Year: 2016

New Industrial Policy opens gates for non-state subjects in JK

Editor

The new Industrial Policy for Jammu and Kashmir allows non-state subjects to get on lease the land for setting up industries outside the industrial estates in the state with the policy remaining silent on the upper ceiling of the land to be leased out. Officials said this was for the first time that the Government would be allowing the non-state subjects to set up industries at large scale outside the estates in the state with maximum land lease period fixed at 90 years. The move to lease the proprietary/state land…

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Controversies refuse to die down around Mehbooba

Editor

Aaliya Ahmed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is besieged with multiple problems and controversies after she assumed power. Encounters are becoming a routine followed by massive protests and use of force by police and armed forces. Though in Kashmir situation this is nothing unusual, but given the promise by Mehbooba Mufti that she will not tolerate such ugly situations, it is becoming a problem for her commitment to the youth of Kashmir. She recently reiterated her commitment to the youth of Kashmir by promising to heal their wounds during her tenure…

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‘Jashn-e-Wular’ sports festival in Bandipora

Editor

Army in association with J&K Water Skiing and the district administration organised a water sports festival in Asia’s largest fresh water lake from May 9 to 11 under the aegis of Chinar Corps. The three-day sporting festival was aimed at creating awareness amongst the locals residing on the banks of Wular Lake regarding the tourism potential of the vast natural resource . The sporting festival saw the local fishing community from 16 villages actively participating in a boat race competition. The boat races was organized in three categories -single man,…

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Police officer arrested on rape charges in Akhnoor

Editor

Policewoman taken into custody for abetting the crime A sub-inspector (SI) has been arrested on the charge of raping a woman at a police station in the Akhnoor subdivision for two successive nights six months ago. A policewoman was taken into custody for allegedly abetting the crime. The arrested cop was identified as SI Mohammad Iqbal Chagatta, who was SHO of the Khour police station in Akhnoor subdivision of Jammu district. Iqbal, who was attached to the District Police Lines, Jammu, was accused of raping the woman at the police…

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India making every attempt to dilute J&K’s special status: Mirwaiz

Editor

Condemning the ‘onslaught’ on Kashmir’s specific regional, cultural and religious identity by India, Hurriyat Conference (M) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Wednesday said the interference in the educational and administrative institutions was an attempt to dilute the special status of the state and deny the people of the state control over these institutions. Addressing a public gathering at Shanglipora Noorbagh, the Mirwaiz said placing curbs on the peaceful activities of the separatist leadership is a part of the government policy to ‘strangulate the voice of the leadership and crush’ the people…

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All Weather Leh road ? Keep waiting

Editor

Govt yet to invite bids after Zojila tunnel contract was scrapped on March 3 With the Centre ordering fresh bidding for Rs 10,050 crore Zojila tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, the eagerly awaited project, that will provide all-weather road connectivity to Ladakh, will take more time. The decision to bid afresh for the prestigious project was taken in March by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari following allegations by Congress leader Digvijay Singh in January. Digvijay had alleged that Gadkari violated the Central Vigilance Commission guidelines while…

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Liquor sale goes up in JK despite a ban by militant groups

Editor

Liquor consumption has gone up in Jammu and Kashmir as 10.16 lakh more bottles were sold in the state in 2015 than the previous year. As many as 556.67 lakh bottles of liquor, including IMFL, Desi Whiskey, beer and ready to drink were sold in 2015 as compared to 546.51 lakh bottles in 2014 thereby registering an increase of 10.16 lakh bottles, liquor consumption data released by the state Excise Department has revealed. Similarly, 520.75 lakh bottles of all types of liquor were sold in 2013-14 as compared to 500.37…

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Handwara Girl’s parents say no to police protection

Editor

The parents of Handwara minor girl, who is at the centre of the controversy involving an alleged molestation bid by an Army man, in their undertaking before the J&K High Court have said that the family do not require any police protection or protective custody and wish to move freely and reside at any place of their choice. In the affidavit, which was today submitted to the High Court, the girl’s father has alleged that they were under wrongful custody of the Handwara police since April 2012. The HC had…

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No plan to lift AFSPA from state: Govt

Editor

NC MLA takes part in signature drive against Act The government has no plans to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. “No, sir,” Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in reply to a written question on whether the government had plans to revoke AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir and northeastern states. Chaudhary said the government had not received any information from its sources about conducive atmosphere prevailing in the states for lifting…

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Civil Service qualifiers from valley relish taste of success

Editor

Deeba Farhat from Bijbehara town of south Kashmir was not content with the 553rd rank she secured last year prompting her not to join the civil services and prepare again. Improving on her performance, she is ranked 281st this time around. “I am not satisfied with my rank and I intend to appear in the exam again,” Deeba had told us in 2015. Deeba is a working Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) officer in the state Rural Development Department. Though she is not entirely satisfied with her ranking but she says she…

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