The people of Kashmir have been sucked into the seething cauldron of violence for no fault of theirs except by the sheer accident of their birth. As the younger generation challenges the might of the State by stone pelting and normal life gets disrupted time and again, it’s time to take stock of our approach to the K-problem. Strong-arm tactics and unbridled use of force cannot usher in peace. Only a humane approach can provide the much-needed healing touch

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CHALLENGING STATE POWER: The youth throwing stones on the police as they clash with it during a protest against the arrest of students and the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Sabzar Bhat, in Srinagar. PTI

THE  advent of the Narendra Modi government with the massive mandate of the electorate and the euphoria it generated raised vague but high hopes of new initiatives on the India-Pakistan and Kashmir fronts.  With his penchant for dramatic action and out-of-the-box thinking, Prime Minister Modi was expected to somehow break new ground paving the way for normalisation of relations with Pakistan and resolution of the Kashmir issue.The symbolism surrounding his formal inauguration and his dramatic landing on Pakistan soil to shake hands with his counterpart lent some credence to popular expectations. Alas, three years down the line, India-Pakistan relations have not only not improved but have nosedived several notches — causing serious concern both nationally and internationally.  Recently, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and more significantly, the US President Donald Trump, during his election campaign and subsequently, offered to use their good offices to resolve the potentially explosive Kashmir issue.  Russia has steadfastly backed India’s stand on the Kashmir issue, but there are straws in the wind indicative of it moving towards a more nuanced approach in the context of emerging global geo-political and economic developments.  Though China is backing its all-weather ally to the hilt, there is mounting pressure on the nuclear-armed neighbours to settle their long-standing dispute over Kashmir, the “powder-keg” of South Asia.

Seeds of violence

The seeds of violence, death and destruction in the Kashmir Valley were sown on the birth of independent India and Pakistan.  Kashmir is central to India-Pakistan relations and  these relations are critical to militancy in Kashmir.  The latest wave of violence in the Valley was triggered by the death of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Sabzar Bhatt and his associate in an encounter in Pulwama.  The embers of the last major bout of violence over the killing of Burhan Wani, though nearly a year ago, had not yet fully subsided before the fresh eruption. The mob violence, specially pelting of stones at the security forces by the youth on both the occasions, has inevitably led to the imposition of curfew and call for protests by the Hurriyat followed by more stringent security measures and curbs on freedom of movement and detentions.  Cross- border terrorist intrusions and the methods used to effectively deal with them, coupled with internal violence and the measures to counter them, have taken many lives of the security forces and Kashmiris.  Thousands of widows, young and old, live in perpetual agony specially in districts like Kupwara.

Unmoved by suffering

Neither the loss of human lives nor human sufferings move the protagonists on either side of the India-Pakistan divide —notwithstanding the predictable outbursts of patriotic rhetoric, salute to the coffins and phoney pledges of eternal commitment to human rights and universal brotherhood. The Indian side is fighting on two fronts in the Valley: The separatist militants from within and the armed infiltrators from across the border. The two have become integral to each other, making it often practically impossible for the instruments of State authority to deal with them differently on the ground. The consequences have been disastrous as they inevitably lead to escalation of violence, disruption of normal life and the consequent alienation of local people.The increasing phenomenon of educated youth, including college-going girls, joining the ranks of the protesters, specially the stone-throwers, is ominously perturbing as it reflects the mood of the younger generation.  The situation has become so dauntingly complex that an exasperated Army Chief wished: “The people instead of throwing stones at us were firing weapons at us ……..”.  Vocal sections of angry youth proclaim Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa their heroes and role models. They perceive the security forces as instruments of State oppression and increasingly sympathise with the cause of the Hurriyat.  Their hatred of the forces, coupled with their total mistrust of the political class, have made them easy targets of militant secessionist ideology and propaganda.  The stern stand taken against them by the Centre has so far had  no deterrent effect.   To the contrary, they seem to add fuel to fire as  evident from the swelling ranks of the violent protestors.  That some of them are speaking the language of the separatists is disturbingly ominous.  Regrettably, a new generation infused with anti-India sentiments is on the making which is a matter of very serious concern about  Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of the Indian State and its democratic polity.   The militant separatists and the youth are undoubtedly no match to the might of the Indian Army, but a running battle with them is a negation of the very concept of Indian nationhood and pluralistic democracy.    The near -total absence of any serious engagement with them at any level makes matters worse by reinforcing their animosity and hatred of the  Central Government and Indian State.Though the BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir from its inception has been a coalition of convenience, it was vaguely hoped that it would slowly but steadily meander its ways to assuage the hurt feelings of the Kashmiris — thus paving the way for restoration of normalcy and at the same time strengthening the hands of the security forces to deal with infiltration from across the border.  Developments in the Valley have proved these hopes to be futile.  Distancing itself from the BJP, its partner-in-government, the PDP is charting its own course for talks with the Hurriyat and Pakistan reflecting its conciliatory approach as against the tough stance of the BJP and the Centre that maintain talks would follow the cessation of cross-border infiltration and militant terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and the Hurriyat.  According to its spokespersons, PDP is keen on the dialogue process in order to give the suffering people the much-needed relief by setting the stage for reconciliation and dialogue with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat and Pakistan. 

