Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo held a meeting to discuss implementation of Digital Agriculture Mission (Agristack) in Jammu & Kashmir, at Civil Secretariat here today.
It was first-of-its-kind meeting in which the ACS briefed that Digital Agriculture Mission aims to lead farmers towards precision farming. ‘Equipped with the right technology, farmers will be provided knowledge about their soil health and the most suitable crops, soil treatment and the right kind of pesticides and fertilisers for their farmlands. Timely updates would be delivered through call centres or other media’, he informed.
The ACS remarked that data from PM KISAN, Kisan Credit Card, Soil Health Card schemes is already available with the government for implementation of the mission. He directed that Revenue Department ensure dynamic linking of farmer data with digitised land records. Remote sensing and weather data and databases of National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) could also be used for the purpose, it was told.
It was directed that respective officers ensure Aadhar based e-KYC of farmers is done and data of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana scrutinised. Emphasis was also laid on geo-referencing of village records and it was also told that GIS based real time crop survey would be done by March 2023 in this regard.
Once successfully implement, the farmers would be provided a unique ID and customised alerts for their fields. Committees have also been formed for implementation of the mission in J&K, it was informed.
Those present at the meeting included Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar; CEO, JaKeGA, Abhishek Sharma; Director Horticulture Jammu/ Kashmir, Director Agriculture Jammu/ Kashmir and Managing Director, J&K Agro Development Corporation, Arun Manhas among officers from Directorate of Survey and Land Records and other departments were also present at the meeting in person and through video conference.
JK readies for Digital Agriculture Mission: Atal Dulloo
Former legislator, President J&K JDU call on LG
Former legislator, Sh Surinder Ambardar, and President J&K Janta Dal United (JDU), Sh GM Shaheen called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here today.
Sh Surinder Ambardar accompanied by Mrs Dil Afroza Qazi and Mr Shabbir A Qazi of SSM College presented a book on Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the Lt Governor.
He also discussed various initiatives and developments made in the J&K’s education and Industrial sectors, besides other matters.
Sh GM Shaheen expressed gratitude to the Lt Governor led UT Government for the progressive policies and unprecedented reforms brought for rapid development and growth in J&K. He also discussed with the Lt Governor various matters pertaining to better connectivity, development of tourism and power sectors, and the progress on Jal Jeevan Mission. He was accompanied by Sh Khurshid Naqati, State organizer JDU.
The Lt Governor while interacting with the former legislator and JDU leader observed that the UT administration is fully committed to continuously working for touching new levels of development and prosperity in Jammu Kashmir. He urged the public representatives to remain dedicated to the welfare of people of J&K.
Mainly dry weather likely in J&K
The weather is likely to remain dry in the next 24 hours in J&K, the Meteorological (MeT) department said on Thursday.
The weather was dry in the union territory during the last 24 hours.
“Weather is likely to remain mainly dry in J&K during the next 24 hours”, said the MeT department official.
Srinagar had 17.8, Pahalgam 13 and Gulmarg 9.4 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.
Drass town in Ladakh region had 10, Leh 12.8 and Kargil 16.6 as the minimum temperature.
Jammu had 26.3, Katra 23.1, Batote 19, Banihal 18.6 and Bhaderwah 18.5 as the minimum temperature.
Minor boy’s body recovered day after drowning in Doda
Body of a 14-year-old boy was recovered on Thursday, a day after he drowned in Neeru Nullah in Doda district, officials said.
They said the body of Shamoon Hussain, son of Noor Hussain of Chilli Bhalessa, a resident of village Kungla Tehsil Bhalla, was recovered around 7 am, news agency GNS reported.
He had drowned on Wednesday in the water body.
Liquor traders unwilling to place bulk orders, leading to shortage in Delhi
Despite the extension of licence for one month by the AAP government, most of the liquor traders in the national capital are not willing to place bulk orders, leading to an unprecedented liquor crisis in Delhi.
