JAMMU: The Administrative Council (AC), which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Sh. Manoj Sinha, approved the proposal of the Housing & Urban Development Department to provide interest-free loan up to Rs. 2 lakhs to the urban houseless economically weaker section beneficiaries under Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC) component of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Urban (PMAY-U).

The beneficiaries under Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC) component of PMAY (U) have experienced the difficulty in mobilizing their contribution as they come from economic weaker sections and have to contribute higher share as compared to other States/UT, as a result of which the construction of dwelling units under this component of PMAY(U) could not achieve the desired targets. The beneficiaries of this component have demanded enhancement of assistance in their favour so that they can complete their houses within the targeted date of the Mission. In view of practical difficulties faced by the beneficiaries in arranging financial resources, the Govt. agreed to provide interest subsidy to all the eligible beneficiary.

The interest-free loan will be an additional benefit, over and above the financial assistance of Rs. 1.66 lakhs which is already being provided to the beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Urban , with this the beneficiaries can now avail Rs.3.66 lakh for construction of their dwelling units under this component of PMAY(U).

Earlier the UT of J&K has also provided 25% as mobilization advance to the beneficiaries under this component, so as to ensure commencement of construction work of their dwelling units.

The tenure of the BLC interest-free loan has been fixed at ten years and includes a moratorium of six months, repayable through monthly installments of Rs. 2500. At present the scheme will benefit 41992 beneficiaries under this component.

The decision is a part of the Government’s resolve to provide affordable housing to the economically weaker section of the society and provides supplementary financial assistance so as to realize the vision of the Prime Minister by providing Housing For All by 2022.

Jammu:  The Administrative Council (AC), which met here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, approved the proposal of Health and Medical Education Department to create 119 posts in respect of various ANM/GNM schools, and Nursing Colleges.

The approval was given to create these academic and administrative posts in respect of 6 ANM schools- Bhaderwah, Billawar, Thanamandi, Surankote, Anantnag and Kokernag; 4 GNM schools- Doda, Kathua, Rajouri and Ganderbal; and 5 Nursing Colleges. The decision will enhance the quality of paramedical education and services provided by the nursing sector.

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir is all set to see a big transformation post-Article 370 , more so in the economic fields where it has been a laggard for various political reasons.

During a one-day seminar organised by the Sanskriti Samvad Foundation here on Sunday on the topic ” Changing Face of J&K”, the keynote speaker, Dr Kuldeep Agnihotri, Vice-Chancellor, Central University, Himachal Pradesh, underlined how the political idiom of the state has undergone a major transformation in which people are finding their meaningful participation.

He said that the recent DDC elections in J&K established that people are not concerned about Article 370, they wanted development, growth, and peace.

He said the number of seats Gupkar group received would not be an appropriate assessment of the election. “But it largely explained that people wanted to look beyond their exploitation and they are looking for a life beyond militancy”, he added.

He said development works were deliberately held back due to political reasons but the DDCA elections have demonstrated that people want to grow beyond that.

Dr Agnihotri said a new chapter has started in the J&K which would go a long way to change the face of the UT.

Prof JP Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Jammu, in his presidential address, suggested that in spite of the fact that J&K had many geographical disadvantages there is an urgent need to turn a new chapter in farming and related dairy activities.

He said given the state of agriculture affairs the need of the hour is to go for diversification and value-addition in agriculture. He cited examples of farmers who, with their meagre piece of land, could earn much more than the traditional farmers because they decided to innovate and experiment and diversify.

He said the Corona period has taught new lessons in farming after society realised the need for organic products like gilloy, turmeric,aloe vera

.” Within their limited resources farmers can go for integrated farming, besides taking new initiatives in processing and value addition of their produce”, he added.

Manmohan Singh, president of International Trade and Industry, harped on new vistas that have opened after the restoration of peace in J&K. He underlined the need for agriculture to go global so that farmers did not remain confined to the traditional limits. He said new systems of marketing should be developed and like smart cities, the concept of smart villages should be promoted for holistic growth and development of farmers.

He wanted J&K to develop wellness tourism for the revival of industry and need to undertake innovative steps to take agriculture and horticulture beyond its traditional boundaries.

