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  • ‘JK Bank’s role in CSC project limited, defined’

    Srinagar: J&K Bank today said its role as implementing agency for common service centres, a Ministry of IT, Government of India’s Project for National e-Governance Plan was limited and defined. In a statement here today the bank said it had offered its services to act as Service Centre Agency for the implementation of Ministry of IT’s CSC Project just be a facilitator and employment generator in the state. “Having done its bit by identifying Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), extending financial assistance to them and providing infrastructure for establishment of CSC, read Khidmat Centres, the Bank has assisted VLEs turn their Centres into functional service outlets,” it said. “The Bank also provided services like documentation of loan proposals, besides awarding, to many CSCs, Business Correspondent status to multiply their revenue receipts,” it said.“The CSC owners need to understand that Project is primarily related and even subservient to the progress on e-Governance front. More the progress on this front, more will be the services that CSCs can handle and provide, and consequentially more revenues. And what is critical is that this is the area where J&K Bank cannot help,” it said. “The VLEs ought to understand the project in its entirety and the job roles assigned to various stakeholders of the project including Service Designated Agency (SDA)-State Government of J&K, Service Centre Agency -J&K Bank, Common Services Centre Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC-SPV)-Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, GoI, and Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE),” it said. “J&K Bank’s role in the project is limited and well defined.  Technically speaking bank’s role as Service Centre Agency is confined to develop, design, build, rollout and establish the CSCs,” it said. “Pertinently, as and when the revenue support funds are released by the Service Designated Agency (SDA) of the Project, J&K Bank has immediately disbursed the same to VLEs despite the fact that revenue support would otherwise accrue to the bank. This is done at the behest of the J&K Government, with the objective to ensure sustenance and success of the project and the VLEs. However, if the revenues are not forthcoming, there is nothing J&K Bank can do in this regard,” it said.

     

  • Airtel launches Night Store

    Srinagar: Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications company, introduced its Night Store – a first of its kind store that will enable customers to buy never before value for money offers on their prepaid mobile for internet usage. It also introduced local night calling from 12 midnight to 6am. According to company statement, customers can now enjoy irresistible rates for 2G, 3G and local Airtel-to-Airtel calls by just dialing *129# or calling 129 or logging on tom.airtel.in/night. “Customers can select from a bouquet offers with benefits including unlimited local A2A calling at just Rs 7 or unlimited internet on 2G at just Rs 8 and many more. What’s more….customers can also enjoy free unlimited access to Facebook. So what are you waiting for, call 129 right away and make the most of your night catch ups.”

  • Noora Hospital express gratitude

     

    Srinagar: The management of Noora Super Specialty Hospital Thursday extends its gratitude to Dr Zeeshan Ahmad Wani, Hematologist and Pancreobiliary interventional Gastroenterologist in ILBS at New Delhi, for conducting a ‘difficult’ ERCP procedure.
    Manzoor Wagay, the CEO of Noora hospital said, he is thankful to doctors at Noora hospital, for conducting these ‘critical procedures’ in a very skilled and efficient way, keeping in mind the health of patients.
    “As CEO of the hospital, I had promised to get the best CT scan for the people of valley,” he said.
    Wagay said, “Best feature of this CT scan with its outstanding performance is that it emits less radiation and high clarity results.”

     

  • Sarpanch shot dead in South Kashmir

    Srinagar: Gunmen shot dead a Sarpanch at Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district lateThursday evening, a police official told GNS.

    He said that suspected militants fired upon Mohammad Amin Pandith son of Abdul Ahad Pandith resident of Gulzarpora outside his residence.

    Mohd Amin was shifted to nearby Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Army, Special Operation Group of Police and CRPF cordoned off the area and launched the hunt to nab the suspected militants. (GNS)

     

  • Confusion looms as Tosa Maidan lease ends Friday

    Srinagar: The Tosa Maidan lease is expiring tomorrow, but various civil society groups fighting against the extension of one of the largest meadows in Kashmir to army, say despite government claiming that the army would have to move out nothing has been communicated to them.

    The Right To Information (RTI) movement and Tosa Maidan Bachao Front (TBF) which are spearheading the agitation against the proposed extension of the lease of the meadow in central Kashmir’s Budgam district have said that so far no official contacted them regarding the cancellation of lease.

