whether for private or for commercial use. Alive to this situation, the Government took serious view of the matter and decided that metering of water connections should be undertaken without waste of time. The Government set 30 June as the deadline for metering water connections in all commercial establishments across the State. In most of the States water connections are metered. It has two benefits. One is that it generates revenue to supplement water supply schemes and the second is that it exercises voluntarily control on the use of water. As long as water connections remain unmetered people are tempted to wanton waste of water to the woe of millions of people who are thirsting for a single drop. Since the Government issues warning that the officials of PHE would be held responsible for not metering water connections the officials began the mission with all zeal. But as is now known late last year the PHE Department on the directions from the higher-ups procured around 2400 meters (majority of them meant for domestic category) without any clarity about whether all sorts of connections would be taken up for metering in one go or in phased manner. The confusion has not been cleared so far while instructions are issued to the PHE.</div>
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In order to remove the confusion, the Government must first clarify whether metering is to be done to commercial connections only or to both commercial as well as the private ones. If this confusion is cleared, the rest will follow. In our opinion, metering of all water connections should be enforced and without delay. But the Government can and should make distinction between private connections and commercial connections. This would also mean difference in the rate of water tax which will be higher in the case of commercial units and lower for domestic unties.</div>
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Metering should be in all the regions of the State along uniform principle. At the same time, while metering will be carried out as per the instructions of the Government, PHE shall have to ensure that water supply remain uninterrupted in all metered areas. The situation obtaining now in Jammu city is that if there is power cut, water supply is also affected sometimes minimally and some times maximally. A foolproof arrangement shall have to be made to make supply of drinking water uninterrupted in the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar and most of the towns. Whether this is practicable or not is a matter that should be discussed by the civil society in collaboration with the Government. With all said and done, big responsibility lies with the people or the consumers. They must understand that they have no right to waste the water which is a rare commodity and of immense necessity to the society. We appreciate Government’s concern for conserving water as a precious commodity. Metering of water connections should take place at full speed and any slackness on the part of the officials and functionaries of PHE should be taken a serious view of.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-78229293256195480172013-05-28T00:07:00.003-07:002013-05-28T00:07:30.030-07:00Verification of pensioners in Jammu<div style="text-align: justify;">
Day in and day out, new hurdles are created by the Government in the case of pensioners. New conditions are imposed and verification is sought at will. This appears ridiculous in an age of computer and digitization. Why cannot the Government work out a mechanism which is foolproof, ensures that no misuse of pensioner benefits is allowed and verification is made simple and quick through mechanized process. The State has a large number of pensioners. Verification is a time consuming affair. It also means much physical labor. The pensioners, who are generally elderly people, are required to go out in blazing sun and scorching heat to various treasuries, stand cooling their heels in long queues and then after a long wait their turn comes. The Treasury staff deals with them in almost contemptuous manner and no self respecting person would be willing to accept the treatment they are met in the treasury office. One wonders why could not the Director General, Accounts and Treasuries, Finance Department wait to ask State Pensioners to present themselves before their concerned Treasury Officers for physical verification before 30 June 2013.. The Director has quoted Rule 5.71 of J&K Treasury Code Vol. 1. Nobody challenges the rule and nobody would even hesitate to go through the process of verification. What is irritating is the deadline fixed for the peak of hot season in which old people cannot come out and go and stand in long queues at the Treasury office for verification. It is putting the old and infirm people to physical torture. Human Rights don’t allow their exploitation. The Director General Accounts should modify his order and postpone verification till October – November 2013 as desired by many pensioners.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-42506274220871243882013-05-27T00:12:00.002-07:002013-05-27T00:12:34.448-07:00Greening Jammu mission<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is for the first time perhaps that the administration has called a meeting of the representatives of all line departments and brought home to them that they have to be part of the Green Jammu mission. Modern town planning invariably takes care of green belts and parks and plantation of trees in parks, roadsides, blank space patches, footpaths etc. to provide shade and make the urban areas more attractive. Unfortunately, Jammu has remained deprived of real green cover. Not only that, while undertaking new constructions, trees have been felled wantonly. New saplings have not been planted which is blatant contravention of the rules of Urban Forestry Division in Jammu. Even for felling any tree, approval of the Urban Forestry Division is necessary and compensation has to be deposited which is utilized for planting two saplings against one tree that has been cut?<br /></div>