Striking a different chord

“The resolution of the Kashmir issue is an article of faith with the PDP.  The people of Kashmir are agonised by the confrontationist policies and provocative voices”, the PDP Vice President Sartaj Madni said recently.   At the same time, the Government of India has reportedly evolved a strategic action plan towards a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue which envisages giving carte blanche to the Army to neutralise terrorists and their sympathisers both at the border and inside the Valley; cutting off funds to the terrorists and separatists; blocking of communication facing ongoing military operations; an aggressive media blitz to highlight how all this is done without killing innocent lives.  The much-publicised surgical strike, the statements of the Army Chief and the near-total absence of any overt or covert engagement with the agitating youth, the Hurriyat  and Pakistan confirm the tough strategic action plan in operation.  The cold response of the Centre to the overtures for talks with all the stakeholders made by the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir reinforces the current official position of the Government of India.The recent developments are most disturbing and cruelly agonising for the people of the Kashmir Valley. With the state and Central governments openly divided over the approach and strategy to deal with the complex  problem with its security concerns, political sensitivity and international ramifications, most regrettably the human aspects and the suffering of the people of the Valley are overlooked.  Given the current international context, in spite of our superior economic and military might, we cannot force our own solution to the border dispute with Pakistan however justified or rational it is.  Similarly, it is unlikely that the militancy in Kashmir which has spread its tentacles can be nipped through strong-arm tactics.  Well, then are there any options available to the Indian State?

