Jammu and Kashmir’s Monthly Magazine RNI : JKENG/2007/26070 ISSN 0974-5653

Now
Epilogue
because there is more to know
Telling
The J&K Stories
Jammu, September 1, 2009 / Vol 3 / Issue 9 || Price Rs. 30 || Postal Registration No. JK-350/2009-11 || www.epilogue.in

UNDERSTANDING
J&K ECONOMY
THROUGH

BUDGET
2009-10 INTERVIEW
ABDUL RAHIM RATHER
Finance Minister

Jammu V/s Kashmir

A Year After
AMARNATH LAND ROW
Politics Behind Central University
“Yes, I am in Isolation”
Interview : Leela Karan Sharma
MOHINDER SINGH, CHAIRMAN ANGREZU RAM SHARMA, VICE CHAIRMAN

THE JAMMU CENTRAL COOPERATIVE BANK LTD.

Spreads its wings across the Jammu
ð
province - serves through 66 Branches
and 12 Extensions Counters.
Our Core Value of Cooperation,
ð
Transparency and Dependability
combined with your unflinching Trust,
Support and Confidence has set us on
the glorious path in Cooperative Banking.
Attractive deposit schemes with
ð JAMMU
insurance coverage of upto Rs. 1.00 lakh.
Loans and Advances on competitive rates
ð
and easy terms. CENTRAL CO-OP BANK
Total business exceeding Rs. 1059
ð LTD. OUR MOTTO
crores. SERVICE WITH A SMILE
Convenient Banking hours in the morning
ð
and evening, through select branches.
Nine computerized branches in Jammu
ð
City.

For Further Details,

Please Contact your Nearest Branch or
HEAD OFFICE SEKHARI BHAWAN,
RAIL HEAD COMPLEX, JAMMU
 Other Courses Offered
CAT MAT MCA
Bank Clerical
Bank PO
1000 T.I.M.E. students have gained final
admission into the*Figures
IIMs in CAT’08
as validated by MPMG as on 8th May 2009
BBA BCA
Paper & Pencil Test or On-Line CAT, no other Institute
can match our results that’s a challenge! 8th 9th 10th
FOUNDATION COURSES ETC.
For quality training, minus the hype, trust only T.I.M.E
Jammu Centre : 93B/A, Behind Bansi Mandir

T.I.M.E.
Triumphant Institute of
Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar,
Phone : 0191-2430178
Kathua Centre : Pathania Market,
College Road, Kathua
Phone : 0191-232258
Management Education Pvt. Ltd.
www.time4education.com

SERVO
WORLD CLASS LUBRICANTS
bafM;uvkW;y

IndianOil

SPECIALITY LUBRICANTS

Indian Oil Servo Stockist (Industrial)

INDLUBE AGENCIES
SOLE LUBE DISTRIBUTORS FOR J&K
G-13, Industrial, Estate Digiana, Jammu - 180010
Ph : 0191-2431171, 2453846, Fax : 91-191-2431171
(M) : 9419183846, 9419390134,
B.O. : Opp. IOCL Depot, Sanat Nagar, Srinagar
Ph. : 0194-2441540
Email : info@indlube.net
B R I D G I N G T H E I N F O R M A T I O N D I V I D E

Taking J&K Closer to World

Bringing World Closer to J&K

Epilogue
because there is more to know

F O R
33
T H E
Volume : 3, Number : 9
ISSN : 0974-5653
RNI : JKENG/2007/26070
www.epilogue.in

M O N T H O F S E P T E M B E R 2 0 0 9

For being a zone of conflict, the politics of

Jammu and Kashmir is a well reported subject
but little has been written on the economy.
Taking advantage of the state's annual budget
and economic survey, the present issue
discusses the economic profile of Jammu and
Kashmir. An essential guide for beginners and
experts alike. A recall of J&K's Amarnath land
row agitation of 2008 also makes an
interesting reading

Epilogue Ø
3×
September 2009
 CONNECTING J&K

C onnectivity is a major issue in J&K and people in many areas taunt the
government saying that roads were laid in remote areas only because
they close to borders. Our March issue looked at the connectivity via roads,
rail and air to bring to the fore the missing links.

Mar. 2009
TREADING FAILURE

A s world watches keenly the new unfolding developments in Pakistan, our

Consulting Editor D Suba Chandran travelled to the troubled country to
bring fresh perspectives for our readers in April Issue.

Apr. 2009

J&K MOVING FORWARD

M ay issue was one of the rare collections of ideas where 12 natives from
both sides of Jammu and Kashmir poured their ideas out of the heart on
how boundaries can be blurred and relations can be strengthened.

A limited number of unbound back volumes is available in our stocks.

May 2009
A R E Y O U M I S S I N G O U R PA S T S T O R I E S

LOK SABHA POLLS 2009

W ith Prof Rekha Chowdhary looking into various aspects, the May issue
offered a complete view of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and
Kashmir. An interview with Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather explained
most critical questions on the state's economy

For booking your copies call us at 9797599365

June 2009
THE FUTURE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR

J uly 2009 issue offered a rare insight into the whole gamut of Kashmir
issue. An ACDIS, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign sponsored
study, which was the cover feature, examined Kashmir issue from different
perspectives.

July 2009
UNFOLDING THE LAND OF MOON

A ugust 2009 issue was one of the path-breaking in the life of Epilogue
magazine. The cover story explored many aspects of life in Ladakh and
carried a first hand of research on the state of media in the Himalayan cold
desert.

August 2009
 Epilogue
because there is more to know

www.epilogue.in CONTENTS

Editor In Verbatim 6
Zafar Iqbal Choudhary Prologue 7
Letters 8
Publisher
Yogesh Pandoh
Note Book
Consulting Editor 7 Essential Entries 9
D. Suba Chandran
Jammu V/s Kashmir
Associate Editors Jammu & Kashmir 44
Irm Amin Baig A Year After Amarnath Land Row
Tsewang Rigzin Epilogue Correspondent
Volume 3, Issue 9, September 2009
Recalling ‘Gandhi of Jammu’ 46
General Manager
Kartavya Pandoh Opinion 50
Needed Soul Searching Life
Manager IN FOCUS After Sangarsh 2008
Adarsh Rattan Bali Budget 2009-10 Kapil Sharma
(Marketing & Advertisement) Kashmir’s Democratic Catharsis 51
Riyaz Wani
Art Editor 15 Opinion
Game is lost for now as 55
Keshav Sharma Ensure Taxpayers’ Money Goes to
‘Divided we always fall’
Programme that Work
Bilal Hussain
Zafar Choudhary
Research Officer Opinion 58
Raman Sharma 17 Budget 2009-10
CUAS and the Stillborn Wannables
Phones & email 19 Ten Challenges Anmol Sharma

Office : +91 191 2493136 40 New Taxes

Features
subscriptions : +91 99060 27136
Editorial: +91 94191 80762 42 Interview Changpa Tribe’s Identity, 61
Administration: +91 94191 82518 ‘There are no quick fixes; we are Way of Live Under Threat
editor@epilogue.in working on a workable Tashi Morup
subscription@epilogue.in employment policy’ The Fur Traders and 63
Abdul Rahim Rather
The Lost Avenues
Printed and Published by Binish Gulzar & Syed Rakshanda Suman
Yogesh Pandoh for Epilogue
NewsCraft from Ibadat House, Column
Madrasa Lane, Near Graveyard, Kashmir Ki Kali... 65
Bathindi Top, Jammu, J&K - 180012 bruished and shattered
and Printed at : DEE DEE Manisha Sobhrajani
Reprographix, 3 Aikta Ashram, New History of Forts in Jammu Hills 67
Rehari Jammu (J&K) Prof. Jigar Mohammad

Disputes, if any, subject to jurisdiction

of courts and competitive tribunals in
Jammu only.

RNI : JKENJ/2007/26070
ISN : 00974-5653
Price : Rs 30
Epilogue Ø
5×
September 2009
 H E A R & H E A R
Who Said What

“Where is the angry young man…he has not been seen in the
House (Legislative Assembly) for last 12 days”
Panthers Party leader Harsh Dev asks Speaker about prolonged
absence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from the assembly
which was session across August

“You can check the past records also…Chief Ministers don't sit
in the Assembly for whole day…I have to attend other
important government business outside Assembly”
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responding to opposition
criticism on his prolonged absence from Assembly as he returns
to House after 14 days

“She is continuously indulging in contempt of the House. She

thinks that assembly is a room of her home and she can dictate
any terms”
Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone on
opposition PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti

“There have two elections in Jammu and Kashmir since I

addressed you on last Independence Day. The first one was for
state Legislative Assembly and second for Lok Sabha. Peoples of
all areas of state have participated vigorously in these elections.
This is a proof that there is no space for separatist thought in
Jammu and Kashmir”
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his Independence Day address
to the nation from ramparts of Red Fort in New Delhi on Aug 15

“Whom was (Justice) Muzaffar Jan (the Commissioner of Inquiry

who probed Shopian rape and murder case) seeking to please and
whose purpose did he try to serve? Never in the annals of
commissions of inquiry such irrelevant and disgraceful remarks
been made. Even a magistrate knows that rape is rape even if the
victims be of mad moral”
Constitutional expert and celebrated columnist AG Noorani in his
column in Frontline Magazine

Epilogue Ø
6×
September 2009

Invest some vision
Zafar Choudhary
A
state like Jammu and
Kashmir with vast
farmland, rich biodiversity,
mineral reserves and water
resources should ideally be
the exporter of food grains, vegetables,
mutton, poultry and milk products,
minerals and electricity. The scenario,
however, is contradictory. Take small
examples: A state like Jammu and
Kashmir with no sound industrial base
or corporate sector is expected to be a
major producer of agriculture,
horticulture and animal husbandry
products owing to agrarian character
of its economy. Official statistics
reveal that annual mutton import bill
alone stand around Rs 1300 Crores. In
case of food grains the gap between
demand and supply is nearly of the
order of 40 per cent. While there is a
huge cry across the state for
phenomenal shortage of milk and its
products, state has to import nearly
one crore eggs to meet its annual
demand of three crores. There is self
sufficiency in none. J&K is producer of
good quality of fresh fruits, mainly
apple, pear and apricot but domestic
demand is met only after importing
fruits around four times higher in
quantity than the local produce.
Another sector which should have
made Jammu and Kashmir rich enough
to take care of weak areas is a
perpetual sad story. No honest efforts
P R O L O G U E
From the Editor
were ever made to harness the hydro-
electric potential. Only less than 10%
of the total potential has so far been
exploited allowing the electricity
import bill to become biggest culprit
of state's financial disorder. Between
2006 and 2008, the Finance Ministers
conceived an innovative way of
separating the power budget from
state's general annual budget in a bid
to paint rosy picture of finances. The
annual budget for the year 2009-10
presented by the Finance Minister
Abdul Rahim Rather in Legislative
Assembly on August 10 has,
incidentally, done some justice to the
people of Jammu and Kashmir by
FEBRUARY 2008
putting things across as they exist. The
government needs to take some big
Finance Minister, in his budget speech,
leaps by going full throttle in
clearly reflected the loopholes in
harnessing the hydro-electric
management of our economy and
potential and making state self
talked freely about the weaknesses
sufficient on food grain production.
which he proposed to plug in. after
Far more than the monetary
explaining the spending proposals,
investment both these sectors need an
when the Finance Minister came to
investment of vision and long term
some revenue mobilization areas, the
policy. We have long been arguing in
measures were again ad hoc and
these columns that economic
temporary to have some order of
empowerment of Jammu and Kashmir
semblance for the time being. Some
can be a viable solution to many
fresh taxes were imposed on daily use
conflicts, if not all. Therefore, along
products like petrol, diesel, liquor,
with political measures the
mutton and poultry etc to mobilize
government must think pure business as
some additional revenue of some 69
well.
crores. These small step measures are
not going to bring any turnaround in Feedback :
state's economic outlook. The zafarchoudhary@epilogue.in
Epilogue Ø
7×
September 2009
 L E T T E R S
Readers Write

Life Without Media, Unimaginable Move beyond

Dear Editor the few places in the world being Kashmir,
No words can be too high to appreciate completely blacked out by the media is
the Rinchen Domla's work (Epilogue, also not out of place. In India, the
Ladakh also
August 2009) on state of print media in television channels and newspapers Dear Editor
Ladakh. The argument made in the have become an essential part of the We have been hearing and reading
editorial that Ladakh is perhaps one of daily life of an ordinary Indian. Given about Charkha Development and
the present media scenario in country, Communication Network's work in
it is really difficult to imagine life in Kashmir and Ladakh. While greeting
place like Ladakh, which your editorial Epilogue and Charkha for the marvelous
has described in many ways. In your work (Epilogue, August 2009) on
prologue, we see a commitment of Ladakh, I take this opportunity to make
serving the people of Ladakh through a humble complaint to the both. Why
Epilogue and I am sure you live by most of the media activities and
commitment even in the face of research works are confined in
adverse circumstances. Keep it up! Kashmir Valley and Ladakh alone.
Does anyone know why Rajouri
MANOJ KHATTAR
district has lowest literacy rate in
Department of Civics
Bombay University, Mumbai Jammu and Kashmir, why banks don't
offer loan to the
local entrepreneurs,
Leh Town is not Ladakh why local traditional
Dear Editor, forms of art and craft
After reading the August issue with keen interest, I must are being completely
tell you that your title (Unfolding the Land of Moon) was shunned by the
quite misrepresentative is not fully misleading. The focus artisans, why tribal
(Ladakh asks) too was out of place. The point here I want population has been
to make is that media has a wrong notion of understanding Ladakh with Leh district headquarters. This forced to abandon its
is completely wrong and often appears hurting to many in Kargil. Ladakh comprises of two districts of culture, why tourists
Leh and Kargil. Go the place like Nubra (in Leh) and Zanskar (in Kargil) to explore real Ladakh and don't come to this
understand hardships people face there. I would again say that your work on the state of media area? There are many
(Epilogue, August 2009) is also completely restricted to Leh district headquarters which is well questions like these
connected by air with Srinagar, Jammu, Chandigarh and Delhi. There is no question of doubting your and many hopes that
intentions but what I mean to suggest you is that there is a need to think beyond Leh township while NGOs and media will
talking about Ladakh. someday offer some
GHULAM ALI answers as we have
Kargil failed to get answers
from the government
EDITOR REPLIES:
We deeply appreciate the point raised by you and are well aware of the various contours of SHAHZAD KHAN
geographical, political and ethnic identities of Ladakh. As your read our introduction of August Rajouri
issue, we have clearly said that this is a small beginning and in the coming months we intend to do
more work in Ladakh. Since Epilogue is not a large organization to move or have stationed its
editorial staff in a place like Kargil, our coverage of ground realities in remote areas like yours
mainly depends on the local input and quality of research work. While thanking you for your
feedback, we invite you to contribute your efforts in telling the untold stories of the 'real Ladakh'
as you put.

Epilogue Ø
8×
September 2009

DIPLOMACY
Not negotiating Kashmir: Holbrooke
U nited States Special Envoy for Pakistan and
Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, who was on a
visit to Pakistan, said on August 20 that his visit has
nothing to do with the Indo-Pak problem, and that
he is not in Pakistan to negotiate on the Kashmir
issue. In an interview to a private
television channel, Holbrooke said it
was upto India and Pakistan to
resolve the issue bilaterally. “Any
improvement in Pak-India relations
is also good for the world,”
Holbrooke said.
In response to a question, Holbrooke
said he had never blamed the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)
for helping the Taliban. When enquired about US assistance to
SEPARATIST LEADER'S INCARCERATION
Apex Court asks J&K Govt:
Are you scared of a woman?
A fter twice being directed by the State High Court to
shift a woman separatist leader from a Jammu jail to
Srinagar, the state government got a reprimand from the
Apex court of the country: “Is the state government scared
of a woman” the Judges of Supreme Court asked while
Epilogue Ø
9×
September 2009
NO T E BOOK
7 Essential Stories
Pakistan, Holbrooke said Islamabad needed more
help to overcome its problems, but highlighted that
such decisions cannot be taken independently by
the US president.
“Pakistan should remember one thing that the
President of the United States cannot take
decisions himself, but we can make the request to
the Congress,” the Online news network quoted
Holbrooke, as saying. Terming the energy crisis in
Pakistan as that country's biggest problem,
Holbrooke said America is ready to in this regard,
but Islamabad should try to fix the 'tremendous
amount of leakage' that exists in the whole
system. “US would help in this regard but the government and
people of Pakistan have to take lead,” he said.
referring to a plea for shifting Dukhtran-e-Millat chief Syeda
Asia Andrabi from Jammu to Srinagar jail. The Supreme
Court refused to entertain the petition filed by Jammu and
Kashmir government regarding the shifting of Andrabi.
The state government had come in appeal against the state
High Court order quashing its decision not to shift the
founder chairperson of separatist organisation Dukhtaran-e-
Milat (daughters of faith) from Jammu to Srinagar jail.
Andrabi has been pressing for her shifting from Jammu to
Srinagar jail so that she can meet her children. Her husband
is already in jail in a murder case.
A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and
Justice P Sathasivam yesterday dismissed the appeal of the
state government and rejected the contention of senior
counsel Amrindar Saran that a large number of militants are
lodged in Srinagar jail and if she has been shifted to
Srinagar jail she may have access to the jailed militants and
may resume her anti-national activities.
The judges asked the counsel, ''Is the state government
scared of a woman?'' The state government has also failed to
provide data regarding the number of woman prisoners
presently lodged in Srinagar jail and also regarding the
capacity of Srinagar jail for woman prisoners, the court
observed.
 NO T E BOOK
7 Essential Stories

LOST IN TURMOIL
Govt says only 3400 persons missing, rights
groups put figures twice that
E ven though the rights groups have sharply
disputed the figures but the J&K government
has told State Legislative Assembly that an
estimated 3400 persons have been missing in
custody or otherwise since the outbreak of
armed insurgency in 1989. The human
rights groups working in Kashmir,
particularly the Association of the
Parents of Disappeared Persons, have
disputed government's figures and said
that not less than 8000 persons were
missing.
Official figures released in the
State Assembly said 3,429 persons
had disappeared between 1990 and
July 2009, with only 110 persons
missing after arrest by the security
forces. Leading local and international
rights groups have suggested over 8,000
people have disappeared in the region,
with the majority having been arrested by
Indian security forces.
The government, which gave no
further detail about the missing people,
also ruled-out forming a commission of
inquiry to probe all the cases of
disappearances, a statement released
in the assembly said.
In 2007, a local group, the
Association of Parents of Disappeared
People, said it had found 940 "nameless
graves" in 18 villages in Uri district, which
neighbours the Pakistan-administered zone
of Kashmir. Amnesty International has
urged the government to determine if any
of the graves contain the bodies of those
listed as missing by local
rights groups. Indian security
officials contend many of the
missing had crossed over to
Pakistan to join the insurgents
and say the graves are those
of "unidentified" rebels killed
in action.

Epilogue Ø
10 ×
September 2009

SEPARATIST SPACE
PM's I-Day speech trigger debate in Kashmir
P atron of the mainstream Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, as also most of the Valley's
separatist political parties---including both factions of the
Hurriyat Conference, JLKF and Jamaat-e-Islami---have
strongly disputed Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's latest
interpretation of the massive participation of the Kashmiris in
recently held Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and claimed
that the democratic process had not marginalized the
separatist politics.
In sharp contrast to the tone and tenure of Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah's Independence Day speech, Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh had asserted in his ceremonial address at Red
Fort in New Delhi yesterday that the reality of massive
participation of the Kashmiris in Assembly as well as
Parliamentary elections in recent past had left “no space for
the separatist politics in Jammu & Kashmir”. Contrary to a
many speculations---including the one of an offer of ceasefire
with the militants in the holy month of Ramzan---head of the
Congress-led UPA Government did not only ignore the Kashmiri
separatists but also gave them an unprecedented affront.
Making a mockery of the J&K Chief Minister's olive branch
to the separatists, Prime Minister said in rather an Advanian
style that participation of large number of Kashmiris in the
Assembly and Lok Sabha elections had left no room for the
separatist politics in the state. It was significantly different
from Dr Singh's speeches in the last over five years as he had
repeatedly stated that his UPA Government believed in talking
to all sections of opinion, including the separatists. He had
invariably suggested the Kashmiri separatists would be taken
Epilogue Ø
11 ×
September 2009
NO T E BOOK
7 Essential Stories
There have been two elections in Jammu
& Kashmir since I addressed you on the
last Independence Day. The first one was
for the State Legislative Assembly and
the second for the Lok Sabha. People of
all areas of the State have participated
vigorously in both the elections. This is a
proof that there is no place for separatist
thought in Jammu & Kashmir.
on board in the process of finding a solution to the
Kashmiri problem. Mufti disputed Prime Minister's
interpretation of the massive participation of the
Kashmiris in the lately held elections and claimed that a
durable and lasting solution to the Kashmir problem
could be found by involving the alienated sections into a
dialogue process and strengthening their belief in the
country's democratic processes and institutions. He asserted
that the separatist leaders had an important role to play.
Mufti emphasized on demilitarization and withdrawal of
J&K Armed Forces Special Powers as also PDP's exclusive
concept of constituting a “Joint Council” of the Legislatures of
Indian-controlled Jammu & Kashmir and the Pakistani-
controlled Jammu & Kashmir.Officiating Chairman of Hurriyat
Conference (Mirwaiz), Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, found it
surprising that such a statement had been made by Dr
Manmohan Singh who had repeatedly asserted in the
Parliament that the solution to the Kashmir problem lay in a
dialogue process with an all-inclusive involvement and
participation. “We are the masters of the state and we alone
will determine its fate”, Prof Gani said in a statement.
Spokesman of Syed Ali Shah Geelani's faction of the
Hurriyat, Ayaz Akbar, said that Manmohan Singh had only
destroyed his own image of a mature and responsible political
leader by making a bellicose assertion and wrong
interpretation of the elections. He said that Prime Minister of
India had “like his predecessors” spoken the “language of
power” and thus harmed India's image in the world of
diplomacy and statesmanship. According to him, Dr Singh had
“abused the Kashmiris” by taunting them as being
“separatists”.
Identical statements of resistance poured in from Jammu
& Kashmir Liberation Front, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat-e-Ahli
Hadith and Democratic Freedom Party.
 NO T E BOOK
7 Essential Stories

REPEALING AFSPA Militancy /

Merely a battle between NC, PDP Disturbing
I n recent months the demand of repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act has seen a complete
decentralization –traveling from political headquarters. However, the political leadership is still O wing to a slow
peace process
and a variety of
locked in a quagmire and they are making the issue more of a battle of one-upmanship between ruling
National Conference and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party. other reasons
Witnessing the discussion over the issue in Legislative Assembly recently, it clearly looked like a battle militancy in
for political survival between the two key players in Kashmir. Jammu and
Kashmir has been
Concluding his exhaustive reply to the discussion on the grants sought for his departments, Law
on constant
Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar dismissed PDP's campaign for withdrawal of AFSPA as “deceitful politics”
decline over the
and claimed that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's party had never taken an initiative during six-year-long
years but the
PDP-Congress coalition regime in 2002-08 for revoking the special powers granted to security forces in
trends are now
1990. Even as Mehbooba Mufti confronted Sagar and blamed the NC Government for pioneering the
fast changing. In
imposition of Public Safety Act (PSA), Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA),
Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) as well as AFSPA in J&K, Sagar asserted that “misleading the recent past
the people and Assembly with lies” was characteristic of the PDP. there have been
numerous
Sagar fiercely retaliated to Ms Mufti's charge that Omar Abdullah-led coalition government had
incidents of
slapped the PSA on many people from a 14-year-old boy to 80-year-old separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah
infiltration of
Geelani, and claimed that his government had used minimum possible force to restore peace in
militants through
Kashmir valley in the last eight months. “You will have to accept Mehboobaji that it was none other
Line of Control
than your father who got Jagmohan as Governor in 1990 and imposed AFSPA on Jammu & Kashmir”,
and International
Sagar shouted on the PDP chief. “When your father was Home Minister of India, he made it a point of
Border and a
his ego to bring Jagmohan as Governor, issued an Ordinance and got the legislation done in Parliament
marked step up in
within six months”, Sagar referred to the embryonic days of Kashmir insurgency in 1990.
violence in the
“Total number of militants in 1989 was just 72. Dr (Farooq Abdullah) Sahab got them all arrested and
interiors. Top
later set them free for rehabilitation. Today, most of the leaders in this country are referring to
intelligence
militants as our children. On using the same phrase, a country-wide campaign of hatred was triggered
officials in Jammu
off against Dr Sahab. He refused to yield on Jagmohan's appointment and resigned in protest
and Kashmir feel
alongwith 29 Ministers and MLAs. We sacrificed our Government for the people of this state. Even an
that a large
orderly remains stuck to his chair”, Sagar grumbled on Ms Mufti and reminded her that it was her
number of
father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and his protégé, Jagmohan, who had given special powers to armed
militants were
forces in J&K in 1990.
waiting to sneak in
“Did you take a single initiative for withdrawing AFSPA during the six years of your Government? across the border
Listen, Ms Mufti. I have checked all records and found that you people have never submitted a even as warnings
suggestion of revoking Armed Forces Special Powers Act to the Centre in the last six years of your of a “disturbing”
Government. There has been not a single meeting on this subject for six years”, Sagar shouted on
surge echoed far
Mehbooba and her colleagues on the Opposition benches and claimed that Chief Minister Omar
away from the
Abdullah had made sincere efforts from day one of his government for withdrawing the special powers
troubled Valley. At
enjoyed by the armed forces in the state notified as “disturbed area” nearly 19 years back.
a Conference of
“We don't believe in politics of deceit and double standards”, he said and claimed that even the Indus
Water Treaty of 1960 had been signed with Pakistan when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was a leader in
Congress party and the NC founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, was in jail. He said he was indebted DEPLETING
to Mufti Sayeed who had publicly confirmed this reality and asked Ms Mufti to be correct on the facts.
As leader of the 21 MLA-strong PDP, Ms Mufti, kept on her protestation and Speaker continued asking Forests
her not to disrupt the Minister's reply, she led a walk-out of nearly a dozen of her MLAs while casting
the aspersion of being prejudiced and partisan against Mr Lone. It enraged the Speaker who warned
her against her assertions and contended that it was a “contempt to the House”. He directed
O ut of total
20,230 sq km
of forest in Jammu
Secretary Assembly, Mohammad Ramzan, to issue a notice of “contempt to the House” against Ms and Kashmir, about
Mufti. 144 sq km is

