Over 2000 PRC’s Issued in 54 Days After RTI Plea

RTI  brings hope for Inhabitants of  RS Pura

JAMMU, 02/DEC/2017: Exposing the  casual approach and lethargy of official machinery and bringing a ray of hope for the inhabitants of Sub division RS Pura, a border area in Jammu district, an RTI application has revealed that only 136 Permanent Resident Certificates were issued to the people of the area in a period of over 09 months.

In a shocking expose’ that came through  information received under RTI  Act,  it’s been revealed in the reply that people of RS Pura were denied of their constitutional right of having Permanent Resident Certificate most commonly called as ‘State Subject Certificate ’ for months together and their applications were gathering dust before the RTI plea.

In an official communication vide office letter  no SDMR/RTI/2017-18/1308 dated 17/11/2018 signed by Sub Divisional Magistrate, RS Pura served to the RTI activist Raman Sharma in response to his application under Right to Information Act, it is being informed that a total 6514 PRC’s have been issued to the applicants in last two years.

It is also informed in the RTI reply that 2165 PRCs  were issued in last one year, out of which 2029 were issued only after the submission of  RTI application and only 136 PRCs were issued by the SDM office in 09 months before the RTI.

In the reply, the  tall claims of the government about providing transparent and accountable governance are also exposed because the SDM’s letter also states that there is no single window mechanism available in the Sub division and the files of the applicants are submitted directly to the concerned  Tehisldaars.

Blaming the shortage of staff and overload of work, the official reply also exonerated the itself for the delay in issuing the PRCs well within stipulated period of 30 days as prescribed under the rules framed by the government in the light of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Gurantee Act 2011. Under the J & K PSGA 2011, there is a provision of penalty against the designated officers for delay and deficiency in any service besides compensation provision for the eligible person who is deprived his right to public service.

Expressing happiness over the success of his RTI application that has compelled the officers to expedite the process of issuing over 2000 ‘State Subjects’ within such a short span of less than two months, applicant Sharma urged people to file RTI applications to seek their right and to expose corruption, nepotism and lethargy of the official machinery.

http://kashmirlife.net/jammu-kashmir-in-rs-pora-over-2000-prcs-issued-within-54-days-after-rti-plea-157467/

‘Save My Tawi’ Demands Caution Boards to Check Garbage Dumping

Jammu, 28/11/2017: Concerned over the unchecked and elevating level of pollution in the river Tawi, a plea has been submitted by the Save My Tawi campaign with the government seeking caution boards on all the bridges of river Tawi with prohibitory note educating the people not to throw garbage in the river.

The Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell has further marked this prayer (no. 76588) seeking installation of these cautionary boards to the Jammu Municipal corporation on 13^th of this month and have asked the JMC to redress the grievance within 15 days. Though the petition was submitted with the grievance cell on 12/Nov/2017 and as per the new Standard operating procedure of JK grievance Cell,  it should have been disposed of within 15 days .

On behalf of Save my Tawi campaign the petition has been filed by  one of its founding member Raman Sharma. In his plea the appellant have urged the authorities to  install the caution boards on either sides of all the bridges on river Tawi including Bikram Chowk to Jewel, Sher I Kashmir Bridge joining the river with Bahu Fort to Gujjar Nagar, Bhagwati Nagar Bridge and  Sidhra site bridge over the river Tawi. People parking their vehicles over these bridges and then throwing polythene carrying bags and other thrash in Tawi is common site in Jammu city.

Early Times, 29/Nov/2017

GooD News for all jk govt emplyees including SPOs

GooD News for all jk govt employees including dailywagers and SPOs.

All employees are covered under Term Insurance of Rs. 1000000 Ten Lac.

An annual deduction of Just Rs. 359.90 from employees salary.

As per a notification issued by the Principal Secretary Finance, Mr Navin K Choudhary, the policy shall cover employees of the state government including employees of PSUs, Autonomous Bodies, Local Bodies, Universities, daily rated workers, casual workers, consolidated workers, contractual / contingent paid workers, adhoc employees and SPOs.

The sum assured under this policy shall by Rs 10 lakh per employee against payment of a yearly premium of Rs 359.90.

‎The order further states that the DDOs of the government shall deduct  Rs 359.90 from all categories of employees from the salaries of November 2017.

The‎ DDOs of the autonomous bodies shall do the same thing in their respective institutions and remit the deducted amount to the Finance Department by cheque drawn in favour of the Principal Secretary, Finance Department.

According to the notification, a detailed Memorandum of Understanding / agreement indicating the terms and conditions and other related details shall be executed between the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and M/s Oriental Insurance Company Limited.

