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Economic self-reliant must to
mitigate impact of global issue: PM
AGENCIES
NEW DELHI, APR 1
The Prime Minister, Shri
Narendra Modi addressed
the opening ceremony
of RBI@90, a program
marking 90 years of the
Reserve Bank of India,
in Mumbai, Maharash-
tra today. Shri Modi also
released a commemora-
tive coin to mark 90 years
of RBI. The Reserve Bank
of India (RBI) commenced
its operations on the 1st of
April in 1935 and enters its
90th year today.
Addressing the occa-
sion, the Prime Minis-
ter said that the Reserve
Bank of India has reached
a historic landmark today
completing 90 years of
existence. He underlined
that the RBI has witnessed
Security shouldn’t be ‘status symbol’ Roads or Death traps: Accidents
but need basis affair in J&K: DGP
Swain on AFSPA rollback, troop-cut
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, Apr 1
Jammu and Kashmir’s
Director General of
Police (DGP) R R Swain
Monday said that secu-
rity shouldn’t be a status
symbol in the UT but a
need basis affair as the
force was working on a
plan to ensure individual
security is done away
with.
“In Europe, police chief ferent security system and the areas. We have not
moves around with just atmosphere all around reached that stage
two guards. There is a dif- as they have secured
Govt has no policy to ensure safe career of youth: Ch Lal Singh
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Udhampur Apr 1
Ch. Lal Singh, two times
former MP, and three
times Ex. Cabinet Minister
and Congress candidate
for Udhampur Lok Sabha
constituency addressed
a series of meetings at
Balpad, Khoon, Dhema,
Batal, Manwal, Darsoo,
Roun Domail, Batal Balian
and Tikri. While address-
ing gatherings Ch. Lal
Singh said that there was
neither any vision, nor
any plan to create new
jobs during the last ten
years by the BJP Govt
which as disturbed the
youth of the area. The
youth of J&K fill the form
in JKSSB and JKSSB waits
for years to conduct the
Govt directs all tertiary care hospitals to Udhampur Lok Sabha seat: From 40
establish control rooms
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Srinagar, Apr 01
The Health and Medical
Education department
has directed all GMCs and
other tertiary care hospi-
tals to establish control
rooms for inter depart-
mental consultation of
indoor patients.
As per a circular issued
by the Health and Medi-
cal Education Depart-
ment, a copy of which
lies with news agency,
the hospital authorities
have been directed that
control rooms should be
Jammu | TUESDAY 02, APRIL 2024 | Vol. 19 | Issue No: 77 | Pages 12 | Price: Rs 2/- | REGD. NO. L-29/JK-305/23-25 | RNI NO. JKENG/2006/16811
Cong trying to push country into darkness...
both the pre and post-
independence eras and
it has created an identity
around the world based
on its professionalism and
commitment. The Prime
Minister congratulated all
staff on the completion of
90 years of the RBI. Deem-
in J&K claim 4251 lives in 5 years
CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
exam and after conducting
the exam, it is cancelled
and the process of filling
the exam starts again. He
also said that JKSSB has
deployed the black listed
companies to conduct the
exam in J&K. He also said
contenders in 1967 to mere 12 in 2024
conspicuous, easily acces-
sible to the attendants and
patients.
"The setting up of Con-
trol Rooms inside the
Hospital premises across
all Government Health
Institutions throughout
the Union Territory of
Jammu and Kashmir aims
at providing the speedy
and quality health care
services to patients getting
admitted in the hospitals
(especially tertiary care
institutions)," reads the
circular.
"The requirements of
the Control Rooms are
ing the present RBI staff as
fortunate, the Prime Min-
ister said that the policies
drafted today will shape
the next decade of RBI
and noted that the next
10 years will take RBI to
its centenary year. “The
next decade is extremely
that lakhs of youth of J&K
is wasting their youthful
days in dilemma as the
Government has no con-
crete policy to ensure their
safe career. Ch Lal Singh
further lambasted the sit-
ting MP on the unattended
that he Control Room
should be conspicuous,
easily accessible to the
patients and attendants
and as much as possible
located near the emer-
gency premises of the
Hospitals, these should
be equipped with ade-
quate man power round
the clock with proper con-
nectivity of the telephone
services, All calls from dif-
ferent departments sent,
shall be transferred to the
respective departments
for prompt and efficient
patient care, The per-
sonnel/officials manning
A constructive force in the community
P8
important for the resolu-
tions of a Viksit Bharat”,
PM Modi said, highlighting
the RBI’s priority towards
fast-paced growth and
focus on trust and stabili-
ty. The Prime Minister also
conveyed his best wishes
for the fulfilment of its
goals and resolutions.
Emphasizing the
importance of coordina-
tion of monetary and
fiscal policies in the GDP
and the economy of the
country, the Prime Min-
ister recalled the 80-year
celebration of RBI in 2014
and remembered the chal-
lenges and problems like
NPA and stability faced
by the banking system of
the country at that time.
He said that starting from
there, today we have
reached a point where the
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Srinagar, Apr 01
Startling data released by
the traffic headquarters in
Jammu and Kashmir has
shed light on the alarming
number of road accidents
in the Union Territory,
with a huge toll on human
lives and well-being.
Over the past five years,
J&K has witnessed a total
of 28,896 road accidents,
resulting in 4,251 fatalities
and 37,725 injuries, the
data, accessed by the news
agency reveals. Jammu
region has recorded the
issues of Udampur Kathua
and entire state in particu-
lar like daily wagers who
are struggling for their
demands and protest-
ing but the Government
is nonchalant as if it has
nothing to do with this
the Control Rooms shall
maintain a record of all
calls from different depart-
ments, besides, ensuring
that these calls are attend-
ed to within the stipulated
time and the doctors/con-
sultants/faculty members
shall mandatorily attend
all such calls," it reads.
"Consequently, all the
Govt. Medical Colleges/
other tertiary care Insti-
tutions of the Health &
Medical Education Depart-
ment of the UT of Jammu
and Kashmir are, hereby,
instructed to
CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
World champion Rovanpera wins WRC Safari Rally... P12
Indian banking system
is being seen as a strong
and sustainable banking
system of the world as
the near moribund bank-
ing system of that time is
now in profit and showing
record credit.
The Prime Minister
credited clarity of policy,
intentions and decisions
for this transformation.
“Where intentions are
right, results too are cor-
rect”, said the Prime
Minister. Speaking on the
comprehensive nature of
reforms, the Prime Minis-
ter stated that the govern-
ment worked on the strat-
egy of recognition, resolu-
tion and recapitalization.
A capital infusion of 3.5
lakh crore was undertaken
for the helping
CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
highest number of road
accidents.
In 2019, Jammu report-
ed 3,907 road accidents,
leading to 695 fatalities
and 4,987 injuries, while
the Kashmir division
recorded 1,889 accidents,
resulting in 301 deaths and
2,545 injuries.
In the following years,
the Jammu division
reported a higher number
of accidents compared to
Kashmir. In 2020, Jammu
witnessed 3,086 road acci-
dents with 487 fatalities
and 3,798 injuries, while
Kashmir reported 1,774
section comprising thou-
sands of individuals and
their families. He also said
if I am voted to power, the
voice of early elections in
the state will rise in the
parliament and the proxy
rule of the BJP will end. Ch.
Lal Singh further said, it is
very strange that cynics
can’t see the Tarnah Bridge
on the national highways
and they are saying that J &
K has become the number
one state of India. Ch. Lal
Singh was Ex. Minister Sh.
Harsh Dev Singh and Ex.
Minister Dr. Manohar Lal.
Sh. Harsh Dev Singh lam-
basted that the BJP-led gov-
ernment has failed to curb
inflation and unemploy-
ment, and this government
has disappointed every
section of the society.
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Srinagar, Apr 01
The Udhampur Lok
Sabha constituency in
Jammu and Kashmir has
witnessed a fascinating
evolution in the number
and diversity of candidates
vying for parliamentary
representation. From a
modest three contenders
in its debut election to a
staggering 40 candidates
in 1996, the electoral
landscape of Udhampur
has reflected the dynam-
ic political fervor of the
region. Since its estab-
CS reviews admin's readiness for
smooth conduct of SANJY 2024
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU meeting along with DGP, maintenance of tracks on
JAMMU, APRIL 1 Administrative Secretar- both the Pahalgam and
ies, concerned Deputy Baltal axis in light of the
Chief Secretary, Atal Commissioners and other Supreme Court directions.
Dulloo, today had a HoDs and representatives He assessed the status
detailed review of prepa- from Shri AmarnathJi of works like widening of
rations being made by the Shrine Board (SASB) and walking track/passages
administration for smooth BRO, IMD, Telecom Ser- and installation of rail-
conduct of annual Shri vice providers and Disas- ing and retaining walls
AmarnathJi Yatra (SANJY) ter Management agencies. as per the directions of
2024. During the meeting, the Supreme Court. He
Senior functionaries of the Chief Secretary took enquired from the con-
civil and police admin- stock of measures taken, cerned DCs about
istration attended the so far, by BRO regarding CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
Govt announces holidays
on poll dates in 5 LS
accidents resulting in 241
constituencies
deaths and 2,096 injuries. REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
The year 2021 saw JAMMU, APRIL 1
Jammu division reporting
3,584 road accidents, lead- The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday
ing to 560 fatalities and announced public holiday on poll dates in five par-
4,640 injuries, whereas liamentary constituencies in the Union Territory.
Kashmir witnessed 1,868 As per a government order, issued by the GAD,
accidents, resulting in 214 the government has notified five days as holidays
deaths and 2,332 injuries. under section 135 B of the Representation of the
Similarly, in 2022, the People Act 1951.
Jammu division recorded The order also declared the poll day as paid
3,886 accidents, with holiday for every eligible voter employed in any
562 fatalities and 5,554 business, trade, industrial undertakings or any
injuries, while Kashmir other establishment.
reported 2,206 accidents, The order added that the daily wage and casual
leading to 243 deaths and workers shall also be entitled for the holiday
2,818 injuries. CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
Court finds Lapses in Rs 91
Crore Bank Scam Case
Orders CBI to conduct tions and fraudulent activities related to
loan accounts.
Further probe Principal Sessions Judge Sanjay Pari-
har expressed dissatisfaction with the
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU investigation, stating that it appeared
Srinagar, Apr 01 to be inadequate and lacking in depth.
He noted that the investigating officer
In a significant development concerning failed to pursue crucial lines of inquiry
the high-profile Rs 91 crore bank scam to uncover the truth behind the alleged
case, Principal Sessions Judge Jammu, scam.
has returned the challan to the Central The prosecution had accused the
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while also defendants of fraud and forgery, alleg-
raising serious questions on the investi- ing that false documents were created
gation. The judge has directed the CBI to secure cash credit facilities from the
to conduct further investigation, citing complainant bank. However, the court
apparent lapses in the initial probe. observed that the forensic report from
According to the news agency, the a handwriting expert yielded negative
order was issued during the hearing of results, indicating a lack of substantive
chargesheets against Jhelum Industry, evidence.
Jhelum Infra Project India Pvt. Ltd., and Furthermore, the court criticized the
New Jammu Flour Mills RC. These firms CBI for failing to investigate the role
were implicated in alleged illegal transac- CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
lishment in 1967, the con- eight, reflecting a grow- Bloc of India also fielded
stituency has traversed a ing political landscape. their nominees.
remarkable trajectory. In addition to Congress 1996: Witnessed a
As per the news agency, and Bharatiya Jan Sangh, record-breaking turnout,
1967: In its inaugural elec- Shiromani Akali Dal also with an unprecedented 40
tion, Udhampur saw a entered the fray. Political candidates vying for vic-
modest contest with three participation expanded, tory. Major parties such as
candidates. The contend- signaling increased inter- BJP, Congress, Janata Dal,
ers included represen- est in Udhampur's parlia- BSP, and Panthers Party
tatives from Congress, mentary seat. contested alongside a sig-
Bharatiya Jan Sangh, 1989: The electoral nificant contingent of 34
and Jammu and Kashmir arena expanded further, independent candidates.
National Conference. Con- with 24 candidates con- BJP candidate Chaman Lal
gress candidate GM Briga- testing from Udhampur. Gupta emerged victorious
dier emerged victorious, Independent candidates amid fierce competition,
setting the stage for subse- surged, comprising the exemplifying the fervor of
quent electoral dynamics. majority of contenders. electoral engagement.
1971:The number of Congress, Janata Dal, BJP, 2004: The number
candidates doubled to Panthers Party, and Protist CONTINUED ON 8 PAGE 8
 02 REFUGEE MESSAGE
Thousands throng nomination
filing rally of Ankur Sharma, ESBD
candidate from Jammu LS seat
Refugee Message Bureau
Jammu, Apr 1
In a show of great
strength, Ankur Sharma
(Advocate & National
President Ekam Sanatan
Bharat Dal, Earlier IkkJutt
Jammu) today organised a
huge election rally along
with thousands and thou-
sands of his supporters in
Jammu.
Supporters and cadres
of Ekam Sanatan Bharat
Dal gathered at Maha-
raja Harisingh Ji Park
and moved on foot till
DC office Jammu by pass-
ing through Vivekananda
Chowk, Residency Road
and Wazarat Road.
Participants raised slo-
gans calling victory for
Advocate Ankur Sharma
and Ekam Sanatan Bharat
Dal from Jammu Lok
Sabha. Thousands car-
rying party flags, post-
ers appealed the general
public to vote for change
in the upcoming 2024
Lok Sabha Elections and
ensure Jammu Province’s
political empowerment.
The Election Symbol
of party and Ankur
Sharma, MP Candidate
from Jammu Lok Sabha is
“Bansuri” also known as
“Flute” in English.
Speaking on the occa-
sion, Ankur Sharma talked
about his long ongoing
struggle for empowerment
and honour of Jammu
Province. He appealed the
people of Jammu Province
to vote for him so that he
can effectively demolish
the 70 years’ old under-
standing between Delhi
& Kashmiri political class
of reducing Jammu into a
second class entity.
The general public of the
area seemed quite enthu-
siastic about Ankur Shar-
ma’s entry into electoral
politics and expressed
confidence about the
ability and capability of
Ankur Sharma in taking
Jammu Province to new
stronger heights. People
praise Ankur Sharma for
busting Rs 25,000 crore
Land Scam and ensuring
that the scam gets investi-
gated by the CBI, his long
legal and political struggle
l in Rassana Case for the
honour of Dogras, his
fight for minority rights
in Supreme Court for
the non Muslims of J&K,
his lock stock and barrel
attack on processes and
agents of Demographic
Invasion of Jammu Prov-
ince, his fight against Arti-
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY
cle 370/35-A and constant
hammer hitting for ensur-
ing end of selective state
control of Hindu Religious
institutions along with his
efforts for cow protec-
tion and unabated Hindu
Genocide, to name a few.
Ankur Sharma appealed
the electors of Jammu Lok
Sabha which comprises of
18 Legislative Assemblies
located in Jammu Samba
Reasi and a portion of
Rajouri Districts to Vote
for him by pressing “Bans-
uri” button on the EVM.
Every vote cast in his
favour shall be a vote for
Jammu’s empowerment,
for a big Change and for
settling questions of sur-
vival and existence of
Jammu & Dogras. Now we
have an option whom we
can vote for Jammu’s polit-
ical empowerment, said
several of the onlookers
who kept cheering Ankur
Sharma during his rally
towards DC Office Jammu.
Ex Legislator Sh
Charanjit Singh, several
Sarpanch’s, Panches,
Muncipal Committee
Chairmen, Ward mem-
bers, scores of known
political and social activ-
ists joined Ankur Sharma
in today’s nomination
filing.
Due to treasury related
issues today, Ankur Shar-
ma’s nomination form
shall be formally accepted
on April i.e tomorrow by
the Returning officer.
Police books 2 notorious
drug smugglers under PIT
NDPS Act in Baramulla
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
BARAMULL, Ap 1
Acting tough against drug
peddlers and to eradicate
the menace of drugs from
the society, police booked
two notorious drug smug-
glers under PIT NDPS Act
in Baramulla after obtain-
ing formal detention orders
from competent authority.
The notorious drug
smugglers namely Showkat
Ahmad Dar son of Mohd
Abdullah resident of Gani-
wani Tangmarg & Ghulam
Mohammad Sheikh son of
Abdul Samad resident of
Mulgam Kunzer have been
booked under PIT-NDPS
Act after obtaining formal
detention orders from
NEWS
the competent authority.
The booked drug smug-
glers have been detained
and subsequently lodged
in Central Jail Kot-Balwal
Jammu.
Pertinent to mention
here that many cases are
registered against the said
drug smugglers and ware
involved in promoting drug
abuse trade by supplying
drugs to local youth of
Solinda, Khaipora, Tang-
marg, Mulgam, Kunzer
& other areas of District.
Despite their involvement
in many FIRs, they did
not mend their activities
and were again involved
in promoting drug abuse
trade by supplying drugs
to local youth.
 news
Congress holds strong protest against
seizure of Congress accounts
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, Apr 1
Congress today held a
strong protest demon-
stration in Jammu against
the seizure of the party’s
accounts by the IT depart-
ment and urged the Presi-
dent of India to intervene
to save onslaught on
democracy.
Leading the protest
AICC Incharge Shri Bhar-
atsinh Solanki alongwith
JKPCC President Vikar
Rasool Wani, AICC Joint
Secretary Shri Manoj
Yadav & Working Presi-
dent Shri Raman Bhalla
and other senior leaders
launched a frontal attack
on the BJP for the system-
atic attack on the princi-
pal national opposition
party-INC to financially
cripple and eliminate the
congress party from the
ongoing election process
by the illegal and arbi-
trary seizure of the party’s
accounts.
Raising the slogans
against Modi Govt. and
the IT department for
their illegal and arbitrary
action in order to finan-
cially eliminate the Con-
Kavinder amplifies Muslim community's
trust in BJP's inclusive governance
Several join BJP
Refugee Message Bureau
Jammu, Apr 1
Senior BJP leader and
former Deputy Chief
Minister, Kavinder Gupta
asserted the growing trust
of the Muslim community
in the Bharatiya Janata
Party's (BJP) inclusive gov-
ernance during a program
held in Bathindi, Jammu.
The BJP stalwart was
speaking during a pro-
gramme here at Bathindi
wherein scores of resi-
dents embraced political
folds of BJP after getting
impressed by the policies
and plans of its leader-
ship to take them along
on the voyage to devel-
opment and prosperity.
Those who joined BJP
include Gulzar Ahmed,
Faryad Ahmed, Rashid
Ahmed, Shokat Ahmed,
Aniyat Ali, Farmanu Bibi,
Naseem Jaan, Raziya Bibi,
Surya Bibi, Abdul Majeed,
Abdul Wahid, Hasno Bibi
and others.
Addressing the gather-
ing, Kavinder said that
after the Modi Govern-
ment has exposed the
Manjit Singh demands assembly elections,
restoration of statehood to J&K
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
VIJAYPUR, APR 1
Apni Party Provincial
President, Jammu, and
Former Minister S. Manjit
Singh today demanded
restoration of statehood
to Jammu and Kashmir
and holding of assembly
elections.
As per the press release,
a monthly meeting of the
Apni Party workers was
organized at Vijaypur
which was chaired by
Former Minister, S. Manjit
Singh to discuss present
political situation, and
chalk out future course
of action in the wake of
continuous bureaucratic
rules that has become
root cause of resentment
among the local popula-
tion against the outsiders.
During the meeting,
Manjit Singh was informed
about the activities of the
Party in Samba district
and its public outreach
gress party and termed
it a direct assault on the
democracy, for fear of
loosing the elections. The
police stopped the leading
the march towards the IT
department, at Shaheedi
Chowk by placing barbed
wires ahead of the march.
The protestors were carry-
ing placards against the BJP
Govt. & the IT department
for the “illegal” action and
termed it as a fear of ruling
party out of frustration of
loosing the elections.
Talking to media per-
sons, Shri Solanki attacked
the BJP & Modi Govt. for
indulging into the arbi-
trary, illegal & vindictive
action against the princi-
political outfits includ-
ing Congress, NC and
PDP, which exploited the
people in J&K for decades
by spreading wrong nar-
ratives based on divisive
agendas, the people have
now realized that it is only
BJP which can bail out
masses from the morass
created by aforesaid
parties which ruled the
region in the past.
Kavinder said that
under the dynamic lead-
ership of PM Narendra
Modi, Jammu and Kash-
mir has witnessed a trans-
formative shift towards
inclusive governance,
ensuring that every com-
program to address grow-
ing issues of the people in
the district.
The Party workers
informed the Provin-
cial President, Jammu
about the concerns of the
people regarding pending
compensation cases of
the border villagers along
the International Border,
growing unemployment,
unaddressed demand of
bunker construction in
Ramgarh, KCC cases of
the farmers, canal water
issue of tale end villages,
electricity etc.
While appreciating the
Party workers for their
constant efforts to redress
the genuine demands of
ple opposition party in the
country, while other top
opposition leaders have
been arrested or threat-
ened by the ED action in
the midst of general elec-
tions. This shows the utter
frustration of the Modi
Govt. and BJP seeing the
writing on the Wall, after
its failures of all fronts.
PCC President Vikar
Rasool Wani hit out at
the BJP for the vindictive
actions against the con-
gress party and entire
opposition, as BJP is badly
loosing the election. He
said already the IT depart-
ment has illegally & forc-
ibly taken away the 135
crores from the accounts
munity, including Mus-
lims, receives the atten-
tion and benefits they
rightfully deserve. “The
BJP's commitment to the
welfare and development
of all sections of society,
irrespective of their reli-
gious or cultural back-
ground, has started reso-
nating deeply with the
Muslim community and
that is the reason behind
this community repos-
ing faith in BJP’s leader-
ship”, he said, adding that
party’s initiatives have
not only empowered the
community but also pro-
vided them with a sense
of belonging and security,
the people, he asked them
to intensify their activities
and holding corner meet-
ings in every nook and
corner of the villages and
educate people about the
policy of equitable devel-
opment, and protection of
rights of the locals which is
adopted by the Apni Party.
He however expressed
concern over the delay
in holding the assembly
elections in Jammu and
Kashmir while terming
it against the aspiration
of the people of both the
regions.
He said that the people
were expecting the hold-
ing of assembly and par-
liamentary elections
of congress party for a
delay in filing return of
14.49 lacs donated by MPs/
MLAs of the party.
BJP has collected huge
funds through electoral
bond scheme for itself
and now trying to elimi-
nate the other opposition
from effective campaign
the elections which is
very dangerous for the
existence of democracy.
