Precious Kashmir

Man Shot at over land dispute in Poonch

Jammu & Kashmir

01/01/2022

By: M S Nazki

Poonch: A man was injured after being fired upon with a 12 bore rifle over a land dispute in Surankote Poonch. The accused is on the run even as the “weapon of offense” has been seized by the police, officials told GNS.

They said that one person namely Mohsin Ali Shah allegedly fired on Mazamal Hussais Shah with his 12 bore rifle on some land dispute at village sangla in Surankote. Mazamal suffered injuries in belly and his family shifted him at SDH Surankote, they said. After first aid, they said, he was referred to GMC Rajouri.

SHO Surankote Niaz Ahmed confirmed the firing by Mohsin on Mazamal and told GNS that weapon has been recovered. “A case has been registered and further investigations are underway,” he said, adding, “Efforts are underway to arrest the accused who is on the run,” the police officer added. (GNS)

Chief Secretary e-inaugurates 44 Aspirational Blocks

Jammu & Kashmir

Precious Kashmir

01/01/2022

‘New era of development will begin in these blocks’

JAMMU: The Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today e-inaugurated 44 Aspirational Blocks under Aspirational Block Development Programme in presence of Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, Sushma Chauhan, Secretary, Planning Development & Monitoring Department, and other senior officers of department.

Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and District Development Commissioners of all the districts attended the e-inauguration through virtual mode from their respective offices.

The Chief Secretary said that the Aspirational Block Development Programme is a step towards equitable and inclusive development in J&K.

He said the developmental realities of these blocks have been different from those, which are not part of this programme and, therefore, an affirmative action for these blocks was long overdue.

“The programme is expected to usher in a new era of development in these blocks,” he said.

Earlier in her presentation, Secretary, Planning Development & Monitoring Department, informed that Aspirational Block Development Programme is aimed at achieving holistic development of the 44 most backward blocks in J&K.

These most backward blocks (2 most backward blocks from each District) have been selected as Aspirational Blocks based on their socio-economic backwardness on 21 parameters/indicators covering sectors like poverty, education, health & infrastructure in consultation with NITI Aayog,

Under the programme, the District Development Commissioners will prepare Aspirational Block Development Programme Plan in convergence with other schemes in the block. Asum of Rs. one crore per block has been earmarked under the programme and the District Development Commissioners will be the focal point for this programme, who will designate Nodal Officers for each such block in their districts for its implementation.

Dr. Mehta informed that for proper implementation of the programme, Senior Secretaries will be designated as Prabhari Officers of these blocks and each Secretary will be assigned more than one block for mentoring/supervision of the programme.

The Chief Secretary advised DDCs to explore innovative ways having regard to the unique challenges/ constraints in their areas for improving the socio-economic status of these backward blocks under the programme.

He further said that a mid-term appraisal of these blocks will also be carried out after 3-4 months for any necessary mid course policy changes.

DMRRR to complete transit accommodations, seismic –resilient retrofitting of priority infrastructure by December 2022: CS

SPOs temporary arrangement: DGP

City

Precious Kashmir

01/01/2022

Jammu: Director General of Police Dilbag Singh on Friday said that Special Police Officers (SPO) were temporary arrangements of the police.

Replying to a query regarding adjustment of SPOs in regular police force, the DGP said they must understand that it’s a “temporary arrangement”

“The SPOs are a temporary arrangement. They have to understand it. You can also see other states. However, whatever monetary benefits we could give to them we are doing it, I don’t want to comment on this topic furthermore,” the DGP said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The DGP’s statement on SPOs, however, left hundreds of SPOs disappointed as they were waiting for permanent settlement in the police force—(KNO)

CS extends New Year greetings

City

Precious Kashmir

01/01/2022

Jammu: Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta has extended greetings to people on the start of the New Year.

In his message on the eve of New Year, he expressed hope that 2022 brings peace and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir and ushers an era of faster development in the union territory.

Enter 2022

Edit
Oped

Precious Kashmir

01/01/2022

2021 is over. For Jammu and Kashmir, it had started with the hope that things would be better for people having endured tumultuous 2019 and 2020. The covid-19 restrictions were eased to a large extent. However, the middle part of the 2021 saw rise in covid-19, more so during April-May.

Having already extracted a heavy toll on lives accompanied by an evisceration of livelihoods, the challenges remain enormous. Foretelling the economic future even as the pandemic is not raging remains an unenviable task.

