Daily Excelsior

Jammu, Jan 29 : General Manager of Northern Railway Ashok Kumar Verma on Thursday conducted an extensive inspection of the Srinagar-Katra rail section in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said. The inspection comes amid challenging weather conditions due to recent snowfall and sub-zero temperatures, especially in the Kashmir valley, the official said. During the visit, the general manager inspected several key stations, including Srinagar, and meticulously reviewed the passenger amenities available

Jammu, Jan 29 : The Directorate of Samagra Shiksha, Jammu and Kashmir, has approved an enhancement in the honorarium of Vocational Teachers/Trainers engaged under Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI schemes, with effect from April 1, 2024. As per an official communication issued on January 29, 2026 , following the approval of the competent authority and the Project Approval Board (PAB) for the year 202425, the monthly honorarium of Vocational Trainers has been revised upward. Trainers engaged before Apr

Jammu, Jan 29: The Customary Beating Retreat ceremony on Thursday marked the culmination of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations, at the MA Stadium. The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The atmosphere was filled with national pride as the Brass and Pipe Drum bands of the Armed Forces and J&K Police performed a series of enchanting patriotic compositions. The audience was enthralled by soulful musical renditions of Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon and other cla

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has announced opening and closing dates of the online links for submission of forms for re-evaluation and obtaining photocopies of answer scripts of class 10 and 12 of Annual Regular 2025, WZ, JD (Oct-Nov session). According to a notification issued by Joint Secretary, Secrecy, Jammu Division, the interested candidates can submit online forms for re-evaluation and collect photocopies of answer scripts with effect from Januar

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered transfers and postings of Indian Information Service (IIS) Group A officers, with key changes involving 2 officers from Jammu and Kashmir. As per the order issued on January 27, 2026, Neha Jalali, presently posted as Director (M&C), PIB Jammu, has been assigned additional charge of the Central Bureau of Communication, Regional Office, Jammu, following the superannuation of the incumbent on January 31, 2026. In another move,

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Government of India has granted Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) to 6 officers of the Indian Information Service (IIS) Group A, including Tariq Ahmed Rather, with effect from January 1, 2026. As per an order issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the officers have been placed in the Junior Administrative Grade (Non-Functional Selection Grade) in Level 13 of the 7th Pay Matrix. The officers include Ashutosh Mohle, presently posted at PRGI, New Delhi, Ajay

New Delhi, Jan 29: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to display the names of those on the logical discrepancies list at gram panchayat bhavans and block offices, where documents and objections will also be submitted, during the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in various states. After the completion of the revision in Bihar, the second phase of the exercise is being carried out across nine states Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,

Shimla, Jan 29: As many as 655 roads, including three national highways still remain blocked for traffic in Himachal Pradesh as a result of the recent spell of heavy snowfall, affecting road connectivity at hundreds of places in the state. As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, 287 roads including NH 03 (Leh-Manali) and NH 505 (Kaza-Gramphu) remain blocked in Lahaul and Spiti, 135 in Shimla, 81 including NH 305 (Aut-Luhri-Sainj) in Kullu, 77 in Mandi, 40 in Chamba, 27 [] The post 655 roads

Calls for bringing more pace in the implementation of 4G & BharatNet in J&K JAMMU, Jan 29: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired the 10th State Broadband Committee (SBC) Meeting to review the status of key digital infrastructure initiatives, including 4G Saturation Project, Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP), 5G Readiness, Call Before You Dig (CBuD) and other allied telecom projects being implemented across J&K. The meeting, convened by the Information Technology Department was attended by A

Terms farmers as backbone of J&Ks economy, assures them Govts full support SAMBA, JANUARY 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today visited Samba district, laying foundation stone for 10 MVA Receiving Station at Harminder and also inaugurated bus stand at Thandi Khui, Vijaypur. At Harminder Samba, after inaugurating the receiving station, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while interacting with the locals, said that the foundation stone for the 10 MVA receiving station at Harminder was laid with sole o

Anantnag, Jan 29: In the interest of administration, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, has ordered the transfer and posting of several police officers with immediate effect. According to Order No. 26 of 2026 dated January 29 , Inspector Reyaz Ahmad (Belt No. 7173/NGO) has been transferred from PC Anantnag and posted as SHO Police Station Anantnag. Inspector Majid Hassan (Belt No. 316/PAU) has been shifted from Police Station Anantnag and posted as SHO Police Station Bijbehara. Inspe

Jammu, Jan 29: Four long-distance trains, including two Vande Bharat Express services operating between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Katra, will resume operations in April, officials said on Thursday. According to an official statement from the Jammu division of the Northern Railway, the cancellation of 20 trains has been extended for another two to three months. Besides, 14 trains in the Jammu division will continue to operate with short termination or short origination due to op

