DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 (PAGE 9)

Dr Jitendra inaugurates NITIAayog’s new office area

Excelsior Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Feb 27:Union Minister of State(Independent Charge)Development of North EasternRegion (DoNER), MoS PMO,Personnel, Public Grievances,Pensions, Atomic Energy andSpace, Dr Jitendra Singh todayformally inaugurated the reno-vated new office area of NITIAayog on the 5th floor of theNITI Bhawan building. He wasaccompanied by MoS (I/C)Housing Hardip Singh Puri.NITI Aayog Vice ChairmanRajiv Kumar and CEO AmitabhKant were also present.

Expressing his feelings ofjoy and satisfaction on theoccasion, Dr Jitendra Singhsaid, the erstwhile PlanningCommission was reincarnatedunder Prime Minister NarendraModi as the "National Institutefor Transforming India (NITI)Aayog", which is a premierthink-tank of the Governmentof India and is mandated todevelop as a state-of-the-artResource Centre, with neces-sary resources, knowledge andskills, which will enable it to

act with speed, promoteresearch and innovation, pro-vide strategic policy vision anddeal with contingent issues.

In keeping with its name asthe "National Institute forTransforming India" (NITI), DrJitendra Singh said, it is in thefitness of things that the NITIAayog has also decided to bringabout a transformation in theworking environment of itsoffice complex housed in theNITI Bhawan. He hoped thatthe new renovated working areawill make the working environ-ment inclusive, transparent,environment friendly andpaper-less.

Dr Jitendra Singh hoped thatthe new office area will serve asa role model of a modern gov-ernment office and will be anexample and benchmark forother Ministries.

Pertinent to mention that aspace of 40,000 sq. ft. on the 5th

floor of NITI Bhawan has beenrenovated and revamped into amodern work-space withenhanced seating capacity. As aresult, while earlier there wasspace for just around 120-125officials, now there will be a seat-ing capacity of nearly 400 offi-cials. Transparency has beenintroduced by minimizing thesolid walls and the image of thegovernment office has been givena new look with the use of glass.

After the inauguration, allthe dignitaries went around andhad a look of the new officearea.

CEO of NITI AayogAmitabh Kant explained thesalient features of the newoffice area to the dignitaries. Healso emphasized that the newwork environment will signifi-cantly enhance the functionalcapacity of the officials andprofessionals engaged in NITIAayog.

‘Very strong plan’ to ensure fuel supplies todefence in place; 500 trucks move to refill depots

NEW DELHI, Feb 27:

As tensions with Pakistanescalated, Indian oil companieshave put in motion a "verystrong plan" including moving aconvoy of 500 trucks to ensureuninterrupted fuel supplies to alldefence and strategic assets, topofficials said today.

Tanks feeding defence estab-lishment in forward areas alongthe border with Pakistan are all"topped up" and have enough fuelto meet any eventuality, they said.

Oil companies had topped upall storages in Jammu andKashmir and other forward areasbefore the Tuesday's poundingof a terrorist camp insidePakistan as retaliation to Jaish-e-Mohammed operative martyring44 paramilitary personnel in asuicide car bombing in Kashmiron February 14.

And now, as many as 500 oiltankers are being moved to thestate and other forward locations

to stock up jet fuel (ATF), dieseland other petroleum products forensuring fuel supplies beyondthe 10-day stock firms generallymaintain, they said.

Indian and Pakistani fighterjets shot down war planes ofeach other today in the mostserious military confrontationbetween the two nations indecades.

State-owned Indian Oil Corp(IOC), Bharat Petroleum CorpLtd (BPCL) and HindustanPetroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL)supply jet fuel for the fighter jetsof Indian Air Force as well asdiesel and other fuel for tanks,trucks and other automobilesused by defence and paramili-tary forces.

"We have a very strong planin place (to ensure uninterruptedsupplies)," an official said.

The requirement of defenceservices as a percentage of over190 million tonne of fuel con-sumed in the country is "very

small" but the task is ensuring itsuninterrupted availability espe-cially in forward posts in Jammuand Kashmir, another official said.

Oil companies, they said,carry out winter stocking inJammu and Kashmir ahead of theonset of winter every year andthey had moved enough quanti-ties of fuel to the state to meet fuelrequirement of the civilians aswell as defence establishment.

A separate official saidIndian oil companies hadensured fuel uninterrupted fuelsupplies to defence forces evenduring the Kargil war in 1999.