Epilogue Ø
12 ×
September 2009
 NO T E BOOK
7 Essential Stories

infiltration
Trends: 194 crossed over in 4 months
Chief Ministers on Internal Security in New Delhi on August 17, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh remarked: “the levels
of infiltration that had come down very substantially had seen a surge this year”. “The infiltrators are more battle-
hardened, better equipped and in possession of sophisticated” communication systems, he said at the conference.
In Kashmir, top intelligence sources said hundreds of militants had gathered at 42 training camps across the Line of
Control and were waiting to cross over. “We fear escalation of
violence during Ramazan, which is just days away,” said an official.
The United Jihad Council (UJC), an umbrella body of 13 militant
outfits based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has already ruled out a
unilateral cease-fire in Jammu and Kashmir during the Muslim holy
month. “If the Government of India takes a positive step in this
direction, the UJC will sit and think over it,” UJC chairman and Hizb-
ul Mujahideen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin told a local
news agency on Saturday.
The infiltration alerts, from Delhi and Kashmir, have come at a time
the LoC has seen a spurt in militant activity. Sources said there had
been at least 13 infiltration bids in the Kashmir valley alone that left
dozens of militants and several jawans dead. The Border Security
Force on August 16 foiled a major attempt when a group of militants
tried to cross a river flowing close to the international border in
Jammu's Samba sector.
Defence spokesman Lt Colonel J.S. Brar said the security forces had
strengthened the counter-infiltration mechanism on the LoC that had
suffered damage during the winter because of snowfall. “That is
why most of the militants are being gunned down near the LoC and
they do not succeed in crossing into the hinterland,” he said.
But it is learnt from sources that many militants had already entered
the Valley. “Around 195 militants have managed to infiltrate into
the Valley in the past seven months against the 84 in the
corresponding period last year. Some of them have been killed or
arrested but most are active,” an official said. He said 370 militants
were active in Kashmir and that more than 40 per cent of them were
foreigners. “This is in addition to 70 unlisted militants (unidentified
but accounted for),” he added.
Although militant violence has come down substantially over the
years, officials said a year of unrest that began with the Amarnath land row had helped the rebels, who were now back in
a position to carry out attacks with ease. “Our counter-insurgency grid has been disturbed as our focus has been to quell
street protests. In the process, the militants have regrouped and consolidated their position,” an official said.

GREEN COVER
substantially under occupation
reported to be under illegal occupation. Officials said the 12,066 sq km of forest was in Jammu region while in Kashmir it was
8,128 sq kms. Ladakh region has just 36 sq km of forest.
In Jammu, about 95 sq km of forests are under encroachment, while in the Kashmir valley, it is about 49 sq km. It said
encroachment on over 0.54 sq km has been removed in Jammu, while 18.65 sq km forest has been restored to department
after evicting illegal occupations.

Epilogue Ø
13 ×
September 2009
DIP/J-2881
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

OPINION
Ensure Taxpayers' Money Goes
to Programmes that Work
BILAL HUSSAIN

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is mired in fiscal problems that cannot be covered up with the usual
state budget fixes. The state has entered an unprecedented epoch of permanent fiscal crisis that
demands real leadership and decisive action, which unfortunately current budget to larger extent is
not endowed with. Nothing less than the solvency of the state is at stake.

T he budget 2009-10 estimates the
fiscal deficit for the current year
at Rs 2081 crore. Looking back
past year figures provide a grim picture
for the state's fiscal position. The fiscal
deficit for the year 2006-07 (Pre-actual)
[RE] was Rs 1509 crores, the same figure
for 2007-08 was Rs 2666 crore and for
the year 2008-09 (BE) it stood at Rs 2330
crore.
To further worsen the state's fiscal
position this year the government has
already reached an agreement with the
employee representatives for the
implementation of 6th Pay Commission.
The move is expected to put further
strain on the already scares resources of
state exchequer which would require Rs
4200 crore for meeting the expenses of
the pay commission. Finance Minister
(FM), Abdul Rahim Rather, too ascer-
tains this by saying, “The state has
fewer resources available at present
and the financial position of the state
has been meticulously presented before
the 13th Finance Commission. We are
hopeful that very soon the state would
be given adequate funds so that other
demands of the employees could be ful-
filled.”
To mention for the fiscal 2008-09
the state spends about 60 per cent of
the budget in paying salary-bill of the
state. At present the state has over 3.32
lakh employees on its rolls. On the main
items of expenditure, the current year's
non-plan salary provision is Rs 6,594
crore in comparison to Rs 4,973 crore of
past year. Additional provision of Rs 121
crore has been kept for salaries of
migrant employees.
Power sector is another major con-
cern for J&K, wherein the state has
failed miserably in bringing deficit due
to it down. Previous government man-
aged a zero deficit budget by taking out
power bill and put it separately as
'power budget', which hardly helped the
state to bring down its electrical energy
bill but could be termed as 'good win-
dow dressing'. The state has already the
gap between expenditure incurred on
purchase of electrical energy and reve-
nue collected has nearly doubled from
Rs 767 crore during the year 2003-04 to
Rs 1,406 crore during last year.
The interest payments and servic-
ing of debt figures of J&K has gone up by
an alarming amount in the fiscal 2008-
09. Rising interest costs and debt have
cast a shadow on the financial health of
the state. According to a report by the
Reserve Bank of India for the fiscal
2008-09 J&K figures show an increase on
interest payments and servicing of debt
(budget estimate) compared to 2007-
08. For the fiscal 2008-09 J&K was
expected to spend a sum of Rs 160,055
lakh (budgeted estimates) on interest
payments and servicing of debt, while
as in 2007-08 the state had actually
spent a huge amount of Rs 203,236 lakh
(revised estimates) for the same. While
this year the present coalition govern-
ment has kept the provision for pay-
ment of interest at Rs 1,729 crore in
comparison to last year's figure of Rs
1,602 crore. There was an immediate
need to restructure the debt of the
state as it adversely affects the state
expenditure, and the current budget in
this regard has not done much.
Every day the state spends crores
of rupees more than it receives in reve-
nue. Red ink is projected at Rs 1,729
crore for this year alone. Not only for
the current budget cycle but for years
to come, J&K must come to grips with
budget gaps and bring the present debt
level to a sustainable level to expect
least.
Present government has put some
Additional Resources Mobilization
(ARM) in form of increasing taxes in cer-
tain sectors while leaving others. The
current level of consumption of petrol

Epilogue Ø
15 ×
September 2009

in J&K is over 14 crore litres. The
increase of cess to Rs 3 per litre is
likely to yield additional revenue of
Rs 28 crore per annum and about Rs
18 crore in the current financial year.
FM proposed an employment
cess of Rs 1 per litre on diesel. The
current level of consumption of this
commodity is about 46 crore litres
per annum. Therefore, the proposed
measure is likely to yield annual reve-
nue of Rs 46 crore per annum and
additional revenue of Rs 30 crore in
the current financial year.
In case of liquor the rate of GST
on liquor is currently 20%. FM pro-
posed to increase the same to 25%.
As such, estimates of expected addi-
tional revenue on this account are
placed at Rs 21.50 crore per annum
and Rs.15 crore in the current finan-
cial years.
Nearly 1.32 crore poultry table
birds are being brought from outside
the state annually. As adequate num-
bers of day old chicks are not avail-
able within the state, the poultry
rearing units are also importing
around 2.38 crore day old chicks
which are subjected to toll tax at Rs
1 per chick. FM proposed to exempt
import of day old chicks from pay-
ment of toll tax and increase the
rate of toll tax on poultry birds from
existing Rs 2 per bird to Rs 5 per kg.
The net additional revenue on this
account is expected to be around Rs
4 crore per annum which will be uti-
lized for development of poultry sec-
tor within the state.
Nearly 16 lakh sheep & goats
are being imported from outside the
state annually to meet the local mut-
ton requirement. FM proposed
enhancement of toll tax on sheep
and goats from the existing rate of
Rs 25 per head to Rs 35 per head.
This may yield additional revenue of
Every day the state spends crores
of rupees more than it receives in
revenue. Red ink is projected at
Rs 1,729 crore for this year
alone. Not only for the current
budget cycle but for years to
come, J&K must come to grips
with budget gaps and bring the
present debt level to a sustainable
level to expect least.
***********
J&K spends about 60 per cent of
the budget in paying salary-bill
of the state. At present the state
has over 3.32 lakh employees on
its rolls. On the main items of
expenditure, the current year's
non-plan salary provision is Rs
6,594 crore in comparison to Rs
4,973 crore of past year.
Additional provision of Rs 121
crore has been kept for salaries of
migrant employees
*********
The current level of consumption
of petrol in J&K is over 14 crore
litres. The increase of cess to Rs 3
per litre is likely to yield
additional revenue of Rs 28 crore
per annum and about Rs 18
crore in the current financial year
Epilogue Ø
16 ×
September 2009
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
Rs 1.60 crore annually.
From all the above raise of
taxes none of the sector yields more
than Rs 50 crore. But the sectors left
out by the state government that
takes away huge capital from the
state are exempted, what for? All
these tax raises has ultimately to
come from poor denizens of the
state.
Why are sectors that make huge
profits from the state are left out
like telecom sector (mobile
companies), which at current takes
away huge sum of Rs 1000 crore
annually from the state, a tax rate of
10% would earn Rs 100 crore for
state. This sector hardly makes a
mention in the current budget.
Outside private banks that
hardly manage the required credit
deposit ratio in the state, scarcely
lend to priority sector, and even they
shy away in lending to productive
purposes (Business lending). Why
can't state think of putting penalties
in form huge sums, which again
could provide the state huge sums?
What about the insurance sec-
tor operational here why can state
put some tax on them too who have a
market base of over Rs 1500 crore in
the state.
Why left the automobile sector,
put heavy import duty on them too
this also could prove a good annual
resource for state. And many other
sectors wherein the state gets lesser
benefits compared to outside states.
As of now, I think it is time to
reform government at all levels and
make it more accountable. What we
need is different approach to bud-
geting, turning from what we cut to
what we keep. In short, making sure
taxpayers' money goes to programs
that work, that taxpayers can afford
and people need.
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

BUDGET 2009-10

B
reaking a six-year
long precedence,
the Finance
Minister Abdul
Rahim Rather
reflected in his budget
proposals for 2009-10 the
way things existed. His two
predecessors between
2002 and 2008 –Muzaffar
Hussain Baig and Tariq
Hameed Qarra –brought in
a unique concept of Zero
Deficit Budget which would
always come for severe
criticism from Rather as
leader of Opposition. As he
returns to present ninth
Budget of his career,
Rather has clearly shown
the deficit which, of
course, is on declining
trend. A vast majority
across Jammu and Kashmir
has largely given their
word for Rather's budget
but there are some
exceptions also,
particularly coming from
industry and trade sector
and also from millions of
employment seekers. A
reading into Rather's
budget speech in the
Legislative Assembly on
August 10 gives a
reflection of ideas that
remained at the back of his
mind since January 2009
when he took over as the
Finance Minister and
sought more time (state
Budget is normally
presented in the month of
March) to touch upon the
ground realities. Excerpts
from the speech make it
simple for everyone to
understand as how rupee is
coming and where is it
going:

Epilogue Ø
17 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

suneerbhat@gmail.com

Fully Funded Plan

T
th
he state needed a liberal annual outlay to make up the erosions in At the beginning of 11 Five
resource base. To the advantage of state, the Planning Commission have
Year Plan, the growth rate for
formulated a massive plan of action which may enable J&K to access
development expenditure upto Rs.10,000 crore under various programmes. the current financial year 2009-
The State Plan outlay has been fixed at Rs.5500 crore in comparison to Rs.4500 10 for the state was targeted at
crore of last year indicating a 22.22% jump in money terms. In real terms, the
increase is much more if the transfers made from plan to non-plan are taken 8%. However, the growth rate
into account. The State plan outlay has been topped by a provision of Rs.1200 achieved during the first two
crore under PMRP. For the first time, the government have proposed the th
highest ever allocation of Rs.643 crore to meet 100% requirements of the State
financial years of 11 FYP
share for various centrally sponsored schemes which will enable the state to indicates that the stiff target of
access about Rs.1800 to 1900 crore of the central share. A sum of Rs.220 crore 8% for 2009-10 appears
provided under PMRP as counter part state share will enable us to raise
matching World Bank loans under Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA). The difficult to be achieved. It is
flow of funds under various Central mega flagship schemes like JNNURM, expected that the state economy
NRHM, NREGA, SSY, RGVY etc shall be over and above the figures mentioned
will clock growth around 7% in
above. “What is more important”, says the Finance Minister “is the fact that
the resources for funding the state plan outlay, Centrally Sponsored Schemes 2009-10.
and other programmes have been fully tied up and thus the current year's plan
is fully funded”.

Growth Rate of GSDP at current prices was higher at 16.28% in 1996-97 as compared to 10.89% from 2002 onwards
Growth rate of GSDP at constant prices was 20.93% in 1996-97 as compared to 5.64% from 2002 onwards
Year GSDP at current price GSDP at constant price
2001-02 Rs. 18039.35 crore Rs. 16530.81 crore
2007-08 Rs. 31793.04 crore Rs. 23060.48 crore
Annual Growth Rate 10.89% p.a 5.64% p.a.
1996-97 Rs. 9124.34 crore Rs. 7327.40 crore
2001-02 Rs. 18039.35 crore Rs. 16530.81 crore
Annual Growth Rate 16.28% p.a 20.93% p.a

Epilogue Ø
18 ×
September 2009

TEN CHALLENGES
As seen by Finance Minister
The rate of growth of
1
CHALLENGE
our GSDP and our per
capita income which
used to be ahead of all
India average, six to
eight years ago, have
fallen behind and consistently
remained below the national
average afterwards.
2
The gap between
expenditure incurred on
purchase of electrical
energy and revenue
C H A L L E N G E collected has nearly
doubled from Rs.767
crore during the year 2003-04 to
Rs.1,406 crore during last year.
3
The fiscal deficit
touched a high of Rs.
2,666 crore, during the
year 2007-08.
CHALLENGE
4
In a normal situation we
should have received
Rs.200 to Rs.250 crore
more in the current
C H A L L E N G E year on account of our
share in the central
taxes. It has been, instead reduced
by about Rs.105 crore in the current
year due to economic slow down.
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
During the 4-year
5
CHALLENGE
period given by the
Twelfth Finance
Commission, the
government did not
meet the FRBM targets
by the prescribed dead line,
The target growth rates set
Ä
for the state's economy at the
th
beginning of the 11 FYP
were 7% for 2007-08 and
7.5% for the year 2008-09.
which was 31 March 2009.
The growth rate for the state
Therefore, we have been denied
debt relief estimated at Rs.473 is increasing surely but
crore recommended under the slowly over the years and
Twelfth Finance Commission still lags behind the national
Award. We also lost an amount of
level growth rate.
Rs.229 crore as the government
did not hold Panchayat elections.
Further, the revenue gap grants
The Gross State Domestic
Ä
for the current financial year Product (GSDP) at factor
available under the Award are cost works out for J&K to be
about Rs.100 crore lower than the Rs 24471.31 crores,
revenue gap grant received last
year.
indicative of a growth of
6.12% in 2008-09 as
compared to the growth of
6
Plan revenue 6.28% in 2007-08
expenditure of nearly
(Advance estimates).
Rs.1200 crore was
shifted to non-plan
during a three-year
The Per Capita Income for
Ä
CHALLENGE
the state during 2007-08 at
period commencing
with 2006-07. For this purpose plan constant (1999-00) prices
resources were also transferred to works out to be Rs. 20604/-
non-plan. These transfers now
only as against the Per
form part of the non-plan gap as
no additional resources were Capita Income of Rs
mobilized during these years 27442/- at all India level
specifically to take care of this for the same period.
additional burden.
Epilogue Ø
19 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

7
A huge amount of Rs.917 crore due for payment to National
Small Savings Fund (NSSF) on account of loans taken by the State District Srinagar, Jammu
Ä
Government was not provided for in the relevant financial years. and Kathua are among the
The Government then borrowed from the market to clear the
top three ranked districts in
CHALLENGE liability. The burden of this additional borrowing has fallen on
the subsequent years including the current one. terms of Gross Per Capita
Income of Rs. 30052/-, Rs.
28712/- and Rs. 27696/-
respectively whileas Kargil is

8 9
Sixth
Central Pay
Commission
report has
C H A L L E N G E also fallen
in our way
in the current financial
year. The Government
has to bear an additional
burden of Rs.1067 crore
for the 8 months of the
current financial year on
account of increased
salaries and pension.
Funds received from various
Ministries in Government of the lowest ranked district
India under Centrally Sponsored
with Rs. 11922/- precedted
Schemes were not authorized in
by Kupwara and Leh
CHALLENGE
time and got temporarily re-
appropriated towards meeting districts with Gross Per
non-development expenses. We have Capita Income of Rs.
identified, authorised and revalidated
16360/- and Rs. 20237/-
about Rs.550 crore in the current financial
year to make up for the previous short falls respectively at Current Prices
and thus restored our credibility before the of 2005-06
concerned Ministries. Obviously, it has
resulted into additional strain on our Contribution of Primary
Ä
current year's budgetary resources. Sectors, Secondary and
tertiary sectors to the GSDP
for 2008-09 (pre) has been
25.82%, 28.29% and

10
The three-year life of Power Reform Grant amounting to
Rs.1300 crore per annum given by the Centre to the 45.89% respectively while
previous government came to an end on 31 March 2009. as at all India level, the
No such grant is now available in the current financial contribution of these sectors
year.
C H A L L E N G E to GDP was 20.55%,
24.71% and 54.74%
respectively as per figures of
Biggest Challenge 2006-07.
The biggest challenge before Jammu and Kashmir is to boost the economic The Per Capita Plan
Ä
activities to catch up with national growth rate and per capita income. There
expenditure during 2007-08
is an urgent need to control large scale flight of capital for mass procurement
of a wide variety of consumption goods such as food grains, pulses, spices, and 2008-09 works out to
oils, mutton, poultry, eggs, processed food, clothing, energy, building be Rs. 3613/- and Rs.
materials and other utility items. For this purpose, it is important to focus 3815/- respectively as
energies and resources on increasing local production and thus expanding the
compared to the Per Capita
employment base by improving our productivity, profitability and
competitiveness. Therefore, the Finance Minister says, “we intend to adopt a Plan outlay of Rs. 3254/- at
cluster approach in order to concentrate our resources on such clusters and national level for 2007-08
obtain quicker results. In all-important fields, private participation shall not (RE
only be encouraged but also pro-actively promoted”.

Epilogue Ø
20 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

Annual Plan
I
n the current year's plan of Rs.5,500 crore, the Revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs.653 crore and capital expenditure at
Rs.4,847 crore. The government have decided to give special thrust to the Sectors of Agriculture & Allied Activity, Irrigation,
Transport, Social Services including Health & Education and General Services including World Bank funded development
programmes of ERA. The exact increases in various Sectors shall get crystallized after tie up with the concerned Ministries in the
Government of India in respect of Centrally Sponsored Schemes & with the funding agencies in case of tied up allocations. To that
extent, the increases reflected in the sectoral outlays are to be taken as tentative. The allocation for agriculture and allied
activities has been proposed about 30% higher from previous year's level of Rs.151.96 crore to Rs.197.30 crore in current year. The
allocation in the Irrigation and Flood Control Sector has been kept 122% higher from the last year's level of Rs.208.85 crore to
Rs.464.33 crore in the current year. The allocation in the Transport Sector is proposed to be tentatively enhanced by 90% from the
previous level of Rs.486.20 crore to Rs.923.99 crore in the current year. The allocation in the Social Services Sector is proposed to
be increased by 42.87% from the level of Rs.1089.17 crore to Rs.1556 crore. The General Services are proposed to get enhanced
allocation of Rs.638 crore representing an increase of 36.62% over the previous year's level of Rs.467 crore.

Broad Parameters
Ä
The current year's total receipts have been estimated at
Rs. 22,739 crore in comparison to last year's figure of
Rs.19,077 crore. In the current fiscal, Rs.19,462 crore
are expected as revenue receipts and Rs.3,277 crore as
capital receipts. The current year's total revenue
expenditure is estimated at Rs.14,949 crore, indicating a
revenue-surplus of Rs.4,513 crore. The total capital
expenditure is estimated at Rs.7,790 crore. The fiscal
deficit is estimated to come down to Rs.2,081 crore
representing 5.4% of our current year's estimated GSDP
in comparison to 6.9% of last year.
Ä
The total tax revenue of the State is estimated at
Rs.3,111 crore for the current financial year as against
Rs.2,693 crore of last year. The tax GSDP ratio is
expected to improve to 11.2% in comparison to 11.0% of
last year. The VAT collections are estimated at Rs.2,066
crore as against Rs.1,853 crore of last year indicating an
increase of 15%. The State Excise is expected to yield
Rs.260 crore in the current year as against the budgeted
figure of Rs.250 crore of last year. Taxes on goods and
passengers are expected to reach Rs.316 crore in
comparison to Rs.297 crore of last year.
Ä
The non-tax revenue has been estimated at Rs.1219 crore
as against the corresponding budgeted figure of Rs.1127
crore of last year.
Ä
Market borrowings for the current year have been kept at
Rs.818 crore in comparison to Rs.1264 crore of last year.
Institutional loans for funding capital expenditure and
share in National Small Savings have been assumed at
last year's levels of Rs.700 crore and Rs.453 crore
respectively.
Ä
On the main items of expenditure, the current year's non-
plan salary provision is Rs.6,594 crore in comparison to
Rs.4,973 crore of last year. Additional provision of Rs.121
crore has been kept for salaries of migrant employees. The
provision for payment of interest has been kept at
Rs.1,729 crore in comparison to last year's figure of
Rs.1,602 crore. Provision for purchase of electrical energy
is Rs.1,996 crore. Rs.1,412 crore have been provided to
meet expenditure on pension and retirement benefits.

Growth Rate of Per Capita Income at constant prices during 1996-97

to 2001-02 at 16.25% as compared to 3.95% from 2002 onwards

2001-02 Rs. 13784.00 crore

2007-08 Rs. 17590.00 crore
Growth Rate 3.95% p.a
1996-97 Rs. 6978.00 crore
2001-02 Rs. 13784.00 crore
Growth Rate 16.25% p.a

Epilogue Ø
21 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

KEY SECTORS Plan Size of Rs.

Ä
25833.98 crore agreed
for 11th FYP period is
Importance and allocations 78.16% higher than
plan size of Rs.
14500.00 crore of 10th
Agriculture & Allied Sectors: FYP. Energy with Rs.
8196.95 crore is the
priority sector for
development followed
by Social Services sector
with an outlay of Rs.
6501.40 crore and
General Economic
Services and Transport
with outlays of
2740.98 crore and Rs.
2660.81 crore
respectively.