Provide succour to people

The people of India are passionately possessive of Kashmir as an inalienable part of their country.  The people of Jammu and Kashmir, including the stone-throwing youth, are as much citizens of India as the people of any other state in the Indian Union.  They are strife-torn for no fault of theirs, except the accident of their birth.   Random killing of them, however heinous their crimes might be, should not be the Indian way of dealing with them for bringing peace in the violence-prone state.     Just as we provide succour to the people in distress in any other part of  India, we must rally round the people of Kashmir, engage with them, share their concerns and help them out of their genuine grievances.  Our helping hand and healing touch would win their hearts and minds.  Let the Indian State extend its olive branch to the Kashmiri youth, establish channels of communication with them and talk to them with full trust and without reservations and preconceived notions.  The path of peace and reconciliation is the only possible humane way of stopping the violence and ameliorating the sufferings of the people. Build confidence in them about the sincerity of our approach, about the security of their lives and their future in a peaceful Kashmir as honourable citizens of India and they will for sure be the best bet for facilitating the process of engaging with our inimical neighbour for peaceful coexistence.  No doubt, it is an outrageously uncertain path, which our security establishment and “patriotic nationalists” would pooh-pooh and reject out of hand with contempt, but let us remind ourselves that for 70 years periodic devious political ploys, half-hearted talks, surgical strikes and other invasive measures have only helped shedding more and more blood on the soil of Kashmir.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is uniquely placed, as no other Indian Prime Minister ever was, to walk the path of peace in the Kashmir valley and rise as a Messiah of hope for its tormented people in Kashmir.  Evil cannot be effaced by evil, though Tolstoy and Gandhi are dead and nearly forgotten for long!The writer served as the Principal Secretary and Adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . THE  advent of the Narendra Modi government with the massive mandate of the electorate and the euphoria it generated raised vague but high hopes of new initiatives on the India-Pakistan and Kashmir fronts.  With his penchant for dramatic action and out-of-the-box thinking, Prime Minister Modi was expected to somehow break new ground paving the way for normalisation of relations with Pakistan and resolution of the Kashmir issue. The symbolism surrounding his formal inauguration and his dramatic landing on Pakistan soil to shake hands with his counterpart lent some credence to popular expectations. Alas, three years down the line, India-Pakistan relations have not only not improved but have nosedived several notches — causing serious concern both nationally and internationally.  Recently, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and more significantly, the US President Donald Trump, during his election campaign and subsequently, offered to use their good offices to resolve the potentially explosive Kashmir issue.  Russia has steadfastly backed India’s stand on the Kashmir issue, but there are straws in the wind indicative of it moving towards a more nuanced approach in the context of emerging global geo-political and economic developments.  Though China is backing its all-weather ally to the hilt, there is mounting pressure on the nuclear-armed neighbours to settle their long-standing dispute over Kashmir, the “powder-keg” of South Asia. Seeds of violence The seeds of violence, death and destruction in the Kashmir Valley were sown on the birth of independent India and Pakistan.  Kashmir is central to India-Pakistan relations and  these relations are critical to militancy in Kashmir.  The latest wave of violence in the Valley was triggered by the death of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Sabzar Bhatt and his associate in an encounter in Pulwama.  The embers of the last major bout of violence over the killing of Burhan Wani, though nearly a year ago, had not yet fully subsided before the fresh eruption. The mob violence, specially pelting of stones at the security forces by the youth on both the occasions, has inevitably led to the imposition of curfew and call for protests by the Hurriyat followed by more stringent security measures and curbs on freedom of movement and detentions.   Cross- border terrorist intrusions and the methods used to effectively deal with them, coupled with internal violence and the measures to counter them, have taken many lives of the security forces and Kashmiris.  Thousands of widows, young and old, live in perpetual agony specially in districts like Kupwara. Unmoved by suffering Neither the loss of human lives nor human sufferings move the protagonists on either side of the India-Pakistan divide —notwithstanding the predictable outbursts of patriotic rhetoric, salute to the coffins and phoney pledges of eternal commitment to human rights and universal brotherhood. The Indian side is fighting on two fronts in the Valley: The separatist militants from within and the armed infiltrators from across the border. The two have become integral to each other, making it often practically impossible for the instruments of State authority to deal with them differently on the ground. The consequences have been disastrous as they inevitably lead to escalation of violence, disruption of normal life and the consequent alienation of local people. The increasing phenomenon of educated youth, including college-going girls, joining the ranks of the protesters, specially the stone-throwers, is ominously perturbing as it reflects the mood of the younger generation.  The situation has become so dauntingly complex that an exasperated Army Chief wished: “The people instead of throwing stones at us were firing weapons at us ……..”.  Vocal sections of angry youth proclaim Burhan Wani and Zakir Musa their heroes and role models. They perceive the security forces as instruments of State oppression and increasingly sympathise with the cause of the Hurriyat.  Their hatred of the forces, coupled with their total mistrust of the political class, have made them easy targets of militant secessionist ideology and propaganda.  The stern stand taken against them by the Centre has so far had  no deterrent effect.   To the contrary, they seem to add fuel to fire as  evident from the swelling ranks of the violent protestors.  That some of them are speaking the language of the separatists is disturbingly ominous.  Regrettably, a new generation infused with anti-India sentiments is on the making which is a matter of very serious concern about  Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of the Indian State and its democratic polity.   The militant separatists and the youth are undoubtedly no match to the might of the Indian Army, but a running battle with them is a negation of the very concept of Indian nationhood and pluralistic democracy.    The near -total absence of any serious engagement with them at any level makes matters worse by reinforcing their animosity and hatred of the  Central Government and Indian State. Though the BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir from its inception has been a coalition of convenience, it was vaguely hoped that it would slowly but steadily meander its ways to assuage the hurt feelings of the Kashmiris — thus paving the way for restoration of normalcy and at the same time strengthening the hands of the security forces to deal with infiltration from across the border.  Developments in the Valley have proved these hopes to be futile.  Distancing itself from the BJP, its partner-in-government, the PDP is charting its own course for talks with the Hurriyat and Pakistan reflecting its conciliatory approach as against the tough stance of the BJP and the Centre that maintain talks would follow the cessation of cross-border infiltration and militant terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and the Hurriyat.  According to its spokespersons, PDP is keen on the dialogue process in order to give the suffering people the much-needed relief by setting the stage for reconciliation and dialogue with all stakeholders, including the Hurriyat and Pakistan.  Striking a different chord “The resolution of the Kashmir issue is an article of faith with the PDP.  The people of Kashmir are agonised by the confrontationist policies and provocative voices”, the PDP Vice President Sartaj Madni said recently.   At the same time, the Government of India has reportedly evolved a strategic action plan towards a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue which envisages giving carte blanche to the Army to neutralise terrorists and their sympathisers both at the border and inside the Valley; cutting off funds to the terrorists and separatists; blocking of communication facing ongoing military operations; an aggressive media blitz to highlight how all this is done without killing innocent lives.  The much-publicised surgical strike, the statements of the Army Chief and the near-total absence of any overt or covert engagement with the agitating youth, the Hurriyat  and Pakistan confirm the tough strategic action plan in operation.   The cold response of the Centre to the overtures for talks with all the stakeholders made by the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir reinforces the current official position of the Government of India. The recent developments are most disturbing and cruelly agonising for the people of the Kashmir Valley. With the state and Central governments openly divided over the approach and strategy to deal with the complex  problem with its security concerns, political sensitivity and international ramifications, most regrettably the human aspects and the suffering of the people of the Valley are overlooked.  Given the current international context, in spite of our superior economic and military might, we cannot force our own solution to the border dispute with Pakistan however justified or rational it is.  Similarly, it is unlikely that the militancy in Kashmir which has spread its tentacles can be nipped through strong-arm tactics.  Well, then are there any options available to the Indian State? Provide succour to people The people of India are passionately possessive of Kashmir as an inalienable part of their country.  The people of Jammu and Kashmir, including the stone-throwing youth, are as much citizens of India as the people of any other state in the Indian Union.  They are strife-torn for no fault of theirs, except the accident of their birth.   Random killing of them, however heinous their crimes might be, should not be the Indian way of dealing with them for bringing peace in the violence-prone state.     Just as we provide succour to the people in distress in any other part of  India, we must rally round the people of Kashmir, engage with them, share their concerns and help them out of their genuine grievances.  Our helping hand and healing touch would win their hearts and minds.  Let the Indian State extend its olive branch to the Kashmiri youth, establish channels of communication with them and talk to them with full trust and without reservations and preconceived notions.   The path of peace and reconciliation is the only possible humane way of stopping the violence and ameliorating the sufferings of the people. Build confidence in them about the sincerity of our approach, about the security of their lives and their future in a peaceful Kashmir as honourable citizens of India and they will for sure be the best bet for facilitating the process of engaging with our inimical neighbour for peaceful coexistence.  No doubt, it is an outrageously uncertain path, which our security establishment and “patriotic nationalists” would pooh-pooh and reject out of hand with contempt, but let us remind ourselves that for 70 years periodic devious political ploys, half-hearted talks, surgical strikes and other invasive measures have only helped shedding more and more blood on the soil of Kashmir.   Prime Minister Narendra Modi is uniquely placed, as no other Indian Prime Minister ever was, to walk the path of peace in the Kashmir valley and rise as a Messiah of hope for its tormented people in Kashmir.  Evil cannot be effaced by evil, though Tolstoy and Gandhi are dead and nearly forgotten for long! The writer served as the Principal Secretary and Adviser to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

