India’s leading private banks said on Wednesday they will charge a minimum of Rs 150 for cash deposits and withdrawals after four free transactions in a month, reviving charges that were kept in abeyance briefly after the government scrapped high-value notes in November. HDFC, ICICI and Axis banks will calculate the fee – aimed at reducing cash dealings – at the rate of Rs 5 for every Rs 1,000 transacted or Rs 150, whichever is lower. HDFC and ICICI sources said the fees will be applicable to transactions outside of home…
Read MoreMonth: March 2017
Indo-Pak talks on Indus Water Treaty likely this month
India and Pakistan are expected to hold parleys on various aspects of the Indus Water Treaty in Islamabad later this month, nearly six months after New Delhi decided to suspend talks on the pact in view of the terror strikes by Pakistan-based groups. The meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission will be held before March 31 “as it is mandated” under the treaty, government sources said today. “Under the treaty, it is required that India and Pakistan meet every financial year. If we don’t, then it is going to be…
Read MorePellet Guns in Kashmir Valley goes up from 640 to 5,589
The idea is to adequately equip every unit of the paramilitary with the ‘low-intensity munition’ to deal with frenzied crowd in demonstrations and during counterinsurgency operations This summer, the use of controversial 12 bore pump action guns with pellet shots is set to grow in a big way in the Kashmir Valley. The weapon blinded and grievously injured many last year when it was used to disperse protesters hurling stones and lashing provocative slogans against security forces. Currently, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has 640 pump action guns, widely…
Read MoreIslam will be largest religion in the world by 2070: Report
Population of Muslims will grow by 73% between 2010 and 2050 Islam is the only religion growing faster than the world’s population, and it will be the largest in the world by 2070, research has found. US-based Pew Research Centre analysed demographic change among the world’s major religions and found that the world’s population of Muslims will grow by 73 per cent between 2010 and 2050, compared to 35 per cent for Christians, the next fastest-growing faith. The world’s population will grow by 37 per cent over the same period.…
Read MoreAdmin aims to address traffic problem in Valley by 2018
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said it would complete major road projects this year in order to provide better connectivity and ensure effective traffic management in the Valley. “By next year, the problem of traffic congestion in Srinagar city and other towns will be addressed to a large extent,” Minister for Public Works Naeem Akhter said at a meeting here yesterday. “Major initiatives are afoot to provide better road connectivity and ensure effective traffic management in the Kashmir valley along with the completion of major road and infrastructure projects,”…
Read MoreGovt closing all its orphanages; to set up 2 Boarding Schools
The J&K government has decided to wind up all its orphanages and instead set up two Boarding Schools for orphans to ensure their overall development under one roof. “We plan to establish quality Boarding Schools one each in Srinagar and Jammu,” Minister for Social Welfare Sajad Lone told Kashmir Post. He said that the process for identifying the buildings in the two capital cities has started and the Boarding Schools will be made functional soon. Elaborating, the Minister said that the basic motive behind the move is to ensure overall…
Read MoreSrinagar-Jammu highway reopens for light vehicles
The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Wednesday reopened to one-way traffic of light motor vehicles after being blocked due to a massive landslide on the Banihal-Ramban stretch. “Light motor vehicles have now been allowed to move from Nagrota towards Srinagar after partial restoration of the highway,” an official said. The highway was closed due to the landslide triggered by rain at Mehar in Ramban district on Monday night. Almost the entire stretch of the highway in the area had come under boulders and debris.
Read MoreFinally, Chenani-Nashri tunnel ready, PMO to finalise date of Inauguration
With the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) conveying to the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the completion of the country’s longest Chenani-Nashri road tunnel, it is expected to be inaugurated after March 7. The exact date will be finalised after the PMO communicates the availability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the inauguration ceremony. Earlier, the PMO had sought clearance from the NHAI regarding the opening of the much-awaited 9.2-km tunnel. “The NHAI conveyed to the PMO that the tunnel was all set to be inaugurated as all work had…
Read MoreUS Researchers discover ancient primate species in Kashmir
“Among the primates, the most common ones in the Kashmir region are from a genus called Sivapithecus, which were ancestral forms of orangutans,” Patel said. Researchers have discovered a new primate species that lived in Jammu and Kashmir some 11 to 14 million years ago. Scientists have named the new species Ramadapis sahnii. It is a member of the ancient Sivaladapidae primate family, consumed leaves and was about the size of a house cat, said study co-author Biren Patel, Associate Professor at Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California…
Read MorePDP-BJP govt’s performance must be reviewed periodically: Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) stalwart Dattatreya Hosabale today hinted that the PDP-BJP political agreement in J&K is not a permanent coalition. He suggested that its performance should be reviewed after repeated intervals. Addressing ‘Samnway Baithak’ (coordination meeting) of various organisations associated with the Sangh Parivar, Dattatreya said the ideology was paramount for the parivar and there was no reason to compromise on it. Although Dattatreya did not mention the PDP-BJP alliance in his address, he made a veiled remark towards the coalition between the two parties having diametrically opposite ideologies.…
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