Page 7 - Kashmir

J&K govt approves Rs 329 crore project to be self reliant in mutton sector

In a bid to boost production and reduce import costs, the Jammu and Kashmir government has approved a Rs 329 crore project for the next five years to achieve self reliance in mutton sector. He said that the project is aimed at creating 6,000 jobs besides setting up of 122 enterprises in the mutton sector in the Union Territory. "In view of huge mutton usage in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Kashmiri cuisine and in order to reduce meat import, the government has approved an ambitious Rs 329 crore project for next five years to achieve self reliance in mutton sector", Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department (APD), Atal Dulloo said. The initiative also envisages achieving self-reliance in the mutton sector through a combination of innovative interventions including vertical upgrades, horizontal expansion besides focused attention on health cover and nutrition, he said. Despite the region's competitive advantage and potential to become self-reliant in the ..

Way forward in ties with India is Modi restoring Kashmir's status: Khan

Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan has said that the only way forward in relations with India is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi restores the special status of Kashmir. In 2019, Indian Parliament revoked Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. "India had revoked the special status for Kashmir. Now the only way forward in holding talks with India is first the Modi administration restores it," Khan told PTI on Tuesday evening while interacting with foreign media at his Lahore's Zaman Park residence. To another question about rule of law, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader said, "There will be no future for Pakistan if there is no rule of law. Take India for example. It progressed because of rule of law." Khan is looking up to the judiciary to "protect the Constitution" and "foil" the ruling PML(N)-led coalition's design to delay elections in Pakista

'Harbours deep sense of insecurity', India slams Pak over Kashmir at UN

India has slammed Pakistan for raking up the Kashmir issue in the UN, saying Islamabad harbours a deep sense of insecurity and orchestrated hatred for India and its secular credentials. Responding to Pakistan's raising of the Kashmir issue during a UN General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, Counsellor in India's Permanent Mission to the UN, Rajesh Parihar, said on Monday that Islamabad repeatedly utters falsehoods about India. "I'm constrained to take the floor to respond to the frivolous remarks made by the representative of Pakistan against my country. While such a statement deserves our sympathy for a mindset, which repeatedly utters falsehood, it is important for me to set the record straight, he said in the UNGA. Parihar said irrespective of what the representative of Pakistan believes or covets, the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were, are and will always be an "integral and inalienable" part of India. We expect nothing new from this delegation that harbours a dee

Massive anti-encroachment drive launched in Kashmir; state land retrieved

Authorities in Kashmir launched a massive anti-encroachment drive here on Tuesday, bulldozing illegal structures to recover over 500 'kanals' of land from influential people including former ministers and kin of an ex-chief minister. One acre is equal to eight 'kanals'. The recovered land includes 40 kanals allegedly occupied by the owners of Hotel Nedou's at MA Road here, officials said after the drive conducted by revenue department in Srinagar and Anantnag districts. Nedou's owners are related to the Abdullahs of the National Conference, they said. The officials said the hotel is built on 153 kanals of land of which 40 kanals belong to the government and the rest is leased. They said a boundary wall and a shed were demolished as part of the drive. In Anantnag, ex-minister and former state Congress chief Peerzada Mohammad Syeed, the family of former minister Syed Farooq Andrabi, and heirs of former chief minister Syed Mir Qasim faced the administrative action, the officials ...

Rahul dons 'pheran' in Kashmir's cold as Bharat Jodo Yatra comes to close

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who set off a national debate when he walked the Bharat Jodo Yatra in a T-shirt in north India's cold winter, donned a 'pheran' to ward off Kashmir's bone-freezing chill on Monday. As the snow fell steadily, carpeting much of the Valley in white, the former Congress president was seen in a sleeveless jacket over his trademark white T-shirt earlier in the morning and then in the traditional long cloak worn by Kashmiris. Soon after attending an event at the Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters on Maulana Azad Road here, Gandhi, who walked over 4,000 kilometres in 136 days, emerged in a grey pheran as he headed to the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket stadium for the closing ceremony of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Gandhi's white T-shirt hit the limelight when the yatra entered Delhi, his supporters praising his resilience while his opponents criticised him. Gandhi, on his part, said he decided to wear only T-shirts during the march after meeting three poor girls ...