Budget estimates of the

Ä
state for 2008-09 stood
at Rs. 18466.00 crore

T hough the Primary Sector's

contribution in the GSDP has
slipped down to 26%, its importance
cannot be over-emphasized as it
sustains 75% of our rural population and
50 % of our work force. The main areas
of concern are low Seed Replacement
Rate, inadequate double cropping and
sub-optimal use of other inputs.
A large part of agricultural areas of the
state including Kashmir Valley have
been traditionally presumed to be
single crop areas. Even crops like
mustards, oilseeds and fodders have
not drawn 100% attention of the
farmers in double cropping. SKUAST,
Kashmir has developed varieties of
wheat seed to suit such climate and
introduced a new 'rice-wheat rotation'
which is 15.81% more
than 2007-08 figures.
technique. For the forthcoming Rabi
season, the government shall focus on Estimated
Ä
popularizing this programme. disbursements for the
Availability of manpower and pressure
on time of successive agricultural year 2008-09 were
operations prove to be important placed at Rs. 12428.00
constraints against double cropping. crore under non-plan
Accordingly, the government has
proposed 25% subsidy on the cost of
budget and Rs.
power thrashers and paddy 6038.00 crore under
transplanters under Agriculture Farm plan budget.
Mechanization Scheme to effectively
deal with these twin problems.

Epilogue Ø
22 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

Horticulture: The State Government

Ä
For Horticulture sector, the current year's proposed outlay is Rs.13.82 crore in
comparison to Rs.12.65 crore allocated last year. The department will substantially resorted to an overdraft
increase the availability of high-density plantation material over its present level of (OD) of Rs. 2299.53
nearly 2 lakh saplings per annum by crore from J&K Bank
involving private sector and ensuring
as ways and means
Current year's allocation quality control. Production of apricots in
Kargil & Leh, cherries, strawberries, (WAM) facility to meet
for horticulture sector is Rs.
plums in Kashmir Valley and other regions temporary mismatches
13.82 crore against Rs. with similar agro climatic conditions, olive in liquidity during
12.65 crore last fiscal. in Uri and Ramban areas, pears in the
Districts of Poonch and Rajouri and other
2008-09.
areas having similar agro climatical
conditions, sub-tropical fruits in the areas With the successful
Ä
of Jammu Division and cultivation of minor fruit crops in the wastelands and Kandi
introduction of the VAT
areas shall be given priority. Production of saffron, siyah zeera, aromatic plants and
herbs shall be given the much needed boost. Agriculture Production Department and in the state, the tax
Planning Department shall arrange to carry out economic analysis of various revenue has increased by
commercial operations to determine their sustainability and to identify the areas 42.25% from Rs.
where additional government support is required. A cluster approach shall be
adopted for expanding production and improving productivity.
1799.00 crore in 2006-
07 to Rs. 2559.00 crore
as per actuals for 2007-
Commercial Floriculture 08. For the year 2008-
Over 840 growers have been registered Airport Authority of India has
by the Floriculture Department, each conveyed no objection to the transfer 09, the tax revenue has
having green house facilities of at of land to the Directorate of been estimated to be Rs.
least 2 kanals. These registered Floriculture for setting up of cooling
2693.00 crore which
growers have made a good beginning chambers. Request has been made to
by selling flowers in the markets APEDA to provide necessary financial indicates 5.24%
outside the state. The government support to start work on this project, increase over 2007-08
shall actively and financially help which will help in exports of actuals.
them to explore the export market in perishable commodities like cut
the Middle East by taking advantage of flowers, delicate fresh fruits and trout
international airport at Srinagar. The fish etc. 59.72%, 31.42%,
Ä
8.68% and 0.18%
Growth rate of Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at constant price during disbursements were
1996-97 to 2001-02 at 20.74% as compared to 5.54% from 2002 onwards
meant for revenue
account, capital
2001-02 Rs. 14184.90 crore
account, interest
2007-08 Rs. 19687.08 crore
payments and loan
Growth Rate 5.54% p.a
disbursements
1996-97 Rs. 6320.65 crore
respectively during
2001-02 Rs. 14184.90 crore 2008-09.
Growth Rate 20.74% p.a

Epilogue Ø
23 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

Sericulture Industry: As on December 2008,

Ä
Kashmir Silk was always rated as of the only 25 to 30% of the total production 944 bank branches of
best quality but immediately after de- and the rest of the cocoons are sold
monopolisation of the industry around outside the state. A corpus fund is in all Scheduled
the year 1988-89, it was severely operation for market intervention, Commercial Banks
were functioning in
J&K's annual cocoon production is J&K, constituting
estimated at 8 lakh kgs valued at Rs. 7 1.21% of total banking
crore. Cocoon rearing sustains livelihood network of 77750
of 22000 rural families in 2150
banks in the country.
villages. The consumption in local silk
units in only upto 30%, therefore, rest of it
Against deposits of Rs.
Ä
has to be sold outside state.
25885.00 crore, the
Scheduled Commercial
damaged during the period of running silk exchange and cocoon bank.
militancy. After its partial revival, the The Finance Minister has announced Banks have made
industry still sustains about 22000 rural formation of a Multi Task Force comprising advances of Rs.
families in 2150 villages producing 8 of experts from all the relevant fields to look
lakh kgs of cocoons valued at nearly into various aspects of mulberriculture, 12846.00 crore as on
Rs.7 crore. The local silk units consume sericulture, weaving and silk industry. December 2008 with
CDR of 49.63% in the
Animal Husbandry Sector state as against the
CDr of 74.76% in the
country during the same
Annual mutton consumption in
J&K is of the order of around period.
Rs. 1300 crore. Around 3.5
million sheep and goat are 80.38 of the reporting
Ä
slaughtered a year and half of area constituted the net
them are imported, mainly from area sown of the state
Gujarat. during 2007-08,
41.97% and 40.85% of
The state is woefully short in developing our animal and sheep the net area sown and
meeting its requirements of mutton, husbandry sectors. An embryo gross area sown
poultry meat, eggs and woolens. transfer technology is on
Presently we are importing nearly 16 experimental stage to develop a respectively was
lakh sheep annually for meeting the muttonous breed of sheep named irrigated for 2007-08.
shortage of mutton. We intend to Dorper. Results are expected towards
a d op t a h ol i sti c a p p roa c h i n the end of August, 2009.

Epilogue Ø
24 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

Poultry Credit Deposit ratio

Ä
The import of poultry birds is estimated (CDR) in the state is
at 1.30 Crores annually. The quantity of
eggs imported annually is estimated at improving over the
50 Crore. The consumption potential is years but its dispersal
estimated between 200 to 300 Crore.
among the districts is
The Government intends to adopt a
multi pronged strategy for increasing not encouraging.
the production of poultry meat and Ending December
eggs. Rearing capacity of day old chicks
in the government farms shall be fully 2008, the highest
utilized and establishment of hatcheries Credit Deposit Ratio
in the private sector shall be
encouraged. Import of day old chicks
was observed for
shall be facilitated so long as local Srinagar district with
production capacity of day old chicks is 84.65% followed by
Annual consumption of
improved to meet full requirement of
eggs in J&K is estimated poultry farms. The poultry department Shopian with 59.62%.
between 200 to 300 crore. shall also work out the feasibility of promoting Lowest credit deposit
50 crore are imported. large-scale hatcheries for breeding of
improved parent stock equipped with R&D
ratio of 15.12% was
facilities, in PPP mode. observed for Kargil
district, the next two
Infrastructure low ranking districts in
Emphasis is on completion of the ongoing road programmes in the current and the the credit-deposit ratio
next financial years. The progress of works under PMGSY so far has been very slow
and the government vows to provide special attention and full funding for completion
are Kishtwar (15.98%)
of all on going projects in the plan. Power is prime infrastructural requirement. and Ramban (19.06%)
Depending upon the progress of various Hydel Projects, namely Baglihar II, Sawalakot,
Ganderbal, Parnai and those in other places allocated to JKSPDC, full funding shall be
ensured in the plan of current year. Effort shall also be made to complete detailed
Cropping intensity for
Ä
project reports, clearances from various Ministries & organizations, and complete 2005-06 in the state
other formalities in respect of other approved projects. was 150.05% as
against 135.88%
Revenue realized during 1997-98 to 2001-02 at 34.48%
as compared to 23.54% from 2002 onwards intensity in country for
the same period. The
2001-02 Rs. 460.84 crore cropping intensity has
2007-08 Rs. 1328.45 crore further increased in the
Growth Rate 23.54% p.a state to 154.49%
1996-97 Rs. 169.18 crore during 2007-08.
2001-02 Rs. 460.84 crore
Growth Rate 34.48% p.a

Epilogue Ø
25 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

Social Sector On an average one

Ä
SCHOOLS WITHOUT BUILDINGS bank is available per
Rajouri 580 Plan allocation for 107.40 Sq Km and
Baramulla 538 elementary education has
13000 people. These
Anantnag 508 been hiked to Rs. 358
figures for the country
Kupwara 498 crore against Rs. 169 crore
last fiscal. work out to be 40.73
Badgam 488
Sq Km and 15000
Kathua 452
people.
Kishtwar 341 Health and Education sectors are
Kulgam 314 centric to human development policy.
Primary education for all children with 68% bank advances are
Ä
Srinagar 285 focus on female literacy and 100% received by Jammu
Ramban 280 adult literacy in a short time frame
are government's avowed goals. The
(24%) and Srinagar
Bandipora 268
plan allocations for elementary (44%) districts leaving
Pulwama 240 education are proposed to be thereby only 32%
Ganderbal 147 increased to Rs.358 crore from last
year's level of Rs.169 crore. Higher advances to be shared
Shopian 105
Kargil 104
and Technical Education sector is by the remaining 20
also being given similar treatment.
Poonch 84 Primary Health care is basic to
districts of the state.
Jammu 71 human development and secondary
and tertiary sectors meet critical Jammu and Kashmir
Ä
Doda 61 needs of the families. The Primary
economy continues to be
Reasi 18 Health Services Sector is proposed to
Udhampur 18 receive enhanced plan allocation of predominantly agrarian
Rs.164 crore in current year in although the
Leh 10 comparison to Rs.105 crore of last
Samba 2 year. Meanwhile, Rs.40 crore are contribution of
being exclusively earmarked under agriculture and its
State plan for Dal development during
the current year. Forestry sector is
allied sectors towards
proposed to be given Rs.27.50 crore in GSDP has decreased
comparison to Rs.24.50 crore of last from 51.05% in 1980-
year.
81 to 31% in 1999-00
and then 27% in 2007-
Plan allocation for
08. Individual share of
Primary Health Services
has been hiked to Rs. 164 agriculture in GDSP is
crore against Rs. 105 estimated to be 8 to
Crore last fiscal. 9%.

Epilogue Ø
26 ×
September 2009

Industries
Two private sector Textile
Parks are coming up in
Kathua district with
investment of Rs. 337
crore. 56 upcoming units
are expected to
direct/indirect employment
for 8000 persons.
The present contribution of trade and
industry to GSDP is 28.29%. The
government intends to exploit raw
materials located in the backward
regions by promoting local industry
through clusters of industrial units in
identified thrust areas like food
processing, textiles, leather
processing, handicrafts, handlooms,
minerals, Information Technology and
many others. A new shelf of techno-
economic feasibility reports shall be
prepared for this purpose and Special
Purpose Vehicles shall be created to
implement such cluster schemes. Land
measuring 500 kanals has been
earmarked for Leather Zone in
Industrial Growth Centre, Lassipora. A
Common Effluent Treatment Plant
(CETP) is under construction under the
guidance of Central Leather Research
Institute (CLRI) at a cost of Rs.642 lacs
with 50% funding by Government of
India. The CETP is expected to be
completed by March, 2010. Two Textile
Present contribution of
J&K's trade and industry
to state's GSDP is
28.29%
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
th
As per 4 advance
Ä
Parks in the private sector are coming
up at Ghatti and Govindsar in Kathua
estimates, foodgrains
district over 240 kanals of land with production in the state
investment of Rs.337 crore, for 56
number of units expected to generate
during 2008-09 is
direct employment for 4000 persons to projected to increase to
be engaged in spinning, weaving,
16275 thousand
processing, garmenting and ancillary
activities as also indirect employment quintals which will
to another 4000 persons. Two clusters
record 3.62% increase
of cricket bat units and wood based
industry are being promoted at Sangam over foodgrains
and Bagh-i-Ali Mardan khan production of 15707
respectively. A silkcum-textile park is
being promoted at Zakoora. thousand quintals for
Re j u v e n a t i n g t h e e x i s t i n g 2007-08.
Industrial units is as necessary as
creation of new units. In this behalf,
the government proposes to create two Average holding size of
Ä
special rehabilitation task forces for 0.67 hectare for the
revival of sick units on fast track basis.
The Industrial Estates lying closed shall state and 1.32 hectares
be reactivated and their dilapidated for the country has been
infrastructure shall be upgraded.
Efforts are being made to spot
recorded by 2000-01
additional 20,000 kanals of wasteland Agriculture Census.
for creation of a land bank for new
industrial units, particularly in the
backward areas. Efforts are also being
Contribution of
Ä
made to locate a big chunk of agriculture and allied
wasteland where a special industrial
zone can be created.
sectors to GSDP is
The Directorate of Geology and estimated to be 27% for
Mining, which has become defunct is
2007-08 as against the
being re-activated to prospect, explore
and identify new mineral deposits of all India average of
the State. The viable economic units of
about 21% for 2006-
the public sector undertakings shall be
revived. The uneconomic units shall be 07. Horticulture
closed down and the staff given another accounts for nearly
opportunity to avail of Golden
Handshake Scheme. 45% returns of
The trade and industry have been agriculture sector in the
highlighting their problems connected
with compliance of various procedures, state.
processes and regulations. In order to
Epilogue Ø
27 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

attend to such issues on a continuous the mandatory inspections, filing of

basis, the Finance Minister has returns and other connected matters
proposed to create a standing forum in faced by them under various laws,
ÄFruit production of
the form of an inter-ministerial group including barrriers in free movement of state for 2008-09 was
of officers in association with all Stake rawmaterials and trade goods. The 16.91 lakh tones
holders. The Forum will look into the Forum shall devise procedural and IT
desirability of dispensing with some of Solutions to such problems.
posting an increase of
3.36% over 2007-08
Urban Local Bodies fruit production.
With the democratic decentralization,
the Urban Local Bodies have been
ÄDuring 2008-09,
empowered to take charge of local self
State is looking for 20,000 11.17 lakh tones of fruit
government. Their performance and kanals of wasteland in were exported outside
initiative in some areas of public rural areas for creation of
concern is indeed being appreciated.
the state of which
industrial estates.
However, voices are also being raised 98.57% was of fresh
by some quarters alleging delays in or fruits. Foreign exchange
denial of building permission in some arise if the Local Bodies adopt
cases, condonation of violation of absolutely transparent systems,
earnings on export of
building bylaws in some other cases, simplify the procedures, go for dry fruit for 2007-08
lack of sanitation and cleanliness complete automation in a time bound were Rs. 161.44 crore.
within the municipal areas, in- manner and create an efficient
sufficient system of redressal of mechanism of redressal of public
grievances, etc. In respect of one Municipal grievances. Therefore, the Finance ÄThere was 23908
Committee, the industrial units have Minister has offered to extend functional SSI units in
alleged harassment in the name of government support including financial
charging of lorry adda fee from them the State providing
help for making visible improvements
even if they claim to be not connected in these areas. I hope that our local employment to around
with the use of such lorry adda. bodies shall respond to this gesture one lakh persons ending
It is for the concerned local well in time so that IT based better and
municipal bodies to investigate as to smoother systems of e-Governance are
March 2009 as against
what extent such allegations are in place before the Award of the 22937 units ending
correct and to provide remedies as may Thirteenth Finance Commission for March 2008.
be required. We in the government feel Urban Local Bodies becomes operative
that many of such grievances would not w.e.f. 1st April, 2010. th
ÄAs per the 5 Economic
Growth Rate of Interest Payment on Borrowings during 1997-98 to 2001-02 Census-2005, there
at 2.28% p.a as compared to 8.75% p.a from 2002 onwards
were 324908
2002-03 Rs. 142.17 crore establishments in the
2008-09 Rs. 229.26 crore state as against
Growth Rate 8.75% p.a 41826989
1997-98 Rs. 117.47 crore establishments in the
2001-02 Rs. 130.88 crore country.
Growth Rate 2.28% p.a

Epilogue Ø
28 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

NREGS ÄThe number of workers

This important rural employment scheme started in 2005 has been widely welcomed
at the national level. The implementation of this scheme in Jammu and Kashmir has in the establishments
potential for further improvement. So far the government have registered 4.98 lakh
rural households and employment equivalent to 80 lakh person-days has been
was 751532 as
generated last year under this scheme for 2 compared to
l a k h r u r a l Setting a new trend, the households. One 1.7 lakh
Bank Accounts have been opened so far
100904121 workers in
so that payments
daily wage of workers of wages are made the country.
through Banks. A under NREG scheme sum of Rs. 87 crore has
been utilized has been hiked from Rs. during last year. The
19.95% of the
Ä
government now intends to generate 5
70 to Rs. 110.
crore person-days in near future under this geographical area
Scheme and take the utilization of funds to
(Jammu region
ten times at the level of Rs 800 crore. Enhancement of the existing wage rate under
NREGS from Rs.70 per day to Rs.110 per day has been proposed with immediate effect 45.89%, Kashmir
for which necessary notification shall be issued under the Minimum Wages Act. region 50.97% and
Ladakh region 0.06%)
Tourism on this side of the
The government is proceeding ahead with its
plan to prepare a vision document and a Master control line is under
Plan for sustainable tourism in the long terms
forest. This ratio for the
perspective. Offers stand already invited from
the prospective consultants for the purpose and country is 24.47%.
the same are under examination by a Committee However, the prescribed
constituted in this behalf. In the meanwhile, the
policy of private Sector investment in all fields of ratio of forest area for
Tourism, including promotion of guest-house the Hill states is 67%.
facilities, with the government playing the role
of promoter and facilitator, shall continue. The
Hotel industry has already been given tax relief on hotel tariff. ÄWhile establishments
grew at the rate of
Tax Management,Modernization 6.03% (Jammu and
J&K has already earned accolades from of information of inter and intrastate
Kashmir) and 4.69%
Empowered Committee of State level are expected to be in place by
Finance Ministers for efficient December, 2009. (India) per annum
implementation of VAT regime. The To give a push to the long pending during 1998-2005, the
successful implementation of this complete computerization of treasury
regime depends on gathering of accounts in the first phase and all corresponding rate of
information from other sources and by government accounts subsequently in a growth in the
cross verification of interstate and time bound manner is essential for good
intrastate transactions. Therefore, governance, the work has been employment was 6.85%
complete automation of the assigned to J&K e-Governance (Jammu and Kashmir)
Department has been taken in hand at a Authority which has initiated similar
cost of Rs.20 crore. The major aspect of projects for Transport and Election
and 2.78% (India).
processing of returns and cross linking Departments as well.

Epilogue Ø
29 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

VAT Measures As per the data made

Ä
The traders have been confronting a law abiding dealers. “I accordingly available by the
genuine problem of penal action by the accept this demand. The rule shall be
authorities for non compliance of rules modified accordingly”, said the FM.
Department of
which were notified much after the Rule 77 dealing with registration CA&PDS, 5.88 Lakh
date of commencement of the VAT Act of appeals requires that report of BPL and 3.71 APL
in the State. Unfortunately, this assessing authority shall be obtained
problem has not been addressed so before proceeding with any appeal. A
families are still
far. Obviously, the traders cannot be demand has been made that in case of without household
penalized for violation of rules which delay in supplying this information, latrines. By ending
did not exist but were later on given the appellate authority should
retrospective effect. The Finance proceed without such report, on the December 2008, 93295
Minister has announced a scheme of basis of information furnished by the individual household
general amnesty for all such cases appellant. The demand is justified.
latrines have been
which shall be notified shortly H o w e v e r, t h e d e p a r t m e n t o f
A m e n d m e n t s : Re g i s t e r i n g Commercial Taxes is computerizing its constructed against the
authority can demand, at its system very soon and all the record total target of 598614.
discretion, additional security from shall become available on line. The
the dealers, on eventualities of the need to obtain a report from the
existing dealer adding more assessing authority shall The sex ratio in the
Ä
commodities to its approved list etc. A automatically vanish. In order to take state as per Census
representation has been made that no care of the present concern, the 2001 stood at 892
such additional security should be Finance Minister has issued strict
demanded in cases where the existing instructions to the department that females per 1000 males.
dealers have been regularly filing all the assessing authorities must However, the results of
their returns and depositing the VAT ensure compliance to the
the sex ratio survey
amount without any default. The requirement of rule 77(a) by
demand is rational and if accepted, submitting the requisite report conducted by the
shall amount to due recognition for within 15 days time. Directorate of
Economics and
Statistics in 2007 have
Toll Plaza at shown 925 females per
Lakhanpur thousand males. These
Rs.10 crore fund has been proposed infrastructural improvements figures are almost
for expansion and modernization of combined with the improvements in similar with the figures
Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur which makes the software of the Commercial
the single point gateway to Jammu Ta x e s D e p a r t m e n t a n d E x c i s e
of 923 females per
and Kashmir. After the construction Department shall ensure that the thousand males revealed
w o r k s a r e o v e r, a p l a n f o r ambience of the Toll Plaza shall th
by 60 round of NSSO
beautification of entire surrounding change from a chaotic, disorderly &
area shall be taken up including congested commercial place into an Survey conducted
construction of durable and clean arena of serenity, calmness and during (January to June
spaces for parking of vehicles to beauty for the commuters to have a 2004)
avoid congestion, traffic jam or few moments of relaxation before
environmental pollution. These proceeding on.

Epilogue Ø
30 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

Vanaspati in Negative List Ending March 2009,

Ä
Representations have been made to the Finance Department by Industry asking for
out of 12015
scrapping the negative list. It has come to the notice that Vanaspati which is a
product of some of the local industrial units cannot be easily distinguished from habitations in J&K
Vegetable Oil which is also product of some local industrial units. Vegetable Oil is state, 8761 habitations
already on the negative list. Besides the situation has changed when Vanaspati was have been provided
accorded exemption from GST/VAT treating it as a priority industry. Therefore, the
production of Vanaspati is placed on the negative list.
water supply.