https://youtu.be/6E2rRl-TPJ8

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Mohammed Ayub Pandith

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 23

A senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer, who was part of security arrangements at the local Jamia Masjid for separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s address, was lynched by an unruly mob outside the grand mosque last night.Edit: Savagery in SrinagarDeputy Superintendent of Police (Security Wing) Mohammed Ayub Pandith, 57, was beaten to death in the Nowhatta area of old city around 12.30 am as people gathered for congregational prayers for Shab-e-Qadar, a pious night in Islam.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)A senior police officer said Pandith was on security duty for “access control” at the mosque when he heard some noise in a nearby lane as Mirwaiz — who has round-the-clock police protection — was about to reach the mosque.“As the officer came out of the mosque, he was initially manhandled by a mob. Sensing trouble, the officer pulled out his service revolver but did not fire at the mob directly. Later, the irate mob overpowered him, snatched his pistol and stripped him naked before beating him to death,” said ADGP (Security) Dilbagh Singh.Sources said over 200 people attacked the DSP with sticks, iron bars and stones. The officer died on the spot.Even the men of the security wing that the officer was heading abandoned him, the sources said, adding that the officer was not taking pictures when the mob attacked him.“I believe many people in the mob knew his identity and attacked him. They checked his ID and suspected him to be an intelligence officer initially,” a source said, adding that three persons were injured when the DSP opened fire on the attackers.Additional forces from the local police station arrived at the scene and fired tear gas shells and bullets to retrieve the body, which lay on the road for around 10 minutes. It was identified by the family in the morning.J&K Director General of Police SP Vaid said the DSP was posted to guard people and check miscreants.“The line between humanity and bestiality has blurred. The man who was protecting them was lynched,” the DGP said at the wreath-laying ceremony. He said two of the three suspects had been arrested. 

‘Most unfortunate’ The incident is most unfortunate… I am deeply disturbed by this brutal act. Mob violence and public lynching is outside the parameters of our values and religion — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, separatist leader‘

It’s shameful’What can be more shameful? J-K Police are one of the best in the country… They are brave but are showing maximum restraint. The day their patience wanes, I believe things will be difficult — Mehbooba Mufti, J&K Chief Minister

‘Guilty, burn in hell’May the people who lynched DSP Pandith burn in hell… Such heinous elements are enemies of Kashmiriyat, humanity and should get  the sternest sentence — Omar Abdullah, ex-CM

New Delhi, June 20

For the CRPF, the killing of 25 personnel by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district does not qualify as the “human right violation” of the slain jawans, judging by the paramilitary force’s reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query.The CRPF gave this response while refusing to share its inquiry report into the incident with an RTI applicant. Human rights activist Venkatesh Nayak had sought the report, saying the massacre violated the human rights of those killed in April this year. The force is exempted from making disclosures under the RTI Act unless the information sought pertains to allegations of human right violations and corruption.Citing the exemption clause, the CRPF in its response said: “In the instant matter, there appears to be no violations of human rights as well as facts of the case do not attract allegations of corruption. Moreover, your application does not make any reference to such allegations. Hence this department is not liable to provide any information in this regard to your under RTI Act-2005.”The CRPF also said the report also could not be shared because it contained operational details.Nayak said the murderous attack by the ultras amounted to a violation of human rights by “non-state actors” and by denying this “reality”, the CRPF may be doing injustice to its personnel. “Every time such an attack occurs, self-appointed conscience-keepers of the ‘nation’ and advocates of a belligerent brand of ‘nationalism’…  accuse right advocates of not raising their voice against the violation of the rights of security personnel,” Nayak said. —