Meanwhile, the Finance Department has also accorded sanction to the advance drawal of Rs 125965000 @ Rs 359.90 per employee under Major Head 8235 for subsequent release of the amount to the M/S Oriental Insurance Company Ltd as premium for Group Personal Accidental Insurance Policy one year from the date of payment of premium.

Mumbai Attacks

RTI Reveals JKPSC Facing over 500 Cases in Courts

 500 Cases pending against JKPSC in High Court

RTI Reveals 500 Cases Pending Against JKPSC in High Court

    Jammu, 15/Nov/2017: Already facing criticism from the aspiring candidates and the civil society for not maintaining transparency in its systems of carrying recruitment  and conducting exams for different services including prestigious J & K civil services exams, JKPSC, Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission’s  working is once again exposed through an RTI application wherein it has been revealed that the constitutional recruitment body of the state is facing  508 cases in superior courts. 

    Through an official communication signed by Ghanshyam Singh, Public Information Officer and Additional secretary of the commission in response to an RTI application of RTI activist Raman Sharma, it has been revealed that as on date JKPSC is facing 500 cases against it in the Jammu and Kashmir High court and 8 cases are also pending against it  in the supreme court of India.

    In the same  RTI reply, it’s also been stated that JKPSC has also moved to J & K High Court as petitioner in 15 cases and filed appeals in Supreme court in 2 cases during the last 3 years.

    On the question of amount of fess spent by the commission in contesting these cases before the honourable courts, the data supplied by JKPSC discloses that an amount of Rs  3483200 has been paid by it as legal fees during the last 3 years whereas its budget sanction for legal expenses was only Rs 24,25,000. Shockingly during the financial year 2016-17, the legal expenses of the commission were double as compared to  its annual budget under relevant head (FY 2016-17) which was  Rs. 7.00 lac only whereas the commission  spent  Rs. 14,70,300 to meet its legal expenses. 

    

  Raman Sharma , the applicant while commenting on the RTI revelation urged the Commissioner and members of the J& K Public Service Commission to adopt more transparent and open method in recruitment and examination process so that the aspiring candidates do not need to knock the doors of courts against the JKPSC. He said it is only due to failure of the constitutional recruitment panel that today it is facing so much criticism from the civil society and entangled in legal battles. Information seeker also informed that similar RTI application seeking same queries is also pending with the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board but they have not yet provided the information despite lapse of the stipulated period of time.

Cases Pending against JKPSC  in J & K High Court	Cases Pending against JKPSC in Supreme Court	Appeals filed by  JKPSC in Supreme Court	Appeals filed by  JKPSC in J & K High Court	Total cases  pending against JKPSC    in Courts (SC + JK High Court)
500	08	02	15	508

Annual Legal Budget of JKPSC and its Spending

Financial Year	Annual Budget   Under Head      In Rs	Amount Actually  Spent	Excess Amount Spent
2014-15	6.00 Lac	597300	nil
2015-16	6.00 Lac	626100	26100
2016-17	7.00 Lac	1470300	770300
2017-18 (till date)	5.25 Lac	789500	264500
Total	24.25 Lac	3483200	1058200

स्टेट पब्लिक सर्विस कमीशन के 500 से अधिक मामले अदालत में

राज्य ब्यूरो, जम्मू : नियुक्तियों में पारदर्शिता नहीं बरतने के विरोध का सामना कर रहे जम्मू-कश्मीर स्टेट पब्लिक सर्विस कमीशन का एक और चेहरा सामने आया है। स्टेट पब्लिक सर्विस कमीशन न्यायालयों में पांच सौ से अधिक मामलों का सामना कर रहा है।

आरटीआइ कार्यकर्ता रमन शर्मा ने सूचना अधिकार कानून के तहत यह जानकारी मांगी थी कि न्यायालयों में कमीशन कितने मामलों का सामना कर रहा है। कमीशन के पीआइओ और अतिरिक्तसचिव घनश्याम सिंह की ओर से दिए गए जवाब में कहा गया है कि जम्मू-कश्मीर उच्च न्यायालय में कमीशन पांच सौ मामलों का सामना कर रहा है और सर्वोच्च न्यायालय में आठ मामले लंबित पड़े हुए हैं।

