Daily Excelsior News

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 9: The LIC of India Satellite Office in Janipur celebrated the first anniversary of the Bima Sakhi Scheme here today. The scheme, launched last year by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Panipat, aims to strengthen LICs outreach and empower women through financial inclusion. The event was attended by Manager (Sales) RK Nagar, Branch Manager Abhishek Meena, Development Officers, CLIA representatives and LIC agents. A cake-cutting ceremony was held to mark one

JAMMU, Dec 9: Jammu & Kashmirs automobile retail sector posted a steady performance in November 2025, registering an overall 4.92% year-on-year growth. Total vehicle retail stood at 15,597 units, up from 14,865 units in November 2024, according to data shared by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) Jammu. The month reflected a mixed market response, with some key categories showing a decline while others recorded strong gains. Two Wheelers category witnessed a downfall by -8.

Beyond the Abstract Akhilesh Singh Jamwal Human Rights, a phrase heard by everyone yet not truly understood by many. Almost every individual who hears the phrase thinks of high-stake cases in Supreme Court, massacres of innocents or exploitation of workers in conditions one can hardly imagine. Essentially a lay man has completely alienated themselves from the understanding of Human Rights in their day-to-day lives, they believe it is involved only when the topic of discussion is about something

Ronik Sharma roniksharma21@gmail.com Every year, the whole world observes International Human Rights Day to commemorate the adoption of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human rights. This day not only celebrates everyones fundamental freedoms but also rights around the globe and this years theme is Our Everyday Essentials. Factually, every year on December 10th, we are reminded of the importance of equality and fundamental freedoms for all people, which are crucial subjects for each persons con

Rakesh Kumar Sharma rakesh.kartik3742@gmail.com International Animal Rights Day is observed globally on 10 December each year to promote awareness about the rights and welfare of animals. Celebrated in parallel with International Human Rights Day, the occasion underlines an important truth: animals, both domestic and wild are conscious beings capable of feeling pain, fear, and affection, and therefore deserve compassion, dignity, and protection. The day serves as a reminder to individuals, commu

*Assesses progress of Jal Jeevan Mission Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today reviewed the projects of the Housing & Urban Development Department being implemented under the scheme, Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI). The meeting was attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D. Vaidya,, Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD, Ma

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on Tuesday asserted that Vande Mataram was not just a national song but was the very pulse of our nation. Making a special mention in the Upper House just ahead of the scheduled debate on the national song, which was set to be initiated by union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chairman said the song, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, was the source of unwavering courage for revolutionaries. More than a [] The post Vande Mataram is more

CUTTACK, Dec 9: Hardik Pandya made a memorable comeback to competitive cricket, striking a mood-lifting unbeaten fifty and then took a key wicket as India etched a dominant 101-run win over South Africa in the opening match of the five-match series here on Tuesday. The victory helped India take a 1-0 lead in the rubber and it also pushed South Africa to their lowest-ever T20I total. Their previous lowest was also against India 87 all out in Rajkot in [] The post Pandyas blazing fifty, ruthless

NEW DELHI, Dec 9 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday met Temasek chairman Teo Chee Hean here and discussed potential investment opportunities across various sectors in the country. Temasek is a global investment company headquartered in Singapore, and its investment portfolio is valued at 434 billion Singapore dollar. Hean, who is also a senior advisor in Singapores Prime Ministers office, appreciated the various reform initiatives undertaken by the Government of India in the last d

KATHMANDU, Dec 9 : A festival showcasing the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Nepal and India, with special focus on Buddhism, has been organised in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The third edition of the India-Nepal Cultural Festival held on Monday saw enthusiastic participation by civil society members, academics, and Buddhist monks. The festival featured the rich cultural heritage and traditions of both Nepal and India, with a special focus on Buddhism, the Indian Embassy her

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: Translating the vision enunciated by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in their February meeting into concrete progress was the focus of talks on Tuesday between US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Hooker is on a five-day visit to India from Sunday to advance bilateral strategic and economic ties. The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 9: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting to comprehensively review the augmentation of undergraduate and postgraduate seats across Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), Dental Colleges, Ayurvedic and Unani Colleges by the Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department in J&K. The meeting was attended by Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department; Director, SKIMS; Principals of Government Medical Colleges; Director, Coordination; and other seni

Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 9: Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Dr Rakesh Minhas, graced the kit distribution ceremony for J&K Softball athletes at MA Stadium, Jammu as the chief guest. Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul and Pushvinder Singh, Chairman Legal Commission, attended as special guest and guest of honour, respectively. The event, organized by the J&K Sports Council, saw participation from office bearers of the Jammu & Kashmir Softball Association, coaches, technical staff

ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 : Pakistans water crisis continues to worsen as the country saw a sharp drop in its per capita water availability, due to a population explosion and the pressure of meeting the said surge, as per the latest report of the Pakistan Ministry of Water Resources. From 2017 to 2023, the population rose by 40 million, causing a reduction of 154 cubic metres per person in annual water availability, the ministry stated in its findings. According to the [] The post Pakistans water crisis

NEW DELHI, Dec 9 : Belgiums supreme court the Court of Cassation on Tuesday rejected the appeal of fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi challenging the extradition request of India in connection with the Rs 13000-crore alleged bank fraud in Punjab National Bank, authorities in that country said. Choksi, who escaped to Antigua and Barbuda in January 2018, days before the scam was detected, was spotted in Belgium, where he had purportedly sought treatment. India had sent an extradition [] The po

Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, Dec 9: Six persons were convicted today by a judicial magistrate in Pampore in connection with two long-pending criminal cases dating back to 2017. A police spokesperson said the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMIC) Pampore delivered the judgment in FIR No. 46/2017 and FIR No. 48/2017, both registered at Police Station Pampore, pertaining to offences under Sections 147, 148, 149, 354, 323, 506, 427, 336, and 447 of the IPC. He said the court awarded one months

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Dec 9: An Assistant Engineer (AE), posted in Jal Shakti Department in Kulgam district has been attached. Official sources said that AE, Danish Hussain Thokar, presently posted in PHE Sub Division Kulgam has been attached with the office of AEE, PHE Sub Division DH Pora till further orders. Imtiaz Ahmed Dar, AE has been directed to look after the charge of Danish Thokar till further orders. The post AE attached appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Dec 9: Deputy Commissioner Udhampur today chaired a meeting of the District Level Monitoring Committee under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act to review its implementation in the district. The meeting was attended by Additional SP Sandeep Bhat; District Social Welfare Officer Kanika Gupta and officers from other concerned departments. During the meeting, nine cases were placed before the Committee for review. After detailed d

Excelsior Correspondent RAMBAN, Dec 9: Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan today chaired a review meeting to assess the progress achieved under various schemes of the Rural Development Department (RDD), including District Capex Budget 2025-26, SDRF, SBM, PMAY-G, Awas Plus, Tribal Plan, MGNREGA, UT Capex and CDF. The meeting was attended by ADC, Varunjeet Singh Charak, ACR, Shokat Hayat Mattoo, CPO, Dr. Shakeeb Ahmed Rather, ACD, Sheraz Ahmed, BDOs and Engineers of REW. During the mee

Excelsior Correspondent POONCH, Dec 9: Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma today gave away award letters to 12 eligible residents of Poonch Town under Pradhan Mantri Awas YojanaUrban 2.0. The cases were approved by the District Level Committee for PMAYUrban 2.0, enabling the beneficiaries to construct Pacca houses under the flagship Housing scheme for Poor. Additional Deputy Commissioner, Tahir Mustafa Malik was also present on the occasion. The event was coordinated by Executive Officer Muni

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Dec 9: The Jammu & Kashmir Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development (J&K IMPARD) in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission (CBC) today organized a one day workshop on Development of Capacity Building Plans (CBPs) for the government departments of the Union Territory at Convention Centre, Jammu. Director, J&K IMPARD, Rehana Batul, highlighted the importance of systematic capacity building for strengthening the governance and

Excelsior Correspondent BUDGAM, Dec 9: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam, Dr. Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat, today chaired a review meeting to assess the follow-up actions after the joint re-inspection of the damaged Chadoora bridge. The DC was briefed on the findings of the inspection conducted by the R&B Department and NIT technical experts. After reviewing the technical inputs, the DC directed the concerned engineers to immediately start the restoration work, stressing that no further delay will be ac

SRINAGAR, Dec 9: To ensure effective implementation of the directions issued by the Supreme Court of India in the Suo Moto Writ Petition City Hounded by Strays, Kids Pay Price vs State of Andhra Pradesh, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, on Tuesday chaired Divisional level Committee meeting with Deputy Commissioners, SSPs, and divisional heads of all concerned departments to review the Action Taken Reports submitted by respective officers and agencies. During the meeting, the Divisio

Excelsior Correspondent KARGIL, Dec 9: Under the Chairmanship of the Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC Kargil, Dr. Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, the launching ceremony of Padega Kargil Badega Kargil was inaugurated today. The initiative aims to assess the overall development and learning outcomes of school children across the Kargil district. The ceremony commenced with opening remarks by the Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Rakesh Kumar, who briefed about the objectives and framework of the init

LEH, Dec 9: Former Member of Parliament and Ex Chairman/Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC Leh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal met the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, at the LG Secretariat in Leh, submitting an official representation requesting that all tender works up to Rs 20.00 crore be reserved exclusively for contractors registered under the Administration of UT Ladakh. The representation, forwarded on behalf of the Ladakh Contractors Association, Leh and other stakeholders, highl

