Daily Excelsior

Dubai, Mar 25: Iranian state televisions English-language broadcaster quoted an anonymous official on Wednesday saying that Iran had rejected Americas 15-point ceasefire proposal. Pakistani officials described the proposal broadly as touching on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, a rollback of Irans nuclear program, monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, missile limits and access for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. The Trum

JAMMU, Mar 25: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo today chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess the progress of the Tawi Artificial Lake and Riverfront Development Project in Jammu. The review covered key components including riverfront development works, barrage construction, sewerage interception, and protection measures being executed under the Smart City initiative. The Chief Secretary undertook a detailed assessment of both completed and ongoing works, including new initiatives aimed at

JAMMU, Mar 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has assigned additional charge of Chief Executive Officer, Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA), to Irfan Rasool Wani, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir. The post Irfan Rasool Wani Given Additional Charge Of WUCMA CEO appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Jammu, Mar 25 : Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the purpose of education is not merely to impart knowledge, but to prepare students for lifes challenges and opportunities. We should focus on soft skills, research, entrepreneurship, and a startup culture. The education sector must bring transformation through mentoring and academiaindustry collaboration, he said. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Jammu chapter of the Indian Society for Training & Development (IS

JAMMU, March 25: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has deputed 25 officers and officials to Saudi Arabia to assist pilgrims during Haj 2026. The decision followed their selection by the Haj Committee of India, Mumbai. As per the order, the officials will be temporarily posted at the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, where they will perform duties as State Haj Inspectors and provide necessary support and coordination for pilgrims from the Union Territory during the annual pilgrimage. See Order

JAMMU, Mar 25: Four alleged drug peddlers were arrested with heroin from different locations in Jammu and Kashmirs Udhampur district on Wednesday, police said. At Tikri along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a private car was intercepted and 5.44 grams of heroin recovered from two occupants Sunil Sharma and Mohan Lal who were arrested, a police spokesperson said. Nazir Ahmad Shah, a resident of Baramulla, was arrested at a highway checkpoint in Rehambal after a search of his car [] The pos

Anantnag, Mar 25: A Naib Tehsildar posted at the Tehsil Office in Arwani, Bijbehara, was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs.22,000 officials said. The accused has been identified as Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Narbal in Budgam district. Officials said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) South Kashmir team laid a trap under the supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police Rouf Ahmad based on specific inputs regarding corrupt practices. The official was

LONDON, Mar 25: British police arrested two men on Wednesday in connection with an arson attack on four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity, which authorities are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime. The Metropolitan Police said the two men, aged 45 and 47, were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and both men have been taken to a London police station for questioning. Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, said the arrests [] The

DHAKA, Mar 25: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called for the establishment of the Liberation Wars spirit of equality, human dignity and social justice, as the nation observed Genocide Day on Wednesday. The Pakistani army launched Operation Searchlight on March 25 to suppress the Bengali peoples calls for self-determination in erstwhile East Pakistan, killing over 20,000 people alone in Dhaka. Officially, three million people were killed in the subsequent nine-month Liberation War.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 25:Iran has received a 15-point proposal from the US to reach a ceasefire in the war, two Pakistani officials said on Wednesday. The Pakistani officials described the proposal broadly as touching on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, a rollback of Irans nuclear program, monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, missile limits and access for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. The officials spoke to The Associated Pr

SINGAPORE, Mar 25: A state coroner on Wednesday upheld the Singapore Police Coast Guards (PCG) finding that there was no foul play in the death of Indian singer Zubeen Garg and ruled the death an accidental drowning near an island of the city state in September last year. Directly addressing a concern raised by Gargs widow regarding the PCGs finding that there was no foul play, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda stated that the PCG had conducted a comprehensive and thorough [] The post Zubeen Garg died

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Fintech platform CRED on Wednesday said its users can now authorise UPI payments using their face or fingerprint for transactions up to Rs 5,000. The feature, developed in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is available on both iOS and Android devices, the company said in a statement. The authentication method applies to all UPI-based transactions on the platform, including credit card bills, utility payments, merchant transactions, and peer-

MUMBAI, Mar 25: The rupee slumped 29 paise to close at record low of 94.05 (provisional) against the US dollar on Wednesday as heavy FII outflows and simmering tensions in West Asia kept investors on the edge. Even a drop in global crude oil prices, weaker greenback, and positive sentiments in the domestic equity markets could not provide any respite to the local unit, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the local unit opened at 93.94 against the [] The post Rupee closes at re

