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REGD. NO. JK-71/18-20 Vol No. 54Excelsior No. 72 JAMMU, THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2018 RNI No. 28547/65 16 Pages ` 5.00 7 killed in blast ‘Gear up for LS polls well in advance’ LS passes budget „Govt fails to persuade Union Ministry for release of funds near Sharif’s without debate house NEW DELHI, Mar 14: Uncertainty still prevails over start LAHORE, Mar 14: BJP high command says no The Lok Sabha today passed A powerful blast tonight the crucial Finance Bill 2018 near the residence of Pakistan’s and a Rs 89.25 lakh crore of work on Smart Cities projects ousted Prime Minister Nawaz spending plan for the next fiscal immediate reshuffle in Cabinet year without discussion amid Sharif here killed at least seven Mohinder Verma persons, including three police- ruckus, which led to the Neither professional CEOs men. The BJP high command one of its Minister of State ele- adjournment of both the Houses JAMMU, Mar 14: The blast took place close to Settle local including party's national gener- vated as Cabinet Minister if the of Parliament for the eighth day. Notwithstanding much hype a police check post, a few kilo- al secretary Ram Madhav, BJP PDP induct one Cabinet The Finance Bill as well as appointed nor PMCs engaged created by the PDP-BJP issues to check pointman on Jammu and Minister in place of Dr Haseeb the Appropriation Bill were meters from the palatial resi- Coalition Government, uncer- dence of the Sharif family and Kashmir, reportedly conveyed Drabu. passed in a matter of 25 minutes release of funds by the Union Ministry to ascertain the rea- during which opposition parties tainty is still prevailing over close to the congregation of the resentment these observations to BJP State The BJP leaders had break- Housing and Urban sons behind inordinate delay and ruling NDA ally TDP start of work on development of Tableeghi Jamaat. president Sat Sharma ‘CA’ and fast meeting with Ram Madhav Development Ministry till date in release of first installment shouted slogans and created a Jammu and Srinagar as Smart “Seven persons have been Ashok Koul, general secretary but couldn't get an appointment especially when the current of funds", they said, adding "it din. The Lower House was Cities as Housing and Urban financial year is about to end seems that all the concerned (Contd on page 6 Col 7) Sanjeev Pargal (organizations) when they called with party national president adjourned for the day immedi- Development Department has on him in New Delhi today. The Amit Shah as he was preoccu- has substantiated the report. authorities of the State turned ately thereafter. failed to vigorously pursue with Official sources told HC reserves JAMMU, Mar 14: The BJP leaders were scheduled to pied with analysis of Lok Sabha complacent after submission The opposition parties Union Government the issue of EXCELSIOR that Housing and of proposal seeking release of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) meet Union Home Minister by-election results, which went protested against the passage of verdict on release of first installment of Urban Development funds and never tried to vigor- high command has firmly Rajnath Singh but he was preoc- against the BJP. The BJP leaders the budget without debate, as funds under Centrally Department of the State vide ously pursue the same with the ruled out any immediate cupied. had also sought an appointment the session is slated to continue DGP’s fate Sponsored Smart City Mission. Letter No.HUD/Plan/66/2017 concerned quarters in the reshuffle of its 11 Ministers Reliable sources told the with Union Home Minister till April 6. Moreover, neither profes- Excelsior Correspondent dated October 5, 2017 had sub- Union Housing and Urban and called upon the sitting Excelsior that the BJP high com- Rajnath Singh to brief him on The Rajya Sabha, which sional Chief Executive Officers mitted a proposal to the Union Development Ministry". SRINAGAR, Mar 14: The Ministers to improve their mand was in no mood to reshuf- the burning issues pertaining to was informed of the passage of (CEOs) of Jammu Smart City Ministry of Housing and Urban An officer of the Housing High Court today reserved ver- performance and get the issues fle their 11 Ministers-either by his Ministry. the budget by the Lok Sabha at Limited and Srinagar Smart City Development for release of first and Urban Development dict on the fate of Director of people resolved as resent- replacing them with new faces Sources said the BJP high 2 PM, was also adjourned for Limited have been engaged till Department, when contacted, General of Police S P Vaid, ment was growing