स्टेट पब्लिक सर्विस कमीशन ने जम्मू-कश्मीर उच्च न्यायालय में बतौर याचिकाकर्ता 15 मामलों में याचिका दायर की है और पिछले तीन वर्षो के दौरान दो मामलों में सर्वोच्च न्यायालय में अपील दायर की है। मामलों पर कितनी फीस खर्च की गई। इसके जवाब में कमीशन ने कहा है कि पिछले तीन वर्षो के दौरान कमीशन ने 3483200 रुपये बतौर कानूनी फीस दी है। जबकि कानूनी फीस के लिए बजट 2425000 रुपये का था। वित्त वर्ष 2016-17 के दौरान बजट के अनुरूप कानूनी फीस दोगुना थी। इस अवधि में बजट सात लाख रुपये का था, जबकि कानूनी फीस पर 1470300 रुपये खर्च किए गए।

इसी बीच, रमन शर्मा ने कहा है कि कमीशन के चेयरमैन और सदस्यों को नियुक्तियों में अधिक पारदर्शिता का ख्याल रखना चाहिए ताकि उम्मीदवारों को न्यायालयों की तरफ रूख न करना पड़े। दूसरी तरफ स्टेट सर्विस सलेक्शन बोर्ड में भी न्यायालयों में मामलों की जानकारी मांगी गई है, जिसका अभी तक जवाब नहीं मिला है।

No Special Prosecutor Appointed in DSP Ayub Pandith Lynching Case

2 Accused Still Absconding, 3 Released on Bail

Jammu/Srinagar, 04/Nov/2017: Shocking revelations have come to light through an RTI Reply furnished by the Srinagar district police in gruesome murder case of  Martyr Ayub Pandith, Deputy Superintendent, DSP of Jammu and Kashmir Police who was stripped and lynched by a mob outside the historic  Jamia  Masjid in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area on 22^nd of June this year.

While giving reply of an application filed under Right to Information Act by RTI Activist Raman Sharma, the Public Information Officer of the District  Police Srinagar have stated that 21 accused persons were arrested, 01 accused got killed in an encounter at Raidbugh , Magam and two accused are yet to be arrested. The information also reveals that out of 21 accused 3 are released on bail.

The information provided by the State Police also reveals that so far no Special Public Prosecutor have been appointed to present this criminal case before the court of law. On the query asking whether the JKP have appointed at its own or mulling to request the state government to appoint a special Public Prosecutor to present this case before the court of law to provide justice to the martyr officer and his family, in his reply, the DSP/PIO of the Srinagar Police stated “does not pertain” .

The Case has been challaned before the honourable court of Chief Judicial magistrate Srinagar on 06/Oct/2017.

Out of 21 accused arrested by the police, 3 Juveniles were given bail by the honourable Court and one juvenile is still languishing in Juvenile Center Harwan.

Interestingly the FIR no 51/2017  of this case was registered at Police Station Nowhatta at 11:45 PM on 22/June/2017 under section 148,149, 341, 302 RPC and Unlawful Activity Act 13  but the police could not  arrest any  accused for more than 10 days of this heinous crime and only on 3^rd of July, they succeeded in arresting  3 accused and the last accused/juvenile was arrested on 30/08/2017.

With the RTI reply, the District Police Srinagar have also provided FIR copy of the case besides a list showing the names of  all the accused along with their date of arrest.

In his response to the RTI exposure, the RTI activist Raman Sharma said this is very sad that neither the state government at its own appointed any Special public Prosecutor in this case nor the State Police department demanded it. Sharma said, the martyr DSP sacrificed his life while performing his lawful duty and it is the responsibility of the government, police and the people to ensure that justice is done and the culprits are given exemplary punishment. He urged the governor NN Vohra to intervene in this case and direct the state government for taking all appropriate steps to ensure justice. 

MUBARAK MANDI HERITAGE PROJECT: In a Decade, 7 Percent Amount Released, Less than 5 % Utilized

RENOVATION OF  MUBARAK   MANDI  HERITAGE  COMPLEX

In a Decade, 7 Percent Amount Released, Less than 5 %   Utilized

Jammu, 03/Nov/2017:  The much prestigious renovation of historic Mubarak Mandi complex project of Jammu is running at snails pace which is evident from the documents shared by the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society MMJHS, in a reply of application of RTI activist Raman Sharma.

In the RTI reply, it has been apprised  that the estimated cost of the Historic Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex is about  Rs. 298.86 Crore, whereas just 7 percent of the estimated cost of the project amount has been released and more shockingly so far utilized amount is even lesser than 5 % of the estimated cost.

Since beginning of the project right from year 2008-09 to till date an amount of Rs. 21.26 crore has been released by government under different heads including Rs. 8.51 Cr under 13^th finance commission and actual amount utilized for the project is only 13.51 crore. Even out of this Rs. 13.51 crore a whopping sum has been charged by Archaeological Survey of India, ASI as departmental charges at the rate of 23.75 percent.

