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Finance Minister's 'zero deficit' budget shows over 8 % hike in total expenditure Rs 31212 cr budget in projected plan outlay of Rs 6,600cr for J&K 3/8/2011 1:19:37 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT Jammu, Mar 7: In his third consecutive budget during the present coalition regime, J&K's Finance Minister AR Rather today claimed it was zero deficit with total receipts and total expenditure shown at Rs 31212 cr though the figures suggest nearly 8 % increase in the total expenditure during the next financial year . Total expenditure was at Rs 28733 cr during the current financial year. The estimates of the receipts and expenditure have been worked out by the government on a projected state plan outlay of Rs 6,600 cr as the actual plan figure is yet to be finalised by the Planning Commission. The budget presented in the state Assembly today heavily incorporates the details of many schemes fully aided and funded by the Centre, though the focus has also been some new welfare measures coupled with extension of exemption, concessions of VAT existing in many sectors. The Finance Minister in his detailed speech claimed relief given to employees and pensioners, a complex issue which present has been facing for over two years, with 10 % DA due since July last year to b...   READ MORE

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Old story, no relief to common masses, poor: opposition Betrayal, roadmap promises not fulfilled: Employees 3/8/2011 1:19:06 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT Jammu: Opposition parties in the state have sharply reacted to the budget terming it as jugullary of figures, old routine story told in a new fashion having no relief for the poor and common masses. However, the ruling Congress came out in praise terming it as people- friendly budget. Terming the budget presented by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather as routine, Peoples Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti, regretted that no relief has been given to poor people, farmers, unemployed youth and employees in the budget provisions. Mehbooba said that keeping in view the soaring prices of essential commodities, poor people were hoping that Finance Minister would giv...   READ MORE   Budget Highlights 3/8/2011 1:18:23 AM WELFARE INITIATIVES: Employees and Pensioners to get 10% DA of July 2010 alongwith salary/pension for April, 2011 'Daily Wage' rate hiked from ` 110 per day to ` 125 per day l8 crore set apart for subsidizing migrants' Health Insurance. l40 crore set apart for Employment & Welfare Programme for Youths. A provision of ` 55 crore for meeting cost of VRS/GHS in PSUs. Investment of ` 316 crore under Skill Development Mission. l50 crore state share to access ` 500 crore under MG-NAREGS. l50 crore for restoration of damaged infrastructure in Leh and Kargil. Focus on outsourcing activities of Government to promote and strengthen private enterprises in the State. Subsidy of ` 6 crore f...   READ MORE   Govt agrees setting up of House committee to probe 'irregularities' Probe to be initiated from 2002 3/8/2011 1:17:49 AM KUNAL SHRIVATSA EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Mar 7: The government finally budged to the opposition pressure by agreeing to the demand of setting up a House Committee to probe the alleged irregularities in funds allocation under Health, Planning, Finance, R&B and Education sector. However, the proposed House Committee will now look into such allegations right from the year 2002 when Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) in alliance with the Congress was at the helm of affairs. As soon as the proceedings of the House began on the fifth day of the ongoing Budget Session of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly this morning, the Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone deferred the Question Hour to announce th...   READ MORE   Of 3 dead girls, one turned out to be his daughter 3/8/2011 1:16:56 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU: PDP leader Vikram Singh was all happy when a scribe called him up in the afternoon to get from him the Dayaran accident details as the incident had occured near his place of residence. Vikram, who did not know about the incident that left four dead, told the scribe that he would call him back soon after he got to know the details. After few minutes, he telephoned the scribe. Weeping inconsolably and almost sobbing, he could only say: "Meri beti bhi accident mein mari gayi (My daughter is also killed in the incident)." He uttered these words with a great effort and the line was cut after that....   