Month: March 2016

Kashmir residents get no reason to smile

Editor

People in the Valley have expressed disappointment over the Union Budget, saying it has no political or economic relief for the people of the state. Locals said they had high political and economic expectations from the Budget but there was no mention of any new project in the state, which has been suffering economically for the past two decades. “For Kashmir, which is without a government at present, the Budget carried political expectations. It could have made the way easy for the PDP and the BJP. There is nothing for…

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Govt with PDP soon, AFSPA to stay, says BJP

Editor

BJP legislature party leader Nirmal Singh Sunday said that the BJP and PDP would soon resume their alliance to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir, and its prime objective would be good governance. “Our agenda was to give good governance, and almost the same agenda will be pursued by the next government, for which Mehbooba Mufti is the favoured CM candidate,” said Singh, who was deputy chief minister in the government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Speaking to the media at the district BJP headquarters here, Singh said, “There…

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PDP ‘sheep in wolf’s clothing’ created to ‘sabotage’ Kashmir struggle: Hurriyat (G)

Editor

Hurriyat (G) on Monday criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti over her statement that people in India enjoy freedom of expression in the backdrop of JNU controversy. Terming PDP as the creation of secret agencies to what he said “sabotaging” the “just and genuine struggle of Kashmiri people”, a spokesman said that the statement of Mehbooba was against the ground realities. “This party had definitely chosen the green color and pen-inkpot but this too was selected under a well thought out plan and its only purpose was…

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Budget turned damper for traders, tourism players

Editor

The Union Budget has failed to cheer up Jammu and Kashmir traders and stakeholders of the tourism sector. While the Valley was hoping to hear the announcement of a flood rehabilitation package, others say the state has been ignored by the Narendra Modi-led government. “Modi had said this Budget was his exam. However, he has failed the Kashmir exam. Even though we do not have any hope from New Delhi, the flood-affected businessmen and people continue to face neglect from the Centre,” said Siraj Ahmad, chairman, Association of Hotel &…

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Jammu retail traders face online shopping heat

Editor

A slump in the market, coupled with a huge boom in online shopping, has brought the traders and business community of the winter capital on the edge, as losses of retail business outlets mount. Disturbed over the losses, traders and businessmen have requested the government to keep a check and impose taxes on online shopping products to keep the market stable. The deserted markets and idle shopkeepers in Jammu were already presenting signs of how global recession was resulting in losses. The traders have been forced to sell their winter…

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Locals protest move to establish firing range in Akhnoor

Editor

Opposing the move to establish Army firing range in Akhnoor, residents of the area today protested in huge numbers under the leadership of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) senior vice-president Sham Lal Sharma by blocking the Jammu-Rajouri highway for four hours. Villagers said the proposal would be a threat to the lives of thousands of people and their property. Sham Lal Sharma lambasted BJP MLAs, MPs and ministers and said without their consent this SRO 462 wouldn’t have been published, which clearly stated that any type of land either agricultural or…

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Kargil council submits memorandum to Guv

Editor

A delegation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, called on Governor NN Vohra at the civil secretariat here today and submitted him a memorandum highlighting various demands and issues of people of Kargil district. The delegation led by Muhammad Haneefa Jan, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC-Kargil, urged the Governor to maintain the existing scale of rations supply to Kargil district under the National Food Security Act; sanctioning of additional quota of kerosene to Kargil district; inclusion of Kargil under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation; funds…

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Budget a damp squib, PDP hopes dashed

Editor

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley makes Mehbooba’s task of forming government with BJP tough The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has turned to be a damp squib for Jammu and Kashmir as it has nothing to offer to the state, making it tough for the PDP to re-stitch an alliance with the BJP and form a government. It has brought huge disappointment for the PDP, which had sought new confidence-building measures (CBMs), including economic concessions, from the Centre before realigning with the saffron party. It was being…

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