JAMMU, Sep 1: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Thursday predicted clear weather for Jammu and Kashmir in the next 24 hours.
“Weather is likely to remain mainly clear to partly cloudy in J&K during the next 24 hours”, an official of the MeT department said.
Meanwhile, Jammu had 26.1 degrees, Katra 23.2, Batote 17.7, Banihal 16.5 and Bhaderwah 16.9.
Srinagar recorded 16.8 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 11.7 and Gulmarg 9 degrees as the minimum temperature this morning.
In Drass town, the minimum temperature was 8.7 degrees, while Leh 9.7 and Kargil 16.2 registered 9.7 and 16.2 degrees.
Mainly clear weather likely in Jammu and Kashmir: MeT
Active Covid cases in country decline to 62,748
New Delhi, Sep 1: With 7,946 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,44,36,339, while the active cases declined to 62,748, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll climbed to 5,27,911 with 37 fatalities which includes 12 deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.14 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 98.67 per cent, the ministry said.
A decline of 1,919 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.98 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 2.57 per cent, according to the ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,38,45,680 while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.
According to the ministry, 212.52 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020; 30 lakh on August 23; 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28; 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29; 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed one crore on December 19.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore coronavirus cases on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year
The 25 new fatalities include five from Maharashtra, three each from Gujarat and West Bengal, two each from Delhi, Karnataka, Mizoram, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Bihar, Odisha, Pondicherry and Punjab. (AGENCIES)
Teenage boy’s body found dead in Rajouri village
Rajouri: A teenage boy from Jhandi Dhara village of Rajouri died under mysterious circumstances with his body found hanging from the ceiling inside his house.
The deceased was identified as Muhammad Kaif, 17, son of Muhammad Rafiq of Jhandi, Dhara.
Police said that Tuesday night the body of the boy was found hanging with a ceiling fan in his house after which a Police team from the local Police post rushed to the spot and took the body into its possession.
Anyone casting evil eye on India, will get befitting reply: Rajnath
Claiming that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has been transformed into a strong, confident and self-reliant nation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Tuesday, said, “India never attacked any country nor has it captured an inch of foreign land but if anyone tries to cast an evil eye on us, we will give a befitting reply.”
The 2016 surgical strike and 2019 Balakot air strike were proof of the fact that India’s military prowess was no less than that of any country, Singh said after unveiling the statue of Panna Dhai at a function in Udaipur.
Panna Dhai was the nursemaid to Udai Singh II, the fourth son of Sangram Singh I, popularly known as Rana Sanga. Paying glowing tribute to her, Singh commended the bravery of Panna Dhai, who sacrificed her son to protect Udai Singh II, father of Maharana Pratap, in the interest of Mewar and the entire country.
Singh said that India is well equipped to deal with all kinds of threats and challenges, and the steps taken by the government in the last eight years have injected new confidence into the armed forces, he said.
“India is no longer weak. We clarified our stand on terrorism when our armed forces, displaying tremendous might, carried out surgical strikes in 2016 and the Balakot airstrike in 2019. It was proof that India’s military prowess is no less than that of any country,” said Singh.
Singh said that ‘New India’ is moving shoulder-to-shoulder with powerful countries, and listed a number of steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to promote ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence, including the issuance of three positive indigenization lists of 310 items and earmarking 68 per cent of capital procurement budget for the domestic industry in the Union Budget 2022-23.
Singh underlined the fact that defence exports, which were worth about Rs 900 crore eight years ago, have now grown to around Rs 13,000 crore. A target of Rs 2.75 lakh crore worth of defence exports by 2047 has been set, he said, exuding confidence that India is well on course to achieve the objective.
He recalled and gave credit to Prime Minister Modi that the safe return of Indian nationals from Ukraine, amid the ongoing war with Russia, was a testament to Prime Minister Modi’s resolve of ensuring the safety and security of every Indian, according to a PIB statement.
Probe ordered into alleged misappropriation of donations, properties at Bijbehara shrine
Srinagar, Aug 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has constituted a committee to enquire into the allegations of irregularities and misappropriation of funds and properties at Ziyarat Shareef Hazratbal Khiram located in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
According to an order, J&K Waqf Board has constituted a four-member committee to enquire into the allegations and has been asked to submit a detailed report within 3 weeks, news agency KNO reported.
