‎Free Basic Internet Services‬ Available in ‎India

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."

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.

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.

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.

“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.

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.”

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.

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.

The service claims to increase efficiency, and facilitating the development of new business models around the provision of Internet access.

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.

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.

Posted by Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, 23 November 2015

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.

Why does this matter?

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.

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.

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.

Seventh Pay Commission Report

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.

Highlights of Recommendations of Seventh Central Pay Commission 

Recommended Date of implementation: 01.01.2016

Minimum Pay: Based on the Aykroyd formula, the minimum pay in government is recommended to be set at Rs 18,000 per month.

Maximum Pay: 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.

Financial Implications: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.

Out of the total financial impact of Rs 1,02,100 crore, Rs 73,650 crore will be borne by the General Budget and Rs 28,450 crore by the Railway Budget.

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.

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.

New Pay Structure: Considering the issues raised regarding the Grade Pay structure and with a view to bring in greater transparency, 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.

Fitment: A fitment factor of 2.57 is being proposed to be applied uniformly for all employees.

Annual Increment: The rate of annual increment is being retained at 3 percent.

Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP): 

Performance benchmarks for MACP have been made more stringent from “Good” to “Very Good”.

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.

No other changes in MACP recommended.

Military Service Pay (MSP): The Military Service Pay, which is a compensation for the various aspects of military service, will be admissible to the Defence forces personnel only. 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:

		Present	Proposed
i.	Service Officers	6,000	15,500
ii.	Nursing Officers	4,200	10,800
iii.	JCO/ORs	2,000	5,200
iv.	Non Combatants (Enrolled) in the Air Force	1,000	3,600

Short Service Commissioned Officers: 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.

Lateral Entry/Settlement: 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.

Headquarters/Field Parity: Parity between field and headquarters staff recommended for similar functionaries e.g Assistants and Stenos.

Cadre Review: Systemic change in the process of Cadre Review for Group A officers recommended.

Allowances: 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.

      Risk and Hardship Allowance: 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.

The current Siachen Allowance per month and the revised rates recommended are as follows:

		Present	Proposed
i.	Service Officers	21,000	31,500
iii.	JCO/ORs	14,000	21,000

This would be the ceiling for risk/hardship allowances and there would be no individual RHA with an amount higher than this allowance.

House Rent Allowance: 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.

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.

Any allowance not mentioned in the report shall cease to exist.

Emphasis has been placed on simplifying the process of claiming allowances.

Advances:

All non-interest bearing Advances have been abolished.

Regarding interest-bearing Advances, only Personal Computer Advance and House Building Advance (HBA) have been retained. HBA ceiling has been increased to 25 lakhs from the present 7.5 lakhs.

Central Government Employees Group Insurance Scheme (CGEGIS): 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:

	Present		Proposed
Level of Employee	Monthly Deduction  (₹)	Insurance Amount  (₹)	Monthly Deduction  (₹)	Insurance Amount  (₹)
10 and above	120	1,20,000	5000	50,00,000
6 to 9	60	60,000	2500	25,00,000
1 to 5	30	30,000	1500	15,00,000

Medical Facilities:

Introduction of a Health Insurance Scheme for Central Government employees and pensioners has been recommended.

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.

  All postal pensioners should be covered under CGHS. All postal dispensaries should be merged with CGHS.

Pension: 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 between past pensioners and current retirees for the same length of service in the pay scale at the time of retirement.

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.

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.

In the case of defence forces personnel this amount will include Military Service Pay as admissible.

Fifty percent of the total amount so arrived at shall be the new pension.

An alternative calculation will be carried out, which will be a multiple of 2.57 times of the current basic pension.

The pensioner will get the higher of the two.

Gratuity: 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.

Disability Pension for Armed Forces: The Commission is recommending reverting to a slab based system for disability element, instead of existing percentile based disability pension regime.

Ex-gratia Lump sum Compensation to Next of Kin: 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.

Martyr Status for CAPF Personnel: 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.

New Pension System: 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.

Regulatory Bodies:  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.

Performance Related Pay: 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.

There are few recommendations of the Commission where there was no unanimity of view and these are as follows:

The Edge: An edge is presently accordeded to the Indian 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. is recommended by the Chairman, to be extended to the Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

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.

Empanelment: The Chairman and Dr. Rathin Roy, Member, recommend that All India Service officers and Central Services Group A officers who have completed 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.

Non Functional Upgradation for Organised Group ‘A’ Services: 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.

Superannuation: 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.

Download report of the Seventh Central Pay Commission (7.19MB) 

Gasoline breaks a streak of five weeks to rise and fall 0.97% before the operation exit

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.

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.

JKBOSE Results of Class 10th Board Exams 2015

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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).

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).

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.

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.”

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.

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

Nirmal Singh reviews Kheer Bhawani Mela arrangements

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

JK election results tomorrow

 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.

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).

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.

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.

Omar was also in fray from Beerwah seat, in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, which went to polls in the third phase.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron and party chief ministerial candidate Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is seeking re-election from Anantnag constituency in south Kashmir.

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.

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.

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.

Security arrangements in all the four districts have been strengthened to ensure peaceful polling.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Omar crisscrossed the four districts to campaign for his party candidates including himself.

PDP’s Sayeed and party president Mehbooba Mufti also campaigned for their party candidates.

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.

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.

Chillai Kalan Begins in Kashmir

The 40-day chilliest part of winter in Kashmir, Chillai-Kalan, began today on a warmer note as night temperatures rose across the Valley.
Chillai-Kalan, is the period when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent and temperatures remain mostly below zero.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
This year, chill is more and some people attribute it to the September floods that ravaged Kashmir valley.
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.
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.
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).
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.

Late arrival of trains led to rescheduling of their departure also and therefore passengers had to wait for hours together.
However, there was no disruption in Air traffic and all flights were on time.
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.