Excelsior daily REGD.NO.JK-71/15-17 RNI No. 28547/1992 Vol No. 52 No. 11 JAMMU, MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016 14 Pages ` 4.00 INSIDE WEATHER * BSF enquires breach ...Page 6 * Fire in GMC BJP to resume constituency level rallies ...Page 3 Furnish details of incomplete works in border areas: DC ...Page 3 Gyalwang stresses on living in harmony with environment ..Page 5 Tomorrow’s India belongs to youth: Dr Jitendra ...Page 5 India must win one match against Australia to retain 2nd spot ...Page 12 JAMMU : Dry. TEMPERATURE Max: 21.1 Degree C Min: 5.7 Degree C RELATIVE HUMIDITY RH-I (Morning): 88.0 per cent RH-II (Evening): 63.0 per cent Sunset on Monday: 05.44 p.m. Sunrise on Tuesday: 07.34 a.m. KASHMIR: Dry. TEMPERATURE Max: 10.4 Degree C Min: -3.8 Degree C RELATIVE HUMIDITY RH-I (Morning): 93.0 per cent RH-II (Evening): 61.0 per cent LEH: TEMPERATURE Max: 4.1 Degree C Min: -14.7 Degree C Internet Edition: www.dailyexcelsior.com E-Paper: http://epaper.dailyexcelsior.com facebook.com/dailyexcelsior twitter.com/dailyexcelsior1 Sanjeev Pargal/ Fayaz Bukhari JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 10: Government formation in Jammu and Kashmir was expected to take some more time. Clear indications to this effect emerged during about 20 minutes discussions between Union Surface and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, joined by top leaders of State BJP, and PDP presi- dent Mehbooba Mufti at lat- ter’s Fairview residence at Gupkar, Srinagar this after- noon. Gadkari, who was accompa- nied by BJP leaders Dr Nirmal Singh, Sat Sharma, CA, State president and Shamsher Singh Manhas, MP, met Mehbooba at her residence after joining ‘con- gregational fateha’ of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Bijbehara. BJP leaders said there were no talks on formation of new Government in the State during the meeting between Gadkari and Mehbooba as none of them took up the issue first. “Mehbooba seemed to be in shock and mourning. Though she referred to the Central sup- port to Mufti Sayeed and the State Government during his 10 months long tenure, she made no mention of an immediate Government formation,’’ they added. At the same time, they point- ed out, the BJP too was not in a hurry and preferred silence (on the Government formation) dur- ing meeting between Gadkari and Mehbooba Mufti. “The new arrangement will take time. Neither PDP nor BJP is in a hurry. Let Mehbooba Mufti settle down first. Moreover, the Governor Rule has been imposed and it can go on for few days,’’ they said. The BJP leaders were, how- ever, confident that there will be a PDP-BJP Government in place and described Congress efforts to “win over’’ Mehbooba Mufti and the PDP as “nothing but frustration’’ after losing power in the State. According to BJP leaders, Mehbooba Mufti said Mufti Sayeed had taken up some very good projects for the State and the Government of India had also helped a lot in implementation of various schemes. She hoped that the Centre would continue to sup- port the State, they added. Before returning to New Delhi, Gadkari told reporters that Mufti had a dream for Jammu and Kashmir, which included tourism, development and building of infrastructure among other things. “We will try to fulfill all the assurances given to Mufti Sayeed on Jammu and Kashmir,’’ he added. “It’s not time to talk politics. I have come here to convey con- dolences to Mehbooba Mufti on behalf of the Central Government,’’ he added. On the other, AICC (I) president Sonia Gandhi also had about 20 minutes meeting with Mehbooba Mufti and Mufti’s other family members including wife and two daugh- ters. Sonia was accompanied by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and other Congress leaders including Ambika Soni, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and PCC (I) chief GA Mir. Govt formation may take some more time Neeraj Rohmetra JAMMU, Jan 10: In an emotional choked meeting where several leaders includ- ing PDP president Mehbooba Mufti herself broke down repeatedly, the PDP senior party leaders including the legislators declared that she was “undisputed and uncontested’’ leader of the party and was authorized to take any decision for next course of action including formation of new Government in the State. Emotional scenes were witnessed as Mehbooba Mufti made her first appearance in the party meeting at her Fair View residence in Srinagar this evening after the death of her father and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, whose ‘congregational fate- ha’ was performed in the afternoon. Not only Mehbooba but several party leaders broke down during the meeting and wept profusely as Ms Mufti, in her address to gathering of senior PDP leaders, personal staff and security officers of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, referred repeatedly to the role of her father in building the party and taking it to heights. She also spoke about vision of Mufti Sayeed for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Party insiders told the Excelsior that all party lead- ers including legislators, though it was not a formal Legislature Party meeting, unanimously declared Mehbooba Mufti as their “undisputed and uncontest- ed’’ leader and authorized her to take future course of action including formation of new Government in the State. “All senior party leaders including legislators declared Mehbooba