    Talking to GNS, chairman of RTI movement, Shiekh Ghulam Rasool said: “Till this moment, no one from government has contacted us regarding the cancellation of lease.

    Our source of information is media and we don’t want verbal announcement but we believe in documents as Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said few days ago.

    They should come out with documents before media.”

    On Tuesday, senior National Conference leader Rather said that government won’t extend the lease and the Chief Secretary-led official panel would identify some alternate site to relocate the army’s firing range.

    The chief spokesperson of RTI movement Farooq Kuthoo threatened protests in case the lease is extended. “It will snowball into a major controversy,” he said.

    Rasool said that they are in favour of complete vacation and handover of meadow to the civil authorities. “We don’t want relocation, but vacation,” he said.

    The RTI chairman also announced that the group in cooperation with other civil society groups will hold protests in various parts of the Kashmir. “We have already appealed people to observe ‘Black Day’ on Friday. Apart from observing black day, our people will wear black bands and black flags will be hoisted at various places.”

    “The Kashmir’s civil society has announced support for our cause which include Doctors’ Association, Kashmir Economic Alliance, hoteliers, tourism stake holders and employees,” he said.

    He added that there will be protests in Srinagar’s press enclave and other parts of Kashmir.

    Despite repeated attempts, no state or army official could be contacted for the comment. But, a defense analyst while talking to GNS, said: I don’t think NC can afford to do that. It is a Catch-22 situation for Congress. If they don’t extend, the BJP will get after them for being soft on security.”

    Defense sources told GNS that the lease will be extended temporarily till the identification of alternate place.

    “We have sent our recommendations to the higher-ups in this regard,” they said.

    The matter could be resolved permanently once the new government takes over in New Delhi. (GNS)

     

  • Amid clashes, Farooq addresses public at Hajin

    Srinagar: Amid shutdown and clashes, NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah addressed people at North Kashmir’s Bandipora district castigating BJP and PDP of being the followers of same ideology.

    Youth fought ding-dong battles with the police on Thursday ahead of Dr Farooq’s visit in the district. Reports added that youth in groups assembled in the main market of Hajin and protested against the visit of NC patron in the area. Shopkeepers downed their shutters and transport services affected at large.

    At main bridge of Hajin, the groups of youth stopped the vehicles ferrying NC supporters and made them to return without joining rally of the NC leaders. Eye witness said that the youth were checking the identity cards of the pedestrians crossing the Hajin Bridge and they were looking for NC supporters.

    Meanwhile, Dr Farooq flanked by senior NC leader Mohammad Akbar Lone, Lok Sabha candidate for Baramulla Sharief-ul-Din Shariq addressed the people. He stated that the policies of PDP have always been against the interests of the state and that the credit the party is taking for the opening of Mughal road and Muzarrafabad route is a mere ‘hoax’. “The reality is that NC strived for the opening of the road links and since 1974 our party took strong steps to resolve Kashmir.”

    NC patron stated that earlier when he visited Pakistan- he urged the then establishment of the country to have cordial relations with India so that the settlement of the pending issues could be looked into.  “If PDP claims to have opened the Mughal road, why Mufti didn’t ever tried to travel via the route. It was my son Omar who drove the vehicle on the Mughal road.”

    He also took a jibe at BJP’s prime ministerial Narendra Modi claiming that his policies are anti-Muslims. “He (Modi) wore every cap except that of a Muslim. His agenda is the ethnic cleansing of Muslims and we won’t let that happen,” said Dr Farooq, adding that PDP is the reflection of Modi in the state and that every vote for PDP gets counted in Modi’s account.

    Later, when NC leaders left the venue, the clashes between protesters and police erupted again in Hajin area of Bandipora. Reports informed KNS that police had to fire several rounds of bullets in air to disperse the mob that turned violent during the clashes. Also some tear gas shells were also fired to thwart the protests.

     

  • Lok Sabha Elections: Poor voter turn out for Kashmir’s Udhampur constituency

    UDHAMPUR — Balloting was sluggish in this Lok Sabha constgituency in Jammu and KashmirThursday, with just 10 percent votes cast in the six districts in the first two hours of polling, officials said.

