R.S. Pura, September 7: Director Agriculture Jammu, Shri Anil Gupta, on Sunday visited several flood-affected villages of R.S. Pura to take stock of the damage caused to standing crops and extend support to distressed farmers.

Gupta, accompanied by senior officials of the Agriculture Department and representatives of insurance companies under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), toured Badyal Brahmana, Dehrian, Chak Hansoo, and adjoining areas. The region has been reeling under crop losses following heavy rains and waterlogging.

During his visit, the Director held direct interactions with farmers, listened to their concerns, and assured them of timely assistance. He directed field staff to expedite crop loss assessment reports so that compensation under PMFBY could reach eligible farmers without delay.

“His visit and assurance have restored our hope. We feel heard and supported,” said Ramesh Kumar, a farmer from Chak Hansoo.

Gupta emphasized transparency and efficiency in handling claims, instructing insurance representatives to remain on the ground for fair and swift processing. His proactive approach drew appreciation from both officials and the farming community.

Farmers in the border belt of R.S. Pura, known as the “rice bowl of Jammu,” face recurring losses during monsoon floods. Officials said the department’s prompt response under Gupta’s leadership aims to mitigate hardships and reinforce farmer confidence in government schemes.

NEW DELHI, Sept 6 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said India’s future growth will increasingly depend on building a “StartUp linked economy” anchored in strong industry partnerships. He was speaking after launching the Chandigarh University “Campus Tank”, which he described as the first-of-its-kind initiative in the region, aimed at connecting young entrepreneurs with industry and investors.

The Minister said, the government has created an enabling ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship, but sustaining StartUps requires early and substantial engagement with industry. “This was mainly for industry linkage. The launch of Chandigarh University Campus Tank will give a push to StartUp linked economy through industry linkage. We have prioritised the industry. This is StartUp funding,” he noted.

Underscoring the need to move beyond symbolic support, the Minister added: “We need to keep industry ahead to sustain. So we pushed for industry-linked StartUp and a StartUplinked economy. Start-up linked economy is also a good expression.” He stressed that while ideas and research emerge from campuses, their long-term success depends on structured partnerships with industry that bring in financial backing, market exposure, and scale.

The Minister explained that India’s StartUp story so far has been driven by energy and innovation, but the next phase must focus on building sustainable ventures that can endure in competitive markets. He cited examples from sectors such as biotechnology, agriculture, and space, where government support and industry collaboration have already delivered measurable results. Industry participation, he said, not only strengthens start-ups but also ensures that investments are productive and generate livelihoods.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also drew attention to the regional context, observing that North India has been slower to take off in the start-up movement compared to other parts of the country. Initiatives such as Campus Tank, he said, will help bridge that gap by positioning universities as launchpads for entrepreneurship. “The priority now is to move from ideas and prototypes to real-world enterprises, and that will only happen if industry is kept at the centre,” he said.

He emphasised that India’s start-up ecosystem is no longer limited to metros or technology hubs, with smaller towns and diverse sectors increasingly contributing to new ventures. This, he added, is a sign of an aspirational India ready to harness innovation for growth.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also pointed out India’s rising global standing in innovation, noting that the country has moved up from rank 81 to 39 in the Global Innovation Index in less than a decade. He highlighted that nearly 60 percent of India’s registered start-ups are women-led, reflecting a shift where women are not just participants but leaders of major projects. Citing examples, he said women scientists are steering national missions such as Aditya L1 and Chandrayaan-3, underscoring the inclusive character of India’s scientific and start-up ecosystem. The Minister further underlined that India’s progress is also visible in patent filings, where the majority of recent patents are being filed by resident Indian innovators, reversing earlier trends.

The Campus Tank has sought to create a platform where industry, investors, and young founders can collaborate to transform ideas into sustainable businesses. Dr. Jitendra Singh said such efforts would contribute directly to building a start-up linked economy — one in which innovation, enterprise, and industry move in step to drive India’s progress towards the vision of a developed nation by 2047.

An early morning downpour on Saturday derailed the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) efforts to restore traffic on the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which remained closed for the fifth consecutive day, a senior official said.

NHAI Project Manager, Ramban sector, Shubam said efforts are going on at a war footing to clear the 250-metre stretch of the highway at Thard in Udhampur district which was buried under a hill.

“What we have gained during the day on Friday was washed away by intense half-an-hour rainfall this morning… we have mobilised the men and machinery and started the work afresh to ensure early reopening of the arterial road as soon as possible,” the official said.

He said they are expecting to clear the road later tonight or early next morning.

Barring this four-lane highway stretch, which is completely buried under a moving hill, the rest of the highway – the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country – has been cleared for two-way traffic, the official said.

The highway was closed for traffic amid heavy rain across the Jammu division early this week, following multiple landslides, mudslides and shooting stones from the hillocks overlooking the road besides washing away of road patches at different places between Udhampur and Banihal.

The closure of the highway left hundreds of vehicles, mostly trucks, stranded on both sides, officials said.

A traffic department official said the Mughal Road — an alternate link connecting Poonch and Rajouri districts with south Kashmir’s Shopian district — is open for light motor vehicles. The Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road, another alternate link, remained closed for the fourth day despite a massive road clearance operation.

A meteorological department spokesperson said rain or thundershowers are likely at a few places on Saturday. Light rain or thundershowers at scattered to many places across J&K with a possibility of moderate rain or thunder over a few districts of the Jammu division towards late night or early morning on September 7 and 8.

The weather office has also forecast a brief spell of rain or thundershower activity at a few places between September 9 and 12.

“Overall, there is nothing significant till September 12,” the spokesperson said. (Agencies)

Jammu, Sep 6: A search operation was launched after a suspected Pakistani drone was spotted hovering over vital installations in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

 The drone was noticed at an altitude of over 700 metres moving from west to east over a military garrison in the Bari Brahmana area around 9.35 pm on Friday, they said.

An alert was immediately sounded and quick reaction teams of the Army were activated.

Police were also informed and a joint search operation was launched to ensure that there was no airdropping of weapons or narcotics, the officials said. (Agencies)

JAMMU, Sept 6: The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast intermittent rain and thundershowers across Jammu and Kashmir over the next few days but ruled out any major weather activity till September 12.

According to the forecast, a brief spell of rain or thunder is expected at a few places on September 6. On September 7 and 8, scattered to widespread light rain and thunder is likely, with the possibility of moderate rain or thunder over a few districts of Jammu division during late night or early morning hours. From September 9 to 12, brief spells of rain or thundershowers may occur at isolated places.

In its advisory, the department cautioned about the possibility of landslides and shooting stones at vulnerable spots. People have been urged to stay away from water bodies, nallahs, river embankments and unstable structures.

Farmers have been advised to resume agricultural operations from today, while harvesting of paddy can be taken up from September 9 onwards.