Srinagar, Feb 2 (IANS) The weather was dry in J&K during the last 24 hours as the MeT office said on Thursday that dry weather in Jammu and light rain and snow at isolated places in Kashmir division is likely during the next 24 hours.
J-K: Three-storey building collapses in Jammu, no loss of life reported
JAMMU, Feb 2: A three-storey building collapsed at Narwal Yard Transport Nagar Area of Jammu on Wednesday.
However, no loss of life was reported as people were evacuated before the collapse, officials said.
Meanwhile, heavy snowfall and inclement weather conditions have disrupted everyday life in Jammu and Kashmir.
In January, hundreds of residents were shifted to relief centres in safe places after cracks appeared at several homes in Joshimath, suggesting subsidence.
Reports have been received that in a few areas cracks in buildings have widened, days after Joshimath as Uttarakhand received heavy snowfall.
Notably, cracks have been noticed in 863 buildings in Joshimath.
A total of 248 families have been temporarily displaced in view of security in Joshimath. The number of displaced family members is 900. 41 affected families have moved to relatives or rented houses, informed officials.
The Uttarakhand government has already announced relief packages worth crores for the affected families of Joshimath.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the relief package has been released for nearly 3,000 families affected by gradual land subsidence in the Himalayan state.
The Chief Minister also announced that Rs 50,000 has been given by the state disaster authority to each family as a non-adjustable one-time special grant for the transportation of goods and immediate needs of their buildings. (Agencies)
Budget Session | Opposition Parties To Meet In Parliament To Evolve Joint Strategy
NEW DELHI, Feb 2: Opposition parties will meet in the Parliament complex Thursday morning to evolve a joint strategy to take on the government during the Budget session.
Sources said leaders of like-minded opposition parties will meet at 10 am in the chamber of Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and will discuss issues that are to be brought up during the session which began on January 31.
Kharge had said that like-minded parties would ensure better coordination during the session to unitedly raise issues of publiic importance.
Opposition parties have been seeking to raise the Adani issue, Chinese transgressions at the border and role of Governors in states.
The first part of the Budget session will take up the discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, and then on the Union Budget 2023-24 that was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the sources said the Congress Strategy Committee also met at 9:15 am in the office of the Congress Parliamentary party to discuss the party’s strategy. (Agencies)
Budget 2023 | Centre Allocates ₹ 35,581.44 Crore Budget To Jammu And Kashmir
NEW DELHI, Feb 1: The Union Budget 2023-24 today allocated ₹ 35,581.44 crore to Jammu and Kashmir, the majority of it being central assistance for the union territory.
Other union territories — Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Delhi — too got their share.
According to the Budget papers, ₹ 35,581.44 crore has been allocated to Jammu and Kashmir, of which ₹ 33,923 crore is central assistance.
This allocation is substantially lower than the current fiscal’s revised estimate of ₹ 44,538.13 crore. The central assistance given to the union territory is to meet the resource gap and a special fiscal support of ₹ 9,486.13 crore.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration will have to spend the amount for mitigation of natural disasters, to meet the expenditure incurred on account of permanent restoration of infrastructure which was damaged due to the 2014 floods, rehabilitation, preservation and restoration of Dal-Nageen lake in Srinagar.
The funds will also be spent as equity contribution for 624 MW Kiru hydroelectric project, 800 MW Ratle hydroelectric project and 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric project, Jhelum Tavi flood recovery project and to meet the resource gap funding for infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Budget allocated ₹ 5,987.14 crore to Andaman and Nicobar Islands as against ₹ 5,508.05 crore allocated in 2022-23. ₹ 5436.10 crore has been allocated to Chandigarh as against ₹ 5,131.12 crore in the current fiscal.
The Budget allocated ₹ 2,475.00 to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, ₹ 5,958 crore to Ladakh, ₹ 1,394.75 crore to Lakshadweep, ₹ 1,168.01 crore to Delhi and ₹ 3,117.77 crore to Puducherry.
Pakistan’s Former Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Arrested
Islamabad [Pakistan], Feb 2: Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, former interior minister of Pakistan and a close ally of Imran Khan was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, reported Geo News.
The police confirmed that Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was arrested from Murree Motorway.
However, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed contradicted the police’s version and said that the authorities took him into custody along with his nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq from his house in Rawalpindi and not the motorway, reported Geo News.