FIR Registered Over Alleged Abuse of Official Position, Criminal Conspiracy and Arbitrary Regularisation Jammu, Jan 29: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu has registered a formal case against senior officials of the Jammu unit of the State Industrial Development Corporation (SICOP) in connection with alleged illegal appointment, regularisation and subsequent promotions made in gross violation of rules and established procedures. In a statement, ACB Jammu registered a formal case FIR No. 01/2

Hyderabad, Jan 29: A SIT of the Telangana police probing allegations of phone tapping during the previous BRS regime on Thursday issued a notice to the party chief and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to appear for examination. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) asked KCR, as Rao is addressed, to appear before it here on January 30 at 3 PM. In its notice, the SIT told Rao that since he is aged above 65 years, and as per the [] The post Phone tapping case: KCR served notice to appear b

Training of 160 artisans commences across 08 districts of Kashmir Div SRINAGAR, Jan 29: Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT), Srinagar, under the aegis of Handicrafts and Handloom Department, has taken a major stride towards revival of the centuries-old craft of hand-knotted silk carpet weaving in Kashmir by commencing Skill Up-gradation Training for 160 candidates under the SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector) initiative of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of Ind

A Collective Commitment to Strengthen Access to Justice and Legal Awareness JAMMU, Jan 29: In a significant step towards reinforcing access to justice and strengthening legal awareness across the Union Territory of J&K, Justice Arun Palli, Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and Patron-in-Chief, J&K Legal Services Authority, today released the Activity Calendar (Wall Calendar) 2026 of the J&K Legal Services Authority in presence of Justice Sanjeev Kumar, Executive Chairman, J

Addresses All India Urdu Mushaira at Jammu JAMMU, Jan 29: Poetry plays a vital role in promoting unity, harmony and cultural exchange in a multilingual nation like India, stated Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather while addressing the prestigious All India Urdu Mushaira at Abhinav Theatre, Jammu, as chief guest. The Mushaira was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages (JKAACL) in which a galaxy of writers, poets and intellectuals representing div

New Delhi, Jan 29: Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said that BharatNet connectivity has been provided in 97 per cent of gram panchayats across the country. BharatNet, one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world, is being implemented in a phased manner to all gram panchayats in the country for providing non-discriminatory access to broadband connectivity. (Out of) approximately 2,22,000 gram panchayats, that were identified for BharatNet one and two (proj

JAMMU, Jan 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday strongly condemned the recent attacks on people from Jammu and Kashmir in different parts of the country, saying such incidents are unacceptable and must be brought to an immediate end. In a post on X, Chief Minister said that the recent series of attacks, including those reported from Himachal Pradesh and the latest incident elsewhere, cannot be tolerated. He asserted that it is contradictory to claim that Jammu and Kashmir is [] The post

JAMMU, Jan 29: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has delegated specific administrative powers to Justice Sanjeev Kumar. As per the order passed by the Registrar General, the Chief Justice has authorized Justice Sanjeev Kumar to consider and dispose of requests mooted by Judicial Officers and Gazetted Officers of the High Court Registry and District Judiciary for sanction of General Provident Fund in their favour. The delegation also covers requests received from the Anti-Corruption

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua, Mohita Sharma, today ordered the transfer and posting of 8 Inspectors in Kathua district in the interest of administration, with immediate effect. According to the order issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua, Inspector Ashish Sharma has been transferred from Police Station Hiranagar and posted as SHO Police Station Kathua, while Inspector Sushil Sharma has been moved from DPL Kathua to Police Station Rajbagh as SHO.

New Delhi, Jan 29: India continues to monitor reports of incidents of attacks against minorities in Bangladesh including on their homes and places of worship, and New Delhi has consistently raised the issue with the authorities in Dhaka, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In a written response to a query, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also said it is the expectation of India that the interim government of Bangladesh will discharge its responsibilities b

New Delhi, Jan 29: A routine MRI scan may help a doctor assess a heart failure patient, according to a new study, offering an alternative to invasive, risky procedures that measure oxygen levels in blood. One of the most important markers in advanced heart failure is how much oxygen is left in blood returning to the right side of the heart, lead researcher Pankaj Garg, from the UKs University of East Anglia and a consultant cardiologist at the Norfolk and [] The post Researchers develop non-inva

Vaibhav Deshpande launches Breaking Politics Empowering Experts book in the presence of the Dean and faculty, urging professionals and students to bridge industry insight with future leadership Nagpur witnessed a vibrant convergence of industry, academia, and thought leadership as Vaibhav Deshpande, Chief Information Officer of AIT Global India, formally unveiled the book Breaking Politics Empowering Experts at the Symbiosis Institute of Technology on 27 January. The launch ceremony, held on t

