The report further claimed that the government used delaying tactics to save government’s money not to pay arrears of allowances on the pretext of formation of ‘Committee on Allowances’.

New Delhi, July 23: The Union Government recently accepted recommendations on higher allowances under 7th Pay Commission after which a large number of Central Government employees got hiked salaries. But some reports suggest that the government saved Rs 40,000 crore by the delay in the implementation of allowances.

According to The Sen Times, the delay in the implementation of allowances is chiefly because of the financial gains of the government while financial condition of the government is very sound. The report further said that the delay in the implementation of allowances has saved Rs 40,000 crore of Union Government.

The report further claimed that the government used delaying tactics to save government’s money not to pay arrears of allowances on the pretext of formation of ‘Committee on Allowances’ in June 2016, for examination of allowances as the 7th Pay Commission had the recommended abolition of 51 allowances and subsuming 37 other allowances out of 196. Also Read – 7th CPC (Pay Commission) Latest News: Delay in Allowances Affects 48 Lakh Government Employees As Many Unable to Pay House Rents, Insurance Premiums, Vehicle Loans, Tuition Fees of Children on Time

The Union Government last month accepted few of the demands of Central Government employees over hike in allowance under the 7th Pay Commission but some reports suggest that a large fraction of employees are unhappy with the centre’s decision.

The employees union said that there is a widespread resentment against the “meagre” allowances hike implemented under the 7th Pay Commission and not get the arrears of the allowances. The Sen Times report further said that the government employees are annoyed with PM Modi government as a large number of central government employees were eagerly waiting for their allowances since last 18 months but they got deeply annoyed when they saw a little hike without any arrears.

Last month Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the Union Cabinet stuck with the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations on allowances and gave nod accordingly. The Narendra Modi government’s major contention is on the House Rent Allowance (HRA), which the unions demanded at the rate of 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of basic pay with arrears.

The ‘Committee on Allowances’ headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa submitted its final report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on April 27 and the Union Cabinet approved the recommendation on June 28, which came into effect from this month.

The committee led by Justice AK Mathur on 7th Pay Commission had submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in November 2015.

New Delhi, July 20

The Navy has asked six international submarine makers to submit their bids to produce the next lot of undersea vessels. India is looking to make six submarines as follow-on to the six Scorpene-class subs already being manufactured jointly by French company DCNS and Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Called Project 75 (I), the six vessels would be an upgrade over Scorpene. The Navy last night issued a request for information to six foreign original equipment manufacturers for the approximately $10 billion project. Among the six firms are Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Russia’s Rosoboronexport Rubin Design Bureau, France’s Naval Group, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Spain’s Navantia and Sweden’s Saab.The selected firm will have to make vessels in India in collaboration with an Indian partner and is also transfer technology as part of Delhi’s new defence policy. — TNSStop firing at schoolkids, Pak told Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen AK Bhatt on Thursday spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and asked Pakistan not to target civilians. Lt Gen Bhatt reminded Maj Gen Mirza that the act of firing at schoolchildren at LoC did not behove an Army. 

The committee, headed by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, called the alleged irregularities in the management of defence land a “monumental failure” at all levels of governance.

New Delhi: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday expressed “shock” over the defence ministry’s “failure” to punish those involved in the Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai and asked it to award “exemplary punishment” to the erring officials.

In a scathing report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the public accounts committee said certain officials holding key posts committed “unpardonable irregularities” under the ruse of welfare of servicemen and that they must be punished.It asked the ministry to apprise the committee within four months about the punishment meted out to the officials involved in the scam.

The committee, headed by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, called the alleged irregularities in the management of defence land a “monumental failure” at all levels of governance.

It said public servants entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding public trust had “brazenly betrayed” it by acting against all norms of public interest and probity.

The Adarsh scam related to apartments in a tony part of town in Mumbai which were meant for the families of Kargil heroes. But army officers, politicians and bureaucrats were allegedly alloted flats in violation of the rules.

Seen as a symbol of corruption, the scam had kicked up a huge political storm after it surfaced in 2010, leading to the resignation of then Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan.

A high-level inquiry committee appointed by the defence ministry had named former Army chiefs, Gen. N C Vij and Gen. Deepak Kapoor, and several other retired military officials for their alleged complicity in the scam. The CBI is also carrying out a probe into the scam.