READ MORE   Youth, fiancee among 4 killed in car-tipper collision The three killed girls were Parade women college students 3/8/2011 1:16:36 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Mar 7: The moments of happiness were today turned into sadness when an army jawan, his fiancee and the latter's two friends were killed in a head-on collision of their car with a tipper at Dayaran, about 15 km from here on the lower Akhnoor road. The tragedy struck at about 11.30 am. There were a total of four persons, including the jawan and three girls, in the car and all of them were killed, police sources said. The dead were identified as sepoy Dalip Singh, son of Avtar Singh of Gurha Manasa, his fiancee Reeta Devi (19), daughter of Roop Singh of Shamachak, Anu (19), daughter of Vikram Singh - a PDP leader - of Shamachak and Rajni (20), daughter of Balwant S...   READ MORE   Assembly Session Congress allows NC to exercise unbridled freedom, faces people's ire 3/8/2011 1:16:09 AM NEHA ET REPORT JAMMU, Mar 7: The NC on March 4 said on the floor of the Assembly that "political promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by the Government of India remained unfulfilled"; that "J&K is a political issue and we can never forget it"; that "time and again, we have tried to remind the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi that some political promises were made with the people of J&K and it is important that progress should be made on these promises"; that "there had been talks about resolving Kashmir problem on humanitarian grounds, not to repeat the mistakes committed vis-à-vis Kashmir and repeated promises of unconditional talks with all shades of op...   READ MORE   Militants' rehabilitation policy draws flak Only 62 applications received 3/8/2011 1:15:36 AM Early Times Report Jammu, Mar 7: The much hyped militant rehabilitation policy, it seems, has drawn flak. The police have received only 12 applications since January when the police claimed that fifty applications had been filed by the parents seeking return of their wards from across the LoC. Yesterday, the Chief Minister while addressing the Legislative Assembly said around 62 applications had been received till date. The `poor' response evoked by the rehabilitation programme has also exposed the claims of the government viz-a-viz enforced disappearances in the state. The state government has been saying that the `missing youth' were seeking training in Pakistan administered Kashmir an...   READ MORE   Geelani-Mirwaiz stuck to their stand, reject PM's suggestion 3/8/2011 1:15:01 AM RUSTAM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU, Mar 7: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's March 4 Jammu suggestion regarding the solution to the "problems of Jammu and Kashmir" has been rejected out-of-hand by the separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the APHC of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. The Prime Minister had said "I do not think any body or any group can veto this (dialogue) process or the outcome of the ongoing dialogue process; the solution will have to take into consideration the political aspirations of Jammu and Ladakh as well; and the solution has to be within the framework of the Indian Constitution." The Kashmiri separatists have rejected the Prime Minister's suggestion, saying they cannot becom...   READ MORE   Women's day: a celebration and a battle to look ahead 3/8/2011 1:14:35 AM SANDEEP BHAT EARLY TIMES REPORT Women’s day: a celebration and a battle to look ahead SANDEEP BHAT March 8 is here again. Time to celebrate International Women's day. This year, the world will celebrate 100 years of progress towards gender equality. What does it really mean? Is it a day when by some unspoken signal `women’ are given their rightful place in society? International Women's Day, however, is both a day to celebrate and a day to draw attention to the challenges that remains before gender equality is truly realised. But even as we celebrate all this, we must pause, reflect and ask. Why the number of women as compared to men continue to decline in India? Why despite ...   READ MORE   Six agriculture technocrats hospitalised 3/8/2011 1:13:05 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT Jammu: Of the several agriculture technocrats sitting on fast unto death at Mubarak Mandi complex here, five were hospitalised this evening after their condition deteriorated. Official sources said five agriculture technocrats were admitted to the GMC hospital here by police after their condition became serious in the evening. They had not taken anything for the past some time.They were identified as Sameer Manhas, son of Mohammed Bashir of Poonch, Azhar Mohiudin, son of Mohammed Rashid of Rajouri, Basharat Nazir, son of Nazir Ahmed of Pulwama, Ishaq, son of Mohammed Zaman of Baramulla, and Darvinder Singh, son of Janak Singh of Poonch.Unemployed agriculture technocrats...   READ MORE   3/8/2011 1:12:44 AM ...   