Category: Business

Business

Kashmir Tourism hit big time, almost all package bookings cancelled

Editor

Rs. 3,000-crore losses last year; shortfall to increase manifold this year Tourism, the mainstay of J&K’s economy, has been the worst hit by the ongoing turmoil in the Kashmir valley as the majority of the tourists have cancelled their bookings for the months of May and June. The state already witnessed an unprecedented decline in tourist footfalls in March and April. “Almost 100 per cent of the package bookings of tourists, who had planned to visit Kashmir after visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine and other religious places in the Jammu…

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IT companies bear the brunt of internet gag in Kashmir

Editor

‘Several tech-based projects in limbo; 15,000 IT workers impacted’ Ambitious projects being handled by local Information Technology companies are in a limbo now as the 3G/4G internet services continue to be suspended forcing these firms to suffer massive losses, many IT stakeholders said on Wednesday. Jehangir Raina, president, Information Communications Technology Association of J&K (ICTA) a conglomerate of 45 IT companies said high-speed mobile internet has become backbone for micro and smaller companies who cannot afford lease lines and radio links. “Out of the 15,000 workforce which means 3000-4000 IT…

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Narendra Modi to launch low-cost air connectivity scheme today

Editor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch on Friday a regional air connectivity scheme under which the fares of flights will be capped at Rs 2500 per seat per hour. Modi will flag off a flight from Shimla to Delhi to launch the ‘UDAN’ (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme which is aimed at boosting regional connectivity. Simultaneously, flights will be launched on Kadapa– Hyderabad and the Nanded-Hyderabad sectors. ‘UDAN’ is a first-of-its-kind scheme globally to stimulate regional connectivity through a market-based mechanism, the PMO said in a tweet. “To make…

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Kashmir Inc questions govt decision to provide 24X7 power to Jammu industries only

Editor

Senior President, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Javeed Ahmad Bhat in a statement termed the recent announcements as “partiality within the regions of the state”. At a time when Industrial Estates in Kashmir continue to suffer from unscheduled and pesky power cuts, the Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh’s announcement of uninterrupted power supply to Jammu industry has been termed as “selective and biased towards the three districts of Jammu region” by valley based business leaders. The Deputy Chief Minister, while addressing a function in Samba recently has said that…

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Sale of online chopper tickets for Amarnath Yatra from April 25

Editor

Online booking of tickets for the helicopter service for the annual Amarnath Yatra will begin from April 25, a top official said today. Umang Narula, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said that advance online booking of helicopter tickets for this year’s yatra will commence at 10 AM on Tuesday. SASB has made arrangements with UTAir India Pvt Ltd and Global Vectra Helicorp Ltd for the Neelgrath-Panjtarni- Neelgrath sector and with Himalayan Heli Services Pvt Ltd for the Pahalgam-Panjtarni-Pahalgam sector for providing helicopter services for Amarnathji…

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Gulmarg ‘Best Mountain Destination’: Survey

Editor

Gulmarg has been voted the best mountain destination in the country on the basis of an online survey conducted by a leading media group. Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma gave away the award at a function organised in New Delhi. Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh were also awarded in other categories. The award for Jammu and Kashmir was received by Shahnawaz A Shah, Officer on Special Duty (Publicity) in the Tourism Department; Galib Shah, secretary, Royal Springs Golf Course, Srinagar; and Manav Gupta, secretary, Jammu Tawi golf course. Speaking…

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Govt takes Kashmir on ransom with internet curbs: KCCI

Editor

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Inc) has accused the state government of holding Valley’s business community on ransom by curbing internet services. KCCI, in a statement, expressed its serious concern over the methods adopted by the administration to overcome the perpetual unrest in the valley. It said the ‘curbs and crush’ method has been causing more harm to the normal activity of life than achieving any desirable result towards restoration of peace in the state. “While the unabated use of pellets and bullets here and there every now and…

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Businesses in distress due to deteriorating situation across Kashmir

Editor

Investment dries up, sales plummet, say biz community With deteriorating situation due to civilian killings and followed after protests in Kashmir, the business community here are a distressed lot, as the new investments have dried up, while sales and business transactions are witnessing downward trends. As more than 10 civilians were killed in forces action during this month leading to subsequent protests virtually leading to closure of commercial activities, the business community are apprehensive about the future business prospects, terming the situation as “gloomy”. At the same time people are…

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Bollywood stars come calling to Valley

Editor

The efforts of the government to bring Bollywood back to the Valley bore some fruit today as a film crew shot at the picturesque Tulip Garden in the foothills of the Zabarwan range. Even as schedules of several film shootings had been cancelled last year due to the unrest, the authorities say more stars were coming to the Valley in the coming days that would renew Kashmir’s Bollywood connection. “Star cast of movie ‘India Tujhe Salaam’ starring Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana and Aarya Babbar, son of veteran star Raj Babbar,…

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Fearful election staff show up for duty after ‘Assurances, Suspension Threats’

Editor

Nearly 50 per cent of the polling staff was absconding till Wednesday afternoon in violence-hit Budgam, indicating their fear to be a part of the election process after the violence during bypoll in the Srinagar constituency on April 9. Officials deputed for the poll duty in Budgam, where repoll at 38 polling stations took place on Thursday, had not reported to their duties. However, after assurance of security and threat of suspension by the government, the officials showed up in the evening. Imran Nazir, an official, was deployed in the…

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