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CAG detects Rs. 1726.88 crore fraud in accounts, transactions of J&K govt

4/9/2012 12:09:18 AM

Syed Junaid Hashmi JAMMU, Apr 8: CAG has detected Rs. 1726.88 crore fraud in the accounts and transactions of various departments of Jammu and Kashmir government. In its audit report for the financial year 2010-11, CAG has pointed out that during the last three financial years (2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11), serious irregularities amounting to Rs. 1726.88 crores were brought to the notice of government but to no avail. CAG has rebutted government claims and stated that its audit observations were not respected and no action was taken even over the serious cases of embezzlement and fraud. These serious irregularities came to fore during periodical inspection of accounts and transactions o...

What lies beneath SAC notices over Ganpat bridge!

Palatial farm houses raised as vital projects were abandoned

4/9/2012 12:09:10 AM

Anirudh Sharma Jammu, Apr 8: While the State Accountability Commission issued notices to Gulchain Singh Charak former Minister for works, several officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) and a high profile private contractor taking cognisance of a complaint with regards to Rs. 30 cr Ganpat Bridge project and also sought comments from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who is the Chairman of the Coprporation, ET learnt that several other projects worth crores allotted to the same contractor allegedly at the behest of politicians and bureaucrats flouting codal formalities were incomplete even as payments against them stand released. Sources in the JKPCC disc...

Omar wins the bet as Zardari fails to land in Kashmir

4/9/2012 12:08:57 AM

agencies Srinagar, Apr 8: Expressing his willingness to visit Mirpur and Muzaferabad , Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday said that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari owes him a rupee because he had bet that the Pakistani leader won't be able to visit Jammu and Kashmir on his India trip. Speaking to a national News Chanel NDTV on Pak President's meeting with Prime Minster Dr. Manmohan Singh,, Abdullah recalled how during his visit to Pakistan in 2006, he had taken a bet of one rupee with Zardari that the latter won't able to visit Kashmir. "He has not and he owes me one rupee." Abdullah said the visit of any Pakistani leader to Jammu and Kashmir was "long overdue". Asked if he w...

Kamaal re-appointment stuns Congress

Farooq mends fences with his brother

4/9/2012 12:08:49 AM

early times report Jammu, Apr 8: In a development that may have far reaching consequences on the ruling coalition, the National Conference President, Dr Farooq Abdullah appointed his younger brother Dr Mustafa Kamal as additional general secretary of the party. Kamal had been removed from the posts he held in the party early this year for his tirade against the Congress and the government of India. "Kamal Sahib has been appointed as party's Additional General Secretary and he will play an important role in helping the party to flourish, beside will help the party to move successfully forward with its activities," he said. All the politics that took place in Jammu and Kashmir during la...

Farooq's statement on Yusuf irks Mahbooba

‘He is not worth taking seriously’

4/9/2012 12:08:39 AM

Eary Times Report Srinagar, Apr 8: Rubbishing the claims of National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdulah that Haji Yousf who died under mysterious conditions last year was a PDP worker, Mahbooba Mufti on Sunday said that such claims won't absolve Dr Abdullah and Chief Minster Omar Abdullah from allegations of murder and corruption. Mahbooba while talking to a local news agency strongly rejected the union minster's claims that Yusuf had approached him to offer the support from 18 PDP MLA's in 2008. "We had just 16 in the assembly that time", asserted Mahbooba, The PDP president said Yusuf had himself accepted that, he was minting money at senior Abdullah's behest. "Yusuf categorical...

CAG talks tough, says PHE head failed to ensure accountability

4/9/2012 12:08:26 AM

Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 8: State government may have passed Public service guarantee act to discipline its official machinery and fix accountability of non-performing officers but PHE department seems to be unaware of this landmark litigation. Head of the PHE department B.D.Sharma has failed to force the machinery below him to take up and complete works on war-footing basis. CAG has CAG further stated that due to improper planning by the departmental heads by way of inadequate funding, non-availability of key construction material and not designing OHTs as per Indian Standard Code, the construction of over-head tanks (OHTs) could not be completed despite delay of more than six ye...

