Sports Council’s notification fails to tame unrecognized sports bodies

Sports Council’s notification fails to tame unrecognized sports bodies

Innocent parents being befooled by money minters

Yash Khajuria

JAMMU, June 07: With most of the politically influential people sitting at the helm of affairs and holding command of both affiliated and non-affiliated sports associations in J&K State Sports Council, the recently issued list of affiliated associations by the Sports Council did not make any difference to their style of functioning.

According to sources, more than 60 associations claim to conduct sports activities but only 49 associations have been recognized by the Sports Council so far. Sources further said the non-affiliated sports associations were indulging in false practice to lure the innocent parents to allow their wards to participate in the championship.

These associations claimed that they were affiliated with the Sports Council but in actual they were not serious in promoting sports but just want to mint money to fulfill their selfish motives. "Just as Sports Council has issued a list of affiliated associations, it must issue list of those associations as well who are yet to get affiliation from it", said one of the officials on the condition of anonymity. 

"The Council has also advised the sportspersons along with their parents for not falling prey to some people who are running unrecognized associations and befool people with their mesmerizing tricks and policies, to potent their vested interests but still the ill practice continues in full swing", another official claimed.

“There are two types of games recognized by the Sports Council in the State, one which falls under the SRO and benefits the sports persons in attaining jobs over sports merit, and other includes the games which offers sports quota in the Higher Education to the scholars.  But on the other hand, many associations are conducting activities in the state which are neither been recognized by the Sports Council nor they falls under the above mentioned schedule", he added.  

"If a sports person holds a game for 5-10 years he will be expecting some benefits for himself either in job or in the education which is genuine, but if he plays a game for decade which is not been recognized by the council then his devoted time in sports will be wasted", said Ranjeet Kalra, BCCI member and vice-president, J&K Wushu Association.

"That is the reason I have appealed to the sports minister and Secretary Sports Council to publicise that list of recognised associations so that the sports persons and their parents would be able to choose a game which will also offer some benefit to them and, to stop unauthorized associations from misleading the children and their parents,” he maintained.

Interestingly, the authorities has also displayed a loop hand to the non-affiliated associations as the Secretary, State Sports Council, Kiran Wattal says that we cannot pass any direction or order to those bodies which are not under our constitutional authority.  

“If any XYZ association is working for the development of sports at the district and below level, they can do the same but they cannot ask us for any support and assistance as they do not exist anywhere in the state sports council” he added.

Apparently, if the authorities will not take harsh steps against the unaffiliated associations in the state it will be difficult to make people away from be cheated by the fraud associations. 

Transport department asks school to submit details of transport rent structure

School bus fee structure row

Transport department asks school to submit details of transport rent structure

Yash Khajuria

JAMMU, June 2: Transport Department has sought details of school transport and the bus rent structure being charged by the various private schools in Jammu from the students for the academic year 2012-13.

The Department in a joint meeting held in the office of the transport commissioner Jammu and Kashmir at Rail head complex Jammu under the chairmanship of Regional Transport officer Jammu in which principle / managers of the private schools, joint director school education Jammu, officers of transport department representatives of Student-Parent Association for Child Education (SPACE) were present.

Administration has urged upon the school authorities to submit the details of school transport and the bus fee structure being charged from the students of their respective schools for the current time i.e. year 2012-13. So that the information given after them will be examined and a consolidated report could be submitted to the transport commissioner J&K Srinagar for further review and vital directions.

Pertinently the parents are demanding a reduction in bus fares and justification from schools for the increase in fares despite an order by the Transport Department last year, fixing the monthly fares at Rs 180. They feel the hike in fares is unfair as the government has already notified a standard fee structure for schools.

School managements have been claiming that they cannot meet the costs incurred on fuel, salaries of bus driver and general maintenance of vehicles by charging a measly bus fare of Rs 180 per head, as fixed by the government.

The parents, on the other hand, are not compelled by the school economics, as RD Sharma, member of the Student-Parent Association for Child Education (SPACE), maintains: “The buses are bought with school funds and students get charged for the same at the time of admission. There is no logic behind counting profit on school buses.”

The same argument was made in a recently held meeting, wherein it was decided that bus fares would soon be revised and parents would not be fleeced further.