    While Kathua assembly segment topped the voting tally at over 17 percent till 9 a.m., Kishtwar polled the lowest with a little over seven percent votes.

    Voting was dull in the three Chenab valley districts of Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda.

    The other three districts – Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur – saw comparatively more voting.

    Voters in far-flung areas of Ramban district were rather less enthusiastic about casting their ballots than those in economically better-off areas.

    Gul Muhammad, 75, cast his vote at the Ramsu high school polling station in Ramban.

    “I have been voting all my life. My vote has improved the economic condition of politicians, but mine remains unchanged. I have again cast my vote today, hoping that things will change, but I have little hope,” he said.

    Of the 457 voters, just 40 had cast their ballot at Gul Muhammad’s polling station till 9 a.m.

    In comparison, 103-year-old Masu Ram who cast his vote at the Hira Nagar polling station in Kathua district, said he came to exercise his democratic right fearing this could be his last chance to do so, given his old age.

    “This could be my last vote in the Lok Sabha elections. I cannot afford to let it go waste,” Masu Ram told reporters.

    Voters at one polling station in Bani area of Kathua told reporters they were boycotting the election because nobody has paid any attention to the development of their area.

    “No development, no vote,” people said.

    There are 13 candidates in the fray in Udhampur, but the main contest is between union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress, BJP candidate Jitender Singh and Arshad Malik of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    There are 14.38 lakh voters in the constituency, including Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs who are voting at 2,051 polling stations Thursday.

    Voting ends at 6 p.m.

     

  • PDP brain child of BJP: Omar: ‘Muftis acting on Modi’s behest’

    Omar addresses election rallies at Rajpora, Wachi

    Wachi-Shopian: Terming PDP a brain child of BJP, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who is also the Working President of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference said that Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) founded PDP as its J&K State Unit and nurtured Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter to hatch an elaborate conspiracy of dividing the people of this State in general and people of the Valley in particular.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, saying that “BJP gave rise to the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir to deceive the people and nurture its communal agenda through PDP”, Omar reiterated that the current Parliamentary Elections had exposed the clandestine liaison between PDP and BJP. Addressing election rallies at Rajpora and Wachi in South Kashmir in favour of NC-Congress Coalition Candidate, Dr. Mehboob Baig, Omar said that the Mufti duo have come out openly to repay the debt they owe to BJP and Narendera Modi for their existence and the birth of their party in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Working President of National Conference said that the PDP’s singular goal in fighting these Lok Sabha Elections is to field candidates tactically to support Narendera Modi and BJP by dividing voters on communal and regional lines. He said fielding of candidates by PDP in Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary Constituencies is clear proof of this tactical help PDP has provided to BJP and its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendera Modi.

    Omar said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir today stand at a historic juncture where they have to decide whether they want to see totalitarian and communal forces represented by Narendera Modi at the helm of affairs in the Country or see Rahul Gandhi – a consistent and sincere friend of J&K take on the reins of the country. It is Narendera Modi who has categorically stated in the BJP manifesto that BJP is “committed to abrogating Article 370,” and have advocated a Uniform Civil Code in the Country, sidelining sentiments of minorities. These are dangerous indications of Modi’s bent of mind and despite these clear indications, PDP didn’t even think twice before joining hands with Modi.

    “By voting in favour of NC-Congress Coalition Candidates you will be ensuring that India will be led by secular and democratic forces and voting in favour of PDP will pave the way for communal forces to govern the Country”, Omar said while asking the people to vote in large numbers in favour of Dr Mehboob Beg and help Rahul Gandhi to be the Prime Minister of the Country. Taking a dig at the performance of Mehbooba Mufti in the Lok Sabha as the then Parliament Member, Omar referred to the historic occasion when she was asked to speak in the Parliament on Amarnath Land Row and she rather than speaking up for the people of this State said “Mei Kya Bolun Yaar”!