Mufti, who also hap- pens to be the PDP president, as their new undisputed leader. Though it was not the formal Legislature Party meeting, the decision of PDP leaders was clear indication that she has been unofficially elected as PDP Legislature Party leader and would be next Chief Minister of the State,’’ party leaders said, adding that the Legislature Party meeting can meet anytime depending on the situation to formally elect Mehbooba as new leader of the party to lead next Government in the State. PDP with 27 MLAs is single largest party in the Legislative Assembly. The senior party lead- ers declared that Mehbooba Mufti would lead the party and carry forward the legacy of Mufti Sayeed. “She (Mehbooba Mufti) should lead the party and carry forward legacy of Mufti Sayeed. There is lot of responsibility now on the shoulders of Emotional scenes as several leaders break down PDP declares Mehbooba as undisputed leader, authorizes her to take decisions ‘Rashtra dharma’ above all: PM MUMBAI, Jan 10: Against the backdrop of 'intolerance' debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said "rashtra dharma' is above all religions and that India's contribution to the world is not communalism but spiritualism, regarding which he invoked former President A P J Abdul Kalam. He regretted that the world has failed to understand the people of India properly as he praised the saints and religious leaders for their contribution to the country's legacy. "India is a country, which has not tried to bind the world in a particular sect... We are the people whom the world has probably not understood in the manner in which we should have been A sparrow after early morning wake up. -Excelsior/Rakesh (Contd on page 10 Col 4) Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 10: Thousands of people including political leaders from a cross section of political, social and religious parties, traders and trade union leaders today vis- ited residence of People's Democratic Party (PDP) pres- ident, Mehbooba Mufti at Srinagar and grave of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Bijbehara in district Anantnag to offer special prayers for the departed soul. Amid sobs and tears, Mehbooba along with other family members of Muftis accompanied by thousands of people this morning visited the grave of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Dara Shiko garden in Bijbehara town in Anantnag dis- trict to offer special prayers. While praying for her deceased father at the grave, Mehbooba wept and sobbed. She was very close to her father among all the family members as Mufti was her political men- tor. The PDP president was accompanied by her mother, Gulshan Mufti, her brother Tasaduq Mufti, sister Rubiya Sayeed and other close family members. All the PDP legislators and senior party workers attended the prayer meeting at Mufti's grave. Besides this BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, BJP State president Sat Sharma, Member Parliament Shamsher Singh Manhas for- mer and PHE and Flood Control Minister, Sukhnandhan, were also among the mourners who visit- ed Bijbehara. Later in the after- noon, people in thou- sands, including police officers and bureaucrats visited the Fairview resi- dence of Mufti's at Gupkar and their ancestral home in Bijbehara. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, former Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, BJP State president Sat Sharma, Member Parliament Thousands attend Mufti’s Chahrum in Srinagar, Bijbehara Mohinder Verma JAMMU, Jan 10: Concerned over delay in meet- ing the special developmental needs of the people living near the borders, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has directed the Jammu and Kashmir Government to sub- mit plans under Border Area Development Programme (BADP) scheme for the next financial year by or before March 31, 2016. The strict compliance to the directives would ensure early release of funds and timely execution of works, which till today has remained a dream in almost all the border districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Border Area Development Programme, a 100% Centrally funded pro- gramme, covers all the villages which are located within 0-10 kilometer of the border and funds of this scheme are used for meeting the critical gaps and to meet the immediate needs of the border population. It has been seen that due to delayed formulation and sub- mission of the annual BADP Plans by the concerned authori- ties of the Jammu and Kashmir, the sanctioning of funds by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) gets delayed and same results into delayed start of works and their non-completion during the year for which the plan is approved. This can be gauged from the fact that 70% funds under the BADP Plans for the cur- rent financial year (2015-16) were released in the last week of December 2015 and whether the same would be utilized 100% before the end of current financial year remains a million dollar ques- tion as some mandatory pro- cedure like tendering and allotment works is required to be followed by the concerned authorities before actual start of work on ground, official sources told EXCELSIOR. "In order to ensure that there is no further delay in meeting the special developmental needs of the border people, the Department of Border Management of Ministry of Home Affairs few days back dashed a communication