Daily Excelsior

Chandigarh, May 5: A scooter parked near BSF Chowk in Punjabs Jalandhar district caught fire on Tuesday evening causing panic in the area, police said, even as locals claimed they heard a blast-like sound from the vehicle. The incident took place at around 8 pm outside the headquarters of the Border Security Forces Punjab Frontier, which is located along a road that connects the main city with the Amritsar-Delhi highway. Nobody was hurt, said police who have cordoned off the [] The post Scooter

Nawang Tsering Shakspo sntsering52@gmail.com Politics in Ladakh, right from the countrys independence in 1947, has been awfully flawed. The region remained cut off from the rest of the country till 1962-63. Interestingly, an Indian Air Force DC-3 Dakota aircraft, piloted by Air Commodore Mehar Singh, landed on the airstrip built in a great rush in Leh on May 24,1948. That was done to secure Ladakh from the Pakistani Kabaile invaders as well as to reinforce the presence of the Indian [] The post

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: The strong demand of vehicles pushed J&K auto retail sale up in April 2026. This was disclosed by Sanjay Aggarwal, Chairperson, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), here today. In a press statement issued, Aggarwal said that in J&K for April 2026, the 2-Wheeler category witnessed a growth of 20.85% at 10,704 units in April 2026, as compared to 8,857 units in April 2025. The 3 Wheeler category witnessed a growth of 52.38% at 1,472 [] The post

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: Contractors Association Jammu Province (CAJP) has said that contractors could not participate in the tender process initiated by the Flood Control Department (Jal Shakti) under SASCI component due to unfair conditions imposed by the authorities. Addressing a press conference here today members of the Association said that contractors fraternity is unhappy with the behavior of the officials of the Hydraulic Wing of the Jal Shakti Department. They said Flood C

Dr Priyank Goswami priyank.policy@gmail.com A new NITI Aayog framework on urban governance arrives as Jammu and Srinagar repeat the same mistakes they have been making for over a century. When British engineers built embankments along the Jhelum in the nineteenth century to protect Srinagars expanding city centre, Sir Walter Lawrence, the Settlement Commissioner, voiced his disquiet. Restricting the rivers natural width, he warned, would one day exact a price. In September 2014, the Jhelum prove

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: The Business School, University of Jammu, organised a workshop on AI & Agentic Systems in Business in collaboration with Gurcademy, aimed at familiarising students with emerging advancements in artificial intelligence and its applications in business decision-making. The workshop brought together experts and participants to deliberate on the growing significance of AI-driven systems in transforming modern business practices. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Am

NEW DELHI, May 5: Sanju Samson paced his unbeaten 87 off 52 balls perfectly on a tricky track as Chennai Super Kings kept themselves relevant in the Indian Premier League with an eight-wicket win over a self-destructing Delhi Capitals here on Tuesday. After opting to bat, DCs struggles with the bat at home continued as they ended with a below par 155 for seven on a pitch offering assistance to the spinners with odd ball holding up. Samson and Kartik [] The post Chennai Super Kings beat Delhi Cap

NEW DELHI, May 5: The Cabinet on Tuesday approved two more semiconductor manufacturing units with cumulative investment of more than Rs 3,936 crore. The semiconductor projects have been approved under India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), which includes the countrys first commercial mini/micro-LED display facility based on GaN (Gallium Nitride) Technology and a semiconductor packaging facility, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The semiconductor manufacturing facilities will be set up in Gujarat

NEW DELHI, May 5 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the approval of two semiconductor manufacturing units by the Union Cabinet and said Indias advances in the world of semiconductors will boost economic transformation, technological self-reliance and encourage the innovation ecosystem. Modi also complimented raising the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane. Cabinets approval of new projects under the India Semiconductor Mission is a part of our efforts towards making Ind

NEW DELHI, May 5: US President Donald Trump has congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic and decisive election victory, a White House spokesman said on Tuesday. Just last month on their phone call, President Trump expressed to Prime Minister Modi his admiration and how lucky India is to have him as its leader, White House Spokesman Kush Desai told PTI. The President congratulates Prime Minister Modi on this recent, historic, and decisive election victory, he added. On Monday, [

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: A nine-member Jammu and Kashmir Karate team has been selected to participate in the 4th Golden Bharat Karate Cup 2026, scheduled to be held at Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi from May 9. The team includes Kartik Verma, Rizwan Akhtar, Pranav, Trisha Malgotra, Arnav Yadav, Sejal, Vaishnav, Maqsood Hussain and coach Sanjeev Dewan. The players are expected to deliver a strong performance in the championship. The post J&K team announced for National Ka

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: Demonstrating commitment to continuous professional growth, faculty members of Delhi Public School (DPS) Jammu, Alisha Mahajan and Supinder Kour, attended a Capacity Building Workshop on Information Technology organized by the CBSE Centre of Excellence, Chandigarh, at IDRS, Jammu. The workshop aimed at enhancing digital competence among educators and equipping them with modern teaching tools for effective classroom delivery in the digital era. The sessions w