READ MORE   Barati among 4 killed, 32 hurt in two road mishaps 3/8/2011 1:12:37 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU: Four persons, including a marriage reveller and a couple, were killed and at least 32 others wounded, some of them critically, in two road mishaps here today. Police sources said a barati was killed and at least 30 others were injured when the bus in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into a deep gorge at Sana in Akhnoor tonight. The ill-fated bus was carrying the marriage party from Kathar to Gasanu. It skidded off the road and fell into a 200 ft deep gorge at Sana at about 9 pm after the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve. One person was killed on the spot, while at least 30 others sustained injuries, the sources added. The ...   READ MORE   Sepoy rapes minor girl, absconds 3/8/2011 1:12:17 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU: An army jawan allegedly outraged the modesty of a six-year-old girl at Kalyana in Arnia area near here today. Police sources said sepoy Rakesh Kumar of Kalyana took the six-year-old daughter of his neighbour his home and alleged raped her. There was no one in his house when he committed the alleged rape on the minor girl, the sources added. When the girl's condition deteriorated, he fled the village after dropping the girl outside her residence. Sources said after the girl's parents came to know about the incident, they lodged a report with Arina police station in this regard. Raids were being conducted by police to nab Rakesh, who had comehome on leave few days...   READ MORE   Ultras attack 2 cops at Kulgam, snatch their rifles 3/8/2011 1:11:59 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT KULGAM: Militants today snatched the rifles of two police constables at Yaripora here and attempted to kill them by slitting their throats. Cop Abdul Majeed of Shopian and SPO Mohammad Ashraf of Guddar, Kulgam, were on duty at the main Yaripora chwok when militants attacked them with sharp-edged weapons, according to police sources. The duo had cut marks on their necks, the sources added.Sources said while fleeing in a Tata sumo (JK01A/7361), the ultras took away with them the injured cops' rifles.The sumo driver was later detained by police at Sathnoo, Kulgam, the sources added.Kulgam SP Mubassar Latiefee said an operation had been launched in search for the militants....   READ MORE   2 held with 136 kg poppy straw 3/8/2011 1:11:32 AM EARLY TIMES REPORT JAMMU: Police today arrested the driver and conductor of a truck at Ratanbass in Banihal along with over 136 kilograms of poppy straw. The accused were identified as Dev Singh, son of Gunant Singh of Bathinda and Chet Ram, son of Chana of Ludhiana. They were alleged to have packed the poppy straw in seven bags and concealed it in their truck (HR37/8363), according to police sources. Police seized the truck and took Dev and Chet Ram into custody. The accused were booked under section 8/15 of NDPS Act....   READ MORE

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Night temperature improves, day colder in Kashmir, Ladakh LJP welcomes PM owning responsibility Kashmir forces brace up for summer Become police officers in future or do well as doctors and engineers: IGP PHDCCI welcomes rather budget as industry friendly KG graduates felicitated KG graduates felicitated Dir Agri flags off team of farmers Employment fair organized at Ramban Mega Lok Adalat on March 11 & 12 VC State Advisory Board Gujjar & Bakerwal identifies land for hostel in Samba PDD launches drive for collection of revenues Niaz discusses problems of Doda migrants Bar body organizes welcome function for Justice Kalifullah Armed Police hosts Bara Khana Omar for transparent revenue service delivery JK Bank RSETI sends off 1st batch of entrepreneurs NSF holds protest at central library Cultural Academy organises folk music programme 19 Raj Rifles dedicates solar street lights to Samka village Assembly-2011 Rs 258 cr project for restoration of infrastructure formulated: Bhalla Govt to strenghten farm and small industrial sectors PDP organizes meet Lecture on methods of teaching mathematics organised IGNOU changes Term-End examination fee and format Manhas visits Khour block New Nominees directed to frame state bodies’ PDD launches drive for collection of revenues 2-day workshop on heritage awareness held Power shut down VOJ presents challan against Revenue Officer Power shut down Giri Encounter Case Budget not upto ‘common man’s’ expectations: Dimple Symposium on ‘Biodiversity Conservation’ held Physiotherapists continue their agitation JKPA beat drums to lodge protest Employees to stage state wide protest from March 23   READ MORE THIS SECTION

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Let Omar stop blowing hot and cold NYWL organizes Sports, Cultural Events Haresh Rawat, Rachpal participate in PKV Mela   READ MORE THIS SECTION

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