The pandemic is also set to leave scars as and when it is finally overcome, even as fortunately greater vaccination pace has been achieved. The labour markets will surely take a long time to heal; lost schooling continues to impair human capital while normalizing of the business remains uncertain amid new threat of omicron variant of the coronavirus. The variant, as per RBI, remains the major challenge along with rising inflation pressures.

The RBI has admitted that inflation remains a concern as it is caused by the build-up of cost-push pressures even as it called for stronger supply-side measures to contain food and energy prices.

The pandemic is also set to widen inequality between economies and within nations.

People assume 2022 will usher in at least a little more cheer. In a world as interconnected as it is today, the cost of economic insularity would only be more protracted pain for all if efforts to ease it are not made. The people of Jammu and Kashmir would surely hope for better days and that children find their way to schools.

People also hope that environmental issues are addressed and the rot caused is at least rectified in this New Year.

Let 2022 witness some concrete progress against the wanton destruction caused to water bodies and fragile ecology due to construction activities. People need to respond to the alarming situation on this front. It is not only the prospect of food and water insecurity that looms large on the J&K but the shrinking green space and water bodies could affect Kashmir’s very fundamental image as a paradise on earth.

Corruption has been declared endemic in our society. In J&K it remains a cause of concern and one hopes that action is taken against all persons alike, no matter if the corrupt holds a high position. Hopefully, there are changes for the better in this New Year.

Delhi govt sanctions Rs 475.78cr for 600 LED screens

National

Indo Asian News Service

01/01/2022

Delhi govt sanctions Rs 475.78cr for 600 LED screens

New Delhi: The Delhi government has sanctioned Rs 475.78 crore to install 600 LED screens across the city, an official said on Friday.

“The LED screens will be installed at prominent locations on PWD roads, intersections and T points of roads, entry/exit of the metro station having heavy footfalls,” the government said in a statement.

The screens will display graphics, films, pollution data, social messages and information of government policies, and other relevant details of public interest.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had chaired the Expenditure Finance Committee, in its fifth meeting held on December 22.

According to the statement, “the CCC or the Command Control Centre shall be compatible to run setup with various permutation and combinations (i.e., individually, cluster or all at a time) of the LED screen, area and location wise”.

The data for display will be received in the central control room, and after processing the same, will be displayed with the help of GSM network and cloud services, it noted.

KL Rahul to lead India in South Africa ODIs, injured Rohit misses out

Sports

Indo Asian News Service

01/01/2022

KL Rahul to lead India in South Africa ODIs, injured Rohit misses out

New Delhi: The BCCI on Friday announced the India squad for three-match ODI series against South Africa, with KL Rahul leading the 18-member side in absence of injured Rohit Sharma’s absence.

The 34-year old Sharma was appointed captain of the ODI team earlier this month as he replaced Virat Kohli, who had stepped down from the role of T20I captaincy as well.

However, Rohit suffered a hamstring injury during a net session ahead of India’s departure for South Africa and was ruled out of the Test series. The star batter is now doing his rehab at National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and will miss the upcoming ODI series.

Rahul, who is currently the vice-captain of the Test team in South Africa, will now lead the ODI team in absence of Rohit while pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be his deputy.

Meanwhile, the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer, who did well in the recently-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021, have been picked for their maiden overseas assignment.

India squad: KL Rahul (Capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Y Chahal, R Ashwin, W Sundar, J Bumrah (VC), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj

Militant numbers ‘lowest in history’: Police, Army

Front

Precious Kashmir

31/12/2021

Militant numbers ‘lowest in history’: Police, Army

Say new recruits hiding identity

Anantnag, Dec 30: Army and police on Tuesday said that the number of militants was lowest in the “history” of Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing reporters after the killing of six militants and a soldier in twin encounters in Kulgam and Anantnag, top army and police officers said that while the number of total militants active was less than 200, the count of local counterparts was around 85-86 only.

“The numbers this year has reduced,” said GoC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen D P Pandey while responding to question if the number of militants was rising in the Valley.

“There is very interesting trend which has come to light which I thought I should share with you all,” he said, adding, “The senior youth which is beyond 20, 21 or above are not joining. Having finding it difficult to join from this rank, they have started to recruit in age pocket of 15-16,” he said.

The second trend which is come out, he said, is that the militants are no more “proud of themselves of picking of weapons.”