Shri Manoj Yadav strongly
lashed out the Modi Govt
& BJP for the direct assault
on the opposition espe-
cially congress party and
termed it an assault on the
democracy. He said that
people are being conveyed
through the nationwide
which was lacking in the
past.
The senior BJP leader
stated that BJP firmly
believes in the principles
of equality, justice, and
progress for all and it is
heartening to see that
Muslims in Union Terri-
tory have recognized and
embraced these values.
He said that BJP leader-
ship wanted to ensure that
people should become
part of the party's mis-
sion to build a peaceful,
prosperous, and harmoni-
ous society, where every
individual can thrive and
contribute towards the
growth and development
of the nation.
Kavinder said that
the quantum of sup-
port which BJP is getting
from the people in J&K,
no entity can stand even
closer in the Lok Sabha or
for that matter Assembly
polls whenever the same
would be held.
Among those who were
present on the occasion
include Rekha Maha-
jan, Pushpinder Singh,
Lucky Puri, Nayan Gupta,
Mohammad Rafik, Yakoob
and Liaqat Ali.
jointly in J&K. But it did
not happen which has
disappointed the people
because they are under
the regime that is being
run by the bureaucracy,
mostly outsiders, who
have no connection with
the local population.
In the wake of the
emerging political situa-
tion, he appealed to the
Election Commission of
India (ECI) to hold assem-
bly elections in J&K as
early as possible because
the situation is conducive
and the people are in deep
distress without an elected
Govt of their choice.
“It becomes impera-
tive for the ECI to declare
assembly polls. On the
other hand, the Govt of
India should also restore
the statehood to Jammu
and Kashmir to win the
confidence of the people
who are unhappy with the
downgrading of their his-
toric state,” he stated.
protests by the congress
party about the designs of
BJP & Modi Govt.
Congress Working Presi-
dent Lok Sabha candidate
Raman Bhalla strongly hit
out at BJP for its attempts
to defeat the entire dem-
ocratic process and the
glorious traditions of our
democracy. He termed
it a dangerous trend and
naked drama which is
being watched by the
entire world, as India is
the largest democracy of
the world.
Later a memorandum
was submitted to the Presi-
dent of India through the
District Magistrate Jammu
on behalf of the entire rank
and file of the party duly
signed by AICC Incharge
Jammu and Kashmir Shri
Bharatsinh Solanki, JK PCC
President Vikar Rasool &
AICC joint Secretary Manoj
Yadav. The memorandum
was submitted by Shri
Balwan Singh, Ravinder
Sharma & Yogesh Sawh-
ney. All senior functionar-
ies of the PCC, DCC Urban
and Jammu Rural, Frontal
Wings and other senior
leaders took part in the
protest in large numbers.
BJP betrayed people of
Jammu, people are ready to
teach a lesson: Congress
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Samba, APR 1
State Congress Party's
District Samba President
Sanjeev Sharma said that
the Bharatiya Janata Party
has betrayed the people of
Jammu and soon the party
will have to face the conse-
quences. Congress District
Samba President Sanjeev
Sharma said this sentence
in a meeting organized in ST
Basti in a remote area under
Samba Assembly. In this
meeting, a large number
of people of ST Basti joined
the Congress under the
chairmanship of District
President Sanjeev Sharma
and talked about support-
ing the Congress Party.
Addressing the people,
Sanjeev Sharma told the
people of ST Basti that BJP
made only false promises
to the people, especially to
the minority community.
The ground reality is that
Under Modi Govt, J&K is known for innovation,
startups instead of terrorism: Ashok Koul
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Kathua, APR 1
Ashok Koul said that today,
under the Modi govern-
ment, Jammu & Kashmir
is not the talk of the town
for terrorist-related activi-
ties, but it is known for the
innovations and start-ups
in different sectors.
Koul asked the BJP
workers to share the sig-
nificant political achieve-
ments of Jammu & Kash-
mir along with the unprec-
edented development that
has put the erstwhile state
on the national highlights
in terms of socioeconomic
development.
Ashok Koul, General
Secretary (organization),
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), Jammu & Kashmir
said this, while he chaired
3 different meetings in
Jasrota, Hiranagar and
Kathua Assembly Constit-
uencies.
Former Minister Rajeev
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY
Jammu Police
available for
women in distress
on 24x7 dedicated
helpline number,
9906310101
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
Jammu Police on the
eve of last Internation-
al Women’s Day had
launched a dedicated
helpline for women in
distress in order to cater
to the needs of women
in distress.This helpline
number was dedicated
to public by ADG Jammu
Zone Shri Anand Jain-IPS
along with DIG JSK Dr.
Sunil Gupta-IPS & SSP
Jammu Dr. Vinod Kumar.
Till date many
aggrieved ladies had
contacted the police on
this helpline number and
they had been helped out
or rescued safely.
Jammu Police had once
again urged the people
of the Jammu District to
make maximum use of
this helpline number and
spread this number as
much as possible so that
the best possible assis-
tance can be given by the
Police Department to the
women in distress.
The women helpline
for Jammu is:9906310101
now the people of Jammu
are fully aware of the real
face of these leaders. The
minority community has
always been a victim of BJP's
neglect. He told the party
workers that this is the time
to go among the people and
make them aware of the
party's policies. Because
the ground reality is that
now the graph of BJP in the
state is falling day by day.
He said that the employ-
ees working temporarily
in different departments
have also been cheated.
The unemployment rate
is the highest recorded in
the country since indepen-
dence. Sanjeev Sharma said
that only Congress can take
all the sections along and
the assembly can achieve
uniform development. Dis-
trict Vice President Balram
Kundal, senior leaders
Rashpal, Vinod Kumar, Avi-
nash Attri were present on
this occasion.
Jasrotia, former MLA Kul-
deep Raj, district Presi-
dent Gopal Mahajan, DDC
Vice-Chairman Raghu-
nandan, Rashpaul Verma,
Vijay Sharma, and other
senior leaders of party
also accompanied Ashok
Koul in these meetings.
Ashok Koul, while
addressing these meet-
ings, said that no other
political party has ever
cared to empower the
people in the erstwhile
J&K state, but now the BJP
under the strong leader-
ship of Prime Minister Nar-
endra Modi and with our
dedicated force of party
cadre has ensured the
REFUGEE MESSAGE 03
PM Modi to head world’s
largest democracy for
third time: Khatana
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
Senior BJP leader and
Member of Parliament
(Rajya Sabha), Gulam Ali
Khatana has said that the
upcoming Lok Sabha elec-
tions in the country will
see BJP emerging as the
single largest party with
more than 400 seats and
a consecutive third term
for PM Modi to head the
world’s largest democra-
cy. He said that the seven
phase general elections in
the country starting from
April 19 have left the oppo-
sition parties especially
the Congress frustrated
and unnerved.
“The ‘Save Democracy’
rally by the opposition in
New Delhi was a clear sign
of hopelessness among
the opposition parties
after witnessing a mas-
sive public support for the
BJP,” Khatana said.
He further said that
top Congress leaders now
have left their strong-
hold constituencies like
Amethi and are looking
for the places where they
can easily win a seat by
befooling the innocent
public to remain relevant
in politics.
“This clearly shows that
even the Congress has
endorsed that the public
has rejected them for their
anti-public policies,” the
firebrand BJP leader main-
tained adding: “Now the
public has shifted their
favour towards BJP due
to the welfare measures
ushered by PM Modi led
regime in the country for
the last 10 years.”
Police arrests two
absconders in Kulgam
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
KULGAM, Apr 1
Continuing its crackdown
against absconders, Police
in Kulgam arrested two
absconders who were
evading their arrests from
last many years.
A police party headed
by SHO Police Station
DH Pora arrested two
absconders namely Mohd
Rafiq Dar son of Ghulam
Rasool Dar resident of
L adgoo Rambhama,
involved in case FIR No.
108/2016 under section
147, 148, 341, 336 RPC and
Mohd Yousuf Wagay son
of Ghulam Ahmad Wagay
resident of Harpora
Nagam, involved in case
FIR No. 80/2015 under
welfare of every neglect-
ed and every deprived
individual and section.
He added that after the
abrogation of Article 370,
Jammu and Kashmir is
moving towards its long-
sought goal of progress
and prosperity.
Ashok Koul, further
asked the party workers to
get engaged in continuous
dialogues with the public,
covering every single area
and seek a vote for the BJP
candidate in the name of
peace, progress and futur-
istic vision in this Parlia-
ment election.
Rajeev Jasrotia said
that the whole region has
Khatana also said that
before talking of democ-
racy the Congress should
know that it was Indira
Gandhi who during her
rule clamped emergency
in the country and stran-
gled freedom of public.
“Only corrupt and anti-
national elements are put
in jails while no oppo-
sition leader has been
touched by PM Modi led
government even though
the opposition abuses
badly to the PM every now
and then,” the BJP leader
said advising the opposi-
tion to shun the habit of
protest for the sake of pro-
test and support develop-
ments started by PM Modi
in the country.
He further said that in
the last 10 years J&K has
seen large scale develop-
ments with the abrogation
of Article 370 as a historic
one.
“The people of J&K are
now leaving a peaceful
and progressive life and
they are going to strength-
en the hands of BJP in
upcoming Lok Sabha elec-
tions by excessively voting
in favour of BJP candidate
and the party will easily
win all the five Lok Sabha
seats from J&K and the
one from Ladakh Union
Territory,” he continued.
section 148, 323, 341, 506
RPC of Police Station DH
Pora. Warrant of arrest
was issued by the Hon’ble
Court of Judicial Magis-
trate 1st Class DH Pora
against the said accused
persons. They were evad-
ing their arrests since 2016
and 2015 respectively. The
duo was produced before
the Hon’ble Court of Judi-
cial Magistrate 1st Class
DH Pora today.
Our consistent actions
against anti-social ele-
ments should reassure
the community members
that we are making every
effort to keep our society
free of crime. Police has
resolved to act as per law
against those who indulge
in criminal activities.
witnessed a remarkable
transformation in infra-
structure development,
which has added to the
increased agricultural,
logistic, forest, industrial
and other activities in the
region. He also credited
Dr Jitendra Singh for his
endeavours to bring major
projects into the area.
Kuldeep Raj said that
the Congress, NC, and
PDP have exploited the
whole sections and hence
a major chunk of the
population of J&K, while
favouring a few only all
these years. He said that
now, the BJP, under the
leadership of PM Modi has
given a fair deal of devel-
opment to every area and
every person.
Gopal Mahajan asked
the party workers to leave
no stone unturned in
taking the party's mission
to the ground level and get
the party's support con-
verted to votes.
04 REFUGEE MESSAGE
IIM Jammu and DICCI Inaugurate fourth batch of CBP
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, Apr 1
The Indian Institute of
Management (IIM) Jammu,
under the aegis of the
Ministry of Skill Develop-
ment & Entrepreneurship
(MSDE), Government of
India, in collaboration
with Dalit Indian Chamber
of Commerce (DICCI), com-
menced the fourth batch
of the Capacity Building
Program on Small Busi-
ness Development Units
(SBDUs). The inaugura-
tion took place at the pic-
turesque IIM Jammu Jagti
Campus, heralding a new
chapter in entrepreneurial
empowerment. The event
was inaugurated by Shri
Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS,
Administrative Secretary,
Department of Skill Devel-
opment, Govt of Jammu
and Kashmir. The fourth
batch comprised 25 par-
ticipants hailing from vari-
ous parts of the country,
including individuals from
the Union Territory of
Jammu and Kashmir.
Among the notable
attendees were Prof. Jabir
Ali, Dean Academics, IIM
Jammu, Sh. Sudershan
Kumar, JKAS, Director Skill
Development, Government
of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr.
Electoral awareness lecture NNK Jammu stages ‘Ghalib at
held at GCW, Bhagwati Nagar Quarantine' in New Delhi
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, MAR 1
The NSS Unit, in collabo-
ration with the IQAC cell
of Government College
for Women, Bhagwati
Nagar, under the initiative
of Viksit Bharat and with
the guidance of Dr. Meeru
Abrol, the Principal of the
college, has taken a signifi-
cant step towards promot-
ing informed and engaged
citizenship. This endeav-
or commenced with the
inauguration of an Elec-
toral Awareness Lecture
aimed at enlightening and
empowering the student
community.
Dr. Meeru Abrol, the
Principal of the college,
highlighted the signifi-
cance of the lecture, stat-
ing that it resonates with
Government College for
Women, Bhagwati Nagar's
commitment to holistic
education. The aim is to
empower students with
not only knowledge but
also the skills and ethi-
cal values necessary to
become proactive and
responsible members of
society. By facilitating
informed discussions and
critical thinking, the Elec-
NBT organizes two day translation workshop Voters awareness programme held at Doda
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
National Book Trust,
India in collaboration
with Indira Gandhi
National Centre for Arts
& Jammu & Kashmir
Academy of Art, Culture
and languages organized
a two day workshop at
K.L. Saigal Hall to devel-
op Bi-Lingual Books from
English to Dogri and Eng-
lish to Kashmiri during
ongoing Tawi Sahitya Lok
Utsav Jammu.
Dwijendra Kumar,
Assistant Editor looking
after Dogri and Kashmiri
languages at National
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY
Mahesh Gadekar, Chairper-
son of the Centre for Small
Business Development,
IIM Jammu, Dr. Vivek
Sharma, Chief Innovation
Officer (CIO) at the Centre
for Entrepreneurship and
Innovation, IIM Jammu,
and Shri Naren Karuna-
karan, Consultant at the
Centre for Diversity Cell
and Inclusion, IIM Jammu.
The ceremony commenced
with the ceremonial light-
ing of the lamp, symboliz-
ing the enlightenment and
empowerment that the
program seeks to instill. Dr.
Mahesh Gadekar, Chairper-
son of the Centre for Small
Business Development,
IIM Jammu in his welcome
address, provided an over-
view of the program, set-
ting the stage for an enrich-
ing journey of learning and
growth.
In his address, Shri
Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS,
Administrative Secretary,
Department of Skill Devel-
opment, Govt of Jammu
and Kashmir, presented a
roadmap titled "Roadmap
to Accelerate Employment
Avenues through Entre-
preneurship (Opportunity
and Strategy)." He shed
light on various schemes
by the Government of India
aimed at this objective and
toral Awareness Lecture
strives to equip students
with the tools they need
to drive positive change in
their communities.
The lecture, led by
Prof. Anju Bala, the NSS
Program Officer of the
college, proved to be a
highly enriching experi-
ence, featuring expert
insights, stimulating dis-
cussions, and interactive
sessions. Prof. Bala delved
into various facets of the
electoral process, eluci-
dating electoral laws and
emphasizing the ethical
Book Trust, India who
coordinated the work-
shop said during the inau-
gural session that transla-
tion of children literature
in regional languages is
the necessity of time and
NBT is stressing upon
the revival of ancient old
concept of storytelling to
create awareness about
nature and our surround-
ings among the children
to groom them into good
and responsible citizens.
Such workshops are
important as in addition
to translation the writers
involved therein get an
added value for creating
at their own also.
discussed the four pillars
for building a supportive
ecosystem. Additionally,
he engaged with partici-
pants, gathering their
suggestions and feedback
regarding the creation of
a suitable entrepreneurial
ecosystem. He assured all
participants of his full sup-
port and mentioned plans
for close collaboration with
IIM Jammu in the future to
further develop and scale
up the entrepreneurial eco-
system in the U.T of Jammu
and Kashmir
In his address, Prof. Jabir
Ali, Dean Academics at IIM
Jammu, illuminated the
remarkable journey of the
institution and the incep-
tion of the Capacity Build-
ing Program, envisioned
responsibilities associated
with voting. She provided
a comprehensive overview
of electoral systems, shed-
ding light on the diverse
models and their implica-
tions for democratic gov-
ernance. Through engag-
ing activities and real-life
examples, students were
able to grasp their rights
and duties as voters,
enabling them to make
informed decisions and
actively contribute to the
democratic process. Stu-
dents enthusiastically par-
ticipated in the program.
During the workshop,
Dr. Manoj Heer, Dr.
Sheetal Devi, Dr. Sonika
Jasrotia, Dr. Radha Rani
and Bharti translated
ten children books from
English to Dogri whereas
eminent Kashmiri, Hindi
writer and translator
Vijay Wali, Pyare Hatash,
R.L.Jowhar, Rinku Koul
and Tahir translated ten
books from English to
Kashmiri. As per NBT,
these books will soon
be published and made
available for the readers
of both languages.
Prof. Lalit Magotra and
Rajeshwar Singh ‘Raju’
eminent Dogri and Hindi
by Padmashri Dr. Milind
P. Kamble. He emphasized
the institute's commit-
ment to fostering innova-
tion and inclusivity while
highlighting the necessity
of establishing a robust
entrepreneurial ecosystem
in the region. Through this
project, he mentioned that
a handholding mechanism
will be provided for local
small businesses and aspir-
ing entrepreneurs in the
vicinity of the Union Ter-
ritories of Jammu, Kashmir,
and Ladakh, with 20 SBDUs
slated for establishment in
Jammu & Kashmir and 2 in
Ladakh. He urged partici-
pants to become ambassa-
dors for the program and
expressed confidence that
the five-day module would
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
New Delhi APR 1
A captivating portrayal
of the life and legacy of
Mirza Ghalib, the iconic
Urdu poet of the Indian
subcontinent, unfolded
on the stage of Shri Ram
Centre, New Delhi, by the
dynamic team of Natraj
Natya Kunj Jammu. Titled
‘Ghalib in Quarantine’,
the play witnessed two
consecutive shows in
response to overwhelming
public demand in Delhi.
Crafted by Rohit Verma
and helmed by director
Dr. Abhishek Bharti, the
production offers a vibrant
narrative of Mirza Asadul-
lah Beig Khan Ghalib's life.
Set against the backdrop
of the Covid crisis and
sudden lockdown, the
play intricately weaves
the tale of a character
grappling with confine-
ment, drawing parallels
to Ghalib's own historical
predicament during the
events of 1857. Through
poignant recitations of
Ghalib's poetry, letters,
and life anecdotes, the
play illuminates fascinat-
ing facets of his persona
and deep-rooted connec-
tion to Delhi.
writers were resource
persons for Dogri where-
as Rattan Lal Shant and
R.L. Talashi, eminent
Kashmiri and Hindi writ-
ers performed the duties
of resource persons for
Kashmiri language.
While presenting vote
of thanks, Dwijendra
Kumar thanked all asso-
ciated with the workshop
for successful execution
of the task and hoped that
such creative efforts will
become a regular feature
in future also from time
to time thus fulfilling the
mission of NBT to reach
to maximum readers of
all regional languages .
not only sensitize them
about management but
also initiate a new lifelong
relationship.
The ceremony also wit-
nessed brief introductions
from the participants,
offering insights into their
backgrounds and aspira-
tions, further enriching
the diverse tapestry of
the program. The vote of
thanks was proposed by Dr.
Mahesh Gadekar, Chairper-
son of the Centre for Small
Business Development, IIM
Jammu. The event conclud-
ed with the rendition of the
national anthem, symbol-
izing unity, and collective
aspirations.
The Project of Trans-
forming Informal Busi-
nesses through SBDUs
An homage to Ghal-
ib's poetic genius and a
window into his era, the
play unfolds his journey
in a visually striking and
immersive manner. Ener-
getically portrayed by
actor Balwinder Singh,
the character of Mirza
Ghalib comes to life on
stage, while music, mas-
terfully composed by
Vishal Pandita, forms the
soulful backdrop, seam-
lessly blending contempo-
rary sensibilities with the
essence of bygone eras.
The meticulous atten-
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
DODA, APR 1
A mega Voters Awareness
programme under the Sys-
tematic Voters’ Education
and Electoral Participa-
tion (SVEEP) initiative was
today organized at ANMT
School Doda.
The awareness pro-
gramme was aimed to
raise awareness about
various voting-related
activities and promote
electoral literacy among
citizens, especially first-
time voters in the run
up to the upcoming Lok
Sabha Elections 2024.
The program was
attended by CMO Doda Dr
Om Kumar, DIO Doda Dr
Versha Sharma, Principal
ANMT Doda Mrs Anusuya
Bhan, Dr Javed Parray,
Mohd Shafi Attu, Ms Pri-
yanka Manhas, Mrs Indra
Devi, Naveeda Anjum,
Saima Kousar, Ram Raj,
Sajad Hussain, Amjad Ali
and other health staff of
the department partici-
pated in the awareness
(SBDUs) under the Minis-
try of Skill Development
and Entrepreneurship
(MSDE), Government of
India, has been envisaged
to strengthen institutions
to deliver quality initia-
tives for entrepreneurship
development across identi-
fied locations i.e. 22 SBDUs
to be established across the
UTs of Jammu & Kashmir
and Ladakh. The program
aims to identify existing/
aspiring entrepreneurs
to provide the necessary
skills and knowledge for
business development and
create an environment that
will enable them to trans-
form informal businesses
into formal businesses
through capacity develop-
ment and handholding.
The integrated interven-
tion will help the skill
development of the poten-
tial entrepreneurs in start-
ing a new venture and help
them survive and growth.
The Capacity Building
Program on Small Busi-
ness Development Units by
IIM Jammu sets the stage
for transformative growth,
empowering aspiring, and
existing entrepreneurs to
realize their dreams and
contribute meaningfully to
the socio-economic devel-
opment of the nation.
tion to detail
extends to the
play's production
design, with Virji
Sumbli crafting
evocative sets,
Anu Thakur curat-
ing authentic cos-
tumes, and Aad-
itya Bharti orches-
trating atmospher-
ic lighting. Vocal
performances by
Vishal Pandita,
Anjali Sharma,
Shobhana Sharma,
and Karan, accom-
panied by the
rhythmic beats
of tabla by Nitish
Kumar and nout
by Vineet Raina,
further enrich the
theatrical experience.
Capturing the essence
of the performance
through lens, Sheetal
Raina's photography
preserves the magic
of the play for poster-
ity. Ultimately, under the
visionary direction of Dr.
Abhishek Bharti, 'Ghalib
in Quarantine' emerges as
a poignant tribute to the
timeless legacy of Mirza
Ghalib, captivating audi-
ences with its artistic bril-
liance and profound sto-
rytelling.
programme.
On the occasion, Mr
Faizan A Tramboo high-
lighted the significance
of the programme which
aims to educate and
inspire active participa-
tion in the democratic
process.