Out of the estimated

Ä
Employment Generation hydro power potential
of 20,000 MWs in the
Since January 2009, the state subordinate selection board State, 16480 MWs
made 8086 selections, PSC made 438 selections and 3835 have been identified of
youth were recruited in Police. During same period 11163 new which only 14 percent
posts have been created and 5060 referred to PSC. During this of 2318.70 MWs have
very period, 7035 posts have been referred to Police been exploited sofar.
Recruitment Board. Alongwith the previous backlog, the
vacancies available with PSC are 4,023. Similarly, the Estimated Birth Rate
Ä
vacancies available with SSSB, alongwith the backlog comes to of 19.0 per milli, Death
10,582. All the recruiting agencies have been advised to Rate of 5.8 per milli
and Infant Mortality
expedite the selection process. Therefore, nearly 22,000 more
Rate of 51 per thousand
boys & girls can hope to get a government job in the current
live births was recorded
financial year. Alongwith the appointment or selections already
in J&K for 2007
made from January, 2009 onwards, the tally of government against the all India
jobs in respect of the present government may come to 34,000. figures of 23.1, 7.4 and
55 respectively.
Representations have been made In order to adopt a well conceived
to the Finance Department by Industry strategy for alleviating the problem of With the
Ä
asking for scrapping the negative list. It unemployment in the State, there is a
has come to the notice that Vanaspati fervent requirement of a sound
commissioning of 450
which is a product of some of the local statistical base. This is more so for the MW Phase-I of
industrial units cannot be easily reason that there is a lot of Baglihar Hydroelectric
distinguished from Vegetable Oil which equivocation about the very extent and Power Project in
is also product of some local industrial nature of unemployment in the State.
units. Vegetable Oil is already on the For this purpose, it has become
December 2008, the
negative list. Besides the situation has imperative to build a sound and installed capacity of the
changed when Vanaspati was accorded dependable data base so that plausible state sector power
exemption from GST/VAT treating it as remedial measures are adopted.
projects has reached
a priority industry. Therefore, the For operationalizing this
production of Vanaspati is placed on arrangement at the ground level, the
758.70 MWs.
the negative list. Government intends to revamp the

Epilogue Ø
31 ×
September 2009

Employment Exchanges and enhance
their role, both quantitatively and
qualitatively. They will be renamed as
District Employment and Counselling
Centres. The District Centres shall
develop a reliable statistical base
including skill inventory and skill
deficiency mapping. The number of
such District Employment and
Counselling Centres shall be increased
All district employment
centers are being renamed
as employment and
conselling centers. To be re-
launched an October 2,
they will have skill
inventory and skill
deficiency mapping to help
aspirants find jobs.
from 14 to 22 so that all the districts
have a well placed institutional
arrangement for information
generation on the subject. It shall be
made mandatory for all the
unemployed youth to get themselves
registered with the District
Employment and Counselling Centre for
which the necessary formats shall be
prepared by the Department of
Economics and Statistics in a digital
mode. A notification to this effect with
all the relevant details shall be issued
by 30th of September, 2009 and the new
Centres shall be launched
simultaneously in all districts of the
State from the 2nd of October, 2009 to
coincide with the 140th birth day of
Mahatma Gandhi, the Apostle of Peace.
Buildings and other infrastructure
for the District Employment and
Counselling Centres shall have to be
provided for all the districts. The
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
Finance Minister has proposed to make
a beginning with two districts in the The installed capacity
Ä
current year-one in Kashmir and one in
Jammu division.
of Central Sector power
Concurrently, the Government projects from three
intends to put in place a well conceived commissioned projects is
'State Policy on Employment' to address
1560 MWs. The
all issues relating to the problem of
unemployment in the State. The demand of Power in
Planning and Development Department J&K state for 2008-
has been directed to initiate the 09, as per the 16th
process and the policy document, “I am
confident, shall be ready to be
Power Survey conducted
launched on the 5th December, 2009, by Ministry of Energy,
the 105th birthday of the great GoI is around 2120
visionary of our State, Janab Sheikh
Mws.
Mohammed Abdullah Sahib”. The
document shall serve as a road map
ahead and I solicit valuable suggestions Against the total road
Ä
from the Hon'ble members of this length of 18809 kms
august House in arriving at a well
maintained by State
considered policy initiative. “I propose
to name this initiative as the Sher-e- R&B Department,
Kashmir Employment and Welfare 9559 kms are black
Programme for the Youth (SKEWPY)”, topped, 4832 kms
said the Finance Minister.
In the recent past (February, 2009)
metalled, 1315 kms
a number of initiatives have been shingled, 3000 kms fair
undertaken at the national level to weather and 102 kms
enhance the skill endowment base in
jeepable making the
the country. Jammu and Kashmir State
while taking its share has to create road density to be 18.55
about 50 lakh skilled persons by 2022 km per 100 Sq km of
with emphasis on exclusivity. The aver- are ending 03/2009.
age annual target works out to be 3.85
lakhs which indeed is a huge task. In
order to address ourselves to this chal- The revenue realization
Ä
lenge, the Government intends to for- of Rs. 737.83 crore
m u l a t e ' S t a t e Po l i c y o n S k i l l under Power Sector
Development' with an objective to cre-
ate 'workforce empowered with
during 2008-09 has
improved skills, knowledge and inter- increased by 6.43% as
nationally recognized qualifications to compared to the revenue
gain access to decent employment'. At
realization of Rs.
the operational level the Government
commits itself to initiate and expedite 693.24 crore for 2007-
the process of establishing 22 district 08.
level 'Rural Self Employment Training
Epilogue Ø
32 ×
September 2009

Institutes (RSETIs)' in cooperation with
the Ministry of Rural Development,
Government of India and
Public/Private Sector Banks. This insti-
tutional arrangement shall be in place
by the end of the current financial year.
The geo-climatic extremities in
the State cause a high incidence of sea-
sonal unemployment particularly in the
countryside snowballing into out-
migration of labour force. In order to
address this phenomenon and ensure
livelihood security to the rural people,
Government intends to strengthen the
premier Wage Employment Scheme
under 'National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act' by extending its scope
and enhancing wages. For this purpose
'State Employment Guarantee Council'
has been advised to take up the matter
with the Ministry of Rural
Development, Government of India for
extending the scope of the scheme by
incorporating relevant activities in the
list of already available 'Permissible
Works'.
Conventionally, government has
been perceived as the sole employer
and remedy has unfortunately been
invented in over-sizing the administra-
tive machinery. Even when this conve-
nient option has been over exhausted,
the problem of unemployment has actu-
ally proliferated. This conventional
approach has, in fact, proved counter
productive. This mindset needs to be
changed and new entrants to the labour
market motivated to adopt self
As a part of national
mission, J&K is required
to create 50 lakh skilled
persons by 2022. The
average annual target is
3.85 lakhs.
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
employment ventures. A host of Central
Schemes presently in place for the pro- As against the national
Ä
motion of self employment ought to be
amplified with innovative self employ-
level road density of
ment projects under various sectors. 104.6 kms per 100
The Government proposes to empha- sq.kms of area, the state
size on mass awareness programmes to
has 18.12 kms per 100
apprise youth of the State about the
bright prospects in self employment sq. kms with 24.37 kms
privileges through J&K for Jammu division and
Entrepreneurship Development 15.93 for Kashmir
Institute.
It should be borne in mind that all
division for 2007-08.
the centrally sponsored self The lowest road density
employment schemes are credit linked is in the districts of
and the financial institutions generally Leh, Kargil, Doda
seem reluctant to extend credit facility
to the first generation entrepreneurs in
(erstwhile) and Rajouri
view of their risk perception. This has with 3.33 Kms, 6.84
negative implications on the kms, 7.77 kms and
development of entrepreneurship.
16.31 kms respectively
Such an equivocation warrants an
immediate State intervention to ensure per 100 sq. km of area
that the motivated and trained (The state road density
prospective entrants to the field of is for roads maintained
entrepreneurship/self employment are
nurtured and insulated from frustration
by PWD only)
and mental agony. To address this
problem, the State Entrepreneurship The number of
Ä
Development Institute (JKEDI) is being
registered vehicles in
asked to offer 'Entrepreneurship
Development Programme/s (EDPs)' as a March 2009 stood at
package which apart from 668427 as compared to
sensitization, training and consultancy 299104 numbers of
inputs shall include an incentive in the
form of non-refundable Seed Money to
registered vehicles in
enable prospective entrepreneurs to March 2000. The
kick start their ventures and make their number of vehicles
projects bankable. For this purpose, available per lakh of
government intends to create an
'Entrepreneurship Development Fund'
population in the state
with an initial corpus of Rs.25 crore. stood at 5342 (March
The corpus shall be utilized under a 2009) as against the
well conceived State Scheme for the
figure of 6739 at all
prospective motivated, trained and
provisionally registered first India level of March
generation entrepreneurs to start their 2004.
ventures relating to the core areas
Epilogue Ø
33 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

The total BPL

Ä
estimated population
ratio of J&K has
arrived at 21.63%
(24.21 lakh persons)
with a dispersion of
26.14% (22.00 lakh
persons) for rural areas
and 7.96% (2.21 lakh
persons) for urban areas
as per the survey
conducted in 2008 by
the Directorate of
Economics and
Statistics. Poverty ratio
at all India level for the
year 2004-05 was
found to be 27.50%
An estimated 5600 employees of J&K Government are working with 28.30% in Rural
either on contractual, Adhoc or on consolidated salary bases. and 25.70% in Urban
Government has decided to regularize these who have rendered areas as per NSSO
seven years of service and are educationally eligible for the posts. Survey.

On the basis of BPL

which inter-alia include agriculture,
horticulture, floriculture, medicinal
and aromatic plant cultivation and food
processing. This scheme too shall be
launched on 5th December,2009.
The Government intends to build
complete synergy in different Self
Employment Schemes presently in
vogue and ensure that the first
generation entrepreneurs are actually
benefited by these Schemes.
Reference, in this regard may be made
to the initiatives already taken by the
national Minorities Development &
Finance Corporation (NMDFC), a
Government of India undertaking under
the Ministry of Minority affairs which
Ä
provides loan/credit facilities to the
first generation entrepreneurs Head Count Ratio, the
belonging to the minorities on very low seven poorest districts in
(3-6 per cent ) interest rates. The said the State are Reasi,
Corporation has, for the purpose,
Ramban, Kishtwar,
nominated Jammu and Kashmir Women
Development Corporation (JKWDC) and Poonch, Kupwara,
Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Kargil and Bandipora
castes/Scheduled Tribes (J&K SC/ST) which have more than
Corporation as the Channelizing
Agencies in the State. However, the
30 percent estimated
latter has not been able to lift any BPL population
money from NMDFC for the last five ranging between 31.09
years limiting the opportunities
percent to 37.93
available for the prospective
entrepreneurs. In order therefore to percent.
ensure that the benefits actually reach

Epilogue Ø
34 ×
September 2009

the identified clientele group, the
Government proposes to nominate JK
EDI an additional State Channelizing
Agency of NMDFC for providing
loans/credit facility to the
entrepreneurs motivated, trained and
promoted by the Institute.
The Government proposes to
revamp the Employment Department
and place it under an Employment
Facilitating Agency which shall be
created and placed under the charge of
a very senior officer. The officers shall
be hand-picked to take-up the
challenge at the district, divisional and
state level and deliver with a
missionary zeal. There will be a system
of award and punishment for good and
bad performance of officers.
An Overseas Employment
Corporation shall be created to liaise
with the placement agencies, foreign
embassies, Ministry of Labour and
Department of Overseas Employment
etc. The proposed Corporation shall
create a knowledge bank for aspirers of
overseas employment, particularly on
matters of legal requirements for
migration, work environment in various
foreign lands, mandatory formalities
and formats etc. The proposed
Corporation shall also handle matters
of employment opportunities within
the Country. We hope that its role shall
grow further after global recession
starts receding.
The proposed Employment
Facilitating Agency shall have a
Governing Body headed by the Chief
Secretary to deal with all matters
connected with employment of youth.
It will also oversee the functioning of all
Employment related organizations and
monitor progress of implementation of
all employment schemes and
programmes. The Agency shall also
identify and create opportunities of
employment in sectors like Tourism,
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
Horticulture, Floriculture, Fisheries,
Health and Sericulture etc where skills The BPL Survey
Ä
rather than education are in greater
demand. conducted by the
Training of youth who may not be Directorate of
highly qualified but would be suitable Economics and
for jobs in these sectors, shall be
organized by the proposed Agency. All Statistics in 2008
the trainees shall be provided suitable reveal that the highest
stipend during the period of training.
percentage of Urban
The Agency shall facilitate setting
up of Polyclinics and Consultancies by poverty is in district
un-employed and retired doctors and Kulgam with 15.83%
engineers. The government and the
followed by district
financing institutions shall provide
package of assistance and loans in a Pulwama with 14%
manner similar to that available for and district Ganderbal
industrial units, suitably modified to
meet specific requirements of such
with 13.87%.
polyclinics and consultancies.
Lot of potential exist for The government has
Ä
meaningful utilization of knowledge, ordered for
skill and talent of our educated
unemployed youth under NREGS. Last reverification of BPL
year 350 persons were engaged as lists maintained by the
supporting staff to work as Computer
various departments in
Operators, Accounts Assistants,
Technical Assistants, Rozgar Sevikas as the State. The Deputy
well as Block level Programme Officers. Commissioners and
With the targeted increase in person-
Tehsildars have been
days of employment taking it to 5
crore, we shall be generating potential appointed as Nodal
for absorption of nearly 3000 persons in authorities for carrying
such jobs.
The government also proposes to
out the reverification
simultaneously adopt a pro active with their respective
approach for creating service related jurisdictions. The report
self employment units which may be
utilized to meet the requirements of
has to be submitted to
government departments to start with. the State Planning and
Some of the areas coming to mind Development
immediately are plumbing, electricals,
repairing of motors, gadgets,
Department within
electronic items etc which are in three months from the
demand in most of government offices. date of the issue of the
The service units promoted by
technically trained and qualified youth order i.e. 25-06-2009.
can be recognized to provide such
Epilogue Ø
35 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

services to government departments on government departments against clear

charges per visit basis, actual cost of vacancies. Their present number is Unemployment rate in
Ä
replaced parts plus wages at notified reported as 5,656. These appointees
rates. It is hoped that in due course of have been continuing in service for respect of J&K State,
time, private sector and the general considerably long time. As per the latest has been worked out to
population shall come forward to Apex Court rulings available on this
utilize their services. The requisite subject, a one time regularization of
be 5.2% (5.4% for
support for setting up of such service service can be resorted to by the males and 3.5% for
units as also a transitional support government to deal with such situations.
females) which is on
mechanism for sustaining them during The government has accordingly decided
the initial years shall be worked out by to regularize all such persons who have higher side when
the government very soon. already completed 7 years of service compared to All India
A large number of contractual, and who are academically qualified to
a d h oc a n d c on soli d a te d - sa la ry hold their respective jobs as prescribed
figures of 3.1% (3.1%
appointments have been made in various under rules. for males and 3.0% for
females) as per Usual
Gender Care Principal Status as per
The society which does not take care of its women folk starts degrading. Amongst
various welfare measures which the government intends to initiate for socio
findings of 62nd round
economic upliftment of women, a special scheme has been devised for their of NSS (July 2005-
economic empowerment. Under this scheme, 100 women entrepreneurs shall be
June 2006) report.
selected from each district taking the total to 2,200 in the first phase. They will be
granted direct loans upto Rs.3 lakh at a very low rate of 6% interest through the
State Women Development Corporation. The scope of the scheme shall be later In J&K inflation rate
Ä
extended to tehsil level. For this purpose, the government shall provide a revolving on all the series i.e.
fund of Rs.10 crore to the State Women Development Corporation, in suitable
installments depending upon the progress of the proposed scheme. The State Consumer Index of
Women Development Corporation shall be advised to ensure the techno economic Industrial Workers,
viability and profitability of the enterprises and develop a scientific monitoring
mechanism for timely interventions to ensure success of the assisted units. The
Agricultural Labourers
fields identified for this purpose include health care and pharmaceuticals; and Rural Labourers
restaurants, computers and information technology, agro based industries, was less as compared to
floriculture, cosmetics, perfumery and parlors; hosiery, ceramics, tailoring, leather
and food products etc. relative rate of inflation
in the country during
Agri Technos To Get 2008-09
More If They Work
Nearly 3300 agricultural graduates incentive of Rs.1500 per month payable Aggregate Technical and
Ä
have been engaged as Rehbar-e-Zirat. through the DRDA or Panchayat, to such of
Commercial (AT&C)
However, it is learnt that the services of the Rehbar-e-Zirats who would move
this technical human resource have not down to the panchayat level and work in losses in power are very
been properly utilized. One of the factors the field alongside the farmers, to serve as high in the state and
responsible for this is the reluctance of the a meaningful link between them and the
appointees to move to the field on one concerned departments for popularizing, have been put around
pretext or the other. In order to implementing and monitoring the 72%.
meaningfully utilize the services of the progress of various agricultural related
Rehbar-e-Zirats, I offer an additional schemes.

Epilogue Ø
36 ×
September 2009

Inclusive Development
The over all allocation of the social
welfare schemes is proposed to be
increased to Rs.138 crore in
comparison to Rs.110 crore provided
last year. Amounts available from the
Centre shall be over and above this
figure. Special provisions have been
made in the budget for development of
Gujjar and Bakerwals, Schedule Castes
and Schedule Tribes, Women and Child
Welfare. An allocation of Rs.20.77 crore
has been proposed under Tribal Sub
Plan. The allocations for the two
autonomous Hill Development Councils
in Ladakh shall be given due step up
alongwith other district plans which are
being finalized shortly.
National Rural Health Mission is a
mega national effort at ensuring
healthcare through a range of
interventions at individual, household,
community and most critically at the
health system levels. The Central
Government is using it as an essential
instrument for achieving its goal of
health care in the rural landscape.
Under NRHM, the Central Government
provides 85% of the financial assistance
leaving 15% to be raised from out of the
State's own resources.
State Government is committed to
make the most of the financial
handholding provided by the Central
Government under NRHM and
supplement its health effort in the rural
areas. In order to provide better health
care for our rural population and
Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandit migrants
Rehabilitation of our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters and bringing them back to the social mosaic of Kashmir continues to be
of prime importance for the coalition government. That would be like a dream fulfilled for all of us. The package of 15000 jobs in
the State and private sector has been approved for them. Kashmiri Pandits who have been leading the life as migrants in various
parts of Jammu Division have been facing many hardships even though the government has taken various initiatives to ameliorate
their conditions from time to time. One of such hardship is the medical care needed in critical illness cases. The registered
migrants whose family heads are in State Government employment, are eligible to benefits under the medical scheme applicable
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
The number of registered
Ä
enhance availability of doctors and
illiterate unemployed
other paramedical persons in far-off
areas of state, the State Government youths has increased to
has decided to enhance the wages of 4167 in 2008 from 4030
the doctors and paramedics working in
during 2007, thereby
these far off areas. This will attract
qualified medical talent in rural areas showing an increase of
with adequate incentives. The doctors 3.40 percent in the state.
employed in NRHM presently get wage
The number of educated
of Rs.8000 per month. Their monthly
wage would be enhanced to Rs.16000. unemployed had increased
The paramedics under NRHM are to 89796 in 2008 from
presently employed on monthly wage 82619 during 2007
of Rs.4000 They would now get a
monthly wage of Rs.9000. showing an increase of
State Government has also 8.69 percent
concurrently decided to sanction
special incentive for the doctors
serving in remote and far flung areas
FM proposed an
Ä
popularly known as difficult areas. For employment cess of Rs 1
this purpose, the difficult areas would per litre on diesel. The
be classified into two categories-
category-A (denoting more difficult
current level of
areas) and category B (denoting consumption of this
difficult areas). The doctors serving in commodity is about 46
Category-A areas would get additional
Rs. 8000 as special incentive while as
crore litres per annum.
those serving in Category-B areas would Therefore, the proposed
get additional Rs.4000. This financial measure is likely to yield
dispensation will surely attract more
annual revenue of Rs 46
and more qualified medics to serve in
rural areas and lead to tangible crore per annum and
improvement in a rural healthcare additional revenue of Rs
system. The aggregate financial
30 crore in the current
implication involved in the provision of the
above financial dispensation would be of financial year.
the order of Rs.4.30 crore per annum.
Epilogue Ø
37 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

to the state government employees. Those not falling in this

category have been hard pressed for want of any
comprehensive, regular and satisfactory mechanism. For such
category of registered migrants, who are in receipt of cash
relief, announce 50% grant from the government subject to a
ceiling of Rs.5000 per family, for meeting cost of premium for a
year, if they enlist themselves under the mediclaim policy of any
recognized Insurer. The exact requirement for such financial
assistance shall be assessed in due course of time. To start with,
I announce a budgetary allocation of Rs.10 crore for this
purpose. A budgetary allocation of Rs. 130 crore for
construction/completion of 5242 tenements for Kashmiri
migrants under the Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan has
been proposed so that the difficulties faced by the families of
our brothers in distress are mitigated at the earliest possible. A sum of Rs. 3 crore is being additionally allocated to complete the
road to village Jagti near Nagrota where new tenements are under constructions.

Awards for Innovation

The government is extremely keen that the state as well as private sector join hands in discovering hidden talent of our society
engaged in solving local problems without any outside help. It will not only encourage creativity and innovations but will also
generate tremendous economic activity and increase our productivity. The Finance Minister has proposed to institute an award to
recognize five best innovations every year in identified fields with a prize of Rs. one lakh each. The state will also take every
possible step to get these innovations patented and popularized for the common benefit of the Society.

Rehabilitation of Victims of Militancy

The militancy of last two decades has deprived a large number of families of their bread earners. Rehabilitation of widows and
orphans is a big challenge. The government has provided 825 jobs during the last 6 months to a member of the effected family
wherever feasible. To take care of the cases where cash relief of Rs. 4 lakh in lieu of a job has been preferred, about Rs.50 crore
have been spent so far to rehabilitate 1233 families.

Employees and Pensioners

All our development programmes and
regulatory functions are being
preformed by the government
employees and, as such, their welfare
too is a legitimate concern of the
government. Against serious constraints
on our resources, the government has
announced adoption of the pay scales
recommended by the Sixth Central Pay
Commission retrospectively from Ist
January, 2006. We have also authorised
them drawal of enhanced pay of July,
2009 in the new pay scales. Sanction of
DA in the new pay bands has also been
agreed in principle and the rates of DA
effective from various dates starting
from 1.1.2006 have already been
announced. I further announce increase
in the rate of DA w.e.f. 1st.
January,2009 to 22%. The increased
amount of DA at 22% shall be paid in cash
from the first of July,2009.
Temporary Move Allowance was
fixed at Rs.550 PM a few years back for
the moving employees. A demand has
been made to the government by our
lower grade employees to increase the
same. I find the demand is genuine. I
announce a new rate of temporary Move
Allowance at Rs.650 PM which shall be
effective from August, 2009. This
measure will involve additional
expenditure of about Rs.50 lakh per
annum.
116. Serious misgivings appear to
have unnecessarily arisen on account of

Epilogue Ø
38 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

payment of arrears of pay and

pension revision and
implementation of the Sixth Central
Pay Commission Award. As the
Hon'ble members already know, the
requirement on this account is over
Rs.4000 crore. The demand for
allocation of this amount has been
already projected to the Thirteenth
Finance Commission who have to
take a view on this demand, for all
States, before finalizing their
Award. If this amount is made
available in one go, I would be the
happiest person to release 100%
arrears in cash. I appeal to the good
sense of State government
employees to maintain their
patience on this issue for a little
more time till the picture become
clear with the Thirteenth Finance
Commission Award.

New Pension Scheme

One of the causes of growing concern in
budgetary management lies in the ever
increasing expenditure on
disbursement of pensions in respect of
government as well as autonomous
bodies, statutory organizations
operating on the Grant-in-aid of the
government. The annual increase on
this expenditure is not within the
control of the government. Unlike
gradual increase in the salary bills,
usually on account of increase in DA
rates and normal annual increments in
basic pay, the increase in pension bills
takes place simultaneously on account
of increase DA rates as well as post
retirement benefits payable at the
time of superannuation. Keeping in
view the exponential rate of growth in
annual pensionary outgo, it is not
difficult to see that an off budget
solution to the problem is essential as
after some years, may be a couple of
decades, it will become absolutely
impossible to meet such expenditure
out of budgetary provisions. As this is a
universal phenomena, the matter has
been discussed time and again at
national level with a view to protect the
posterity from a financial calamity on
this account. The Central Government
and several states have introduced a
New Pension Scheme where under, the
government as employer and the
concerned employees make monthly
contributions to a pension fund. The
incidence of payment of pensions will
get shifted to this pension fund. The
scheme becomes mandatory for all new
recruits after it is notified. The new
pension scheme can be created under a
proper statute. I propose to bring a bill
before this House accordingly so as to
enforce the New Pension Scheme from
1st January, 2010.

Legislators get more to spend

There has been a long pending demand from Hon'ble Members of the Legislature increasing Constituency Development Fund from
the existing level of Rs. 35 lakh with the approval of Hon'ble Chief Minister, I announce increase in Constituency Development Fund
from existing level of Rs.35 lakh to Rs.50 lakh. Modified guidelines in this connection shall be issued very soon.

Epilogue Ø
39 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

NEW TAXES
The misunderstood mothers-in-law

A nnouncement of taxes always sounds harsh. The Finance Minister, however, had a collection of sayings to soothe the
effect. He said, “I am reminded of several quotes about taxation. One of them says that, “taxes, like Mothers-in- law, are
often misunderstood”. The other quote says “taxes are your contribution for living in a civilized society”. Be that as it may,
no budgetary exercise can be completed without resorting to some taxation measures. However, with a few exceptions in
mind, I do not intend to indulge in any substantial tax revenue raising venture for the time being”. The proposed taxation
measures are expected to yield additional revenue of Rs.69 crore in the current year. An ARM, figure of Rs.100 crore has
been kept in the budgetary document. “I propose to attain this target by making improvements in recovery of arrears or by
improved collection of current dues”, said the Finance Minister.