In the reply it has also been informed by the Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society, that no dateline is fixed for completion of the ongoing project.

On the question of any monitoring mechanism set up, the reply served by MMJHS stated that Monitoring Committee consists of Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Executive Director MMJHS and Director Archives and Museums inspects the restoration work and so far they have made no recommendation about anything.

In the RTI reply it has also been exposed that during the last 2 years only one meeting of the governing body has been held under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister on 29^th August 2016.

As per the details of Utilization Certificate of funds  submitted by the ASI with the MMJHS on 23/01/2012 it’s been revealed that  ASI charged Rs. 6749534 out of Rs. 3,51,69,000 given by the heritage society as departmental charges (@23.75 %)  and in another Utilization certificate dated 31/March/2017 submitted by the  ASI for conservation of Royal Court Phase one including Ghadavai Khana and Baddi Deodi,  again it’s revealed that  the ASI  deducted an amount of Rs. 1,99,02,500 out of total 8,38,00,000 given by Heritage society.

Expressing displeasure over the revelation made out in the RTI reply, the RTI activist Raman Sharma said this is so sad that no serious effort has been made by the government to expedite the pace of work on this prestigious project which is not only significant to showcase historical characteristic of Jammu but also important for increasing tourism activity  in Jammu which can further be helpful to generate employment avenues for the local population.

RTI ASKED

1. Kindly provide detail with regard to total estimated cost of ongoing project of beautification and             renovation on the historic Mubarak  Mandi Complex?

2. Kindly provide detail with regard to total  amount of money sanctioned for the renovation and             beautification of the Mubarak Mandi Complex.

3.  Kindly provide detail with regard to total  amount of money that has been  released so far ( since start of the work to till the date when the information is supplied)

4. Kindly provide detail with regard to total  amount of money have been spent/utilized on all renovation and beautification work on Mubarak Mandi Complex.  Kindly provide year  wise detail. (since start of the work to till when the information is supplied).

5. Kindly provide certified Copies of Utilization Certificate submitted to Funding Agency/Government during last 6 years.

6. Kindly intimate Approximately Scheduled date/years of completion of the ongoing entire project. (as mentioned in the project report).

7. Kindly intimate Date line/Deadline/Target time fix for completion of the ongoing project.

8. Name the officers/officials/department that are assigned the task of inspection of the ongoing project.

9. Give detail like date of inspection of their last three inspection reports and their recommendations. 

   10  Total number of meetings of the members of the of the Society held during the last 2                 years, give years wise number detail.

REPLY BY SOCIETY

Published in 4th of Nov in almost all Local Daily Newpapers

J & K GOVT ABOLISHES AFFIDAVITS REQUIREMENT FOR 51 SERVICES

Motor Cycle Rally Organized to bring Awareness about Preservation of Rivers

Jammu, 24^th/Sep/2017:  Supporting  All India Campaign for Preservation and Safety  of Indian Rivers, today  Several Jammu based Motor Cycle Riding Groups including  Metal Horse Riders Club, Royal Wings, North Extreme Riders,  ECO Riders & Volunteers of  "Save My Tawi Campaign"    jointly organised a Motor Cycle Rally under the Banner of RALLY FOR RIVERS.

The motor cycle rally en-routed Jammu " Tawi"  To "River Chenab" was Flagged Off by Arun Manhas, Additional  Deputy Commissioner, Jammu.

While interacting with the volunteers before the flag off program there at Bahu Plaza complex, the additional deputy commissioner appreciated their efforts and asked more people to join this movement of environment protection and be a partner with the government in making our environment further better. He said the Jammu administration shall be willing to offer all kind of assistance and cooperation with individuals and organization who comes forward for protection of wildlife, forests and water bodies.

The rally got appreciating response at various points right from Jammu to Akhnoor, at several spots people holding the welcome placards welcomes the rally and volunteers.

Finaaly the rally culminated at  Jia Pota Ghat, Akhnoor on Banks of River Chenab, there all the Riders and other locals planted saplings of trees on the Bank of the river and threw light on the importance of saving natural resources especially our rivers.

The volunteers urged the people to take a pledge not to pollute our rivers which are not only living heritages of any civilization  but also lifeline of human being.

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Sh. Arun Manhas with Volunteers of Motor Cycle Rally for Rivers' protection awareness

DOCUMENTS FROM HISTORY DIVISION OF INDIAN ARMY