SMVDU Ph.D. Scholars qualify
GATE-2024 in Physics
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
Two Ph.D. scholars from
the School of Physics, Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Univer-
sity namely, Meniak Kha-
juria S/O Puran Khajuria
R/O Lower Roop Nagar,
Jammu and Arti Khajuria
D/O Ashok Kumar R/O
City Chowk, Rajouri have
qualified Graduate Apti-
tude Test of Engineering
(GATE) - 2024 in Phys-
ics conducted jointly by
IISc Bengaluru and seven
NGO, Anti Crime Bureau
felicitates Priyanka Dogra
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, APR 1
Members of NGO, Anti
Crime Bureau led by
Chairman Sham Lal Gupta
today felicitated Priyanka
Dogra for winning the title
of Miss Iconic India 2024.
State President of NGO
Sahil Gupta visited her
residence and felicitated
her for winning the title
of Miss Iconic India 2024.
CRPF 162 bn organises free medical
camp in Kargam Handwara
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
HANDWARA, APR 1
A free medical health check-
up camp was organized on
1- 4 -2024 during the Civic
Action Programme con-
ducted by the 162 Battal-
ion Central Reserve Police
Force (CRPF) at the Govt
girls middle School Kargam
in Handwara and distributed
free medicines.
The camp was inaugurat-
ed by Second in command
Shri P K Lal 162 Battalion
CRPF along with Lambardar
Kargam Showket Ahmad,
Assistant Commandant
Abhishek Yadav , Assistant
Commandant R K Malik ,
Medical Officer Dr Ajay , Dr
Javid Ahmad , and other offi-
cers graced the occasion by
their presence.
During the medical camp
a number of people includ-
ing the ladies, children and
senior citizens of the area
gathered in large numbers
for the health camp and
Meanwhile, a Pledge
taking ceremony under
SVEEP was also held
where participants took
the pledge to vote enthu-
siastically in the upcoming
Lok Sabha elections.
While speaking on the
occasion, CMO Doda Dr
news
IITs across the nation,
the result of which was
declared recently by the
National Coordination
Board (NCB)-GATE. Both
the students now onwards
are also eligible for the
award of Ph.D. assistant-
ship from their host insti-
tute as per rules.
He said that it is a
proud moment for the
family members as well
as the people of Jammu
and Kashmir. He appreci-
ated the family members
of the girl who extended
their support and encour-
agement to represent her
on the renowned platform
i.e. Miss Iconic India 2024.
Gupta was accompa-
nied by ASI Naresh Digra
and other colleagues.
more than 190 people took
advantage of the camp.
Speaking on the occa-
sion Second in command
Shri PK Lal of 162 Battal-
ion remarked “CRPF runs
various schemes for assist-
ing the needy and merging
with the local population
and for having better coor-
dination with them. Today
we have organised a free
medical camp and consul-
tancy for those who require
medical assistance and
you see a large number of
people turned up in the pro-
gramme”.
“The aim of such pro-
grammes is to have good
relations with locals and also
help them in difficult times.
It’s a continuous process
and 162 Battalion is periodi-
cally conducting community
outreach programs in one or
other way. In the past also
such free medical camps
were organised in different
areas in Kupwara district”,
added Shri PK Lal .
Om Kumar in his speech
highlighted the signifi-
cance of electoral literacy
in empowering citizens
and urged everyone, espe-
cially first-time voters, to
exercise their franchise
responsibly in the upcom-
ing elections.
 news
Apni Party committed to
grant District status to Gool- terror, terrorists: Vibodh
Gulabgarh: Aijaz Ahmed Khan
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
GOOL (RAMBAN), APR 1
Expressing displeasure
over the negligence of
remote areas of Reasi and
Ramban Districts, the
Apni Party's Vice Presi-
dent, and Former Min-
ister, Aijaz Ahmed Khan
has expressed his commit-
ment that Gool-Gulabgarh
should be granted District
status for its overall devel-
opment of the rural belt.
As per the press release,
a worker’s meeting of the
Apni Party was organized
at Gool under the leader-
ship of Aijaz Ahmed Khan.
In this meeting, the
Party leaders and work-
ers held threadbare dis-
cussion regarding the
scheduled parliamentary
elections in Jammu and
Kashmir, particularly
concerning the Udhampur
constituency.
The leaders discussed
that the voting shall be
based on issues so that
development al and
employment issues can
be redressed.
While speaking on the
occasion, the Former Min-
ister said that the voting
on Udhampur parliamen-
tary constituency shall be
based on issues because
majority of the constituen-
cy is rural and hilly areas.
He however expressed
displeasure over the igno-
Congress stages protest against Tax Terrorism,
says BJP senses defeat before LS polls
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Srinagar, Apr 1
Congress on Monday staged
strong protest demonstra-
tions against Tax Terror-
ism unleashed against the
principal opposition (INC)
by the IT, terming the move
politically motivated and
fabricated aiming to stop
INC from campaigning
after the BJP sensed defeat
before the ensuing Lok
Sabha elections.
The leaders and workers
raised slogans against Tax
terrorism unleashed by the
IT department against INC
and termed it a deliberate
move to stop Congress Party
from campaigning during
the ensuing Lok Sabha Elec-
tions. They also displayed
play cards demonstrat-
ing their anger against the
coercion, vendetta poli-
tics against the opposition
especially Congress and
leaders of INDIA alliance.
They said BJP has sensed
Modi's vision is to develop India, opposition stands with corrupt: Suri Youth delegation meets Tehsildar
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, Apr 1
“For a developed India,
wherein poverty is done
away with, youth have
enormous opportunities,
women are empowered,
farmers are progressing
and corruption is eradi-
cated completely, there is
a dire need of re-electing
the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and that too with
400+ seats in the upcom-
ing Lok Sabha elections.
This result will strengthen
the hands of Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi and his
team, which in turn will
lead India to a new height
of progress and prosper-
ity.” This was stated by
BJP J&K Executive Member
Raman Suri, who added
that the past ten years’
governance was just a
model and the real game
of building a strong nation
is going to begin from here
onwards.
Raman Suri said, the
entire opposition includ-
ing Congress and other
Congress has history of appeasing
rance and injustice with
the Gool – Gulabgarh
which remained sidelined
regarding the demand of
granting district status.
He said that the Party
is committed to include
the demand of district
status to the Gool – Gula-
bgarh in its manifesto and
it would come out with a
plan about the employ-
ment policy to address
the issues of the educated
unemployed youth.
He also referred to the
Gool – Sambar’s aspiration
and sought that it shall be
declared as a full-fledged
political constituency to
address the developmen-
tal issues of the people by
providing them opportu-
nity to elect their repre-
sentative and adequate
Govt funds.
While expre ssing
dismay over the grow-
ing unemployment in
Ramban District, he said
that it was unfortunate
to learn that large num-
bers of workers including
skilled and unskilled have
become unemployed fol-
defeat before the ensuing
Lok Sabha elections with
the result various agencies
especially ED, IT have been
deputed to threaten and
stop Opposition from cam-
paigning under the garb of
tax terrorism and various
other undemocratic mea-
sures BJP is adopting out of
fear and frustration, but the
Congress won’t stop, it will
continue fighting against
BJP’s autocracy and will
defeat it (BJP) in the elec-
tions.
Speaking on the sidelines
of the protest, Congress
leaders blamed BJP for viti-
ating political atmosphere
in the country for the lust
of power, but the Congress
is strong enough to defeat
the war against democracy,
adding that BJP Govt has
have deputed Agencies to
strangulate the strong and
genuine voices, but that will
not stop its (BJP’s) defeat in
the elections.
They further said that
regional parties have
come on a single plat-
form against Narendra
Modi, which estab-
lishes their hatred for
the individual who is
having a clean image,
is taking India to new
heights and enjoys a
good reputation around
the globe for being a
decision-taking Prime
Minister. The opposi-
tion is clueless, is trying
to save the corrupt and
is just targeting an indi-
vidual as they do not have
any agenda which is aimed
at helping people or taking
Bharat to a level where the
world recognizes its might
and capability in every
field.
The BJP leader said
that each and every Lok
Sabha seat, be it that of
Kathua-Udhampur or
Jammu-Poonch where Dr
Jitendra Singh and Jugal
Kishore Sharma are con-
testing respectively is
important as 400+ seats
will empower Narendra
Modi government to bring
lowing their disengage-
ment with the railways.
The disengagement
has been reported in
Khari, Sangaldan, Banihal,
Sumber and other areas
where the railways have
disengaged its workers
without providing them
alternative place of work-
ing.
“The J&K Govt must
look into the issue and
ensure that the disen-
gaged workers can be
readjusted/reengaged
in the railways in their
other ongoing projects in
Jammu and Kashmir,” he
added.
He said that unemploy-
ment among the edu-
cated people especially
in Ramban has become a
major issue for which the
Govt should have a plan.
He however assured
the people that the Apni
Party will frame a policy
for the unemployed
youth in J&K so that they
can be provided employ-
ment or opportunities of
self-employment to make
them self-reliant.
freezing accounts and
imposing huge taxes won’t
deter Congress Party from
fighting and campaigning
against the BJP’s wrong poli-
cies. BJP could not digest
the strength and popularity
Congress party is enjoying
given the people’s love and
affection, with the result, it
(BJP) is desperate enough
while having realized that
the day is not far when it
(BJP) will be out of power,
they said.
JKPCC General Secretar-
ies Waseem Ahmad Shalla,
Irfan Naqashbandi, DCC
Srinagar President Imtiyaz
Khan led the protest while
other senior leaders includ-
ing frontal organizations
also participated.
Later, JKPCC Senior Vice
President Mohd Anwar Bhat
also joined the protest and
briefed the media about the
BJP’s coercion, diversionary
tactics and vendetta politics
unleashed against the oppo-
sition.
new laws which are very
important for the country
and its progress. Having
abrogated Article 370 or
brought in laws which are
equally beneficial for the
entire nation, BJP has now
decided to work for the
empowerment of women,
youth, farmers and, also
strengthen our military
might.
Raman Suri said that
during the past ten years,
hostile neighbours got a
clear message that ter-
rorism and talks cannot
go together. The way
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
Jammu and Kashmir BJP
general secretary & former
MLC, Vibodh Gupta,
while addressing a series
of meetings in New Plot,
Kachi Chawni and Talab
Khatikan, in Jammu city,
said that the programmes
and policies of the BJP-led
NDA government under
Prime Minister, Naren-
dra Modi, has changed
the lives of the people of
Jammu and Kashmir, who
had been discriminated
and given step-motherly
treatment by the previ-
ous dispensations of Con-
gress for decades together
after independence of the
country. He said that the
people in the erstwhile
state were always misled
and given false promises
for vote bank politics. The
Congress also misled the
innocent people of Kash-
mir and encouraged them
to raise anti-national slo-
gans and get associated
with the proxy war raised
by the neighbouring coun-
try to fulfil its nefarious
designs on Kashmir. The
appeasement policy of the
Congress, right from the
days of the friendship of
Nehru with Sheikh Abdul-
lah, only nourished and
promoted a sense of sepa-
ratism, terrorism in the
valley. It was due to the
soft approach of the Con-
gress towards the terror-
ism, which resulted into
the forced migration of
lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus
and other minorities from
BSP leaders tour Udhampur
segment, open Party Office at city
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Udhampur, Apr 1
A contingent of Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) leaders
comprising State presi-
dent, Darshan Rana, Dist
President Mangal Dass,
Ranjeet Singh, Sunil.
Majotra, Suresh Kumar,
Vijay Bansal, Gopal Kris-
han, Sudesh Kumar Sham
Lal and others took a tour
of the Disst Udhampur
and opened a Party Office
at Udhampur City.
The leaders held
meetings with people at
various places of Disst
Udhampur and apprised
the people about the poli-
cies and programmes of
the party.
Darshan Rana while
speaking at various meet-
ings, said that BSP is the
only party which fights
India progressed on
all fronts and strength-
ened its borders, the
country remained safe
and became capable
to deal with any chal-
lenge coming from the
enemies. In a coun-
try where earlier only
small fish were caught
in net and influentials
escaped the arrest for
their misdeeds, today
rich and powerful are
also behind the bars
for their wrongdoings.
Ironically, the entire oppo-
sition is standing behind
the corrupt and instead
of seeking action against
them, it is seeking their
release.
This is the new Bharat,
where Narendra Modi by
his ability has exposed the
corrupt and brought them
on one platform from
where they are showing
their true colours to the
entire nation. Jammu and
Kashmir, according to the
opposition leaders, was
a complex issue which
would have never been
the valley and the hilly
areas of Jammu region.
Vibodh Gupta said that
the fate of the people
of Jammu and Kashmir
changed with Narendra
Modi assuming the chair of
Prime Minister, as his gov-
ernment took one historic
and bold decision after
the other, which ensured
full integration of the state
with the rest of the country
by removing separate sym-
bols of constitution and
flag, paved way for treat-
ing all citizens equal in all
matters and at all levels.
He said that it would not
be wrong to claim that
the Modi government has
wiped the tears of differ-
ent sections of the society
here, which were agitating
for many years to get jus-
tice but there was no one
to care for them.
Vibodh Gupta, while
highlighting the achieve-
ments of Modi govern-
ment, said that from 2014
to 2024, the ten years,
have been splendid as new
chapters of real ‘Vikas’
for the cause of the poor
and downtrodden people
and the time has come
where people should
realize the importance of
their vote and bring the
party in the power so that
they may be able to fight
their cause vigorously in
the Parliament.
The people of this con-
stituency are still strug-
settled and would have
continued to affect India
like a chronic disease. Con-
trarily, Narendra Modi and
his team of able adminis-
trators not only solved this
complex puzzle but also
gave people their rights
and empowered women.
Seeking votes for Dr
Jitendra Singh and Jugal
Kishore Sharma, Raman
Suri said that the time has
come to strengthen the
hands of Narendra Modi
by electing these leaders
to the Lok Sabha. He said,
each and every vote counts
and so do the seats. This
is why every eligible voter
must go to the polling sta-
tion on the day of election
and exercise her/his right
to vote, so that good turn-
out and a vote in favour
of BJP could complete the
desired or magic number
of 400+. This will prepare
ground for the next era of
progress of mighty Bharat
in every field, be that infra-
structure, foreign policy,
space technology, health,
agriculture, or education.
jammu, APRIL 01, 2024 TUESDAY
and ‘jan Kalyan’ were
written in Jammu and
Kashmir, like other parts
of the country. Quoting
one such achievement,
Vibodh said that over 25
crore people across the
country, has been brought
out of poverty line by the
Modi government. He
appealed the people to
support and vote BJP to
be part of the ‘Vikas’ yatra
of Jammu and Kashmir
under PM Modi.
BJP Jammu district pres-
ident Parmod Kapahi said
that no one can stop the
wave in favour of the BJP
and that the Congress will
bite dust in the upcoming
Lok Sabha polls. The Con-
gress is going to pay heavy
price for its wrong doings.
The people of Jammu and
Kashmir have suffered a
lot during the Congress
times and are now ready to
teach this party a lesson.
BJP leaders Parveen
Kerni, Raman Sharma,
Rakesh Sethi, Nidhi Mago-
tra and Anu Gupta also
addressed these meetings.
gling for the basic ameni-
ties.
Rana appealed to the
people to support BSP
and vote in favour of
their candidates so that
the party may become a
major factor in the bal-
ance of power or able to
form the next Govern-
ment and redress the real
problems of the people.
Bani, advocates for ST Status
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
BANI, APR 1
The youth delegation of
Bani had a productive
meeting with the Tehsildar
Bani, where they explored
various aspects of the
newly revised guidelines
for the inclusion of Pahadi
people in the Scheduled
Tribe (ST) category. The
meeting aimed to address
the eligibility criteria for
ST status and its applica-
tion process, specifically
related to the Pahari lan-
guage and the geographi-
cal location of the Pahadi
area.
Understanding the sig-
nificance of this matter, the
youth of Bani expressed
their concerns and aspi-
rations to the Tehsildar
Bani. The delegation high-
lighted that, in accordance
with the new guidelines,
the Tehsildar Bani holds
the authority to issue the
ST status to deserving
REFUGEE MESSAGE 05
Congress seeks restoration
of polling booth
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, April 1
Congress has taken excep-
tion of shifting of poll-
ing booth No.73, Jammu
Municipal Corporation
in Jammu West Assembly
Segment.
In a statement JKPCC
questioned the shifting of
the existing polling booth
No.73 from Khayarian in
Jammu West to another
locality Trilokpur, which is
far away from the locality.
JKPCC Senior Vice Presi-
dent and Chief Spokesper-
son Mr. Ravinder Sharma
said that a delegation of
Congress party led by PCC
Secretary Shri Sanjeev
Sharma (Panda) alongwith
congress leaders Vinay
Sajjad Shaheen demands
improvement in dilapidated road
network in remote areas in Banihal
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Banihal, Mar 1
National Conference
leader (NC) and District
President Ramban, Mr.
Sajjad Shaheen, conduct-
ed an extensive two-day
tour to several villages in
the Banihal constituency
to assess the issues faced
by the local populace.
During his visits to
A m ko te , Chapnari,
Bankoot, Thachi, and
Khari, Shaheen interacted
with various people from
different segments of the
society who highlighted
problems such as drinking
water scarcity and unre-
liable power supply, par-
ticularly troubling during
Ramadan.
Shaheen emphasized
the dire condition of road
connectivity, notably men-
tioning the deteriorating
conditions of the Khari-
Mahu road , Banihal-Tha-
chi-Mangit road and Neel
-Chamalwas road which
exacerbate the locals'
hardships.
He particularly referred
to the frequent blockades
of the Nachlana-Khari-
Mahu road due to a sink-
ing portion at Hirnihal in
Khari Tehsil, expressing
concern over the lack
of substantial efforts to
repair it.
He said that Com-
plaints regarding non-
functional utility services
were also received from
individuals based on their
Pahari language and the
geographical context of
the Pahari area in Bani.
During the meeting, the
youth delegation formally
applied online for the ST
Status, firmly request-
ing the Tehsildar Bani to
consider granting the ST
Status in their favor. They
emphasized that Bani is
indisputably recognized
as a Pahari area, with its
inhabitants predominantly
speaking the Pahari lan-
Sharma, Vikas Manhas,
Parshotam Kumar, BCC
President Darshan Lal
Verma, Koushal Kumar
visited the area of Khan-
yarian and met the agitat-
ed residents of the locality
who complained against
this unilateral action of
the administration as
one sides and against the
interests of voters. The
delegation has assured
the people to take up their
demand with the authori-
ties.
The party has taken
up the demand with the
Returning Officer and
written to him to restore
the polling both in the
area like before in the
interest of residents of
locality.
various areas includ-
ing Pogal-Paristan, Neel,
Sumar, Sarachi, Bajmasta,
Chaka, Sarbagni, Bingara,
Kumbla, Gool, Sangaldan,
Batote, Gandhri, Rajgarh,
Maligam, Arimarg, Buzla
Senabati, and Tanka,
Sumar, Dardahi and other
areas.
Shaheen urged the
State administration, led
by the Lieutenant Gover-
nor, to address deficien-
cies in healthcare and
education, emphasizing
the urgent need for infra-
structure improvement in
remote areas, as well as
filling vacant positions and
ensuring adequate medi-
cal supplies in health facil-
ities besides important in
the road network in the
entire district.
Latter, Shaheen visited
the residence of Alif Din
Naik in Thachi, who was
injured in a recent heavy
windstorm, to inquire
about his well-being.
He was accompanied by
party Block President Ban-
ihal and Khari, Haji Abdul
Ahad Shan, Mohammad
Ashraf Naik, Office Sec-
retary Abdul Gani Wani,
Youth Block President
Shabir Ahmed Naik,
Tehsil Block Vice Presi-
dents Mohd Anwar Naik
and Abdul Rashid Sheikh
besides Mohd Yousaf
Ganai, Mohd Hanif Naik,
Mohammad Hussain Naik,
Naseer Ahmed, Muzaffar
Ahmed Naik, and others.
guage. The unique culture
and distinctive way of life
in Bani further substanti-
ate the community's claim
for ST Status.
The youth delegation
of Bani expressed their
gratitude to the Tehsildar
Bani for attentively listen-
ing to their concerns and
engaging in a meaningful
and constructive dialogue.
They also expressed their
confidence in the fairness
and impartiality of the
decision-making process.
06 REFUGEE MESSAGE jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY
EDITORIAL Sustainable agriculture with nano-fertilisers
Uttam Gupta
R
Bolstering
ecently, the Union
Minister for Chemi-
cals and Fertilisers
India's military
Mansukh Mandaviya stated
“Consumption of urea this
fiscal is likely to be 8 percent
capabilities
less than in FY 2022-23 due
to the use of its liquid nano
variant. Because of this and
higher domestic produc-
T
tion, import of urea, the soil
he recent introduction of Apache heli- nutrient that accounts for
copters into the Indian Army's arsenal 70 per cent of the fertiliser
signals a transformative leap in the subsidy bill, declined more
country's defense capabilities, particularly than a fifth on year in 2023.
in the western sector. With its unparalleled Further spread of nano urea
consumption and the start
ability to navigate diverse weather and ter- of a new large urea plant
rain conditions, the Apache AH-64E helicop- (Talcher in Odisha) by Sep-
ters, manufactured by Boeing, are poised to tember 2023 would lead to
elevate India's operational reach and aerial elimination of imports in
two-three years”.
strike capabilities to unprecedented heights. The Minister’s statement
The establishment of the first medium points towards unprece-
lift attack helicopter squadron within the dented possibilities offered
Southern Command region on March 15, by nano-fertilisers (apart
from nano-urea, the indus-
equipped with state-of-the-art Apache heli-
try has also launched nano-
copters, marks a pivotal moment in India's DAP; besides other fertiliser
defense strategy. The induction of these cut- types in nano form such as
ting-edge helicopters into the Southern Com- nano-potash, nano-zinc,
mand region is part of a larger procurement nano-boron, etc are being
developed) in terms of not
plan, with a total of six Apache helicopters just a substantial reduction
scheduled for delivery in two phases over the in fertiliser subsidy but also
upcoming months. reducing imbalance in fertil-
What sets the Apache helicopters apart iser use, preventing deterio-
ration in soil health and help
are their advanced features and weaponry achieve the environment-
systems. From anti-tank guided missiles to related goals. Additional
air-to-air missiles, rockets, and gun systems, benefits will accrue by way of
these helicopters are equipped with a formi- savings in foreign exchange
outgo, reduction in current
dable arsenal capable of confronting a wide
account deficit (CAD) and
range of threats. Additionally, their modern reduced stress on the logis-
electronic warfare systems enhance their
Empowering India’s tribal communities
adaptability in network-centric aerial warfare
scenarios, providing the Indian Army with a
distinct advantage on the battlefield.
