12 Greater KashmirSRINAGAR | April 17, 2017, Monday

Further information about the course is available at:Craft Development Institute, Srinagar

Estd. by the Office of DC-(H), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of IndiaBaghe-Ali-Mardan Khan, Nowshera, Srinagar

Ph: 0194-2411430/ 2411772, www.cdisgr.org

MCME ADMISSIONS Till 19th april 2017

UNIVERSITY OF KASHMIR announces admissions for Masters in Craft Management & Entrepreneurship (MCME). The course is conducted at the Craft Development Institute, Srinagar. MCME is a 2-year professional course meant for training individuals who wish to set-up their own enterprises or build a career in the handicraft sector. The course is first of its kind and combines inputs of Design, Management & Technology applied in the area of handicraft. Graduates of the course can find opportunities as Entrepreneurs, Managers, Merchandizers or Trainers in the craft industry and related organizations.

Admissions for MCME are open till 19th april 2017. Interested candidates may submit online Application Forms available at www.kashmiruniversity.net

NB-156

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In this issueREPORT

Alarming Rise of Mental HealthDisorders in KashmirBUSINESS | GOWHAR GEELANI

Ahdoo’s Will Turn 100 in 2018COVER STORY ANALYSIS | AJAZ RASOOL

April is the cruellest monthCOVER STORY REPORT | SHABIR IBN YUSUF

Srinagar by-poll: A security exerciseCOVER STORY VOX POPULI | BILAL HANDOO

Is it curtains for Kashmir’s mainstream politics?REPORT | IRFAN MEHRAJ

In Remembrance

Latest Issue has hit the stands Grab your copy!

Parliamentary panel recommends lifting of ban on Shahtoosh

MUKEET AKMALI

Srinagar, Apr 16: A par-liamentary panel has rec-ommended lifting of ban on trading of Shahtoosh which is derived from Tibetan Antelope commonly known as Chiru, found mostly in mountainous ranges of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Parliamentary Panel on Environment and Climate Change in 300th report on the Demands for Grants (2017-2018) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change suggested that the chiru should be reared and then local shawl makers should be allowed to collect the undercoat for making Shahtoosh shawls, also known as ‘king of shawls or Ring shawls’.

“This would not only

increase the number of these animals, but also add to sustainable livelihood opportunities for the people in the region, as is being done by countries like China, Afghanistan and Mongolia,” reads the report submitted by panel led by Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury.

The suggestion has come following the visit of panel members to JK where it found that as Chiru cannot be used for extraction of wool for Shahtoosh shawls as per the prevalent law and the alternate livelihoods promised by the State Gov-ernment with the support of the environment minis-try were not benefitting the affected community, par-ticularly women.

“With J&K being a conflict-ridden region for

quite a long time, many women are unable to leave their homes and go out and earn a livelihood under schemes being offered by the Government. Even as it empathized with the local shawl makers who said that they did not kill the

animal because it was a source of their livelihood,” the report adds.

In October 2000, the state government decided to put a blanket ban on Shahtoosh trade. Earlier Central gov-ernment had also banned this trade under Indian

Wildlife Protection Act as the Chiru Antelope was declared an endangered species. The ban, howev-er, came at a price; about 15000 Shahtoosh workers who were depended on this trade became jobless in the valley.

About 70 percent of this workforce comprised of women, many of them conflict widows who had no other source of income other than weaving Shah-toosh.

Known as King of Wools, Shahtoosh is made from hairs of Chiru and was once the face of Kashmir handi-crafts. Tourists used to adore shawls made of this very fine wool and feel pride on wear-ing them. At the same time it used to provide livelihood to thousands of families.

Counselling session for NEET-2017 aspirants held Srinagar, Apr 16: A day-long counseling-cum-mentoring session for students appear-ing in the National Eligi-bility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-2017 was organized by Department of Libraries and Research here today.

The session was addressed by Vivek Gupta from IIT Bombay, who shared various tips and

tricks on successfully pre-paring and cracking com-petitive examinations.

He mentored the aspirants on study disciplines, tech-niques, and reference mate-rial available to prepare for upcoming NEET 2017.

On the occasion, Direc-tor Libraries and Research, Mukhtar-ul-Aziz, said that such initiatives would help

students to prepare in a better and focused manner.

He said that the depart-ment in collaboration with PLANCESS EDU Solutions has developed composite study material for students to prepare for NEET with an elaborate array of references in print and digital formats including e-books and refer-ence videos.

Airtel doles out free data to postpaid subscribersNew Delhi, Apr 16: Mobile operator Bharti Airtel is hand-ing out free high-speed data to its postpaid subscribers for the next three months to counter aggres-sive offerings by newcomer Reli-ance Jio.

Airtel is offering up to 30 GB of free data for the next three months for postpaid subscribers logging onto the 'My Airtel' app by April 30.