This was the first seminar organised by the Chandigarh-based Sanskrit Samvad Foundation, an NGO engaged in building a narrative on nationalistic and cultural issues.

Srinagar: A local court in Srinagar convicted Javid Ahmad Bhat under Section 302 RPC for strangulating to death his wife in June 2014 in the central Kashmir district of Badgam on Saturday.

Giving case history, an official spokesman said on June 3, 2014 Police Station, Khansahib received information from reliable sources that the body of a woman identified as Gulshan Akhtar is lying in Kremshore and by appearance it looks that she has been killed by strangulation.

On receipt of the said information, case FIR was registered under Section 302 RPC and investigation was started.

During investigation, site plan was prepared and the body was taken into possession by police, photography was conducted, at the place of occurrence some blood stained grass was collected with the help of FSL team for the purposes of chemical examination. One blanket was also seized which was used to cover the body.

The body was taken to hospital -for post-mortem, where clothes were seized and one blood stained scarf was also seized. After post-mortem the body was handed over to legal heirs for last rites. The blood stained grass and scarf was sent to FSL for chemical examination. The statements of witnesses vis-à-vis the seizure were recorded, the order reads.

He said the order mentions that the trial court examined 21 witnesses.

After hearing Qazi Qayoom, learned Public Prosecutor (PP) and counsel for the accused, the Principal Sessions Judge Srinagar Abdul Rashid Malik observed that the prosecution has cogently and firmly established the circumstances from which the inference of guilt can be drawn.

The circumstances are definite and unerringly point out towards the guilt of the accused. The circumstances cumulatively form the chain, so complete that there is no other explanation of any other hypothesis than that of the guilt of the accused and the evidence is consistent with the guilt of the accused and inconsistent with his innocence.

After the deceased left the home she was not seen by anybody and later on after two days her body was found on the spot of occurrence and the accused in the disclosure statement has explained the circumstances which left no doubt in the mind of this court that it was the accused who has committed the murder of the deceased.

The Police had no reason to falsely implicate the accused and the accused has failed in examination under Section 342 CrP0 to explain the incriminating circumstances because once the prosecution has discharged the burden of proof, the accused cannot chose to remain silent as adverse inference can be drawn.

The accused has not explained his constant contact with the deceased, the knocking of the windows, providing the mobile phone to the deceased, motivated the deceased to come out of the home, the conversation with the deceased and recovery of the incriminating articles from the possession of the accused.

There is no doubt that mere recovery of the incriminating articles is not sufficient to prove the guilt of the accused but the recovery is supported by the detailed disclosure statement made by the accused before the Investigating Officer in presence of the Executive Magistrate and the Deputy Superintendent of Police . There is not even an iota of evidence that the accused was wrongly implicated.

Weather to improve from March 18 onwards: MeT
Srinagar: The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg and other reaches received fresh snowfall on Sunday while rain lashed plains in the summer capital, Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, where weather woes would continue till March 18 even as a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) is expected to hit the region in coming days.

Barring Gulmarg, the night temperature improved and settled above normal across the valley, which the weather on Saturday remained dry though cloudy after witnessing three days of moderate to heavy rain and snow.

A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light to moderate rain, snow and thundershowers would occur during the next 24 hours in Kashmir under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “The weather is expected to improve slightly on Monday, when rain and snow could occur at isolated places,” he said.

However, he said a fresh WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea and is approaching the region through Afghanistan and Pakistan, would hit J&K late on Monday evening. “Under the influence of this WD, light to moderate rain and snow would occur at most places in the valley on Tuesday and Wednesday,” he said.

He said the weather is expected to improve from March 18 onwards.

Much to the delight of tourists, Gulmarg, which is already covered under several feet of snow, received light to moderate snowfall since this morning, resulting in dip in the day temperature. Kongdori and Apharwat, the highest point of the cable car project in Gulmarg, also received light to moderate snowfall.

The ski resort was the only place in the valley where the night temperature settled below freezing point. Against minus 2.6 degree recorded on Saturday, the mercury dipped and settled at minus 2.2 degree, which is a degree above normal. “The weather was cloudy in the morning and snow started at around 1115 hrs on Sunday. But, despite snow, the tourists are out on ski slopes enjoying different activities,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.

