Category: General News

General News

Talks on Kashmir can be held only at highest level: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

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Even as the Narendra Modi government has articulated its intent to address the festering Kashmir issue — both houses of Parliament have seen a substantive debate on this — the Hurriyat Conference has indicated its willingness for a dialogue with the Centre but with the caveat that meaningful talks can only be held at the highest political level. “It is better to have a dialogue at the level of the home minister and prime minister, like we did during (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee’s time,” Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq told Kashmir…

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Jammu sizzling in heat wave, cold summer for Kashmir Valley

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As the Jammu division is facing a heat wave, the Valley is coping with a cold summer and storms. The mercury in the Jammu region has crossed 40°C and is expected to rise further. The heat wave is expected to intensify next week in parts of Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur districts, according to the Srinagar meteorological centre, which monitors the weather across the state. Director of the meteorological centre Sonam Lotus said dry and hot weather was likely to continue throughout the state for the next one week and…

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GOI’s top priority is peace with zero tolerance for militancy: Amit Shah

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that ensuring peace in the state was the top priority of the Centre and assured that results on ground would be seen in the next month. He has also said the Centre would act tough against terror funding and there would be more raids by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the state. “He (Shah) told us peace was his priority. He said he had passed strict instructions to the officers to ensure peace. You will see results in next one month……

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Srinagar, Jammu likely to get ‘Light Metro’, work may begin by year-end

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Jammu and Srinagar will soon get Light Rail Transit System corridors – a sort of light metro and detail project reports (DPR) for both the places have been completed, officials said. The much-hyped project will be managed by Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MRDA) which was formed recently by the government to expedite various schemes. MRDA managing director Rajeev Ranjan said the project report will be submitted before the Union cabinet for final approval by the next month. “If everything goes according to plan, the work on these prestigious projects could…

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Srinagar, Sonawari, Awantipora prone to fresh floods: Reports

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A disaster management report has revealed that the state has witnessed abrupt changes in the climate over the years and 13 districts here are among 100 districts in India which have been declared as multi-hazard districts.” “Majority areas of the valley, especially Sonawari, Awantipora and Srinagar, along with parts of Jammu are prone to floods. Upper catchments of all the tributaries of the Jhelum, Indus, Chenab and Tawi rivers are prone to flash floods,” the report said. All these areas were worst hit by September-2014 floods and are prone to…

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BJP sets 35 seat target for J&K, foresees to form next govt on its own

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The BJP has set a target of winning at least 35 seats on its own in the forthcoming Assembly poll so as to have its own Chief Minister in this only Muslim-majority state of the country. Notably, the saffron party had taken lead in 27 Assembly segments in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections. During its state executive committee, held first time after the Lok Sabha elections, the party leadership was confident about improving its performance in the Assembly elections as compared to the Lok Sabha poll. “We have devised a…

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Saffron party in a fix as opposition puts pressure on delimitation panel

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The BJP is in a fix as opposition parties have stepped up the pressure to set a deadline for the delimitation of the Assembly seats to end the “bias” against the Jammu and Ladakh regions. Although the BJP has, from time to time, promised setting up a delimitation panel to redraw Assembly constituencies in its election manifesto, party leaders were non-committal on setting any deadline for the exercise to “empower” neglected regions of the state. Saffron party leaders are supporting the setting up of a delimitation panel, but they are…

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Protecting the state’s Integrity & Unity high on our agenda: Farooq Abdullah

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National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah Friday asserted that protecting the unity, integrity of state was the primary goal of the party besides materialising the idea of a welfare state as enshrined in Naya Kashmir document. Addressing delegations, individuals at his residence, Farooq said, “The primary goal of the party is to protect the territorial integrity, identity, special status and the pluralistic visage of the state. The party has always rendered immense sacrifices for the protection of the interests of our state. However, the situation we are facing today is…

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Government toys with Delimitation Commission in J&K

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Home Minister Amit Shah has hit the ground running, as expected. With a catalogue of review meetings, Shah has many crucial things on his agenda including redrawing the long pending delimitation of constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir. With President’s Rule operational in the strife-torn state, Shah has already had a closed-door meeting with Governor Satyapal Malik. He also met Director Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba. Almost in parallel, it is believed that the Jammu and Kashmir Division in the vast swathe of Ministry of Home Affairs…

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Over 100 rebels, 59 security personnel killed, 50 new youth took guns in 2019

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There has been a steady rise in the number of youths taking up arms in the valley since 2014 onwards as compared to 2010-2013, according to the data presented in Parliament. Over 100 rebels, including 23 foreigners, have been killed in Kashmir in the first five months of 2019, but what is keeping the security establishment worried is the large number of new recruits, officials said on Sunday. According to them, 50 youngsters have joined various terror outfits since March and the security establishment needs to find a better way…

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