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Government formation before March 31 PDP to elect Mehbooba as legislature party leader today 3/23/2016 11:59:23 PM Ishtiyaq Ahmad Early Times Report Srinagar, Mar 23: With Mehbooba Mufti describing her meeting with Prime Minister as "very positive" and "good", all eyes are now set on People's Democratic Party legislature meeting on Thursday during which Mehbooba Mufti would be elected as the legislature party leader. It will be the first formal step towards Government formation in J&K, which has been under the Governor's rule since January 8. "The meeting is scheduled to begin at 4 pm at Mehbooba's Fairview residence in Srinagar where the Mehbooba Mufti would be elected as the legislature party leader. Besides this the party president will brief the legislators in the meeting about her deliberations with the Prime Minister," a senior PDP leader and former Minister, insisting not to be named, told Early Times. He said that the meeting is barely a formality where only an announcement of Mehbooba Mufti being elected as the legislature party leader would be made. "Everything is final now between the PDP and BJP. I would say that before March 31, we will have the elected Government," he claimed....   READ MORE

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Govt formation: Excitement runs high among prospective ministers Cadres, workers within both parties cold to development 3/23/2016 11:59:09 PM Early Times Report jammu, Mar 23: Even as excitement runs high in both the camps of PDP and BJP among prospective ministers over prospects of government getting stronger after Mehbooba-Modi meet, the workers and cadres of both the alliance partners once again to be are cold and unmoved over this development. So is an element of enthusiasm , not to speak of delight missing among the common people and supporters in the two regions. Sources said PDP workers and cadres who were not so eager for the party leadership to forge alliance with BJP yet again are not showing any signs of thrill or happiness possibility of government formation of the party, no matter it will continue to be in steering...   READ MORE   Vohra calls PDP, BJP on Friday 3/23/2016 11:58:58 PM Early Times Report SRINAGAR, Mar 23: After PDP chief met PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, J&K Governor NN Vohra has called PDP and BJP for a meeting. An official spokesperson said this evening that Raj Bhavan has dispatched separate communications intimating the president PDP and president J&K state unit of BJP. The meeting is scheduled on Friday, March 25. "The meetings with the two leaders have been scheduled to be held separately," the spokesperson said. Notably, Mehbooba is meeting her party legislators on Thursday at her Fairview residence after which she is expected to interact with media personnel as well. Mehbooba had termed her meeting with PM Modi as "ver positive...   READ MORE   '50:50 formula imperative for unity of J&K' 3/23/2016 11:58:49 PM Early Times Report jammu, Mar 23: Now that the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti over the Government formation in J&K has finally taken place and there is the possibility of her taking over the highest executive office on or after March 29, it is time to reflect on the complexities of the situation in the State and find a way that satisfies both people of Jammu province and Kashmir region. The history of relations between Jammu province and Kashmir region is one of mistrust and bitterness. The people of Jammu province always believed, and rightly, that they never got their due share in the governance of the State and that they were treated as su...   READ MORE   Now, internal bickering hits Congress 3/23/2016 11:58:40 PM Hyder Ali Early Times Report srinagar, Mar 23: Amid political uncertainty since the imposition of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir on January 8, resentment is brewing within the Congress over the working of the State Pradesh Congress President GA Mir even as sabotage from "external hands" is not being ruled out. Sources told Early Times that resentment is brewing against the policies of the Pradesh Congress President, especially in Jammu region, which is the traditional "vote base of the party in the State." They said in the past three odd months of political uncertainty the party could have gained a lot on the ground but "because of mismanagement of political affairs, the opportun...   READ MORE   JU hits new low; doesn't observe martyrdom of Bhagat Singh 3/23/2016 11:58:26 PM Early Times Report Jammu, Mar 23: First time during the last 30 years no function was held at Jammu University to mark martyrdoms of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, thanks to the management of the University. The management of Jammu University is very close to some political leaders and management has banned student organisation like ABVP to hold any nationalist function within the campus. It is irony that the University administration allowed a seminar last month in which anti-national lectures were delivered. Anti-national seminars are allowed in Jammu University in the name of academic activities but nationalist activities were banned taking excuse of politics. The seminar, which ...   READ MORE   Mehbooba sidelines middlemen, Madhav unnerved 3/23/2016 11:58:17 PM Early Times Report srinagar, Mar 23: President of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti, having a one to one meeting with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rattled the BJP leadership in Jammu and Kashmir and BJP's point man for JK Ram Madhav. Soon after Mehbooba met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav advised the PDP president to take the BJP organizational leaders into confidence as BJP was the "appropriate forum to talk to, for arriving at any consensus on Government formation." An analyst while talking to Early Times said, " Mehbooba this time around did not keep any middlemen and held one to one meetings with the BJP President Amit ...   