For those who have already availed a similar offer by the company last month, 10 GB free data (one month valid-ity) will be up for grabs, a company spokesperson said.

“Now enjoy some free data every month for the next three months...That should cover any long vacation you may have planned,” Bharti

Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal said in an email to subscribers.

In addition, Airtel has said that it will offer the value to customers who have not activated the right inter-n a t i o n a l r o a m -ing pack, b e f o r e their travel abroad.

C i t i n g an example, Airtel said if a subscriber has not acti-vated a pack before travelling abroad and in case the daily usage exceeds Rs 499, Airtel will automatically activate the Rs 499 pack (that includes unlimited incoming calls, free data, SMS) at no added cost.

If the usage charges are less than Rs 499, the users will only be charged on the rates that are applicable, the email added. Airtel said the move will protect consum-

ers from bill shocks w h i l e travelling abroad.

T h e c o m p a n y is sending out mails

in batches to inform all its postpaid customers about the offers.

Over the last few months, Reliance Jio's disruptive positioning in the market has forced other operators to respond with generous coun-

ter-offers to retain customers, turning up the competitive heat in a market of over 1.12 billion mobile subscribers.

Jio, which debuted last year with free data and voice offering, now has 72 million paid subscribers (as on March 31, 2017).

After regulator TRAI nixed its three-month com-plimentary offer, Reliance Jio recently announced a new plan of 1 GB high speed data daily for three months at Rs 309 for its Prime members.

Under the 309 plan, billion-aire Mukesh Ambani's Jio is providing unlimited SMS, calling and data (1 GB per day at 4G speeds) for three months on first recharge. PTI

Recycling policy to fetch right price for junked cars, fridgesNew Delhi, Apr 16: People owning old cars and white goods will soon have a choice of selling these junked items to registered scrap dealers at pre-determined prices, once the Metal Recycling Policy -- being jointly prepared by the Niti Aayog and Steel Min-istry -- is put into action.

The Metal Recycling Policy, on which the Niti Aayog has already met various stakehold-ers, is likely to be finalised over the next few months.

"We have a huge wealth in the form of metal scrap...We (Niti Aayog and Steel Ministry) are working on Metal Recycling Policy.

"We want to look at scrap management in an organised manner. Why can't we set up multiple scrap centres in every part of the country where people can deposit old cars, old fridges, washing machines and get the right price?" Vijay Kumar Saras-wat, member, Niti Aayog said.

The policy is likely to take into account the implications of National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling on banning over 15 years old diesel and petrol vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) and recent Supreme Court judgement of banning sales of BS-III vehicles in the country from 1 April. According to industry estimates, the average recycling rate in these countries is over 80 per cent, while India's recycling rate is merely 20-25 per cent. PTI

Petrol price hiked by Rs 1.39 per litre, diesel up by Rs 1.04New Delhi, Apr 16: The price of petrol was hiked by Rs 1.39 per litre and diesel by Rs 1.04 a litre in sync with firming inter-national rates.

The hike comes the on back of a Rs 4.85 per litre reduction in rates of petrol and Rs 3.41 a litre in diesel effected from April 1.

Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the nation's largest fuel retailer, said price of petrol is being increased by Rs 1.39 per litre, excluding state levies, and that of diesel by Rs 1.04 (excluding state levies) with effect from midnight tonight.

Actual increase in price will be more a�er taking into account local VAT. Petrol in Delhi currently costs Rs 66.29 a litre while a litre of diesel is priced at Rs 55.61. PTI

Fin Min okays 8.65% interest on EPFNew Delhi, Apr 16: The Finance Ministry is believed to have per-mi�ed the Labour Ministry to go ahead with 8.65 per cent rate of interest on employees' provi-dent fund for 2016-17, which will benefit over four crore EPFO members.

The Finance Ministry in its communication to the Labour Ministry has, however, put a rider that the interest rate should not result in a deficit for the retire-ment fund. This will enable the Labour Ministry to provide 8.65 per cent rate as decided by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) trustees.

According to EPFO esti-mates, the fund will see a sur-plus a�er providing 8.65 per cent interest rate for the last fiscal. PTI

Data War

ARG Automobiles launches Abarth Fiat Cars showroomSrinagar, Apr 16: AGR Automobiles Pvt Ltd on Sunday opened ‘Abarth Fiat Cars’ showroom for the purpose of both sales of Fiat cars and services alongwith repairs of multi brand.

Divisional Commission-er (Kashmir) Baseer Khan inaugurated the showroom at Sanat Nagar.

"We at Fiat Abarth assure all of our customers top line cars and top of line services. At a time when

Indian automobile indus-try has grown by leaps and bounds since 1898 when a car touched Indian streets

first time. The same growth can be seen in Kashmir since last 20 years,” said the company statement.

Aman Farooq/GK

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