The order stated that chairperson J&K Waqf Board as well as the Central Office J&K Waqf Board has received several complaints regarding misappropriation, irregularities and mismanagement of donations and properties at the shrine by the Committee constituted by the Government in 2015.
It added that the matter was viewed very seriously by the chairpersons J&K Waqf Board and therefore, a four-member committee has been constituted to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the matter.
The order stated that a committee of four members headed by private secretary to chairperson J&K Waqf Board, Masroof Sultan and senior accountant Fayaz Ahmad Rather, supervisor accounts section Nazir Ahmad Wani, and Muhasil Accounts Section Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh as its members is constituted to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the allegations of misappropriation, irregularities and mismanagement of donations and properties.
The committee has been asked to submit a detailed report along with recommendations to the Chief Executive Officer, J&K Waqf Board, within a period of 3 weeks.
“The Committee may extend the period of enquiry even beyond the given time period, if required, to ensure all genuine concerns of the general public are addressed,” read the order.
IAF rescues Israeli national from high-altitude area in Ladakh
SRINAGAR, Aug 31: The Indian Air Force on Wednesday rescued an Israeli national who was stuck at a height of more than 16,000 feet near Markha valley in Ladakh.
“On 31 August 2022, 114 Helicopter Unit received a call for casualty evacuation from Nimaling Camp near Markha Valley. The Israeli national, Atar Kahana, was suffering from high-altitude sickness, including vomiting and low oxygen saturation,” a Srinagar-based defence spokesman said.
He said Wing Commander Ashish Kapoor and Flt Lt Rhythm Mehra as aircrew number 1 and Squadron Leader Neha Singh and Squadron leader Ajinkya Kher as aircrew number 2, got airborne within minutes, for this time-critical mission.
“Following the shortest route, the aircraft reached the spot within 20 minutes of flying time and spotted the casualty on the Gongmaru La pass at an elevation of 16,800 feet,” the spokesman said.
He said the aircrew number 1 carried out a thorough recce and landed at the mountain pass with the assistance of aircrew number 2 and picked up Kahana from the pass in the turbulent weather conditions.
“The casualty was recovered expeditiously within the limited time of one hour at Air Force Station Leh,” he added. (Agencies)
Kashmir : An Emerging Investment hub
Jammu and Kashmir are turning out to be new investment destinations for foreign investors. In addition to the growing interest of foreign investors in the picturesque region, local young entrepreneurs are venturing into new business models as well.
Jammu and Kashmir’s youth are showcasing their entrepreneurial mindset: from cupcake businesses to opening a new fashion outlet, a large number of young innovators in Kashmir are making a huge impact on society.
Recently, the Kashmir Entrepreneurship Conclave 2022 in the capital Srinagar invited some 500 budding entrepreneurs with an aim to grow their businesses by availing benefits of government schemes. The conclave also felicitated 12 of the pathbreaking entrepreneurs of the valley.Save Youth Save Future (SYSF), an NGO in collaboration with Mission Youth organized a day-long ‘Kashmir Entrepreneurship Conclave 2022’ in Srinagar on Saturday to encourage the youth for launching their own businesses.
With a motto of ‘Be A Job Creator Than Being A Job Seeker’ and dream of starting their own business approximately 1000 youth attended the conclave. The aim of the conclave was to foster Entrepreneurship & managerial skills in the youth.
The conclave was organized to make entrepreneurial technology and philosophy accessible to the young and well-read youth of Kashmir and inculcate societal value creation and the public good.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also motivated the women entrepreneurs in the valley by inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for New District Rural Haats across Jammu and Kashmir and specially dedicated the facility to all women entrepreneurs.There is also commendable growth on the infrastructure front. Recently the world’s highest rail bridge on the Chenab river was inaugurated, which is 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower.
The Chenab bridge is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla section of the Kashmir Railway project and forms an important link in the 111-km stretch from Katra to Banihal. It will provide direct connectivity to the valley.Earlier, in march Union minister Piyush Goyal said that Kashmir has become an attractive destination of investment for Indian and foreign businessmen. After the abrogation of article 370, foreign direct investment also broke all the records in the valley.