With around 40,000 students being ferried by around 850 privately run buses, parents feel it is a matter of concern that most buses are over 15 years old and barring 180 buses, the rest of the buses are being used without proper documentation.

However, around 40,000 students in the state are utilising private buses in order to commute to their educational institutions. This is an open fact that most of the schools have fallen short to provide the institutional vehicles for the students as they hire private vehicle to overcome the drop, which costs an extra charge over the school authorities too.

‘Parents being charged for 11 months, whereas buses remain in use for only nine months due to the seasonal vacations in both region of the state.

BJP women cadre demonstrates against price rise

BJP women cadre demonstrates against price rise

Yash Khajuria

JAMMU, May 29: Against the towering price hike in the daily household articles Bhartiya Janta Party Mahila Morcha led by Sakina Bano -Mahila Morcha State President, staged a massive protest in Jammu, here today.

Holding, placards in hands and raising slogans against State and central (UPA) Government, the protesting women cadre of BJP held Prime Minister responsible for making the life of every house hold in the country difficult.

While addressing the gathering Sakina Bano State president (BJPMM) has said that government has failed on all accounts and no one is concerned about the plight of a common man who is facing hardships on large to make his livelihood which has even resulted in suicides.

People in remote and far off areas too are suffering due to lack of exigencies and because of empty pockets, it has affected proportionally to the coming generation those are not able to cope up with the new standards due to high rise in price index.

“Government could have efforts to make rupee stand and also could make cuts so that petroleum products could be like in other countries where petrol prices less than Rs 50 per litre but for the taxes the government levies on its products and common man has to suffer” said Sakina Bano. She further said that with hike in the petroleum products entire price range varies as it affects everything in transportation etc. thus adding to the miseries of common people. She warned government and asked it to roll back hike otherwise it will see the other face of people on roads.

She whole heartedly nodded that BJPMM will participates in NDA’s Bharat Bandh call on May 31 against Central Government move of hiking petrol prices.

Prominent among those took part in the protest demonstration were Purnima Sharma, Rajrani Jamwal, Priya Sethi, Pinky Gupta, Sureshta, Vijay Raina, Anju Dogra, Parveen Arora, Saroj Gupta, Prem Lata, Renu Khajuria, Bimla Sharma, Kanta Gupta, Ritu Sharma, Rampiari, Priya Jaral, Sangeeta, Tripta, Sudesh Sharma, Sharda Devi, Babita, Chinta Dogra, Renu Bala, Labo Rani and Namrata Singh besides others.

Govt. orders probe against NGOs for fund misuse

Govt. orders probe against NGOs for fund misuse

Yash Khajuria

JAMMU, May 26: Government has ordered probe against five Non Governmental Organisations (NGO)s (voluntarily organisations) and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri for misuse of funds sanctioned by the Union Environmental Ministry for taking up projects to save the environment. Most of them have received the funds between2003-2008.

Government has constituted a three member State Level Committee to probe the default committed by the voluntary agencies and an independent cell of BGSBU, which is working for the environmental protection.

Agencies include Global Green Peace, Polo View, Srinagar, Human Objective to Protect the Environment (HOPE) Srinagar. J&K State Welfare Institute. Srinagar Khakani Ladles Vocational centre, Anantnag, Society for Ecological and Environmental Problem (SEEP), Srinagar and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri.

Officials said that the committee has probed why the organisations have failed to submit the required documents of the fund utilization and the projects taken by them despite repeated directions from the government.

“After receiving first installment from the central government these organisations have neither approached for subsequent installments nor submitted requested documents for release of second installment, which clearly shows that they have not utilized funds properly”, said an official.

As per the order, the committee examined and proposed the method of recovery of unutilized funds so that legal action could be taken against the organisations. “There are clear directions from the central government to recover the money from these organisations”, said an official.

The committee comprised of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Jammu as Chairman, while Registrar, Co-operative Societies and Concerned Deputy Commissioner of Districts have been nominated as its members.

It is pertinent to mention here that hundreds of NGOs in Jammu and Kashmir are receiving funds from various state and central government agencies for aforesaid, awareness campaigns and involve school and college students in environmental protection.

“This is clear case of default as most of organisations against whom probe has been ordered has never submitted the details of the projects taken up by them”, said a official.