He said he feared for his life. “My crime is that I’m standing with Imran Khan,” he said at the Polyclinic hospital in Islamabad, where he was taken for medical checkup, reported Geo News.
“I have been a minister 16 times. Never for a single time, I have been charged with corruption in these ministries,” he added.
Notably, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Rawalpindi Division President Raja Inayat Ur Rehman had filed a case against Rashid in Islamabad’s Aabpara Police Station for causing a “permanent danger” to former president Asif Ali Zardari by alleging that PPP Chairman was hatching a plot to assassinate the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.
In the FIR, Rehman stated that the AML chief tried to badmouth the former president and cause a “permanent danger” to the PPP co-chairman and his family, reported Geo News.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan condemned the arrest of his close aide and blamed the interim Punjab government — led by media mogul Moshin Naqvi — for being biased, reported Geo News.
“Strongly condemn arrest of Sh Rasheed. Never in our history have we had such a biased, vindictive Caretaker govt appt by totally discredited ECP. Question is can Pak afford a street movement which we are being pushed towards at a time when we have been bankrupted by Imported Govt?” tweeted Imran Khan.
The AML also chief alleged that at least “100 to 200 armed people” raided his residence.
“They entered the house through ladders, broke the doors and windows of the house, and beat my servants.” He also claimed that the police forcibly hustled him into their vehicle.
The AML chief said the police arrested him despite the fact that a court granted him bail and ordered the inspector-general of police to appear before the court on February 6, reported Geo News.
Claiming that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah is “behind all this,” he said that truth would prevail at the end of the day and he stands by Khan — in whose cabinet he served as the interior minister.
The FIR added that AML chief Rashid, with his provocatory allegations, wants to cause a fight between the PTI and the PPP and disrupt the country’s peace.
Initially, the Muree Police had arrested him and later they handed him over to the Islamabad Police, who shifted him to the Aabpara Police Station, where the case has been registered, reported Geo News.
The former minister was shifted to the Secretariat police station after his medical checkup at the Polyclinic hospital.
The PTI chairman Imran Khan had in January alleged that Zardari was hatching as well as financing an assassination plot against him for which the ex-president had hired “terrorists,” reported Geo News.
“…there’s a Plan C. Asif Zardari is behind it. He has amassed a lot of money through corruption and he has invested that money in terrorists and hired a militant organisation,” the PTI chief had alleged. However, the PPP strongly denied the claim and served a legal notice to Khan. (Agencies)
Budget Session: Motion of thanks on President’s address in Parliament today
The Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha will start separate discussions on Thursday on President Droupadi Murmu’s address which she delivered to both Houses of Parliament assembled together on January 31.
Both Houses will move a motion of thanks on the President’s address in the second half of the day. In Rajya Sabha, Member of Parliament K Laxman is to move the motion initiating a debate on the President’s address to both Houses of Parliament assembled together on January 31.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar will second the motion.
However, BJP MP Chandra Prakash Joshi will move the motion for debate on President’s address in the Lok Sabha. BJP MP Uday Pratap Singh will second the motion.
The President’s address is seen as one of the most solemn occasions in the Parliamentary calendar. It is the only time in the year when the whole Parliament comes together. Both Houses of Parliament later move motions to hold a debate on President’s address.
Ahead of the Union Budget on Wednesday, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday addressed the joint sitting of Parliament for the first time after assuming the position in July 2022 and spoke on the achievements of the government as well as its future goals.
In her speech, she lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, saying that it “respects honesty” and is “stable, fearless and decisive, and works to fulfill big dreams”.
The Rajya Sabha, however, will start at 11 am with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar offering an obituary reference to the passing away of Shanti Bhushan, ex-Member of the House of Elders.
Besides, Union Ministers Ashwini Kumar Choube, SP Singh Baghel and BL Verma will table separately papers of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Ministry of Law and Justice; and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region respectively in the Rajya Sabha.
MV Deptt Doda conducts special drive on NHW-244, 40 vehicles challaned
A joint Naka laid down by the team MVD Doda and traffic police headed by ARTO Doda Er Kuldeep Singh along with MV Inspector Jasbir Singh at 9th KM on the directions of Deputy commioner Doda with the objective to check and filter all the vehicles entering jurisdiction of Doda District , to ensure that no any motorist should be allowed to enter the District without following all traffic rules and safety norms.