The parliamentary committee was severely critical of the defence ministry’s “action taken note” to a previous report by the panel.

“The committee is shocked to note that the action taken note of the ministry is silent about action initiated against a group of officials holding key posts in the ministry who violated rules and regulations and committed unpardonable irregularities under the ruse of welfare of servicemen, war widows and children,” it said.

A parliament official said the recommendation of the panel is not binding on the government.

The PAC also slammed the defence ministry for failing to carry out a physical survey and verification of its entire land pool and said it left scope for the “alienation” of its land in an “arbitrary and collusive manner”.

The committee also urged the ministry to set up a monitoring cell to fast track pending cases of mutation of defence land and complete the process in a time bound manner.

The panel also desired that the environment ministry take action against officials of the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority who failed to detect violations in the construction of the high-rise housing complex.

The body of Sepoy Jaspreet Singh being brought to his native Talwandi Mallian village in Moga district on Wednesday evening. Tribune Photo

Moga, July 19

The body of Sepoy Jaspreet Singh, who was killed in Pakistani firing in the Naushera sector of Jammu and Kashmir, was consigned to flames with state honours at his native Talwandi Mallian village in Dharamkot subdivision of Moga today.Jaspreet (24) was killed during a ceasefire violation by the Pakistan Army in Rajouri district on Tuesday night. He belonged to the 8 Sikh Light Infantry Regiment and was attached with the Rashtriya Rifles at the time of his death.State Congress president Sunil Jakhar, local MLAs Kaka Sukhjit Singh Lohgarh, Darshan Singh Brar, Harjot Kamal, District Magistrate Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, SSP Raj Jit Singh Hundal, besides civil and military officials paid floral tributes to the martyr. Jaspreet’s father Sarwan Singh lit the pyre.Earlier, a pall of gloom descended on Talwandi Mallian vllage when Jaspreet’s body was brought there. His younger brother Kuldeep Singh said Jaspreet was planning to come home on July 29. — TNS

Rs 10 lakh, job for martyr’s kinChandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the family and a police job for the younger brother of martyr Jaspreet Singh. An official spokesperson said the CM had sanctioned Rs 5 lakh as battle casualty compensation and another Rs 5 lakh as general compensation to the family of the martyr, along with a job for his younger brother in the state police. Jaspreet, a native of Moga, is survived by two brothers and two sisters. The spokesperson said besides Rs 10 lakh (ex gratia and payment in lieu of a plot), Rs 25,000 had been given to the family for the cremation of the martyr. tns

11 students were taken by their teacher to her house in Namb village in Nowshera sector along LoC after shelling by Pak army.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar/Rajouri, July 18

Two soldiers were killed in the Pakistan army fire even as 217 students were evacuated from schools following heavy shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in border districts of Jammu and Kashmir today. The security forces, meanwhile, thwarted an infiltration bid by gunning down two militants in Bandipore’s Gurez.A soldier was killed in Pakistan sniper fire in Nowgam sector of Kupwara district, 120 km northwest of Srinagar, this afternoon. “The soldier was critically wounded  and succumbed to injuries later,” a source said. His identity could not be established.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)One more soldier, Jaspreet Singh of Moga district in Punjab, was killed, while another got injured in heavy shelling by the Pakistan army in the Rajouri sector.A “war-like situation” prevailed along the LoC as the Pakistan army resorted to heavy shelling in the Bhimber Gali and Poonch sectors and Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.An Army spokesperson claimed the Pakistan army was using small arms, automatic weapons and 120 mm mortars to target civilian areas. At least 217 students were trapped in the “danger zone” along the LoC in the Nowshera sector when Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in the area this afternoon. The district administration later evacuated them along with 15 teachers to safer places.At least 55 students belonging to Government Middle School, Sehar, had a miraculous escape when shells landed on a school building while they were being rescued. Around 150 students and staff of Government High School, Bhawani, were shifted to migrant camps, while the rest were handed over to parents.“Heavy mortar shelling in Nowshera, students trapped in two schools, Kadali and Sehar. Rescue operation launched,” Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, tweeted earlier in the day.Around 10,000 people in Nowshera and Rajouri sectors were still trapped inside their homes as the administration was unable to evacuate them.In north Kashmir’s Gurez, the Army foiled an infiltration bid by killing two unidentified militants in a gunfight. A group of militants was intercepted by soldiers near Kanzalwan, close to the Line of Control in Gurez sector, 180 km from Srinagar. “On being challenged, the militants opened fire, triggering a gunfight. Two militants have been killed. A combing operation is on,” a defence source said, adding three weapons were recovered from the scene. Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said two militants had been killed and the operation was under way.