JAMMU, Dec 9: AIIMS Jammu organized a comprehensive CME-cum-simulation workshop on Obstetric Anaesthesia centred on the theme Preventing the Preventable, bringing together leading experts, residents, postgraduate trainees and more than 70 delegates from medical institutions across Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative, led by the Department of Anaesthesiology, aimed to strengthen maternal safety protocols by combining academic dialogue with immersive simulation-based clinical training. The scientifi

KATHUA, Dec 9:- J&K police Kathua under the overall supervision of SSP Kathua, Ms. Mohita Sharma traced out two missing ladies and reunited them with their families within the jurisdictional area of Police Station (PS) Billawar. Police said on November 29 one person, Kamal Chand, son of Ramelu of Dhar Dugnoo tehsil Billawar district, Kathua lodged a written complaint regarding missing of his daughter in law namely Dimple Devi, 39, wife of Mohan Lal of Dhar Dugnoo in Police Station [] The post 02

JAMMU, Dec 9: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu & Kashmir general secretary and former Deputy Mayor, Jammu, Baldev Singh Billawaria, today kick started the blacktopping work at Ward No. 55, Mansarovar Enclave in RS PuraJammu South Assembly constituency. This development work will be completed promptly and transparently under the supervision of the Public Works Department (PWD). Billawaria accompanied with BJP Jammu South district president, Naresh Jasrotia, Mandal president, Ajay Pratap Singh,

Excelsior Correspondent SUCHETGARH, Dec 9: Senior Congress leader and DDC Suchetgarh Taranjit Singh Tony, along with MLA Prof Gharu Ram Bhagat, inaugurated the blacktopping of the Gharani to Gharana road, a crucial link upgraded at a cost of around Rs 1.5 crore. Tony said the road has been improved for the first time since 1947, although it existed only on paper for decades. This road was just a line drawn in old files. I converted that line into a real, [] The post Gharu, Tony inaugurate blackt

Anant Ambani is the youngest and the first Asian to receive this prestigious honor Washington, DC, December8, 2025: Global Humane Society, the international brand of American Humane Society, the oldest national humane organization in the United States and the largest certifier of animal welfare, presented Mr.Anant Ambani, founder of the wildlife conservation center Vantara,with the Global Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare. Mr Ambani is the youngest ever and the first Asian to receive this pr

Jammu, Dec 9: The Jammu division of Northern Railways on Tuesday announced a special Vande Bharat train between New Delhi and Udhampur for three days starting December 12, to facilitate stranded passengers in the wake of frequent flight cancellations, an official said. Chaos prevailed at Jammu and Srinagar airports over the past few days after most IndiGo flights from the two aerodromes were cancelled, triggering protests by stranded passengers. Jammu Division operates special trains in emergenc

JAMMU, Dec 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today chaired a high-level review meeting on the status of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects across Jammu and Kashmir at the Civil Secretariat, with a focus on accelerating implementation and ensuring universal access to safe drinking water. The meeting was attended by Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary Jal Shakti Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Mini

New Delhi/Mumbai, Dec 9: The Civil Aviation Minister has asked for a 10 per cent cut in planned IndiGo flights to help restore order at Indias biggest airline, which cancelled thousands of flights nationwide after failing to plan for tighter safety regulations. Posting a picture of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, sitting with folded hands in front of him, Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, in a post on X, said that the airline management was summoned to the ministry to provide an [] The post Civil Aviation Min

Jammu, Dec 8: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday launched the construction of 344 new houses in Kathua district for families affected by the recent spate of natural calamities in the region, also reiterating that peoples welfare remains the priority of the Union Territory administration. Recalling the hardships faced by residents during Operation Sindoor and the devastating floods in August and September this year, the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) said collective action ca

New Delhi, Dec 9: A three-member committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is likely to meet on Wednesday to decide the next Chief Information Commissioner and information commissioners for eight vacant positions at the Central Information Commission (CIC). The government had informed the Supreme Court on December 1 that the Prime Minister Modi-led panel is likely to meet on December 10 to select and recommend names for these posts. Und

Shopian, Dec 9 : In a firm security push, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, V.K. Birdi-IPS, conducted a comprehensive review of District Shopians crime and security scenario, issuing clear directives for stronger surveillance, faster operational response and tighter law enforcement. V.K. Birdi, visited District Shopian to review the functioning of the districts law enforcement efforts and to assess the overall security situation of the district. The visit included a review of the distri

SRINAGAR, Dec 9: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo today held an extensive public outreach session at Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, during which various Legislators, public delegations, employee associations and individuals raised several issues of public importance before the Minister. During the session, a delegation of Jammu Kashmir Teachers Joint Action Committee met the Minister and raised various issues of teaching community. The delegatio