against the or by changing their portfolios- command has called upon the the day within about three min- date nor Project Management installment of due Central Share confirmed that funds were still whose appointment has been party in many parts of Jammu on the ground that the present Jammu and Kashmir unit utes thereafter. Consultancies (PMCs), which amounting to Rs 195 crore. awaited from the Union challenged by former Director region due to local problems. set-up should be given some leaders to perform both at the In the Lok Sabha, Finance otherwise are prerequisite as per However, till date the funds Government. He even failed to General of Prisons. The BJP high command has, more time to perform and show Government as well as organi- Minister Arun Jaitley moved 21 the guidelines of the Mission for have not been released by the specify reasons behind the same. The Division Bench of however, stated that the PDP- the results. zation levels as Parliament amendments to the Bill contain- start of work on the projects. Union Ministry. Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey BJP coalition Government will "Any immediate reshuffle of elections were just a year away ing taxation proposals for 2018- EXCELSIOR in its edition "The most shocking aspect However, sources said that delay and Justice M K Hanjura after continue to work together the BJP Ministers has been ruled and the party had to retain 19, which were approved by dated October 17, 2017 had is that neither the Housing and in meeting prerequisites by the hearing all the parties into the notwithstanding the ouster of out,'' sources said, adding that three Lok Sabha seats at any voice vote. So was the exclusively highlighted that Urban Development concerned authorities in Jammu matter reserved the judgment Finance Minister Dr Haseeb the BJP high command wants to cost. Appropriation Bill which work on Jammu and Srinagar Department headed by Deputy and Kashmir might be the rea- and directed the Government to Drabu, who was chief archi- give more time to present "We need to retain three detailed spending plans for 99 Smart Cities Projects was Chief Minister Dr Nirmal son behind non-release of funds (Contd on page 6 Col 3) tect of the alliance between the Ministers. However, the high seats at least if we can't make it Government Ministries and unlikely to begin during 2017- Singh nor the Chief Secretary by the Centre. Omar questions two coalition partners. command was committed to get (Contd on page 6 Col 5) (Contd on page 6 Col 6)18 financial year and non- approached the Union (Contd on page 6 Col 4) keeping PAO system in abeyance Ensure timely flow of funds to BJP loses all 3 seats in LS bypolls Excelsior Correspondent LUCKNOW/PATNA, Mar 14: ed his deputy Keshav Prasad SP clinched the Phulpur seat JAMMU, Mar 14: The main Maurya in the 2014 Lok Sabha drubbing the saffron party's complete projects in time: CM In a stunning blow to the Opposition party, National polls. BJP had won Phulpur for Kaushalendra Singh Patel by BJP ahead of the 2019 general Conference (NC), today urged the first time. 59,460 votes. elections, the party today lost the Centre to take a "hard look" Excelsior Correspondent Both of them had won their Lalu Prasad's RJD retained bypolls to all three Lok Sabha at the reason behind the ‘Train staff for switch over to PAO system’ seats by margins of over 3 lakh the Araria Lok Sabha seat where JAMMU, Mar 14: Chief seats it contested, including its Mehbooba Mufti-led State votes. its nominee Sarfaraz Alam beat Minister, Mehbooba Mufti quarters in the State during her bottlenecks wherever these are been completed much ahead of bastion Gorakhpur, and Government's decision to put Buffeted by the surprise BJP's Pradeep Kumar Singh by today asked the Administrative public outreach programme, identified. the deadline of March 31. As Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh, the Pay and Accounts Office defeat, Adityanath attributed over 60,000 votes, in a set back Secretaries to address the criti- expressed dismay over the proj- She reviewed the status of for the commitments made by besides Araria in Bihar. (PAO) system in abeyance till the Chief Minister during her it to "overconfidence" of the for the JD(U)-BJP alliance, cal gaps in development ects getting stuck due to small projects in power distribution The shocker for the BJP March 31. public outreach programmes, party and called for an in- which went to the hustings for administration and ensure issues like land acquisition and and stabilisation in the State. She came as an anticlimax after its In a tweet, NC working forest clearance despite money was informed that work on she was