Dooru, July 21: Welcoming the announcement of Union Human Resources Development Minister of releasing the pending arrears in favor of teachers, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the issue of retirement age of employees was not closed and the Government was considering a middle path on the matter.
“I welcome the decision of HRD ministry to release the 80 percent pending arrears of sixth pay commission in favor of teachers by delinking it with the retirement age issue,” Omar said while addressing a public rally here.
He said that the present un-employment crisis in the State made him to go against the raising of retirement age of the employees. “We have not entirely closed the chapter of increasing the retirement age of employees but for that we need to move steadily,” Omar said adding that the government is engaged in a dialogue with employees’ leaders in this regard.
He said that the government was trying to find a way out to live up to the expectations of the employees while at the same time addressing the issue of unemployment. “I am also answerable to thousands of students studying in schools, colleges and universities,” said Omar.
Omar also hailed Sibal for his contribution in the growth of education sector in the State. “Kapil Sibal has always been generous to this State. It is only because of his efforts that we got two central universities instead of one; one in Ganderbal and other in Jammu, 14 new Polytechnic colleges were set up while at the same time every possible assistance was provided by him in the implementation of centre sponsored schemes like SSA, RMSA, mid-day meals and others.”
The Chief Minister also expressed his gratitude to the UPA Government and Kapil Sibal for helping in setting up various degree colleges to cover uncovered areas. He also referred to the assistance of the Centre Government for setting up offsite university campuses and extending support to the State Government in the field of technical education.
He said that Sibal was instrumental in universalizing school education in the State.
Omar Abdullah said that there has been remarkable improvement in the growth and development of education in the State. The enrolment in schools and literacy rate has shown upward trend.
However, Omar expressed concern over the increasing dropout ratio among the girl students in the State.
“What I have seen that the girl students in the State leave the education mid way after passing middle and this really is a cause of concern. Our state can’t progress and move forward unless and until we encourage higher education of girls,” he said.
He said that enhancement in female education is being focused and the State Government has initiated various measures with the help of Union Government to make headway in this direction.
The Chief Minister said that expansion and consolidation in development sectors especially in education and health sectors is going on hand in hand. “We do not want to announce colleges and schools without faculties, laboratories and necessary paraphernalia”, he said.
“My government has flagged consolidation as important ingredient in the expansion programme to make schools, colleges and other higher educational institutions functional and delivering”, he said maintaining that his government would address the demands and aspirations of the people for more and more educational institutions across the State in a befitting manner.
Referring to the development in Dooru Assembly Constituency, the Chief Minister said that 150 new primary schools have been opened in the Constituency besides upgrading 200 as upper primary and 60 middle schools as high schools. He said 408 ReT teachers have been engaged and scores of school buildings constructed in the Constituency by the present coalition government.
The Chief Minister said that Rs. 10.50 crores have been spent on the development of roads in 200-11 while the expenditure in 2011-12 on this sector was Rs. 12 crores. He said 50 kilometers of roads have been macadamized in Dooru Shahabad and work is in progress on the construction of 11 bridges involving over Rs. 25 crores.
Omar Abdullah said that a modern hospital is coming up in the area at a cost of Rs. 40 crores while half a dozen primary health centres have been set up. He said under the comprehensive drinking water supply programme, many schemes are in hand and many have been completed.
He assured of meeting all the demands of the people of Dooru constituency that were put forth by Member Legislative Assembly (MLA), Dooru, Ghulam Ahmad Mir.
“I request MLA Dooru to prepare a proposal for allotting sub-district hospital to Dooru and I promise that I will get it approved,” said Omar.
He also assured of setting up a power division for Dooru to meet the power crisis in the area.
General Secretary, AICC, Mohan Prakash, speaking on the occasion asked the youth of Kashmir to come forward and run the affairs of the country. “The youth of Kashmir should come forward and take a lead role in running the affairs of the country.”
He asked the youth to make their mark in civil services. “It is very encouraging to see youth of Kashmir making it to IAS and IPS.” Citing the example of Shah Faisal, who bagged top ranking in last year’s civil services exams, Prakash urged youth to make him as their role model.
He also hailed Kapil Sibal for contributing in universalization of education and providing free mid-day meals to poor students.
Parliamentarian Dr. Mehboob Beg speaking on the occasion stressed on providing quality education to the children.
He also appealed to the politicians not to keep education hostage to agitations and protests. “The agitations and protests should be kept aloof from education as our education sector has already suffered because of twenty years of strife and we cannot afford to get it affected any further”.
Beg also appealed Kapil Sibal to pay special attention to the educational sector of Jammu and Kashmir and make it as their priority.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, JKPCC President Saif-u-din Soz, Minister for Higher Education Abdul Gani Malik and MLA Dooru Ghulam Ahmad Mir also addressed the rally while as Agriculture Minister Ghulam Hassan Mir and legislators Bashir Ahmad Veeri and Mohan Lal Sharma were also present on the occasion.

SIDELIGHTS
* Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal addressed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as Wazir-i-Azam (Prime Minister) of Jammu and Kashmir bringing smiles on the faces of leaders present on the stage as well as audience.
* Earlier, the HRD Minister inaugurated the Dooru Degree College which has been functional for last five years and has been inaugurated twice.
* The students of Degree College Dooru objected to the playing of music and organizing cultural event during the inauguration of the college citing Holy Ramadhan as the reason.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Jul 2012 00:00:00 IST