"One is reminded of a picturein the newspapers during theheight of Kargil war of a burningIndian Oil tanker alongsideBofors gun. We ensured fuelreached forces at all times," hesaid.

Officials refused to discussspecifics of the plan of ensuringuninterrupted fuel suppliesbecause of "strategic reasons."

"Please leave that to us," oneof them said.

Officials said the plan is inplace not just for ensuring fuelsupplies but also for protectingoil assets like tankages storingfuel and refineries.

Some oil refineries on thewest coast are provided air coverby the Indian Air Force andother installations are also beingprovided security, they said.

Oil companies to advancewinter stocking to meet require-ments of the Leh and Ladakhregion in Jammu and Kashmirand forward areas of HimachalPradesh which are cut off fromthe rest of the country due tosnowfall.

Total fuels supplied this yearwas about 102,850 tonne(121,000 kilo litre). Ambala,Jalandhar, Sangrur and Bhatindawere the supply points thatmoved fuel to storage depotsabout 900 km away. (PTI)

BJP activists showing resentment against harassing ofJammu youth by police on Wednesday.

Yudhvir asks police not toharass youth on selective basis

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 27: Criticisingdistrict police authorities forharassing youth of Jammu andpicking them up on selectivebasis, State BJP general secre-tary, Yudhvir Sethi today saidthat post Pulwama attack, what-ever happened here was unfortu-nate but when Civil Society ofJammu belonging to differentsections had resolved to settleissues amicably why the youngboys are being harassed bypolice.

Launching a strong protesthere, today, Yudhvir Sethi saidno action is being taken againstthose who raised pro-Pakistanand anti India slogans. He addedthat those who burst crackersafter Pulwama attack are stillroaming free. He urged authori-ties not to harass youth and

instead call an inquiry into thefact as to why police didn't reachthe spot in time where vehicleswere burnt and many youthresorted to stone pelting.

Yudhvir Sethi said now thateveryone representing theircommunity and bazar associa-tions besides prominent citizenshave decided to not to allowsuch elements to disturb peace.Police must felicitate and get theissue resolved. Instead ofharassing youth they must issuewarnings and also keep theirhouse in order so that policereaches for the help of people orto restore calm whenever need-ed, he added.

He said Jammu peoplebelonging to all sections of soci-ety are peace loving and won'tlet anti-social elements to dis-turb the peace here at all costs.

CEC Leh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal inaugurating buildingof Arhat Hall of Wisdom at Spituk on Wednesday.

CEC Leh inaugurates ArhatHall of Wisdom at Spituk

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, (LADAKH), Feb 27:Chief Executive Councillor,LAHDC, Leh, Jamyang TseringNamgyal inaugurated the newbuilding of Arhat Hall ofWisdom at Spituk today. Monksof Spituk Monastery, DeputyCommissioner, CEO, LAHDC,Leh, Avny Lavasa, CouncillorPhyang Constituency, PhunchokDorjey, vice-president, LBA P.T.Kunzang, eminent Physician,Dr. Tsering Norboo, HODs ofconcerned departments and vil-lagers of Spituk in large numberwere present on the occasion.

The building has been fund-ed under Rurban Mission, MP-LAD, 14th FinanceCommission, and CouncillorConstituency DevelopmentFund and the executing agencyis the Rural DevelopmentDepartment, (RDD)Leh.

The function started with thelighting of the lamp by CECJamyang Tsering Namgyal.

CEC began with recountingthe enormous contributions of the19th Kushok Gyalras, BakulaRinpoche towards overall uplift-ment of the entire Ladakh regionin general and the core importanceof education in particular. As theconstruction of the hall comesunder the GoI Rurban Missionwhich is targeted to deliver inte-grated project based infrastructurein the rural areas, said JTN, this

scheme was introduced by formerMember Parliament, LadakhThupstan Chhewang. Respondingto the request made by villagers,CEC assured of all assistancefrom Council for further comple-tion of the hall.

He further said that the blacktopping of Spituk Markalaga toChoglamsar via Agling, andstreet lighting along this road willbe completed in the comingSummer season. Car parking atSpituk Gonpa will also be com-pleted in phase manner, he added.

JTN also spoke widely aboutthe importance of organic aswell as sustainable farmingpractice. He said that the councilhas plans to provide market forlocally grown vegetables by dis-couraging import of those veg-etables that are already availablelocally during the Summer sea-son. This practice will be instru-mental in maintaining goodhealth of the people and willalso benefit farmers economical-ly. Similarly, he spoke about theimportance of bringing Bhotilanguage in letter and spirit forits preservation and promotion.