informed that, 90% of depth analysis of the causes. the first time after Nitish Kumar timely flow of funds down surprise win in three northeast- president Omar Abdullah asked being available improving power works in terms of laying of "We failed to understand the returned to the NDA fold. below so that projects are com- „ Pic on page 6 ern states, including Tripura, the Prime Minister's Office and and projects distribution proj- necessary infrastructure has implications of this alliance In small consolation for the pleted in time without any where it scripted history, demol- Union Finance Ministry to look standing upto these clearance ects in eight districts would start been completed whileas rest between Samajwadi Party and BJP, its candidate Rinki Rani overrun of cost or time. ishing the Left citadel of 25 (Contd on page 6 Col 5) Addressing a meeting of norms. from next week while as in other would be completed by the end Bahujan Samaj Party that are as Pandey retained the Bhabhua During the marathon meet- districts tendering process is in of the month. years and forming its first different as chalk and cheese in Assembly seat for the party, Administrative Secretaries here Government in the State. HC seeks today, Mehbooba advised them ing, Mehbooba reviewed at final stages. Also, she was In the horticulture sector, the middle of the elections as defeating her Congress rival Together with its regional allies, to visit districts and far flung length the status of projects and informed, that work on Mehbooba asked the concerned part of bargain for the Rajya Shambhu Singh Patel by the BJP also formed its timeline on areas periodically to assess the initiatives taken by various Alastaing grid station would be Department to prepare early for Sabha elections," he said. The about 14,000 votes. Governments in Nagaland and status of development works, fix Departments. completed before the end of this the procurement of High SP is backing BSP candidate for The RJD retained the Mubarak Mandi Meghalaya. the bottlenecks, if any, and lead On the PMDP, the Chief year. These steps would give Density Apple plants. She also the coming Rajya Sabha polls in Jehanabad Assembly seat, with Excelsior Correspondent the teams of executing agencies Minister directed all power distribution in the State a asked for making adequate A consolidation of OBC, the state. its nominee Suday Yadav defeat- JAMMU, Mar 14: Division in getting the projects completed Administrative Secretaries to boost. quantity of fertilisers and weedi- Dalit and Muslim votes powered Samajwadi Party's Pravin ing his JD(U) rival Abhiram Bench of State High Court com- in time. monitor closely the execution The Chief Minister was cides available to farmers. Samajwadi Party candidates to Nishad defeated BJP's Upendra Sharma by more than 30,000 prising Chief Justice Badar The Chief Minister, who vis- of projects within their respec- informed that electrification of She was informed that six to victory in Gorakhpur, a seat rep- Dutt Shukla by 21,961 votes in votes. Durrez Ahmed and Justice ited most of the district head- tive domains and try to fix the 70 unelectrified villages has (Contd on page 6 Col 1) resented by Chief Minister Yogi Gorakhpur, the seat which was The SP's victory reminded Sanjeev Kumar today directed Adityanath for five successive with the party since 1989, while many of the triumph of the now the State to file affidavit men- terms, and Phulpur, which elect- Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel of (Contd on page 6 Col 3) tioning exact timeline for com- plete restoration of historic Rains lash Valley, snowfall in hills Mubarak Mandi Complex. After hearing Advocate G S Fayaz Bukhari Pass, Sadna Top and Furkiyan Thakur for the PIL whereas Avalanche warning issued Top also witnessed fresh snow- ASGI Sindu Sharma for the SRINAGAR, Mar 14: fall. Union of India and Government Kashmir valley was lashed by Low-to-medium intensity Advocate Amit Chopra for the rains and hills had fresh snow- avalanche warning was issued (Contd on page 6 Col 3) fall today while an avalanche for various areas in Jammu and warning was issued for the Kashmir on Wednesday. NIA questions HM upper reaches of Kashmir. The rains in Kashmir led to chief's son The Meteorological drop in the temperatures across Department has forecast wide- Kashmir and it stayed below Excelsior Correspondent spread rains across Kashmir for normal. The normal temperature SRINAGAR, Mar 14: The next 24 hours during which the in Srinagar dropped by 3.7 National Investigation Agency hills may have fresh snowfall. degrees and settled at 11.0 today questioned six people, The intermittent rains con- degrees