Page 15 - Jammu And Kashmir

No change in reservation status of Gujjars, Bakerwals, say J-K LG Sinha

The grant of reservation to the Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir will not have any effect on the quota of the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, he referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement during his visit to Rajouri and Baramulla on the grant of reservation to the Pahari community. "Some people are trying to mislead the communities for political reasons, but I again reiterate with confidence and responsibility that there will no change in the reservation quota of Gujjars, Bakerwals, Gaddis and Sippis," Sinha said. Gujjars and Bakerwals have been holding protests against the Centre's move to give Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Paharis.

PM Modi's dream of development in J&K becoming a reality: Hardeep Puri

Union Minister Hardeep S Puri on Monday said that the Prime Minister's commitment to the development of J & K is turning into reality and work regarding the same is in full swing.He stated that the PM's development initiatives in J & K have created an emotional bond between the people and the country. "Central schemes directly benefit the people and I am glad that work is going on at the ground level," the minister added, said a press release.Addressing the media persons in Srinagar today, Puri said people are investing in the economic development in the Union Territory of J & K because of the Central Government's farsighted decision to remove the bottleneck of Articles 370 and 35A.Puri said that a new dawn of development has now set in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 which could be judged from the fact that 25 new National Highway Projects have been sanctioned to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 11,721 crore, 168 MoUs have been signed ...

Lavender cultivation to be extended to JK's Ramban: Minister Jitendra Singh

Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban will soon initiate lavender cultivation under the Aroma Mission which has been thoroughly experimented with in the adjacent district of Doda.This was disclosed here today by Union Minister Jitendra Singh while chairing the DISHA meeting of district Ramban, said a press release by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions on Sunday.He said, Ramban is a part of the erstwhile Doda district, which shares the same geographical and topographical conditions and it should not be difficult to replicate Doda's lavender success story over here, as per the statement.This will provide an alternative and attractive option for a livelihood by the youngsters, he said, added the statement.During the meeting, a detailed presentation on the achievements and progress recorded under different Centrally Sponsored Schemes was made, giving an overview of various major projects being executed by different departments and agencies in the district. Senior officials

Indian Army's 'Dil Maange More' short film festival begins in Udhampur

The Indian Army has started a short film festival 'Dil Maange More', aimed at empowering young filmmakers from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The Dil Maange More Short Film Festival (DMMSFF) is an initiative of the Northern Command of the Indian Army. On the opening day of the festival on Saturday, masterclasses by award-winning and renowned filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali and Rahul Mittra were organised, officials said. "The first ever 'Dil Maange More' short film festival conducted by the Northern Command opened to a fantastic response by the youth of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh at Udhampur," General officer Commanding (GoC) 71-sub area, Major General S S Patil told reporters here. The month-long festival, curated by Captain Rahul Bali, is being organised in association with Innovations India. Major Gen Patil said Indian Army is steadfast in its endeavour of nation building and lending all the support possible to the youth of J&K and Ladakh for their growth and development. The short .

EC now a 'branch of BJP', conducts polls on its signals: Mehbooba Mufti

Mufti slamming the Centre over the issue of Kashmiri Pandits said that the government is there to "disrupt everything".

Earlier govts were buying peace, we are establishing it in Valley: J&K L-G

"People of the Valley are playing a crucial role in maintaining peace and harmony in the region, and recently 8,000 people also carried out a rally.

J&K govt working to ensure equal rights, opportunities for all: LG Sinha

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir government is working to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all along with the participation of every stakeholder in the union territory's development. He visited Jhiri Mela to pay obeisance at Baba Jitto shrine on Friday. The LG said the UT government is working with a strong resolve to ensure that every individual gets equal rights and equal opportunities and that every stakeholder is a partner in J&K's development journey. He also said Jammu and Kashmir will progress when our farmers will prosper. "J&K will progress, when our farmers prosper", Sinha said while addressing a huge gathering here. "Dr Mangala Rai-led Apex Committee on Agriculture provides a comprehensive solution for upliftment of the farming community. We are making efforts to implement the suggestions with the necessary institutional mechanism and support," he said. The committee headed by former Director General, Indian Council of ...

JeM terrorist killed in an encounter in Kashmir's Shopian district: Police

"One FT of JeM terror outfit killed, identified as Kamran Bhai alias Hanees who was active in Kulgam-Shopian area. Search is still going on," J&K Police said in a tweet

India's groundwater extraction stage at 60% in 2022, says report

In 2022, around 87 per cent of the total annual ground water extracted that is around 208.49 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) was for irrigation which in 2020 was around 89 per cent

Four feared drowned as car falls into Chenab in J-K's Doda district

At least four persons were feared drowned after a private car skidded off the road and rolled into the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Tuesday, an official said. The accident took place at Shibnote-Karara along the Batote-Kishtwar National Highway around 7.30 pm, Subdivisional Magistrate (Thathri) Athar Amin Zargar said. Quoting preliminary information, he said the car was on its way to Kishtwar from Doda when it rolled down into the fast-flowing river. A police party, along with local volunteers and rafters of JK Adventures who are stationed near the accident site at Shibnote, launched a rescue operation but there was no trace of neither the vehicle nor its four occupations, the official said. Reinforcements have been rushed to the scene and a massive search operation is underway to trace the victims, he added. Former chief minister and Democratic Azad Party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is touring Doda and Kishtwar districts, was spotted at the scene of the ..

JKPSI exam paper leak: CBI conducts searches at seven locations

CBI conducted search operations at seven locations in Jammu, Pathankot, Rewari and Karnal in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector (JKPSI) exam paper leak case.

