KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: A fire broke out in the Habbakadal area of Srinagar district in central Kashmir late Tuesday evening, engulfing multiple residential houses, officials said. Fire and emergency authorities reported that the blaze erupted near the Nyama Sahib shrine, involving two to three homes. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Teams have rushed []

SRINAGAR: Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Kumar Sharma on Tuesday criticised the National Conference-led government in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, alleging that it was evading accountability by blaming the Union Government whenever questioned about its own performance. Speaking in the House, Sharma said that in a democratic setup, the government is responsible for []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a small number of crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs) over the past three years, according to official data presented in the Lok Sabha. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provided the figures in response to an unstarred question raised by Lok Sabha member Anita Nagarsingh Chouhan. The data []

SRINAGAR: Sopore MLA Irshad Rasool Kar on Tuesday appealed to the government to transfer prisoners held outside Jammu and Kashmir back to Valley jails, highlighting pressing humanitarian and medical issues. Raising the issue during the ongoing Assembly session, Sopore MLA said several prisoners were suffering from acute medical and psychological problems while lodged in jails []

SRINAGAR: Locals of Semsan in district Budgam have spotted four black bears in their village, creating panic across the entire area. Locals said that for many years wild animals have been entering their hamlet, creating fear and increasing the chances of mananimal conflict. They said that the Wildlife Department in the district operates with only []

SRINAGAR: As many as 316 rural road projects covering a length of 1,781.33 kilometres have been sanctioned for UT JK under Phase-IV of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV), the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply to a starred question, the Ministry of Rural Development said that Rajouri district []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullahs comments in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday sparked protests by opposition BJP legislators, who demanded an apology, alleging that he used objectionable language. While replying to the discussion on the Budget, the Chief Minister criticised the Indo-US trade deal, saying it was not beneficial for the people []

SRINAGAR: Fresh snowfall was reported in the higher reaches of the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday, while several areas in the plains received rainfall, even as temperatures showed a marginal improvement across Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Light snowfall occurred in the middle and upper reaches of the Valley, including tourist destinations such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg, []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday informed the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly that unmetered electricity consumers in the Union Territory are currently being billed on a flat-rate basis, in line with tariffs approved by the Jammu and Kashmir Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC). Replying to a question raised by Budhal MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the government plans to initiate the regularisation of daily wage workers during the current year, assuring continued support to them. God willing, we will initiate the regularisation of daily wagers this year, and we will continue to support them, the Chief Minister said, responding to issues raised []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that there is no proposal under consideration to declare the Union Territory a dry UT, even as liquor sales have generated over Rs 3,450 crore in revenue during the last three financial years. In a written reply to Assembly Question tabled by MLA []

SRINAGAR: Police in Awantipora area of pulwama district have arrested a man for allegedly cheating local shopkeepers by using forged QR code payment confirmations to obtain goods without making actual digital payments. Officials said the police took cognisance of multiple complaints from shopkeepers reporting fraudulent transactions. During an inquiry conducted under the supervision of Station []

SRINAGAR: At least three persons were injured after a passenger auto-rickshaw met with an accident near the Nachlana area of Banihal on Tuesday, officials said. An official said that the auto bearing registration number JK19A-7315 was involved in the mishap. He said that three passengers sustained injuries in the accident, out of which one is []

SRINAGAR: A joint counter-terrorism operation launched on January 18 in the dense forest areas of Chatroo in Kishtwar district under Operation Trashi-I is still underway, officials said on Tuesday. Official sources said that one militant was neutralized during the operation in recent days, following which security forces further intensified search and cordon measures across the []

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday ordered the transfer and posting of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers in the interest of administration, with immediate effect. According to Circular No. 01-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated January 7, 2026, IAS officer Shubhankar Pratyush Pathak (AGMUT: 2022), who was serving as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Uri, has []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has said that more than 6,300 seats have been added in the Health and Medical Education sector since 2019, marking a significant expansion of medical and allied health education infrastructure in the Union Territory. According to official figures shared by the government, the expansion includes the addition of 1,225 []

SRINAGAR: The Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) has urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to formally recognise stone crushing as a core infrastructure-support industry and notify a comprehensive policy to bring certainty, scientific planning and sustainability to a sector it says is facing an existential crisis. In a statement, the industry body called []

SRINAGAR: Shabana Mahmood, Britains Home Secretary and a senior Labour Party leader with family roots in Mirpur, a major town on the otherside of the Line of Control in PoK, is increasingly being discussed within Westminster as a potential successor to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as a widening political crisis linked to the Jeffrey Epstein []

SRINAGAR: Women inhabitants of Beerwah on Tuesday staged a fresh protest against the Power Development Department over the installation of smart meters and prolonged power-related issues, blocking the Beerwah Magam road to voice their resentment over erratic electricity supply. Raising slogans against the government and the department, the protesting women alleged that repeated assurances have []

SRINAGAR: A detailed project report for the permanent restoration of the 600 mm and 500 mm Sitlee to Lohar Manda rising mains, damaged in the flash floods of August 25, 2025, has been prepared and submitted for funding, the government told the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, but the release of funds is []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Minister Satish Sharma on Tuesday strongly opposed sporting engagements with Pakistan, saying India should completely stop playing with a country that, according to him, does not respect Indias sacrifices and continues hostile actions. Speaking to reporters outside the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly complex, Sharma said any form of sporting []

SRINAGAR: A 26-year-old Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the Hiranagar area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said. Officals said that the deceased has been identified as Prabhu Nath. Officals said he was first taken to Government Hospital Ghagwal and later referred to []

SRINAGAR: The SrinagarJammu National Highway remained open for traffic on Tuesday despite intermittent rain and snowfall reported in parts of Kashmir and the Chenab Valley, officials said. Traffic authorities said light motor vehicles were allowed to ply from both directions on the highway, while heavy motor vehicles were permitted to move from Udhampur towards Srinagar []

SRINAGAR: Police in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday registered a case and detained a man for allegedly disrespecting the national flag after a video of the incident went viral on social media, officials said. An official said that the video showed a man identified as Farooq Ahmed, a resident of Nagri area []

SRINAGAR: Pakistans cricket team will play its ICC Mens T20 World Cup match against India on February 15, 2026, after the countrys government ordered the reversal of its earlier decision to boycott the fixture, citing geopolitical tensions. The government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan team to take the field on February 15 for its []

Jammu and Kashmirs apple industry sustains millions but suffers heavy post-harvest losses due to inadequate storage and processing, making infrastructure expansion, technology adoption and policy intervention economically imperative, writes Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Beigh The apple industry of Jammu and Kashmir, valued at nearly Rs 12,000 crore annually, directly or indirectly supports around 3.5 million people []

SRINAGAR: A 9-year-old child lost his life, and two others were injured after a pickup van went off the road in the Billawar-Machhadi area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday evening. An official said that accident occurred at Village Nangala on the Billawar-Machhadi road when a Mahindra Pickup van, bearing registration number []

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 []