NEW DELHI, May 5: The government on Tuesday announced an Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) with an outlay of Rs 18,100 crore for MSMEs, airlines and other companies to help them meet working capital needs amid the challenges posed by the West Asia conflict. The scheme expected to help in providing additional credit flow of Rs 2.55 lakh crore, including Rs 5,000 crore was approved by the Union Cabinet on Tuesday. Briefing the media on the Cabinet [] The post Govt announces emergenc

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today interacted with achiever students and faculty of Jammu Universitys Design Your Degree (DYD) programme at Lok Bhavan and reviewed the initiatives impact on academic growth and innovation. During the interaction, the students from different semesters presented a detailed overview of their learning experiences, pedagogy of DYD, and shared their major achievements secured on national platforms and landmark competitions. They

COLOMBUS, May 5 : Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has spent his campaign for Ohio governor focused on Novembers general election and finally gets the chance Tuesday to put the long primary season behind him, as the Trump-endorsed biotech entrepreneur positions for an expensive run against Dr Amy Acton, the former state health director. Contests on the ballots also will set the stage for Ohios third competitive US Senate race in the last four years, as well as a handful of US [] The post Ramaswamy loo

NEW DELHI, May 5: The government on Tuesday approved the development of a state-of-the-art ship repair facility in Vadinar, Gujarat, with an investment of Rs 1,570 crore, according to an official statement. The statement further said the project will be jointly implemented by Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), with a combined investment of Rs 1,570 crore. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Jammu and Kashmirs roads have once again become the backdrop for a familiar script: a spate of fatal accidents, followed swiftly by an emergency meeting, stern directives, and solemn assurances that this time, things will be different. The high-level committee that has now mandated road safety audit reports from NHAI, NHIDCL, BRO, PMGSY and the Roads and Buildings Department by months end is, in intent, commendable. In context, however, it is deeply dispiriting. This is not the first such commit

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: The Non-Gazetted Police Pensioners Welfare Forum (NGPPWF) has urged the Government to resolve long-pending issues of retired police personnel, particularly the pay anomaly linked to Government Order number 229-F of 2014. Click here to watch video In a press statement, the Forum said the benefits were given prospectively, whereas these should have been implemented from 1996 when the 5th Pay Commission came into force, leaving many retirees deprived of their d

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered a major reshuffle in the Power Development Department, transferring and posting 17 engineers across various corporations and field divisions, besides assigning additional charges to five senior officers of the department and its corporations to ensure smooth functioning of official work against vacant posts of Chief Engineer and Superintending Engineers. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp As per one order,

Excelsior Correspondent RAMBAN, May 5: Police here today demolished a roadside Dhaba (eatery) along Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) in Chanderkoot area over its alleged involvement in drug peddling. Click here to watch video The eatery, popularly known as Makhan Dhaba, was accused of supplying contraband substances to locals as well as highway commuters, including drivers. Officials said the Dhaba came under scrutiny following specific intelligence inputs regarding its suspected role in

Excelsior Correspondent BISHNAH, May 5: Congress Committee Bishnah under the leadership of District president (Jammu Rural), Neeraj Kundan today burnt the effigy of the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in a powerful demonstration against the continuous harassment of common citizens and the rigid implementation of the outdated JDA Master Plan 2016. Addressing the protestors, Kundan said, The JDA Master Plan prepared in 2016 during the BJP-PDP Government has become a major cause of suffering for

Decision on yatra security after MHA review Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, May 5: With tourism season setting-in and snow melting leading to coordinated operations in the mountainous areas against the terrorists, the Central Government has started returning the companies of paramilitary forces which were taken for conduct of peaceful Assembly elections in five States/UT, to Jammu and Kashmir but the process will take some time as the MHA has decided to keep some forces in West Bengal for few more days. [

Excelsior Correspondent SAMBA, May 5: Rekha Mahajan, vice president, J&K BJP and Prabhari district Samba chaired a comprehensive organisational meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here, today, laying strong emphasis on cadre strengthening, structured functioning, and effective grassroots outreach. The meeting was attended by district president, Samba Asha Rani, State secretary, Arun Sharma, district Seh Prabhari, Manmohan Singh, district general secretaries, Amit Dubey and Rakesh Sambyal

Excelsior Correspondent Jammu, May 5: For the first time, the seminal sociological work Social Change in Modern India by noted Indian sociologist, M N Srinivas has been translated into Kashmiri language by an eminent journalist and author, Dr Rajesh Bhat. The translation has been undertaken as part of the National Translation Mission project of the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru, aimed at making knowledge texts accessible in Indian languages. Considered a foundational text in unde