SRINAGAR, Mar 25: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg on Wednesday dismissed rumours about any possible lockdown, urging people not to panic and to rely only on official sources for information. Speaking to reporters, he said, There are many rumours being spread about a lockdown, but there is no such update from the government. If any such decision is taken, it will be officially communicated. I request everyone not to panic. Stocks of essential commodities are being continuously monitor

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Ola Electric on Wednesday said it has received a robust early response to its recently launched Ola Insiders Upgrade Program, with over 50,000 customers expressing strong interest within days of launch. Building on this momentum, the company is expanding the upgrade program to over 150 cities starting today, enabling 80 per cent of customers across the country to seamlessly upgrade to the latest Ola electric vehicles, it said in a statement. The Upgrade Program, part of [] The

MUMBAI, Mar 25: Stock markets rallied for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, with benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closing nearly 2 per cent higher, as crude oil prices dropped and global markets advanced amid hopes of de-escalation in the war in West Asia. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,205 points or 1.63 per cent to settle at 75,273.45. During the day, it soared 1,781.31 points or 2.40 per cent to 75,849.76. The 50-share NSE Nifty surged 394.05 points or [] The post Stock markets ral

New Delhi, Mar 25: From frozen marathons at Pangong Lake in Ladakh to underwater adventures like snorkeling and scuba diving in Lakshadweep, the Centre is promoting a wide range of niche tourism segments across Union Territories to boost the local economy, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Responding to a question, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the government is actively promoting various new types of tourism like astro-tourism, eco-tourism, nature/biodiversity t

JAMMU, Mar 25: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a high-level meeting to assess the current status and expedite the updation of Recruitment Rules (RRs) across various departments of the Union Territory, with a strong emphasis on ensuring transparency, efficiency and employee welfare in public administration. The meeting was attended by the Commissioner Secretary, ARI & Trainings Department, along with Administrative Secretaries of other departments. While underscoring the importance of t

Jammu, Mar 25: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday directed the stakeholders to prioritise collaboration and create an environment where a strong professional community is built through networking, best practices, national and international exposure, and joint training programmes. Todays challenges are complex and multidimensional. Their solution is possible only through collective effort and we must focus on this to actively drive Jammu Kashmirs rapid growth, the Lieutenant Governor sa

New Delhi, Mar 25: As many as 1,300 posts of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 505 belonging to the Indian Police Service (IPS) are lying vacant, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Of the total of 6,877 sanctioned posts of the IAS, there are 5,577 officers in position, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. There are 4,594 IPS officers in position, as against their sanctioned strength of 5,099, he said. Singh [] The post As Many As 1,300 Pos

New Delhi, Mar 25: Gold prices climbed Rs 5,091 to Rs 1.44 lakh per 10 grams in futures trade on Wednesday amid strong global trends and a weak US dollar. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for the April contract appreciated by Rs 5,091, or 3.66 per cent, to Rs 1,44,003 per 10 grams. Analysts said the rally in bullion was driven by improving sentiment in global commodities market. Gold prices experienced a notable rally on Wednesday driven by easing [] The post Gold Jumps Rs 5,091 To Rs 1.44

SRINAGAR, Mar 25: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday called for reviewing the life sentence of separatist Asiya Andrabi and reducing it to the earlier provision of 14 years. This life imprisonment till the person is alive should be abolished in the whole country. It should be 14 years like it used to be before, Mufti told reporters here. A special NIA court on Tuesday sentenced hardline separatist Aasiya Andrabi to life imprisonment for conspiring to wage [] The pos

HAMIRPUR (HP), Mar 25: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has written to all states to reserve 20 per cent jobs for Agniveers for their rehabilitation after they complete their four-year term in 2027, an official said on Wednesday. The letter is addressed to the chief ministers, said Sainik Welfare Department director Brigadier Madan Sheel Sharma (Retd). Following the receipt of the letter, the Himachal Pradesh Sainik Welfare Department sent a report to the state government to consider the proposal.

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Antibiotic-resistant typhoid infections accounted for at least 87 per cent of Indias disease-related economic burden in 2023, according to a study in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia. The total economic burden due to typhoid fever was estimated at Rs 123 billion. Children under the age of 10 incurred the highest economic burden, contributing to over half of the costs, researchers, including those from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Christian Medica

JAMMU, Mar 25: Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma on Wednesday conducted an extensive security review and inspection of border areas in the district and directed police to carry out frequent search operations in nursery areas to check for suspicious movement. Accompanied by operations officers, the Kathua SSP toured several border police posts, nurseries and adjoining areas along the International Border in the district. The visit was aimed at assessing ground preparedness and