“So they are not declaring their names and they are hiding their identity. It was very clear and evident in the recent operation which happened and which came to spotlight for various reasons that all family members belonging to that OGW network or militants came out in open and claimed innocence.,” he said, adding, “So Today I feel that society is not wanting to accept OGWs and militants in their houses and proximity.”

Majority of the operations which happened this year, he claimed, were “based on human intelligence which is another trend.”

“We have been able to breach 200-mark which something different. We still got 2 days to go. Lets hope numbers are further brought down.”

Inspector General of Polioce Vijay Kumar said it was for the “first time in the history that militant number has reduced to less than 200.”

“It is for the first time that local number has come down to less than 100—there are now 85-86 militants left after yesterday’s encounter,” he said, adding, “Increase in encounters does not mean increase in militancy. It means proactive action on our part. The militancy is not increasing but declining.”

He said in summer foreign militants are hiding in higher reaches and with the winter they are come down “which is good thing for us.” (GNS)

Year on, PEMs await promotions, files gathering dust

Anchor stories

Ahmed Shabir

31/12/2021

Year on, PEMs await promotions, files gathering dust

By: Ahmad Shabir

Anantnag: Top authorities of the Youth Services and Sports (YSS) department are allegedly sitting over the promotion files of the officials for more than a year, thus leaving several Zonal Physical Education Offices (ZPEOs) almost defunct.

The delay in the promotions of the officials, according to sources has left many zonal physical education offices (ZPEOs) almost defunct in the absence of zonal officers.

Sources in the department revealed that the reason for most of the sports zones being headless is the unnecessary delay being caused in the promotion of officials.

Scores of physical education masters (PEMs) are due for promotion as zonal officers but for last nearly two years their files are gathering dust in the offices of top authorities of the department.

“We many a time submitted the necessary documents with the office of the directorate but our case does not seem to move beyond production of documents,” complained a group of PEMs awaiting promotion for years.

An official said that he has now lost the count as to how many times they were made to submit documents for the purpose.

“This is highly ironical that authorities are sitting over our promotion files and zonal offices on the side are virtually defunct. How can you expect promotion of sports activities in such a scenario,” questioned an official who is awaiting promotion for nearly two years.

What puts the question mark on the functioning of the department that many sports zones are awaiting the sanction of clerical posts for years?

“Since the creation of sports zones in 2009 authorities have not bothered to sanction the posts of clerks for many zones,” the official rued.

Director, YSS, Gazanfar Ali when reached for his version said that said that the pending vigilance verification caused delay in clearing the promotion files of these officials.

“Actually the vigilance verification in case of these officials was pending which led to the delay. We will be clearing atleast 87 promotion cases in both Jammu and Kashmir regions with ten days following which all the zones will get zonal officers,” director said.

6 JeM militants, soldier killed in overnight gunfights

Front

Precious Kashmir

31/12/2021

Srinagar: Six militants and soldier were killed while army men and a policeman were injured in two overnight gunfights in Dooru Anantnag.

“One of the soldiers injured in the Dooru gunfight has succumbed to the injures,” a senior police officer said. “Two other army soldiers and one policeman injured who are under treatment,” he added.

In all, six JeM militants were killed in two overnight gunfights in south Kashmir. While three were militants were killed in Dooru Anantnag, as many others were neutralized in a brief gunfight at Mirhama Kulgam, according to Director General of Police Dilbag Singh. He also confirmed the death of the soldier and injuries to two other army men besides police constable.

Militants killed at Dooru have been identified as Sultan alias Rayees alias Mavia (a foreign militant), Nisar Ahmad Khanday resident of Dudwangan Kapran and Altaf Ahmad Shah resident of Nathipora Dooru.

Regarding Mirhama operation, a police spokesman in a statement here said that Police alongwith Army’s (9RR) and CRPF (18Bn) launched a joint cordon and search operation.

He said that the house where the militants were trapped was cordoned and initially civilians were evacuated to the safer areas and an opportunity for surrender was given to the trapped militants. However, he claimed that the militants denied it and opened indiscriminate fire upon the cordon party which was retaliated, leading to gunfight.

The killed militants have been identified as Mohammad Shafi Dar of Tral, Uzair Ahmad of Mirhama and one Foreign (Pakistani) militant Shahidalias Shahzaid who was listed among top most wanted list of militants in J&K, he said.

“Incriminating material including 02 AK47 and one M4 rifles along with Ammunition were recovered from the encounter site,” he said. (GNS)

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