Category: General News

General News

Alliance with BJP a ‘challenge’ but necessary for taking J&K out of morass: Mehbooba

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday described PDP’s alliance with BJP and the common minimum programme between the two parties as a “challenge” but said it was necessary for bringing out the state from the “morass”. She told the Assembly that PDP had entered into an alliance with BJP to seek national reconciliation on political and economic challenges confronting the state amid her hopes that “leaders at the Centre have understood the ground realities in J&K and they want to improve the situation”, including in the context…

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Working on return of power projects from NHPC : Drabu

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Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu today said the government was working out modalities to enable the return of projects being run by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to J&K. “It is in the Agenda of Alliance. I have had extensive discussions with people in Delhi. Modalities are being worked out. We have worked out three or four modalities and will see which one suits best,” Drabu said while addressing a press conference soon after tabling the Budget in the Assembly. He said he could not give the exact date as…

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Er Rashid marshalled out, NC stages walkout from assembly

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Independent legislator Sheikh Abdul Rashid was marshalled out while opposition National Conference members today boycotted the Budget presentation in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly demanding a statement from the government over the status of magisterial probe into Handwara killings. As soon as Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu rose to present the Budget for 2016-17, Mr Rashid demanded that the government make a statement on the killings in Handwara town which took place during protests against alleged molestation of a girl by an armyman last month. The Independent legislator from Langate, adjoining Handwara…

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Will step down if chair becomes my weakness: CM

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‘Sainik colonies only for state subjects, not for outsiders’ ‘Committed to bring back Kashmiri Pandits to Valley’ ‘Will set up transit accommodations for Pandits till they feel safe to return to their native places’ ‘Self rule can set example for conflict resolution around the world’ CM cites controversial past of NC to counter Omar’s tirade Invoking her father’s vision for peaceful and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti Saturday said she won’t hesitate to step down if the chair becomes her weakness in this pursuit. In her first…

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Mehbooba’s speech vindicates RSS game-plan: Kashmir Economic Alliance

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In a statement, Khan said the Chief Minister’s statement that Sainik Colony would be constructed for state subjects contradicts the statement of government spokesman (Naeem Akther) who said no such colony would be constructed. Day after she remarked in the State Assembly that asking Kashmiri migrant Pandits to restart their lives in their native places in Kashmir “is like putting pigeons among cats”, the J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday faced a massive flak for her statement, with the Kashmir Economic Alliance stating that her speech has “only furthered…

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Congress, National Conference MLAs walked out of assembly over 2014 flood rehabilitation

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The opposition alleged that the ruling PDP-BJP had failed to provide relief to the families affected by floods in September 2014. There was uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly yet again on Saturday as the Congress and National Conference MLAs staged a walk out protesting against inadequate rehabilitation of 2014 flood victims. The opposition MLAs alleged that the ruling PDP-BJP state government has failed to provide relief to the families affected by the devastating floods. On Friday as well, ruckus was seen in the assembly over Handwara unrest where…

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Separatists creating controversy over KP issue unfortunate : Ram Madhav

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BJP general secretary Ram Madhav today said displaced Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of the Kashmiri milieu and questioned separatists in the Valley for creating a controversy over their return. “It is unfortunate that the separatist groups in the Valley are trying to create a controversy out of an issue on which there always existed a near unanimity of opinion in the Valley. Kashmiri Pandits are an integral part of the Kashmiri milieu. “I have myself heard hardline Hurriyat leaders including (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani talking about Pandits as…

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Coalition govt lacks direction, vision: Omar Abdullah

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Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today that the PDP-BJP government led by Mehbooba Mufti lacked “direction and vision” as there was no clarity on the industrial policy, Sainik and Pandit colonies and various other issues which had come to the fore in the last one month. Omar said this while participating in the debate on motion of thanks to Governor’s address in the Assembly here today. He said the Governor’s address usually reflects the report card of the government and its vision for the next one year. However, there…

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Modi to inaugurate Chenani – Nashri tunnel on July 16

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The much-awaited Chenani-Nashri tunnel on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway will be thrown open for traffic on July 16, according to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the 9.2-km tunnel which will reduce the distance by 31 km between Jammu and Srinagar. The tunnel will bypass major tourist resorts and towns, like Kud, Patnitop and Batote. The Chenani area located on the tunnel’s south end will be connected to the Nashri area on its north end. The construction work for India’s longest tunnel was…

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Set Up Sainik colonies in Kashmir : State BJP President

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We’ll take up issue with Government: President Sharma Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which runs the coalition Government with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, on Wednesday pushed for setting up of Sainik colonies in Kashmir. The BJP reiterated its demand for setting up Sainik colonies in the Valley at a time when the PDP-led Government is under attack over the proposal and has been reiterating that there was no land available for setting up such clusters. “Our stand is clear. We (BJP) are for setting up Sainik Colonies for…

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