KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded an increase of 83.55 square kilometres in forest cover between 2021 and 2023, the Government informed the Lok Sabha on Monday. Replying to a question by MP Arun Kumar Sagar, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, according to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir exported more than 637,000 metric tonnes of fruit outside the Union Territory during 202425, generating a turnover of over Rs 3,171 crore, according to data released by the Agriculture Production Department (Horticulture). Mandi-wise figures show that the Sopore fruit mandi in Baramulla district accounted for the highest volume of fruit exports. []

SRINAGAR: With domestic visitors forming the bulk of tourist arrivals in Kashmir, the Tourism Department is focusing on infrastructure-driven growth while eyeing East Asian markets to improve the number of foreign visitors. Director Tourism Kashmir, Syed Qamar Sajad said the department is intervening in East Asian countries from where Kashmir already receives a good tourist []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir Government on Monday said the State Election Commission is making necessary arrangements to hold Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections in the Union Territory at the earliest. In a written reply to a question raised by MLA Central Shalteng Tariq Hamid Karra, the Minister in charge of the Election Department []

SRINAGAR: A shortage of office space at Srinagars sub-registrar centres has forced applicants seeking land sale and purchase registration to wait in open areas, the Revenue Department told the Legislative Assembly, and the administration has moved to construct a dedicated Registration Bhawan after granting administrative approval for the project. Officials said Srinagar currently hosts five []

SRINAGAR: Forests cover nearly 48 per cent of the total geographical area of Jammu and Kashmir, with districts like Kupwara, Baramulla and Doda accounting for the largest share of forest land, according to official data released by the Forest, Environment and Ecology Department. As per the district-wise forest cover figures for 202425, Jammu and Kashmir []

SRINAGAR: Education minister Sakina Itoo on Monday said that the Public Safety Act (PSA), will be revoked soon after the Union Territory regains statehood. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister Itoo said it was during the PDP-BJP government that youth were arrested and shifted to prisons outside Jammu and Kashmir. I want to remind []

SRINAGAR: Nearly one-third of the DalNigeen Lake stands rejuvenated over the past five years following sustained mission-mode conservation efforts, leading to the clearance of 6.5 square kilometres of aquatic vegetation and an increase in the open water area of Dal Lake to over 20.3 square kilometres for the first time, officials said on Monday. They []

SRINAGAR: The Counter-Intelligence wing of the Crime Investigation Department has arrested an absconder wanted in a fake currency case dating back nearly two decades, officials said on Monday. According to officials, the accused, Hilal Ahmed Bhat of Poshpora Kupwara, was apprehended from the Bhagani Talab Mohalla area of Raipur Domana in Jammu. The arrest followed []

SRINAGAR: A lineman of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited died in central Kashmirs Budgam district after battling for life for over two weeks following an electrocution incident during power restoration work, officials said on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Bashir Ahmad Dar, an inhabitant of Bonamakuma area of Magam. Officials said Dar []

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar has directed the SHO Police Station Sopore to appear in person after taking serious note of what it termed as ridiculing the process of the Court in connection with execution of bailable warrants in a bail cancellation matter. The direction came from Justice Rahul []

SRINAGAR: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) on Monday urged the Government of Jammu Kashmir to announce long-pending power and VAT amnesties for industrial enterprises during the ongoing budget session. The Federation said these measures were critical for the survival and revival of units facing severe financial stress caused by COVID-19 disruptions, administrative []

SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party MLA Waheed Para on Monday raised serious concerns in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly over youth welfare, public health, education, and financial management in the Union Territory. Para criticised the extension of SASCI loans, describing them as private market-linked borrowings that could push JK into long-term debt. He warned that []

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has constituted an Expert Committee to conduct a comprehensive Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (HVRA) for the Union Territory. The move aims to strengthen disaster preparedness and integrate risk mitigation into governance and planning. Government Order No 168-JK(GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department, formally sanctions []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police in Ganderbal has secured 20 Years imprisonment for an accused involved in a grave offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Conviction marks a major success in the JK Polices unwavering efforts to ensure justice for the victims of such heinous crimes. In a statement, []

SRINAGAR: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday launched Financial Literacy Week (FLW) 2026 for the Union Territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh, with a focus on promoting awareness about Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures as a key step towards safe banking. The inaugural event was held at Hotel Vivanta, Jammu, and was attended []

by Asrar Syeed SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Valleys Old City, locally known as Downtown and located in Srinagar district, brims with stories of hard work, commitment and resilience. Among them stands Mohammed Yusuf, a local tailor whose quiet perseverance has recently drawn public attention. Photographs of Yusuf working inside his tiny shop have surfaced on social []