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 13

The Punjab Police are reviewing all arms licences issued in the past decade after two modules of terrorists and criminals were found carrying licensed weapons.Senior police officials said norms were bypassed in issuing licences, allegedly under political pressure.“The number of licences doubled to 4 lakh from less than 2 lakh in 2007. Most of the new licences carried recommendations of the Akali legislators or halqa incharges. All cases will be probed,” the officer said.A senior officer said, “Last month, a terror module was busted. Two former terrorists and TADA detainees had a licence to carry weapons. We were astonished to find that persons with a criminal background had got arms licence. The licences were recommended by politicians.”The police also found that a former Akali MLA had recommended licences of many persons with a shady past.Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi and Amna Seth, named in last year’s murders of a Dera Sacha Sauda follower at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village (Faridkot) and a self-styled godman in Rajasthan, were found to have arms licences.“We are verifying the recommendations made in this case, besides looking into all arms licences issued in the past 10 years,” said an officer.The move follows an announcement by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in April that the arms licences issued by the SAD-BJP government would be reviewed.

Politician-gangster nexus being probed

Ferozepur: The police are zeroing in on several politicians of the border district who allegedly recommended the issuance of arms licences to gangsters. Over the past 17 years, thousands of fake arms licences issued by local licensing authorities have been recovered from criminals operating in Uttar Pradesh and other states. In 2000, an arms licence racket had been unearthed following the arrest of hardcore criminals by the Haryana Police. They had secured licences from Ferozepur under fake names. Later, after a writ petition was filed by then Congress MLAs Mohinder Rinwa and Hans Raj Jossan, a CBI inquiry was marked into the case. The CBI had scanned 27,188 arms licences issued between September 2000 and February 2001, of which around 15,000 were found fake. Six clerks in the licensing branch had been suspended. They had admitted to having made fake licences on the directions of leaders of the ruling party. In 2015, 53 illegal weapons were recovered by the district police, besides forged licences and fake stamps of district magistrates in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP. Gaurav Garg, SSP, said the police were probing how gangsters got the arms licences. — Anirudh Gupta

The ammunition recovered from the infiltrators in Kupwara.

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10

Three unidentified militants were killed during a gunfight as the Army foiled a fresh infiltration in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.The gunfight erupted around midnight when the Army detected a group of militants close to the Line of Control in the Nowgam sector, 120 km northwest of Srinagar. They were trying to sneak into the Valley.“The militants were detected by the soldiers on duty close to the LoC. When they were challenged, the terrorists resorted to indiscriminate firing and were killed in the ensuing gun battle,” said Army Brigadier Neeraj Kumar Soni.Brig Soni said the search operation lasted over 18 hours resulting in elimination of militants and recovery of a large cache of war-like stores.The identity and the group affiliation of the slain militants could not be established immediately.This is the third infiltration that was successfully foiled in the Nowgam sector in the past two months.Militants have stepped up efforts to sneak into the Valley and sources said over 20 militants have managed to infiltrate ending May. Prior to the Nowgam gunfight, 32 militants were killed along the LoC in the Kashmir region by the Army.