PTI – See more at: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/killing-of-jawans-at-sukma-not-rights-violation-crpf/425422.html#sthash.vvdn2hmt.dpuf

Amarinder announces loan waiver bonanza for farmers

The announcement is based on an interim report submitted by an expert group headed by Dr T Haque, former chairman of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), set up in April 2017 to assess the quantum of debt and ways and means for its waiver. The loan-waiver promise was part of the Congress manifesto released during the assembly polls.

The CM announced to waive the entire loan of families of farmers who committed suicide in the state, besides increasing the ex gratia for suicide-affected families to ₹ 5 lakh from the existing ₹ 3 lakh.

GIVE UP POWER SUBSIDY, CM TO RICH FARMERS

Amarinder Singh, while reiterating that the free power subsidy would continue, asked the well to do farmers to give up their subsidy voluntarily.

CHANDIGARH:In a scathing indictment of fiscal management during the Akali-BJP rule of 10 years, the Congress government, in a white paper tabled in the assembly on Monday, said the state is in the “tight grip of a debt trap” and its finances in a “free fall”.

KESHAV SINGH/HTFinance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who tabled two white papers in the House, with his cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu in Chandigarh on Monday.Painting a grim picture a day before the first budget of the new government, the white paper on state finances – one of the two tabled by finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal – blamed lack of fiscal prudence and indiscriminate raising of loans, especially unproductive borrowings and ‘book-cooking’, for the debt trap.

As an almost empty state treasury is a huge worry for Capt Amarinder Singh-led government, the white paper has political undertones, indicating how much to expect from the budget.

The paper puts the outstanding debt, power bonds, loans of state entities and loan to cover cash credit limit gap at ₹1.87-lakh crore, as on March 31, 2017. If the state guarantees are added, it jumps to ₹2.08-lakh crore.

“The state finances are in a free fall, as the government revenue has not kept pace with its expenditure, leading to ballooning revenue and fiscal deficits,” reads the 143-page white paper, summarising the fiscal woes. “A high percentage of expenditure is already committed, leaving hardly any fiscal space. It is inflicted with structural imbalance and, if no corrective measures are taken, it will take a heavy toll on the future development of the state.”

EMPTY TREASURY WORRIES CAPT GOVT

The paper notes that apart from meeting the day-to-day challenge of keeping the treasury afloat for the routine administrative expenditure, the state is constantly facing grave paucity of resources for financing the capital expenditure. “The situation is alarming.”

The Congress came to power with the promise of farm debt waiver, unemployment allowance, mobile phones, jobs and a lot of other cash-guzzling freebies.

While chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh announced debt write-off after the two white papers were tabled, his government lacks the financial wiggle room to implement most of its promises and is expected to stagger them.

In the past, too, the governments in states of Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala have presented white papers to bring out fiscal mismanagement of their predecessors and to defer or stagger implementation of their promises.

REVENUES MORTGAGED, PROPERTIES PLEDGED

Another disturbing feature of fiscal management was the Akali-BJP regime’s penchant for abusing government entities — such as Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), Rural Development Board (RDB) and Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) — to indiscriminately raise loans by mortgaging their future revenues or by hypothecating immovable properties at their disposal.

The three undertakings raised loans to the tune of ₹12,643 crore. A part of this debt also flowed into the state treasury as “informal debt”, which stands at ₹4,435 crore.

“Raising loans in this manner is nothing short of selling the family silver to run your kitchen. They provided a handy window to fund the populist programmes of the then ruling dispensation,” the white paper points out.

The loans were raised as an off-budget exercise and totally escaped due scrutiny, legislative approval and audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) . The government has hinted at carrying out a special audit to ascertain whether the loans were properly accounted for and utilised in accordance with their statutory mandate.

GROWTH BELOW ALL-INDIA AVERAGE

The state’s financial decline, according to the paper, has seamlessly merged into its economic decline, making it one of the slow growing states of the country.

During the last 10 years, the growth rate of Punjab remained lower than the all-India average, except in 2013-14, when it was slightly higher. The growth rate was as low as 4.2% against 7.5% at all-India level in 2014-15.

The average growth of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) recorded from 2006-07 to 2015-16 was 6.37%, which was lower than the average growth recorded by Goa (10.68%), Bihar (10.08%), Gujarat (9.70%), Madhya Pradesh (8.54%), Haryana (8.30%), Maharashtra (7.71%) and Tamil Nadu (7.66%). Also, the state, which held the top position in per capita income for a long time, has slid to the seventh position among the major states.

