‘Ghost rationees’ will soon be thing of past, as CAPD to introduce photo ration card

‘Ghost rationees’ will soon be thing of past, as CAPD to introduce photo ration card

Yash Khajuria   9/22/2011 8:57:07 PM


JAMMU, Sept 22: The ‘ghost rationees’ who constitute about 10 per cent of the total 44.30 lakh souls getting ration from the depots of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department across the Jammu region, will soon be a thing of past as the Department has come up with unique photo ration cards. 


These cards, which are being introduced for the first time in the State, will not only help in detecting and deletion of ‘ghost rationees’ but also check misappropriation of Government ration by the dealers appointed by the Department to provide ration to the people in their respective areas. 


These photo ration cards will be given to all the Above Poverty Line (APL), Below Poverty Line (BPL) and AAY categories of rationees. Each ration card will have the photograph of head of the family and names of other members of the family. 


Sources said that existing ration cards have large scale discrepancies which have crept mainly due to the vested interests of certain ration dealers and out of total 44.30 lakh rationees registered with the CAPD Department, about ten per cent of them are virtually non-existing. 


Now, the CAPD Department in tie-up with the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, has come up with unique photo ration cards to get rid of ghost rationees once for all, check misappropriation of Government ration and bring transparency at the depots level, the sources disclosed, adding all the 9.70 lakh families will get these cards within a period of four to six months. 


The application forms for the photo ration cards will be given to the rationees by the concerned dealers, who will later submit the same to CAPD Department for verification. The concerned Area Inspector of the Department will then verify the details mentioned in the forms by conducting door-to-door survey in the urban areas while the Patwari will conduct the verification exercise in the rural areas. 


Each card has a separate six digit number and the same will also be mentioned in the two copies of month-wise coupons attached in the ration card. While one copy of the coupon will remain affixed in the ration card, the another mentioning quantity of ration purchased with rate charged from the rationees and signature of dealer will have to be submitted by the concerned dealer to the department at the end of every month.

Transporters strike affects normal life in J&K, demand 50 per cent hike in passenger fare

Transporters strike affects normal life in J&K, demand 50 per cent hike in passenger fare
Yash Khajuria	9/21/2011 11:16:20 PM
JAMMU, Sept 21: Normal life in Jammu and Kashmir was paralysed on Wednesday as 1 lakh vehicles went on strike demanding an increase in fare rates due to petrol price hike. Entire public transport including buses, mini buses, public vehicles and autos were off the roads in Jammu city on the call given by various transports organisation today. “We have observed strike today as government has failed to announce hike in the fares despite rising fuel prices,” All Jammu and Kashmir Transporter Welfare Association (AJKTWA), vice-president Anil Chopra said. Commercial vehicles including Buses, Mini-buses, public vehicles and autos suspended their work in protest against the delay in raising the passenger fare. Due to the strike students marched towards their schools by foot in the morning and return as the same in the bright daylight. Whereas knowing of two-day strike from wednesday many of the private schools and institutions already has announced off on the strike affected days. In the last 1 year the prices of fuel have hiked regularly and the fares of vehicle are still the same as they were increased last time at 13.50 percent, but now the transpoters has demended 50 percent increase in the passengers fare. Where already the people are annoyed of the increase in the petrol prices and now if the passengers fare increases it will be difficult to travel in the public transport for the common man. The demands being projected by the transporters include 50 percent hike in passenger fare, withdrawal of 10.5 per cent service tax on the insurance premium and 70 percent hike in 3rd party insurance. It is pertinent to mention here that another area of conflict between the transporters and government is the imposition of the 10 per cent service tax, which the unions claim is huge burden on them. “At a time when taxes have already broken our back, the service tax is total injustice with the people who earn their livelihood through playing vehicles”, said Surjeet Singh, another transporter. Last year transporters were demanding 30 per cent rise in fares and had threatened to go on strike. After the intervention of Minister for Industries Surjit Singh Slathia and Minister for Medical Education R.S Chib, 13 per cent hike was approved in the commercial sector. Sources said that Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) had increased the rate of insurance premium by 80 per cent which the unions claim have further compounded problems for them.