New Delhi, Mar 25: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea against a home ministry circular on singing of national song Vande Mataram at official events, saying that a directive was not mandatory. A bench consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi termed the plea filed by one Muhammed Sayeed Noori as premature and based on vague apprehension of discrimination. Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, appearing for Noori, said they respect []

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Finance Bill 2026, along with 32 government amendments. With the passage of the Finance Bill 2026, the Lok Sabha completed its part of the Budgetary approval process. The Upper House, Rajya Sabha, will now consider the Bill. After the Rajya Sabha approves the Bill, the Budget process for 2026-27 will be complete. The Union Budget 2026-27 envisages a total expenditure of Rs 53.47 lakh crore, an increase of 7.7 [] The post Lok Sabha Passes F

KOLKATA, Mar 25: The Election Commission is examining the cause of a technical glitch that briefly showed all voters in West Bengal as under adjudication, an official said on Wednesday. The problem came to light on Tuesday night when voters attempting to access their details on the EC website using their EPIC numbers found their status marked as under adjudication, even in cases where names were already included in the final electoral rolls. The issue was noticed on Tuesday night [] The post EC

New Delhi, Mar 24: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint alleging repeated targeted killings of Hindu civilians and other vulnerable communities in Jammu and Kashmir and the lack of transparency in investigation and prosecution of such cases. A Bench presided by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo issued a notice to the J&K Director General of Police (DGP) directing that the allegations made in the complaint be enquired into and an Action Taken Report (ATR) be

JAMMU, Mar 25: A Pakistani intruder was detained by Border Security Force (BSF) along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmirs Samba district on Wednesday, officials said. Alert BSF troops picked up the movement of an elderly Pakistani opposite Border Out Post Bhaller in Ramgarh sector and subsequently challenged him when he intruded into this side, the officials said. They said he surrendered on being challenged and preliminary questioning revealed that he had inadvertently crossed the bo

New Delhi, Mar 25: The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas has clarified on Wednesday that circulating news reports about a change in LPG refill booking timelines are false. The Ministry reiterated that the existing refill booking timelines remain unchanged and continue to be. It has come to the notice of the Government that certain news reports and social media posts are claiming revised LPG refill booking timelines45 days for PMUY connections, 25 days for non-PMUY single bottle connections, an

LONDON, Mar 25: A former cancer nurse who became a priest at the age of 40 will be installed as archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, publicly celebrating her election as the first woman to lead the Church of England. Although Sarah Mullally, 63, formally became the archbishop of Canterbury in January, Wednesdays event marks the beginning of her public ministry as both the head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The communion is [] The post Cancer

ISLAMABAD, Mar 25: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday briefed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman about Islamabads diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the tenuous West Asia situation. The prime minister said in a statement on X that he spoke with the crown prince and discussed the regional situation in addition to exchanging traditional Eid greetings. The call comes a day after Sharif offered to host talks between the US and Iran for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing co

COPENHAGEN, Mar 25: Denmarks election Tuesday ended in an inconclusive result that left the prime ministers future unclear, after a campaign that focused on bread-and-butter issues rather than her handling of the crisis over US President Donald Trumps ambitions toward Greenland. Official results showed that Prime Minister Mette Frederiksens centre-left Social Democrats lost ground compared with the last election in 2022, as did her two partners in the outgoing government. Neither left-leaning no

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Railway infrastructure and EPC services provider Laxyo Ltd has filed preliminary papers with markets regulator Sebi to raise Rs 150 crore through an Initial Public Offering (IPO). The IPO is entirely a fresh issue of equity shares with no Offer For Sale (OFS) component, according to the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) filed on Monday. The Indore-headquartered company intends to utilise the proceeds to the tune of Rs 70 crore for debt payment, Rs 9.75 crore [] The post Rail

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on Wednesday said it plans to scale up rail-based vehicle dispatches to 35 per cent by FY31, up from the current 26 per cent. The companys Manesar in-plant railway siding has reached 1 lakh vehicle dispatches since the start of operations in June 2025, the company said in a statement. It has resulted in an estimated avoidance of 16,800 metric tonnes CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent), it added. In CY 2025, the company [] The post Maruti Suzuki to scale up

Jammu, Mar 25: About a dozen universities in Jammu and Kashmir are grappling with a severe faculty shortage, with around 40 per cent teaching posts lying vacant, according to official data. Figures provided by the Higher Education Department show that more than 3,300 teaching posts are sanctioned across nine public universities and two central universities functioning under the aegis of Union Ministry of Education, while only around 1,900 are in position, leaving a large gap that has forced seve