Moreover, the Apache helicopters are T V Kattimani
I
equipped with radar technology that enables
them to detect and engage targets even in the n recent years, India has
made significant strides
most adverse conditions and forested areas. in various sectors, rang-
This capability significantly enhances India's ing from space exploration to
ability to conduct precision strikes and coun- technological advancements.
ter emerging threats effectively. However, amidst this prog-
ress, the indigenous tribal
India's acquisition of the Apache helicop-
communities of the country
ters not only strengthens its defense capabili- continue to grapple with
ties but also positions the country as the 16th numerous challenges that
nation to incorporate this stealthy and ver- hinder their development
satile machine into its military arsenal. This and well-being. This article
delves into the multifaceted
milestone underscores India's commitment issues faced by tribal popu-
to modernizing its armed forces and staying lations in India, highlighting
at the forefront of military innovation. the urgent need for concerted
The introduction of Apache helicopters efforts to address their needs
and bridge the existing socio-
into the Indian Army's fleet is a testament to economic gaps.
the country's strategic foresight and commit- Tribal communities, often
ment to enhancing its defense capabilities. referred to as Adivasis, con-
In an increasingly complex security envi- stitute a significant portion
of India’s population, with
ronment, characterized by evolving threats
approximately 10 crore indi-
and challenges, the Apache helicopters offer viduals spread across various
a critical advantage in safeguarding India's states. Despite their diverse
territorial integrity and national security cultures, languages, and tra-
ditions, these communities
interests.
share common experiences
Furthermore, the deployment of Apache of marginalisation and socio-
helicopters in the western sector sends a economic disparities. Histori-
clear message of deterrence to adversaries cally, they maintain a symbi-
and reinforces India's commitment to main- otic relationship with nature
and relying on traditional
taining peace and stability in the region. By
bolstering its aerial strike capabilities and
operational reach, India demonstrates its
readiness to respond decisively to any threat The quest for perfection: Imperfection and life’s beauty
or aggression, thereby contributing to region- SANJAY CHANDRA
al security and stability.
I
In nutshell, the introduction of Apache boarded a flight recent-
helicopters into the Indian Army's inventory ly with my family from
Phuket to Delhi. As we
represents a significant milestone in the coun-
settled down in our seats, I
try's defense modernization efforts. With observed a newly married
their unmatched capabilities and advanced couple a few rows ahead
weaponry systems, these helicopters will of us. The wife handed a
play a crucial role in enhancing India's oper- pillow from her handbag
to the husband. It was not
ational effectiveness and safeguarding its the couple that struck me;
national interests in the western sector and it was the fact that the
beyond. As India continues to strengthen its lady had kept the item to
defense capabilities, the Apache helicopters be used by her husband in
her bag.
stand as a symbol of the country's resolve to I was relieved that my
defend its sovereignty and secure a brighter two daughters had not wit-
future for its citizens. nessed the scene. There
would have been loud pro-
testations of sexist or even
patriarchal behaviour. The
DISCLAIMER NOTICE same way that they protest
“Refugee Message” does not take responsibility for about my wife packing my
the content of notices, advertisements given in this bags even after almost four
daily newspaper. The newspaper does not endorse the decades of married life –
content. Readers are requested to verify authenticity for the simple reason that
themselves before acting on it. men are, or at least I am,
not perfect in that depart-
Edited, Printed, Published & Owned by Rajiv Chuni Printed at DEE AAR Printing Press, Bain Bajalta, Jammu and Published from 451-Bakshi Nagar, Jammu-180001 (J&K)
Ph (LL): 01917967407 (Mob) 94191-91412 E-mail: rajivchuni@gmail.com, dailyrefugeemessage@gmail.com refugeemessage2006@gmail.com.
(All disputes are subject to the exclusive Jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Jammu only.)
tics chain, particularly the
transport and storage infra-
structure. Nano-urea is urea
in the form of a nanoparticle
containing nitrogen particles
of 20-50 nanometres (nm)
in size. Likewise, nano-
DAP consists of particles of
polymer-encapsulated DAP
that are less than 100 nm.
Nano-urea provides nitro-
gen or ‘N’ to plants in liquid
form as an alternative to
conventional urea which is
mostly supplied as prill (it is
a small diameter, spherical
white solid). Likewise, nano-
DAP supplies both ‘N’ and
phosphate or ‘P’ nutrients
to plants in liquid form as an
alternative to conventional
DAP.
The beauty of nano-fer-
tiliser lies in its ultra-small
size and high surface area
(10,000 times over 1 mm
urea prill), which enable
easy absorption by plant
leaves. These particles enter
the plant through cuticular
pores, or stomata, and then
penetrate the cell mem-
branes through endocytosis.
Once inside the cell, these
release nutrients slowly and
ensure full absorption by
eliminating waste that nor-
mally happens with conven-
tional means.
The innovator namely
the Nano Biotechnology
Research Centre (NBRC) of
the Indian Farmers Fertiliser
Cooperative (IFFCO) claims
the efficiency of nano urea
(a measure of how much
of the ‘N’ supplied from it
livelihood practices such as
agriculture, hunting, and
gathering.
Challenges faced: Despite
efforts to improve access to
education, tribal communities
continue to face challenges in
achieving educational parity.
The literacy rate among tribal
populations stands at a con-
cerning 59 per cent, signifi-
cantly lower than the national
average. Factors such as inad-
equate infrastructure, teacher
shortages, and cultural bar-
riers contribute to this edu-
cational deficit, perpetuating
cycles of poverty .
Tribal communities experi-
ence disproportionately high
rates of malnutrition, with
39.5 per cent of individuals
suffering from nutritional
deficiencies, according to
the National Family Health
Survey. Additionally, dis-
eases such as Sickle Cell Dis-
ease (SCD) and thalassemia
are prevalent among tribal
populations, highlighting the
inadequate healthcare infra-
structure and access to medi-
cal facilities in tribal areas.
Land rights issues are a
longstanding concern for
tribal communities, with
ment.
A few years into my ser-
vice in the railways, I had
a short stint in the head-
quarters as a junior offi-
cer. My boss developed a
liking for my skills at draft-
ing and putting it on the
computer. A zeal to excel
made me hand over the
draft within a few hours
the first time. He proposed
changes, which were also
incorporated by me in no
time most enthusiastically.
The process of correcting
the drafts continued till
the deadline was upon
us, when the final version
ended up looking almost
like my first draft. It did not
take me long to learn that
procrastination was the
better option than going
through futile iterations. I
started handing over the
initial draft itself when the
deadline was almost upon
us. He was not happy – I
is absorbed by the plant)
is over 80 per cent against
around 40 per cent for
conventional stuff. Further-
more, nano urea increases
crop yield by 3-16 percent.
Likewise, nano-DAP can
deliver gains in efficiency of
use and increase in yield.
Furthermore, unlike the
use of conventional urea
which raises environmental
concerns, including nitrate
leaching, global warming,
ozone layer depletion, and
groundwater pollution, the
use of nano-urea causes less
soil, water and air pollution.
According to a study, two
foliar sprays of nano-urea
curtailed nitrogen load by 25
per cent, besides reducing
the greenhouse gas (GHG)
emission from 164.2 to 416.5
kg CO2-eq ha-1 under differ-
ent crops.
A more startling claim
made by IFFCO/NBRC is that
a 500-ml bottle of nano-urea
is equivalent to a 45-kg bag
of conventional urea. The
latter contains 46 per cent N
nutrient, or 20 kg (45×0.46)
whereas the former contains
4 per cent N, or 20 grammes
(500x.04). Yet, the two are
considered to be equiva-
lent by the innovator. Put
simply, this means that urea
in nano-form with a mere 20
grammes can achieve what
conventional urea does with
20 kg-a gap of 1000 times in
efficiency.
It is this monumental dif-
ference in efficiency that
enables IFFCO to deliver a
many facing displacement
due to development proj-
ects, natural calamities, and
encroachment by mainstream
society. Violations of consti-
tutional safeguards meant to
protect tribal lands, such as
the Panchayats (Extension to
Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA),
further exacerbate their vul-
nerability.
Limited access to markets,
credit facilities, and technol-
ogy impedes the economic
development of tribal com-
munities, perpetuating cycles
of poverty and dependency.
Despite possessing valuable
skills in areas such as agricul-
ture, handicrafts, and tradi-
tional medicine, tribal arti-
sans often struggle to access
markets and receive fair com-
pensation for their products.
Tribal communities fre-
quently face discrimination
and exploitation, both within
their communities and in
interactions with mainstream
society. Issues such as human
trafficking, wrongful incar-
ceration, and forced displace-
ment underscore the vulner-
ability of tribal populations
and the urgent need for legal
protections and social sup-
was depriving him of his
quest for perfection.
In later years, as I
climbed up the profession-
al ladder, I found myself
guilty of the same eye for
perfection, when dealing
with my subordinates. I
had to remind myself of
my own experiences, as
also the fact that not all
situations merited the
500-ml bottle of nano-urea
to farmers for Rs 240 with-
out any subsidy support. In
contrast, the cost of supply-
ing equivalent conventional
urea in a 45 kg bag, is over
eleven times at around Rs
2650 (while, this figure is for
imported urea, even for urea
produced domestically, the
cost is substantially higher
and varies from unit to unit),
the Government has to give
a subsidy of Rs 2410 to make
available to the farmer at the
same price of Rs 240.
In the case of DAP, IFFCO/
NBRC claims, a 500-ml bottle
of nano-DAP is equivalent to
a 50-kg bag of conventional
DAP. While the former can
be delivered to farmers for
Rs 600 without any subsidy
support, the cost of supply-
ing the latter is nearly seven
times at Rs 4000. With a sub-
sidy of Rs 2,650, the price
of conventional DAP to the
farmer comes to Rs 1,350
which is more than double
the price of an equivalent
500-ml bottle of nano-DAP.
According to Mansukh
Mandaviya, India will pro-
duce about 55 million bottles
of nano-urea during FY 2023-
24 thus replacing 2.5 million
tons of conventional urea.
At one level, it will help in
trimming excess consump-
tion of urea thereby reduc-
ing the imbalance in fertil-
iser use (currently, the NPK
use ratio is 6.7:2.4:1 against
the desired 4:2:1) thereby
improving soil health, at
another, it will bring about a
port mechanisms.
Initiatives and Interventions:
Efforts to improve access
to quality education and voca-
tional training programmes
can enhance the employabil-
ity and socio-economic status
of tribal youth. Initiatives such
as residential schools, scholar-
ships, and skill development
schemes play a crucial role
in bridging the education gap
and equipping tribal commu-
nities with the necessary skills
for sustainable livelihoods.
Investments in healthcare
infrastructure, mobile medi-
cal units, and community
health workers can improve
access to essential health-
care services in remote tribal
areas. Awareness campaigns,
preventive healthcare initia-
tives, and capacity-building
programmes for healthcare
professionals are essential
for addressing the prevalent
health challenges among
tribal populations.
Strengthening legal pro-
tections for tribal land rights,
ensuring participatory
decision-making processes,
and promoting sustainable
natural resource manage-
best – even a second best
would do.
I am also fond of clicking
pictures during my trav-
els, like so many others.
Advent of the social media,
and a quest to share good
photographs requires
many repeat clicks for
that perfect picture. Thus,
each of our travels have
hundreds of pictures on
drastic reduction in subsidy
@ Rs 2410 per 45 kg bag, the
subsidy on import of a ton
of conventional urea comes
to Rs 53,550 (2410x22.22
being the number of bags in
a ton). On 2.5 million tons, it
would have been around Rs
13,400 crore. Since this has
been replaced by nano-urea
which doesn’t require any
subsidy support, the entire
amount of Rs 13,400 crore is
saved. Likewise, there would
be savings in subsidy to the
extent conventional DAP is
replaced by nano-DAP.
Meanwhile, the Govern-
ment has plans to boost
production of nano urea
to around 440 million bot-
tles during 2024-25. This
is equivalent to 20 million
tonnes of conventional urea
or around 60 per cent of
its total current consump-
tion (2023-24). One won-
ders whether substitution
to that extent is technically
feasible. Normally, urea is
applied in two dosages: one,
basal application being even
spreading of solid fertilisers
over the entire field before or
at sowing or planting; two,
top dressing which involves
applying fertiliser directly to
the leaves as opposed to in
the soil. Nano-urea is meant
to replace conventional urea
only in top dressing even as
basal application is entirely
in solid form.
Scientists recommend
that 50 percent of the appli-
cation or around 16.5 million
tonnes, come from nano-
ment practices are critical for
safeguarding the livelihoods
and cultural heritage of tribal
communities. Land titling
initiatives, community forest
rights, and alternative liveli-
hood options can empower
tribal communities to assert
their rights and achieve eco-
nomic self-reliance.
Supporting tribal entre-
preneurship and facilitating
market linkages can unlock
the economic potential of
tribal communities. Initia-
tives such as tribal coopera-
tives, marketing networks,
and entrepreneurship devel-
opment programmes enable
tribal artisans and farmers to
access markets and achieve
fair prices for their products.
Social Inclusion: Promot-
ing social cohesion, cultural
diversity, and gender equality
within tribal communities are
essential for addressing social
discrimination and exploita-
tion. Community organisa-
tions, self-help groups, and
advocacy efforts play a vital
role in amplifying the voices
of tribal communities and
advocating for their rights
and dignity.
Case Studies: The ITDA
the computer, not appre-
ciated by my better half.
She contradicts her
eye for perfection in this
department. Her logic
is that there are certain
things in nature which
would long remain in your
heart when viewed with
your eyes and not through
a lens. The moment may
pass you in trying to be
EDIT
urea. Even at this level, urea
import (currently estimated
at 6.4 million tonnes during
2023-24) would be elimi-
nated. Not just that, for the
balance of 10 million tons
coming from nano-urea,
the requirement of natural
gas or NG - the raw material
for urea production - will be
‘drastically’ pruned.
Taking around 600 cubic
metres of NG needed for a
tonne of urea, if 10 million
tonnes come from conven-
tional stuff, the NG require-
ment would be 6000 million
cubic metres (600x10). If,
instead it comes from nano-
urea, given the efficiency dif-
ference of 1000 times, the
requirement will be a mere
6 million cubic meters. This
would lead to huge savings
in the import of gas (cur-
rently, India imports 50 per
cent of its NG needs; even
for domestic urea produc-
tion, one-third of the total
requirement is met from
imported LNG).
Drastic reduction in load
on infrastructure will be a
bonus. Imagine the impact
of handling, moving, stor-
ing and delivering a 500- ml
bottle of nano-urea vis-à-vis
a bag of conventional urea
containing 45,000 grammes
of material. Ditto the impact
of carrying a 500-ml bottle
of nano-DAP vis-à-vis a bag
of conventional DAP con-
taining 50,000 grammes of
material.
(The writer is a policy
analyst, views are personal)
model, implemented in tribal-
dominated regions of Andhra
Pradesh, focuses on holistic
development interventions,
including education, health-
care, infrastructure, and live-
lihood promotion. Through
targeted interventions such
as skill development pro-
grammes, healthcare camps,
and infrastructure projects,
ITDAs have made significant
strides in improving the well-
being and livelihoods of tribal
communities.
The Tribal Entrepre-
neurship Development Pro-
gramme in Odisha aims to
promote entrepreneurship
among tribal youth by pro-
viding training, mentoring,
and financial support for
business startups. Through
initiatives such as entrepre-
neurship awareness camps,
skill development workshops,
and access to credit facilities,
the programme has empow-
ered tribal entrepreneurs to
launch successful businesses
and contribute to local eco-
nomic development.
(The writer is Vice-
Chancellor at Central
Tribal University of Andhra
Pradesh; views are personal)
perfect for the camera
– a sunrise or a sunset, a
tiger crossing your vehicle
during a jungle safari, a
dolphin jumping into the
air and then diving back,
and so many other beauti-
ful wonders. I grudgingly
agree with her.
Graham Nash, English-
American musician and
singer-songwriter, reminds
us, Life is not perfect.
It never will be. You just
have to make the very best
of it, and you have to open
your heart to what the
world can show you; and
sometimes it’s terrifying,
and sometimes it’s incred-
ibly beautiful, and I’ll take
both.
(The author is an electrical
engineer with the Indian
Railways and conducts
classes in creative writing;
views are personal)
 news
Alpine Snow boarding Indian Athlete GCW, Gandhi Nagar,
Mehraj-ud-Din Khan secures Bronze at Jammu organized Oral
FIS VIA Stars Cup 2024
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, April 1
SBI General Insurance
is delighted to extend
our warmest congratula-
tions to Mehraj-ud-Din
Khan, for his exceptional
achievement of securing
a third-place finish at the
FIS VIA Stars Cup 2024
in Kopaonik, Serbia. His
achievement marks a sig-
nificant milestone as the
first Indian to claim an
international snowboard-
ing medal, and we are
immensely proud to have
supported him on this
remarkable journey.
Mehraj-ud-Din Khan’s
stellar performance in the
ongoing FIS VIA Stars Cup
2024 not only underscores
his exceptional talent but
also symbolizes the grow-
ing prominence of Indian
athletes in winter sports
on the global stage. His
dedication, perseverance,
and unwavering commit-
ment have propelled him
to this historic moment,
inspiring aspiring athletes
across the nation.
In addition to securing
the Bronze in Serbia, he
has now become the first
National College of
Education organized
Fresher cum Farewell party
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, MAR 1
National College of Edu-
cation organized Fresher
cum Farewell party with
great pomp and show.
The day was a fiesta
devoted to the year spent
together with friends
and teacher to reminisce
joyous moments. The
hall was festooned with
decoration, being a col-
orful affair, the farewell
cum fresher bash rocked
the day for all the party
attendees. The eye catch-
ing moments were the
dance performances of
the students. A grand
fresher cum farewell
party was organized for
juniors and seniors today.
All the students were
decked up in colorful
sarees and catching acces-
sories for the occasion.
Numerous activities like
musical chairs, display
your talent, modeling and
shooting games etc. were
included in the party to
make it more enjoyable
and interesting. Later
Dr Pawan Kotwal Chairs Meeting on GLOF Preparedness April Cool day celebrated at DPS Udhampur
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Leh, April 1
The Advisor to the Hon'ble
Lieutenant Governor, UT
Ladakh, Dr Pawan Kotwal
convened an important
meeting on the prepared-
ness for Glacial Lake Out-
burst Flow (GLOF) hazards
in the Union Territory of
Ladakh to discuss various
challenges and a way for-
ward with the concerned
officials and stakeholders,
at the Civil Secretariat,
Leh.
The meeting highlighted
the need for comprehen-
sive strategies to mitigate
the potential risks posed
by GLOF occurrences in
UT Ladakh. The meeting
served as a platform for
productive dialogue and
collaborative decision-
making. The officials con-
tributed valuable insights
and reaffirmed their com-
mitment to safeguarding
Ladakh’s population and
infrastructure from GLOF
hazards.
The Dean of Research
& Poster Presentation
Indian to win medals in
two consecutive FIS snow-
boarding races, showcas-
ing his consistency and
prowess in the sport.
SBI General Insurance,
through its Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR)
participants were given
prizes. The highlight of
the event was miss fare-
well and miss fresher con-
test in which the students
walked the ramp grace-
fully and participated in
the games . The title of
Miss Fresher went to Isha
Rajput while Miss Fare-
well was declared Madhu
Sharma .It was the day
filled with excitement,
joy, music, enthusiasm,
laughter and happiness.
Finally students thanked
for organizing such a
memorable fresher cum
farewell for them and said
we will cherish moments
for ever in our lives. Prin-
cipal Dr. Manju Dwivedi
said my good wishes are
with all the students .
Er. Ajay Singh Jamwal
(Dean Administration) ,
Mrs. Yashumati Jamwal ,
Mrs Neetu Sharma , Mrs.
Meenakshi Sharma , Mrs.
Aneesha Jamwal , Mrs.
Arti verma , Mrs. Pooja
gupta , Mrs kusum lata,
Mr. Abhinav Sharma and
others were present on
the occasion.
Studies at the University of
Ladakh Dr Subrat Sharma
presented an innovative
project aimed at revolu-
tionizing weather moni-
toring and space applica-
tions in Ladakh, which
is a sophisticated system
designed to address the
unique environmen-
tal challenges faced by
Ladakh.
The Dean explained
on the role of auto-
matic weather stations
in enhancing real-time
weather monitoring capa-
bilities across Ladakh.
These stations, equipped
with cutting-edge sensors
and data collection mecha-
nisms, promise to provide
accurate and comprehen-
sive meteorological data.
The Advisor Dr Pawan
initiative, has partnered
with Inspire Institute of
Sport(IIS) to support the
Inspire Winter Sports
Excellence Programme
(IWSEP). Through this
partnership, SBI Gener-
alhas nurtured and sup-
Organisation of Awareness
lecture on ‘Infectious Diseases and
Agriculture’ by NSS SKUAST-Jammu
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
In continuation to
series of lectures, NSS
SKUAST-Jammu in col-
laboration with Health
Centre and under the
able guidance of the
Hon’ble Vice Chancellor
SKUAST-Jammu Dr. B.N.
Tripathi and Dean Stu-
dents Welfare Prof. Sud-
hakar Dwivedi, A sensi-
tization programme was
organised for NSS stu-
dents of Faculty of Agri-
culture for prevention
and control of Infectious
Diseases. On the occa-
sion Dr. ParveenYograj,
Ex. Medical Superinten-
dent of District Hospital
Gandhi Nagar was the
invited speaker. On the
outset Prof. Sudhakar
Dwivedi welcomed the
guest and faculty and
threw light on the risk
of infectious disease in
agriculture particularly
in Indian context. He
also spoke on the signifi-
cance of the awareness
about preventive mea-
sures of such diseases
Kotwal directed the offi-
cials in identifying vulner-
abilities, enhancing early
warning systems, foster-
ing community resilience,
sensitization, and mock
drills against such natural
calamities. He empha-
sized the importance of
dedication to proactive
measures, including rigor-
ous monitoring of glacial
lakes, infrastructure rein-
forcement, and public
awareness campaigns.
Dr Pawan Kotwal
expressed a comprehen-
sive roadmap aimed at
bolstering emergency
response mechanisms and
cooperation to effectively
address GLOF challenges.
