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SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to chair the first cabinet meeting in Jammu after the annual Darbar move today, with the Cabinet Sub Committees report on reservation figuring as a key agenda item. Official sources said the meeting will take place in the Civil Secretariat Jammu. The cabinet is expected to deliberate on []

SRINAGAR: The Centre on Tuesday said 4,29,954 (four lakh twenty nine thousand, nine hundred and fifty-four) youth were trained in Jammu and Kashmir under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) as part of the Skill India Mission (SIM), while multiple other centrally sponsored schemes continue to operate for reskilling and upskilling in the Union []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley continued to reel under intense cold, with minimum temperatures dipping below the freezing point across most areas, weather officials said. Srinagar recorded a low of -4.4C, while Pampore (-5.0C), Anantnag (-5.3C), Baramulla (-5.3C), Pulwama (-5.5C) and Shopian (-5.9C) were among the coldest in the region. Pahalgam witnessed severe cold at -4.6C, and []

SRINAGAR: A prolonged and unprecedented dry spell in Kashmir has pushed water levels in major water bodies to alarming lows, triggering fresh fears of a drinking water crisis across several pockets of Kashmir. Residents in many areas of Pulwama and Tralwho witnessed springs go completely dry last yearhave urged authorities to step in with alternative []

SRINAGAR: The Union government said Jammu and Kashmir continues to be one of the implementing regions of the country under the National Mission for a Green India (GIM) with afforestation and ecosystem restoration activities undertaken in selected landscapes during the last five years. In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment, []

SRINAGAR: SSP Rural Traffic Kashmir, Ravinder Pal Singh, said the traffic wing has issued nearly three lakh challans this year, generating revenue of over Rs 10 crore. SSP Pal said the strict enforcement of the traffic department and wider public cooperation have led to a 30-35 percent decline in accidents and fatalities in comparison to []

SRINAGAR: The Power Development Department (PDD) is facing a shortage of nearly 500 Megawatts (MWs) to meet the actual power demand in Kashmir valley plunging residents facing into extended blackouts. An official said that The actual peak power demand in Kashmir is at least 2400 MWs but the local Discom (Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited []

SRINAGAR: Two persons were killed and three others sustained injuries in a road accident on the Chingus stretch of the Rajouri highway on Wednesday morning, officials said. Officials said that the accident occurred early in the day when a vehicle skidded off the road, resulting in the fatalities. Two individuals died on the spot, while []

SRINAGAR: The Centre informed the Lok Sabha that more than 2.05 crore youth registered themselves on the MY Bharat platform since its launch in November 2023, aimed at connecting young citizens with experiential learning and volunteering opportunities. The details were shared in a written reply by Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya. []

SRINAGAR: A week-long hunt to capture a wild bear in Srinagar has yet to succeed. The unknown whereabouts of the wild bear has left residents of several areas in a state of fear. The wild bear was initially spotted on November 26 near the University of Kashmir campus and later near the SKIMS hospital premises []

SRINAGAR: A year after returning to power in Jammu and Kashmir and weeks after the historic restoration of the traditional Durbar Move, the National Conference is all set to mark the 120th birth anniversary of its founder, Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, with renewed vigour and official grandeur on December 5. According to the details available []

SRINAGAR: The government has ordered a reshuffle in the Finance Department, transferring several senior accounts and audit officers in Kashmir. Among the important changes, Arshid Ahmad Lone, Chief Accounts Officer (CAO) at Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), has been posted as Chief Pay and Accounts Officer, Chief Engineer, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (KPDCL). The transfer []

SRINAGAR: A delegation of Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Tuesday met Union Health Minister JP Nadda and urged a review of the controversial admission of 42 Muslim candidates in the first MBBS batch at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME), Katra. The institute, run by the Shri Mata []

SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ensured enhanced financial transparency and accountability in the Union Territory of Ladakh while retaining full powers with the Lieutenant Governor (LG), official sources from MHA said on Tuesday. Under the new framework, Administrative Approval (AA) and Expenditure Sanction (ES) for major projects will be processed through the []

SRINAGAR: The construction of the strategically important Zojila Tunnel is progressing rapidly and remains on schedule for completion by 2028, officials said on Tuesday. Retired Colonel Shiv Kumar, General Manager at MEIL the company executing the project said that the work that began in late 2020 initially faced delays due to harsh winter conditions. []

SRINAGAR: A Power Development Department (PDD) employee sustained critical burn injuries after suffering an electric shock while repairing a transformer in Chatergul area of Kangan in central kashmirs Ganderbal district on Tuesday. Sources said that the injured worker was referred from SDH Kangan to SKIMS Soura in a critical condition, with multiple burn injuries. The []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced multiple scheduled power shutdowns across south and central Kashmir in early December. According to the Chief Engineer (Distribution), the 33 kV LassiporaLandoora line will remain shut, disrupting electricity supply to Landoora, Watchi, Babapora, Momen, Hermain, Hajipora, Chakoora, Frisal and adjoining areas from 10:30 pm to 3:30 []

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir took a major step towards renewable energy adoption on Tuesday as Minister Satish Sharma inaugurated a 143 KW grid-connected rooftop solar power plant at the JK Cable Car Corporation in Bahu, Jammu. The project, costing Rs 74.55 lakh, is expected to generate 1.83 lakh units annually, saving around Rs 15 lakh in []