READ MORE   'Haven't accepted any new conditions' 3/23/2016 11:58:09 PM Early Times Report NEW DELHI, Mar 23: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today asserted that it has not accepted any new conditions from People's Democratic Party (PDP) and threw the ball in Mehbooba Mufti's court, saying her party has to make the next move for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. Party General Secretary Ram Madhav's assertion came a day after Mehbooba's meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi which she had termed as "very positive and good", prompting speculation that their talks over government formation was back on track following months of impasse. "We have not accepted any new condition from the PDP," Madhav said. The talks between Prime Minister Modi and Mehbooba ...   READ MORE   'Money game' on to sabotage Government formation Intel agencies put social media under scanner 3/23/2016 11:57:57 PM Hyder Ali Early Times Report srinagar, Mar 23: At a time when the Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janta Party are inching towards Government formation, attempts are being made to sabotage the development, the Home Ministry has learnt. Though till now, only militancy was seen as the "traditional threat to such political developments", it is for the first time in the past over 25 years of turmoil that social media has emerged as the potential threat. Highly placed sources told Early Times that intelligence agencies have received inputs that some "vested interests" were shelling out "over Rs 20 crore" on social media, particularly on Facebook, Twitter and Watsapp to spread a wo...   READ MORE   Jewellers angry at CCI for not supporting strike 3/23/2016 11:57:40 PM Early Times Report jammu, Mar 23: Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) is being strongly assailed by jewellers and gold traders across Jammu region for not coming in support of their strike against the Centre's proposed 1 pc excise duty on non-silver jewellery. The jewellers are on strike for the past 22 days as industry officials feel that the planned tax will damage growth as it will make certain purchases more expensive for buyers, at a time when demand is already weak due to the global financial slowdown. They said the proposed tax would drastically bring down the gold consumption in the region at a time when "India vies with China for the title of the world's biggest consumer of ...   READ MORE   PK pitches for pro-active policy to eradicate separatism 3/23/2016 11:57:32 PM Early Times Report jammu, Mar 23: The day (Mar 22) an all important meeting took place at 7, Race Course Road, New Delhi, between PM Narendra Modi and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti to break the over two-month-long deadlock over Government formation in the State, all the political parties, including the PDP and the BJP and the non-BJP and non PDP political parties and groups came out with their reactions. While the PDP and the BJP welcomed the talks and expressed hope that their Government would be in place possibly in the month of March itself, parties like the NC, the Congress and the JKNPP criticized both the parties and asked their leadership as to why there was an inordinate delay as far ...   READ MORE   Reasi villages up in arms against Health Deptt Locals threaten to seal defunct health centers 3/23/2016 11:54:33 PM A B Sharma Early Times Report Reasi, Mar 23: Residents of this district are suffering due to the alleged "lackadaisical" attitude of the officials of the Health Department and corruption prevalent in the system is adding to their woes. The National Rural Health Mission has proved to be damp-squib in this district as most health centers are defunct due to non-availability of the staff members. Locals alleged that in its Multi-purpose hiring of Female Multipurpose Health Workers (FMHW), the department has embarked upon corrupt practice in Reasi district as the females hired under such rules are executing their duties properly at their place of postings but have got their postings a...   READ MORE   6 yrs on, Atholi suspension bridge yet to see light of day 3/23/2016 11:39:44 PM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report Kishtwar, Mar 23: The lackadaisical approach of the Jammu and Kashmir government in sanctioning of the funds for the construction of proposed foot suspension bridge at Atholi Padder in Kishtwar district connecting Atholi village with Sub Divisional Headquarter Gulabgard Padder could be judged from the fact that out of sanctioned amount of Rs. 455.70 lacs, the executing agency namely Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation (JKPCC) received only Rs. 151 lacs in last six years when the project was taken into hands by the corporation on 20-08-2010. As per the details available with "Early Times" previous National Conference-Congress governmen...   READ MORE   Detachment of ministerial staff rued Nagsini edu zone has only ZEO's post, no staff sanctioned for 33 years 3/23/2016 11:39:38 PM Asif Iqbal Naik Early Times Report Kishtwar, Mar 23: All Jammu and Kashmir Clerical Association, Kishtwar, has strongly condemned the detachment of ministerial staff from various educational offices of the district by the chief education officer (CEO). CEO, vide order No CEO/K/2015-16/25995 of February 2, 2016, withdrew ministerial staff from various education zones of the district while teachers and masters were still allowed to work in the offices of education department here, according to official sources. The clerical association's district president Mansoor Ahmed Doolwal said the order was issued by the CEO in sheer violation of government order No 26-Edu of February 2, 2016, a...   