to the Planning and Development Department of Jammu and Kashmir with the direction that all the BADP plans shall be sub- mitted to the Ministry by or before March 31, 2016", sources said. Now, the Planning and Development Department head- ed by Chief Secretary, B R Planning Deptt asks DDCs of border distt s to st art preparation MHA directs J&K to submit BADP plans by March 31 *Step to ensure early release of funds, timely works Nishikant Khajuria JAMMU: Even as rational- ization of resources and initia- tion of other reforms have evoked a ray of hope for better- ment and streamlining of once upon virtually derailed Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir, a lot more is still required to be done for bringing standard of education in Government run schools at par with private institutions and achieving hundred percent liter- acy in the State, the targets set by none but the then Education Minister Naeem Akhtar himself. Though no one doubts inten- tions and initiatives of the then Minister, who had announced a series of measures, a day after the Demands of Grants of the Education Department were passed in the State Assembly without discussion, last year, the ground realities are not very encouraging as of now. A number of proclaimed measures for raising standard of education in Government schools; like revisiting curricu- lum for promoting creativity among students, laptops to Middle School Headmasters for IT awareness among the stu- dents, more academic training programmes for Government teachers and providing basic infrastructure facilities in all the schools, are yet to be realized even after more than nine months since the announce- ments of the same. Further, there has been no progress on the announcement regarding formulation of a charter of duty for avoiding confusion as well as fixing role and responsibility of each officer and GPS moni- toring of School Education offi- cers. Even as the Government has now come out with a Transfer Policy, which was notified last month, violation of own orders and norms in the past has creat- ed doubts about sincerity of the concerned authorities for ensur- ing a transparency in the system. Notwithstanding the cate- gorical announcement of Naeem Akhtar himself that transfers would be affected only in June- July in Jammu Division and in January-February in Kashmir Division, the Department issued several transfer orders on pick and choose basis during the mid-session. Earlier, in the month of July, the then Director School Education Jammu, had even transferred and adjusted several Lecturers against the posts of other subjects, vide order number DSEJ/Gaz/ Lect/ 12831-12886, dated 11-07- 2015. More ironic is the fact that despite much hue and cry over this illogic order, the same was not modified with the result Education Deptt: Despite initiatives, ground realities not very encouraging Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 10: Governor NN Vohra today directed Chief Secretary BR Sharma not to effect any reshuffle in the administration and maintain status quo as he feels that the Governor Rule was an "interim arrange- ment'' and popular Government will be in place once again very shortly. Official sources told the Excelsior that Vohra called the Chief Secretary to the Raj Bhawan this afternoon and passed him certain directions on working of the Government including that the administration should continue to work as it was working before the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and there should be no changes in the administration. Sources said the Governor feels that his Rule was for very "short duration'' and an ``interim arrangement'' to avert the Constitutional crisis as PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wanted to take some time for oath in view of mourning and shock she suffered in the death of her father. While imposing Governor's Rule almost at the same time last year when PDP-BJP took time to form the new Government in the State, the Governor had assumed all functions of the Government of the State (Jammu and Kashmir) and all powers vested in or exercis- able by anybody or authority (other than the powers vested in or exercisable by the High Court) in the State. He had ordered suspension of several provisions of the State Constitution including Sections 35 to 41 (both inclu- sive) and Section 43 that relat- ed to allocation of business among the Ministers. "In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 92 of the State Constitution and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf and with concur- rence of the President of India, I hereby proclaim that I assumed to myself all the functions and all powers vested in or exercis- able by anybody or authority other than the powers vested in or exercisable by the High Court in the State,'' the Governor had said in the proclamation, which was issued after imposition of Governor Rule in the State by the Raj Bhavan last year. However, yesterday while imposing Governor's Rule in the State, the Governor hasn't assumed these powers. He had also appointed his Principal Secretary as Coordinator between Raj Bhawan and Civil Secretariat last time but this time, there has been no such order. During January 2015 Rule, which had lasted till March 1 when Mufti Sayeed had taken oath as the Chief Minister, the Governor had effected major reshuffle in civil and police administration but this time, he has