SRINAGAR: Pandemonium broke out in the Legislative Assembly on Monday over the implementation of the Special Assistance Scheme for Capital Investment (SASCI) in Jammu Kashmir after the Peoples Democratic Party alleged that it was a death trap for the Union Territory. Participating in the budget discussion, PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para claimed that SASCI was a []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government told the Legislative Assembly that it spent a combined Rs 297.41 crore on sports over the last three years, with Rs 216.36 crore directed at sports infrastructure and Rs 81.05 crore on sports activities, according to the reply to a starred question tabled by Mir Mohammad Fayaz. The Departments []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir created history in domestic cricket on Monday by defeating Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy 202526 quarterfinal at Holkar Stadium, Indore, securing their maiden semifinal appearance. The victory was largely driven by an outstanding bowling display led by pacer Auqib Nabi, who delivered a decisive performance across both innings. Nabi picked []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has informed the Assembly that it collected nearly Rs 49 crore as application fees from job aspirants through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) over the last two financial years. The details were shared by the Minister in []

JAMMU:Rouble Nagi, a Jammu-born artist and social worker who has spent over two decades bringing education into Indias most underserved communities, has won the prestigious $1 million Global Teacher Prize at the World Government Summit in Dubai. Often described as the Nobel of Teaching, the award recognises educators who have made an exceptional contribution to []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday told the Assembly that it has no proposal to regularise MGNREGA support staff, clarifying that nearly 3,800 personnel are currently working on a purely temporary and contractual basis across the Union Territory. The information was provided by the Minister in charge of the Department of Rural Development []

SRINAGAR: Security forces are continuing search-and-cordon operations in the Chatroo area of Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar district under Operation Trashi-I, which has been underway for more than 20 days. Troops of the 7 Assam Rifles are conducting intensive searches deep inside forested terrain to track militants believed to be hiding in the area. Operation Trashi-I []

by Ruqaya Akhter Despite large capital allocations, delayed releases, administrative bottlenecks, and execution challenges, preventing full spending in incomplete projects and uneven infrastructure development across districts Budget documents of Jammu and Kashmir frequently highlight development plans running into thousands of crores of rupees. However, across the region, citizens continue to encounter incomplete roads, delayed public []

DELHI For months, residents across south Kashmir lived with quiet dread as proposed railway lines through Shopian and Pahalgam threatened to cut through orchards that sustain thousands of families. Dinner conversations revolved around land loss, felled trees and uncertain compensation. Survey teams arrived unannounced, planting yellow poles across apple fields and even courtyards, often without []

Omar Abdullahs second budget emphasised fiscal realism and structural reform, outlining an infrastructure-led, capital-intensive strategy to boost production with a narrow resource base, reports Masood Hussain Concluding the motion of thanks to the speech delivered by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on the eve of his second consecutive budget presentation, Omar Abdullah hinted at the crisis []

SRINAGAR: Indian Railways has transported 23 exotic-breed bulls from Bengaluru to Kashmir on the Valleys first-ever livestock parcel train, according to The New Indian Express. After earlier transporting goods such as apples, steel, cement, food grains and cars through parcel trains, this is the first time livestock has been moved to Kashmir over such a []

SRINAGAR: The Indian Army opened fire after observing suspicious movement in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district on Sunday evening, sources said. Official sources said that a joint team launched searches in the area. The firing was reported as a precautionary measure to check the suspicious movement, sources said. Search operations are currently underway, and []

SRINAGAR: Four persons were injured after a scuffle broke out between two groups of local boys while playing cricket on the road at Alsafa Market, Sariabala, Magarmal Bagh, Srinagar, on Sunday, officials said. An official said that the two groups indulged in a scuffle during a cricket match, during which four people aged between 17 []

SRINAGAR: A 55-year-old man died after he was found unconscious at his residence in Kanelwan, Bijbehara, on Sunday, officials said. An official said that the man, identified as Mohd Amin, was found unconscious at his home. He was immediately evacuated to SDH Bijbehara for initial treatment. However, doctors at the hospital declared him brought dead, []

BHOPAL: Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday described the recently concluded IndiaUnited States trade agreement as historic and unprecedented, saying it would provide fresh momentum to the Indian economy while safeguarding the interests of farmers and domestic agriculture, according to a PIB handout. Addressing a press []

SRINAGAR: A double-storey residential house with an attic was damaged in a fire incident at Haji Bagh in Buchpora on Saturday afternoon, officials said. According to Fire and Emergency Services, the incident was reported after the State Fire Control Room, Batamaloo, received a fire call at 15:07 hours. Fire tenders from Fire Station Soura, Nowshera, []

by Junaid Rashid Lone A Kashmiri travellers routine journey turns cautious amid heightened security, revealing how silence, self-restraint, and invisibility become unwritten requirements for safe passage across cities. Travel teaches you many things: how to pack light, how to wait, how to read signs that are never written down. Some lessons begin only after the []