CEC JTN then spoke highlyabout eminent Physician, Dr.Tsering Norboo, and honouredDr. Norboo with 'Khatags' onbehalf of the LAHDC and theentire people of Ladakh for hiscontinuous medical service andfor being announced for theprestigious Padma Shri Award.

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 27: IkkJuttJammu has said that the surgicalstrike-2, conducted by IndianAir Force deep inside Pakistanto destroy the terrorist camps,must now be followed by inter-

nal surgical strikes within andoutside Kashmir against the sep-aratists and Jihadi infrastructure.

"It is important that thenation moves decisively againstthe frontline Pakistani flanksoperating in Jammu andKashmir and rest of India," saidAnkur Sharma, Chairman ofIkkJutt Jammu, while address-ing a press conference, heretoday.

Maintaining that it was abun-dantly clear from the statementsissued by the leaders of NationalConference and PeoplesDemocratic Party that they wereacting as the over ground work-er of Pakistan, he said it washigh time that Mehbooba Muftiand Omar Abdullah should bearrested for their acts of treason.

The IkkJutt JammuChairman asserted that internalenemy was proving to be morelethal and unless it wasdestroyed the Nation's opera-tions against Pakistan would

remain unfulfilled. He said thatthe assertion by MehboobaMufti that in case Article 35-A isrepealed it would be repeat of1947, is a direct incitement ofholocaust like situation in theState when Muslim League

unleashed vio-lence in thename of 'DirectA c t i o n ' ." M e h b o o b aMufti hasalready vitiatedthe atmosphereof the State byher Jihadi behav-iour and in caseshe continues tomasquerade as a

main stream leader the damageto the democratic and secularorder will be immense," he said.

Ankur Sharma said that peo-ple in million in Jammu,Kashmir and Ladakh have beenholding the tri-colour high andthey will continue to do so withmore vigour if Article 35-A iswithdrawn through aPresidential Order. "People ofthe State are committed to defeatall Jihadis whosoever they areand wherever they are," heasserted.

He further alleged thatOmar's conduct was no lessharmfull and infact he had takena frontline leader's role toabsolve Pakistan and indictwhole Kashmir Muslim popula-tion as progenitors of the Jihadiviolence in the State. He hasbeen in the frontline to givelegitimacy to the terrorist vio-lence and separatist upsurge bydescribing it as an effort for thefreedom of people, Ankur said.

MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and former Minister, Sat Sharmaat a party programme at Jammu on Wednesday.

BJP Jammu West organizesbeneficiaries meeting

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 27: Followingdirections of Central leadershipof party, BJP unit of JammuWest organized "LabharthiSammelan" (beneficiariesmeeting) at Guru Ravi DassSabha here, today in whichhundreds of people who havebeen directly benefitted fromvarious schemes of NarendraModi led Central Governmentparticipated and showed theirenthusiasm and never endingsupport for BJP and the PrimeMinister. Member ofParliament, Jammu-PoonchConstituency, Jugal KishoreSharma was the chief guest andformer State president, BJP andEx Minister, Sat Sharma (CA)was the guest of honour in theprogramme.

The programme was organ-ized under the leadership of dis-trict president BJP, AyodhyaGupta. State secretary andPrabhari Jammu West,Praduman Singh, State secretaryBJP and Corporator, Ward 41,Sanjay Baru, Corporator Ward40, Neelam Nargotra,Corporator Ward, 32 Sat PalKarlupia and Corporator Ward

29, Surinder Choudhary werealso present.

Speaking on the occasion,Jugal Kishore Sharma said thatCentral Government under theleadership of Prime Minister,Narendra Modi touched all seg-ments of society in every sphereand works done under his lead-ership in last five years itselfspeak that India has touchednew heights today and life ofmany people improved due tohundreds of schemes launchedby Modi Government. He statedthat NDA Government hasworked without any partialityand every segment of societyhas been benefitted equallywhich states that for BJP, nationis important than power.

Sat Sharma said that fromdevelopment to defence,Narendra Modi led NDAGovernment has remained onnumber one position from dayone and with many schemeswhich have directly benefittedthe needy across country includ-ing Ujjwala Yojna, SwachBharat, Jan Dhan Yojna, Makein India, Skill India, BetiBachao Beti Padao and others,Prime Minister has changed thescenario of India and further ithas also helped in booming oureconomic growth rate as wellwhich has made India as fastestgrowing economy in the world.