PESHAWAR, May 5: A prominent cleric was shot dead today by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The motorcycle-borne gunmen ambushed the vehicle of Sheikh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda district, injuring two security guards accompanying him, they said. Idrees, one of the senior and respected religious scholars in Pakistan, sustained critical injuries and

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, May 5: The members of Executive Committee, Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) wholeheartedly appreciated the open-arm welcome by Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of JKUT to the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. In the Executive Committee Meeting of the Sabha (KPS), held under the chairmanship of president, K. K. Khosa, the members deliberated upon the recent statements made by both, the president of the National Conference (NC), Dr. Farooq Abdullah and the Chief Mini

JAMMU, May 5: The newly launched Vande Bharat Express service between Jammu and Srinagar has witnessed an enthusiastic response from travellers, with 16,349 passengers availing the service in the first four days, railway officials said on Tuesday. Launched on May 2, the semi-high-speed train has recorded an average occupancy of around 82 per cent during this period, reflecting its growing popularity among commuters for both speed and premium onboard services. Overall, analysing the occupancy sta

Prominent Cleric Shot Dead In Northwest PakistanPeshawar, May 5 : A prominent cleric was on Tuesday shot dead by unidentified gunmen in a targeted attack in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said. The motorcycle-borne gunmen ambushed the vehicle of Sheikh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda district, injuring two security guards accompanying him, they said. Idrees, one of the senior and respected religious scholars in Pakistan, sustained critical injur

SRINAGAR, May 5: Deputy Chief Minister, Surinder Choudhary, today chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on the ongoing Public Works Department (PWD) projects being executed across Jammu and Kashmir. While reviewing the division-wise status of works, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the officers to ensure timely completion of projects under R&B, PMGSY, Cities and Towns, Potholes, Mechanical and NABARD, with zero tolerance for delays, spill overs, lapses or quality standards. Emphasizi

SRINAGAR, May 5: As a follow-up to the Budget Announcements for implementation during 202627, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat here to fast-track implementation of key Budget initiatives, with a focus on timely delivery of welfare measures for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. At the outset, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Shailendra Kumar, briefed the Chief Minister, outlining the status of various Budget announcements across departments

JAMMU, May 5: The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban, Arun Gupta, has ordered the transfer and posting of 4 officers, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) and three Inspectors, in the interest of the administration. The post DySP, Three Inspectors Transferred By SSP Ramban appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

JAMMU, May 5: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today ordered the transfer and posting of three IAS officers with immediate effect in the interest of administration. As per the order, Pranjal J Hazarika, who was awaiting posting in the General Administration Department, has been posted as Additional Secretary in the Labour and Employment Department. Vivek Agarwal, also awaiting posting, has been appointed as Additional District Development Commissioner, Budgam. Similarly, Vikas Ahlawat has been p

Srinagar, May 5: The Government of Jammu & Kashmir has ordered a significant reshuffle in the Power Development Department (PDD), transferring and posting multiple engineers across various divisions with immediate effect. According to Government Order No. 111-JK(PDD) of 2026 dated May 05, the decision has been taken in the interest of administration to ensure smooth and efficient functioning of official work. As per the order, several Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers (AEEs), an

Srinagar, May 5: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday attributed the BJPs West Bengal win to a significant role played by the Election Commission (EC), alongside a consolidation of Hindu votes and a fractured minority mandate. Abdullah also said the INDIA bloc needs to define its role in the political landscape of the country and make it clear whether the opposition alliance was limited to the parliamentary elections or extended to the state elections as well. Talking [] The

SRINAGAR, May 5: Jammu and Kashmir Bank on Tuesday posted a record profit of Rs 2,363 crore for the 2025-26 financial year. The bank, which declared the annual results here on Tuesday, said it was for the fourth consecutive financial year that the premier financial institute of Jammu and Kashmir posted record profits. The bank registered a year-on-year growth of over 13 per cent in its annual profit when compared to Rs 2,082.46 cr reported for FY2024-25, despite a one-time [] The post J&K Bank P

SRINAGAR, May 5: The General Officer Commanding (GOC) White Knight Corps Lieutenant General P K Mishra accompanied by GOC Counter-Insurgency Force (CIF) Delta Major General A P S Bal today visited general area of Basantgarh in Udhampur district to assess the current security dynamics and ongoing operational preparedness. The Army commander was apprised of the existing security layout, force disposition, surveillance mechanisms and contingency responses, with focused discussions on optimising the

Poonch, May 5: District Police Poonch on Tuesday recovered two bodies from a nallah near Chhattapani after a search and rescue operation was launched to trace out the missing vehicle along Mughal Road. Police officials said that four individuals travelling in a vehicle were reported missing yesterday while en-route on the Mughal Road. Acting swiftly on the information, District Police Poonch launched a large-scale search and rescue operation in the area. During the course of the search operation