Celsius. Qazigund including family members of tinued in Kashmir since last recorded maximum of 11.0 Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed night bringing down the temper- degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 9.0 Salahuddin, in connection with ature in the Valley. The hills degrees Celsius, Kupwara 7.2 a 2011 funding case. across Kashmir had fresh snow- Umbrellas out in Srinagar as Kashmir valley experienced degrees Celsius, Kokernag 10.8 Shakeel Yusuf, who works fall. torrential rains disrupting normal life on Wednesday. (UNI) degrees Celsius and Gulmarg as a Medical Assistant at Zojila and Sonamarg areas of 8.0 degrees Celsius. already cleared from the road ance process will soon touch the Srinagar's Sher-i-Kashmir Central Kashmir's Ganderbal The officials here issued at Sonamarg market and the zero point at KM-108 of Institute of Medical Sciences, district received fresh snowfall. fresh avalanche warning in process is on to clear the snow Srinagar-Leh highway to facili- appeared before the agency An official said that seven Kashmir after snowfall in the from the Srinagar-Leh high- tate the re-opening of the high- along with five others suspected inches of fresh snow has accu- hills and forecast of more snow- way. way. to have received funds from mulated at Zojila and around fall for next 48 hours. A BRO official said that if The upper reaches in North Salahuddin. four inches at Sonamarg. He "On the basis of information weather allows the snow clear- Kashmir including Razdhan (Contd on page 6 Col 3) said that the snow has been (Contd on page 6 Col 3)

Download Mobile Apps of 6 years on, Mini-Secretariat Daily Excelsior for Android and IOS Watergam awaits completion Download on the Download on the Google Play Store App Store Waseem Ahmad stopped as the funds were not local said released," he said Bashir said the Mini- http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/apps/ SRINAGAR, Mar 14: Khalid Mehmood, Assistant Secretariat was sanctioned to Although six years have Executive Engineer, R&B accommodate all the govern- WEATHER passed since the construction department said the construction ment departments of the district INSIDE work on a Mini-Secretariat at work of the building is complete in a single place and to provide ) Salvaging encroached JAMMU: Watergam area of Rafiabad in but it is waiting for the finishing hassle-free governance to the forest land ...Page 8 Possibility of light rain/thundershowers TEMPERATURE North Kashmir's Baramulla works."About 90 percent of the people. "It was supposed to ease * The fate of Dogripora bridge Max: 31.1 Degree C district was started but the construction work is almost the woes of the people and to ) Governor for replacement of Min: 16.9 Degree C scarcity of funds has left the complete and only finishing ensure that people do not have to traditional secrecy with RELATIVE HUMIDITY RH-I (Morning): 41.0 per cent project in limbo. touch to the building is pend- travel long distances to get their openness, transparency ...Page 3 RH-II (Evening): 45.0 per cent With an estimated cost of Rs ing," he said things done," he said, adding ) Maiden Convocation of Sunset on Thursday: 06.39 p.m. 5.56 crores, the project was Locals also alleged that people have to travel long dis- Sunrise on Friday: 06.42 a.m. Central University Jammu commissioned in 2012 and the Government is showing indif- tance for petty issues. on Mar 18 ....Page 3 SRINAGAR: Possibility of light rain/thudnershowers construction work was started ferent attitude towards the The locals of the area said ) FM underlines need for TEMPERATURE subsequently. project as the construction that the Mini-Secretariat would synergizing reforms at all Max: 11.0 Degree C An official of R&B depart- work is often stopped. have saved the time and effort levels ...Page 5 Min: 6.5 Degree C RELATIVE HUMIDITY ment, the executing agency, of "Government is not serious of the people. "It would help us ) Institute for High Altitude RH-I (Morning): 87.0 per cent the project blamed paucity of about this project. Six years in various ways and we don't Medicinal Plants to come RH-II (Evening): 79.0 per cent funds for the delay in the proj- have passed since the work on have to visit various depart- up at Bhaderwah ...Page 5 LEH: ments for our grievances and it TEMPERATURE ect. "The project was delayed the project was started and we ) Rohit on fire as India crush Max: 15.5 Degree C due to scarcity of funds and the are yet to see the complete will reduce time in redressing Bangladesh to enter final ..Page14 Min: 1.2 Degree C construction work was often building," Bashir Ahmad, a (Contd on page 6 Col 7)