JAMMU, Dec 16: Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Friday laid wreath at the Balidan Stambha in Jammu on the occasion of Vijay Diwas, commemorating India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The Union Territory’s top cop was accompanied by the Additional Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh during the wreath-laying ceremony.
In Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Army chief General Manoj Pande, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral SN Ghormade also laid wreaths at the National War Memorial. Fifty years ago, the day marked the largest military surrender after the Second World War, as 93,000 soldiers of the Pakistan Army laid down their arms before the Indian forces — resulting in the liberation of Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan.
The day is celebrated every year as ‘Vijay Diwas’. On December 16, 1971, Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the chief martial law administrator of East Pakistan and the commander of Pakistan Army located in East Pakistan, signed the Instrument of Surrender.
On Thursday, President Droupadi Murmu attended the ‘At Home’ reception at Army House in the national capital on the eve of ‘Vijay Diwas’, commemorating India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. “President Droupadi Murmu attended ‘At Home’ reception at Army House on the eve of ‘Vijay Diwas’,” the President’s official Twitter handle posted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the event. “On the eve of ‘Vijay Diwas’, attended the ‘At Home’ reception at Army House. India will never forget the valour of our armed forces that led to the win in the 1971 war,” PM Modi tweeted. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was also present on the occasion. (Agencies)
Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh lays wreath at Balidan Stambha on 51st anniversary of Vijay Diwas
Over 1,500 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat in last one year: Mandaviya
NEW DELHI, Dec 16: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said more than 1,500 private hospitals have been empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the last one year. The scheme is reviewed every month and out-of-pocket expenditure of patients under the scheme has come down, Mandaviya said, replying to a question in Lok Sabha.
Under the scheme launched in 2018, the government provides health security cover to 10 crore families or 50 crore people of India.
Today, 4.5 crore needy people have been empanelled under the scheme, the minister said.
He said seven-eight lakh beneficiary cards are printed daily and the ministry was working to ensure that 50 crore cards are made available in the next four-six months.
“Poor and needy people are covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme and they can avail Rs 5 lakh health security cover. Any hospital can empanel under the scheme … In the last one year, more than 1,500 private hospitals have been empanelled under the scheme,” Mandaviya said during the Question Hour.
The minister said 22,000 hospitals, both public and private, have been empanelled under the scheme so far. (Agencies)
Manzoor Ahmad Bhat posted as Executive Director J&K EDI
Jammu, Dec 16: The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered some transfers and postings in the administration, officials said.
While J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute(JKEDI) got a new Executive Director, Survey and Land Records got its Regional Director.
“In the interest of administration, the following transfers and postings are hereby ordered with immediate effect: Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, JKAS, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department (GAD), is posted as Executive Director, J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute,” said an order issued by GAD on Thursday.
“Anju Gupta, JKAS, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, is posted as Regional Director, Survey and Land Records (ex-officio
Settlement Officer), Jammu, against an available vacancy, ” it said
CUET 2023 to be held from May 21 to 31, NEET-UG May 7: NTA
NEW DELHI, Dec 16: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday announced dates for Common University Entrance Test (CUET) 2023. As per the agency, the exams will be conducted from May 21 to 31, 2023.
NTA had conducted the debut edition of CUET for approximately 14,90,293 candidates this year. The candidates applied for 54,555 unique combinations of subjects across 90 universities.
CUET-UG began in July and was marred by glitches prompting the NTA to cancel the exam at multiple centres. While several students were informed about the cancellation a night before the exam, many of them were turned away from centres.
With 14.9 lakh registrations, CUET, the common gateway for undergraduate admissions in all central universities, is now the second biggest entrance exam in the country, surpassing JEE-Main’s average registration of 9 lakh.
NEET-UG is the biggest entrance test in India with an average of 18 lakh registrations. While JEE-Mains is a Computer-Based Test (CBT) conducted twice a year, NEET is conducted in pen and paper mode. (Agencies)
Two Civilians Killed as Army Sentry Opens Fire in J&K’s Rajouri
Jammu, Dec 16: Two civilians were killed and one person was injured when an Army sentry allegedly opened fire on them in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday morning, officials said.
The victims, who were reportedly working as porters with the Army, were approaching the alpha gate of an Army camp in the district around 6.15 am when they were fired upon, they said.
The officials said Shalinder Kumar and Kamal Kishore, both residents of Rajouri, died in the firing, while another person was injured.
The cause of the firing is not yet known, they said, adding that the situation in the area is tense and some agitated people pelted stones at the camp.
Reinforcements have been rushed in and further details are awaited, the officials said. (AGENCIES)
Srinagar records season’s coldest night; Pahalgam freezes at minus 5.3°C
Srinagar, Dec 16: Sub-zero temperatures continued unabated in Kashmir Valley with Srinagar recording season’s coldest night at minus 3.6°C on Friday.
There is no respite in sight also as Chillai-e-Kalan— the 40-day long chilliest part of the winter season—is all set to start from December 21 amid forecast of dry weather at least till December 25.