The meeting concluded
with a resolve to imple-
ment the devised strate-
ported talented athletes
likeMehraj-ud-Din Khan,
Arif Khan, Zain Syed, and
Faizan Ahmad Lone.SBI
General aims to create
more such opportunities
for Indian athletes to excel
on the international stage
and inspire future genera-
tions . genre of Education. Dr.
Mr. Kishore Kumar
Poludasu, MD & CEO, SBI
General Insurance said,
"We extend our heart-
felt congratulations to
Mehraj-ud-Din Khanfor
his historic achievement
at the FIS VIA Stars Cup
2024. His remarkable per-
formance not only brings
pride to our nation but
also embodies the spirit
of excellence that we at
SBI General Insurance are
committed to nurturing.
Through our CSR initia-
tive, we aim to empower
individuals like Mehraj-
ud-Din Khanto realize
their full potential and
make a positive impact
in the world of sports.
His success serves as an
inspiration to us all, and
we look forward to con-
tinuing our support for
the growth of sports in
India."
and role of young NSS
volunteers to control
diseases. Dr Parveen
Yograj gave an impres-
sive lecture on the topic,
‘Infectious Diseases and
Agriculture’ and made
the students aware
about various possible
causes and symptoms
of such diseases. A stu-
dent interaction ses-
sion was also organised
in which students took
active participation. The
programme was organ-
ised by Dean Student’s
welfare and team of
NSS instructors of Fac-
ulty of Agriculture and
Health Centre. A large
no of students and
staff attended the pro-
gramme. Those pres-
ent in the programme
includes Dr. Anil Gupta,
Medical officer, Dr Sub-
hash C Kashyap NSS
Coordinator, Dr. Arvin-
der Singh, Dr. Sushmita,
Dr. Balbir Dhotra and
Dr. Rakesh Sharma NSS
programme Officers.
The programme ended
with vote of thanks by
Dr. Subhash C Kashyap.
gies, ensuring a coordinat-
ed and resilient approach
towards mitigating GLOF
risks in UT Ladakh.
The meeting was attend-
ed by the ADGP of Ladakh
Police, UT Ladakh; the
Commissioner/Secretary
of Forest Department, UT
Ladakh; the Commission-
er/Secretary of Planning
Department, UT Ladakh;
the Secretary of DMRRR
Department, UT Ladakh;
the Deputy Commission-
er, Leh; Senior Superin-
tendent of Police, Leh;
Superintendent of Police,
UTDRF, UT Ladakh; the
Director of Indian Meteo-
rological Department,
UT Ladakh; Representa-
tive from Ladakh Univer-
sity, UT Ladakh; EOC In-
charge, while the Deputy
Commissioner, Kargil;
Senior Superintendent of
Police, Kargil; Representa-
tive from National Remote
Sensing Centre (NRSC);
Representative from
Indian Institute of Remote
Sensing (IIRS) joined the
meeting virtually.
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
GCW, Gandhi Nagar,
Jammu organized Oral &
Poster Presentation on
“Chemistry in Everyday
Life” in which Principal
Prof. S.P. Saraswat was
the Chief Guest for the
students of B.Sc. Honours
of Sem 6th. A total of 20
students of B.Sc. Honours
participated in the event.
The competition was
organized to raise aware-
ness among students
regarding importance of
chemistry in our day to
day life . The event was
organised by Department
of Chemistry. The organiz-
ing committee comprised
of Prof. Rakesh Singh ,
HOD Chemistry, Dr. Aran
Sharma, Dr. Sham Lal and
Dr. Manmeet Kour.
Prof. S.P. Sarswat appre-
ciated the initiative taken
by Department of Chem-
istry, by organising Oral
and Poster presentation
for the benefit of students.
He said that such events
provide best platform
to the students as they
learned various presen-
Airtel announces special IPL
Bonanza offers starting at INR 39
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
Jammu, Apr 1
Cricket fever captivates
the nation once again as
the biggest T20 league
starts today. Airtel has
unveiled special, limited-
period IPL Bonanza offers
for its users starting from
INR 39. For all prepaid
customers, Airtel has
revised its existing Unlim-
ited Data pack plans of
INR 49 and INR 99 to spe-
cial two new packs at INR
39 and INR 79 respective-
ly. The packs are custom-
ized for IPL 2024 to offer
uninterrupted connectiv-
ity to Airtel cricket fans
and ensure they don’t run
by plating sapling and marking the
beginning of the new academic session
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
April Cool Day under
the theme for this year
PARIVARTAN , Better ,
greener future tomor-
row was successfully cel-
ebrated at DPS Udham-
pur to enhance the intel-
lectual, social, personal
and emotional growth of
the kids and also make
them climate-conscious
and global citizens. The
children planted vari-
ous saplings including
Ashoka, Neem, Belpatra,
Tulsi, Herb plants, Fruit
plants, etc. in and around
the school premises. The
idea was to transform
the concept of 'Fool Day'
into Cool Day where right
habits can be inculcated
in the young minds to
make them understand
the importance of sus-
tainable development
for future generations. It
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY
tation skills through this
activity. Worthy Principal
took keen interest in the
various oral as well poster
prestation and lauded the
efforts of students.
Prof. Rakesh Singh, said
that, it was great learn-
ing experience for the
B.Sc. Honours students ,
He further said that this
activity was organized
by Department to create
awareness about impor-
tance of chemistry in day
today life and to acquaint
the students with various
presentation skills.
Prof. Yash Paul , Prof.
Rabia Javed and Prof.
Sunita were the jury mem-
bers for poster presenta-
tion, while Prof. Yash Paul
, Prof. Upasana Andotra
and Prof. Rajni Khajuria
were the jury members
for the Oral presentation.
Kushi and Archna
of Semester 6th were
adjudged 1st, Ms. Khush-
boo and Meenka of Sem
6th were adjudged 2nd
and Ms. Kunika and Ms.
Ishika were adjudged 3rd.
Dr. Manmeet Kour
presented formal vote of
thanks.
out of data while stream-
ing the matches.
For Airtel DTH users,
Airtel Digital TV has asso-
ciated with Star Sports to
elevate viewer experience
during the ongoing IPL
2024 season. This asso-
ciation enables bringing
Star Sports’ innovative
4K service on Airtel Digital
TV, just in time for more
immersive experience
for cricket fans this IPL
season.
Users can now enjoy
thrilling, uninterrupted
action of the TATA IPL
2024 on their streaming
device seamlessly with
Airtel from March 22,
2024.
was worthwhile mention-
ing here that celebrating
1st April as April cool day
is an annual affair of the
school and year after year
DPSU is celebrating April
Cool Day .
The day became all
the more important as
Hon'ble Pro Vice Chair-
man of the school, Dr. J.
C. Gupta Sir, Worthy MD
of the School, Mr. Vivek
Gupta Sir, Dynamic Direc-
tor Academics, Ms. Suche-
ta Gupta mam along with
Virtuous Principal of the
school Dr. Kunal Anand
REFUGEE MESSAGE 07
Prof R K Uppal honored with
Int'l Kalam Award for Education
Refugee Message Bureau
New Delhi, Apr 1
The evaluation board of
Kalam Education Uni-
versity, on the recom-
mendations of the board
directors and council of
administrators by the
virtue of the authority
vested in them, Profes-
sor R. K. Uppal has been
nominated the presti-
gious International Kalam
Award in the specialist
Rajinder Kumar Uppal, a
prolific writer, a Man of
Letters, a distinguished
Professor of Emeritus,
an acclaimed academi-
cian, research stalwart,
and the more ingenious
guide has won accolades
not only in the academic
field but also in the genre
of research. Presently,
he is serving in the most
exalted institution, Baba
Farid College of Manage-
ment and Technology
(Punjab), as a Professor-
cum-Principal. He is
also MTC Global Chair
Professor: Banking and
Finance. Dr. Uppal is also
Research Professor in the
Area of Finance at Indian
Institute of Finance, New
Delhi. Professor Rajinder
Kumar Uppal stands
as an eminent figure,
revered for his profound
insights, relentless pur-
suit of excellence, and
transformative impact.
Dr. Uppal epitomizes
Samba district open chess
championship concludes
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
SAMBA, APR 1
Samba district chess cham-
pionship concluded here
at LA - VEERAZ factory,
Village Khara Madana of
Samba district.Chief
account officer of J&K
sports council Sh. Dilawar
Singh was chief guest on
the occasion who along-
with Ex Sarpanches Anil
Sharma and Darshana Devi
distributed cash prizes
worth Rs.25000/- among
winners and Tshirts among
all the participants.
Earlier local young Tal-
ented singers Sukhdev
and his sister of the village
mesmerized audience with
beautiful Kawali.
Sumit Grover won the
launched the Almanac for
this session on the theme
PARIVARTAN. The motive
is to bring positive chang-
es to harmonize humans
with Mother nature for
better tomorrow. The oath
of green tomorrow was
instituted by Head Mis-
tress Sr. Wing Ms Bhanvi
Sharma, the program was
coordinated by Chief CCA
Coordinator Ms. Bhanvi
Sharma. The program was
attended by Head Mistress
Jr. Wing Ms Shivani Koul &
Chief Coordinator Sr. Wing
Ms. Sangeeta Nargotra.
the epitome of academic
excellence, a beacon of
knowledge, and a guid-
ing force in the realms
of banking and finance.
Throughout his illustri-
ous career spanning over
three decades, Professor
Uppal has carved a niche
for himself as a beacon of
academic excellence, a
harbinger of innovation,
and a catalyst for soci-
etal change. His research
fervor and academic zeal
have culminated in a
plethora of scholarly pub-
lications, earning him the
esteemed World Record
for "Maximum Books
Written on Economics."
Beyond the realms of aca-
demia, Professor Uppal's
scholarly contributions
have reverberated across
national and interna-
tional platforms, enrich-
ing academic discourse,
fostering intellectual
exchange, and shaping
the contours of contem-
porary scholarship.
overall championship 2nd
position went to Aarav
Gupta while Anurag Singh
got 3rd and S.P. Sharma
4th . Aradhak paroch and
Raman Gupta got 5th and
6th position.Aahana Gupta
won best woman award
while Suresh Raina won
best veteran award. Under
10 award went to Nidhir
Nagar. Best U-15 went to
Tanmay Jamwal.
Stuti Gupta conducted
all the matches as per latest
lnternational laws of chess
with Swiss system. Also
present on the occasion
were Baldev Raj and Atul
Kumar Gupta president
and working president of
AJKCA. Event was spon-
sored by J&K sports council
and LA- VEERAZ.
Police books 5
miscreants under
Public Safety Act
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
BARAMULLA April 1
Acting tough against anti-
national elements, Police
in Baramulla booked five
persons under Public
Safety Act after obtaining
formal detention orders
from competent authority.
The five accused per-
sons namely Asif Ali
Bhat son of Ali Moham-
mad resident of Badipora
Tangmarg, Mohammad
Yaqoob Bhat son of Gh
Mohd resident of Tantray-
pora Palhallan, Waseem
Mehraj Farash @Waseem
Farash son of Mehraj-ud-
din resident of Khanpora,
Bashir Ahmad Sualiah son
of Late Ghulam Moham-
mad resident of Mohalla
Jadeed Baramulla & Bilal
Ahmad Dar @Shakir son
of Gh Nabi resident of
Wussan Khoie Pattan have
been booked under Public
Safety Act after obtaining
formal detention orders
from the competent
authority.
 08 REFUGEE MESSAGE jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY NEWS
Lt Governor releases publication Div Com Jammu reviews election Cong trying to
push country
on the life of Sant Mauni Baba preparedness in Ramban into darkness:
Amit Shah
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU uni
RAMBAN, APRIL 1 Jodhpur, Apr 1

Divisional Commissioner, Union Home Minister

Jammu, Ramesh Kumar,
today visited district
Ramban and reviewed the
progress of National High-
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU Shri Manoj Sinha today shan Sant Mauni Baba ki way works in the district,
JAMMU, APRIL 1 released the second edi- Punya Katha”, written by here at a meeting.
tion of the publication Dr Abhishek Kumar Upad- At the outset, the
Lieutenant Governor titled “Prerna Srot: Vilak- hyay. Deputy Commissioner
Ramban apprised the Div
Com about the status of
Lt Governor meets Young Innovator the works going on Nation-
al Highway in the district.
The Div Com impressed
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU on the authorities to
JAMMU, APRIL 1 ensure smooth passage of
vehicles and traffic move-
Lieutenant Governor Shri ment by deployment of
Manoj Sinha today met ample men and machin-
young innovator Master ery on the National High-
Karman Singh, at Raj way stretch in the district.
Bhawan. The Lt Governor Meanwhile, the Div
congratulated the 15-year- Com also reviewed the
old Karman Singh for arrangements and prepa-
his exceptional achieve- rations underway by the
ments in innovation and District Administration
extended best wishes for for the impending General
his future endeavours. Election Lok Sabha, 2024.
The Divisional Com-
missioner emphasized
the importance of dili-
gent work by Accounting
teams, Video Surveillance
Teams, Flying Squad
Teams, and Micro Expen-
diture Observers to ensure
adherence to election
expenditure regulations
and guidelines laid out by
the Election Commission
of India.
The Div Com also
reviewed the transport
plan for polling staff,
mobilization of election
machinery and secure
dispatch and reception
of EVMs in designated
strong rooms post-poll.
He directed the officers
of NHAI, BRO, PWD and
PMGSY to ensure proper
maintenance of NH-44 and
their respective roads for
smooth plying of traffic.
In discussions with SSP
Ramban, Anuj Kumar,
and SSP Traffic, NHW,
Ramban, Rohit Baskotra,
the Divisional Com-
missioner deliberated
on security and traffic
arrangements, issuing nec-
essary directives to perti-
nent authorities.
Additional Deput y
Commissioner, ACR, SP,
Dy. DEO, nodal officers
and other stakeholders
attended the meeting.
Amit Shah on Monday
accused the Congress-
led UPA of trying to push
the country into dark-
ness during its rule and
said Prime Minister Nar-
endra Modi has worked
to make India a safe and
prosperous nation in the
last 10 years.
Addressing a public
meeting here, Shah said
Modi has worked to raise
the flag of the Bharati-
ya Janata Party (BJP)
and the country in the
world. People are now
all geared up to make
Modi the Prime Minister
of the country for the
third straight time. How-
ever, Shah cautioned
the party workers that
for this to happen, they
would have to ensure
every voter goes out to
vote.

From the Front Page...

Economic self-reliant...
public sector banks along with many gover-
nance-related reforms. Just the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code has resolved loans amount-
ing to 3.25 lakh rupees, the Prime Minister
pointed out. He also informed the country
that more than 27,000 applications involving
underlying defaults of more than Rs 9 lakh
crore were resolved even before admission
under IBC. Gross NPAs of banks that stood at
11.25 percent in 2018 came down to below 3
percent by September 2023. He said that the
problem of twin balance sheets is a problem of
the past. PM Modi complimented RBI for their
contribution to this transformation.
Prime Minister Modi pointed out that even
though the discussions related to the RBI
are often limited to financial definitions and
complex terminologies, the work carried out
at RBI directly makes an impact on the lives
of common citizens. In the last 10 years, the
Prime Minister said that the government has
highlighted the connect between the central
banks, banking systems and beneficiaries at
the last queue and gave the example of finan-
cial inclusion of the poor. He mentioned that
55 percent of the 52 crore Jan Dhan accounts
in the country belong to women. He also men-
tioned the impact of financial inclusion in the
agriculture and fisheries sector where more
than 7 crore farmers, fishermen and cattle
owners have access to PM Kisan Credit Cards
providing a significant push to the rural econ-
omy. Referring to the boost for the cooperative
sector in the past 10 years, the Prime Minister
threw light on the importance of regulations of
the Reserve Bank of India regarding coopera-
tive banks. He also mentioned more than 1200
crore monthly transactions via UPI making it a
globally recognized platform. The Prime Min-
ister also touched upon the work being done
on Central Bank Digital Currency and said that
the transformations of the past 10 years have
enabled the creation of a new banking system,
economy and currency experience.
The Prime Minister emphasized the impor-
tance of clarity for the targets of the next 10
years. He pointed out the importance of keep-
ing an eye on the changes brought about by
the cashless economy while promoting digital
transactions. He also stressed the need for
deepening financial inclusion and empower-
ment processes.
Stressing the diverse banking needs of a
large country like India, the Prime Minister
underlined the need to improve ‘ease of doing
banking’ and provide tailor-made services as
per the needs of the citizens. He underscored
the role of artificial intelligence and machine
learning.
He highlighted the role of RBI in speedy
and sustainable growth of the country. Noting
the achievement of RBI in infusing rule-based
discipline and fiscally prudent policies in the
banking sector, the Prime Minister also asked
for advance estimation of the needs of various
sectors to take proactive steps while assuring
the banks of government’s support. The Prime
Minister also mentioned inflation-controlling
measures like giving the right of inflation tar-
geting to the RBI and praised the performance
of the Monetary Policy Committee in this
regard. Steps like active price monitoring and
fiscal consolidation kept inflation at a moder-
ate level even during difficult times of Corona.
“Nobody can stop a country from progress-
ing if its priorities are clear”, the Prime Min-
ister emphasized. He gave the example of the
government giving heed to financial prudence
and prioritizing the lives of common citizens
during the covid pandemic which led to the
poor and middle class emerging out of the
adversity and giving momentum to the coun-
try’s growth today. “The Indian economy is
creating new records at a time when many
countries in the world are still trying to recover
from the economic shock of the pandemic”,
the Prime Minister said. He underlined the role
of RBI in taking India’s successes to the global
level. Highlighting the importance of creat-
ing a balance between inflation control and
growth for any developing country, PM Modi
expressed confidence that RBI can become a
model for this and play a leadership role in the
world, thereby supporting the entire global
south region.
Noting that India is the most youthful nation
in the world today, the Prime Minister touched
upon RBI playing a critical role in fulfilling
the aspirations of the youth. He credited the
policies of the government in the opening up
of new sectors in the country thereby creat-
ing numerous opportunities for the youth of
today. He gave the example of the expansion of
the green energy sectors and mentioned solar
energy, green hydrogen and ethanol blending.
He also touched upon indigenously made 5G
technology and rising exports in the defence
sector. Speaking about MSMEs becoming a
backbone of India’s manufacturing sector, the
Prime Minister highlighted the implementa-
tion of the Credit Guarantee Scheme during
the covid pandemic to support MSMEs. He
stressed the RBI come up with out-of-the-box
policies to ensure credit availability for the
youth associated with the new sectors.
Stressing the importance of innovation in
the 21st century, the Prime Minister asked to
be prepared for the proposals that will come
with regard to cutting-edge technologies with
teams and identification of personnel for the
task. He asked the bankers and regulators to be
ready for the needs of new and traditional sec-
tors like space and tourism. He mentioned the
expert view that in the coming years, Ayodhya
is going to become the biggest religious tour-
ism center in the world.
The Prime Minister credited the work done
by the government for financial inclusion and
digital payments which has created transpar-
ency in the financial capacity of small busi-
nesses and street vendors. “This information
must be used to financially empower them”,
PM Modi stressed.
PM Modi also stressed increasing the eco-
nomic self-reliance of India in the next 10 years
so that the impact of global issues is mitigated.
“Today, India is becoming the engine of global
growth with 15 percent share in global GDP
growth”, Shri Modi remarked. He emphasized
the efforts to make Rupee more accessible
and acceptable throughout the world. He also
touched upon the rising trends of excessive
economic expansion and increasing debt and
pointed out the private sector debt of many
countries has doubled their GDP. Debt levels
of many countries are also creating a nega-
tive impact on the world, he said. The Prime
Minister suggested RBI conduct a study on this
keeping in mind the prospects and potential
of India's growth.
PM Modi underlined the importance of a
strong Banking industry for providing required
funding to the projects of the nation. He noted
the changes brought about by technologies like
AI and BlockChain and noted the importance
of cyber security in the growing digital bank-
ing system. He asked the audience to think
about the required changes in the structure of
the banking system in light of fin-tech innova-
tion as new financing, operating and business
models will be needed. “Meeting the credit
needs of global champions to street vendors,
of the cutting edge sectors to traditional ones
is critical for Viksit Bharat and RBI is the appro-
priate body for the holistic appreciation of the
banking vision of Viksit Bharat”, the Prime
Minister concluded.
Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Ramesh
Bains, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri
Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Shri
Devendra Fadanvis and Shri Ajit Pawar, Union
Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman,
Ministers of State for Finance Shri Bhagwat
Kishanrao Karad and Shri Pankaj Chaudhary,
and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das were pres-
ent on the occasion.
CS reviews admin's...
the disaster mitigation measures like on
ground demarcation of flood prone/ vulner-
able zones and other disaster preparedness on
part of the divisional administrations, as was
done during 2023. He called for demarcation
of safer zones for holding of langars and tent-
ages for the pilgrims.
Dulloo also assessed the works to be done
by the Rural Development Department (RDD)
along with Housing and Urban Development
Department (HUDD) to ensure adequate
arrangements for sanitation during Yatra
2024. These included installation of requi-
site number of toilets/baths with provision of
sufficient water supply, deploying sufficient
number of sanitation workers & supervisors,
carrying out scientific disposal of waste etc.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the measures
to be taken by Health, Jal Shakti, PDD, Animal
Husbandry, FCS&CA, Transport, IMD and
Information departments in providing hassle-
free services to the pilgrims. He even enquired
from Telecom service providers and Disaster
Management agencies about their prepared-
ness to make this year’s yatra successful.
During the meeting, the Principal Secretary
to Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Mandeep Kumar
Bhandari, who is also CEO of the Shrine Board,
threw light on different aspects and facilities
being extended by the administration to the
pilgrims during the yatra.
He apprised the meeting of the best prac-
tices to be emulated this year from Yatra, 2023.
He also informed about the new measures
to be taken on part of the administration for
making this annual pilgrimage smooth and
successful.
Security shouldn’t be...
yet….,” DGP Swain told reporters in reply
to a query that the Home Minister Amit Shah
recently stated that the Centre was considering
revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers
Act (AFSPA) and troop-reduction in J&K. The
J&K police chief, as per news agency, said that
police is working on a plan to create an atmo-
sphere where security shouldn’t be treated as
“a status symbol but a need-based affair.” The
DGP Swain was speaking to reporters at Police
Training School Kathua district of Jammu.
He said as far the reduction in security
resources is concerned that is because of
change in the situation. “There is another
aspect which is to give security to people and
protected persons in a professional manner,”
DGP said. “We are tyring to get connected to
the people and other stakeholders that police
force is for them. We are trying to create an
atmosphere where we will ensure that through
technology, and other means give a proper
security while cutting the size of persons
entrusted to protect people.”