He said the ski resort, which is about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, witnessed a huge influx of tourists this winter season after zero business during the last two years. “Most of the hotels are booked to April end in Gulmarg,” he added.

After witnessing an improvement of about 2 degree in the night temperature, people in Srinagar woke up to a chilly and cloudy Sunday morning. Rain again lashed the city in the evening, resulting in further dip in the day temperature. Normal life has been thrown out of gear during the last over five days as most of the roads and lands remained waterlogged in Srinagar. The maximum temperature also remained several degrees below normal during the last couple of days due to wet weather, forcing people to once again wear sweaters and jackets, besides use other heating gadgets to keep themselves warm. Against 3.8 degree recorded on Saturday, the night temperature in the city improved and settled at 5.8 degree, which is 2 degree above normal.

He said skies will be partly cloudy to very light rain and thundershowers during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperature is expected to settle at 11 degree and 6 degree, respectively.

World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, also received rain in the evening, resulting in dip in the maximum temperature. The night temperature in the health resort improved about a degree from Saturday and settled 0.6 degree, which is about a degree above normal. However, the upper reaches in Pahalgam, including Chandanwari, received very light snowfall. Amarnath cave shine and its periphery, besides Sheshnag, Mahagung, Pisso top and Panjterni, also received light to moderate snowfall.

Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kokernag also received rain in the evening.

Katra:  Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Sunday felicitated the students of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul for securing 1st positions in Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.

Master Anmol Sharma, student of 9th class and Master Ankit Sharma, Shastri Part-III of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul, Charan Paduka, Katra, were felicitated for securing first positions in the entire university in annual examinations of class 8th and Shastri Part-III respectively, conducted by the Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi, with which the Gurukul is affiliated. These examinations were held last year.

The Lt Governor congratulated the students for their outstanding achievement and bringing laurels to the SMVD Gurukul.

He further asked the Shrine Board to continue providing excellent teaching and other facilities to the Gurukul so that the hard work of students could result in greater performances in academics and co-curricular activities.

Pertinently, Anmol Sharma was awarded Vakratund Shukal Swaran Padak, while Ankit Sharma was awarded Shrimati Shashikant Sharma Swaran Padak.

During his visit to Katra, the Lieutenant Governor was accompanied by Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Sinha reviewed the facilities put in place by the Shrine Board for facilitation of the visiting pilgrims and took stock of the various ongoing and upcoming infrastructure development projects.

He directed the CEO Shrine Board for completion of all the ongoing projects within envisaged timelines to further augment the facilities for the pilgrims.

The Lt Governor also visited Vaishno Devi shrine and paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum. He prayed for peace, progress, and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu: A motorcyclist was killed and his wife critically injured in an accident in Akhnoor.

A police official said that they were hit by a mini bus driven by accused driver, Chaman Lal, who fled the scene of the accident.

Police spokesperson said he was arrested and vehicle was seized.

The deceased identified as Yash Paul and his injured wife Tripta Devi, residents of Akhnoor, were moving on a motorcycle when a bus hit them at Gumpul on Saturday, resulting in critical injuries to both of them, he said.

He said they were rushed to a hospital where Paul succumbed to injuries.

A case was registered and a special police team was constituted which solved the hit-and-run case within 24 hours by arresting the accused driver and also seizing the vehicle at his disclosure, the spokesman said.(KNS)

BY: Sajjad Iqbal Poswal

Rajouri, March 14: Police have booked three persons in Rajouri district for allegedly uploading objectionable photographs of a woman on social media sites.

According to police, a woman from Draj village in Kotranka sub-division of Rajouri lodged a complaint against three persons at police station Budhal for uploading her objectionable photographs on social media sites.

Budhal police took notice of the compliant and booked all three persons who were named in the complaint for uploading objectionable photos of the woman on social media site.

Police officials said all that three persons are residents of Draman village of Kotranka.

When contacted, SHO Budhal, Mastaj Chowdhary said a case under IT section 67 has been registered at police station Budhal and investigation has been started. (KNS)