Chenab water diversion may face ire from Pakistan

Chenab water diversion may face ire from Pakistan
Yash Khajuria	9/20/2011 11:05:57 PM
JAMMU, Sept 20: In what could start another spat between India and Pakistan on river Chenab, state government is making techno-feasibility report to divert 100 cusecs of water from the river to augment the water supplyin the expanding Jammu city. According to the officials, Public Health Engineering (PHE) department is hiring the services of the consultants to start Geo-Technical Feasibility of the project. Sources said that it has been proposed that 40 Million Gallon Day (MGD) water will be lifted near Ranjan lift irrigation station on the left bank of river Chenab which about 28 km from the city centre. “We have started the process and when the plan is completed made operational will make city surplus in the drinking water”, said Minister for PHE, Taj-Mohi-Ud-Din. On will they face any objection from the Pakistan, he said that it is just a small volume of water, which is being diverted for the drinking purpose. “We don’t feel there will be objection from the otherside”, he Minister said. Minister said that the consultants will have to give due consideration to the Geo-Technical feasibility of the region through which the propose alignments of the channels will be proposed. It is important to mention here that Chenab river is constant cause of the friction between two nuclear armed countries as the Pakistan has been accusing India of violating the Indus Water Treaty of 1962, by over exploiting the water of northern rivers. Even Baghilar Hydro Power Project ran into trouble, inviting international arbitration to settle the dispute. According to the proposal, the water is proposed to be carried by Gravity having initial lift from river Chenab and will be filtered subsequently at a suitable spot to be identified on the higher contour through open channel or pipes at Roop Nagar. “Technically the project is very difficult keeping in view the hilly terrain and slide prone zones and a detailed techno feasible report is being prepared”, said a Engineer associated with the project. It is pertinent to mention here that the prolonged dry spell in Jammu in recent years has created permanent water crisis in region catering to the population of 13 lakh and floating population of nearly 3 lakh every month, mostly pilgrims. The dry spell has also reduced the ground water resources in the city so far mostly used to supply water to the city residents. On daily basis Jammu needs nearly 39 MGD of water but despite starting various projects, the PHE has been able to keep the supply at 26 MGD to 30 MGD, leaving many areas without water for days together.

With backing of MLA, Tehsildar Bishnah misusing official powers, defying rules

With backing of MLA, Tehsildar Bishnah misusing official powers, defying rules
Yash Khajuria	9/19/2011 10:46:04 PM
JAMMU, Sept 19: While former Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was exposed to direct security threat, as the local administration did not allow the party to organise the rally at local school on Sunday, but the role of Tehsildar has become a doubtful in entire issue. Sources said that at the eleventh hour, People Democratic Party (PDP) was forced to change the venue where Mufti was expected to address by the local Tehsildar, who is a close relative of the MLA Bishnah, Ashwani Sharma. If sources are to be believed, local Tehsildar being a relative of the MLA is misusing his powers at many occasions he has floated the official rules involving the conduct in various issues. “Though this time sources said that this was done at the behest of the state government, as they wanted to disrupt the rallies of the PDP, but the role of Local Tehsildar is under scanner, who is misusing his official powers”, said a source. “He is misusing his power because he has backing of MLA Ashwani Kumar, who is using him at many occasions to harass the people”, said a local resident. Sources said that during the Republic day function (January 26), while as per rules Tehsildar was to unfurl the national flag, but he asked the MLA to unfurl the Tricolour. “They have created a family turf in the constituency and at time people have to face problems”, said a local resident. Sources said that due to sudden change of the venue, security personnel guarding the former Chief Minister had tough time to ensure his security. “Few days back local authorities held ASL meeting, but the said Tehsildar skipped the same, which is clear violation of the rules”, said a source. An official said that as per the rules, before any important political rally involving the former Chief Ministers or any high profile politician, it is necessary that all the government servants had to attend the ASL meet. “It is strange that Tehsildar did not attend the meet, defying the rules, but no action was taken against him. We fail to understand why no action was taken against him”, said a local resident.