Petrol Diesel Liquor

Petrol is a commodity
which is used generally
by economically better
off people in our society.
The rate of tax on this
commodity in our state
is 20% with a cess of Rs.1
per litre which was fixed
many years ago. The
rate of taxation on this
item in respect of some
states goes as high as
35%. The current level of
consumption in our State
is over 14 crore litres. I
propose to increase the
cess to Rs. 3 per litre and
name it as employment
cess. I am sure this
increase is not likely to
burn a hole in the pock-
ets of those who are con-
suming this commodity.
This measure is likely to
yield additional revenue
of Rs.28 crore per annum
and about Rs.18 crore in
the current financial
year.
Similarly, the rate of tax on
diesel is 12% in our State some
of the other states have gone
to the extent of charging
more than 20% tax on this com-
modity. I am conscious of the
fact that this item involves a
larger number of persons from
the public who could be
directly and indirectly
affected by any increase in
the rate of taxation. There is
no cess on diesel. I propose to
charge an employment cess of
only Re. 1 per litre on diesel,
which will make a marginal
difference in the cost of ser-
vices being made available to
the beneficiaries who would
be ultimately bearing the inci-
dence of the proposed mea-
sure. The current level of con-
sumption of this commodity is
about 46 crore litres per
annum. Therefore, the pro-
posed measure is likely yield
annual revenue of Rs.46 crore
per annum and additional rev-
enue of Rs. 30 crore in the cur-
rent financial year.
Liquor is an area which automatically comes to mind both on
account of the principles of State policy enshrined in the
constitution as well as a measure to raise additional revenue. The
rate of GST on liquor is currently 20%. I propose to increase the
same to 25%. I will be happy in case the consumption of liquor
goes down somewhat because of my proposed measure.
However, it is more likely that lovers of this commodity may take
the proposed measure sportingly and willingly contribute a little
more to the state exchequer. As such, estimates of expected
additional revenue on this account are placed at Rs.21.50 crore
per annum and Rs.15 crore in the current financial years.
Poultry
Nearly 1.32 crore poultry table birds are being brought from
outside the state annually. They are subjected to a toll tax at
Lakhanpur @ Rs.2 per bird. If the poultry bird is reared within the
state, many people shall get employed in poultry farms under self
employment programme and also in cooperative sector. As adequate
numbers of day old chicks are not available within the state, the
poultry rearing units are also importing around 2.38 crore day old
chicks which are again subjected to toll tax at Lakhnapur @ Rs.1 per
chick. I have already explained that the government intends to
support local production of eggs, day old chicks and poultry. As a part
of the strategy, I propose to exempt import of day old chicks from
payment of toll tax and increase the rate of toll tax on poultry birds
from existing Rs.2 per bird to Rs.5 per kg. The net additional revenue
on this account is expected to be around Rs.4 crore per annum
which will be utilized for development of poultry sector within the
state.

Epilogue Ø
40 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

“
All of us who are present in this August House shall be no
doubt having a vision of their own about the future of
Jammu And Kashmir State. I too have a vision of an ideal
society which will consist of magnificent human beings
who are equal to the glory of this beautiful land,…… who
will be filled with spiritual endowment and in which the
skilled and the intelligent citizens will earn their
livelihood by honest means. Whatever be the way to
describe our individual vision, the fact remains that the
socioeconomic and spiritual upliftment of all men and
women, belonging to all castes, creeds, religions and
regions is our common goal. We can jointly turn our
vision into reality by pulling our heads together, plan
for the welfare of the people objectively and
implement all the agreed programmes in a transparent,
unbiased and judicious manner in due regard to
economy in cost, speed in time and optimizing the
peoples' satisfaction as our ultimate and joint goal. All
of us have to work in that spirit. Today we have a
golden opportunity to prove that given the financial
resources, we are collectively capable of delivering and

“
turn our state into a model state during the coming years.
This golden opportunity should never, never be lost.

- ABDUL RAHIM RATHER,

Finance Minister
EXCERPTED FROM FINANCE MINISTER’S BUDGET SPEECH
suneerbhat@gmail.com

Epilogue Ø
41 ×
September 2009
 IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10

INTERVIEW

'There are no quick fixes;

we are working on a workable
employment policy’
Soon after presenting
annual budget for 2009-
10, Finance Minister
ABDUL RAHIM
RATHER tells AHMED
ALI FAYYAZ that
unemployment problem is
being addressed in a
practical manner.
Excerpts of an interview:
Between 2002 and 2008 but they (Finance Ministers) fudged the
you remained a most figures to show their budgets with Zero
vocal critic of your Deficit. Besides a slew of differences,
predecessors, how your the key feature of my budget is that
budget is different from clearly shows the financial position as it
their? You have shown a exists. We have a deficit of Rs 2600
deficit of some Rs 2600 Crore and this is clearly reflected.
Crore while in last six
years we have seen as The previous government
many budgets with Zero set a precedence of
Deficit. presenting separate
Yes, it is fact that I had serious budget for Power
reservations about budget proposals my Department and it
predecessors but that criticism was continued for three
always healthy and based on facts and years. You have reversed
figures provided by the previous the case. Any strong
government itself. My main challenge reasons?
was to their Zero Deficit budget. The In fact there was no reason at all for
documents presented by the presenting separate budget for Power
JULY 2009 government clearly reflected shortfalls Department. See, Power is just one of

Epilogue Ø
42 ×
September 2009

the various departments like Health,
Education etc. Do we have separate
budgets for all departments? The
argument of my predecessors was based
on the premise that separate power
budget shall streamline the financial
management. But that was a gimmick
(though I should not say like this). The
fort falls, in any case, remained.
You changed the
Economic Advisor to
Government. Was that
done to make a
difference?
We didn't remove the Economic Advisor
(Dr Haseeb Drabu, also Chairman of J&K
Bank). He resigned and we accepted the
resignation.
But you did not ask him to
stay
Why should we. If somebody does not
want to work we can't force him to
work.
Levying small taxes here
and there is not going to
make a big difference.
Your party (National
Conference) was quite
clear and explicit in
making a promise on
employment during your
election campaign. Your
election manifesto also
outlines definite
measures. How far have
you been able to go in
fulfilling this promise?
Unemployment is a serious problem
in Jammu and Kashmir. People look
towards the government as their
natural employer. I don't say that
government should not employ more
people but at the same time we
should be aware of the ground
realities. We are already largest
employer among all states in the
country. Take, for example, the case
of Gujarat. They have a population of
5 Crore and total strength of
government employees there is 4
lakh. In Jammu and Kashmir we have
a population of little over 1 Crore and
number of our government
employees is more than 5 lakh.
We are already working on
creating employment avenues and
will continue to do more. In our short
span of over six months, more than
12,000 recruitments have already
been made and towards the end of
this year the number will go up to
around 35,000. But these measures
will not help for long. We have
proposed innovative measures. The
most important thing is to have a
reliable database of the kind of
skilled and unskilled workforce
available so that a policy can be
formulated keeping in view demand-
supply in different sectors for
facilitating employment of these
youths in state, country and beyond.
We are also planning to gather details
on the nature of job market. We are
creating an employment fund to train
the unemployed youth for enhancing
their employability. Other measures
include exploring self employment
avenues. However, I can assure on
this occasion that in next couple of
years we will be in a position to
address the unemployment problem
to a large extent.
You had also talked
about stipend and
allowances to
unemployed youth.
What about that?
We never made such commitment but
let me tell you that is not any solution.
Epilogue Ø
43 ×
September 2009
IN FOCUS
Budget 2009-10
Here is an example. The previous
government engaged more than 3000
unemployed agriculture technocrats at
Rs 1500 per month without any actual
requirement on the ground. These
youths did not have any work to do for
months and now they are asking for
regularization. How can we do that
without provisions and requirement?
Well, I have proposed in my budget
speech to enhance their honorarium by
another Rs 1500 if they associate
themselves with the field work.
Look at the level of
injustice. You have
enhanced the daily
wages of NREGS workers
from Rs 70 to 110 per
day, which means a
labourer takes home Rs
3300 a month but a
post-graduate in
Agriculture or
Horticulture is getting Rs
1500 a month? These
youths have
expectations to the
government. They say
Chief Minister is of their
age and he can
understand their
problems.
You can't undermine the efforts of
NREGS workers, they participate in
nation building. At the same time we
are seized of the plight of
unemployment technocrats but the
government can't go beyond a point in
offering white collar employment. Our
resources are limited. We are heavily
dependent on central funding. Our
present resources are not beyond Rs
4300 Crore (total tax and non-tax
revenue for current fiscal) and the
present salary and pension bill is around
Rs 8800 Crore.
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row

Jammu & Kashmir

A Year After Amarnath Land Row

EPILOGUE CORRESPONDENT

These days last year, Jammu and Kashmir was caught in worst crises of 50 years. In the months of June,
July and August, the State appeared close to a collapse under troika of separatist, communal and regional
politics. Under the garb of regional sentiments, communal passions were touching an all time high and
both regions –Kashmir and Jammu –were pitted against each other in a ball game of hatred.

N
ever since 1947 was Kashmir
seen so far from Delhi and
Jammu so disconnected from
Kashmir. Politics, and unfortunately
Press too, had drawn clear lines on basis
of regions and religion was an obvious
undercurrent. The voices of sanity had
been completely taken over by the
dominant discourse of animosity so
much so that Prime Minister of India Dr
Manmohan Singh said, “I am deeply
pained over the situation”. India
utilized most of its energies over past
several decades to prevent an
international reference to the Kashmir
issue as Pakistan would always lobby for
such comments. The summer fire of
2008, however, left the mandarins in
New Delhi perturbed when a spokesman
of the United Nations said, “we are
watching over the situation in Jammu
and Kashmir with deep concern”. An all-
party panel constituted by the Prime
Minister, comprising of leading political
figures of country, failed to break the
ice as the element of religion, the core
driving force behind Amarnath land row
agitation, had spread its message across
the country and the election bound
ruling Congress (and its allies) and
opposition BJP (and its allies) saw the
issue as a major spoiler or leverage,
respectively, for upcoming campaign.
A year after three month long
agitation, thousands of those who
stayed put on the streets day and night
pumping their lungs out in slogans have
questions for their leaders. Did they
really achieve what they fought for?
Unfortunately, no one is ready to
answer any of these questions. In fact
no one is in a position to handle these
questions. The coalitions of leaders
have broken down. You approach one
leader and he will direct you to the
other. Moving round and around, the
conclusion is, “the issue is over and so is
our role”.
In Kashmir the game was played
well but it was lost with an equal ease.
Towards the middle of August, when
lakhs took part in a symbolic march
towards Muzaffarabad capital of
Pakistan administered Kashmir, many
felt that Azadi was just few days away. A
ringside view would show that India had
been completely wiped out from
Kashmir's 'national' map. The only
visible symbols of India left in the Valley
those days were the security forces and
currency notes. The Indian
intelligentsia and even the
policymakers admitted that game in
Kashmir had been lost. Two months
later, to the surprise of all, not only the
summer agitation was nullified by a
huge public participation in state
assembly elections but questions also
cropped up on two-decade long of
separatist politics when many from the
separatist camps crossed over the fence
to either contest elections or campaign
for their favourite candidates. If New
Delhi is dilly-dallying in resuming
dialogue with Kashmiri separatists, the
answers for this question have to be
sought from Kashmir and not New Delhi.
An article later in this section (Kashmir's
democratic catharsis) explains the
dramatic turnaround in the Valley of
Kashmir.
However, in Jammu, a year after
Amarnath agitation, disillusionment
and disappointment is much deeper.
Jammu's complaint of playing second
fiddle to Kashmir has been there for
last 60 years now. It was on this
pretext that hundreds and thousands
of people were mobilized to agitate
and oppose a decision (withdrawal of
ownership of land to Amarnath shrine
board) of the government under
pressure from Kashmir's political class.
Exactly the way a common Kashmiri
foresaw Azadi just few days away, the
common perception in Jammu was

Epilogue Ø
44 ×
September 2009

that agitation will settle down the
issues of regional discrimination
lingering on since 1947. On the
midnight of August 30-31 2008, when
Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti
–a ragtag coalition of over 70 small
and big organizations –headed by its
convener Leela Karan Sharma, a
Jammu based lawyer, inked an
agreement with a four-member panel
of the state government, next
Jammu, July 2008
morning the people in Jammu hit
streets dancing to the beats of
drums. It was a victory celebration.
But victory over what? People were
told that the struggle is for the
political rights of entire Jammu
province but the agitation was called
off only on the issue of so called
restoration of land to the temple
trust. A year later, the issues of
discrimination are exactly the same
as they were decades back. People in
J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row
Jammu are again talking about
regional discrimination and the latest
issue is about location of Central
University. While the Shri Amarnath
Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, which
described itself as a historical
popular movement of entire Jammu
province is in oblivion, the grouping
stands torn apart and its then
convener Leela Karan Sharma, who
would proudly call himself as Gandhi
EPILOGUE, JULY, 2008
they are now being led by the peoples in
whichever direction they seek to pull
them. The loss in Jammu has been much
more serious which needs good deal of
time and sustained efforts to repair.
Jammu had a unique culture of unity in
diversity which was completely divided
on the religious and sub-regional lines
by the agitation without gaining
anything substantial except for the
restoral of land to the temple trust, that
too on temporary basis.
of Jammu, says “my inning is over”.
The cumulative loss to the business
and economy during three months of
agitation in Kashmir and Jammu has
been officially put at around Rs 20,000
Crores and the loss of life was not less
than 80. As an observer puts it as mass
public hysteria, aftermath of the
agitation of 2008 pushed the separatist
leadership of Kashmir to the wall so
much so that the leaders are no more in
a position to lead the people and in fact EPILOGUE, SEPTEMBER, 2008
Epilogue Ø
45 ×
September 2009
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row

Recalling Gandhi
of Jammu

During the July-August 2008

agitation in Jammu, some youth
asked a commuter in Jammu
after smashing window panes of
his car “if Leela Karan can walk
on foot to oversee complete
shutdown why can't you leave
your car home”. This scene was
widely televised on the local
cable9 based channels to
personify Leela Karan Sharma,
the convener of Shri Amarnath
Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS),
as modern day Gandhi of Jammu.
What does Leela Karan do these
days, many are not aware of. The
SAYSS –a coalition of 72
organisations –he floated to
agitate on the Amarnath land
transfer issue is now in tatters. He What motivated you to launch a realized that the government of the day
mass agitation in June 2008 and what will soon succumb to the pressure and
had espoused the cause of alleged
were the factors that helped you to revoke the land transfer order. The
regional discrimination against
sustain the stir for so long? immediate motivation in mind was a
Jammu. A year after Amarnath I can recall when allotment of a question: “is it so simple in Kashmir to
land row agitation, Jammu, piece of forest land to Shri Amarnath brandish Pakistan flags and slogan
simmering with discontent, is Shrine Board was made by the against India to send the government
again in the agitation mode but government; I was in Srinagar on a packing?” I rushed back to Jammu and
neither Leela Karan nor his holiday. In a matter of days I saw people shared my perception with friends and
SAYSS is anywhere in picture. In in hundreds and thousands spilling over other like-minded persons. I told them
an exclusive interview to the streets in Kashmir calling for that revocation of land appeared nearly
revocation of the land transfer order. imminent and we should be prepared
EPILOGUE, Leela Karan admits
They carried green flags, denoting their for a counter-agitation to show the
that he has been isolated by the sentimental inclination towards Kashmiris that we simply won't allow
leaders with vested interests. Here Pakistan and raised slogans against that to happen. Our apprehensions
are excerpts: India. I watched situation keenly and proved true. Government announced it

Epilogue Ø
46 ×
September 2009
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row

decision to revoke the

land allotment order and
'Yes I am in isolation'
within hours we
announced our schedule
of agitation.
Once the agitation
was announced then it
was purely the divide
blessings of Lord Shiva
that the force multiplied
and people joined in
unprecedented manner
to sustain the stir for over
two months. My role was
then limited to just giving
directions and reviewing
progress on daily basis. It
was basically the pent up
anger of the people of
Jammu region against
Kashmiri leadership
which drew elders,
women and even children
out of their homes to
struggle for their rights. Leela Karan Sharma

What rights?
Several times during agi-
tation you said that it
was a struggle for the
rights of the people of
entire Jammu region.
But at the same time
your agenda entirely
veered around religion.
See, religions (tem-
ple trust land transfer
issue) was a trigger. The
larger issue was, of
course, discrimination
against Jammu region.

Please explain this

logic.
It is very simple to
understand. Every deci-
sion is taken by the State

Epilogue Ø
47 ×
September 2009

and Central Governments at behest of
Kashmir centric political leadership
and keeping in view the sentiments of
Kashmiris. People in Jammu are taken
completely far granted and it was a
manifestation of this tendency that
after a brief protest in Kashmir, the
government of the day succumbed and
rolled back the land allotment order.
We have had enough of such discrimi-
natory decisions and this time we
decided to resist.
Ok. What you got from the
government (two-month
temporary use of land purely for
pilgrimage days) was something
offered to you at the very outset of
agitation. What did the two-month
long agitation achieve? Please see
this question in the larger context
of what you call as collective rights
of the people of Jammu region.
Well (after a long pause), our
core issue was the protest against
interference in our religious affairs
which we got settled down. Other
issues constitute a continuous
process and it is long way to achieve
justice for Jammu region. However,
the major achievement (besides
temple land issue) was that we were
successful in internationalizing the
cause of Jammu.
Internationalizing the cause of
Jammu? Please elaborate.
In the Indian and international
context Jammu and Kashmir is debated
and discussed only for 'Kashmir'. Jammu
has its own history, culture and issue
which were never taken note of in
media and political circles. You must
have seen those days Jammu occupying
the prime time on television channels
and getting banner headings in leading
J A MM U
national newspapers. The agitation
educated the entire country on issues of
Jammu region.
You remember, during the days of
agitation people blocked entry of
National Conference leader Dr Farooq
Abdullah and Peoples Democratic
Party leader Mehbooba Mufti to the
town they were under a virtual siege
at the airport for several hours before
being escorted under heavy security
to the airport. Thousands of meters of
I have suffered huge personal
monetary losses during agitation
and later in elections. Right now I
am busy in making up losses,
getting back to my clients and
pleasing their cases in the court.
But yes, let me admit that I often
feel isolated among the politicians
who have their personal interests
supreme.
cloth were burnt in the effigies of
Omar Abdullah for his speech in
Parliament. But just a week after
agitation was over Omar was brought
in long procession of enthusiast
supporters to his party office and
almost same was the reception
accorded to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
on his arrival to Jammu. They were
welcomed in the same town of Jammu
as heroes. How this turnaround?
See, this is the basis misfortune of
Jammu. Our political leaders are
Epilogue Ø
48 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row
dishonest to their people. These
Kashmiri leaders are chronic enemies of
Jammu but they still get warm
receptions because political leaders of
different parties have their own vested
interests.
But sir, you had emerged as the
popular leader during agitation and
your supporters would often call you
as Gandhi of Jammu. You owe an
answer for going into hibernation.
Why do you blame other leaders when
you emerged as the most popular
leader yourself?
I am not in any hibernation. You
must understand that I am a
professional. I am a lawyer by
profession and that is how I earn my
bread and butter. I have hundreds of
clients who trust me. They suffered
during agitation. Immediately after
agitation I got back to my
professional work and respond to my
clients. That is my basic engagement
and I can not compromise there.
During agitation, you would
always vociferously assert that you
have nothing to do with politics and
will never join active politics. But it
did not take much long for you to
cross the fence. What brought you
to the electoral politics that you
contested Lok Sabha elections on
BJP ticket?
I have always been of the opinion
that issues can be resolved only when
they are raised at appropriate
platforms. The leaders of Jammu mostly
watched their own interests and never
talked about issue of the region. I had
espoused a cause that I will take Jammu
issues to the Parliament to seek their
redress. The central leadership of BJP
also felt that I am the right choice for
the job.

But this decision was strongly
resisted by the local leadership of
Jammu.
Yes there were some elements
with narrow approach but the central
leadership was convinced about me.
You lost election by huge margin
of 1.22 lakh votes. That is a
significant margin. It was no direct
contest by any means. Months before
the elections you were the leader
of masses; somebody who
mobilized lakhs of people. Then in
electoral politics, people did not
fully trust you. What happened?
Your assessment is wrong and I
don't agree with this. The ruling
establishment deleted more than
1.5 lakh votes, particularly in
regions of Rajouri and Poonch who
were believed to be my supporters.
Had that not happened, I would
have won the elections by a margin
of at least 30,000 votes. Then there
were two other factors –I did not
have the kind of money to face
elections and BJP's local cadre did
not fully support me.
Well, according to you your
loss in elections comes as loss of
Jammu but there are ways of
taking up public issues even if you
are not an elected representative.
For example, Jammu is once again
agitating on the location of Central
University as many believe that it is
being established in Kashmir;
recently the Union Environment
Minister announced a funding of Rs
1700 Crores for preservation of
famous lakes in Kashmir but there
was no mention of important water
bodies in Jammu region. These
issues are being seen in Jammu as
fresh onslaught of discrimination
J A MM U
against region. We have not heard
anything from you.
See, on the issue of Central
University our people are agitating in
their own way. As far exclusion of
Jammu from water bodies
conservation plan is concerned, I am
not aware of that. I could not see many
of the newspapers recently and am
hearing this first time from you. I will
issue a statement on this very soon.
I am not in any hibernation.
You must understand that I
am a professional. I am a
lawyer by profession and that
is how I earn my bread and
butter. I have hundreds of
clients who trust me. They
suffered during agitation.
Immediately after agitation I
got back to my professional
work and respond to my
clients. That is my basic
engagement and I can not
compromise there.
You are no more with Shri
Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti and
have never been seen at the BJP
headquarters or at any official
functions of the party after
elections. Don't you feel that a year
after agitation you stand completely
isolated?
I am no more a convener of the
Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti
but I continue to be its member and
have often been attending meetings.
Epilogue Ø
49 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row
Well, it is true that I have not been
visiting the BJP office or attending
many of the functions because politics
is a different game. I told you earlier
that my basis engagement is my legal
profession where currently I am
devoting my time. I have suffered huge
personal monetary losses during
agitation and later in elections. Right
now I am busy in making up losses,
getting back to my clients and pleasing
their cases in the court. But yes, let
me admit that I often feel isolated
among the politicians who have their
personal interests supreme.
That is not fair sir. You have a
mandate of 2.5 lakh people of four
districts who voted for you in Lok
Sabha elections. You could not reach
the Parliament but you are a
representative of 2.5 lakh people.
We have not seen you even on the
thanks giving tour.
Let me correct you. I thanked my
voters through statement in the press
and the local television channels.
But sir do you think people
would have voted for you if you had
sought votes by a request through
the press. We saw you reaching out
to all areas across four districts.
Look I have told you twice earlier
that for being active in politics one
needs a lot of infrastructure and
money. You can well understand that
one needs at least a good vehicle to
reach out to these far flung areas.
Neither have I had the kind of money
nor the infrastructure to do that. But
that does not mean that I am keeping
myself completely away from people.
I am doing whatever is possible for
me. Recently I have been to Chhamb
sector (some 40 kilometers from
Jammu City) to thank the people who
voted for me.