India's first glass igloo restaurant in Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg

Tourists can be seen enjoying their meals and taking photographs in this glass-wall restaurant

Time to take stock

India's military is unique in facing a multiple-front threat without a long-term security strategy

Cong will hoist national flag in Kashmir: Venugopal on Bharat Jodo Yatra

"NC leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and CPM leader MY Tarigami will join the yatra"

Mehbooba Mufti to join Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said she will be joining the Kashmir leg of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" spearheaded by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "I've been formally invited to join @RahulGandhi ji for his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir today. Salute his indomitable courage and I believe it is my duty to stand with someone who has the courage to challenge fascist forces. Will be joining him in his march towards a better India," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said in a tweet. National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah is also expected to take part in the yatra when it enters Jammu and Kashmir.

Frame rehabilitation policy for Kashmir's houseboat owners: Parl panel

A parliamentary committee has recommended formulation of a rehabilitation policy for Kashmir's houseboat owners who want to leave their traditional business and go for alternative livelihood opportunities. A houseboat is designed or modified to be used primarily as a guest house and found on the famous Dal Lake and other water bodies in Kashmir. Most of the houseboats are not motorised as they are usually moored or kept stationary at a fixed point. These are built on deodar wood, which does not decompose in water. "The committee recommends that a rehabilitation policy may also be formulated for those houseboat owners who want to cease their houseboat business," the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs said in a report. The panel takes note of the proposal which is under consideration of the government for providing timber to the houseboat owners at concessional rates for repair or re-construction of their houseboats. The demand of the houseboat owners or 'shikarawalas'

Huge desperation on Pakistan to infiltrate terrorists into Kashmir: Officer

There is huge desperation on the Pakistani side to either infiltrate terrorists or smuggle war-like stores into Kashmir as the number of ultras and arms and ammunition was at an all-time low in the Valley, a senior Army official said on Friday. He said such manoeuvres were seen when the situation was near normal in Kashmir. General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army's 19 Infantry Division Major General Ajay Chandpuria made these remarks while addressing reporters in Baramulla after security forces recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Halanga area of Uri in the north Kashmir district. The situation is near normal in Kashmir valley as the number of terrorists and the availability of war-like stores is at an all-time low. So, there is a huge desperation from the other side to either infiltrate terrorists or smuggle war-like stores, he said. Security forces keep getting such reports on a regular basis and whether it was an attempt by terrori

Cold waves intensify across Kashmir, many places see season's lowest temp

Cold conditions intensified in Kashmir as the minimum temperature dipped several degrees below the freezing point and many places experienced the season's coldest night, officials said Sunday. The valley experienced a dry but colder Christmas this year, the MeT office said. However, there is a possibility of a wet spell next week. The minimum temperature on Saturday night went several degrees below the freezing point and was below normal across the valley except in Gulmarg, the officials said. The intense cold conditions led to freezing of water supply lines in many areas as well as the freezing of the interiors of the Dal Lake, they said. The minimum temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 5.8 degrees Celsius -- down from minus 5.4 degrees Celsius Thursday night, the officials said. The city experienced its coldest night so far this season, they added. The officials said Pahalgam, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 7 deg

EAM Jaishankar slams Pakistan for raking up Kashmir issue in UNSC

India strongly hit back at Pakistan on Wednesday after it raised the Kashmir issue in the UN Security Council, asserting that a country that hosted slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and attacked a neighbouring Parliament does not have the credentials to sermonize" in the power UN organ. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the credibility of the UN depends on its effective response to the key challenges of our times, be it pandemics, climate change, conflicts or terrorism. We are obviously focused today on the urgency of reforming multilateralism. We will naturally have our particular views, but there is a growing convergence at least that this cannot be delayed any further, said Jaishankar, who is chairing India's signature event on reformed multilateralism. While we search for the best solutions, what our discourse must never accept is the normalisation of such threats. The question of justifying what the world regards as unacceptable should not even arise. That certain