Militancy in J&K linked to infiltration of terrorists from borders: Report

The ongoing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir is linked with infiltration of terrorists both from the "International Border" as well as the "Line of Control" in J-K, says the MHA Annual Report 2021-22

Multi-pronged approach helps reduce infiltration in J&K: Govt report

Multi-pronged approach has helped reduce terrorist infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir since 2017 with the number of such attempts dropping to 73 in the year 2021, according to a report by the Union Home Ministry. The annual report for 2021-22 made public by the ministry said the Centre in tandem with Jammu and Kashmir administration adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross-border infiltration. This included strengthening of the border infrastructure, multi-tiered deployment along International Border, Line of Control and near the ever changing infiltration routes, construction and maintenance of border fencing, and construction of culverts and bridges on nullahs. The efforts of the security forces were further helped by proving of improved technology, weapons and equipment, improved intelligence and operational coordination, installation of floodlight on the International Border and synergizing intelligence flow to check infiltration and pro-active action against terrorists

Rajeev Chandrasekhar to embark on two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir today

Chandrasekhar will hold interactions with state government officials, students and other stakeholders to broaden engagement in the areas of skilling, innovation and entrepreneurship

Mughal road closed as high altitude areas witness snowfall in J-K

Mughal road, an alternate link connecting Kashmir with rest of the country, was closed for vehicular traffic on Sunday as most of the high altitude area experienced light to moderate snowfall overnight, officials said. However, the traffic on the strategic Srinagar-Jammu National Highway is moving normally despite rains which lashed wide parts of Jammu and Kashmir, they said. More than five inches of snow accumulated on the ground between Poshana and Peer Ki Gali rendering the Mughal road, connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu province with south Kashmir's Shopian district, unsafe, officials said. The weatherman has predicted inclement weather in Jammu and Kashmir with intermittent rains and snowfall till November 10 under the influence of western disturbance. Mughal road usually remains closed for winter months owing to heavy snowfall in 11,433 feet high Peer Ki Gali. A traffic department official said the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is open wit

FM hints at possibility of Centre restorating of state status to J&K

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday hinted at the possibility of the Centre considering restoring state status to Jammu and Kashmir. She dropped the hint while talking about the distribution of funds to the states by the Centre as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission. Delivering a lecture on Centre-State relations here, Sitharaman said Prime Minister Narendra Modi without any hesitation had accepted the recommendation of 14th Finance Commission in 2014-15 that 42 per cent of all taxes-- an increase from 32 per cent till then-- should be given to the states. "That Finance Commission said now you raise it to 42 per cent...which means that Centre will have a lesser amount in its hand. Prime Minister Modi, without a second thought about it, fully accepted the Finance Commission and that is why today states get 42 per cent of the amount--now reduced by 41 per cent because Jammu and Kashmir is no longer a state. "It will soon become may be sometime...,

Terror funding case: ED attaches J-K separatist Shabir Shah's house

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached Jammu and Kashmir separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah's Srinagar house as part of a money laundering probe linked to a case of fuelling terrorist activities in the union territory. The house, worth Rs 21.80 lakh, is located in Botshah colony, Sanat Nagar, in Srinagar's Barzulla police station area, officials said. The money laundering case against Shah stems from a FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in May 2017 against Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and others under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). "Shabir Ahmad Shah was actively involved in the activities of fuelling unrest in Kashmir valley by way of stone pelting, processions, protests, bandhs, hartals and other subversive activities. "He was involved in receiving funds from terrorist organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and other terrorists outfits based in Pakistan as well as from the Pakistani establishment throu

India rejects references to Jammu and Kashmir in China-Pakistan statement

India on Thursday rejected references to Jammu and Kashmir in a China-Pakistan joint statement during Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's visit to Beijing. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the references were "unwarranted" and India consistently rejected such statements. The Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India, he said. On China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor (CPEC), Bagchi said India consistently conveyed "protests and concerns" to China and Pakistan as it includes projects in the "sovereign territory" of India. We resolutely reject any attempts to utilise such projects to change the status quo in that area, Bagchi said. The joint statement was issued after talks between Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Surprising Karan Singh sidestepped Rijuju's hit job on Nehru: Jairam Ramesh

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday criticised party colleague Karan Singh for "sidestepping" Union minister Kiren Rijuju's "hit job" on Jawaharlal Nehru's role in Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India. The Congress general secretary's remarks come over an article by Karan Singh on Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India in an English daily in which Ramesh said he had defended his father and erstwhile ruler Hari Singh. Reacting to the piece, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Ramesh said on Twitter, "There is not a single scholarly and serious work on J&K that portrays Maharaja Hari Singh in good light." "Even this authoritative work by VP Menon doesn't make Hari Singh a wronged man. It is hence natural that his son Dr. Karan Singh defends him in the HT today," Ramesh said, sharing the screenshot of the cover of a book by Menon. "What I find surprising though is that Dr.Karan Singh has sidestepped Rijuju's hit job on Nehru. This the same Nehru without

Kashmir apple rates down by 30%, growers seek govt support to curb losses

A bumper apple production in Kashmir this season has failed to cheer up growers as their produce is being sold at nearly 30 per cent lower rates than last year. Faced with huge losses, apple farmers have now sought government intervention. The Kashmiri apple hogged the headlines in September after an uproar over frequent disruption in its transportation from the orchards in the valley to markets outside the Union territory, including Azadpur Mandi, Asia's largest wholesale market. Kashmir produces about 75 per cent of the total apple crop in the country and is considered the backbone of its economy, contributing about 8.2 per cent to Jammu and Kashmir's GDP. "The rates of apple coming from Kashmir this season are down by about 30 per cent compared to 2021, and there is no doubt the growers are suffering huge losses. It is very difficult for them to overcome the losses without government support," Chamber of Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Traders president Metha Ram Kriplani told ...