Sandeep a welder-turned-LeT militant

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 10

Sandeep Kumar Sharma in his twenties is possibly the first Hindu militant from outside state to be booked by the J&K Police for being part of the Lashkar-e-Toiba group.Investigations by the J&K Police have revealed that Sandeep, alias Adil, of Muzaffarnagar tehsil in Uttar Pardesh, was a welder and first came to the Valley in 2012. Since then, he had been working as a welder in south Kashmir during summer.“During winter, he would go to Patiala for employment. While working in Punjab, he came in contact with Shahid Ahmed, a resident of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab. This year, he along with some of his Kashmir-based associates came from Patiala to Kashmir to loot ATMs and carry out other robberies in south Kashmir,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Muneer Khan said in Srinagar.“After coming from Punjab, Sandeep along with Shahid, Muneeb Shah and Muzaffar Shah (whom he met in Patiala) started living in rented accommodation at Wanpoh in Kulgam for carrying out the robberies. They later met hardcore terrorist Shakoor Ahmad Dar of the Lashkar. The meeting with Shakoor was arranged by Muneeb and his associates and that was the beginning of Sandeep’s criminal activities. The militant utilised the services of Sandeep for looting ATMs. Four ATMs were looted and the booty was shared with Lashkar militants,” the IGP said.“Thereafter Sandeep became a hardcore terrorist and participated in at least three militant actions.”Sandeep was nabbed from the same house where Lashkar commander Bashir Lashkari was killed earlier this month. There have been few instances in the past where Hindus from far-flung areas of Rajouri, Reasi and Doda districts of the Jammu region have joined militant ranks, mainly of the Hizbul Mujahideen. Muslim militants from outside the state have also been killed in Kashmir in the over two-decade-long militancy.

In between looted ATMs

• Sandeep, alias Adil, of Muzaffarnagar tehsil in Uttar Pradesh, was a welder and first came to the Valley in 2012. He worked as a welder in south Kashmir during summer
• During winter, he would go to Patiala for employment. This year, Sandeep along with some of his Kashmir-based associates came from Patiala to Kashmir to loot ATMs
• Thereafter, Sandeep became a hardcore terrorist and participated in at least three militant actions

People help in dousing the fire caught by a MiG-23 trainer aircraft of the IAF after it crashed in the Balesar near Jodhpur on Thursday. PTI

Yash Goyal

Jaipur, July 6

An IAF MiG-23 trainer plane on Thursday crash-landed at Gopasar, 60 km from Jodhpur district. The four occupants, including the two pilots, ejected out safely.The accident occurred around noon.After crash-landing in the field, the plane caught fire, SP Rural Ravi told The Tribune.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

All four occupants, including the two pilots, were safe as they bailed out safely, the SP said, adding that the fire was being doused. No civilian was affected either, he said. Cops from Balesar police post rushed to the spot, SHO Moolsingh Bhati said. A court of inquiry has been ordered.  People help in dousing the fire caught by a MiG-23 trainer aircraft of the IAF after it crashed in the Balesar near Jodhpur on Thursday. PTI Yash Goyal Jaipur, July 6 An IAF MiG-23 trainer plane on Thursday crash-landed at Gopasar, 60 km from Jodhpur district. The four occupants, including the two pilots, ejected out safely. The accident occurred around noon. After crash-landing in the field, the plane caught fire, SP Rural Ravi told The Tribune. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) All four occupants, including the two pilots, were safe as they bailed out safely, the SP said, adding that the fire was being doused.  No civilian was affected either, he said. Cops from Balesar police post rushed to the spot, SHO Moolsingh Bhati said.  A court of inquiry has been ordered.

MiG TRAINER AIRCRAFT CRASHES

A Chinese soldier and an Indian soldier at the Nathu La border crossing. File photo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 5

In what possibly is the first sign of attempts to de-escalate India-China tension at Sikkim border, Beijing today said it was willing to consider alternative arrangements through other routes for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims who had planned the journey via Nathu La. “The official pilgrimage through Lipuleku Pass and non-official yatra through Lhasa and Purang are still on the rails,” Xie Liyan, spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in India, said here.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) “Indian yatra to Kailash Mansarovar is an important part of China-India people-to-people and cultural exchanges… The two sides agreed that a total of 350 yatris in seven batches would take part in yatras to Xizang through Nathu La this year,” she said. “However, days before the departure of the yatris, the Indian border troops crossed into the Chinese territory and obstructed the Chinese border troops’ normal activities in Doka La. To ensure the safe and smooth visit of Indian yatris, China had to halt their entry into Xizang through Nathu La,” she said.The spokesperson also said the Chinese side had notified the Indian side through diplomatic channels. “China consistently respects the Indian people’s religious sentiments and attaches importance to the pilgrimage,” she said.