Mamaearth apologises for supporting Richa Chadha over 'Galwan' tweet

Beauty and baby care product firm Mamaearth has apologised for supporting actor Richa Chadha in the controversy over her 'Galwan' tweet following social media backlash. Chadha has already apologised for her controversial tweet, which caused a severe backlash on Twitter, with netizens including celebrities, accusing her of mocking the sacrifice of the Indian armed forces. In a tweet, Mamaearth India said, "Mamaearth sincerely regrets hurting any sentiments due to a poorly drafted comment on Twitter. We are a proud Indian company who respects and stands by our armed forces. We do not subscribe to the views shared by any individual who thinks otherwise." Twitter users had called for boycott of the company's products after Mamaearth had waded into the controversy after the actor had tweeted "Galwan says hi" in response to the Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi's statement that the Indian Army is "waiting for orders from the govt (sic)" in reclaiming Pakistan-occupied ...

Raids at residences of scribes over online threats to journos in Kashmir

Police on Thursday carried out raids at multiple locations, including residences of some journalists, in three districts of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the online threats to scribes given by terror outfits. "Searches are going on in multiple locations in Srinagar, Badgam and Pulwama districts in connection with 'online journalists threat' case," Srinagar police tweeted. According to police, the searches carried out on Thursday were subsequent to the leads received from similar searches done few days ago in the same case. 'KashmirFight', an online page used by terror outfits, had issued a hitlist of journalists accusing them of working at the behest of security and intelligence agencies. At least five journalists, all working for local media outlets, have since resigned from their jobs. Giving details, a police spokesman said raids were carried out at seven locations in Srinagar, Budgam and Pulwama. "The premises which were raided today and subsequently searched belong t

Editors Guild condemns threats to journalists in Kashmir, seeks support

The Editors Guild has expressed concerns regarding the threats issued to these journalists and stated that the journalists working in the valley often find themselves in the firing line

Army sponsoring education of students from Kashmir's weaker sections

Army is changing the lives of hundreds of students from weaker sections in Kashmir by sponsoring their education in various public schools across the country. As many as 136 students will be admitted to Army Public School, Beas in Punjab under operation Sadbhavana, an initiative undertaken by the Indian Army in Jammu & Kashmir, a defence spokesman said. He added that 1000 plus students for higher education and 136 students for secondary education have been sponsored in last two years alone and have been admitted in various universities and schools across the country.

Kashmir apple rates down by 30%, growers seek govt support to curb losses

A bumper apple production in Kashmir this season has failed to cheer up growers as their produce is being sold at nearly 30 per cent lower rates than last year. Faced with huge losses, apple farmers have now sought government intervention. The Kashmiri apple hogged the headlines in September after an uproar over frequent disruption in its transportation from the orchards in the valley to markets outside the Union territory, including Azadpur Mandi, Asia's largest wholesale market. Kashmir produces about 75 per cent of the total apple crop in the country and is considered the backbone of its economy, contributing about 8.2 per cent to Jammu and Kashmir's GDP. "The rates of apple coming from Kashmir this season are down by about 30 per cent compared to 2021, and there is no doubt the growers are suffering huge losses. It is very difficult for them to overcome the losses without government support," Chamber of Azadpur Fruit and Vegetable Traders president Metha Ram Kriplani told ...

No place for Pakistani thinking in New Kashmir, says BJP leader

The Kashmir unit of BJP celebrated 'Accession Day' at the party office in Rajbagh on Wednesday in the presence of many senior leaders and party workers

Delhi, Bengal consume most sweets in India; Rajasthan top consumer of papad

In 2021, the sweet market in India stood at Rs 58,900 crore