SRINAGAR: A court in Jammu has directed the Police Station Women Cell to register an FIR against a Baramulla resident for allegedly pronouncing instant triple talaq, an offence punishable under The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019. The order was passed by the Court of Sub Judge (Judicial Magistrate First Class), Jammu, []

SRINAGAR: The All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate intervention to safeguard Indian medical students in Russia after reports of a violent assault on four Indian students at Bashkir State Medical University. In a communication to the Prime Minister, AIMSA conveyed serious concern over the incident, noting that []

SRINAGAR: Police have attached an immovable property worth around Rs 50 lakh in the Humhama area of central Kashmirs Budgam district in connection with an NDPS case. Budgam Police have attached an immovable property worth approximately Rs 50 lakh in the Humhama area of Budgam district in connection with an NDPS case, police said in []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee on Sunday took out a protest rally in Jammu, raising the slogans Our State, Our Right and highlighting issues related to MGNREGA and the continued delay in restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The rally, led by senior Congress leaders and workers, culminated in the submission []

SRINAGAR: Police in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir have arrested four persons for allegedly assaulting a tourist, according to a Daily Excelsior report. Police Station Bhaderwah received a written complaint from Suresh Kumar, son of Dileep Chand and a resident of Nagni Bhalra, Tehsil Bhaderwah, stating that a tourist had been assaulted in []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government told the Legislative Assembly that 6,097 claims under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 have been approved across the Union Territory, with the vast majority classified as community forest rights. In a written reply from the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, []

SRINAGAR: Police on Sunday apprehended a shopkeeper for allegedly selling kerosene oil and diesel illegally in Imamsahib area of south Kashmirs Shopian district. An official said that a Police Station Imamsahib conducted a check during which a shop was found involved in unauthorized sale of petroleum products. During the inspection, police seized around 250 litres []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmirs transport sector generated Rs 942.22 crore in revenue for the government in 202425, emerging as a significant non-tax contributor to the Union Territorys finances, with another Rs 706.35 crore already realised in the first nine months of 202526, according to the Economic Survey. Official figures show that against a revised target []

SRINAGAR: Four Indian students were among several people injured in a knife attack at a university dormitory in Ufa, capital of Russias Bashkortostan Republic. The Indian Embassy in Russia confirmed that four Indian nationals sustained injuries in the incident and said it was in contact with Russian authorities. Officials from the Consulate General of India []

SRINAGAR: The Government told the Legislative Assembly that the Union territory holds 58,034 kanals of nazool land and that 5,618 kanals of that land had been leased out for commercial purposes prior to reorganisation, while 346 lease cases have expired and await action, official records show. Data tabled by the Revenue Department shows that Jammu []

SRINAGAR: Police in central Kashmirs Ganderbal district have apprehended two individuals allegedly involved in gambling at Narayan-Bagh within the jurisdiction of Police Post Shadipora. The arrested persons were identified as Bilal Ahmad Malik, son of Mohammad Ismail Malik, a resident of Gamwara Wakura, and Manzoor Ahmad Khan, son of Jalal-ud-Din Khan, a resident of Narayan-Bagh. []

The pheran can drive Kashmirs cultural economy if the government, designers, and society collaborate effectively. The Kashmiri pheran is more than a garment; it is a living archive of the Valleys history, climate, and craftsmanship. For centuries, it has sheltered generations against the harsh winters while reflecting intricate social and cultural codes. Today, as the []

SRINAGAR: A Truck driver lost his life in a tragic accident in south Kashmirs Kulgam district on Sunday after his own truck rolled back while he was repairing it on the roadside. Officials said that the truck was parked along NH-44 near the NiporaVessu stretch when it suddenly moved backwards and ran over the driver []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday informed the Assembly that several sports infrastructure projects have been completed or are under development in the Bandipora constituency, with major upgradation works ongoing at the Sher-e-Kashmir Sports Stadium, Bandipora, and the sports stadium at Naidkhai under the Capital Action Plan 202526. In a written reply to []

by Nasir Hamid Khan New US-India trade terms slash import duties on apples and raise carpet export tariffs, raising fears of market losses, farmer distress, and economic risks for Kashmir. On February 3, even when details about the trade deal were being sought in the Parliament of India, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry []

SRINAGAR: Asserting that enthusiasm of tourists from across the country to visit Jammu and Kashmir has not diminished, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, on Saturday reiterated that PM Modi led regime is committed to build developed and prosperous JK. Before winding up his 2-day visit to Jammu region, Shah chaired a review meeting at Lok []