Did Dr. Farooq Abdullah actually know Haji Yusuf as a PDP worker?

4/9/2012 12:08:18 AM

early times report Jammu, Apr 8: Former State Chief Minister and union minister for renewable energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has made a startling revelation about Haji Yusuf, the NC worker who died last year hours after being summoned to the Gupkar Road Residency of the present State Chief Minister. Talking to media persons Dr. Farooq has said he had come into contact with Haji Yusuf only in 2008 when Yusuf promised him support of 18 PDP MLAs to form the government after the 2008 state assembly elections. Dr. Farooq said categorically he did not know Haji Yusuf till then. It is fair to trust that Dr. Farooq has spoken the truth, but in order to allow his 'truth' to stand the scrutiny of tr...

ULB Polls: Cong not prepared, ministers conveyed to Azad

PDP instead of BJP a real threat to party prospects……?

4/9/2012 12:08:07 AM

early times report Jammu, Apr 8: Contrary to its own claims made on the floor of the Upper House on Apr 4 that elections to the Urban Local Bodies will be completed by the end of April 2012, two days later the NC led coalition ruled out the same attributing postponement to delay in preparation of draft electoral rolls and other formalities for conducting polls. This may be the procedural reason but there is actually political side of the story for delaying the polls. Congress, the main alliance partner in ruling coalition is not interested in ULB polls to be held at this juncture. Party sources said that Congress on account of its loose and infirm political ground and shaky situation...

Professor's post advertised twice without vacancy

Favoritism, nepotism in SMVDU appointments

4/9/2012 12:07:54 AM

Early Times Report JAMMU, Apr 8: After detection of large scale bungling in appointments and promotions thus causing loss to the holy exchequer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), another case of favoritism came to light when a post of Professor was advertised twice without vacancy just to adjust someone close to the Vice Chancellor in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra in district Reasi. Already serving with School of Mathematics as Associate Professor and Director, Dr VK Bhat was selected and appointed as Professor against the sanctioned post already occupied by him. He (Dr Bhat) was made Professor without inviting even a second candidate for consideration in...

Jammu, Kashmiri leadership & Zardari's Delhi visit

Autonomists And Integrationists - I

4/9/2012 12:07:39 AM

NEHA JAMMU, Apr 8: Jammu on Saturday or on the eve of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's New Delhi visit witnessed two contradictory developments. One was the positive response of the ruling NC to the Zardari's scheduled visit and the other was the seminar on "Invasion and Accession", organized by the integrationists and victims of terrorism, communal politics and Pakistan at Press Club of Jammu. While NC president and Union Minister for Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah expressed the hope that the visit of Zardari "will bring India and Pakistan closer, his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underlined the need for sustained India-Pakistan dialogue. "Let us hope that the meeting betwe...

Farooq veils unveiled, says half truth

4/9/2012 12:07:13 AM

Bashir Assad Srinagar, Apr 8: The latest revelation, though concocted, made by National Conference President and Union Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah that 18 PDP MLAs offered him support for government formation through deceased Haji Sayed Yusuf in 2008 has brought some very interesting but hard facts to the fore. Now it has become abundantly clear that deceased Haji Yusuf was very close to Abdullahs which they were denying till yesterday. Secondly, the single line statement of Dr. Farooq Abdullah itself speaks about the acquaintance Haji was enjoying with Abdullah family. And third, the statement in itself is a confession that Haji Yusuf was a political-broker rather fixer acting on t...

Delhi talks between Indian PM & Pak President disappointing

PM To Visit Pak

4/9/2012 12:06:51 AM

RUSTAM JAMMU, Apr 8: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has again disappointed the Indian nation. In fact, New Delhi under his regime has once caused an affront to the self-respect of the already bleeding Indian nation. How else should one interpret the mind-boggling decision of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to accept the invitation extended to him by the visiting Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to visit Pakistan? The Pakistani President invited the Indian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan today during his talks with him at 7 Race Course, New Delhi, official residence of our Prime Minister. People were expecting that the Prime Minister would tell the Pakistan President on his face that...