He said that police were working on a plan
where securing homes and individuals would
no more be an issue.
To a query about security arrangements for
upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the DGP said that
top officials of the security grid are in touch
with the Centre to ensure safe and secure envi-
ronment for the polls, upcoming rallies and
candidates in fray.
About the women participation in police,
he said that there is a strong need to increase
the women number in police. “At present
women contribute only 6 per cent to police
family. Today, 922 women constables joined
as well. As far the expansion of force, that’s a
government decision. We will request the gov-
ernment in future as per our need and require-
ment to expand the force,” he said. KNO
Roads or Death traps...
In 2023, the Jammu division reported
3,943 road accidents, resulting in 598 fatali-
ties and 5,486 injuries, and the Kashmir divi-
sion recorded 2,355 accidents, leading to 295
deaths and 2,983 injuries.
As of January 31, 2024, the current year has
witnessed 398 road accidents, resulting in 55
fatalities and 486 injuries. Of these, the Jammu
Division reported 284 road accidents, 38 fatali-
ties, and 342 injuries, while the Kashmir Divi-
sion reported 114 accidents, 17 fatalities, and
144 injuries.
This data was shared by the traffic head-
quarters of Jammu and Kashmir in response
to an RTI application filed by activist Dr M M
Shuja. The RTI was submitted on February 2,
2024, and the response was provided by the
department on March 9 of the same year.
An official from the traffic department said
efforts are constantly underway to mitigate
road accidents and the factors contributing
to them.
“The department is dedicated to raising
awareness about road safety rules and regula-
tions among the public. Initiatives are being
taken to enhance the safe movement of two-
wheeler traffic through awareness campaigns
and strict enforcement measures, including
issuing fines,” he said, adding that collabora-
tion with various NGOs further strengthens
the efforts to ensure better road safety for
everyone. KNO
Govt announces holidays...
and wages on the poll day.
According to the order, the polling day of
April 19 (Friday) will be a holiday in Udham-
pur Parliamentary Constituency. In Jammu
Parliamentary Constituency, April 26 (Friday)
will be observed as the holiday on account of
polling day.
Similarly, for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parlia-
mentary Constituency, the polling day of May
07 (Tuesday) will be a holiday. For Srinagar
Parliamentary Constituency, the polling day of
May 13 (Monday) will be observed as a holiday.
Likewise, the Baramulla Parliamentary Con-
stituency will observe May 20 (Monday) as
holiday on account of polling day.
The government order also stated that a
person who is ordinarily resident of a constitu-
ency and registered as an elector, serving and
employed in an industrial undertaking or an
establishment located outside the constitu-
ency including casual workers shall also be
entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday on the
day of poll.
It is further ordered that the above paid
holidays shall also be observed in terms of
explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable
DIP/J-8/24
Date: 1-4-24
Instruments Act, 1881.
Court finds Lapses...
of bank officials implicated in the scam.
Judge Parihar emphasized the need for impar-
tial and thorough investigation to rule out any
possibility of evidence fabrication.
Against this backdrop, the court ordered
further investigation into all three cases. The
charge sheet was returned to the CBI Special
Task Branch (Banking-Fraud Area), CBI Head-
quarters, New Delhi, with instructions to take
appropriate action in accordance with the law.
The background of the case involves alle-
gations against Raj Kumar Gupta, purport-
edly the promoter of the accused companies.
Gupta and a representative of the complainant
bank were alleged to have availed cash credit
limits from Punjab & Sind Bank. Subsequent
investigations revealed transactions totaling Rs
91 crore involving Jhelum Industries, Jhelum
Infra Project India Pvt. Ltd., and New Jammu
Flour Mills. KNO
Govt directs all tertiary...
establish Control Rooms Inter-departmen-
tal consultation of in-door patients by con-
sultants/faculty members of different depart-
ments and for other emergency contacts/con-
sultations within their respective institutions,”
it states further.
"These circular instructions shall be com-
plied with in letter and spirit by all the doctors/
consultants/faculty members without fail," it
reads further. KNO
Udhampur Lok Sabha...
of candidates reduced to 20, reflecting a
consolidation in political participation. Inde-
pendent candidates remained notable, com-
prising a significant portion of the contestants.
Despite fewer contenders, the electoral land-
scape remained vibrant with diverse political
ideologies represented.
2024: In the forthcoming election, 12
candidates are vying for parliamentary rep-
resentation, marking a continuation of the
trend of declining candidate numbers. Major
parties like Congress, BJP, and NC are field-
ing their nominees, alongside independent
aspirants. While the number of candidates
has decreased, the diversity of political rep-
resentation remains integral to Udhampur's
democratic discourse. KNO
 news
“Electoral Bonds” monuments of BJP corruption: AAP
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
In a meeting organized
by Adv. Dalvinder Kumar
Bhagat , Sr. AAP leader
yesterday on 31st March,
2024, in Marh Assembly
Constituency, several Join
AAP in presence of Sr. AAP
leaders S/Sh. Romesh Lal
Bhagat, Adv.Arvind Ban-
dral, Adv. Dalvinder Kumar
Bhagat, Suresh Bhagat &
Ashni Matoo. Welcoming
new entrants into Party
fold, the Sr. AAP leaders
said that the AAP is serious
to give a clean time tested
alternative to the elector-
ates of J&K-UT to get rid of
75 years misrule of corrup-
tion, nepotism, casteism &
divisive politics of religion
& region. They appeal
to the general masses to
read between the lines
and take a historical deci-
sion to throw away these
spent forces in the coming
Assembly elections as the
poor & only poor people
of both Jammu & Kashmir
regions are the most suf-
fers. They also appealed
the Women & Youths to
come forward and join &
support AAP for a clean &
pro-people government
While hailing the his-
torical verdict of Apex
Court banning electoral
bands & there by apply-
ing a full stop against
influx of black money into
Commencement of New Academic Session at Maharaja
Harisingh Agricultural Collegiate School Nagbani, Jammu
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
April 1, 2024 marked
the commencement of
new session at Maharaja
Harisingh Agricultural
Collegiate School Nagba-
ni, Jammu. It was marked
by a series of traditional
rituals and ceremonies.
Nearly 200 parents along
with their wards were
present on this auspicious
occasion.
The program began
with the traditional gar-
landing of Maharaja’s
statue by the Principal
along with his team.
Bhajan and Group song
was presented by the
school music department
as a part of the new ses-
sions traditional start. It
was followed by Hawan
ceremony which is a spiri-
tual practice that involves
the chanting of vedic man-
tras and the lighting of the
sacred fire. The aroma
and the energy generated
during the hawan cre-
ated a serene and uplift-
ing ambience, setting a
harmonious tone for the
new academic session and
J&K Bharat Scouts and Guides conducted an Orientation
Programme for unit leaders and Tritiya Sopan camp
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
Three Days Orienta-
tion Programme for
Unit Leaders and Tritiya
Sopan Camp for Scouts
and Guides was held at
Kud, Patnitop District
Udhampur. In both the
programs 56 participants
from District Jammu,
Samba and Udhampur
took active part. Both the
Programmes were con-
ducted under the super-
vision of Mtr. Nasreen
Khan, State Secretary cum
Administrative Officer and
other state Officials. Pro-
grammes were conducted
in a healthy and smooth
manner where Staff Mem-
bers gave their best to
enhance the Scouting and
Guiding Knowledge of
Unit Leaders, Scouts and
Guides.
Orientation programs
for unit leaders are essen-
tial for providing train-
ing, fostering camarade-
political life for turning it
WHITE through infamous
ELECTORAL BONDS, in
a joint statement issued
here have accused ED of
arresting Delhi Chief Min-
ister, Arvind Kejriwal over
Aurobindo Pharma owner,
Sarath Chandra Reddy’s
statement and added
that Reddy, who turned
approver, had changed his
statement under the pres-
sure of ED. They further
said that Reddy’s compa-
ny and its two subsidiaries
had donated over Rs 50
crore to BJP through elec-
toral bonds. The Electoral
bond issue will gain much
more momentum than
what it is today in social
media. Everybody now
understands that it is not
only the biggest scam in
India but it is the biggest
scam in the world. Because
of this issue, this govern-
ment will, be severely pun-
ished by the electorates.
The BJP has remained the
major beneficiary of the
electoral bonds as per the
instilling a sense of peace
and prosperity among the
younger minds.
Principal, MHAC Nag-
bani Mr Brij Mohan in his
welcome address ensured
the best possible learning
environment, highlighting
the modern infrastruc-
ture, vast playgrounds,
pollution free green envi-
ronment, well equipped
labs and classrooms, latest
opening of Atal Tinkering
Lab (ATL) which will pro-
vide a nurturing environ-
ment, fostering academic
excellence and holistic
rie, and enhancing skills
among Unit Leaders.
Through the Orientation
they not only enhance
their leadership devel-
opment but also help in
instilling values like team-
work, outdoor skills, and
community service. Con-
ducting such Orientation
reflects a commitment to
the holistic development
of the Unit Leader and
contributes to building a
stronger community.
Each day camp began
with prayer and flag hoist-
ing ceremony which was
followed by the daily rou-
data available on the offi-
cial website of the Election
Commission of India. The
BJP received the maximum
amount via electoral bonds
at 6986 crore between
April 12, 2019 & Feb 15,
2024. The AAP leaders fur-
ther said that as per social
media report 41 companies
facing probe by CBI, ED &
the Income Tax depart-
ments gave 2,471 crores to
the BJP through Electoral
bonds and 1698 crore of it
was donated after raids by
these agencies. The gov-
ernment first conducted
raids by these agencies
while running extortion
racket on the companies
and later forced them to
give election donations
through electoral bonds.
The government has
looted the country under
the slogan that you give us
donation through electoral
bonds and we will give you
business. The AAP leaders
further said that an unde-
clared emergency like
situation has arisen in the
development of students.
He also emphasized on
DAV National Sports pro-
gram which is of signifi-
cant value as the certifi-
cates earned through this
program greatly benefit
the students in their pur-
suit of higher education
especially in various pro-
fessional colleges. He also
stressed upon the achieve-
ments of our students in
various sports and co-
curricular activities at
National as well as Inter-
national Level. He con-
veyed his sincere appre-
tine chart. The Unit Lead-
ers, Scouts and Guides
found their respective
programme as the best
opportunity to transform
their lives and boost their
morale to bring in them-
selves a sense of responsi-
bility enriched with special
education and teaching
skills. The well qualified
and skilled Staff members
made participants learn
various techniques to nur-
ture their own knowledge
and experiences.
Unit Leaders were also
able to learn the new
t r e n d s /p r o g r a m m e s /
country & the BJP is trying
to eliminate the opposition
Parties.
They further expressed
great surprise & concern
over continuous & orga-
nized attack on small trad-
ers, farmers, laborers’, un-
employed youths, workers
etc by the ruling dispensa-
tion encouraging by Cor-
porate Houses by way of
selling them the property
of the Nation earned by
our National Heroes be it
Railways, Air Ports, High-
ways, LIC, BSNL, Banks,
HAL, Hospitals, Refiner-
ies, privatizing so many
profit earning public units.
The AAP leaders said
that people were smartly
befooled in 2014 & 2019
Parliamentary elections,
promising 2 crore jobs
every year, removing cor-
ruption, decriminalization
of politics, lowering prices
of Diesel, Petrol, domestic
gas, sand, Bajri, stones,
making 100 smart cities,
running of Bullet trains,
constructing 1 model vil-
lage in each constituency
every year etc, they said
and added that enough
is enough now and that
all the people can’t be
befooled for all the time
as the people have seen
through the game of polar-
ization, of all traditional
Political Parties so called
the savior of Hindus &
Muslims.
ciation for our Esteemed
President DAVCMC Pad-
amshree, Sh Punam Suri
Ji under whose guidance
and vision the school has
been propelling towards
greater heights of suc-
cess and achievement. He
expressed his heartfelt
gratitude to the parents
for reposing their faith in
the Institute and motivat-
ed the students and staff
to set a tone of enthusiasm
for the upcoming academ-
ic session. The program
concluded with the distri-
bution of Prasad.
updates of Scouting and
Guiding while Scouts and
Guides were able to know
the importance of Tritiya
Sopan and they learned
various things as per the
APRO II and III.
Orientation for Unit
Leaders and Tritiya Sopan
Camp for Scouts and
Guides was conducted
by Smt. Ranjana Gando-
tra ALT (District Secre-
tary), Smt. Manjeet Kour
ALT Joint State Training
Commissioner, Shri. K
L Sharma Pre-ALT HQ.
Commissioner along with
invited Staff members.
NCC and NSS units of GDC
Udhampur organises Voter
Awareness Campaign under SVEEP
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
NCC cadets and NSS volun-
teers of GDC Udhampur in
collaboration with team
of District Election Offi-
cer Udhampur organised
awareness programme
under the theme ‘ Right of
casting Vote for the 1st time
voters’. The programme
was organised under the
patronship of Principal
Prof.(Dr.) Romesh Kumar
Gupta. The programme
started with formal wel-
come address presented by
Dr. Revika Arora, coordina-
tor of the programme. In
her address, she apprised
the importance of casting
vote and role of 1st time
voters in the electoral pro-
cess. Baljeet Singh, an NSS
volunteer also presented
his views for casting 1st
vote with the aim “ Mera
Pehla vote Desh ke Naam”.
He said that vote is not only
a right , but also a respon-
sibility as it is required for
building a strong base for a
vibrant democracy.
Principal, Prof.(Dr.)
Romesh Kumar Gupta in
his address highlighted
Sheyphali Sharan takes charge
as Principal Director General,
Press Information Bureau
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, APR 1
Mrs Sheyphali B. Sharan
has today assumed charge
as the Principal Director
General, Press Informa-
tion Bureau upon super-
annuation of Shri Manish
Desai yesterday. Ms.
Sharan is an officer of the
1990 batch of Indian Infor-
mation Service.
During an illustrious
career spanning over
three decades, she has
held cadre portfolios
of largely looking after
media publicity work as
Press Information Bureau
officer for Ministries such
as Finance, Ministry of
Health and Family Wel-
fare, Ministry of Informa-
tion and Broadcasting.
She has also served as the
Spokesperson for Election
Commission of India.
In addition, she has
worked on Central Staff-
ing Scheme Deputations
Mumbai International Film Festival's Doc Film Bazaar
Submission Deadline Extended till April 10
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
NEW DELHI, APR 1
The Ministry of Informa-
tion and Broadcasting has
announced the extension
of the submission dates of
projects for the first-ever
Doc Film Bazaar which is
being organised alongside
the 18th Mumbai Interna-
tional Film Festival (MIFF).
The deadline, which was
earlier March 31, 2024, has
been extended to April 10,
2024 for the ease of submis-
sion of projects by filmmak-
ers working in geographi-
cally remote areas of the
country.
The Bazaar will be held
from 16th to 18th June 2024,
in Mumbai. The Doc Film
Bazaar aims to be a first-of-
its-kind comprehensive plat-
form designed to promote
and support documentary,
short films and animation
content showcasing talent
in filmmaking, production
and distribution.
The key segments of the
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY REFUGEE MESSAGE 09
three main reasons of
voting. First, voting is a
right that many genera-
tions have fought hard for.
Secondly, voting allows cit-
izens to have their beliefs
and issues represented in
government. Finally, every
voter matters in deciding
the outcome of an elec-
tion. The programme
ended with the shoot of a
promotion song by team
of District Election Officer
on the theme ‘Mera pehla
vote Desh ke Naam’. The
song had a clear message
to aware the young stu-
dents of the right of casting
vote for the 1st time voters.
The faculty members who
expressed their views and
graced the occasion were
Dr. Babu Lal Thakur, Dr.
Gurpreet Kour NSS PO,
Dr. Sanjeet Singh, NSS PO,
Prof. Vijay Kumar NCC
Officer, Dr. Jasmeet Kour,
Prof. Rajesh Singh Manhas,
Dr. Anil Kumar Thapa,
Dr. Sanjay Singh and Mr.
Shashi Sharma. More than
100 cadets and volunteers
attended the programme.
The programme was held
under the coordinatorship
of Dr. Revika Arora.
as Director in Ministry
of Health (Department
of Traditional Systems of
Medicine/AYUSH (2002-
2007)) and Ministry of
Finance (Department of
Economic Affairs 2013-
2017) besides working on
cadre post of OSD (Infor-
mation Policy at Ministry
of Information and Broad-
casting, 2000-2002) as
also as Director Adminis-
tration and Finance at
LSTV, Lok Sabha Secre-
tariat in 2007-2008.
Upon assumption of
charge, Ms Sharan was
welcomed by senior offi-
cials of Press Information
Bureau.
Doc Film Bazaar consist of
Doc Co-Production Market
(Doc CPM), Doc View-
ing Room (Doc VR) and
Doc Work-In-Progress Lab
(Doc WIP) for which the
filmmakers are invited to
submit their films. Doc Co-
Production Market (CPM)
is a platform exclusively
designed to find artistic and
financial support from the
global film fraternity. It is a
segment to facilitate part-
nerships between filmmak-
ers and potential producers
or co-producers globally. It
provides a platform for col-
laboration, co-productions
and funding opportunities
for documentary and ani-
mation film projects.
Filmmakers can pitch
their projects and explore
avenues for financial sup-
port and collaboration
from both domestic and
international level. The
selected projects from the
Doc Co-Production Market
will get an opportunity to
pitch their project in an
Protest against hiked prices of
school books and violations of
educational policies
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
Hike in the prices of the
books for the new session
for school students. The
parents are advised to buy
the books from the very
selected vendor of the
book seller.
The workers of DOGRA
FRONT & SHIV SENA
under the leadership
of president Mr ASHOK
GUPTA took out a rally
against the hiked prices
of the school books as
parents are forced to buy
book only from selected
book shops.
A team headed by Sh
ASHOK GUPTA purchased
a set of original books
of NCERT from Sahitya
Sangam OF CLASS 9th for
Rs 850.
But on the contrary in
Gandhi Nagar & Nai Basti
a set of books for class 9th
is being sold for Rs 3400
which clearly shows a
mark up of 500%. This
is an extortion done by
some of the book sellers
Range Police HQs Jammu organizes
Cricket Tournament in Jammu
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APR 1
On 01.04.2024, Range
Police Hqrs. Jammu
organised Knock out
Cricket Tournament
under the Command
and Control of DIG JSK
Range, Dr. Sunil Gupta-
IPS under Civic Action
Programme 2023-24 at
Jammu University Crick-
et Ground, inaugurated
by Chief Guest Staff offi-
cer to DIG Jammu Sh.
Rajinder Singh Katoch
SSP, and Guest of Honour
SP South Jammu Sh. Ajay
Sharma, Dy.SP RPHQ
Sh. Jatinder Singh, other
Open Pitch session as well
as a dedicated space to have
One-to-One meetings with
the producers, distributors
and financiers. The View-
ing Room (VR) is a platform
for filmmakers to showcase
their documentary, shorts
and animation film. It is a
restricted space where reg-
istered delegates are grant-
ed access to view a curated
selection of the films and
this platform is ideal for
films seeking world sales,
distribution partners, co-
producers, finishing funds
and screenings at film fes-
tivals.
The Work-In-Progress
Lab (WIP) is a closed door
lab for films in a rough-cut
stage where the selected
project representatives get
mentorship, feedback and
an opportunity to interact
with industry professionals.
The lab is open only to doc-
umentary and animation
films above 30 minutes. The
only criteria is that the film
to be submitted should be
as they are looting the par-
ents in broad day light.
The order of the govern-
ment is being violated as
it has been clearly stated
that no parents shall be
forced to buy books other
than the NCERT books.
He further stated that
as per the New Education
Policy children can only
be admitted at an certain
age but children of young-
er age are being admitted
in school by charging
extra money which is a
grieve violation of the
NEP.
The party president
demanded stern action
against the book sellers &
private schools.
A copy of bill from Sah-
itya sangam which shows
that a book set of class
9th costs Rs 850 is being
attached.
The party people who
were present at the time
of protest were Ashish,
Ganesh, Raju, Nirmal,
Sunita, Satya, Subash,
abhishek and various
others were present.
dignitaries and general
public from surrounding
area were also present to
boost the morale of the
players. Today total 02
matches were played.
In first Match Friends
Cricket Club Akhnoor
beat Royal Cricket Club
Jammu by 94 runs and
Akshit Chadha declared
Man of the match for
grabbing 05 wickets and
scoring 35 runs and in
second match Dhanu
Cricket Club beat Maira
Maindrian Cricket Club in
a very close Match by 06
runs and Nitin declared
Man of the match for
scoring 61 runs.
in its rough-cut stage or just
before the final edit and the
film should not have begun
with their post production
processes like DI or final
sound design.
Speaking about the initia-
tive, Joint Secretary (Films)
and MD, NFDC, Shri. Prithul
Kumar said, "The main focus
of Doc Film Bazaar is to pro-
vide access to the opportu-
nities that showcase genu-
ine and compelling stories
on an international scale.
This platform will help
filmmakers gain valuable
insights into the current
trends, market demands,
distribution strategies and
audience preferences. Doc
Film Bazaar will enable the
selected projects to receive
valuable feedback, insights
and suggestions from the
industry experts and expe-
rienced filmmakers, while
giving them the much-
needed opportunity to find
collaborators who can buy
their films or help them to
complete the projects."
 10 REFUGEE MESSAGE
Training on handling of EVMs,
VVPATs for female staff of model screening on ‘Voting Awareness’
polling stations held at Doda
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
DODA, APRIL 1
A training session on the
handling of Electronic
Voting Machines (EVMs)
and Voter Verifiable
Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)
machines was today
organised for female staff
members of model poll-
ing stations here in the
DC office.
The training aimed
to ensure that female
staff members are well-
equipped with knowl-
edge and skills required
to effectively operate
these machines during
the upcoming Lok Sabha
Elections-2024.
District Election Officer,
Harvinder Singh briefed
the staff about their sig-
nificant role in the elec-
tion process and directed
them to take full benefit
of the training program
and implement the same
throughout their election
SVEEP program held at
GHSS Boys Bhaderwah
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
DODA, APRIL 1
A Voters’ Awareness pro-
gramme under the Sys-
tematic Voters’ Education
and Electoral Participa-
tion (SVEEP) initiative
was today organized at
Government Higher Sec-
ondary School Boys Bhad-
erwah here.