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It is good that the Divisional Commissioner has approached all relevant departments to cooperate in the venture. It should be possible to make Jammu really green within next three years if the mission is undertaken in right earnest now meaning this monsoon season. But apart from the departments involved, it may also be useful to get into touch with institutions like J&K Bank, who support such initiatives for making its contribution to the greening of Jammu. A scheme on the pattern of Green Delhi should be floated. Just planting the sapling by the edge of the road or in a park or open space is not enough. Its protection against trespassing animals and humans has also to be taken care of. Then the watering of the plants is also part of the task. The Urban Forestry Division has to gear up and bring the scheme to completion. Foremost of all, it has to identify the sites, roads, parks, open spaces and streets where plantation can be done. It has also to find out if more parks and walking/jogging strips can be made available to the citizens of Jammu.<br /></div>
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Jammu needs to be given a green face lift. Otherwise it is a dry and opaque city where crowded and congested traffic makes it dreary. The mission of making Jammu green is a long and rather a permanent mission. Urban Forestry Division has to do hard labour to turn Jammu into a green and shaded city. Hopefully the initiative taken by the Divisional Commissioner will receive adequate response from all involved departments and agencies. People will impatiently watch the launching and undertaking of the mission till it reaches completion.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-78958374498922763782013-05-25T00:03:00.002-07:002013-05-25T00:03:39.321-07:00Jammu Udhampur NH to have 4 Tunnels<div style="text-align: justify;">
The widened Jammu-Udhampur National Highway will have four tunnels as the executing agency has given new alignment to the road in Nandni area for avoiding disturbance to wildlife there.</div>
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Work has begun on three out of these four tunnels having combined length of more than 1.4 kilometers beneath the Nandni Wildlife area.</div>
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Though belated, work has been started on T1, T3 and T4 tunnels where three Road Headers (Diamond Cutter machines) along with other required men and machinery have been pressed into service for the excavation since mining for the digging purpose is prohibited in the area.</div>
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This was disclosed to the Excelsior by R P Singh, Project Director National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Jammu.</div>
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While elaborating, he said that among all the tunnels, T4 has the maximum length of 540 meters followed by T3 (330 meters), T2 (300 meters) and T1 (210 meters). “Excavation on T1, T3 and T4 is going on full pace with completion of around 15 percent job while work on T2 will be taken up very soon after construction of approaching road to the tunnel,” Mr Singh added.</div>
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Though commencement of work on these tunnels could not be taken up earlier due to delay in clearance by the Wildlife Protection Board, the executing agency NHAI is confident of completing the Jammu-Udhampur Road widening project by June 2014, the deadline fixed.</div>
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More than 55 percent work on this Rs 1814 crore Jammu-Udhampur Road widening project has been finished while a number of bridges and viaduct have also been completed, R P Singh informed.</div>
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The widened Jammu-Udhampur road will have 33 major and 21 small bridges, including 11 viaducts. Among these, five viaducts, ten small bridges and 22 larges bridges have so far been completed while work on a few others is also going on.</div>
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The widening of Jammu-Udhampur National Highway will shorten the total distance by road as well as the time taken to complete the journey. The number of bridges and viaducts are being constructed to avoid frequent crests and troughs on the highway while the upcoming four tunnels will keep the Wildlife Sanctuary in Nandni area untouched. These tunnels will cover more than 2.2 kilometer straight area of the Nandni Wildlife Sanctuary and further shorter the total distance of Jammu-Udhampur road.</div>
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Pertinent to mention here that widening of Jammu-Udhampur road is part of the National Highway Authority of India’s flagship project of four-laning Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The NHAI has divided the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway four-laning project into six sub-projects, which include widening of Srinagar-Banihal road (67.7 kms), Qazigund-Banihal road (15.25 kms), Banihal-Ramban road (36 kms), Ramban-Udhampur road (43 kms), construction of Chenani-Nashri tunnel (12 kms) and widening of Jammu-Udhampur road (65 kms). Deadline fixed for completion of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway four-laning project is May 2016.</div>
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Started in 2011, Rs 1814 crore Jammu-Udhampur road widening project has been allotted to IFCON and hundreds of workers as well as machines have been engaged for round the clock work to ensure timely completion of the road widening.</div>
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Though a few hurdles in the recent past over acquisition of some portions of private land at Jhajjar Kotli, Jakheni and Thangial to the NHAI as well as objections of the Wildlife Protection Board delayed the ongoing work, the NHAI is confident of meeting the deadline of June 2014.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3159535499258171715.post-52092982660593705282013-05-25T00:02:00.001-07:002013-05-25T00:02:15.083-07:00Summer holidays from May 29<div style="text-align: justify;">
In view of intense hot conditions and day temperature rising above 45 degree Celsius in Jammu areas, the Government today issued orders for closure of Government and all other recognized private schools up to Higher Secondary level, falling in summer zone of Jammu region, to observe summer vacations from May 29 to July 18.</div>
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An official spokesman said that on the directions of Dy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who is minister in-charge School Education, the Education Department re-scheduled the summer vacations in Jammu division from May 29 instead of June 3. He said this had been done in view of scorching heat conditions in the region.</div>
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Any default on the part of private schools in observance of the calendar of vacations so authorized shall invite action under rules, the spokesman added.</div>
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