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday raised Indias GDP growth forecast for the next fiscal to 7.1 per cent, with private consumption, investment and exports being key drivers, but said that the conflict in the Middle East could strain the fiscal position due to higher energy prices arising from the conflict. In its latest quarterly Asia-Pacific economic commentary, S&P Global Ratings said risks from renewed geopolitical tensions and persistent trade-related uncertainties could affe

CHENNAI, Mar 25: Sundaram Home Finance has targeted to set up five branches under its emerging business segment in south Tamil Nadu as it aims to garner Rs 200 crore disbursements next year in the region. The Chennai-headquartered company recently inaugurated two new branches in the emerging business segment in Sankaran Koil and Ambasamudram under the expansion plans. In a company statement on Wednesday, Sundaram Home Finance MD D Lakshminarayanan said, We had diversified into the Emerging Busin

Kolkata, Mar 25: Alleging that double standards were prevailing in West Bengal over permissions for religious activities, BJP chief Nitin Nabin on Wednesday claimed that while namaz can be offered freely in the state, court approval is needed to organise pujas or erect pandals. Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at the Dakshineswar Temple on the outskirts of Kolkata, Nabin said the situation was unfortunate. Here, there is permission to offer namaz, but to perform puja and erect pandal

New Delhi, Mar 25: Stating that the constitutional guarantee of just compensation cannot be diluted, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said solatium and interest in a land acquisition matter cannot be contingent on the magnitude of the financial burden. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan made the observation while disposing of the National Highway Authority of Indias (NHAI) plea seeking review of the apex courts February 4, 2025 verdict that the 2019 decision of [] The po

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: The Delhi Police on Wednesday said they have busted an arms smuggling module with links to Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and arrested 10 people. A cache of sophisticated foreign-made weapons, including sub-machine guns and automatic pistols, along with 200 live cartridges, has been recovered from the accused, they said. According to police, a total of 21 firearms were seized during the operation, comprising high-end automatic weapons and pistols sourced from multiple countri

Katra, Mar 25: The holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi on Wednesday witnessed a huge rush of devotees, as the ongoing Chaitra Navratri festival continues to attract devotees from across the country. According to official sources, 2.4 lakh devotees have already paid obeisance during the initial days of Navratri, and the inflow remains steady with a continuous movement of pilgrims along the track from Katra to the Bhawan. Authorities earlier had to regulate registrations due to the unprecedented

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Several Opposition MPs staged a protest in the Parliament House complex on Wednesday over the reported LPG supply crunch. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP(SP)s Supriya Sule, SPs Dharmendra Yadav, CPI-MLs Sudama Prasad, DMKs T Sumathy, JMMS Mahua Maji, among others, participated in the protest near the Makar Dwar of Parliament. With a huge banner stating Empty Cylinders, Empty Promises, the MPs raised slogans against the government. The reported LPG crunch comes amid

NEW DELHI, Mar 25: Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Wednesday claimed that the U-turn Ustad now wants to implement the womens reservation law without completing the delimitation and census exercises by passing amendments at a special two-day session of Parliament in the next fortnight. The opposition party alleged that this was a weapon of mass diversion to change the narrative from the governments foreign policy failures and setbacks and from the LPG and energy []

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WASHINGTON, Mar 25: The US has sent Iran a 15-point plan and ceasefire proposal to end the war in the Middle East, multiple news outlets reported here. The peace plan was shared with Iranian officials Tuesday via Pakistan, according to the New York Times. ABC News quoted sources saying the plan addresses Irans ballistic missile and nuclear programs as well as maritime routes, but would not provide any other details including which Iranian officials were sent the proposal. It [] The post US Send

JAMMU, Mar 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday ordered a stop-gap arrangement in the Secretariat by placing two Section Officers as Under Secretaries in the Government. According to an order, sanction has been accorded to the placement of two officers as Under Secretaries in their own pay and grade, with charge allowance as admissible under rules. The order has been issued vide Government Order No. 470-JK(GAD) of 2026, dated March 23, 2026, and signed by Commissioner/Secretary to the

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Mar 24: A workshop organised by the RBI for Lead District Managers (LDMs), District Development Managers (DDMs) and Lead District Officers (LDOs) of the UTs was held here today. The event was graced by Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary, as the chief guest and Shailendra Kumar, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Finance Department, as guest of honour in the presence of Chandrashekhar Azad, Regional Director, RBI Jammu. It was attended by dignitaries inc

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Mar 24: A seminar on Bank Branch Audit & LFAR including Risk Audit & System Audit organized by the Jammu & Kashmir Branch of the Northern India Regional Council (NIRC) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was held here today. The programme commenced with an inaugural address by Amit Gupta, Chairman, J&K Branch of ICAI, who highlighted the critical role of Chartered Accountants in maintaining the integrity of the financial system. He encouraged