Category: Latest News

Latest News

40% of combination drugs putting lives at risk: Doctors’ body

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The Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) has raised concern over the presence of 40 per cent “dangerous” fixed dose combinations (FDCs) of medicines in the markets here. “The state is flooded with unsafe combination drugs putting lives of people at risk. At least 40 per cent of the FDCs in the market are irrational and these risky combinations are jeopardising public health,” said DAK president Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan in a statement issued here. “Though the state has formulated its own essential medicines list, the drugs have not been made available because of…

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Mehbooba may meet Modi today, positive chances for govt formation

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BJP reiterates it is not willing to accept any new conditions from PDP president Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti’s arrival in the Capital and her likely meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow has provided a new hope for re-formation of the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir. BJP sources, however, say its stance on the essentials remains unchanged. Reiterating general secretary Ram Madhav’s views on the issue last week, saffron leaders say they are not willing to accept any “new conditions” from the Jammu and Kashmir ally. “It…

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General category pilgrims from state may miss Hajj this year

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Haj aspirants from the state, whose names did not find a place in the pilgrimage list in the last three years and are entitled to take the journey to Mecca this year, will be selected through draw of lots in the wake of increased number of applications. The number of aspirants entitled to take the pilgrimage this year is 6,900. However, the allotted quota for J&K, including the Government of India’s special allocation for the state, is only 6,121, creating a shortfall of nearly 800 seats. “We are falling short…

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Not possible to form govt in Kashmir: Ram Madhav

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The BJP on Friday refused to accept any new demand from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and said it is not possible to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir on conditions. “We are not ready to accept any new demand. Whatever expectations are there would be possibly fulfilled only after formation of a government,” BJP general secreatary Ram Madhav told reporters here. “It’s not possible to form government on conditions,” he added. He spoke a day after PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

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Six points of discussion from the Mehbooba Mufti-Amit Shah meeting

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PDP president Mehbooba Mufti yesterday had half an hour long meeting with BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi and, for the first time, she brought the matter of ‘Agenda of Alliance’ on which she wanted assurance of forward movement before formation of Government in the State. Mehbooba’s one-to-one meeting with Amit Shah, the first between the two party presidents after the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7, which led to imposition of Governor’s Rule in the State. The PDP president, who was in the national capital to…

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J&K DGP urges Rajasthan, WB police chiefs to ensure safety of Kashmiri students

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Taking cognizance of the reports of alleged harassment of some youths studying outside Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of Police (DGP), K Rajendra Kumar urged his Rajasthan and West Bengal counterparts to ensure safety of the students in their respective states. Kumar was assured that the police would take all possible measures to ensure that the students are not subjected to harassment. “The incidents reported have been properly investigated and the students were found to have no major problem in these institutions,” Kumar was told by both the DGPs. Kumar…

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Sangh puts onus on BJP, says don’t ignore national interests for Govt formation

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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has cautioned against ignoring national interests while taking any political decision on Jammu and Kashmir. Putting onus on the BJP to take a final call on restitching alliance with the PDP, the RSS is reportedly not against Mehbooba Mufti as Chief Minister. The RSS is averse to the idea of accepting any “illogical” demand which will demoralise nationalist forces across the country in general and Jammu and Kashmir in particular. Sources said a threadbare discussion was held on the prevailing political situation in Jammu and…

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BJP sets terms for Mehbooba; Take charge then only we will unveil CBMs

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The Union Government is unlikely to announce any Kashmir-centric confidence- building measures at this point of time even though PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has extended an olive branch to the saffron party for restitching the alliance. The BJP high command has asked Mehbooba to take over as Chief Minister of the state to get the package, both political and financial, as it is opposed to the idea of announcing CBMs before the alliance is restitched. Mehbooba, while addressing party workers at Kupwara in north Kashmir on March 8, had termed…

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State under Rs 8,000 crore burden ahead of Budget

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The PDP-BJP government had created a structural liability of Rs 8,000 crore in the last financial year, making the task enormously difficult for the 2016-17 Budget. In the Budget presented by then Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu on March 22 last year, Rs 4,336 crore was marked under unfunded or additional resources required by using the additional line ‘to be financed through prepositioning of 14th Finance Commission grants’, which was not done during the tenure of the PDP-BJP government and was technically impossible as per financial experts. The Finance Department not…

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BJP says Rs 80,000-cr relief part of CBMs

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In an attempt to woo the “annoyed” PDP leadership for restitching the alliance, the BJP today said the Rs 80,000-crore package was the first step towards “restoration of confidence” and would be followed by more sops from the Centre. Interestingly, this package announced by the Prime Minister was purely meant for rehabilitation of the 2014 flood victims, but the saffron party attempted to give the impression that these funds were part of the confidence-building measures (CBMs) to send a feeler to its coalition partner for early formation of the government.…

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