READ MORE   SMC spends lakhs on ads, forgets garbage collection 3/23/2016 11:39:30 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, Mar 23: After courting controversy over allotment of Waste to Energy project, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has now been caught in another messy state of affairs. From last more than a month the corporation has spent lakhs of tax payers money on advertisements on local electronic and print media , but took no steps to undertake the door to door collection of garbage. Documents available with Early Times reveal that during January and February months the SMC spent a huge amount on so called awareness campaign in local print and electronic media. The documents reveal that advertisements have been given to many unimportant news papers as we...   READ MORE   Horticulture deptt yet to get reports of samples lifted a year ago Guv's directive yields no results 3/23/2016 11:39:24 PM Saahil Suhail Early Times Report Anantnag, Mar 23: The Kashmir wing of horticulture department hasn't yet received reports from laboratories of the samples lifted by its insecticide officers (HDOs) a year ago. HDOs (horticulture development officers) were authorised to lift samples for testing on February 13, 2015 but a year later, the department was yet to receive the reports from laboratories. "The governor's decision evidently seems to have not yielded the desired results as after a year, department hasn't yet received the reports from laboratories of the samples lifted by the department in Kashmir division of the state," official sources said. HDOs as Insecticide Inspectors ...   READ MORE   Alleged MGNREGA scam surfaces at Baramulla 3/23/2016 11:39:15 PM S Tahir-ul Haq BARAMULLA, Mar 23: In an alleged scam, that has surfaced in MGNREGA scheme, lakhs of rupees have been drawn illegally from scores of job cards in Boniyar area of Baramulla. "While MGNREGA wage payment has been fraudulently drawn from job card holders' accounts in Boniyar area, there are above 500 beneficiaries whose cards were misused by doing thumb impression against signatures on bank withdrawal," official sources alleged. "Not only money has been fraudulently drawn without their thumb impressions but job cards were issued to the ineligible persons. There has also been rampant misuse of funds by way of enlisting underage beneficiaries and fake muster rolls," sources al...   READ MORE   From 27, Valley to witness wet weather for four days: Weatherman 3/23/2016 11:39:10 PM SRINAGAR, Mar 23 : After a few days of dry spell, the weatherman has predicted more rains till 27th of this month. "Light to moderate rains would occur in plains while the higher reaches are likely to receive heavy rainfall from 24 to 27 of this month," an official in the Meteorological department (MeT) told . He said that the weather would mainly remain dry in Valley while there is possibility of light to moderate rainfall in plains with occasionally sunshine as well. Three days ago, the Valley has witness a week long wet weather thereby resulted in the closure of Srinagar-Jammu National highway for four consecutive days due to the landslides at various places. Several houses got also d...   READ MORE   Ladakh remains cut off, one-way traffic on Kashmir highway to continue 3/23/2016 11:28:24 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, Mar 23: The national highway, linking the Ladakh region with the Kashmir valley and historic Mughal road remained closed while hundreds of vehicles, including trucks, carrying essentials, left Jammu for Kashmir valley as only one-way traffic will continue on the highway till further orders. The Bandipora-Gurez and Synthan-Kishtwar roads also remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for the maintainance of the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh national highway has put into service sophisticated machines and men to restore traffic. Fresh snowfall recently, particularly at Zojila and other p...   READ MORE   Court turns down Farooq-led JKCA's prayer for interim relief 3/23/2016 11:28:02 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, Mar 23: A local court here today dismissed separate applications filed by Farooq Abdullah-led JKCA for interim relief to run the affairs of the state's cricket association and its bank accounts. "New dispensation headed by Imran Raza Ansari as its president is currently managing the affairs of JKCA and BCCI has also remitted the share of the association through account bearer cheques meant for the players representing the state. If defendant (Ansari faction) is restrained to run the affairs, it would cause more hardship to defendant rather than plaintiff (Farooq-led faction)," the court of 2nd additional district and session judge, Sham Lal Lalhal said. To...   READ MORE   Operation resumed against militants in Kashmir 3/23/2016 11:27:57 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, Mar 23: With the first light this morning security forces resumed search operation against militants hiding in a village in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, official sources said. A defence ministry spokesman Col N N Joshi told that there was no firing in the area during the night. Only cordon and search operation was going on, he said, adding that further details were awaited. It was also not clear whether there is any militant in the area or not,he said. Sources said on a specific information about the presence of some militants in village Drubgam, in Pulwama district, troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir p...   READ MORE   Doctor attached for 'molesting' woman patient 3/23/2016 11:27:51 PM Early Times Report Anantnag, Mar 23: The alleged molestation of a female patient by a doctor at his private clinic on Wednesday triggered protests by her relatives who tried to ransack the clinic. Following the incident, health authorities attached the accused doctor with the office of chief medical officer and ordered an inquiry. A woman went to consult the doctor at his private clinic near Janglatmundi this morning. She later complained to police and health authorities that the doctor, while examining her, tried to molest her. Official sources said the woman, after filing complaint with police, refused to record her statement before the magistrate. However, soon after receiving verbal...   READ MORE

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