State Secretary, BJP VeenuKhanna, district president,Mahila Morcha, Veena Gupta,district general secretaries, Adv.Rajesh Gupta and SanjeevSharma, Mandal president,Vijay Sharma, State vice presi-dent, BJYM Adv Annu Behnal,Mandal general secretaries,Jatin Sethi and Keshav Chopra,Sahil Koul, Yash Pal Salgotraand several others were alsopresent.

Retired officersraise demandsExcelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 27: RetiredOfficers' Forum here todayorganised a meeting under thechairmanship of I.D Soni,Forum president.

Speaking in the meeting S.CRekhi, General Secretary ofForum said a memorandum wassubmitted in person to K.KSharma, Advisor to Governorabout two months back regard-ing problems faced by theForum and pensioners.

Though assurances weregiven by the Advisor, no head-way has been made so farregarding the issue.

The Forum membersdemanded initiation of GroupInsurance Mediclaim Policy forin-service employees and pen-sioners, enhancement of med-ical allowance for pensioners toRs 3000 per month and takinginto consideration the highercosts of health treatments.

The Forum also demandedpayment of arrears of the 7thPay Commission to all the pen-sioners in one instalment.

Other demands included sanc-tioning of 3 per cent additionalDA in favour of GovernmentEmployees and pensioners.

Ankur Sharma addressing a press confer-ence at Jammu on Wednesday.

Agriculture employeesdemand Technical Director

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Feb 27: TheAgriculture EmployeesCoordination Committee(AECC) here today continuedtheir ongoing protest demonstra-

tion demanding posting ofTechnical Director from thedepartment instead of a non-technical one.

The protest was led byPradeep Sharma, ChairmanAECC.

Talking to reporters Sharmasaid that posting of non-techni-cal director shows that govern-

ment has not been properlyadvised or there is some policyparalysis in respect of farm sec-tor.

He further said that postingof a non-technical director is

also a violation of recommenda-tion of sub-group on agriculturedevelopment.

He urged the authorities con-cerned to revoke the postingorder for non-technical director.

Rajesh Gandotra, SurinderRadotra, Uttam Chand,Devender Singh and others werealso present in the protest.

Agriculture Employees Coordination Committee membersaddressing a press conference at Jammu on Wednesday.

-Excelsior Rakesh

Excelsior CorrespondentJAMMU, Feb 27: A short

lecture was organized today bythe Department of Pediatrics,Acharya Shri Chander Collegeof Medical Sciences(ASCOMS), Sidhra on topic"Approach to Adolescent Child

with Bleeding" under scientificactivity series for the awarenessof faculty members and stu-dents.

The case was presented byIntern Doctors, Dr ApoorvaMalhotra and Dr Antra Kumar.

On the occasion, DirectorPrincipal of the College, DrPawan Malhotra, Dr Ravinder KGupta, Coordinator Dr RajeshGupta and other faculty mem-bers, besides students were pres-ent.

Dr Antra Kumar and DrApoorva Malhotrathrew light on thecase of adolescentgirl with bleeding andexplained in briefabout the way to dealsuch cases. Dr AntraKumar explainedhow to proceed incase of child bleed-ing, especially girl.She detailed the casehistory, examination,lab investigation and

treatment. Dr Apporva spokeabout the case presentation.

Director Principal, in hisaddress, laid emphasis on moresuch programmes to strengthenthe academics and researchwork in the colleges.

An intern being presented certificate ofparticipation at ASCOMS in Jammu.

DM Srinagar prohibitsstorage of LPG, fuel

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Feb 27: Inorder to ensure equitable distri-bution among the general publicand prevent hoarding and black-marketing after fresh stocks ofpetroleum products includingfuel and LPG have beenreceived, District MagistrateSrinagar, Dr Shahid IqbalChoudhary, under powers vestedto him under Section 144 ofCrPC has ordered regulation ofprovision of petroleum products.

The order prohibits dispens-ing or collection of fuel at fuel

stations in any kind of containeror vessel instructing that fuelmust not be dispensed in any-thing other than directly intotanks of vehicles.

It also prohibits any individ-ual or organisation other thandesignated or authorised storesand depots from storing anykind of petroleum product.

The order shall be applicablethroughout the territorial juris-diction of the Srinagar district. Itstates that violation of this ordershall attract strict action againstdefaulters under Section 188 ofRPC.

Awareness lecture organized at ASCOMS

IkkJutt for internal surgical strikes against Jihadi infrastructure