NEW DELHI, Dec 9: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a Faridabad resident for harbouring terrorist Umar Un Nabi immediately before the Delhi terror bomb blast. Soyab of Dhauj, Faridabad (Haryana) is the 7th accused to be arrested in the case. NIA investigations have revealed that he had also provided logistical support to the terrorist Umar before the 10th November car bombing that killed several persons and injured many others outside the Red Fort in the national capital. NIA

Jammu, Dec 9 : Accompanied by sniffer dog units, teams of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and the BSF has conducted joint search operations in forward areas along the International Border (IB) in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts as part of enhanced vigilance and security measures, an official said on Tuesday. Border Security Force (BSF) troops, along with sniffer dogs and the police Special Operations Group (SOG), have undertaken search operations in areas close to the IB, including Ganjansoo, M

JAMMU, Dec 9: The Power Development Department (PDD) of the Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered the placement of 11 in-charge Executive Engineers (Electrical) as in-charge Superintending Engineers on an officiating basis, allowing them to work in their own pay and grade with admissible charge allowance. These placements, made as a temporary arrangement, include corresponding transfers and postings across various wings and circles of KPDCL, JPDCL and JKPTCL against available vacancies. See O

JAMMU, Dec 9: The School Education Department today held an important meeting at the Civil Secretariat Jammu to review a wide range of human resource issues across its cadres. Official sources said the detailed discussions centred on seniority updation, placement of officials in in-charge and look-after positions, and the status of pending regularization cases that have been awaiting clearance for a long time. They said the department also examined the defreezing of vacancies to ensure smoother

New Delhi, Dec 9: A Delhi court on Tuesday extended the NIA custody of Amir Rashid Ali, an accused in the Red Fort blast case, by seven days. On December 2, Amir was sent to a seven-day NIA custody. A Jammu and Kashmir resident accused of facilitating the Red Fort blast, Amir was arrested on November 16. On Tuesday, he was produced before Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested seven [] The post Red Fort Blast: Delhi Court E

New Delhi, Dec 9: In a no-holds-barred attack in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP of indulging in the biggest anti-national act by committing vote chori in collusion with the Election Commission and destroying the idea of India. Gandhi posed three questions which he claimed make it clear that the BJP is directing and using the Election Commission to damage Indias democracy. Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Lower House, the [] The post

New Delhi, Dec 9: Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said the true homage to Bharat Mata will only be when Parliament discusses and resolves the issues of common people, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of holding a discussion on Vande Mataram while keeping Bengal elections in mind. He also accused the ruling dispensation of holding the discussion to divert the peoples attention from the real challenges the country faces, including financial problems, like rising unemploymen

New Delhi, Dec 9: Jan Suraj founder and political strategist Prashant Kishor is expected to visit Jammu and Kashmir in February next year to interact with Kashmiri students and youth leaders, a statement said on Tuesday. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) said its national convenor Nasir Khuehami met Kishor in Delhi and informed him about the challenges faced by the students and young professionals from the Union territory. Kishor will be the chief mentor at a youth interaction []

MOSCOW, Dec 9: An Antonov An-22 military transport aircraft with seven people on board crashed in Russias central Ivanovo Region on Tuesday during its first flight after repairs, the defence ministry said. The aircraft crashed in an unpopulated area. A search and rescue crew has left for the accident site to determine the fate of the aircrafts crew, the ministry said. TASS reported that fragments of the An-22 were found on the shore and in the water. The An-22 is [] The post Military transport a

JAMMU, Dec 9: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting to comprehensively review the augmentation of undergraduate and postgraduate seats across Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), Dental Colleges, Ayurvedic and Unani Colleges by the Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department in J&K. The meeting was attended by Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department; Director, SKIMS; Principals of Government Medical Colleges; Director, Coordination; and other senior officers of the depar

Two more honoured with Certificate of Excellence SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI, Dec 9: The Industries & Commerce Department extended heartiest congratulations to two outstanding craftsmen from Jammu and Kashmir, who were today honoured with the prestigious National Awards by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu at a grand ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Textiles at New Delhi. The Department also extended felicitations to two other craftsmen who were honoured with Certificates of Excellence for the

Major heritage, lakefront and urban mobility projects planned across Jammu, Srinagar, Anantnag JAMMU, Dec 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today reviewed the projects of the Housing & Urban Development Department being implemented under the scheme, Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI). While reviewing the proposals, the Chief Minister observed that the projects have the potential to significantly improve urban liveability, strengthen heritage conservation and boost tourism

MUMBAI, Dec 9: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the fire incident at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub that killed 25 persons. The petition, filed by social activist Aishwarya Salgaonkar, said the nightclub was operating without a valid construction licence and despite several demolition orders issued against it. There has been a systematic failure on the part of the authorities to act against []