An amount of Rs 2,400 crore will be invested in Jammu and Kashmir during the next five years to give boost to the tourism sector, which is considered as the backbone of the state economy, with the government laying special focus on unexplored and new regions like Kargil. This was stated by the Secretary, Tourism, J&K, Farooq Shah, on the sidelines of a function in Mumbai last night. Shah, along with other state functionaries was in Mumbai to promote the state’s rich culture, serene beauty and unmatchable landscapes. “The Union…
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Business
Curbs on big fat weddings leave a bitter taste for Valley Chefs
The state government’s order to check extravagant wedding celebrations has not gone down well with ‘wazas’ (traditional chefs) and other stakeholders while others remain sceptical about the implementation of the government order. Even as people had already started booking wazas ahead of the wedding season that usually starts after mid-April and lasts till October-end, the chefs now fear another year of loss. “Last year, our business took a hit due to the unrest. Now, the government order will again hit us hard and we fear another year of loss. While…
Read More‘Arbitrary’ checking of vehicles returns on highway, allege transporters
Transporters and commuters have alleged that arbitrary checking of vehicles returned on the Jammu-Srinagar highway stretch passing through Ramban following the reshuffle in Traffic department. “Traffic cops posted on Jammu Srinagar National Highway especially in Ramban district are violating instructions and orders of the the department by taking advantage of absence of officers transferred in recent reshuffle” sources alleged. They said that cops along with official vehicles can be seen after every ten Kilometers ‘waiting for their prey to extract money in the name of entry from the drivers plying…
Read MoreAirAsia begins daily flights between Delhi, Srinagar
Low-cost airline carrier AirAsia started its operations here today with the launch of its morning and evening daily flights between New Delhi and Srinagar. An official statement said the inaugural flight from New Delhi was received by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at Srinagar International Airport at 10 am. Another flight to New Delhi was seen off by the Chief Minister soon after. The airline is also planning to connect Srinagar to many other destinations in the country in coming days. Welcoming the initiative, Mehbooba said the new flights would augur…
Read MoreJK to get back two power projects from NHPC: Baig
‘Pak army created hurdles in peace with India’ Senior PDP leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig Monday said the State will soon get back two power projects from NHPC. “We will soon get back at least two power projects from NHPC. It will make the J&K self sufficient economically and we will also be able to sell power to others besides ending electricity crises in the State,” Baig said while speaking at the PDP office, here during the party meeting. He said they have initiated talks with the Government of…
Read MoreAlmond cultivation on verge of extinction, courtesy govt apathy
With every passing year, the almond orchards in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district are being axed for apples as the government has not shown any interest in promotion of almond cultivation. For the past few years, the area under almond trees has declined as swathes of Karewa land, that was deemed to be the best for cultivation, has come under apple cultivation. Horticulture experts maintain their view about the huge scope of dry fruits in the district as Karewas occupy a considerable area here. While comparing almond and apple preferences, the…
Read MoreAirfare for Kashmir Sector going through the roof
For Tuesday – February 7- the highest fare was around Rs 18,577 for a one way travel and lowest fare was Rs 11,508 with overall average of Rs 13,678 price available with different airlines. Airfares soared to new highs on routes connecting Srinagar with other cities as the only surface link with Kashmir continues to remain a non-certainty due to inclement weather. Tickets for flights to Jammu, less than 45 minutes away by air, went up to several thousands of Rupees. One-way-economy class air travel from Jammu to Srinagar costs…
Read MoreTransfer of hydel projects to state still a distant dream
As the PDP-BJP regime will complete two years of government on March 1 this year, one of the main objectives of the Agenda of Alliance — transfer of hydropower projects from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation — still remains a distant dream. The Jammu and Kashmir Government is still pursuing the matter with New Delhi. The last and only formal meeting with the Union Power Minister over the issue was held on March 16, 2015, giving an indication that the coalition has put the issue on the back-burner. Most of…
Read MoreKashmir remained shut for over 2,000 days in 27 Years
In the past over two-and-half decades when India was making long strides and expanding its wings in the competitive global market, its crown Kashmir witnessed complete shutdown for a cumulative period of over five years on account of ‘hartal calls’ and ‘bandhs’ sponsored by separatists and terror outfits. A State Police Department report revealed that between January 1990 and December 31, 2016, the Valley has witnessed nearly 2,000 ‘hartals’ (shutdowns) on account of bandh calls, completely jamming the wheels of the economy. In addition to this, approximately 2,500 processions and…
Read MoreSnow Carnival beckons tourists at Gulmarg
Snow cricket and snow cycling are new additions to the snow carnival starting January 22 After a summer of discontent, the stage is all set for the snow carnival in the winter wonderland of Gulmarg. From ice hockey to snow cricket to snow sculpting, Gulmarg is gearing up to welcome domestic and foriegn tourists in the 15-day-long festival starting January 22. Situated at an altitude of 2,650 meters, Gulmarg is famous for its lush green meadows world class peaks which is the biggest draw for the skiers during winter. The…
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