A 40-member delegation from the UAE also visited Kashmir.In January, Jammu and Kashmir signed five MoUs with Al Maya Group, MATU Investments LLC, GL Employment Brokerage LLC, Century Financial, Noon E-commerce, and others.(With Inputs from ANI)
Ghulam Nabi Azad to address rally in Jammu on September 4
NEW DELHI, Aug 31: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad will address a rally in Jammu on September 4, his first after quitting the Congress.
The rally is planned on the day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is slated to address a ‘Mehngai par Halla Bol’ event in the national capital.
With the timing of Azad’s launch event in Jammu and Kashmir coinciding with Gandhi’s rally, it will be seen if there are more fireworks on the day the former Congress chief addresses the mega event at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.
Azad has said his resignation letter was just a “tip of the iceberg”, indicating that he would step up his attack on the Gandhis in the coming days.
He has already stated that he would float his own party in Jammu and Kashmir soon, where assembly elections are due to be announced.
Ahead of Azad’s Sunday rally in Jammu’s Sainik farms, there has been a spate of resignations in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress.
Sixty-four more leaders, including former deputy chief minister Tara Chand, tendered their resignation and joined the Ghulam Nabi Azad camp on Tuesday, leaving the unit of the national party in the Union Territory in tatters.
The former Union minister had targeted Rahul Gandhi in his five-page resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi last Friday.
Azad had launched a stinging attack on Rahul Gandhi describing him as “immature” and “childish” and accusing the leadership of “foisting a non-serious individual” at the helm of the party.
Azad mentioned Rahul Gandhi seven times, accusing him of running the party through a “new coterie of inexperienced sycophants”.
Azad, 73, who ended his nearly five-decade association with the Congress, also attacked party chief Sonia Gandhi for applying the “remote control model that demolished the institutional integrity of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government” to the party.
He also reminded Sonia Gandhi that she was just a “nominal figurehead” and all the important decisions were being taken by Rahul Gandhi or “rather worse his security guards and PAs”.
Azad slammed Rahul Gandhi’s conduct within the party and singled out his action of tearing up a Government ordinance in “full glare” of the media.
“One of the most glaring examples of this immaturity was the tearing up of a government ordinance in the full glare of the media by Shri Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
“The said ordinance was incubated in the Congress Core Group and subsequently unanimously approved by the Union Cabinet presided over by the Prime Minister of India and duly approved even by the President of India.
“This ‘childish’ behaviour completely subverted the authority of the Prime Minister and Government of India,” said Azad, who served as Health Minister in the UPA-II Government. (AGENCIES)
LG greets people on Ganesh Chaturthi
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has extended his warm greetings to the people on the eve of the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
In his message, the Lt Governor said, “On the sacred occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, I convey my heartiest greetings to all. May Lord Ganesha, symbol of intellect, prosperity and good fortune, remove all obstacles from our lives and bless everyone with joy, prosperity and peace”.
DC Jammu Asks To Cancel Registration Of Vehicles Involved In Illegal Mining
Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Avny Lavasa asked for cancellation of registration of vehicles found involved in illegal mining of minor minerals.
She was chairing the meeting of the Multi-Departmental District Level Task Force Cell constituted to coordinate in plugging the illegal extraction and transportation of minor minerals. The meeting was convened to review the enforcement measures to contain the illegal mining and other issues in the district.
ADC L&O Minga Sherpa; SP (Hqr) Ramnish Gupta; DMO Dr. Gulshan Kumar along with senior officers from concerned departments were present in the meeting.
It was decided in the meeting that registration of the vehicles indulging in repeated violation shall be cancelled.
The meeting further recommended strict action against the vehicles involved in road side dumping of the construction material and muck.
The Deputy Commissioner directed the concerned officials to strengthen check nakas at the vulnerable points to tighten noose around the perpetrators of illegal mining.
She further directed the concerned officers to remove the encroachments alongside Tawi River and keep close check on the extraction of minor minerals along its banks.
She asked the concerned officers to take strict action against the violators and book them under the prescribed sections of the Law.