The liquor traders are afraid that if they place orders in bulk, they will be under pressure to clear the inventory anyhow by the end of this month after their licence expires on August 31.
The capital city is not experiencing the liquor crisis for just premium brands, even the non-premium brands are not available at many outlets.
Meanwhile, a total of six zonal licensees have opted out of the extension and surrendered their licences even as private shops reopened on Tuesday after LG V.K. Saxena’s approval for one month extension. It has resulted in the closure of 126 stores out of the total 468 that were presently operating in the city.
At present, there are no liquor shops open in areas like Greater Kaliash, Daryaganj, Punjabi Bagh, Chittaranjan Park, Paharganj, Sarita Vihar, Anand Vihar and Shakarpur, among others.
The city was divided into 32 zones for the implementation of the new excise policy by the Delhi government. However, 16 zonal licences have been surrendered out of the 32 zones.
On the contrary, bars and restaurants in the city are serving liquor as usual now.
Talking to IANS, Rahul Singh, trustee, National Restaurant Association of India, said the licence extension has come as a relief as at least they can continue to serve liquor.
“The wholesalers are allowed to supply liquor to the retail vends which in turn supply to us. We had the old regime for many years. So whatever the government decides, we can only follow,” said Singh.
However, this dilly-dallying approach with the excise policy has confused the consumers and has also impacted the supply chain management.
“This start-stop-start mode or the short-term extension of a month only disrupts the supply chain. This is causing loss to all the stakeholders, be it the government, the manufacturers, the traders or the consumers,” said Vinod Giri, Director General, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC).
Congress takes jibe at Centre, responds to Har Ghar Tiranga with Nehru’s picture
As the centre launched its ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, various leaders from the Congress party took a jibe at the central government over the campaign by adding former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s picture to their Twitter display picture and said that it was good that the government was recognising the tricolour.
The party’s media in-charge and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh started the trend. Attacking the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh which uses a different flag, Ramesh said,” Sangh people are now adopting the tricolour. We are putting the DP of our leader Nehru with the tricolour in our hand. But the message of the Prime Minister did not reach his family.”
Another senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari, who changed his DP, took a jibe at the BJP and said, “Where were their ancestors in the freedom struggle? It is good that now they are adopting the tricolour.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it pains our hearts if some political comments are made at the celebrations related to the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and the celebrations that are organised across the country around the 75th Independence Day.
“We will also call upon Congress and other political parties and leaders to leave politics and put their efforts so that the country can move forward in a positive way.”
“The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign is not a political programme. It is a government programme. That’s why today when the Tiranga bike rally took place in Delhi, this call was made by the Minister of State, a ministry of the Government of India. It was given that let’s do tricolour bike rally together in Delhi and its flag-off was done by at the hands of Vice President and Chairman of Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu Ji because it is a politically neutral programme,” he said.
“Politics is happening on this as well. A lot of statements are coming on this. BJP would like to request parties without naming them only with folded hands. Tricolour belongs to everyone and if all MPs participate in it, this animosity will end,” he said.
“It was the Prime Minister’s call to hoist the tricolour in 20 crore homes. For this everyone should have a holy hand and as the PM has said time and again, national policy is above politics. This tricolour is not of any party, but belongs to the nation. The tricolour is to be hoisted in every house. It cannot be the line of any party, but is the line of the new nation.”
India reports 53 new Covid fatalities
New Delhi, Aug 4: With 19,893 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 4,40,87,037, while the active cases dipped to 1,36,478, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll climbed to 5,26,530 with 53 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.31 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.50 per cent, the ministry said.
A decrease of 579 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
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 the one-crore mark on December 19.
The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year.
Tehsildar, his clerk arrested while accepting ₹ 1.20 lakh bribe in Panthachowk Srinagar: ACB
SRINAGAR, Aug 3: Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau on Wednesday arrested a Tehsildar and his clerk for demanding ₹ 1.61 lakh and accepting ₹ 1.20 lakh bribe as first installment for issuance or revenue records.