During the Naka from morning till last report received, more than 200 vehichles were checked of all categories LMV Non transport , Transport , Heavy Goods and passengers vehicles.
During the drive 40 vehicles were challaned for different offences found violating traffic rules.
During the drive all the drivers were counseled by the ARTO and team to drive in safe speed and follow all traffic rules and safety norms and prove yourself as a good discipline road user , Motorist and be a safe driver to be safe and keep others safe.
Massive Protest in Jammu against JKSSB for conducting exams through a Blacklisted Company
Government failed to ensure punishment to real culprits of paper leak scam: YAC
Jammu, 01 February: Massive protest was held today by Youth Against Corruption (YAC) at Press Club Jammu against Jammu Kashmir Service Selection Board for conducting the crucial recruitment exams through a blacklisted company. Hundreds of volunteers from different districts of Jammu and Kashmir gathered to show their resentment against JKSSB and LG administration for their failure to maintain transparency in the public recruitments.
While addressing the media YAC Volunteers said that JKSSB has learnt nothing from its prior frauds which again hired a blacklisted company which is indulged in malpractices over more than 10 recruitment exams conducted in various states. He said we approached JKSSB to not lend our recruitments in the hands of a private tainted firm but they unheard our plea. He said when aspirants approached the High Court and historical judgement was passed in our favour against the company, the whole JKUT Administration went to the Double Bench to bring a stay on the judgement. He alleged that JKUT Administration instead of standing with youth they protected a tainted firm. He further said that once again in upcoming days of this month JKSSB is going to conduct exams of Fisheries Department, Election Assistant, Labour Officer, Assistant Law Officer, Patwari, MVI, Drivers etc. though this blacklisted company because of which youth has lost the faith over JKSSB and JKUT Administration.
Kartik Bhagat speaking to the media persons, aspirants raised several questions on the integrity of JKUT Administration and CBI. He said last year when we were on roads raising our voice against exam scams, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor assured that no culprit will be spared and strict action will be taken on those involved in ruining the career of more than 2 lakh aspirants. But till date both JKUT Administration and CBI failed to ensure justice with all aspirants. He said major culprits including those from JKSSB, Meri Trac, some influential officers and politicians who were involved in the scam were set free by the agency. He warned that if needed, aspirants will approach court seeking reinvestigation of the whole matter as many accused against whom there was sufficient evidence were set free.
Sushil Kumar further said that the answer key which was supposed to be released on 30th December as per notification of JKSSB went viral on Whatsapp on 28th of December. He said that if we study the previous pattern of paper leak by this tainted firm they have repeated the same instance. Because the answer key of CBT Exams is made along with the question paper and there is every possible chance that the answer key was leaked to those who paid a hefty amount for the paper. He alleged that there are high chances the paper was again leaked and aspirants are having many inputs regarding the same.
Vinkal Sharma and Atul Sudan speaking during the protest demanded an end to the role of tainted private companies in government recruitment. They further demanded to investigate which officials and under which conditions the tender was again awarded to the Blacklisted Company even after knowing that it is involved in such malpractices many times. They further seek clarification from LG Administration about what compels them to conduct crucial exams through a black listed private company. They demanded from Lieutenant Manoj Sinha to fulfil his promise of ensuring strict punishment to all those involved in the paper leak scams irrespective of their posts and influence.
Those who lead the protest in all districts are Rohit, Ronak, Sakshar, Moin, Nasir, Ramneek, Rajat, Ajay, Aditya, Manik, Aquib, Najeem, Shaqib, Shariq, Tahir, Sahil, Keshav, Abhishek, Rohit, Vishal, Rakesh, Anil, Nadeem, Ricky, Arun, Pankaj, Asif, Arif, Nadeem, Sahil, Nisar, Omar etc.
J&K Government Cares For the Brave & Fallen Heroes
After a consultative meeting with the executive body, President Dogra
Sadar Sabha (DSS), Th. Gulchain Singh Charak whole heartedly welcoming the
J&K Government’s decision to enhance the annuity grant to the Gallantry award winners of the Union Territory, said that this enhancement has come about after a gap of 15 years as against other States/UTs revising the grants every two years. It was a long pending repeated demand of the DSS on behalf of this very distinguished class of gallantry award winners, who by nature are selfless, sacrificing and more duty oriented than privileges. DSS also appreciated the earlier decision to enhance the ex-gratia payments to War Widows of the UT from 5 to 25 Lakh, who were being paid miserably lower than their counterparts in the rest of the country. The two decisions have brought in a feeling of getting closer to the rest of the nation.