Colombia, Jan 29 : A passenger plane crashed in northeastern Colombia on Wednesday, killing all 15 people on board, including Colombian lawmaker Di?genes Quintero Amaya and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo, authorities confirmed. The flight, operated by Colombian airline Satena, was a Beechcraft 1900 traveling from C?cuta to Oca?a, near the Venezuelan border. In a statement posted on X, Satena said, The Satena airline deeply regrets to announce that the Beechcraft aircraft, registration nu

Jakarta, Jan 29 : The death toll from a landslide in the Indonesian region of Cisarua has risen to 53, Indonesian news agency Antara reported, citing emergency services. The landslide occurred on Saturday. The search for survivors is being hampered by extreme weather conditions associated with the rainy season. The latest figures show that at least 155 people have been injured as a result of the natural disaster, with 80 remaining missing since the incident. (UNI) The post Death toll from landsl

New Delhi, Jan 29 : The India-EU free trade agreement is expected to benefit a wide range of domestic sectors and deepen Indias trade engagement with one of the worlds largest economic blocs, experts said. Negotiations for the agreement have been concluded and expected to come into force later this year. The experts said that the agreement announced on January 27 is set to significantly transform Indias automotive sector by attracting foreign direct investment into its auto component industry an

New Delhi, Jan 29 : Orient Green Power Company on Thursday said it has signed a contract with Suzlon Energy to supply three wind energy generators at a wind farm site in Tamil Nadu. A wind energy generator is a critical component of a wind project which captures winds kinetic energy using blades and helps convert it into electricity. The agreement has been signed through its material stepdown subsidiary Clarion Wind Farm Private Limited (Clarion) on Wednesday, Orient Green Power [] The post Orie

New Delhi, Jan 29 : Insurtech firm Turtlemint Fintech Solutions Ltd has filed updated draft papers with markets regulator Sebi to launch its initial public offering (IPO), with people familiar with the matter pegging the issue size at Rs 2,000 crore. The offer comprises a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 660.7 crore, and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of 28,608,992 equity shares by the selling shareholders, according to the updated draft papers filed late on Wednesday evening. Those []

Jammu, Jan 29: Asserting that unemployment cannot be addressed through government jobs alone, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said Jammu and Kashmir is expecting a substantial industrial package in the Union Budget to boost industrial growth in the Union Territory. Our expectation from the Union Budget is that we receive a good industrial package. Jammu and Kashmir has not received any central package providing incentives for industry since 1990. We are working closely with the Centre t

New Delhi, Jan 29 : Bharti Airtel on Thursday said it will provide free access to Adobe Express Premium to 360 million customers, enabling them to create high-quality social assets, marketing materials, short videos, and design other content. The move comes as such AI-powered design tools are rapidly gaining traction, prompting Indian telecom operators to strike partnerships with global tech firms to keep user engagement high within their digital ecosystems. In a release, Airtel said that, with

New Delhi, Jan 29 : Shares of Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday declined 3.5 per cent after its December quarter earnings failed to cheer investors. The stock dropped 3.40 per cent to Rs 1,4370 on the BSE. At the NSE, it edged lower by 3.52 per cent to Rs 14,353. Maruti Suzuki India on Wednesday posted 4 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 3,879 crore for the December quarter FY26, hit by one-time provision of Rs 594 [] The post Maruti shares down 3.5 pc post Q3 earnings appeared fi

New Delhi, Jan 28 : HDFC Capital Advisors Ltd has entered into a strategic partnership with Curated Living Solutions (CLS) to establish a Rs 1,000 crore rental housing platform in India, the company said on Wednesday. HDFC Capital is a real estate private equity arm of the HDFC Group. The platform will focus on the development, ownership, and operation of institutional-grade rental housing assets to meet the growing demand for professionally managed rental accommodation across major urban centre

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has directed all departments, PSUs and corporations to ensure that their employees enroll in and complete courses on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity on the iGOT Karmayogi platform by January 31, 2026. As per a circular issued by the General Administration Department, the courses have been identified under Mission Karmayogi by the Department of Personnel and Training to strengthen digital skills and cybersecurity awareness among gover

New Delhi, Jan 29: Indian cell phone cinema industry can play a significant role in disseminating spiritual knowledge, along with modern science, to the people as there is no box office pressure with this medium, BJP leader and former Information and Broadcasting Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Thursday. Addressing International Festival of Cell Phone Cinema, organised at Marwah Studios in Noida Film City, Naqvi said that the glorious journey of Indian cinema, which began with Dadasaheb Pha

A common scenario involves a production manager who recently spent $3,400 fixing a spindle collision. Thirty seconds of simulation wouldve caught that, is a frequent lament. This is a common experience the sinking feeling when one realizes a simple programming error just cost a day of production and a hefty repair bill. The Hidden Price Tag of Unplanned Downtime Unplanned downtime typically costs manufacturers between $5,000 to $9,000 per minute, depending on the industry. But its not just the