DEHRADUN, May 5: The Uttarakhand Government is going to establish advanced early warning and real-time monitoring systems at sensitive glacial lakes to mitigate the risk of outburst floods, officials said on Tuesday. They said that the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) is developing Vasundhara Lake as a pilot site for these high-tech systems. The model will eventually be replicated at other vulnerable glacial lakes in the state to strengthen scientific disaster management. Chief Secret

NEW DELHI, May 5: India could consider lowering the inflation target and trimming the tolerance band if GDP growth remains robust with a more stable inflation over the next five years, RBI Deputy Governor Poonam Gupta said on Tuesday. However, if the global environment remains as challenging as it has been during the past six years, it would warrant both predictability and flexibility inherent in the existing framework, she said. The government, after consultation with the RBI, has notified the

SRINAGAR, May 5: Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd. (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has entered the union Territory of Ladakh with the inauguration of its first dealership, Mentokling Suzuki in Leh. A spokesman of the company said that with this dealership, SMIPL has now established its presence across all states & union territories of India through a network of 1,242 outlets, marking a significant milestone in its nationwide expansion journey. With this de

LUCKNOW, May 5: SP president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday demanded that the Government immediately announce the implementation of womens quota for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The former Chief Minister challenged the ruling BJP at the Centre to either commit to the 2027 timeline or openly admit that it is against the interests of women. The PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak) demands that womens reservation (bill), which the entire Opposition collectively and gladly passed in Parliament

SRINAGAR, May 5: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday took a swipe at the EC over the assembly poll results, saying it seems to have mastered the art of electoral manipulation and West Bengal is the latest reminder of this disturbing reality. In a post on X, she said, We may not have become Vishwaguru, but we seem to have mastered the art of electoral manipulation. West Bengal is the latest reminder of this disturbing reality. She further said that [] The post EC Mastered Electoral Manipulati

Srinagar, May 5: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday expressed hope that the new governments will discharge their duties keeping in mind that the country belongs to all irrespective of religion and language. Speaking to reporters at Chrar-e-Shareef in Central Kashmirs Budgam district, Abdullah said the new governments should work for everyones progress. When asked about the poll results, he said, What can my reaction be? The decision of the people is in front of you. Wh

PRAYAGRAJ, May 5 : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said that India has entered a decisive phase in its defence journey, where technology, indigenous innovation and private sector participation are shaping a new global identity for the country. Addressing the North Tech Symposium 2026 in Prayagraj, the Minister said that warfare is no longer

KOLKATA, May 5: Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday ruled out stepping down after her partys defeat in the assembly polls, claiming that the verdict was not a genuine public mandate but the result of a conspiracy. Banerjee also alleged that the TMCs contest in the polls was not against the BJP, but against the Election Commission, which worked for the BJP. The question of my resignation does not arise, as we were defeated [] The post Wont Resign, Poll R

BANGALORE, May 5: India ranks as the fifth most spammed country in the world, according to the latest data released by Truecaller. Indonesia tops the list, followed by Chile, Vietnam, and Brazil. Indonesia topped the global list of the most spam-affected nations, followed by Chile, Vietnam, and Brazil. The insights, based on anonymised and aggregated data from Truecallers global user base of 500 million, revealed that the platform identified more than 68 billion spam and fraud calls worldwide in

PESHAWAR, May 5: A prominent cleric was shot dead in a targeted attack in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday, police said. Unidentified gunmen ambushed the vehicle of Sheikh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Idrees in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda district, injuring two security guards accompanying him, they said. Idrees was considered among the senior and respected religious scholars in Pakistan, known for his contributions to religious education. According to police, the assailants ope

KARACHI, May 5: At least 10 people have died in Karachi because of an intense heatwave that has affected Pakistans Sindh province and has taken temperature to record highs. Five bodies were recovered from various locations across Karachi city on Monday, while five people with symptoms of heatstroke died during treatment at hospitals, said Faisal Edhi of Edhi Welfare Trust, which operates a nationwide network of medical facilities and shelter homes. Karachi recorded its hottest day since 2018 on

CAIRO, May 5: The Sudanese Government accused Ethiopia of being behind recent drone attacks on sites including Khartoum airport and recalled its ambassador on Tuesday. A military spokesperson in Sudan said the government has evidence that four drone strikes that have happened since March 1 came from Ethiopias Bahir Dar airport. It also accused the United Arab Emirates of supplying the drones. The Sudanese military has been at war with a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces since

TAOYUAN (Taiwan), May 5: Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday it was a basic right for countries to hold state visits, as he returned from his three-day trip to the African kingdom of Eswatini, which his government says China tried to block. Lai was supposed to travel to the country, one of Taiwans 12 remaining diplomatic partners, last month, but had to cancel the initial trip owing to Chinese pressure, Taiwans government said. China pressured three countries to revoke [] The post Taiw