The Executive body took special note of the tireless efforts of their
members especially Col Dr Virendra K Sahi, VrC, Director, The War Decorated
(India) and other members of Ex-service men cell of DSS for their untiring efforts and raising this issue time and again at various forums in DSS delegations called on different heads of successive governments and submitted memorandums in this regard. We are grateful to all the worthy members of this great organization of Dogras who have helped in achievement of this noble cause.
Closely connected with this is our pending demand of building an
appropriate War Memorial on the banks of Dal Lake as a tribute to the well over 5K fallen Indian heroes from throughout the country, in protection and defense of J&K. The UT cannot ever repay for their supreme sacrifices but, in the least, give them the due honour and remember them for which every peace loving citizen of J&K will remain ever obliged to them. Their families are among the ‘real stake holders’ in the UT and should be offered domicile rights. Theirs is the biggest and most precious stake for this crown of India. The proposed National War Memorial will enhance National Spirit, become source of inspiration for the coming generations and be a tourism attraction for all the families and relatives of the fallen heroes to visit on their anniversaries to perform tributes related rituals.
If taken up with immediate speed it will give a clear message to the world at large through the visiting delegates of the G-20 Nations in the scheduled summit meet proposed to be held in Srinagar. Let the world know that from Giligit to the Indian Ocean, India is one and the whole nation has nourished this land with their blood and supreme sacrifices.
Prominent among those present in the press conference were Col Karan Singh
Vice President, Col Dr Virendara K. Sahi VrC Convenor Media Cell, Gambir Dev
Singh Charak I/C Youth Wing , Amanat Ali Shah Joint Secy , Chander Mohan
Sharma Media Secy and other.
Budget 2023-24 | No Tax On Income Up To Rs 7 Lakh, Standard Deduction Allowed Under New Tax Regime
NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday tweaked the slabs to provide some relief to the middle class by announcing that no tax would be levied on annual income of up to Rs 7 lakh under the new tax regime.
She also allowed a Rs 50,000 standard deduction to taxpayers under the new regime, where assessees cannot claim deductions or exemptions on their investments.
She also tweaked the concessional tax regime, which was originally introduced in 2020-21, by hiking the tax exemption limit by Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh and reducing the number of slabs to five.
In the Budget for 2023-24, Sitharaman said currently individuals with total income of up to Rs 5 lakh do not pay any tax due to rebate under both the old and new regimes.
“It is proposed to increase the rebate for the resident individual under the new regime so that they do not pay tax if their total income is up to Rs 7 lakh,” Sitharaman said.
She further said under the new personal income tax regime, the number of slabs would be reduced to five.
“I propose to change the tax structure in this regime by reducing the number of slabs to five and increasing the tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh,” Sitharaman said.
Under the revamped concessional tax regime, no tax would be levied for income up to Rs 3 lakh. Income between Rs 3-6 lakh would be taxed at 5 per cent; Rs 6-9 lakh at 10 per cent, Rs 9-12 lakh at 15 per cent, Rs 12-15 lakh at 20 per cent and income of Rs 15 lakh and above will be taxed at 30 per cent.
“I propose to extend the benefit of standard deduction to the new tax regime. Each salaried person with an income of Rs 15.5 lakh or more will thus stand to benefit by Rs 52,500,” Sitharaman said
The government in Budget 2020-21 brought in an optional income tax regime, under which individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) were to be taxed at lower rates if they did not avail specified exemptions and deductions, like house rent allowance (HRA), interest on home loan, investments made under Section 80C, 80D and 80CCD. Under this, total income up to Rs 2.5 lakh was tax exempt.
Currently, a 5 per cent tax is levied on total income between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, 10 per cent on Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh, 15 per cent on Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, 20 per cent on Rs 10 lakh to Rs 12.5 lakh, 25 per cent on Rs 12.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh, and 30 per cent on above Rs 15 lakh.
The scheme, however, has not gained traction as in several cases it resulted in higher tax burden.
With effect from April 1, these slabs will be modified as per the Budget announcement. (Agencies)