The awareness pro-
gramme was aimed to
raise awareness about the
voting-related activities
and promote electoral
literacy among citizens,
especially first-time voters
in run up to the upcoming
Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
Meanwhile, a pledge
taking ceremony under
SVEEP was also held. Dis-
trict Election Authority
in Doda has initiated an
extensive SVEEP Cam-
paign Ahead of Lok Sabha
Elections. The SVEEP pro-
grammes were organized
under the able guidance
Mega SVEEP event inspires voters
in border sub-division Hiranagar
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
KATHUA, APRIL 1
The District Election
Office Kathua orchestrat-
ed a monumental SVEEP
(Systematic Voters’ Educa-
tion and Electoral Partici-
pation) event today in the
Sports Stadium of Border
Sub Division Hiranagar,
marking a significant
stride towards fostering
voter awareness and par-
ticipation in the upcoming
Lok Sabha elections.
The event commenced
with a spectacular display
of unity as students from
KV Hiranagar crafted an
impressive human pat-
tern echoing the resound-
ing slogan of ‘Kathua Vote
for Sure’, emblematic of
the overarching SVEEP
campaign. This initiative
aimed to galvanize every
eligible voter to exercise
their franchise in the
forthcoming elections.
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY
GDC Vijaypur hosts documentary
related duties
The training was con-
ducted by District Level
Master Trainers (DLMTs)
and Assistant Level Master
Trainers (ALMTs) who
provided full guidance
to participants in various
facets of the electoral pro-
cess and operator EVM/
VVPAT.
The training session
covered various topics
related to the functioning
and maintenance of EVMs
and VVPATs, including
of District Election Officer
Doda, Harvinder Singh
in various government
schools in the district.
The SVEEP activities
witnessed active participa-
tion from citizens of all age
groups and backgrounds.
The program also uti-
lized digital platforms
and social media chan-
nels to reach out to tech-
savvy voters, ensuring
comprehensive coverage
and engagement across
all segments of society.
Additionally, interactive
sessions and workshops
were conducted in educa-
tional institutions to edu-
cate students about the
importance of electoral
participation and civic
responsibility. Through
initiatives like SVEEP, the
administration endeav-
ours to strengthen the
foundation of democracy
by fostering a culture of
active citizenship and
voter engagement.
Adding artistic flair
to the event, students
from Girdhari Lal Dogra
Memorial Degree College
Hiranagar captivated the
audience with a riveting
nukkad natak, showcasing
the importance of elector-
al participation and civic
duty.
The highlight of the
event was the grand
SVEEP rally, featuring
participants from Poly-
technic College, Degree
College, and local school
students parading through
the bustling main market
areas of Hiranagar town.
The rally was ceremoni-
ously flagged off by ARO
Hiranagar Rakesh Kumar,
who underscored the sig-
how to set up and test the
machines, how to trou-
bleshoot common issues,
and the importance of
maintaining the integrity
and security of the voting
process. The participants
also had the opportu-
nity to practice using the
machines in a simulated
polling station environ-
ment. Chief Planning Offi-
cer Doda, Nodal Officer
Trainings Doda and other
concerned were also pres-
ent at the event.
DEO Shopian
reviews
arrangements
for special
polling booths
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
SHOPIAN, APRIL 01
The District Election Offi-
cer (DEO) Shopian, Faz Lul
Haseeb today reviewed the
arrangements being made
for setting up Special Poll-
ing booths in the district in
a meeting with concerned
officers for the upcoming
Lok Sabha Elections.
It was intimated that
dedicated and exclusive
polling booths for ‘All-
women’/PWD/youth man-
aged and green polling sta-
tions at specified locations
of the district shall be set
up.
Speaking on the occa-
sion, DEO directed the con-
cerned officers to ensure
that all basic facilities/
Assured Minimum Facili-
ties and other arrange-
ments vis a vis logistics and
other ancillary services are
provided and kept in place
for the voters on the poll-
ing day.
Every model polling
station should be neat
and clean, DEO instructed
during the meeting. To
greet voters and ensure
best possible participation
of voters in the polling pro-
cess, these shall have an
attractive welcome gate.
nificance of voter engage-
ment in the democratic
process.
Addressing the gath-
ering, SDM Hiranagar
emphasized the pivotal
role of electoral sensitiza-
tion in shaping the demo-
cratic landscape. He reit-
erated the commitment of
educating voters, particu-
larly the youth, and ensur-
ing inclusivity for all seg-
ments of society, includ-
ing women, persons with
disabilities, and elderly.
He urged voters not to
forgo the opportunity to
exercise their fundamen-
tal right to vote and under-
scored their indispensable
role in fortifying the dem-
ocratic ethos. The ARO
Lok Sabha Elections 2024
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
SAMBA, APRIL 1
NSS Unit (KHIDMAT)
of GDC Vijaypur today
organized a screening of
documentary on ‘Types of
Elections in India’ under
the banner of Vote ka Parv
Desh ka Garv and Mera
Pehla Vote Desh Ke Liye to
students and faculty mem-
bers of the college.
The documentary was
a great inspiration for the
students as the students
came to know about the
importance of voting and
types of elections in India.
NSS volunteers and other
college students partici-
pated in the documen-
tary screening with great
enthusiasm and zeal.
The documentary delib-
erated upon the purpose
to inculcate constitutional
obligations and to encour-
age staff and students to
cast their vote. It also
Provision of AMF reviewed in all
polling booths of Doda District
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
DODA, APRIL 1
The District Administra-
tion Doda has geared up
the stakeholder depart-
ments to make provision
of electricity, washrooms
and cleanliness in poll-
ing Stations to meet the
Assured Minimum Facili-
ties (AMF) prescribed by
the Election Commission
of India (ECI)
Chief Education Officer,
Parkash Lal Thapa, Nodal
Officer for AMF, under the
direction of District Elec-
tion Officer, Harvinder
Singh has been tasked to
meet the set standards.
In this regard Chief Edu-
cation Officer today held
a virtual meeting with
Booth level officers (BLOs)
to take feedback about the
Assured Minimum Facili-
Series of activities under SVEEP held at Ramban
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
RAMBAN, APRIL 1
A series of activities were
held today in Ramban
District under Systemat-
ic Voters’ Education and
Electoral Participation
(SVEEP) program.
In a proactive move
towards enhancing
female voting turnout
and participation, Nodal
Officer, Women Aware-
Hiranagar expressed opti-
mism that such concerted
efforts would resonate
with every voter, igniting
a fervent desire to actively
participate in the elector-
al process, which stands a
testament to the vibrancy
of Indian democracy.
Nodal Officer SVEEP,
Neeraj Bhargav, CDPO
Hiranagar Priya Laksh-
mi, Tehsildar Hiranagar
Shreya Sharma, EO MC
Hiranagar Subhash Chan-
dra, ZPEO Yograj Sharma
and other concerned offi-
cers were also present on
the occasion.
As Kathua gears up for
the Lok Sabha elections,
the resounding success
of the Mega SVEEP event
serves as a beacon of
hope, inspiring citizens to
embrace their democratic
responsibility and uphold
the principles of inclusiv-
ity, equality and participa-
tory governance.
deliberated upon how
India runs the world’s
biggest democratic elec-
tions. The event was orga-
nized under able guidance
of Dr. (Prof.) Vandana
Gupta, Principal of the
college where she briefed
the students about the
fundamental rights and
duties of the Indian Con-
stitution. The idea of this
programme is to educate
college students about the
importance of voting. She
further said that voting is
an important civic duty
that can significantly
impact the future of our
country.
The event was orga-
ties in every polling sta-
tion in the district.
The meeting was also
attended by District
Education Planning Offi-
cer, Dr. Anis Ahmed and
529 Booth Level Officers
through Zoom. The CEO
ness and Welfare (AC-54),
CDPO Ramban, Ravinder
Kour organized a camp
at Girls High School,
Batote. The camp was
meticulously designed
to engage and encour-
age new women voters,
emphasizing their cru-
cial role in the electoral
process.
This initiative under-
scores SVEEP team’s
commitment to inclu-
Gulmarg to host Mega Voter
Awareness programme on 2nd April
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
BARAMULLA, APRIL 1
In preparation for the
Mega Voter Awareness
event scheduled to be
held under the System-
atic Voters' Education
and Electoral Participa-
tion (SVEEP) initiative at
world famous Ski-Resort,
Gulmarg, on 2nd April,
the District Election Offi-
cer (DEO) Baramulla,
Minga Sherpa today visit-
ed Gulmarg to finalize the
arrangements to ensure
the successful conduct of
the event.
During the visit, the DEO
conducted a thorough
review of the arrange-
ments and conducted on-
site inspections of several
venues including Khilan
Marg, Kongdori, Afarwat
which is the highest peak
in Gulmarg, to ensure the
successful execution of the
mega event which aims
nized with the support of
senior faculty members
like Prof. Anita Jamwal
(HOD Political Science),
Prof. Mamta Kundal (HOD
Commerce) and Dr. Anoop
Bhagat (HOD Sociology).
The event was coordinated
by Prof. Poonam Kundan
(HOD Environmental Sci-
ences), Dr. Manoj Heer
(HOD Dogri), Dr. Naseem
Chowdhary (NSS PO) and
Prof. Meetu Sharma (HOD
Geography). The event
was co-coordinated by Dr.
Priyanka Ganjoo, Dr. Rad-
hika Rasyal, Prof. Renuka
Kundal, Prof. Rakesh
Kumar, Prof. Mazid Malik,
Dr. Gunjeet Mahiwal.
interacted with BLOs and
instructed them to make
sure basic arrangements
including Power Supply,
Washrooms with function-
al taps as well as cleanli-
ness at every polling sta-
tion well in time.
sivity and democratic
participation, ensuring
that every segment of
society is empowered
to exercise their right to
vote effectively. Speaking
on the occasion, Nodal
officer said that such
initiatives play a pivotal
role in strengthening the
democratic fabric of our
nation and fostering a
culture of active citizen-
ship.
to enhance electoral lit-
eracy and raise awareness
about election procedures
to empower voters, espe-
cially first-time voters, to
actively participate in the
electoral process.
Minga Sherpa also held
a meeting with the officials
and directed them to make
all the possible arrange-
ments to ensure maximum
participation of the public
especially young voters to
'Mera Pehla Vote, Desh
ke Liye’ campaign under
SVEEP held at GDC Ukhral
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
RAMBAN, APRIL 1
Government Degree Col-
lege Ukhral has launched
a special campaign ‘Mera
Pehla Vote, Desh ke Liye’
under the aegis of System-
atic Voters’ Education and
Electoral Participation
(SVEEP) program.
Under the guidance
of District Election Offi-
cer Ramban, Baseer-Ul-
Haq Chaudhary, and the
supervision of Nodal Offi-
cer SVEEP (ACP), Ashfaq
Kanji, this endeavour aims
at instilling the signifi-
cance of electoral partici-
pation among the youth.
In continuation to the
drive, the College students
today spearheaded an
SVEEP Cell Rajouri
organizes voters awareness
drive at GMHS Palma
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
RAJOURI, APRIL 1
To enhance voters’ aware-
ness and engagement, the
SVEEP (Systematic Voters'
Education and Electoral
Participation) Cell Rajouri
today organized a compel-
ling awareness drive at
Government Model High
School (GMHS) Palma,
under the supervision of
District Election Officer,
Om Parkash Bhagat.
The event was man-
aged by Nodal Officer
SVEEP, Prof. Mohammad
Iqbal Raina to enlighten
and involve students in
the exercising of their
voting rights and assum-
ing an active role in the
democratic fabric.
The event featured
interactive sessions and
thought-provoking discus-
encourage them to par-
ticipate in the upcoming
General Elections to Lok
Sabha 2024.
The event will feature a
range of activities such as
snow skiing, skating, snow
biking, snow cricket, and
more. Additionally, elec-
tion officials will be con-
ducting sessions, dissemi-
nating vital information
about the significance of
participating in elections,
news
awareness drive adorned
with vibrant paintings
and impactful taglines like
‘Mera Pahela Vote Desh ka
Liya’ and ‘Chunav ka parv
Desh ka Gaurav,’ serving
as visual reminders of
the power and responsi-
bility inherent in the act
of voting. The event wit-
nessed enthusiastic partic-
ipation from students, fac-
ulty, and staff members,
including many first-time
voters.
The College Principal,
Prof. Iftikhar Hussain,
acting as the Chief Guest,
emphasized the institu-
tion’s steadfast dedication
to nurture democratic
values and fostering civic
engagement among the
youth.
sions tailored to instil the
young minds with a pro-
found sense of civic duty.
By nurturing this ethos,
the SVEEP Cell Rajouri
endeavors to empower
the forthcoming genera-
tion of voters, fostering a
culture of informed and
engaged citizenship.
This fervent commit-
ment to engaging and
enlightening the youth
underscores the SVEEP
Cell's unwavering dedi-
cation to nurturing a
dynamic and participa-
tory democracy.
The proceedings of the
program were steered by
Dr. Sajaad Mir, Lecturer,
with a comprehensive
presentation delivered by
Prof (Dr.) Khalid Reyaz,
followed by a vote of
thanks rendered by Prof.
Manzoor Ahmed Dar.
aiming to encourage
greater public engagement
during the elections.
Notably, the Mega Voter
Awareness programme in
Gulmarg is part of a series
of impactful events includ-
ing snow festival at Ladoo
Ladoora, Boat racing
at Watlab, snow sport-
ing event at Tangmarg,
Shikara Rally at Eco Park
among others, organized
by the district administra-
tion Baramulla under the
SVEEP initiative, aimed to
promote awareness about
the electoral process
throughout the district.
The DEO was accom-
panied by a team of offi-
cers and officials during
the visit, including the
Chief Executive Officer,
GDA, SDM, Gulmarg, Dis-
trict Information Officer,
Baramulla, ARTO Baram-
ulla, Nodal Officer SVEEP,
election officials, and
others.
 NEWS
DEO Srinagar holds meeting Mehandi Competition under SVEEP
campaign organised at Kishtwar
with AROs, Nodal Officers
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
SRINAGAR, APRIL 1
District Election
Officer(DEO) Srinagar, Dr.
Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat
Monday chaired a meet-
ing of Assistant Returning
Officers(AROs) and Elec-
tion Nodal Officers here
in his Office Chamber to
review the progress of
preparation with regard
to conduct of upcoming
Lok Sabha Elections-2024
for 02-Srinagar Parliamen-
tary Constituency in the
District.
At the outset, the Dis-
trict Election Officer
reviewed Assembly Seg-
ment wise status of Elec-
tion Training imparted
to the Polling Staff on
handling of EVMs, VVPAT
machines in all eight
Assembly Constituencies
of the Srinagar District.
The DEO was informed
that as many as 7000
employees have been
imparted Election related
necessary Trainings in the
District so far after the first
Randomization process.
The DEO asked the con-
cerned Nodal officers to
expedite the process of
imparting Election related
Trainings to the Poll Staff
and undertake the process
EVM training under 3rd phase
imparted to BLOs at Kupwara
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
KUPWARA, APRIL 1
In the run-up to the
upcoming Lok Sabha
elections- 2024, 3rd phase
of training was today
imparted to BLOs of dif-
ferent assembly segments
of Kupwara district.
The training was
imparted to train them
about various aspects of
electoral process and pro-
ficient handling of Elec-
tronic Voting Machines
(EVMs) to ensure an
error-free election pro-
cess At Degree College
Awareness program under SVEEP for Tribal CEO reviews election preparedness at Poonch
Voters held at Chountwaliwar Ganderbal
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
GANDERBAL, APRIL 1
A transformative SVEEP
awareness programme
was held today at Govern-
ment High School Chount-
waliwar, aimed at enlight-
ening tribal voters on the
pivotal role of voting in
modern democracy.
The programme was
organised by Nodal Offi-
cer SVEEP Ganderbal
in which CDPO, ICDS
Kangan, who oversees
SVEEP programme for
17-Kangan ST Assembly
Constituency also partici-
pated. The event brought
together tribal communi-
ties to delve into the dem-
ocratic ethos and under-
scored the significance of
electoral participation.
Through interactive
sessions and informa-
tive presentations by
the DLMTs of Election
Cell Ganderbal, attend-
ees were equipped with
essential knowledge on
of conducting a second
Randomization of Polling
Staff in Srinagar.
The DEO directed the
AROs and Officers of R&B,
PDD, PHE and others
concerned to work with
utmost coordination to
complete all assigned
tasks related to the con-
duct of the Lok Sabha elec-
tions-2024. He stressed
that Assured Minimum
Facilities (AMF) should be
ensured for PwD Voters at
each and every Polling Sta-
tion viz Permanent ramps,
drinking water, toilet facili-
ties as per norms of ECI.
The DEO also enjoined
upon the Nodal Officer
Postal Ballot & all AROs
to take up all necessary
arrangements for facilitat-
ing voting by Postal Bal-
lots by various categories
of Voters including service
Sogam, the training was
imparted to Booth Level
Officers (BLOs) of Lolab
constituency. The train-
ing was conducted by
District Level Master
Trainers (DLMTs) who
provided full guidance
to participants on vari-
ous facets of updating
voter lists and handling
of EVMs.
Similarly, at ITI Hand-
wara, training to BLOs of
Langate constituency was
imparted.
During the training,
BLOs were emphasized
to update the voter lists
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU ment Commissioner E l e c t o r a l Officer
Sandesh Kumar Sharma, instructed the AROs for
electoral procedures and
the collective responsibil-
ity of citizens in shaping
the nation's future.
The SVEEP team, com-
prising dedicated Lectur-
ers of BHSS Lar, DLMTs,
SVEEP team members,
teachers, students and
BLOs, collectively worked
tirelessly to foster an inclu-
sive environment condu-
cive to dialogue and learn-
voters, personnel on Poll
Duty (EDC), migrant elec-
tors, absent electors, etc so
that they cast their vote in
upcoming Lok Sabha Elec-
tion without any difficulty.
The meeting was
attended by Nodal Offi-
cer Permissions, Zahoor
Ahmad Mir, Assistant
Returning Officer(ARO),
Hazratbal, Syed Ahmad
Kataria, Assistant Return-
ing Officer(ARO), Haz-
ratbal, Dr, Khalid Hus-
sian, Assistant Returning
Officer(ARO), Headquar-
ter, Mohammad Aslam
Choudhary, Nodal Officer
Trainings, Riyaz Ahmad
Shah, Deputy District Elec-
tion Officer, Mir Imtiyaz Ul
Aziz, Nodal Officer Postal
Ballot, Shohab Latief,
Nodal Officer ETPBS/IT,
Mujtaba Ahmad Banday
and other concerned.
and make them healthy
and error free besides it
was stressed that Youth,
women, Senior Citizens
especially with the age of
80 plus, PwDs (Persons
with disabilities), trans-
gender and other vulner-
able sections of the soci-
ety are not left out.
On the occasion, prac-
tical demonstration was
given to the participant
trainees regarding the
functioning of EVMs and
VVPAT machines to boost
their understanding and
proficiency in managing
the voting process.
ing.
With a focus on pro-
moting electoral literacy
and fostering democratic
engagement among tribal
voters, the programme
stands as a testament to
collective efforts towards
ensuring equitable repre-
sentation and amplifying
the voices of marginalized
groups in the democratic
process.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
KISHTWAR, APRIL 1
In anticipation of the
upcoming General Elec-
tions in the Udhampur
Parliamentary constitu-
ency, a vibrant initia-
tive under the SVEEP
campaign unfolded in
Kishtwar district with the
organization of a Mehandi
competition.
Spearheaded by the
District Election Office
(DEO), Dr. Devansh Yadav
and under the close super-
vision of Nodal Officer
SVEEP (Deputy District
Election Officer) Idrees
Lone, the event witnessed
enthusiastic participation.
The Mehandi Compe-
tition, hosted at GHSS
Girls Kishtwar, saw spir-
ited engagement from
girl students representing
various schools and GDC
Kishtwar. Their participa-
tion not only showcased
their artistic talents but
also underscored their
commitment to SVEEP
campaign ahead of the
Lok Sabha Election.
A number of enthu-
siastic female students
participated, showcas-
ing their artistic prowess
One-day Training for Election Expenditure
Monitoring Teams held at Kulgam
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
KULGAM, APRIL 1
In a concerted effort to
ensure transparency and
fairness in the electoral
process, one day training
for Election Expenditure
Monitoring Teams was
convened today at confer-
ence hall Kulgam.
The training brought
together a dedicated group
of officials tasked with
overseeing and monitor-
ing election expenditure.
With the upcoming
elections looming on the
horizon, the discussions
centered on enhancing
the efficacy of monitoring
mechanisms and foster-
ing collaboration among
the teams to uphold the
integrity of the electoral
process.
During the training,
the Deputy District Elec-
tion Officer (Dy.DEO)
Kulgam, Bilal Ahmad
Kamgar underscored the
paramount importance
of adhering to stringent
guidelines and protocols
to curb any potential mal-
practices related to elec-
POONCH, APRIL 1
Chief Electoral Officer
(CEO), Jammu and Kash-
mir, Pandurang K. Pole,
today chaired a meeting
of officers on Monday
to review preparations
being put in place for
the upcoming Lok Sabha
Election 2024.
The meeting had a
comprehensive review
of District Election
Management Plans for
Poonch besides deliber-
ating on implementation
of electoral roll process,
assessment of logistical
requirements, manpow-
er management plan,
risk management plan,
transportation of Elec-
tronic Voting Machines
(EVMs), polling staff and
security personnel, secu-
rity arrangements both
in plains and border
areas.
Di st r ic t Elec tion
officer Poonch, Mohd
Yaseen Chaudhary, SSP,
Yougal Manhas, Addi-
tional District Develop-
by adorning their hands
with intricate designs and
empowering messages.
Deputy Commission-
er, Dr. Devansh Yadav
inspected the exhibits of
the students. The excep-
tional performances were
duly recognized and felici-
tated, encouraging the stu-
dents to serve as ambassa-
dors to spread awareness
about voting rights and
ethical voting practices.
With the polling sched-
uled for 19th April for the
Udhampur Parliamentary
constituency, emphasis
was laid on maximizing
tion expenditure.
Emphasizing the sig-
nificance of their role in
maintaining a level playing
field for all candidates, the
Dy.DEO urged the teams
to exercise diligence and
impartiality in their duties.
Furthermore, strate-
gies for leveraging tech-
nology and data analytics
to streamline monitoring
efforts were deliberated
upon, with a focus on
Additional Deputy Com-
missioner Tahir Mus-
tafa Malik, AROs, and all
zonal and sectoral offi-
cers attended the meet-
ing.