An ACB spokesman said that it received a complaint that the accused Tehsildar Majid Choudhary, Tehsildar, Panthachowk and his Clerk Peer Waseem Ahmad are demanding ₹ 1.61 Lakh as bribe for issuing the revenue records in favour of the complainant.
“The complainant pleaded for justice and the duo officers settled that bribe amount be paid in installments and asked the complainants to pay ₹ 1.20 as 1st installment. However, before paying the bribe amount to the accused persons, the complainants approached before Anti Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the accused public servants under law, ” the ACB said.
It said on receipt of the complaint Case FIR No. 32/2022 U/S 7 PC Act 1988 r/w 120-B IPC was registered at PS ACB Srinagar and investigation was taken up. During the course of investigation a trap team constituted, said the ACB adding the team laid a successful trap and caught red-handed the accused while demanding and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 1.20 Lakh from the complainant as first instalment of ₹ 1.61 Lakh.
They were arrested on the spot by the ACB team even as the official cab bearing registration number JK01AL 8277 used by the duo for accepting bribe was also seized by the ACB, the ACB said adding the bribe money was also recovered from their possession in presence of independent witnesses. Subsequently searches were carried out at different locations associated with the accused(s) and further investigation into the case is going on.
1.06 Crore Tourists Visited Jammu And Kashmir From January to July
NEW DELHI, Aug 3: An estimated 1.06 crore tourists have visited Jammu and Kashmir from January to July 3 this year, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Responding to questions in the House, the minister also said nearly 30,000 people have been recruited in the public sector in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019.
“During the current calendar year i.e. from January 2022 till July 3, 2022, the tourist footfall in UT of Jammu and Kashmir increased significantly and estimated to be around 1,06,24,000,” he said replying to a written question.
Rai did not specify whether the number of tourists includes pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi temple and Amarnath Cave.
He said 75 offbeat destinations have been identified for tourism across Jammu and Kashmir.
In order to attract private investors from across the country to invest in tourism infrastructure, the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Policy, 2020, has been notified and tourism given the status of industry to encourage investment, he said.
Replying to another question, the minister said special recruitment rules were made and various departmental rules amended to accelerate the recruitment process in a transparent and time bound manner.
“Recruitments in the public sector have been carried out from the year 2019 onwards totalling 29,806,” he said.
On August 5, 2019, the central government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. (Agencies)
GCOE conducts district level inter-college debate competition
JAMMU, Aug 3: NSS Unit of Government College of Education Jammu conducted district level inter-college debate competition celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The topic for the debate was “Role of Empowering Women and Achieving Gender Equality to the Sustainable Development of India”.
The programme started with Saraswati Vandana followed by lamp lighting ceremony. SSP Manjit Kour was the chief guest on the occasion and the students were adjudged by Dr Geetanjali Rana (Dean Humanities, Cluster University Jammu), Prof Nitu Kumari of Cluster University of Jammu and Prof Vishav Raksha (Head and Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu).
Anjali Sharma of Govt Degree College Akhnoor was declared first and was given Rs 5000 cash while as second prize was bagged by Jeevika Misri from Govt College for Women Gandhi Nagar. She was given Rs 3000 cash. The consolation prizes were given to Harshita Sharma from GCOE, Deepika Sharma from Govt Degree College Purmandal and Aditya Bhardwaj from MAM College Jammu
Speaking on the occasion, Principal of the College Kulvinder Kour appreciated the efforts of NSS Volunteers and said that as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, 15 different activities including debate competition, slogan writing completion, poster making competition, plantation drive etc will be conducted in the college premises.
The program was adroitly conducted by Dr Shubhra Jamwal, NSS Programme Officer, along with the organizing committee comprising of Prof Shapia Shameem Bhatti, Prof Seema Kumari, Prof Sarita Dogra and Prof Neeraj Verma. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Prof Neeraj Verma.
The debate competition was conducted on the direction of Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department and guidance of Dr Yasmeen Ashai, Director Colleges.