Year: 2017

Tax reduction on Handicrafts, Walnut to benefit J&K traders: Haseeb Drabu

Editor

J&K Government’s proposal to slash taxes for protecting small traders of the state prevailed in the recent GST Council meet with the forum agreeing to reduction of tax on handicrafts and walnut. “Conceding the demand of the traders involved in the handicrafts sector of the state, J&K Government pleaded with the GST Council in its 21st meeting at Hyderabad recently to consider bringing down the tax rate on handicrafts and walnut from 12 percent to 5 percent,” an official spokesperson said in a written statement. According the spokesperson, Finance Minister…

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BJP looking to Sangh for final call on Kashmir talks

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To initiate dialogue after RSS meet at Bhopal in mid-October Contrary to the statement of BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav, the Centre will take the Sangh Parivar on board before initiating any meaningful dialogue on Kashmir. Instead of taking any hasty decision on talks, the Centre will look into all aspects before taking any step in the matter. Ram Madhav, while addressing media persons at Srinagar on September 21, had announced that the Centre was ready for a dialogue with separatists without any pre-conditions. “We are ready to talk…

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Initiate dialogue with stakeholders in J&K: Concerned Citizens Group

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The Concerned Citizens Group (CCG) today asked New Delhi to initiate dialogue with stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir. “We have read with much hope the statements of the Prime Minister, the Home minister and the BJP leadership on a positive change in policy towards Kashmir’s citizens, as have many Kashmiris,” Sushobha Barve coordinator, Concerned Citizens Group said in a statement. “While looking forward to a concrete follow up, we would like to suggest that in order to operationalise the well-intentioned statements that have so eloquently been made, it is now…

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‘Jammu & Kashmir seeks attention’ posters appear in Geneva

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Posters demanding freedom for Jammu and Kashmir and Indian states Tripura, Nagaland, and Manipur have appeared on metro buses and trams in Geneva while the 36th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is underway in the city. The Pakistan Television Network (PTV) official Twitter account shared this information on Monday night with images. It has yet to be ascertained who put up the posters. Earlier in September, Ambassador Farukh Amil, the permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN had written to the Swiss authorities to bring attention…

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60 Students identified behind April 2017 protests in Kashmir, Suspects Separatists role in fuelling crisis: NIA

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The National Investigation Agency and Jammu and Kashmir Police are currently investigating nearly 60 students for taking part in stone-pelting and “provoking violence” during the students’ protests in April 2017, of which nearly 35 have already been questioned. The police and NIA also suspect that separatist leaders funded the April 2017 students’ protests, and the recent NIA summons to Aala Fazili, a PHD student in University of Kashmir’s pharmacy department, is part of the investigation. “The police have identified at least 60 students who took part in the April 2017…

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Army supported the hair chopper in malwan Kulgam

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People in Malwan Kulgam on late Monday claimed the army rescued an alleged braid chopper, whom they said they had apprehended near the nearby graveyard outside a mosque in the village. Civil administration said they have ordered investigations into the allegations. Local residents said that they had been following a suspicious man for the last two days, who they claimed was behind the mysterious braid chopping incidents in the village. The “man” in question is being refered to many as “bhoot”, the ghost. “As we were going towards Masjid to…

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You may soon use biometrics to enter airports

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The government has begun work on ensuring a completely paperless aircraft boarding process under which a mobile phone is all that will be required to board domestic flights in India. The aviation ministry is linking the databases of airlines and airports with passenger IDs such as Aadhaar and passport numbers for this. Once this happens, says aviation secretary R N Choubey, passengers will be able to use biometrics to prove identity before entering terminals and will not have to show ID cards. A flight ticket or eticket will not be…

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Govt announces no construction zones along highway

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Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan Monday announced ‘No-Construction zone’ along the Srinagar-Jammu highway within periphery of 100 meters. It was observed that rampant illegal constructions are going on along the highway against the norm. In this connection, blanket ban has been imposed on any kind of construction along the highway with periphery of 100 meters which has been declared No-Construction Zone. Divisional Commissioner directed all Deputy Commissioners of the Valley including Leh and Kargil to implement this order in letter & spirit. He asked them to personally look into…

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Minorities worried after armed rallies by saffron groups: Jammu Muslim Front

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Jammu Muslim Front (JMF) today condemned administration for allowing armed rallies on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh. As per press statement, Front chairman, Shuja Zaffar and its president Imran Qazi said that many deputations have met them in their office and expressed their concern over growing sense of insecurity among the minorities. “The government should investigation as to why these armed rallies were allowed. I don’t know whether the administration would have allowed similar armed rallies if anyone had tried to do so. How can they turn their…

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Search ops launched in Hiranagar after three armed men spotted

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Amid the prevailing tension on the International Border in Hiranagar, an input about the movement of “three armed men” in a border village of Hiranagar sector today kept security agencies — Army, CRPF and Kathua police — on their toes. Immediately after the input, the Army and the police launched a massive search operation in the Maheshechak area of Hiranagar to trace the suspected militants, whom a man had seen in a field. Garrjeet Singh of Maheshechak village said he had seen three armed men suspected to be militants in…

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