Now, free education for girls from nursery to PhD

CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday announced free education for girls from nursery to the doctorate level in government institutions of Punjab. He was speaking in the Vidhan Sabha.

HT FILEChief minister Capt Amarinder Singh announced a pilot project to promote English in government schools.The CM said the government will introduce free textbooks to all students of government schools, and will introduce preprimary classes (nursery and LKG) in government schools from the next academic session as part of the reforms it has initiated in the state, which will also see free internet service in 13,000 primary schools and all 48 government

colleges.

He also announced a pilot project to promote English in government schools from next month, besides opening of five new colleges. LOKPAL BILL: Amarinder also announced a new Lokpal Bill, which will bring not only the ministers and all bureaucrats under in its ambit, but also the CM

NO SYL CANAL: The CM reiterated his government’s stand on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal, saying he will not allow the canal to be constructed as the state had no surplus water to share with others. POWER TARIFF: Amarinder also announced a freeze on

power tariff for all consumers, including new and existing industries, at ₹5 per unit

TRUCK UNIONS: 134 unions of transporters would cease to exist. The CM said a new law to be introduced soon to give an alternative policy

GOVT CLEARS GST: The government also cleared the Punjab State Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, 2017. The Opposition said it would lead to price rise, while finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal said prices would fall and government earnings would rise ROAD CONNECTIVITY: Four district towns of Mansa, Muktsar, Fazilka and Ferozepur will be connected with 4 to 6 lane highways. CM to take up issue with the Centre

RAIL LINK: According to the CM, he had written to the Centre for rail connectivity between Patti and Makhu which will connect the Majha region with Malwa and then with Rajasthan

AIR CONNECTIVITY: The state government recently signed an MoU with Union ministry of civil aviation for implementing the regional connectivity scheme – UDAN, connecting four state airports — Bathinda, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Adampur — with Delhi. An aeronautical engineering college at Patiala to be will completed this year. Mohali airport to be expanded.

Rs 2 lakh waiver on loans for small, marginal farmers

Relief up for suicide victims’ kin | All truck unions disbanded | Rs 5/unit power for industry

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh at the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh on Monday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced a waiver of crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh for small and marginal farmers (up to 5 acres) and a flat Rs 2 lakh relief for all other marginal farmers, irrespective of their loan amount, paving the way for a total waiver of agricultural debts.Making the announcement in the Punjab Assembly, the CM said the move would benefit 10.25 lakh farmers of the state’s 18.5 lakh farming families, including 8.75 lakh farmers with land-holding up to 5 acres. “The initiative would provide double the relief announced by Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra,” Capt Amarinder pointed out.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The decision is based on the interim report of an expert group, headed by eminent economist Dr T Haque, which was tasked with suggesting ways and means to help the state’s distressed farming community. To provide relief to the families of farmers who had committed suicide, the Chief Minister said the government had decided to take over their outstanding crop loan from institutional sources and to raise ex gratia from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.In case of loans raised from non-institutional sources, the government has decided to review the Punjab Settlement of Agriculture Indebtedness Act to provide relief through debt reconciliation and settlement mutually acceptable to the lender and the borrower.The CM asked the Speaker to set up a five-member committee to visit families of suicide victims, ascertain the reasons for the suicides and suggest steps to prevent these. He told the Assembly that his government had already decided to repeal Section 67-A of the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, to end auction (kurki) of farmers’ land.Meanwhile, the government has disbanded truck unions across the state. In the recent past, several Congress leaders have had bloody feuds with their rivals over wresting control of these unions.The CM also announced a freeze on power tariff for all types of industry at Rs 5 per unit —  one of the poll promises of the Congress government.    

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CM Sets exampleThe Punjab CM appealed to well-to-do farmers to give up power subsidy voluntarily. To set an example, he announced to give up subsidy on his own farm and appealed to his colleagues to do likewise.

Other key announcements

• Skills development university at Chamkaur Sahib, Ropar
• Wellness mohalla/ward clinics, health insurance for all
• Loan waiver up to Rs 50,000 for SCs/weaker sections
• New industrial hubs to come up in Sangrur and Khanna
• New Lokpal law to cover CM, ministers and bureaucrats
• Free textbooks for nursery & LKG students in govt schools

SAD-BJP left state in fiscal mess, claims White Paper

Newly-elected Deputy Speaker Ajaib Singh Bhatti takes blessings from CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19