    “Instead of this Dr. Mehboob Baig as the Parliament Member from South Kashmir has not only made scores of resounding and courageous speeches in the Parliament about the issues of Jammu and Kashmir and its people but also raised about a hundred different questions about the development of Jammu and Kashmir”, Omar said while drawing parallels between the work done by Dr. Mehboob Baig as Parliament Member and that of Mehbooba Mufti in the same capacity. The Minister for Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar also spoke on the occasion while MLC Bashir Ahmad Magrey and various senior NC and Congress leaders were present on the occasion. (KNS)

     

  • Pro-India politicians selling hot blood of martyrs: Geelani

    Srinagar: While paying rich tributes to the martyred youths of Khrew Pampora and Ahmad Nagar Soura, chairman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani said that these youth are not sacrificing their lives for any property, benefits or status but they are fighting for the freedom of Kashmiri Nation from the ‘forced occupation’ of India and the people who are supporting the pro-Indian politicians for little and meager benefits, are not only forgetting the favours of these bold and brave youth but they are making sellout with the hot blood of the martyrs.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, while stressing upon the complete election boycott, Geelani said that the participation in the election drama is equal to fastening the collar of slavery around the necks of their children and future generations of Kashmir, which lengthens our path to freedom. While telephonically addressing a condolence meeting in Khrew Pampora, which was held in the remembrance of the Martyred youth, Geelani said that we have sacrificed about 6 lakh lives so far and this process of killings are continuous and are happening every day.

    “These youths are sacrificing themselves for the freedom of Kashmiri nation which have been forcibly snatched by India and they are not fighting for wealth, property or any post or status but they want a prosperous and free Kashmir. The Kashmiri nation is duty bound to protect these precious sacrifices and they should not indulge in any such activity which will harm this sacred cause for which these youth have sacrificed their everything.”

    While terming all the pro-Indian political parties including National Conference, PDP, State Congress, BJP, People’s Conference, CPI(M) and other independent candidates who are taking part in the election drama, as the criminals of the nation, the pro-freedom leader said that none of them are beneficial for the Kashmiris and whoever reaches the chair of power, left no stone unturned to harm our collective and national cause for their petty and personal benefits.

    “Today, these politicians are begging for votes in the name of water, electricity and roads, but later on this exercise is sold as a justification for the forced occupation of India and India is projecting this election drama as a referendum in its favour in the international forum. This condolence meeting was arranged by the local population, which was attended by the high level delegation of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat including Farooq Gutapori, Mehraj-ud-din Ganie, Zafar Habib, Ishfaq Ahmad, Umar Aadil and many other activists. The Hurriyat delegation spoke on this occasion and distributed anti election posters among the people.” (KNS)

     

  • Soz addresses gathering in Anantnag district

    Srinagar: Prof. Saifuddin Soz President Pradesh Congress Committee addressed a public meeting at Manzmoh (Door-Shahbad) in Anantnag District.

    According to a statement issued to KNS, while addressing the gathering Prof. Soz appealed  to people to vote for  Dr. Mehboob Beigh in large numbers and send him to the Lok Sabha to fight sectarian and communal forces let loose by Narender Modi. Prof. Soz told the people to cast their vote on the symbol of National Conference, realizing fully that Dr. Mehboob Beigh was  the candidate of the NC-INC Coalition.

    Describing G. A. Mir , Minister of Tourism, a symbol of development in this area,  Prof. Soz advised the people to be around him (Mir) and seek resolution of their problems. Prof. Soz  told  them further that he would visit this backward area again after the elections and identify their problems and try to solve them.

    Speaking on the occasion G. A. Mir said that he would accompany Prof. Soz to visit all the villages in this area and said he felt confident  that Prof. Soz has  given the commitments  which he would certainly fulfill. He (G. A. Mir) explained to the people in detail the importance of their vote and appealed them to vote for Dr. Mehboob Beigh in large numbers. He said that he was confident that Dr. Mehboob Beigh would represent them properly in the Lok Sabha and also solve the peoples’ problems.

    Those who also accompanied Prof. Soz and spoke on the occasion included, Mohammad Anwar Bhat Vice President, Gulzar Ahmad Wani, District President Anantnag, Anayatuallah  Rather District President Kulgam, Ali Mohammad Mantoo and others. (KNS)