OPINION
Needed Soul Searching
Life After Sangarsh 2008
KAPIL SHARMA
I
magine what was happening these
days last year. Emotions of
Jammuites were at the peak. I have
not seen freedom struggle but I am sure
that the feelings and sentiments if not
greater but must have been at par. What
has happened now situation or feelings
it now are just like a deflated balloon.
We have forgotten every thing so fast.
Where that energy has gone? Has any
body thought what was the real issue ?
You think that piece of land, well I
strongly contradict that. We all know
what is the real problem. I have failed
to understand why no body is airing the
real issue openly and bravely. I firmly
believe in the thought – “Be Bold in
What You Stand For.” Yes, the real issue
is suppression of Jammu and
Jammuties. Don't you think so. My dear
friends land now was not the disease but
was jus a symptom. Last year only the
symptom was treated but the disease is
still there. What we got in the solutions
of land deal was a symptomatic relief.
Disease is still not cured. Even at that
time no body talked about permanent
discriminations with Jammu and even
today we are sleeping over things.
Ours is the story of two siblings.
One sibling has never recognized or
respected his/her mother, has always
been on war path with its own family,
has always admired or respected the
neighbour's mother still the real mother
has always prepared or given everything
to this sibling. His all the demands are
listened with due care accepted or not
accepted is different issue. On the
other hand is this second sibling who has
J A MM U
always remained obedient and humble
to his mother, has always accepted all
the orders or commands of mother with
no fuss at all. Look at the irony the
mother has never thought. This child is
ailing. This child is not well at all. Elder
brother is not taking care of the younger
one and mother has no time or intention
to take care of this ailing child. Why is it
so? The reason is, younger child does not
cry and remember mother feeds only
when the baby cries.
Problem with us is that we think
everything will happen on its own or
why should I do any thing. It's not my
problem. But then will bell the cat. Two
generations have gone and they did
nothing; ours is the third generation
which has taken this discrimination lying
down. Do you want our children should
also suffer because we are sleeping.
Do you remember these names –
Mr. Brij Mohan, Mr. Gulshan Honda and
Mr. Subash . No even I was made to do
some search to get thee names. These
people are our martyrs. (Shheed of
Jammu). These boys sacrificed their
lives on September 16, 1966 for the
cause of Jammu. It was their sacrifice
because of which we have Agricultural
University at R.S.Pura. If this is the
respect we carry for our Martyrs then
we deserve what we are today (Please
pardon me if I am getting too harsh)
There is a talk of creation of some
new State in India.There is no Jammu in
that list and why Jammu's name should
be there? Who has asked for it ? No body.
That shows we have not even started
our struggle. It takes ages for such
Epilogue Ø
50 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row
struggles to conclude. People of Jammu
are contented with the licences of B.Ed
Colleges, Bars and Liquor Shops. This is
not an anti-national or criminal demand.
Constitution of India very well permits
this. New state had been created in the
past and will be created in future as well.
Till the time it does not happen we the
people of Jammu will keep as cribbing
whenever we see the lists of P.S.C., S.S.B.
entrance examinations etc.
I have got nothing to do with BJP,
Congress, PDP or NC etc. I am a common
man like everybody. I want the answer
from all the common people of Jammu.
Was last year's Sangarsh a fluke. Do your
think there was no spine or bone in the
our struggle. If your answer is no then
why Jammu centric people were
defeated. My pointer is towards defeat
of Ms. Shilpi Verma in Assembly
elections and Mr. Lila Karan Sharma in
Parliamentary Elections. Again I would
like to highlight I have nothing to do
with any political party. Their defeat
has given the strength to the thought of
struggle of proverbeat two and half
districts. Such ideas got weightage
because we the people of Jammu are
reluctant to come out of the confronts
of our bedrooms and drawing rooms.
Come on friends, if we really think some
thing is got to be done then keep hand
on your hearts and do some soul
searching and do something for coming
generations. Please think over it.
Author is a doctor at Acharya
Shri Chander College of Medical
Science (ASCOMS) Hospital. Views
expressed here are his personal.
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row

Kashmir's Democratic
Catharsis
RIYAZ WANI

Local elections in the restive Indian state have reshaped Kashmir's landscape of conflict In the summer of 2008,
Indian Kashmir reverberated with the groundswell of protest. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the
streets, heeding the call of the separatist conglomerate, the Hurriyat Conference. This was the first time after
the initial years of two decades of armed conflict that Kashmiris reverted to the method of peaceful political
agitation, loudly turning their backs on the gun. (The immediate provocation for the protest was the transfer of
state land to a Hindu trust which facilitates the annual pilgrimage to the ancient shrine of Shri Amarnath in the
Himalayas. The decision stirred the deep local suspicion of a larger design to undermine the Islamic character of
the troubled, Muslim-majority Valley of Kashmir.)
To handle the protests, the state government took recourse to curfews and stringent security measures,
which shut the Valley down for almost three months. Yet the most effective way of dealing with the protests -
and the underlying mistrust of New Delhi that they stemmed from - was not through the baton but the ballot.
Elections for the state assembly in December 2008 were revelatory.
Initially, observers feared the worst for the polls. Major regional pro-New Delhi parties like National
Conference (NC - the opposition party at the time), People's Democratic Party (PDP - the then ruling party) and
the Congress itself (India's ruling party) squared up for a tough electoral battle. But the seething "separatist"
summer seemed to have driven these establishment and more conciliatory parties to the fringes of the Valley's
political landscape. Hurriyat, which saw the state polls as designed to strengthen India's "occupation" of
Kashmir, called for the boycott of the exercise. In the lead up to the vote on 17 November, it seemed that the
force of recent popular protest would leave the polling booths relatively empty. Instead, turnout shocked
everybody. Booth after booth, long waving queues of people waited for hours in the winter chill to cast their
votes. An estimated 63 per cent of voters (around three million out of the 4.8 million eligible voters) cast their
votes, which was by far the highest turnout recorded in the Valley in the past 20 years.

T
he separatists were stunned, as
were most observers of the crisis
in Kashmir, a state in the throes
of secessionist violence since 1989. The
same people who fought the system in
the summer voted for it in the winter.
The struggle against Indian rule had
gone hand-in-hand with participation in
democratic elections, even though the
former and the latter apparently stood
in opposition to each other.
The assembly elections had a
significant discourse-changing effect
within Kashmiri politics. Suddenly,
separatist figures who rode high on the
long summer of discontent were pushed
to the margins of the state's political life
and the pro-India mainstream parties
like NC and PDP hurtled back to centre-
stage (the NC won the plurality of seats,
and formed a coalition government with
the Congress). It goes without saying
that a free and fair election can usher in
profound political transformation in any
society. What's more remarkable is that
the democratic electoral process within
the long-running conflict situation in
Kashmir has proven therapeutic too.
The election in December 2008
isn't the only one that nudged Kashmir
along a different track. In 2002, Kashmir
assembly polls were held in a situation
of unremitting militant violence. The
state was still reeling from the
destabilizing consequences of the short
India-Pakistan war in 1999 over the

Epilogue Ø
51 ×
September 2009

Kargil heights. The continuing
insurgency inside Kashmir intensified
with fidayeen attacks and suicide
bombs becoming routine. But the
election in 2002 - which was the first
cleanly-held exercise in the state's
entire democratic history - made a
significant, redeeming difference. In a
spectacular change in its Kashmir
strategy, New Delhi finally agreed to
hold a free and fair election in the state
as an effort to both clear its name of
past wrong-doing and to undermine the
ideology and popularity of the
separatists.
Democratic processes in Kashmir
at the time lacked all credibility.
Successive elections in the state had
been rigged to suit New Delhi's chosen
allies and political outfits. In 1987, the
ruling NC was allowed to manipulate the
election in its favour when all
indications pointed towards the
triumph of Muslim United Front, an
J A MM U
alliance of largely religious parties led
by the Jamaat-i-Islami. The same
practice was followed in 1996, when the
Indian army coerced people to vote to
boost the turnout in what remained a
mostly boycotted election, with less
than 20 percent of eligible Kashmiris
voting. All the polls from 1953 through
1975 also share in this history of
manipulation, with local governments
being imposed and dismissed at the will
of the Indian government. Such a rich
tradition of orchestrating from New
Delhi sparked the outrage that fed into
a violent secessionist movement in 1989
(which was only abetted and
transformed into a more Islamist
insurgency later in the 1990s with the
spill-over of Afghanistan-hardened
mujahideen fighters after the triumph
of the Taliban).
Yet the effect of the 2002 polls was
striking. The election for the first time
dislodged the NC and ended its fifty
Epilogue Ø
52 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row
Azadi agitation, Kashmir, August 2008
year-old monopoly over Kashmir. And
the beneficiary of this urge for change
was the PDP - then just six years old - led
by a former home minister of India,
Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. The result
was cathartic for the long pent up
democratic aspirations in Valley. The
realization that Kashmiris could
actually change governments through
the ballot gave the otherwise alienated
people a fresh stake in the system.
Everybody in the Valley expected the NC
to ride back to power on New Delhi's
support. But relatively high turnout (44
percent) set in motion a sea change in
Kashmiri politics.
While the verdict of the election
came as a relief to Kashmiris, it was
something of the opposite for many
politicians. Realizing that political
power in Kashmir was now flowing from
the people rather than from the will of
New Delhi, politicians had to become
more responsive to local issues and

aspirations. Political parties which until
now exclusively represented New Delhi
's interests in Kashmir began to better
accommodate the Valley's grassroots
discourse. The PDP, which was part of a
six year rotational coalition government
with Congress, focused on improving
governance and security while deftly
straddling the Valley's mainstream-
separatist political divide.
The separatist strand, as embodied
by the likes of the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat
Conference, remained important within
Kashmir's political landscape. But pro-
India mainstream parties, particularly
PDP, made deep inroads for the first
time into undermining the political
appeal of the separatists. They
incorporated much of the agenda of the
separatists, but stopped well short of
the conventional rhetoric that calls for
independence from India. PDP was in
the forefront of this new politics,
criticising the much-loathed Armed
J A MM U
Assembly elections, Kashmir, November 2009
Forces Special Powers Act, seeking a
reduction in the security presence of
the state and demanding an acceptable
settlement between India and Pakistan
over Kashmir. The reconfigured
platforms found resonance with
Kashmiris, and helped consolidated a
mainstream mass base in the state.
PDP rule resulted in the rise of a
representative political mainstream
with strong indigenous moorings, that
responded to local discussion and
debate and helped dissipate the
accumulated public anger which
decades of political stonewalling had
created. The party worked to make the
security forces more accountable for
their treatment of civilians. It also
reined in the dreaded "Special
Operation Group" of the Kashmir police
which was responsible for gross human
rights violations in the state. It released
a number of detained separatists as part
of its "Healing Touch" policy. Under the
Epilogue Ø
53 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row
weight of increasing democratization
within Kashmir, the hardline positions of
several separatist parties began to
crumble. Unnerved by the resurrected
relevance of the mainstream parties,
separatists have steadily moved
towards a more pragmatic articulation
of their demands.
It has become increasingly
common to hear talk of flexible
solutions to the Kashmir crisis, which
accommodate changing global realities
(including India's rise on the
international stage and Islamabad's
growing willingness to compromise on
Kashmir ). And one major separatist
Sajjad Lone, hoping to remain relevant,
controversially decided to enter
electoral politics, unsuccessfully
contesting in the recent national
parliamentary election.
The past seven years of the
democratic experience in Kashmir -
albeit still flawed in many respects -
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Year After Land Row

encourages the belief that an
environment of conflict and division
can be improved if a democratic
outlet is made available.
Democratic processes may not
overhaul the fundamental crisis or
counter the daily motions of
insurgency and repression, but they
have more subtly softened the
sources of discord, tempering their
intensity. In India's case, Kashmir
may not be the only example of the
utility of democracy within conflict.
Seventeen years ago, an election in
Punjab - the western Indian state
that endured an armed, separatist
Sikh campaign through the 1980s -
made a substantial difference to the
affairs of the troubled state.
This change was duly noted in the
contemporary readings of the poll, and
a parallel was forged. As Sumeet
Ganguly writes in Crisis in Kashmir, "The
(Punjab) state elections of 1992, which
followed five years of insurgency and
direct rule from New Delhi , resulted in
extremely low voter turnout but did
bring to power a legally constituted
government. The subsequent local
elections produced extra-ordinarily
high turnouts - more than 80 per cent of
the eligible voters". This is a trajectory
that emerged in Kashmir too, with the
middling turnout in 2002 polls leading to
more than 60 per cent polling in the
2008 assembly polls. A democratic
process that has generally made right
and responsive noises, delivered on
broad parameters of governance - no
doubt with some glaring failures now
and then - has simultaneously engaged
and battled the separatist discourse.
This has even caused the separatists to
begin to find their own democratic
moorings and appreciate the new
ground realities. Now it is incumbent
upon India and Pakistan, the state
stakeholders in the conflict, to build on
these developments and pursue a
meaningful settlement.
(Courtesy : Open Democracy)

NATIONAL MEDIA FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAMME 2009-10

15th
Giving Print to the Unheart
FOR PRINT AND PHOTO JOURNALIST

The National Foundation for India has a media fellowship Programme for mid-career journalists to research and publish
articles and photo essays on a wide range of issues of importance to ordinary Indians, their battle for a better life and
covering diverse aspects of gender, social justice and development related issues. This includes Community Health,
Elementary Education, Livelihood Security, Local Governance and Peace & Justice.
In addition, fellowships are also awarded to print and photo journalists interest in covering issues of distress seasonal
migration and food security, child malnutrition and women’s health.
The fellowship amounts to Rs. 1,00,000/- each. Women journalists and stringers from small local newspapers are
encouraged to apply.
The last date for receipt of application is October 15th, 2009

For more information and application guidelines contact

Hkkjrh; izfr’Bku
NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INDIA
National Media Fellowships
NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR INDIA
Core 4A, UG Floor, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi 110 003
Phone : 91-11-2464 1864/65, 2464 8490/92, Fax : 91-11-2464 1867
Email : info@nfi.org.in, mandirakalaan@nfi.org.in, Website : www.nfi.org.in

National Foundation for India is a professional, independent India grant making and fundraising body, helping people
improve their own lives. It supports partners who look for innovative solutions to complex development and social
problems in poor, remote and challenging parts of the country.

Epilogue Ø
54 ×
September 2009
 J A MM U
Game is Lost for Now as
‘Divided we Always Fall’
ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
An age old adage 'united we stand and divided we fall' is something taught to the school children in the
early primary classes with a pictorial graphic of a bundle of sticks. The tender buds are quick to understand
the logic of staying united but in Jammu and Kashmir even generations do not understand this simple
ground rule. Divided, as the peoples are on regional lines between Kashmir and Jammu, they are suffering
losses but are still not ready to unite for common causes.
E stablishment of two world-class
premiere institutions of higher
learning –the Central University
and Indian Institute of Management –are
two fresh cases where the narrow
division between regions is coming to
sheer disadvantage of the peoples of
Jammu and Kashmir. Based on the
recommendations of the Knowledge
Commission and out of award of the
Eleventh Finance Commission, the
Government of India (UPA-I) sanctioned
15 new Central Universities and 7 new
Indian Institutes of Management to
come up at different places in the
country. In a historic decision, of course
with the efforts of then Chief Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jammu and Kashmir
was bestowed upon by one each such
institution. Indeed, not a small
achievement for the state. Though in
matters of faculty recruitment and
admission of students, the CU and IIM
are open to a countrywide jurisdiction
but their coming up in any region brings
added advantages of changing mindset
of the peoples. Therefore, the sanction
of such prestigious institutions for J&K
can be described as best thing to have
happened to the state in many decades.
The problem in Jammu and
Kashmir is, however, entirely different.
Epilogue Ø
55 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Locating CU, IIM
People are more concerned over where
these institutions are located than what
they deliver and how soon they come
up. Unfortunately the line of division
between Kashmir and Jammu regions is
such an arduous and treacherous high
mountain that vehicles have to
exchange sides via an underneath 2.4
kilometers long tunnel –nothing can be
situated atop this mountain to do an
equitable justice between Kashmir and
Jammu and people in one region will
immediately point out injustice if
anything comes up first on the other
side. Resolving this crisis is always a
major strategic challenge for the
political establishment. Soon after CU
and IIM were announced for J&K, it was
given to understand by then Chief
Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that CU shall
come up in Jammu and IIM in Kashmir.
The announcement was welcomed in
both regions though with some
reservations. As the process of
establishing CU rolled out, the state
government, for its pre-occupations
elsewhere, delayed identification of
land for the purpose and in the
meanwhile the Union Human Resource
Ministry appointed a Vice Chancellor of
Kashmir accent and ethnicity. The
founder VC Prof Abdul Wahid, as a
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Locating CU, IIM

The demand of establishment of Central University in Jammu

has been made by the leaders of the ongoing agitation to
completely look like Hindu-centric and City-centric. Majority
of the leaders spearheading agitation have their well known
RSS affiliations and the Central University Andolan Samiti
(CUAS) was until recently headquartered at a building in
Jammu that is called Geeta Bhawan, which also houses offices
of right wing Hindu organizations like Bajrang Dal and
Vishva Hindu Parishad. There is no Muslim representative in
Paviter Singh, the CUAS, particularly from the Muslim dominated four of
a retired Judge,
is Convenor of CUAS.
the ten districts in Jammu region

matter of his convenience, set up a
small establishment office in Srinagar
City to initiate some work on the
University. That was enough an
indicator for the CU-watchers in Jammu
that the campus is now coming up in
Kashmir and thus begins the agitation.
The state government has, so far,
neither clarified nor denied as where it
wants to see the Central University to
come up even as much on this account
has to be decided by the HRD Ministry of
India. There is an obvious reason for
state government's silence on the issue.
Keeping two regions pitted against each
other helps the coalition partners
strengthening their constituencies
–National Conference in Kashmir and
Congress in Jammu.
On locating the campuses of CU
and IIM, people in Jammu region have a
sound argument and a completely
flawed approach. The argument is:
name any institution worth naming
–Jammu and Kashmir University,
Agriculture University, Sher-e-Kashmir
Institute of Medical Sciences (a deemed
University of repute), NIIT (also a
deemed University), Engineering
College –all first came up in Kashmir.
Jammu region got its first main
University and Agriculture University
years after these were established in
Kashmir. SKIMS and NIIT are exclusive
privileges of Kashmir alone. “Hell is not
going to break loose if newly sanctioned
Central University is located in Jammu
or if first allowed to come up in Jammu
and a similar institute is then
established in Kashmir”, is the common
argument in Jammu and is largely valid
for justice to regional aspirations. The
approach with which this matter is
pursued is grossly wrong and a typical
reflective of Jammu's many failures in
the past despite massive agitations. The
demand of establishment of Central
University in Jammu has been made by
the leaders of the ongoing agitation to
completely look like Hindu-centric and
City-centric. Majority of the leaders
spearheading agitation have their well
known RSS affiliations and the Central
University Andolan Samiti (CUAS) was
until recently headquartered at a
building in Jammu that is called Geeta
Bhawan, which also houses offices of
right wing Hindu organizations like
Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad.
There is no Muslim representative in the
CUAS, particularly from the Muslim
dominated four of the ten districts in
Jammu region. Therefore, even before
Kashmir Valley counters Jammu's
demand for Central University, there is
an advanced and quick reaction from
the districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban,
Rajouri and Poonch. In Doda district
alone as many as 35 educational, social,
political and religious organizations
have come under a single banner to
demand the establishment of Central
University in either of the three districts
–Doda, Kishtwar or Ramban –that form
the so called Chenab Valley region.
Given such character and outlook of
Central University Andolan Samiti, the
demand coming from Jammu City could
have faced a summary rejection at the
very outset if a serious political
question of the survival of Congress
party (a partner in J&K's ruling coalition
was not involved). Congress and BJP are
the traditional competitors in four
Hindu dominated districts of Jammu
region –Jammu, Samba, Kathua and
Udhampur. The Congress feels sitting
idle on the issue it may well further
loose out ground to the BJP in these
districts as it happened during the

Epilogue Ø
56 ×
September 2009

Assembly elections
following last year's
Amarnath land row agitation
when BJP tally shot up from
one to 11 seats in these
districts and Congress lost
eight seats it had won in
2002 elections. Therefore,
the Congress legislators
from Jammu impressed
upon the Chief Minister to
lead a delegation to the
Prime Minister and Human
Resource Development
Minister. The delegation
headed by Omar Abdullah,
indeed, made a stupid
demand: Give us another
Central University –“one for
Jammu and other for
Kashmir”. Though there was
no written reply from
Government of India but the
obvious response is easy to
understand. Till 2008, India
could have only 20 Central
Universities and 15 were
added that year. Is it so
simple to sanction another
for J&K in just one year just
to balance the regional
sentiments?
At a time when UPA-II is
just taking control of things
and is reportedly in process
of making a fresh blueprint
for its Kashmir dialogue
project, the Central
Government appears in no
mood to burn it hands with
the regional fire in Jammu
and Kashmir which is out to
be doused by the state
government. The message is
clear from New Delhi: set
your house in order first and
then lay claim on the CU and
IIM. Leave aside having
another Central University,
J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Locating CU, IIM
Jammu and Kashmir seems to
Therefore, even before Kashmir Valley counters have lost a year even on the
Jammu's demand for Central University, there is an IIM. Latest reports and
inquiries from the CU officials
advanced and quick reaction from the districts of in Srinagar suggest that the
Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Rajouri and Poonch. In HRD Ministry has told the Vice
Doda district alone as many as 35 educational, Chancellor to go slow on the
social, political and religious organizations have project. The Central
come under a single banner to demand the University of J&K has clearly
been put on hold and its
establishment of Central University in either of the scheduled roll out of three
three districts –Doda, Kishtwar or Ramban –that M.Phill faculties –in
form the so called Chenab Valley region I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y,
********** Business Management and
English Literature –have been
Given such character and outlook of Central
s u s p e n d e d . Re c r u i t m e n t
University Andolan Samiti, the demand coming process has too been halted.
from Jammu City could have faced a summary So is the case with IIM. In
rejection at the very outset if a serious political August 27 meeting of the
question of the survival of Congress party (a partner Central Cabinet nod was given
to establishment of seven new
in J&K's ruling coalition was not involved).
IIMs (already announced by
Congress and BJP are the traditional competitors in HRD Ministry on March 29,
four Hindu dominated districts of Jammu region 2008) but three of them –one in
–Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur. The Jammu and Kashmir and two in
Congress feels sitting idle on the issue it may well other states –were put on hold
for next year as the respective
further loose out ground to the BJP in these districts
state government failed to
as it happened during the Assembly elections identify the suitable locations
following last year's Amarnath land row agitation as per parameters set by the
when BJP tally shot up from one to 11 seats in these HRD Ministry. The same day,
districts and Congress lost eight seats it had won in state government told the
Legislative Assembly (currently
2002 elections
in session) that it was for HRD
********** Ministry to finalise the land as
At a time when UPA-II is just taking control of seven locations (three in
things and is reportedly in process of making a fresh Jammu and four in Kashmir)
blueprint for its Kashmir dialogue project, the were under consideration for
both CU and IIM.
Central Government appears in no mood to burn it
Recall the adage “united
hands with the regional fire in Jammu and Kashmir we stand and divided we fall”.
which is out to be doused by the state government. By staying divided for a month,
The message is clear from New Delhi: set your house Jammu and Kashmir has
in order first and then lay claim on the CU and clearly lost an academic year
of CU and IIM. It is to be seen
IIM. Leave aside having another Central
whether people can unite to
University, Jammu and Kashmir seems to have lost finally have both the premiere
a year even on the IIM. institutions, though year(s)
later.
Epilogue Ø
57 ×
September 2009
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Locating CU, IIM

OPINION
CUAS and the Stillborn Wannabes

ANMOL SHARMA

O
nce again the nasty scenes from
the last years Sri Amarnath land
row confrontation are
threatening to re-enact themselves on
the socio-political canvass of our state
of Jammu and Kashmir. The conjecture
here is that the replica of the past in the
shape of Central University Andolan
(CUA) might make the present
panorama of this riyasat even scarier
than the previous land row and tenor of
this new disaster a bit redder.
The 2008's controversy was
attributed to vertically splitting the
people of Jammu-Srinagar, Jammu-
Poonch/Kishtwar into racial and
communal lines but this year it might
fulfill the remaining 'kasar'. The civil
society of Kashmir may descend deep
into their cocoon of isolation and
repugnance for India while the people super mega institutions the with state- Kashmir (CUJK) is naturally going to
of Jammu cry the bogey of of-the-art study hubs, taught by radically transform the place on which
discrimination into a new building international faculties and open to it will sit and educationally as well as
block. national as well international socially it is going to have the same
The biggest tragedy which has undergraduates are going to have on effect which IIT, Delhi or metro had,
compounded the gravity of the scenario each of the selected 15 geographic that eventually changed the face of
is the inconsiderate handling of the locations of India. These Central New Delhi.
issue by the daft politicians from Universities will also support one Now, if we look at the voices
Congress as well as National college each in every district under its emanating from both sides of the
Conference. Some of them are domain. Hence, the colossal magnitude Jawahar Tunnel it becomes quite clear
primarily guilty of propagating of this project in all the terms and easy to understand that everybody
disinformation amongst the masses and imaginable is not difficult to guess. wants CUJK at their respective places.
some of them, secondarily for keep Government of India intends to Reading the two famous dailies
their mouths shut. raise the standard of these universities published from Srinagar and listening to
A very few people in reality know to same level as we already have in the the voices of locals from Jammu makes
what the format and principal idea world famous Jawahar Lal Nehru clear the chasm dividing the two
behind Central University is and what University or Delhi University. The habitations.
kind of ramifications these billion dollar Central University of Jammu and At the same time, both the

