Month: May 2016

Only 4 of 117 traffic violations catch eye of police

Editor

The Indian road rules, titled “Rules of the Road Regulation”, brought into effect in 1989, cover seven major traffic offences related to documents, driving, towing, pollution, motor vehicles, commercial vehicles and parking. In Jammu and Kashmir, wrong parking, non-possession of driving licence or registration certificate of the vehicle and driving without a helmet are the only cognisable offences while many in the list of 117 other offences either go unnoticed or do not catch the attention of the Traffic Department. Most of the offences are penalised through cash payment or…

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Desist from settling non-locals in Kashmir: Jamiat Ahle Hadees to Govt

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Jamiat Ahle Hadees on Sunday asked the state government to “desist” from settling non-locals in Kashmir so that peace would not be disturbed in the state. “Under the garb of establishing colonies’ for Sainiks and Pandits and by virtue of new Industrial policy, NEET, shelters for homless, the state government is trying to settle non-locals in Kashmir,” Chief Jamiat Ahle Hadees Ghulam Muhamamd Bhat Al Madni said in his address during “Islam: Deen Ikhlaq Conference’ . “Government should desist from settling non-locals in Kashmir so that peace in the state…

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Mehbooba’s speech vindicates RSS game-plan: Kashmir Economic Alliance

Editor

In a statement, Khan said the Chief Minister’s statement that Sainik Colony would be constructed for state subjects contradicts the statement of government spokesman (Naeem Akther) who said no such colony would be constructed. Day after she remarked in the State Assembly that asking Kashmiri migrant Pandits to restart their lives in their native places in Kashmir “is like putting pigeons among cats”, the J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday faced a massive flak for her statement, with the Kashmir Economic Alliance stating that her speech has “only furthered…

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Kashmir Inc expects sops for handicraft, tourism sectors

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Youths seek development of higher education, job opportunities Kashmir Inc is expecting major sops for the tourism, horticulture, power and handicraft sectors in the annual Budget which is to be presented in the Assembly tomorrow. Youths too are hoping for sops for development of entrepreneurial ventures as unemployment remains a major concern in the state. “The tourism sector was hit hard after September, 2014, floods and major concessions should be announced for its revival. We are especially hopeful of service tax and value added tax (VAT) exemption on food items.…

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Tosa Maidan thrown open to public

Editor

The picturesque Tosa Maidan meadow in Budgam district, vacated by army in 2014, was today officially opened to public by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The Chief Minister declared it open with the inauguration of a 3-day ‘Tosa Maidan Festival’ in the midst of the sprawling pasture circled by sky-touching Deodars. During the festival,activities like horse riding, trekking and mountaineering will be organised to promote the area as an adventure tourism destination. Speaking on the occasion, Mehbooba said Tosa Maidan will be brought on the tourist map of the state without…

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AFSPA must for army to operate in Kashmir : Manohar Parrikar

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The Indian Army cannot operate in civilian areas without a contentious act that gives it sweeping special powers, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said, amid demands from several quarters that the act be revoked from Jammu and Kashmir and the North-Eastern states where it is in operation. “My department’s role comes into the picture when the army is asked to proceed and act in a certain area. At that time, the army requires protection,” Parrikar told a news agency in an interview, referring to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act…

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No SDA scheme for homeless in Srinagar yet : Nirmal Singh

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The J&K government has said that there is no approved scheme in the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) for establishing housing colonies in the city for the homeless. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who holds Housing and Urban Development portfolio, told the Assembly yesterday that there is “no approved scheme in the Srinagar Development Authority for establishing housing colonies for homeless families in Srinagar at this stage.” The minister was responding to a question from legislator Abid Hussain Ansari who had asked about the steps taken by the SDA for establishing…

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BJP bats for establishment of Sainik Colony, Mehbooba hints no separate colonies for KP’s

Editor

Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba said the position of the government is that it does not have any land available in Srinagar, Pulwama and Budgam districts for setting up such a colony. BJP on Saturday favoured setting up of Sainik Colony in Kashmir after its alliance partner PDP virtually rejected a proposal in this regard citing non-availability of land for non-state subjects. “BJP is in favour of setting up Sainik Colony in Kashmir as well as resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits. If a Sainik Colony can be set up in Jammu,…

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Congress, National Conference MLAs walked out of assembly over 2014 flood rehabilitation

Editor

The opposition alleged that the ruling PDP-BJP had failed to provide relief to the families affected by floods in September 2014. There was uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly yet again on Saturday as the Congress and National Conference MLAs staged a walk out protesting against inadequate rehabilitation of 2014 flood victims. The opposition MLAs alleged that the ruling PDP-BJP state government has failed to provide relief to the families affected by the devastating floods. On Friday as well, ruckus was seen in the assembly over Handwara unrest where…

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Separatists creating controversy over KP issue unfortunate : Ram Madhav

Editor

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav today said displaced Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of the Kashmiri milieu and questioned separatists in the Valley for creating a controversy over their return. “It is unfortunate that the separatist groups in the Valley are trying to create a controversy out of an issue on which there always existed a near unanimity of opinion in the Valley. Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of the Kashmiri milieu. “I have myself heard hardline Hurriyat leaders including (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani talking about Pandits as…

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