Quoting a meteorological department official, GNS reported that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.6°C against the previous night’s minus 3.2°C. While the mercury was around 2.6°C below normal during this time of the year, the official said, it was coldest this season sofar.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against minus 3.6°C on the previous night. The temperature 2.3°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
He said that Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 5.3°C against minus 5.6°C on previous night and it was 1.9°C below normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.1°C against minus 1.3°C as on the previous night and it was 1.°C below normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 2.5°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.7°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 3.6°C against minus 3.2°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.9°C below normal for the north Kashmir place, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 9.3°C against 7.1°C on the previous night. It was 2.6°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 5.6°C (above normal by 3.9°C), Batote 6.0°C (2.3°C above normal), Katra 7.0°C (0.8°C below normal) and Bhadarwah 2.1°C (1.7°C above normal).
Ladakh, Leh recorded minus 11.0°C and Kargil minus 12.3°C, the official said. The MeT department has forecast mainly dry weather till December 25.
ISI-run drug racket busted, Poonch schoolgirl detained
Jammu, December 15
The police have detained a juvenile schoolgirl, believed to be a part of a drug racket being run by Pakistan’s ISI, in Poonch. As much as 400-gm narcotic powder has been seized from her. The girl, said to be a Class X student, was detained on Wednesday after intelligence agencies zeroed in on her after receiving specific inputs. The girl is a resident of Mendhar sector along the Line of Control (LoC).
According to information, a Pakistani handler, Aashiq, had been visiting her house to deliver the drugs. She had also kept more drugs in a ditch near her house.
She is being further questioned to know more about the peddlers and their customers in the area, said police sources who believe it to be a tip of the iceberg. The police are also trying to know if the racket is linked to some narco-terror module.
A number of Indian habitations are located ahead of the India-Pakistan LoC fence, also known as the anti-infiltration obstacle system, in Jammu and Kashmir and intelligence agencies have reported that Pakistanis living on the other side “frequently” visit several houses here to push drugs and weapons and to gather inputs about Indian security forces deployed to guard the front, prone to infiltration by terrorists. Officials said the detection of the case indicated Pakistan spy agency ISI’s evil designs to push drugs through the LoC to harm youth.
Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, who was in Poonch on Wednesday, had said Pakistan and terror groups had been supplying drugs with criminal intention to harm the younger generation and to generate funds for terror activities. He stressed for stringent action against the elements found involved in drug trade as the menace not only harmed the individuals but society as a whole. The DGP also warned of stringent action if any officer was found involved in the drug trade.
The DGP emphasized for strengthening of checkpoints on the Mughal road and also on the national highway to keep a check on transportation of drugs, weapons and other criminal activities.
India announces candidature for UNSC membership for 2028-29 term
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday announced the candidature of India for non-permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2028-29 term.
“I am glad to inform you. We have declared our candidature for our next tenure at Security Council for 2028-29. And we look forward to being back”, announces EAM Jaishankar. During a media stakeout at the UN, minister Jaishankar noted that December is the last month of India’s current membership at the security council.
“And during this eighth inning of ours, we have attempted to bring many themes of contemporary relevance like maritime security, technology in UN peacekeeping, reforms of the UN, and counterterrorism to the center of the agenda and of the debate in the UN,” he said.
The external affairs minister said India has also sought to be the voice of Global South on many issues of concern. “We have not only tried to articulate their interest and anxieties but also tried to see whether we can serve as a bridge in the council,” he added.
India assumed the monthly rotating Presidency of the UNSC in December. This is the second time India got the Presidency after holding the top spot in August last year, during which the government focused on maritime security, UN peacekeeping and counter-terrorism.
India has presided over the Security Council during its two-year tenure as an elected member. UNSC rules of procedure say that the Council presidency rotates between each of the 15 members of the UNSC in alphabetical order.
During India’s December Presidency of the UN Security Council, two high-level signature events took place on December 14-15. The meetings were held on ‘Reformed Multilateralism and Counter-Terrorism’ and chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The high-level open debate on the theme – “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism” was held on December 14.
The open debate encouraged the UN members to take the conversation forward on reforms in the current multilateral architecture with the UN at its centre to make it “more representative and fit for purpose.”
On December 15, a high-level briefing on the theme – “Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts: Global Approach to Counter Terrorism – Challenges and Way Forward” sought to build a consensus on the principles of a global counter-terror architecture.
The high-level briefing aimed to enhance the Delhi Declaration adopted during the special meeting of the counter-terrorism committee held in October in India
Firing By Unidentified Terrorists In J&K Result In Fatal Casualties Of Two: Indian Army
Rajouri, Dec 16: Two individuals lost their lives after unidentified terrorists opened fire on Friday morning near Military Hospital in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri.
The Indian Army has informed that the police, security forces and civil administration officials are currently at the site.
“In an early morning firing incident by unidentified terrorists at Rajouri near Military Hospital, there has been fatal casualty of two individuals. The Police, security forces and civil administration officials are on the site,” White Knight Corps tweeted. (Agencies)
New Land Policy to start dark chapter for Jammu and Kashmir: Sajad Lone
SRINAGAR, Dec 15: Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone Thursday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s new land policy is ”not without motive” as it is an attempt at ”othering” Kashmiris.
Lone’s remarks came in the wake of land lease holders in Jammu and Kashmir being asked to return the possession to the government.
”The new Land policy is not at par with the rest of the country. It may well start the dark chapter of now blatantly othering the Kashmiris. Lease rules across the world and in India r fairly simple and on similar lines. But these r different and not without motives,” Lone said in a tweet.
The National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also criticised the government’s move. (Agencies)