Epilogue Ø
58 ×
September 2009

factions are completely off beam.
Article after article in Kashmiri local
dailies is asserting that Jammu already
has a very modern SMVDU, Baba Ghulam
Shah Badshah University, so no need for
one more. But they must also realize
that first university in J&K opened in
Kashmir, first Agricultural University
opened in Kashmir so was the case with
REC, NIT, Islamic University of Science
and Tech in Awantipora and SKIMS is also
a super-specialty Hospital cum
University which is functioning there.
Nothing of that sorts happened first in
Jammu. Is it not?
Moreover, the then Chief Minister
Ghulam Nabi Azad is on record to say
that two more Universities in Kashmir-
an Islamic University funded by various
trusts and foundations and Sharda Peeth
University under the aegis of Sri
Amarnath Shrine Board will be set up
there.
On the other hand, Jammu is
u n n e ce ssa rily a doptin g a ve ry
aggressive posture and many politicians
of the BJP and allied organizations are
adamant and pressuring the CM to shift
the site from Srinagar to Jammu. But
reading sub-section (5) of section 3
makes clear that it is the Central
Government which will select the site of
the Headquarters and they have also to
publish it in the Official Gazette. Also if
Central University Act, 2009 is to be
followed then the Chancellor, VC etc are
to be appointed under section 10, 11
respectively by the “Visitor” i.e., the
President of India herself. Omar is
nowhere at the scene here. So why are
people not told about this.
It is probable that keeping the
masses unaware helps the hardliner and
separatist of Srinagar in the furthering
the alienist agenda in Kashmir and
labeling the government as pro-Kashmir
helps communal forces of Jammu in
their 'I told you so' stance. Every person
of Jammu has cause for concern if the
J A MM U
site for the university was
identified in Samba and
later it was shifted to
Srinagar, but the way they
are protesting is a failed
approach which leads to
confrontation and no body
wins.
The '30-35 years old
and still a student' aka
' Pa p p u s ' o f J a m m u
university who have not
been able to pass their
exams and in any ordinary
day would have still sat
near Sharmaji's canteen or
roamed idly around the
campus are all of sudden
pinching themselves to
see if it is really they who
are coming on local TV
doing press conferences
and the various print-
press interviews. It is also
not a hidden fact that
some of them have serious
criminal charges against
them pending in the Court
of Law. It would not be
surprising to know that
quite few of them might
have even prepared their
s p e e c h e s t o
NDTV/CNNIBN.
Going berserk on
streets, shouting abuses,
damaging public/private
property, demeaning the
Government or the Chief
Minister or for that matter
calling for bandh which
hits the poor badly are all
exercises which were
tried last year and yielded
no good in the end. The
way of protesting which
reciprocates a civilized
society would be to
protest in a decent
Epilogue Ø
59 ×
September 2009
V/S K A S HM I R
Locating CU, IIM
What is a Central University?
While other universities in the country are
established by the State Governments, a Central
University in India is formed by the Government
of India, by an Act of Parliament. The
Government of India is responsible for
arranging, allocating and distributing financial
resources required by the University Grants
Commission (UGC) for the establishment of
Central Universities in India. Currently there are
20 Central Universities functioning in India and
15 others are coming up.
The higher education system in India being
one of the largest in the world, the responsibility
rests on the Central Government to devise
policies with a view to improving the quality of
higher education in the country. Improving the
quality and access of higher education and
research in India has become all the more
important keeping in view the growing need of
qualified human resources in various sectors of
the economy. Therefore it can only be hoped that
there would be more central universities in India
in the immediate future.
Since the State Governments establish and
plan for the colleges and universities in the states
and the Central Government does it for the
Central Universities, it is essential that there is
adequate cooperation between the State
Governments and the Central Government in the
field of higher education. The Central Advisory
Board of Education (CABE) has therefore been
constituted to assist in the functioning of the two
Governments and ensure that parity is
maintained.
The Central Government has also been
empowered by a special act of the Constitution
to maintain a particular standard conducive to
the educational health of the country. The
Central Government lays special emphasis on
research and development carried out in
technical as well as other institutions.
 J A MM U V/S K A S HM I R
Locating CU, IIM

manner. Petitions should be sent to the

President of India who herself is the Some of the special features of Central Universities are -
“Visitor” of the central university and
The President of India acts as the 'Visitor' for all the Central Universities
Ä
all the matter are under her direct
control. Similarly there can be other The President has the power to nominate a few members to the Executive
Ä
modes of protesting which can be Committee/Board of Management/Court/Selection Committees of the
adopted by the students but in all University in terms of the various statutes and provisions laid down in the
respects playing at the hands of the University Act.
conniving politicians would be like The Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) assists the
Ä
fighting a battle which is already lost. President of India in the appointment of Vice Chancellors, Court Nominees
If the bigger picture is to be and Selection Committee Nominees.
comprehended then to a strategic
Analyst of RAW or any department of a could happen. Kashmiris as a matter of that they are becoming more
university observing the fact that a fact are living in a closed environment sophisticated in their thoughts, speak
diehard anti India newspaper is without a touch of outside world in the English and act proficiently in their
encouraging articles which directly sense that they have no opportunity behavior while riding the metro.
demand that a university sponsored, mixing with non-muslims or non- The best deal would be to set up
controlled and financed by the kashmiris. All the time a single thought two CUJK's, one in Jammu and other in
Government of India should be set up in of oppressive India is echoing their Srinagar, and is in consonance with what
Kashmir would definitely make him minds. Mr. Pavitar Singh of CUAS said in one
jump from his chair. It would be a great If they can come out of their newspaper “…Government should first
strategic win for India if such a thing slumber and realize that any establish the already sanctioned
ordinary civilian in UP, Central University at Samba and then
Existing CUs Punjab etc is also the victim explore the possibility of having Central
Ä Aligarh Muslim University of the rotten system then University at Kashmir.”
perhaps they can start This makes nobody feel neglected
Ä Assam University
identifying themselves with and economy of the both the regions
Ä Banaras Hindu University
others too. This world class gets a sonic boost.
Ä Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University university will also bring with New Cus coming up in : Bihar,
Ä English and Foreign Languages University it students and teachers Gujarat, Haryana, HP, Jharkhand,
Ä Indraprastha University from different parts of India Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Punjab,
Ä Jamia Millia Islamia University and world, it will also bring Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and J&K.
Ä Manipur University great exposure and open the The author, is lawyer by
Ä Maulana Azad National Urdu University minds that will make the education and practice is a
Ä Delhi University local students of Kashmir dispassionate commentator also.
understand different
Ä Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi
viewpoints. It would not be a
Vishwavidyalaya
churlish to say that it might
Ä Mizoram University to do India what East India
Ä Nagaland University Co. did to UK but in a good
Ä North Eastern Hill University sense of regaining the lost
Ä Pondicherry University faith of Kashmiris.
Ä Tezpur University Just like one professor
Ä University of Allahabad of Columbia University did a
Ä University of Hyderabad research on Metro of New
Ä Visva-Bharati University Delhi and he described in
great detail how the metro is
Ä Jawaharlal Nehru University
effecting change in the
mindsets of Delhiites and

Epilogue Ø
60 ×
September 2009
 F EATURE S
Changpas of Ladakh

Changpa Tribe’s Identity,

Way of Life Under Threat
TASHI MORUP

Tribal communities all over the world are now being acknowledged as playing a crucial role in sustaining natural
resources and protecting the environment. This is simply because unlike urban centers or even agrarian
communities, they live off the produce that nature provides and not cultivated. The fishing communities, forest
dwellers or adivasis, the nomads, the herdsmen all play a role in upholding a way of life that does not strip the
environment of its regenerative power. This, however, is under severe challenge for Changpas of Ladakh where
an enlightened governance is needed to prevent degeneration of a robust mountainous community.

I n Ladakh's portion of the Tibetan

Plateau where temperatures in
winter plunge to a sub-zero and the
bare mountainous terrain makes any
movement difficult, the nomadic
inhabitants, the Changpas represent a
unique way of life. Over hundreds of
years, this has allowed them to meet
the challenge of survival through the
institution of 'polyandrous' and not the
more conventional 'monogamous'
marriages.
The children are borne out of
wedlock between one child-bearing
woman and several men, all brothers,
the most famous historical example
being Draupadi. In Ladakh, these many
Draupadis are in a sense the core
strength of the Changpas each family
which owns a large herd of livestock
including sheep, goats, yaks and horses,
which they graze on the vast
mountainous expanse of the Chang- tightly knit together to meet the sustain their levels of income from the
thang. This involves moving the animals challenge. sale of wool and of animals for meat,
throughout the year across a variety of However sparse pastures of low which is becoming insufficient to meet
grazing areas and requires efficient nutritive value prevent families from family needs. What is at stake here is
management and high levels of increasing herd size while the family the traditional practice of polyandry
cooperation between family members. size relying on livestock has grow. This among the Changpa, which has been of
The rugged terrain, limited pastures has led to competition among the significant and practical economic
and winter chill makes the family unit families for animal grazing space to importance. Through this it has been

Epilogue Ø
61 ×
September 2009

possible for single families to sustain
large herds of livestock, requiring as
they do, extensive manpower for their
control. It has also been a very practical
way of restricting population growth.
The break-down of such joint
families due to increasingly
monogamous marriages, has not only
resulted in a considerable increase in
the population, but has left the new
nuclear families lacking
sufficient manpower to
efficiently deal with their
livestock, which can range from
200 to 500 head per family.
Whilst families in other herding
societies might turn to
employing additional help, the
economic circumstances of life
on the Chang-thang do not
permit what for these families
would be an impossible luxury.
According to an official in
the Leh District land records
office, revenue record indicate
that the initial number of only
eight households in Kharnak has
now increased to 93. According
to the 1993 census carried out
by the Leh Nutrition Project
(LNP), the community at that
time consisted of 67 families,
indicating an increase of 26
families in just a decade. As the
culture of polyandry declines,
more families are splitting up
with the men finding wives.
Even in normal times, the few
surviving families are stretched to their
limits in just dealing with day-to-day
life. This gets exacerbated during
crises like illness and brings to fore, the
abominable state of health facilities for
this brave and robust community. 25
year old Dolma Chondol and her monk
brother Jigmet Chonjor, age 21 years
belong to a smaller polyandrous family.
They take turns grazing the young goats
and sheep on alternate days. The two
fathers Phuntsog and Delden, likewise
take turns in grazing the 'demos' or
female yaks, while mother Skalzang
looks after the home. The whole
household was completely thrown out
of gear when after a long illness
Phuntsog lost the use of his legs. Deldan
then walked for several days across the from
What is at stake here is the traditional
practice of polyandry among the Changpa,
which has been of significant and practical
economic importance. Through this it has
been possible for single families to sustain
large herds of livestock, requiring as they do,
extensive manpower for their control. It has
also been a very practical way of restricting
population growth. The break-down of such
joint families due to increasingly
monogamous marriages, has not only resulted
in a considerable increase in the population,
but has left the new nuclear families lacking
sufficient manpower to efficiently deal with
their livestock, which can range from 200 to
500 head per family.
snowbound Chang-thang and over the
5,600m Taglang-la to reach Leh for
help. An army rescue helicopter went
out to find Phuntsog, and ferried him to
Leh where he was hospitalised for several
months. This small unit was able to
survive Phuntsog's absence by somehow
pitching in to collectively share his tasks. shame if we let such a proud and robust
Others have not been so lucky.
Sanghe Palzang (43) in Kharnak was
struck with paralysis for three years and
his wife Ishey Dolma suffered pre-
Epilogue Ø
62 ×
September 2009
F EATURE S
Changpas of Ladakh
mature deliveries. Due to timely
medical help at a hospital in Leh, a
fourth child survived. During this period
of illness the family had no one to look
after its livestock, resulting in Sanghe
losing his yaks and horses to wolves.
He among many of the other Changpa
who have left the Chang-thang, has
been reduced to buying raw goatskins
butchers in Leh, instead of
shearing his own animals. From
a proud owner of livestock in a
region where his ancestors
roamed, he has to work as a day
labourer to feed his small
family of three and to send his
10-year -old son to school.
Tribal communities all
over the world are now being
acknowledged as playing a
crucial role in sustaining
natural resources and
protecting the environment.
This is simply because unlike
urban centers or even agrarian
communities, they live off the
produce that nature provides
and not cultivated. The fishing
communities, forest dwellers
or adivasis, the nomads, the
herdsmen all play a role in
upholding a way of life that
does not strip the environment
of its regenerative power.
This needs to be
respected and they need a
guiding hand to steer them and if
necessary steady them amidst the
inevitable winds of change in social,
economic and environmental processes
that affect them. This necessarily needs
enlightened governance. It would be a
mountainous community degenerate
into a compromised existence on the
fringes of society.
Charkha Features
 F EATURE S
Changpas of Ladakh

The Fur Traders and

The Lost Avenues
BINISH GULZAR & SYED RAKSHANDA SUMAN

Kashmir has a place of its own in the Fur trade before it was banned in 1978 rendering hundreds of
artisans jobless. The next best thing the furries could have done was the leather work which too is
dying due to official apathy.

A
s we strolled along the Abi-Guzar
bund on the bank of river Jhelum
we caught a glimpse of a shop -
“Fine Art Furriers”. This struck us as
strange since we know that Fur has been
banned a long time back under the Wild
Life Protection Act 1978. The term
'furriers' clearly applies to a person or
organisation, which sources, and
markets furs In the current context,
how was it possible that such a shop
exists in Kashmir? Peeping through the
window pane what we see is a
septuagenarian man stitching a leather
coat, his frail hands moving effortlessly
over the garment. A while later we are
in conversation with this old man who
uncannily seems has been waiting for
many years for us to come, to share his
woes.
Gulam Hassan Pandit, with a frown
on his face and a stiffening of his body
initially hesitates to speak to us. It
almost seems as if he feels betrayed.
The first thing that he tells us is that
many people have interviewed him in yearning for a time when life was full of the name of the shop he says , “The shop
the past but his words and feelings have hope. The fur jackets hanging around has a history of more than 98 years and
always been misrepresented. are the testimonial of the fact that this that the name was given almost 51 years
Glancing round the shop, we see old man has dealt with fur business, back, when the fur business existed.”
that the shop is quite messy, with the which has all but closed down. After the prohibition on Fur, he has now
leather jackets scattered all over the While there is a hesitancy to open taken to the leather business which
floor, the walls are cracked and a dirty up, there also is an eagerness to talk, though has not showed any progress in
mannequin dressed gorgeously in long share his experiences. Responding Jammu & Kashmir. The reasons are
fur jacket. There is pathos in the air, a quickly to a spontaneous question about manifold. According to the statistics,

Epilogue Ø
63 ×
September 2009

Kashmir Leather Industry has a
potential to generate revenue of $ 1
billion, annually, but unfortunately this
industry is losing its niche. Says Gulam
Hassan, “Since we don't have leather
factories here, we have to import the
raw material from Chennai and other
states of country at a very high cost
every year”. Therefore, the
production of the leather
products has reached its
minimum level. Our artisans are
famous all around the globe, the
reason being that most of our
products are handmade and
foreigners in large numbers are
attracted to these. He informs us
that more than 5000 Kashmiri
artisans are working with various
leather industries outside J&K
because of their proven superior
craftsmanship. After a long pause
he says “If they can generate
value for the whole country, why
not for our own state,
Government is doing nothing for
us”. Because of the neglect by the
state government, the industry
loses billions every year.
Warming up to the subject,
he tells us that sheep leather is
the highest quality leather and
because of its climatic conditions
Kashmir provides one of the best
environments for this leather.
Expanding on the theme, he goes
on to say that since Kashmiris
consume meat voraciously and
statistics reveals that on an average 3.5
million sheep and goat are slaughtered
annually for our consumption, the skin
can be utilised for production of leather
provided there are tanneries. The
absence of tanneries is pushing the
artisans to work outside the state and
traders to seel the skins as throw away
prices.
The absence of a tannery in
Kashmir however pushes up the
production costs and on the other hand
forces local artisans and traders to sell shift to other states to earn their
these products at a very low price to
traders outside the state.
Environmentalists have always been
against setting up tanneries in Kashmir, dealt with fur had to abandon the work
as it produces highly toxic effluents.
Leather Industry has a potential to
generate revenue of $ 1 billion, annually,
but unfortunately this industry is losing its
niche.
*******
More than 5000 Kashmiri artisans are
working with various leather industries
outside J&K because of their proven
superior craftsmanship.
*******
Since Kashmiris consume meat voraciously
and statistics reveals that on an average
3.5 million sheep and goat are slaughtered
annually for our consumption, the skin can
be utilised for production of leather
provided there are tanneries. The absence
of tanneries is pushing the artisans to
work outside the state and traders to seel
the skins as throw away prices.
The answer to this could have come
from the Government, which is not
showing any interest in setting of an ETP environment. The leather business does
(Effluent Treatment Plant). This could
have solved the problem and pacified
the green lobby.
Tired of the official apathy, many
aspiring businessmen have already
given up and many like trader,
Mehrajuddin who used to have his own
Epilogue Ø
64 ×
September 2009
F EATURE S
Changpas of Ladakh
leather shop has already taken up a new
business. Few of them have begun to
livelihood. There are several others
with a similar tale like Gulam Hassan
and Mehrajuddin. All the people who
in the wake of the ban imposed by the
government. Sadly those who
took to the leather business may
have to leave it in the light of
government apathy. An industry
that is well suited to the region
and could provide livelihoods to
thousands within Kashmir is
gradually being snuffed out.
If the leather industry has
shown the potential to generate
huge revenue annually for the
state's economy, then what is
stopping the government to
revive and boost this home-
grown industry? Why is it only
concerned with the raging
political issues and controversies
and turning a blind eye to the
developmental needs of the
people? With an environment for
the raw material already in place
and a pool of local craftsmen and
traders, it needs to take the step
to set up tanneries here so that
entrepreneurs like Gulam Hassan
and others of his ilk do not need
to waste their resources at
sourcing leather from other
states at a high price. The fur
industry is long gone, a relic of
the past, one that is clearly out of sync
with current thought on society and
not carry this burden and can grow into
a profitable activity for many Kashmiris.
The onus is squarely on the government
so that a promising industry like the
leather business does not sink into
atrophy.
Charkha Features

Kashmir ki kali...
bruised and shattered
MANISHA SOBHRAJANI
Author is a Delhi-based independent
researcher working on the various
aspects of the Kashmir conflict. She
can be reached at
manishasobhrajani@epilogue.in)
T he more-than 60-years-old tug of
war between India and Pakistan
over the mountain state of
Jammu & Kashmir has resulted in
tremendous destruction, preventing
both countries from realising their full
socio-economic and political potential.
Other than the loss of human lives, the
casualties have been trust,
brotherhood, and, to a large extent, the
entire ethos of Kashmiriyat.
While the men from Indian-
administered-Kashmir have crossed
over to Pakistan-administered-Kashmir
to receive training in arms, and have
come back to 'liberate' their motherland
from India, the women have been at the
forefront of protests and rallies, and
have provided psycho-social support to
their men folk. In turn, the men have
been killed and the women have borne
the brunt of it in the form of the most
gruesome violations. 'Azaadi', however,
Epilogue Ø
65 ×
September 2009
C O L UMN
Reports from Ground
remains a distant dream...
For the women of Kashmir, the
impact of the tragedy has been doubly
fatal, as they have not just borne the
wrath of the conflict but have also been
treated as objects of use and
amusement, both by the militants and
the Indian security forces. Over the
years, the women have tried hard to
douse the fires of the violence,
simultaneously keeping the fires in their
houses burning. Each has emerged a
winner in her own right, though
somewhat bruised and shattered.
The image of Kashmiri women has
changed drastically over the last few
decades. In the early Nineties,
newspapers were splashed with
images of burqa-clad women flocking
the streets of Srinagar in protests for
one thing or the other. For the
numerous mothers, wives, sisters and
daughters in Jammu and Kashmir,

negotiating space for their men-folk
during the two-decade-long conflict
has become a way of life, whether it is
taking up the issue of missing sons and
husbands or hiding militants in their
homes. Kashmiri women have been
targeted both by the militants as well
as security forces, and have borne
more than their share of the brunt of
the political unrest.
Sexual exploitation has been a key
feature in Kashmiri women's lives in the
past 18 years. Indian security forces and
militant forces in Kashmir have been
using rape to punish, intimidate,
coerce, humiliate, and degrade their
female victims. The psychological toll
of rape includes anxiety, depression,
nightmares, social phobias, physical
complaints, and post traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
One of the impacts of the
protracted armed conflict has been the
increasing number of widows and half-
widows, and the shockingly increasing
number of women who have been
physically violated by the personnel of
the armed forces. Thousands of women
are going through an identity crisis
owing to the phenomenon of enforced
disappearances, which leads them to
the status of half-widows (whose
husband's death is not ascertained). For
such women, each day begins with the
hope of their men returning, and ends in
despair. The armed conflict has also
affected women physically.
In Kashmir's troubled history of the
past 15 years, two villages have grabbed
newspaper headlines but little by way
of help out of their predicament. Both
Dardpora and Kunan Poshpora fall in the
border district of Kupwara, situated on
the Line of Control in the north of the
state. While Dardpora has the dubious
distinction of being the 'Village of
Widows' because there aren't many men
left, Kunan Poshpora's plight came to
the fore when its entire female
population was allegedly raped in the
initial years of insurgency.
Dardpora, the village of widows,
in Kupwara district, is nestled in the
mountains, and is very close to the
Line of Control (LoC) between India
and Pakistan. Almost all the men-folk
in the village have been killed either in
fratricidal wars or by the Indian
security forces in the early years of
militancy. Those who haven't been
killed have gone 'missing', and their
Thousands of women are
going through an identity
crisis owing to the
phenomenon of enforced
disappearances, which leads
them to the status of half-
widows (whose husband's
death is not ascertained).
For such women, each day
begins with the hope of their
men returning, and ends in
despair. The armed conflict
has also affected women
physically.
wives are called 'half-widows'! What
remains in this village is women and
children. Widowhood has become the
dominant marker of these women in
Dardpora.
Needless to say, the widows are
harassed by the security forces and the
militants, not to mention the daily
struggle of having to fend for
themselves and their children. The
Indian government does not provide any
relief to half-widows before seven years
from the date of disappearance of their
Epilogue Ø
66 ×
September 2009
C O L UMN
Reports from Ground
men. During the seven-year waiting
period, the women's rights to their
husbands' property are often
threatened.
Kunan Poshpora was raided on 23-
24 February 1990, by soldiers from the
4th Rajputana Rifles, during a counter-
insurgency operation. Women were
mass-raped, and the village was nick-
named as the 'village of raped women'
after the incident got highlighted in the
international media. Till date, most
women from the village remain
unmarried because of the stigma
attached to this gruesome violation of a
woman's body.
This is the village and the women
on whom video films have been made,
where numerous national and
international teams have gone, where
George Verghese conducted an
investigation for the Press Council of
India, spent 15 minutes, and concluded
that no rape had taken place because
the raped girls had been laughing. The
Press Council of India dismissed the
allegations of the victims, while their
medical reports were withheld. The
report said that when investigators
went to Kunan Poshpora to find out if
the mass rape had actually taken place,
they found that all the women were
giggling and laughing. This led them to
believe that such a heinous crime like
rape could not have been committed
there, or else the women would not
have been laughing!
The question of the future of
raped women, widows and half-
widows presents a challenge to the
Azaadi movement. These issues have
not gained the attention of the leaders
who seemed to be concerned about
everything else. The civil society, too,
leaves a lot to be desired. Though
there is no lack of sympathy for
Kashmiri women, but building a local
support structure requires organized
effort.