asked the Chief Secretary not to order any transfers and maintain status quo in the administration. Sources said the Governor was reportedly of the view that it would be very short spell of his Rule and popular Government will be formed in the State very soon. Meanwhile, Vohra will be holding high level review of security scenario and other functions of the State Government tomorrow when he would visit the Civil Secretariat for the first time after imposi- tion of the Governor's Rule in the State yesterday. Official sources told the Excelsior that the Governor has called two high level meet- ings at the Civil Secretariat Calls for st atus-quo anticipating ‘brief spell’ Governor directs CS not to effect any changes in admn (Contd on page 10 Col 4) Budget Announcements vs Reality (Contd on page 10 Col 6) Kerry tells Sharif to find out truth WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD, Jan 10: Nudging Pakistan to act against the perpetrators of the Pathankot terror attack, US Secretary of State John Kerry today asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to find out the truth and stressed on the need to stay focused on the pressing challenge of terrorism in the region. “We can confirm Secretary Kerry spoke (over phone) today with Prime Minister Sharif. They discussed a range of bilateral issues of importance to our relationship and the need to stay focused on the pressing challenge of terrorism in the region,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said. He was responding to questions on the telephonic conversation (Contd on page 10 Col 4) Omar mocks at speculations Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 10: Amidst speculations over the back channel moves of People's Democratic Party on formation of a popular Government in Jammu and Kashmir, the former Chief Minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah today mocked at reports and political chatter in this regard. "Anyone who tells me the visuals of Mehbooba at her father's grave today, were of a woman calculating political chess moves is delusional," Omar tweets on social micro blogging site, this evening. "You have a grief stricken daughter who is not ready to take over just yet. All the other stuff is well crafted smoke & mirror, (Contd on page 10 Col 7) Anantnag boy tops 10th exams Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR Jan 10: A boy from Anantnag has topped the Class 10th results in Kashmir valley by scoring 99.6 per cent marks in the annual examination held last year and the results of which were declared this evening. Tabish Manzoor Khan of Radiant Public School, Anantnag, has topped the results by scoring 498 marks out of a total of 500. The second and third positions were held by two girls, Aneesa Haleen of Mallinson Girls School here, and Hiba Intikhab of Shah-e-Hamdan Memorial school of Shopian district. They have secured 491 and 490 marks respective- ly out of the 500. (Contd on page 10 Col 7) Cong supports engagement with Pak NEW DELHI, Jan 10: Congress today said engagement with Pakistan need not be dis- rupted despite the "grave provocation" of the Pathankot attack. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that it is up to the Government to decide what the level, nature and intensi- ty of the engagement should be. "We have said that despite this grave provocation, engagement with Pakistan need not be disrupted," he told reporters here. He said that the Government has not shared any information with the opposition regarding the Pathankot attack, security situa- tion and the talks with Pakistan. "And therefore, we call upon the Government to ensure that on the basis of the very special domain expertise which they alone (Contd on page 10 Col 5) Jawan among 3 hurt in blasts Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Jan 10: Three persons including an Army jawan were injured in mine blasts on Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. As per police sources, a jawan identified as Shiv Ram Lingam of Field Regiment this morning got injured in an accidental mine blast, while on patrolling duty near LoC in Guntrain area of Poonch. The mine exploded, when the jawan inadvertently stepped over it. His right leg got critically injured in the explosion and he was rushed to the hospital. Meanwhile, two civilians, working with Army, were injured (Contd on page 10 Col 1) Temps dip to below zero Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Jan 10: The temperatures across Kashmir plum- meted last night to below freezing bringing chill back to Kashmir after almost a week. For last six consecutive nights the temperatures in Kashmir remained above freezing. The minimum temperature dropped by 5.5 degrees in Srinagar to settle at minus 3.8 degree Celsius. The day temperature, howev- er, settled at 10.0 degree Celsius. The minimum temperature increased by one degree in Gulmarg as it recorded a low of minus 9.2 degrees Celsius against previous night's 10.3 degrees Celsius. The day temperature settled at 7.2 degrees Celsius. (Contd on page 10 Col 4) PDP president Mehbooba Mufti breaks down into tears at the memorial service for her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Bijbehara in Anantnag, on Sunday. Another pic on page 10. -Excelsior/Sajjad Dar (Contd on page 10 Col 1) * Pics on page 10 Gadkari, Sonia call on Mehbooba (Contd on page 10 Col 6) (Contd on page 10 Col 1) (Contd on page 10 Col 6)