The White Paper on the state’s fiscal condition tabled by the Punjab Government in the Assembly today states that the state is left with no money for development.It says against every Rs 100 earned, the expenditure is Rs 102, if all committed liabilities, including salaries, pension, interest on debt, power subsidy, are taken into account.The additional Rs 2 is raised by borrowings or by selling government property. Most alarming is the decline in capital expenditure.Against 92.18 per cent revenue expenditure the capital expenditure was just 7.82 per cent during 2016-17, which shows meagre spending on development.The state’s growth rate has been well below the national average since 2007-08 except in 2013-14. Punjab is far behind states like Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, MP and Tamil Nadu. In fact, it is one of the slowest growing states in the country.The outstanding debt has risen to Rs 2,08,060.96 crore. The interest payment consumes a significant part of the revenue. The paper says the state has an unpaid liability of Rs 13,039 crore.Finance Minister Manpreet Badal claimed that Rs 1,747 crore worth of atta-dal was not given to beneficiaries, Rs 2,773 crore was not paid to the employees as dearness allowance, Rs 728 crore subsidy on power was pending and Rs 7,791 crore worth of bills were outstanding with the treasury.He accused the previous regime of indulging in smart accounting wherein the integrity of the Budgets in the last 10 years had become questionable.He announced that a special audit would be done to find out if loans raised by the government were in accordance with the norms. He termed the selling of government resources as an abuse of the system.Further accusing the previous government, Manpreet said the revenue generated by various levies was deposited in a separate corpus fund, instead of depositing the same in the Consolidated Fund of the state. The White Paper states corpus fund was spent without sanction of the Vidhan Sabha or auditing by the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG). It says the decisions were unplanned, scattered and against the constitution of these entities.

Cong now blames Centre for Rs 31,000-crore ‘food scam’

Amaninder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 19

In an apparent climbdown, the Congress has pinned the fault for the Rs 31,000 crore food scam by the SAD-BJP on the faulty procurement policies of the Centre.During its poll campaign, it had dubbed it as the biggest “food scam” but the White Paper doesn’t even hint that the gap was result of any scam. Rather, it has blamed the Centre for this huge liability of the state.The only major fault that the paper could find with the previous regime was its “ineffective presentation of state’s claims” and readiness with which the government had accepted the Centre’s offer to convert liability into a loan, which the state is bound to pay for the next 20 years.Another charge is that the Akali-BJP failed to make budgetary provisions to repay the amount to the Centre. Again, the charge doesn’t suggest any scam.In a 13-page chapter ‘Liability of Cash Credit Limit’ exclusively dedicated to this crucial issue, the incumbent government traces the genesis of the problem in “the difference between actual costs incurred in procurement operations and costs reimbursable as per the Provisional Costs Sheet (PCS).”Apart from payment of MSP, procurement exercise also includes expenditures like taxes, labour charges, transportation, milling charges, administrative charges and cost of gunny bags. All such elements are part of the PCS.The document itself admits that the actual cost of procurement is invariably more than expenditure cited in the PCS.“Due to non-reimbursement of the actual expenses, the gap had been increasing due to compound interest. The government didn’t make any budgetary provision for adjustment of such a gap which was finally made in the kharif season 2015-16”, reads the White Paper.Regarding the role of the previous government, it only added that the entire burden of settlement of outstanding accounts couldn’t have been put squarely on the state government without any contribution from the Centre or banks.“However, the previous government accepted the same, burdening the citizens with a huge debt”, the paper reads.

DCP (Crime) Gagan Ajit Singh addresses a press conference in connection with the arrest of robbers’ gang in Ludhiana on Saturday. Photo: Inderjeet Verma

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 17

The Ludhiana Commissionerate has claimed to have busted a gang of robbers with the arrest of three of its members. One ex-serviceman is also among the three robbers nabbed by the police.While addressing mediapersons at a conference here, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Crime, Gagan Ajit Singh, said the gang was busted by the special task unit (STU), led by Inspector Prem Singh.He said the accused had committed two major robberies in the past two months. Now, they were planning to strike a much bigger target. However, the timely tip off led to their arrest, he added.The accused have been identified as Nelson Masih, alias Sunny, a native of Gurdaspur, and presently, a resident of Sarabha Nagar, Harinder, alias Rocky (an ex-serviceman), and Parvinder Singh, alias Pav, both residents of BRS Nagar. The two accused, who are still at large, are Irshad Ali of Gurdwara Singh Sabha Road and Jaspreet Singh, alias Jassi, of Payal. The police also recovered one Scorpio (bearing registration No. PB10EP6456), a motorcycle, Rs 1.21 lakh in cash and one toy pistol from possession of the accused.DCP Gagan said during preliminary questioning it came to fore that on May 15, the accused first did a recce of the place outside the State Bank of Patiala. As they waited a turbaned man came out of the bank with cash and left on his scooter. When the victim reached Butari village, one of the accused threw chilli powder in his eyes and he fell from the scooter. The accused fled with the victim’s bag containing Rs 2.62 lakh in cash, added the DCP.In the second robbery reported on June 5, the accused stood outside the HDFC bank. The moment a man came out of the bank with cash, the accused started chasing him. They snatched a bag containing Rs 1 lakh in cash from the victim at gunpoint.The STU in charge, Prem Singh, said Nelson started living in Ludhiana after killing a man in Batala. He said Nelson met Irshad when he started working at Verka Milk plant here. Afterwards, Irshad left the job and started working in a saloon, located in BRS Nagar. Harinder, who had left Army, used to visit the same saloon.“After all the accused developed friendship, they choose to have a rich life style. They decided to commit robberies to fulfil their desire,” said Prem Singh. “We will take all the accused on a production warrant so that whereabouts of the other two robbers, who are still at large, can be known. More recovery of looted valuables and cash will also be made in the further probe,” he added.