History of Forts in
Jammu Hills
PROF JIGAR MOHAMMED
Author is Professor of History at
University of Jammu. He is associated
with Epilogue as Editorial Adviser on
History of Jammu and Kashmir. He can
be reached at
jigar.mohammad@epilogue.in
Aerial view of Bahu Fort
F orts were one of the most
effective and popular
components of the defence
measures of India during ancient and
medieval period. The construction of
fort was understood one of the
dominant features of the state
formation and its strength. The
archaeological remains of the different
parts of India show that fort
construction had become one of the
main duties of the ruling class, since
they exist in all states of ancient and
medieval India. It could be either the
Mauryan rulers such as Chndragupta
Maurya or Ashoka of ancient India or the
Mughal rulers of 16th and 17th century
A.D., all of them treated forts
Epilogue Ø
67 ×
September 2009
C O L UMN
History
construction and their maintenance as
the most powerful measure of the
defence of their own empire. Kautilya's
Arthashastra records four types of forts
such as water or river fort (audaka or
nadi durga), mountain fort (Parvata
Durga), desert fort (dhanvana durga)
and forest fort (vana durga). Some
other literature of the ancient India
mention six to eight kinds of forts. The
maintenance of the forts by the rulers of
the early medieval India is mentioned
by the Turkish historians of the
Sultanate of Delhi. The Turkish
historians' works show that they were
very much impressed by the Rajput forts
of the 12th and 13th centuries northern
India. Hasan Nizami, a court historian of

Qutubuddin Aibak (1206-10) and
Shamsuddin Iltutmish (1210-36) has all
praise for the some of the Rajput forts
of the north India. Describing the
strength and attraction of Delhi fort on
the eve of the Turkish invasion, Hasan
writes, “ As the imperial flags (May God
keep them aloft) reached Delhi, the
first thing to be visible was the rampart
of the fort, which, like the dignity of the
king, rose higher than the top of the
Saturn, while to foundations were as
strong as the basis of the great empire.
The Engineer of the reason was unable
to attempt its mensuration, and
observers of eyes had not seen the like
of it in the length and breadth of the
whole world. From its top the condition
of the cluster of Pleiades in the casket
of the skiy could be seen, and the true
form of the chess-piecesof the stars on
the white chess-board on the firmament
could be observed at close quarters.” It
is important to mention that when
Shibuddin Muhammad Ghori attacked
Delhi its ruler was Prithiviraj Chauhan.
The fort of Meerut attracted the
attention of Hasan and it strength
inspired him to pen down its military
significance. Describing its strategical
importance and the Turkish imvasion on
it Hasan Nizami writes: “…the fort of
Merut…is the famous fort of this
celebrated city, well known for the
firmness of its foundation and the
strength of its pillars, a company of
soldiers (Turkish), reputed for their
matchless valour and remarkable
devotion to duty started the hostilities.
Awe-struck by the valour of the king in
the battle-field, the inmates of the fort
found themselves in a miserable
condition, and when it came to actual
fighting they realised that they were
utterly helpless before the royal troops.
Thus was captured the impregnable
fort, an inaccessible stronghold, the
ramprts of which firm and solid like a
lofty mountain, and surrounded by a
wide moat boundless like an ocean, its
ramparts were high that even fast flying
falcon could not soar over them, and its
battlements were invisible to the naked
eye of someone watching them from
the ground.” The forts of Kol, Gwalior
and Kalinjer are also find huge space in
Hasan Nizami's work.9
The contemporary sources of
both the Sultanate of Delhi and Mughal
empire given considerable space in
terms of their location, their use for
security purpose and historical
background and maintenance.
Moreover the ruling dynasties of
medieval India treated the construction
of the fort as one of their prerogatives
and parts of their cultural life. For
security measures the Sultans of Delhi
generally repaired and constructed
forts on major routes. Sultan
Ghiyasuddin Balban built a fort at
Gopalgir to strengthen security of Delhi
against Meos menace.10 Similarly, he
built forts at Kampil, Patiali and
Bhojpur to supress the robbers and
rebels.More importantly, Balban got the
fort of Lahore reconstructed to defend
north-west frontier the Mangol
menace.12 Abul Fazl's Ain-i-Akbari
records the forts of the Mughal empire
at the Pargana level. It is important to
mention that the sources of the Mughal
empire not only mention the forts builts
by the Mughal ruling class, but also built
by the local rulers. It is well establilshed
fact that Punjab was the region
through which generally the foreign
invaders, particularly Cental Asian,
Iranian and Afghans, endagered the
security of India during the Sultanate
and Mughal period. Since different
trade routes of Punjab were
instrumental in maintaining trade
commerce between India and foreign
countries, the rulers like Sher Shah and
Mughal emperors took various measures
Epilogue Ø
68 ×
September 2009
C O L UMN
History
to keep these route secure. One of the
most effective security measures was
the construction new fort and
maintenance of the old forts.
However, in the Jammu hills
the construction and maintenance of
forts were understood as the most
effective means of both the
maintenance the sovereignty of the
ruling king and maintenance of law and
order in the region. Since the states of
Jammu hills were closely linked with
both the Punjab and Kashmir, their
rulers were conscious of the security
measures of their states. It is evident
from the fact that the modern Jammu
region was studded with the forts during
the medieval period. Recently, Shiv
Nirmohi, a historian Jammu, made a
survey of the forts of Jammu and
produced detailed study on the forts of
Jammu. .
The remains of the forts of
Jammu hills show that the ruling
dynasties of the region had associated
the construction and maintenance of
the forts with their socio-political life.
They treated forts as symbol of their
their political grandeur. Though during
the medieval period all the ruling
dynasties of India treated forts as the
prime mover of their military activities,
the existence of large number of forts in
Jammu hill states establish that besides
military strength of a state, forts were
the major architectural activities of the
region. Shiv Nirmohi's Duggar ke Durg
consists of the description of 128 forts.
It is understood that construction of the
forts became a major security measure
in Jammu hills from early eleventh
century onwards. Frederic Drew
witnessed a series of the forts in the
Jammu hills in the nineteenth century.
His findings show that most of the forts
of Jammu hills were constructed by the
indigenous ruling dynasties. According
to him, “All over the low hills, on both

sides of the Chinab, they (forts) are in
extraordinary number. They were built
at the time when each little tract had its
own ruler, and each ruler had to defend
himself against his neighbour. These
forts are commonly on the summit of
some rocky hill, with naturally scarped
face; by their position, and by the way
they were planned, they are well
protected against escalcade. Though
now (second half of the 19th century)
they have all come into the hands of one
ruler, they are still kept up, that is so far
that a small garrison-may be only of a
dozen men- is kept in each. Some of the
most kown are Mangla, on the Jhelam;
Mangal Dev, near Naushahra; and Troch,
near Kotli; these are each on the
summit on a rocky preciptous hill most
difficult of access.” Frederic Drew's
mention is concerned with the areas of
east and west of the Chinab river, which
consisted of Basoli or Bilawar, Mankot or
R a m k o t , R a m n a g a r, A k h n u r,
BhimbarRajouri ant Punch etc. Though
history of these forts in chronological
order is not known because of the
absence of indigenous historical source
in the hills, non-indigenous sources,
particularly Mughal sources, attest the
historiocity of these sources.
It is an established fact that
the Mangol invader Timur invaded
Jammu in 1398-99. When he wrote his
autobiography or Memoirs he
incorported some places, structures
and topographical features. It is
important to mention that his
autobiography is the first literary source
which mention the nomenclature
Jammu. When Timur invaded he Jammu
he found a fort in Jammu in which the
ruling king of Jammu resided. This
shows that Jammu had a strong
tradition of the maintenance of the fort
during the medieval period. For,
Hutchison and Vogel the oldest fort of
Jammu was the Bahu fort, which was
built before eleventh century. The
Mughal sources from Akbar's period
onwards give information about Jammu
hill forts in better way than other
sources.
Abul Fazl records some of the
forts existing in Jammu hills. Jammu
fort has been shown as the biggest fort
of the region. He mentions Jammu fort
constructed on the top of the hill with
huge army. This fort is shown with 1000
cavalry and 20000 infantry. Manhas are
shown as the rulers of Jammu.22 Abul
Fazl's description of the establishment
of the Mughal sovereignty in Jammu
under Akbar shows that Jammu fort was
treated as the main source of the
defence of the state. Consequently, the
Mughal army besieged the Jammu fort
to compel the ruler of Jammu for the
acceptance of the Mughal sovereignty.23
Mankot state of Jammu hills has been
shown with four forts by the Ain-i-
Akbari.24 It also shows that there was 30
cavalry and 1200 infantry soldiers in
Mankot state, and the ruling class
belonged to the Manhas clan of the
Rajput.25 Mankot is known as Ramkot in
modern period. It ia understood that
the ruling dynasty of Mankot was an
offshoot from Jammu and it started to
be known as Mankotia.It is said that
Manak-Dev, a descendant of the ruling
family of Jammu founded the Mankot
state and build a fort there. Jasrota was
another important state of Jammu hills
which finds mention in the Ain-i-Akbari.
It is shown with 400 cavalry and 5000
infantry soldiers and Malanhas (Manhas)
as the ruling family. Abul Fazl menions
the existence of a fort in Jasrota in the
Akbarnama. Though Abul Fazl mentions
it a small fort, the remains of a this fort
show that it was a big fort constructed
by its own ruler. Since Jammu hill states
were buffer states between Kashmir
and Punjab, the Mughal emperors were
very much concerned with the security
Epilogue Ø
69 ×
September 2009
C O L UMN
History
of these states. It is evident from their
policy of making alliance with the
Rajput rulers of Jammu hill states from
Akbar's period onwards. One of the most
effective security measures of the
Mughals was to construct forts at
strategic places of the Jammu hills. It is
an established fact that generally the
Mughal emperors visited Kashmir from
the period of its annexation to the
Mughal empire in 1586-87 onwards.
They followed the route of Rajouri and
Punch. To strengthen the security of this
route Akbar constructed a fort at
Naushahra. Alberuni's account shows
that a fort of Loharakotta was built in
Punch by its rulers in early medieval
period. The fort of Loharkotta is known
to be gate way to Kashmir during the
medieval period.
The tradition of constructing
forts for defence purpose and as a
symbol of political grandeur were
continued by the rulers of the Jammu
hill stated till nineteenth century. It is
understood that the fort of Mahoregarh
was also built during fifteenth or
sixteenth century. The fort of
Kapurgarh was built in the sixteenth
century by Raja Kapur Dev (1530-71),
the ruler of Jammu. The fort of Dansal
was built by one of the sons of Raja
Kapur Dev during the sixteenth century.
The fort of Samba or Nandini Durg was
built in early medieval period. The fort
of Lakhanpur also belongs to the
medieval period. It is understood to
have been built by its ruler Sangram Dev
during the 14th century. According to
Hutchinson and Vogel, “The alternative
name (of Lakhanpur) was Thain as found
in some of the records, from the name
of a strong fort on a lofty cliff
overhanging the right bank of the Ravi,
where the Rajas seem often to have
resided.” The Ain-i-Akbari mentions
Lakhanpur as Lakhnor. The forts of
Bilawar and Bhadu were constructed

during medieval period. Though exact
dates of their construction are not
availvable, these states find mention in
the Ain-i-Akbari. According to it,
Bhadu's military strength was very
small. It consisted of 30 cavalry and
1200 infantry. Its zamindars belonged to
Jat and Bandwal castes. The military
strength of Bilawar state was also small.
During the sixteenth century 50 cavalry
and 3000 infantry were maintained by
its ruler.40The fort of Sunderikot in
Bilawar Tahsil, Kathua district seems to
have been built in the 17th century.
According to the folk tradition, it was
built by the rulers of Bhadwal for the
shelter of the people during the natural
calamity.41 The fort of Kohag or Mandali
was built in the late sixteenth or early
17th century. It was built by the ruler of
the Bandralta state for the protection of
the frontier of his state. The fort of
Thial in Tahsil Ramnagar, district
Udhampur, was constructed in the last
decade the sixteenth century.
According to an inscription of a well,
situated outside the fort, it was built in
Samvat 1541. A oral tradition tells that
it was built by one Thial Singh, a
jagirdar of Bandralta state. The fort of
Landar was built in the village Landar, in
modern district of Udhampur. It is
understood that it was built in the
seventeenth century by the Butiyal
kings. Therefore, it is also called the
fort of Bhutiyal. The mention of the
Bhutiyal state is found in the Ain-i-
Akbari. According to it, Bhutiyal state
was situated in sarkar of the Bari Doab,
Suba Lahore. Its ruling class has been
mentioned as the Bhutiyalah. Its
military strength was 30 cavalry and
1000 infantry. The fort of Bhimgarh,
situated in Riasi state, about sixty four
k.m. from Jammu, was built by Bhim, a
local chief of the area during medieval
period. It was used very effectively for
military purpose by the rulers of Jammu
up to nineteenth century. Mian Gulab
Singh contributed to the expansion of
this fort and constructed an entrance
gate and a wall for making it stronger
and more secured in the early
nineteenth century. The fort of
Sanalkot at village Pauni, district
Udhampur was constucted during early
medieval period. It is known as one of
the oldest forts of the Jammu hills.
According to the folk tradition it was
built by a king Shalbahan. Ganeshdas
Badehra quotes an oral tradition about
the coming of Raja Shalbahan to Pauni
from Sialkot. According to it, “…during
the last days of his life Raja Shalbahan
left Sialkot and came to the hills near
Pauni and founded a city on the spur of a
mountain on the bank of Chinab river
and named it Sanalkot. He took his
residence on the peak of that
mountain.” The fort of Battal seems to
have been constructed during the 17th
century.
The fort of Kishtwar was one of the most
famous and oldest forts of the Jammu
hills. It is understood that it was built
during the seventh or eighth century A.D
. by the successors of the Raja Kahn
Sen49, the founder of the Kishtwar state.
Kalhan, the author of the
Rajatarangini, mentions Kishtwar as
Kashtvata. Abul Fazl mentions Kishtwar
as one of the important regions of the
16 th century India. 50 The Mughal
empreror Jahangir was very impressed
with the expertise of the Kishtwaris in
military affairs and the popularity of its
ruler. He found that the Kishtwar army
used its topographical features,
specially hills and rivers for defending
its territory against the outside
invasion. Even Jahangir's army received
tough resistence from the Kishtwaris
when it attacked Kishtwar for the
establishment of the Mughal
sovereignty there. For Jahangir, the
Kishtwaris used both rivers (Maru and
Epilogue Ø
70 ×
September 2009
C O L UMN
History
Chinab) and hills of Kishtwar to check
the advancement of the Mughal army.
Jahangir also appreciates the
specilization of the Kishtwaris in rope
bridge building, which was very useful
for defence purpose. Regarding the
expertise of the Kishtwaris in rope
building Jahangir writes, “From the…
river (the Maru) to the Chinab, which
strong support to these unfortunate
people (Kishtwaris), is a distance of two
bow-shots, and on the bank of Chenab
there is a lofty hill. The crossing of the
water is a difficult matter, and, with a
view to the coming and going of people
on foot, they attach strong ropes, and
place planks of the width of a cubit
between two ropes, and fasten one
rope's and fasten one rope's Zampa in
the language of the people of the hill
country.”
The forts of Jammu hills not
only strengthened the military power of
the states concerned, but they also
became instrumental in the
flourishment of the building industries.
Moreover, with the construction of the
forts, the rulers of Jammu hills
enhanced the historical importance of
their states. Though ruling dynasties
emerged and declined, the forts
constructed by them speak of their
existence and constructive activities.
The remains of these forts in Jammu
region tell the story of the security
measures taken by the ruling classes for
the protection of the interests of their
own states. These forts are living
heritage of the Jammu region. These
forts also tell that the ruling classes of
Jammu were followers of the work
culture. The existence of these forts
establishes that construction was the
major trend of the Jammu hills during
ancient and medieval period,
obstruction and destruction were not
appreciated socio-politically in Jammu
hills.
 G R E A T W AY C L A S S I F I E D S W I D E R C H O I C E , B E S T R E S U L T

COACHING NEW PC WORLD

*Introduction about CI. Labs, to lab Attendants
*Apprenticeship in lab Technology ENTERPRISES

C on diti on s a pp ly.
*B.Sc. Lab Technology Courses YOUR TRUSTED IT PARTNER
*Practical guidance
*Guidance for M.Sc.(Path) lab technology Students Free Service of Computers SO RUSH HURRY
*Preparation of lab attendants/ technicians for Laptops and Desktop**
for interviews
Limited Period Offer.
Also sale of computers and
2nd Floor Habib Complex, Near National School,
Contact: 9419021824 Laptops At Nominal Price. Karan Nagar, Srinagar. Contact No#9419002589

Creative Art World

A Hobby Class For Girls & Ladies

Learn-*Fabric painting * Glass Painting

Sunday open
* Mehendi Designing Candle making
*Pot decorations and various types
of wall hangings and other crafts

Timing :- 10:30* Am to 5:30 Pm

Jawahar Nagar Chowk, Near Dr. Sethi’s
Clinic, Srinagar

Cell.No. 9419500601

A.H
A Complete Mobile Service Centre
COMMUNICATION ONLY FOR Girls
SEATS VACANT
RIZWAN GIRLS COLLEGE
B.Ed
Classes on come today.

Wholesale & Retail dealers of:

Mobile Accessories & all Spare Parts Teacher Training & Research Affiliated to Kashmir University
Chinese Mobiles & Spare Parts Are Available Here
Near Power House Nawabazar Sgr. Prof. Aga Ashraf
SHOP NO. 3-4, NEAR J&K BANK, H.S.H. STREET, SRINAGAR
9419090177, 9906888324, 9018666955, 9796104600
0194-2478766, 9419085087
CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TOWARDS GAMES

Owaisi Provisional Point

Faz-ul-huq Colony
Near SFC Deptt. Botapora Zakoora
9469074483
 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE REVOLUTIONARY STEPS TO ERADICATE UNEMPLOYMENT MENAGE FROM JANUARY 2009

v
PMGSY to be SSRB has made 8086 selections. PSC has made 438 selections, Police has made 3835 selections.
v
given special Posts created - 11.163
v
thrust. Posts referred - 5060 to PSC and SSB, 7035 to Police Recruitment Board.
v
Expeditious
v Another about 7000 class IV posts to be filled soon
v
implementation Contractual; Adhoc, consolidated salary appointment to be made regularised if 7 years of such service completed and
v
the incumbents and academically qualified to hold the jobs.
of hydroelectric
All districts to have Employment and Counseling Centers including newly created districts. Two pilot projects to be
v
projects. started in 2009-10.
Power sector
v Unemployment data, skill-inventory and skill-deficiency mapping to be done at district level.
v
reforms to be On-line registration facility for unemployment youth by 2nd October 2009.
v
implemented on “State Policy on Employment” to be ready by 5th December 2009 coinciding with 105th birth anniversary of Sher-i-
v
Kashmir Jenab Sheik Muhammad Abdullah.
priority
New Employment Scheme for the youth to be launched, namely Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme
v
for the Youth (SKEWPY).
MLAs ‘State Policy on Skill Development’ to be formulated to create talented and employable workforce.
v
Constituency 22 Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) to be set up; one in each districts.
v
Development Fund ‘Entrepreneurship Development Fund’ with a corpus of Rs. 25 crore to be created. Scheme to be launched through
v
enhanced JKEDI on 5th December 2009.
Women entrepreneurship to be encouraged-Revolving fund of Rs. 10 crore to be created and 2200 women to be helped
v
v
Raised from Rs. in the first phase.
35 lakh to Rs. 50 Employment Facilitation Agency to be created under a senior Civil Servant and Governing Body to he headed by the
v
lakh. Modified Chief Secretary.
guidance to be Overseas employment Corporation to be created to help job seekers in the international market.
v
Rehbar-e-Zirats to be granted additional incentive of Rs. 1500 per month through DRDSs/Panchayats for implementing
v
issued.
and monitoring various agriculture, horticulture and allied sector schemes in districts.

DIP/J-2881
ORIENTED BUDGET
Impartment announcements made in BUDGET SPEECH
Total receipts up from Rs. 19077 crore in RE 2008-09 to Rs. 22739 crore in 2009-10. Rs. 19462 crore
v
comprise revenue receipts and Rs. 3277 crore capital receipts and Rs. 3277 crore capital receipts.
Total Revenue Expenditure up by Rs. 2319 crore to Rs. 14949 crore.
v
Total Capital Expenditure up by Rs. 1343 crore to Rs. 7790 crore.
v
Expenditure on salary and pension to account for Rs. 8126 crore.
v
Interest payments estimates up by Rs. 127 crores at Rs. 1729 crore constituting about 12% of non-plan
v
revenue expenditure estimated at Rs. 14245 crore.
Increase in non-plan expenditure mainly due to implementation of Sixth Central Pay Commission for
v
state employees and pensions.
Fiscal Deficit estimated at Rs. 2081 crore; down by Rs. 306 crore.
v
Total Plan size up by 22.22% to Rs. 5500 crore
v
Capital expenditure accounts for Rs. 4847 crore and Revenue expenditure Rs. 653 crore.
v
PMRP increased by Rs. 187 crore to Rs. 1200 crore.
v
Allocation under Irrigation and Flood Control stepped up by 122% from Rs. 208.85 crore to Rs. 464.33
v
crore.
Allocation for transport sector stepped up by 90% from Rs. 486.20 crore to Rs. 923.99 crore.
v
Allocation for social sector up by 43% from Rs. 1089.17 crore to Rs. 1556.06 crore.
v
Allocation on general services including ERA, upgradation grants, non-functational buildings,
v
Governments Presses, IMPA up by 37% from Rs. 467 crore to Rs. 638 crore.
Allocation for primary health sector stepped up by 56% from Rs. 105 crore to Rs. 164 crore.
v
Promote farm mechanization by providing 25% subsidy on power thrashers and paddy transplanters.
v
Floriculture marketing and export to be supported.
v
Sericulture revival through multi task expert force.
v
Incentive for local production of eggs, chickens and mutton.
v
Five innovation Awards to be set up with cash prize of Rs. one lakh each in collaboration with
v
National Innovation Foundation to encourage indigenous creativity in solving local problems.
Composition scheme for Brick Kiln owners under Section 56 of J&K VAT Act covering 396 Brick Kilns
v
in J&K scheme to be notified separately.

Largest ever maintenance Double cropping to be introduced

plan of Rs. 150 crore for roads. for the first time in Kashmir valley
RATE OF LIQUOR ENHANCED
Cess on petrol increased by Rs. 2/- per litre and named as ‘employment cess’.
v
Levied employment Cess on diesel @Rs.1/- litre.
v
Increased GST on liquor from 20% to 25%
v

Dt. : 13/8/09
 Epilogue Classified Mart
because there is more to know REACH OUT TO DECISION MAKERS

JAMMU AND KASHMIR

Sher-e-Kashmir
University of Agricultural Sciences
& Technology of Jammu
Administrative Block,
Main Campus, Chatha (Jammu)
ADDENDUM
It is notified that the last date for receipt of applications
advertised vide Notification No. 01 (Est) of 2009 Dt : 17-07-
2009 is extended upto 4th of September, 2009
CLARIFICATION
Following clarifications are hereby made in relation to post
advertised vide Notification No.: 01(est) of 2009 Dt : 17-07-
2009
1) Candidates in any discipline of Agriculture/Horticulture/
Forestry/Home Science/Agri. Engineering Co-ordinator
appeared at Sr. No. 4 of the said notification.
2) Candidates having UG &/or PG degree in the discipline or
Bio-technology can also apply for the post of Associate
Professor / Senior Scientist and Assistant Professor / Junior
Scientist / Subject Matter Specialist in the discipline of Plant
Breeding & Genetics appeared at Sr. No. 3(2) and 5(2). By
order.
Sd/-
Registrar
ACADEMY OF ART,
CULTURE
AND LANGUAGES
Lalmandi, Srinagar
0194-2310509/2311521
NOTICE FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
The Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Govt. of
Jammu and Kashmir, intends to construct a grant
Integrated Cultural Centre featuring state-of-the art
cultural facilities, showcasing cultural heritage of the
State which will include auditorium, art gallery, museum,
meeting hall, performance and dance space, theater
sculpture garden, handicrafts display room, canteen etc.
The Academy calls/seeks for expression of interest from
the individuals/Consultants/ Agencies having considerable
experience in the field for designing blue print of the
cultural centre. The consultant/agencies will have to
prepare two blue prints for the Integrated Centre; one for
the existing buildings and one for a new centre on. The last
date for receipt of expression of interest is 5th of
September, 2009. The consultant will be selected by the
President of the Academy (Chief Minister of the J&K).
Sd/-
Zafar Iqbal Manhas
Secretary

Address : New Era College

NEW ERA Mobile : 9205136406, 9906074079
14/A Shastri Nagar, Opp. Water Tank, Nai Basti, Jammu

College of IT & Mgt.

UGC/DEC/IGNOU (Approved University)
COURSES :
PG Programmes - MCA, MBA, MA etc. UG Programmes - BCA, Bsc. IT, BA etc.
Certificate Courses : MLT, Fooy Safety M.Phil Programmes

M.J.C.I.S
Regd. No. : 4515.S Improve your Personality Special classes for Ramp Modeling for Boys & Girls
J.R. SHARMA
(Jackson)
Mb: 9419149906
M.JACKSON DANCING INSTITUTE
Institute Timing :
For boys and Girls 2:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M
Ladies Classes for 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon

MAIN CHOWK, JANIUR, JAMMU

For booking your advertisement on this page contact Bali @9419631610, 9906362115
 WE CONGRATULATE
Kanwal Group of Companies
On steadily climbing the ladder of
success and winning accolades for
excellence in terms of quality
and purity all along.

ANOTHER FEATHER IN THE CAP OF KANWAL GROUP:

Farooq Amin, Director Sales and Marketing, Kanwal Foods & Spices
(I) Pvt. Ltd. receiving the 1st Prize for Excellence in the Industries
Sector for the year 2006-07 and 1st Prize in Food Processing
Segment (Kashmir) for the year 2007-08 at the award distribution
function organized by KCC&I at SKICC.
From
All well wishers

Adding Kashmiri Flavour to Global Cuisine

Carbon Cell bring established at Janipur campus in
ö
Jammu.
Two brainstorming sessions held on CDM, carbon
ö
mapping.
Two state level workshops held under National
ö
Bamboo Mission.
MOU with SMVD University and BGSB
ö
University for Joint Collaboration in Research