JAMMU, Jan 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Thursday announced a 15 per cent syllabus concession for Class 10th, 11th and 12th students of the Summer Zone appearing in the annual regular examinations of the Jammu Division. Officials within government confirmed that it was decided to give 15% syllabus relaxation for class 10th, 11th, and 12th students of summer zone in annual regular exams of Jammu Division, keeping in view the disruptions caused due to long spells of inclement [] The post

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Amid reports that he was upset with his party, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday met party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, and said all is good and he is on the same page with the leadership. The meeting in Kharges chamber in Parliament House complex lasted for over an hour. Sources said Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also joined the meeting. We had a discussion with my two party leaders, the LoP [] The post All is good, we are on same

Summary With offerings across term life insurance and ULIP categories, insurers today address both risk protection and investmentlinked planning needs. This combination plays a key role in building financial stability while supporting longterm goals. Most investors dont struggle with saving or investing. They struggle with deciding where protection ends and growth should begin. By 2026, that line matters more than ever. Responsibilities last longer, financial goals stretch further, and a single

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, be kept in abeyance. The Court expressed certain reservations about the Regulations, which are being challenged as discriminatory towards general classes. The Court suggested that the Regulations must be revisited by a committee comprising eminent jurists. The Regulations are prima facie vague and are capable of misuse, the Court

Jammu, Jan 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued instructions for the observance of a two-minute silence on January 30, 2026 (Martyrs Day) in memory of those who laid down their lives during Indias freedom struggle. According to an Office Memorandum issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), all Administrative Secretaries have been requested to participate in the observance scheduled at 11:00 am in the presence of the Chief Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir. As per the memorandu

CHANDIGARH, Jan 29: BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi was elected as the new mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation on Thursday as the party swept the mayoral polls by also securing the posts of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. In a three-cornered contest for the post of mayor of the Chandigarh civic body, BJP nominee Joshi secured 18 votes, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Yogesh Dhingra got 11 votes, while the Congress Gurpreet Singh Gabi secured seven votes. The polls were [] The post BJP swe

New Delhi, Jan 29: The Economic Survey on Thursday projected the GDP growth in the range of 6.8 to 7.2 per cent in 2026-27, a tad lower than 7.4 per cent estimated in the current fiscal. The outlook, therefore, is one of steady growth amid global uncertainty, requiring caution, but not pessimism, said the pre-Budget document tabled in the Lok Sabha. The growth projection has taken into consideration the cumulative impact of policy reforms over recent years that appear to [] The post Indias econo

New Delhi, Jan 29: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a comprehensive legal framework and enforcement of minimum wages for domestic workers, saying it cannot issue a writ asking the Centre and states to consider amending existing laws. The top court also observed that trade unionism has been largely responsible for stopping the industrial growth in the country. How many industrial units in the country have been closed thanks to trade unions? Let us know [] The post

Srinagar, Jan 29: Kashmir reeled under cold conditions as the night temperature settled several degrees below the freezing point at most places, officials said in Thursday. However, many places, including Srinagar, recorded warmer-than-expected night temperature. The minimum in the city settled at minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, down from the previous nights 0.1 degrees Celsius. The night temperature was 0.3 degrees above the seasonal normal. Sonamarg in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district was the co

Baramati, Jan 29: The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, killed in a plane crash, were held with full state honours on Thursday at Baramati in Pune district. Union ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, former Union minister Sharad Pawar and BJP president Nitin Nabin attended the 66-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chiefs funeral at the Vidya Pratishthan ground at Baramati, around 100 km from Pune. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde were a

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the free trade pact with the European Union is for an ambitious India and urged manufacturers to benefit from new markets opening for them. Modi also said that the nation is coming out of long term pending problems and working towards long term solutions. Time has come to find solutions and not create hurdles, he said, adding his government is not confined to just files but ensuring last mile [] The post FTA With EU Is For Ambitiou

New Delhi, Jan 29: Action has been taken against more than 4,000 people across India following complaints of irregularities in implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, while responding to a supplementary question, said that based on complaints, teams were formed to investigate issues. The reports of the teams were also shared with states. Primarily, the complaints were lodged for poor quality of work, financial irregulariti

Jammu, Jan 29: Jammu will host the YSS-JKSC Football and Cricket Premier Leagues in a bid to strengthen grassroots sports, with matches scheduled to begin early next month, an official said on Thursday. An initiative of the Department of Youth Services and Sports (YSS) in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council (JKSC), the leagues aims to revive competitive sports and provide a platform for local talent, the official said. The tournament will be held at the Synthetic Turf [] The

New Delhi, Jan 29: The Congress on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks on the Budget session, saying he delivers his usual hypocrisy-laden message to the nation before the beginning of each session and todays performance is part of this series. Congress general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh said, He (PM) will not convene and chair all-party meetings to take the opposition into confidence on national issues. He will suddenly have Bills introduced at the last [] T