The meeting further
deliberated on alloca-
tion of sufficient Human
Resources, implemen-
tation of SVEEP plan at
booth level, formula-
tion of a comprehen-
sive material manage-
ment plan, efficient and
secure route mapping
and development of an
extensive training pro-
gram tailored for Assis-
tant Returning Officers
(AROs), Assistant Elector-
al Registration Officers
(AEROs) and designated
nodal officers to ensure
extensive preparation for
the elections.
The officers were
instructed to monitor
various aspects of the
election process through
already established con-
trol rooms.
Further, the Chief
jammu, APRIL 02, 2024 TUESDAY REFUGEE MESSAGE
women's participation in
the electoral process. The
event served as a beacon
of civic engagement and
electoral awareness, set-
ting the stage for a vibrant
and inclusive democratic
exercise. The event also
witnessed the presence of
District Information Offi-
cer Kishtwar, Dr. Kuldeep
Kumar, STO Kishtwar
Maneet Sharma, Nodal
Officer for Women Polling
Stations, Chandan Manhas
and Chahat Bharti and
Principal GHSS Girls Kisht-
war, Krishan Lal among
others.
leveraging innovative tools
to identify and address dis-
crepancies promptly.
In adherence to the
Election Commission's
directives, the training
concluded with a renewed
resolve to uphold the
democratic values and
principles enshrined in the
electoral process, thereby
ensuring a level playing
field for all stakeholders
involved.
implementation of wide-
spread awareness cam-
paigns at booth level by
engaging BLOs, sports
personalities, govern-
ment employees, youth
icons, influencers and by
organising sports events,
rallies, competitions and
door-to-door campaigns
to increase public par-
ticipation in the electoral
process.
The Chief Electoral
Officer also underscored
the importance of guar-
anteeing Adequate Mini-
mum Facilities (AMF)
for the polling staff and
the security personnel
deployed for electoral
duties on the election
day. He instructed the
appointed Welfare Offi-
cers to ensure availabil-
ity of clean washrooms,
drinking water, first aid
and electricity, at their
designated camping
areas for their comfort
and well-being while ful-
filling their duties during
the elections.
UT Media Nodal Officer
interacts with AROs,
Nodal Officers at Srinagar
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
SRINAGAR, APRIL 1
UT Media Nodal Offi-
cer for General Elec-
tions-2024, Sapna Kotwal
(Secretary, J&K Advisory
Board for Development
of Pahari) today held an
interaction session with
Assistant Returning Offi-
cers (AROs) and Election
Nodal Officers of District
Srinagar here regarding
Systematic Voters’ Educa-
tion and Electoral Partici-
pation (SVEEP) activities
taken up in the district.
The meeting was held
to take first hand appraisal
of progress on activities
being held under System-
atic Voters’ Education
and Electoral Participa-
tion (SVEEP) campaign
in Srinagar district for
voter education, spread-
ing voter awareness and
promoting voter literacy
in view of the upcoming
polls in 02-Srinagar Par-
liamentary Constituency.
On the occasion, the
Voters’ Awareness Program
held at Devika Ghat as Part
of SVEEP campaign
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
UDHAMPUR, APRIL 1
The District Election
Authority Udhampur
today organized a series
of voters’ awareness pro-
grams at Devika Ghat,
Mand East Tikri, Gole
Market, Kambal Danga,
Neeli Nallah, as part of the
Systematic Voters’ Educa-
tion and Electoral Partici-
pation (SVEEP) initiative
for the Lok Sabha Election
2024.
The events were held
under the supervision of
District Election Officer,
Saloni Rai.
Deputy District Elec-
tion Officer, Dr. Anirudh
Rai, District Panchayat
Officer, Nodal officer
SVEEP Dr. Preeti Sharma,
Chief Education Officer
Geetu Bangotra, Dis-
trict Information Officer
Rajinder Digra, along with
other officers and general
public, actively participat-
ed in the campaign.
At Devika Ghat,
renowned Sangam the-
atre group led by Moham-
mad Akram Khan and his
Power shutdown
REFUGEE MESSAGE BUREAU
JAMMU, APRIL 1
Chief Engineer (Distribution) JPDCL, Jammu has
informed that the power supply to Upper Barnai,
Lower Muthi, Paloura, JK Colony, Chandan Vihar,
Muthi Matador Stand, PHE, Roop Nagar, MES Rajouri
lines BSF Paloura, Patoli and adjoining areas will
remain affected on April 03 from 7 am to 12 noon.
11
UT Media Nodal Offi-
cer was given a detailed
PowerPoint Presenta-
tion regarding the SVEEP
activities held in Srinagar
district during 2023-24.
She was informed that
over 90 thousand eligible
new voters were added
including over 25 thou-
sand young voters during
the SVEEP campaign held
across the district.
She appreciated the
efforts of the SVEEP team
of Srinagar district for sen-
sitizing the new voters.
She asked the officers to
continue the SVEEP activ-
ities and install hoard-
ings at prominent public
places besides publicizing
through different print/
electronic and social
media platforms to maxi-
mize the voter turnout in
the district.
Besides, Deputy Dis-
trict Election Officer, Mir
Imtiyaz Ul Aziz, the meet-
ing was attended by AROs,
Nodal Officer SVEEP and
other concerned officials.
team presented a theme-
based Nukkad Natak on
SVEEP. Fitness session
with Mind N Rythm cum
cultural program was also
presented. The aim was to
enhance understanding of
voting-related processes
and promote electoral lit-
eracy, especially among
first-time voters, prepar-
ing them for the upcom-
ing Lok Sabha Elections
2024.
Addressing the gather-
ing, Deputy DEO and DPO
encouraged active par-
ticipation in the upcom-
ing elections, particularly
emphasizing the pivotal
role of first-time and
female voters in strength-
ening democracy.
They highlighted the
importance of women's
involvement in the elec-
toral process for the
nation's progress. Experts
and speakers reiterated
the significance of elec-
toral literacy in empow-
ering citizens and urged
responsible exercise of
franchise, especially by
first-time voters, in the
forthcoming elections.
 12 REFUGEE MESSAGE jammu, april 02, 2024 tuesday SPORTS

Inconsistent RCB eye to bounce Hockey India announces 60-member assessment

back with a win against LSG
BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Apr 1
Royal Challengers Ben-
galuru (RCB), who have
been grappling with incon-
sistency in their perfor-
mances in IPL 2024, will
be eager to bounce back
with a victory against the
Lucknow Super Giants
(LSG) in the 15th match of
the tournament at Chin-
naswamy Stadium here
on Tuesday.
A win in this crucial
encounter would help RCB
regain momentum and
climb up the IPL stand-
ings.
On the other hand, the
Lucknow Super Giants
will be closely monitoring
the fitness of their regular
captain, KL Rahul, ahead
of the game. Rahul's avail-
ability will be pivotal for
the team's strategy and
morale, as he not only
leads the side but also con-
tributes significantly with
the bat.
With both teams aiming
for a positive result, the
match promises to be an
exciting contest between
two competitive sides in
IPL 2024. Fans can expect
an intense battle as RCB
looks to find their rhythm
and LSG aims to continue
their momentum in the
tournament.
Currently, the RCB, find
themselves in eighth place
on the IPL table, having
accumulated two points
from three matches. Their
net run rate has taken a
hit, standing at -0.71, fol-
lowing a significant defeat
against KKR in their previ-
ous match.
The struggles of Faf du
Plessis, along with the
broader inconsistencies
within the RCB team, have
raised questions about
their ability to deliver
consistent performances
in the IPL. While du Ples-
sis has been experiencing
difficulties in scoring big
runs, the team as a whole
has faced challenges in
maintaining stability and
reliability throughout
matches. Indeed, the RCB
batting lineup has been a
cause for concern, with
Virat Kohli being the only
consistent performer. He
has managed to score two
fifties in three matches,
showcasing his reliability
and class as a batsman.
However, the lack of con-
sistent contributions from
other key players has
placed additional pressure
on Kohli and has impacted
the team's overall batting
performance.
Addressing this imbal-
ance and ensuring more
support for Kohli from
other members of the bat-
ting lineup will be crucial
for the hosts to improve
their results in the IPL.
squad for Women’s National Coaching Camp
agencies
Bengaluru, Apr 1
Ho c key India, on
Monday, announced the
60-member Indian Wom-
en's Hockey Team squad
that will report at the SAI,
Bengaluru for an assess-
ment camp scheduled to
commence on April 1 and
last till April 7.
Further selection trials
will be conducted on the
April 6 and 7 to prune
down the squad to 33
players for future coach-
ing Camps and interna-
tional exposure tours.
The 60-player core
group has been short-
listed following the stel-
lar performances at the
recently concluded 14th
Hockey India Senior Wom-
en's National Champion-
ship in Pune. This selec-
tion identifies promising
talent from across vari-
ous states based on their
impressive performances
throughout the tourna-
ment. These players will
now be closely monitored
as they vie for a spot in
the final 33-member core
probables for the Indian
Women’s Hockey Team.
The players will report
to Women’s Hockey Team
Coach Ankitha B.S. until
such time that a suitable
Chief Coach is appointed,
the Hockey India sources
said.
The assessment squad
includes goalkeepers
Savita, Sonal Minj, Bichu
Devi Kharibam, Madhuri
Kindo, Bansari Solanki,
Promila Kr, and Ramya
Kurmapu. The defenders
reporting to camp will
be Udita, Nikki Pradhan,
Ropni Kumari, Lalhlun-
mawii, Preeti, T Suman
Devi, Anjana Dungdung,
and Nishi Yadav.
While the midfielders
called up to the assess-
ment camp are Monika,
Sonika, Neha, Mahima
Choudhary, Nisha, Jyoti,
Salima Tete, Manashri
Shedage, Akshata Abaso
Dhekale, Lalruatfeli,
Marina Lalramnghaki,
Prabhleen Kaur, Manisha
Chauhan, Ishika Chaud-
hary, Ritanyna Sahu, Jyoti
Chhatri, Ajmina Kujur,
Sujata Kujur, Kruthika
SP, Mahima Tete, Mamta
Bhat, Edula Jyothi, Anisha
D u n gd u n g , B h av n a
Khade, and Maxima
Toppo.
Lastly, Deepika, Sharmi-
la Devi, Navneet Kaur,
Deepika Soreng, Sangita
Kumari, Vaishnavi Vitthal
Phalke, Rutaja Dadaso
Pisal, Lalrindiki, Lalremsi-
ami, Vertika Rawat, Preeti
Dubey, Hritika Singh, Mar-
iana Kujur, Mumtaz Khan,
Taranpreet Kaur, Baljeet
Kaur, Vandana Katariya,
Dipi Monika Toppo, Kajal
S Atpadkar, and Manju
Chorsiya are the forwards
that have been called up.

Liverpool back on top, Man City
draws Arsenal in Premier League
agencies
London, Apr 1
Liverpool returned to the
top of the Premier League
on Sunday after rallying to
beat Brighton 2-1 at home,
while Manchester City and
Arsenal drew 0-0.
Liverpool was forced
to come back from
behind after Danny Wel-
beck's goal for Brighton
at Anfield, with Luis Diaz
scoring from close range
following a corner in the
27th minute.
Mohamed Salah made
his first start for Liverpool
since the start of 2024 and
missed several chances,
but he was on target in the
65th minute to finish con-
fidently after Alexis Mac
Allister sent him through
on goal.
The game at Anfield
set up the clash between
Manchester City and Arse-
nal perfectly, but the clash
in the Etihad Stadium was
a big letdown as the two
drew 0-0.
Manchester City had
the best chances, but with
Erling Haaland missing
the best of them against
a rival that seemed happy
with a draw, they failed
to score in a home league
game for the first time
since October 2021.
The result leaves Arse-
nal second in the league,
while Manchester City
remains third.
On Saturday, there was
late drama as Brentford
and Manchester United
drew 1-1. Mason Mount
scored his first goal
for United in the 96th
minute, but Kristoffer Ajer
smashed home two min-
utes later to give Brentford
a vital point after they had
hit the woodwork four
times.
Aston Villa remains
fourth after a 2-0 home
win over Wolverhampton
in the Midlands derby,
with goals from Moussa
Diaby and Ezri Konsa.
Newc astle United
scored three goals in 13
minutes to come back
from 3-1 down at home to
beat West Ham 4-3.
Alexander Isak put
Newcastle ahead from
the penalty spot in the
sixth minute after a foul
on Anthony Gordon, but
West Ham then took con-
trol, with Michail Antonio,
Mohammed Kudus and
Jarrod Bowen making it
3-1.
Another foul on Gordon
allowed Isak to net his
second penalty in the
77th minute and Newcas-
tle was on the front foot
with Harvey Barnes scor-
ing twice in the 83rd and
90th minute to turn the
game on its head.
Luton Town slipped
back into the bottom three
as Tottenham came back
from a goal down to win
2-1.
Tahith Chong swept
Luton ahead after three
minutes into the game,
but on 51 minutes, Issa
Kabore inexplicably
turned the ball into his
own net and Luton's bad
luck struck again in the
86th minute when Son
Heung-min's shot took a
deflection to give Totten-
ham three points.
Striker Chris Wood
scored a pinpoint header
to save a point for Not-
tingham Forest at home
to Crystal Palace and lift
them above Luton. Wood's
header cancelled out Jean-
Philippe Mateta's 11th
minute opener for Palace.
Cole Palmer scored
twice for Chelsea, but
couldn't stop Burnley
taking a point from their
visit to play Chelsea after
Lorenz Assignon was sent
off in the 40th minute.
Josh Cullen scored
for Burnley in the 47th
minute and Dara O'Shea's
83rd minute goal saved a
vital point for the visitors.
A scissor kick from
Rodrigo Muniz gave
Fulham a 3-3 draw away to
Sheffield United and broke
the home side's hearts
after they had looked to
be on track for a vital win
after two goals from Ben
Brereton.
Everton also slipped
closer to the bottom three
after a painful 2-1 defeat
away to Bournemouth
with an injury time own
goal from Seamus Cole-
man.
IPL owners to meet in
Ahmedabad on April 16
agencies
Mumbai, Apr 1
The Board of Control for
Cricket in India (BCCI) has
called for a meeting of the
Indian Premier League
(IPL) team owners on
April 16 in Ahmedabad.
The meeting is expect-
ed to address various
policy decisions aimed at
shaping the future of the
IPL, particularly regard-
ing player retentions, auc-
tion mechanisms, and the
salary cap, according to a
section of the media.
Invitations have been
extended to all ten IPL
franchise owners, with
the expectation that
owners will attend along
with their CEOs and oper-
ational teams. However,
the meeting itself is des-
ignated for owners only.
BCCI officials including
President Roger Binny,
secretary Jay Shah, and
IPL chairman Arun Singh
Dhumal are expected to
attend the meeting.
The correspondence
regarding the meeting
has been sent by Hemang
Amin, the CEO of the IPL.
Although Amin has not
specified the agenda, it is
anticipated that the meet-
ing will address signifi-
cant issues, particularly
concerning the upcoming
mega-auction.
One of the key topics of
discussion is expected to
be the number of player
retentions before the auc-
tion. This issue has divid-
ed IPL owners, with some
advocating for a higher
number of retentions to
provide continuity for
teams and strengthen
their brand and fan base.
Others prefer a smaller
number of retentions.
There may also be discus-
sions about reintroducing
the Right to Match card, a
mechanism absent in the
2022 mega-auction.
Jones, Dean stitch record
stand to hand England women
improbable win
agencies
Wellington, Apr 1
After being reduced to 79/6 in the chase of 208, Eng-
land managed to secure a four-wicket win in the first
women's ODI against New Zealand on the back of a
stellar unbeaten stand between Amy Jones and Charlie
Dean.
After being sent in to bat in the first ODI, which is a
part of the ICC Women's Championship, New Zealand
were given a confident start by Suzie Bates (50) and
Bernadine Bezuidenhout (35).
However, when Amy Jones caught Bates off Charlie
Dean and Bezuidenhout was trapped leg before soon
after, the White Ferns innings fell into a disarray.
They were bowled out for 207 in 48.2 overs, with
Dean (3/57), Lauren Bell (3/41) and Kate Cross (2/24)
starring for England. Dean's three-wicket scalp helped
her cross 50 ODI wickets in just 26 innings, making
her the quickest woman to achieve the landmark.
She broke a nearly 37-year-old record belonging to
Australia's Lyn Fullston, who achieved it in 27 innings,
an ICC report said.
Despite Maia Bouchier's run-a-ball 31, England were
in dire straits as they continued losing wickets
at regular intervals. New Zealand had the game
firmly within their grasp at 79/6. However, Jones and
Dean came together to first stabilise the innings and
slowly but surely stitched a resilient unbeaten 130-run
stand for the seventh wicket. Jones (92 not out) took
the attacking route, while Dean (42 not out) stuck her
ground as the pair ensured their team sailed through
without any further losses.
Jones and Dean's partnership was also the best ever
for the seventh wicket in women's ODIs.
In the post-match press conference, Jones called the
knock a high-mark of her career,
"I rate it pretty highly, it was obviously a tricky situ-
ation to walk out on," she said. said.
With this win, England have gained crucial points in
the ICC Women's Championship standings. They have
a 1-0 lead in the three-game ODI series. The second ODI
will be played in Hamilton on April 3
Real Madrid remains eight points
clear at top of La Liga
agencies

History for Papua New Guinea's World champion Rovanpera wins Madrid, Apr 1

women after victory over Zimbabwe WRC Safari Rally Kenya again
agencies
Harare, Apr 1
Papua New Guinea's
women have claimed their
first win over Full Member
opposition in a T20I, beat-
ing Zimbabwe in a Super
Over here.
All-rounder Sibona
Jimmy was the Super Over
hero for the Lewas, hitting
four off the final two balls
before defending seven
against Kelis Ndhlovu and
Mary-Anne Musonda.
Earlier, the tourists
looked unlikely to score 15
off the final over in their
chase of 120, though a
flurry from veteran Pauke
Siaka brought scores level,
even after she was run out
trying to complete a second
run with partner Kevau
Frank.
Another run out off the
last ball kept the scores
tied, though Siaka returned
with Jimmy to prevail.
The victory levels the
T20I series between the
teams, who now meet in a
decider on Wednesday.
Winning the toss and
electing to bowl at the
Harare Sports Club, Papua
New Guinea claimed two
Powerplay wickets, only
for a Zimbabwean rebuild
from captain Mary-Anne
Musonda (37) and Modester
Mupachikwa (45 not out),
an ICC report on Monday
said.
In spite of the rearguard
action though, PNG kept
the scoring rate down, with
wickets at the other end
stifling Mupachikwa's scor-
ing. All four PNG spinners
went for fewer than a run
a ball, with Jimmy's 2/21 (4)
pipped by Vicky Araa's 2/20
(4). PNG also found quick
scoring difficult for parts
of their innings, though
Siaka's work at No.5 kept
the tourists in the contest,
blazing 43 off 33 balls as
the only PNG player to go
at better than a run a ball.
Siaka hit the first ball
of the Super Over for two,
though only mustered
a single off the next two
deliveries. Back to back
twos from Jimmy took the
Lewas to seven, before the
off-spinner turned around
to prevent a boundary in
the first five deliveries bowl-
ing. A dot ball to Ndhlovu
secured a one-run Super
Over victory, taking the
three-match series to a
decider.
agencies
Nairobi, Apr 1
World champion Kalle
Rovanpera became a
two-time winner of the
FIA Safari Rally Kenya on
Sunday afternoon.
The Finnish star, whose
father, Halle Rovanpera,
was a two-time podium
finisher at this event,
ended the grueling Afri-
can round of the World
Rally Championship with
a victory margin of one
minute and 37.8 seconds.
In by far the toughest
WRC round, Rovanpera's
meticulous balance of
both speed and maturity
ultimately secured his
12th career victory and a
first of the year for Toyota
GR Yaris 1 car.
Behind him, Japanese
driver Takahiro Kat-
suta celebrated his third
Safari podium in a row
and another Toyota 1-2.
Frenchman Adrien Fau-
maux earned Ford Puma
Rally 1 a commendable
podium finish in third.
It was poetry in motion
for the 23-year-old Rovan-
pera, who will not take
part in the full WRC
season.
Having stayed third
in the opening Special
Spectator Stage in Nai-
robi on Thursday, the
world champion showed
his mettle in Naivasha -
90km northwest of the
Kenyan capital on Friday,
building a lead of over a
minute after winning the
rock-strewn stages around
Lake Naivasha.
Rovanpera then stayed
out of trouble on Saturday
to build a yawning lead of
over two minutes as his
main rivals broke their
cars with punctures, hit-
ting rocks and mechanical
trouble.
That left Rovanpera,
who won his first Safari
title in 2022, with the task
of keeping his vehicle
from any mishap, which
he expertly navigated to
clinch the most coveted
win on the WRC circuit.
Real Madrid remained eight points clear at the top of
La Liga after a 2-0 home win over Athletic Club Bilbao
on Sunday night.
Two goals from Rodrygo, one in each half, gave Real
Madrid the win against a rival whose starting 11 and
substitutions were clearly influenced by their appear-
ance in next Saturday's Copa del Rey final.
Rodrygo opened the scoring after a diagonal run
and shot into the corner of the net on nine minutes,
and he doubled the lead 18 minutes from time after
beating the offside trap and cutting inside to score at
the near post. Inaki Williams went close for Athletic,
who can now focus their attention on their big game
against Mallorca next weekend.
Also on Sunday, Girona striker Cristhian Stuani
scored an injury time winner to strengthen his side's
case for a top-four finish in a dramatic game, which
saw Ukraine international Artem Dovbyk twice put
Girona ahead, with his first from the penalty spot.
Willian Jose got Betis level on two occasions, but the
visitors had to answer to Stuani's 92nd minute finish,
which was given after a long VAR check.
A 58th minute header from Jon Pacheco gave Real
Sociedad a 1-0 win away to Alaves to consolidate them
in sixth place after Betis' defeat.
Celta Vigo and Rayo Vallecano drew 0-0 with a
result that edges both sides closer to survival, while
not allowing either to take a big step forward.
Celta had the better chances, but was unable to get
the ball past Stole Dimitrievski in the Rayo goal, while
the home fans were unhappy with some of the referee-
ing decisions against them, especially a goal disallowed
against Jailson.
Played on Saturday, Raphinha's second half goal
after a smart cross from Joao Felix gave FC Barcelona
a 1-0 win at home to Las Palmas.