Security personnel patrol a road in Darjeeling on Friday. PTI

Darjeeling/New Delhi, June 16

Violence and arson marked the second day of the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling hills on Friday, with the Army and paramilitary forces patrolling the streets to help restore calm.

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The scenic hills were largely shorn of tourists as Gorkhaland stir threw normal life into utter disarray.

Security personnel took out route marches in the hills as the Army patrolled the areas around Patlebas and Singamari where a large cache of weapons, explosives and cash were recovered yesterday.

As Darjeeling resembled a garrison town, with security personnel in riot gear fanning across its length and breadth, the Centre today decided to put on hold sending fresh troops to help restore normalcy as the state government has not yet submitted its report on the situation prevailing there.

Scores of alleged GJM activists descended on a panchayat office in Mirik, 50 km from Darjeeling, and set it on fire, an official said. A primary health centre was also set on fire at Lodhama.

Six suspected Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) supporters were detained today for allegedly setting ablaze a forest department office at Tarakhola in Kalimpong last night, a government official said.

“The situation is still very tense. Anything can happen. We have taken out a route march for area domination at various places,” a senior police officer said.

The turmoil, which was set off by the state government’s announcement about introduction of compulsory teaching of Bengali language in schools, has begun impacting day-to-day life in the hills with schools, markets and even bank ATMs shut.

There were hardly any tourists at the mall and on streets, which used to be teeming with them at this time of the year.

Hotels, restaurants and small eateries were closed and there were hardly any buses which could take stranded tourists, who had chosen to stay back ignoring the call by GJM leader Bimal Gurung to leave the hill station.

“We are waiting for a bus since 5.30 am but not a single bus is available to take us to Siliguri,” Aninda Bhaduri, a tourist, said.

“I have practical exams in Siliguri but there is not a single bus to take me there,” Swati Rai, another tourist desperate to get away from the strife-torn hills, said.

Tourists from foreign countries, who were among those stranded, found it difficult to leave due to lack of transport.

“We are standing in queues since early morning without any food and water. The police said there is no bus service and cars are also not available,” said Ralph, a French national, who had reached Darjeeling yesterday with his trekking team.

Meanwhile, the Centre today decided to put on hold despatching additional paramilitary forces to Darjeeling as the state was yet to send a report on the ground situation four days after it was sought.

The 400 additional personnel, whom the home ministry had yesterday decided to send to Darjeeling at the request of the state government, will not be despatched immediately, an official said.

“We will take a decision on sending additional paramilitary forces only when we make an assessment of the prevailing situation in Darjeeling. It is possible only when we receive a report from the state government, which has not sent it yet,” a Home Ministry spokesperson said. The Centre had sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government on June 13.

Though there was relative calm in the hills after yesterday’s widespread violence, Gurung, who has gone underground, asked the people in a video message to be prepared for the “final battle” for achieving Gorkhaland.

“I urge the people to get prepared for the final battle as the time has come for a do or die fight if we want to achieve our dream of Gorkhaland,” Gurung, whose party is an ally of the Centre’s ruling NDA, said in the message from an undisclosed location.

Gurung’s message comes against the backdrop of the police raid on his premises at Singhmari and Patlebas in Darjeeling yesterday, following which the GJM, which controls the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), gave a call for indefinite shutdown in the hills.

Police had seized over 300 weapons, including pickaxes, bows and arrows, explosives, night vision binoculars and cash during yesterday’s raids.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said, “Time for autonomy, GTA, DGHC is over. Now the fight will not stop until and unless our demand for Gorkhaland is fulfilled.” Gorkha Janmukti Morcha MLAs, meanwhile, called on West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi in Kolkata and alleged that the TMC government was trying to turn a political movement in Darjeeling Hills into a law and order issue.

GJM MLAs—Amar Singh Rai, Sarita Rai and Rohit Sharma from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong respectively—met the governor at the Raj Bhawan here and apprised him of the situation in the hills.

They accused the TMC government of trying to turn a “peaceful political movement for a separate state of Gorkhaland into a law and order situation”.

“We have told the governor that the people who are indulging in arson are outsiders and have nothing to do with the GJM,” Rohit Sharma, one of the three MLAs, claimed after the meeting.

“We have requested the governor to inform the Centre about the situation in Darjeeling and the sufferings of people owing to the state government’s stance,” he said. PTI