SRINAGAR: A grand District Mega Kisan Mela was inaugurated today at Ghatti, Kathua by Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperatives and Election Department, Javid Ahmed Dar. The event brought together farmers, agriculture experts, and SKUAST scientists for knowledge sharing, technological demonstrations, and farmerscientist interactions. During the inauguration, Dar laid the foundation []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has permitted Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and MLA Pulwama, Waheed-ur-Rehman Para to travel within India, modifying the earlier bail condition that restricted him to Jammu and Kashmir. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justices Vinod Chatterji Koul and Sanjeev Kumar on December 2, []

SRINAGAR: Illegal mining and large-scale soil cutting continue unabated across several villages of south Kashmirs Pulwama district, raising serious concerns over environmental destruction and loss of agricultural land. Locals from Nowdal, Dadsara, Lalgam, Auligund, Chandrigam and Baygund in Tral area alleged that unregulated mineral extraction and soil removal have been taking place openly, often using []

SRINAGAR: JKAS aspirants are still waiting for the governments formal order on age relaxation, despite repeated verbal assurances from top officials, including the Chief Minister and senior bureaucrats, over the past several months. A group of JKAS aspirants said the matter has been pending since June, when the process for the 2025 recruitment cycle began. []

by Dr Farooq A. Lone Scientific evidence from excavations, pollen studies and plant remains shows that agriculture in Kashmir began over 4,000 years ago, evolving from early Near Eastern crops to diverse mixed farming The quest for food has been the primary struggle for humans, like all other animals on this planet. From being a []

SRINAGAR: Police in Pulwama district of South Kashmir have stepped up night patrols across vulnerable areas and, during a late-night operation, seized heavy machinery being used for illegal mining activities. Police teams from Police Station Litter conducted targeted checks at Rambi Ara and Nikloora village on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, where two []

SRINAGAR: Co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body, Chering Dorjay, on Tuesday said Ladakh has less autonomy today as a Union Territory than it did under the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, accusing the Union Government of centralising authority and weakening local institutions. Dorjay said the Hill Development Councils exercised greater functional freedom before August []

SRINAGAR: The Union Government has directed all manufacturers and importers of mobile handsets intended for sale in India to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi application, citing enhanced telecom cyber security requirements. The order has been issued under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024 (as amended), according to an official communication from the Ministry of Communications Department []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir government has announced that the Jammu Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) will serve as the State School Standards Authority (SSSA) for the Union Territory, in line with the National Education Policy 2020. According to Thanaji Bhat, Under Secretary in the School Education Department, the move aims to ensure transparent, independent, []

SRINAGAR: A massive fire broke out on Tuesday morning in the Batengoo area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district, engulfing and damaging two residential houses. Officials said teams from the Fire and Emergency Services, along with SHO Police Station Anantnag, responded promptly after receiving the alert and managed to douse the flames, preventing the blaze from []

SRINAGAR: A video clip involving Jammu Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, which recently triggered an unprecedented overnight crackdown on sections of the media and citizen journalists in the Union Territory, has now reached the centre of judicial scrutiny, with the matter placed before the courts following a defamation plea filed by Choudhary. The []

SRINAGAR: A moderate earthquake measuring 4.2 in magnitude struck the Bay of Bengal at 7:26 IST, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported. The epicentre was located in the Bay of Bengal, and there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties. EQ of M: 4.2, On: 02/12/2025 07:26:35 IST, Lat: 20.56 N, Long: []

SRINAGAR: Kashmir and Ladakh recorded widespread sub-zero temperatures, with several areas plunging well below freezing as an early cold wave grips the region. Shopian registered the lowest temperature in Kashmir at 5.0C, followed by Pulwama at 3.8C, Baramulla at 4.3C, and Pampore at 4.2C. Anantnag fell to 3.7C, while Bandipora, Budgam, and Kupwara recorded 3.1C []

SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against Zahid Bashir Shagoo and his wife Shugufta in a Rs 38 lakh gas agency scam, accusing them of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. The chargesheet, filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Budgam, pertains to FIR No. 21/2022 under Sections 420, 421, []

SRINAGAR: With the reservation policy topping the agenda, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has convened a high-level Cabinet meeting on December 3, where the Government is expected to take major decisions, including increasing the Open Merit quota in jobs and educational institutions. Official sources said that the meeting will be held at 9 am in the []

SRINAGAR: Over 260 Army recruits from Jammu Kashmir were inducted into the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JKLI) regiment. The 262 cadets from Kashmir districts like Kupwara, Baramulla, Budgam and Srinagar, took oath as soldiers and pledged to defend the nation. Lieutenant General P K Mishra, General Officer Commanding (GOC) White Knight Corps, reviewed the []

SRINAGAR: Foreign medical graduates in Jammu and Kashmir have accused the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council of causing prolonged and avoidable delays in issuing the provisional registration required for starting their compulsory rotatory medical internship, forcing 173 qualified candidates into uncertainty despite the completion of all formalities. According to the students, the crisis began after []

SRINAGAR: Accusing the Omar Abdullah-led dispensation of failing to address issues related to landless families, unemployed youth and daily wage workers, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Monday asked the Chief Minister to clarify which files have been allegedly stalled in the Lieutenant Governors office. Talking to reporters here, Sharma []

SRINAGAR: A fire incident damaged a three-storey residential house in Srinagars Habba Kadal area on Monday. In the incident, two firefighters were injured, officials said. An official said that the department received a distress call at around 11:46 am following which fire service teams immediately rushed to the spot. He said that the blaze was []

SRINAGAR: A bear sighting inside the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences premises on Monday evening prompted concern among students and staff, leading the administration to activate safety measures. Officials said that CCTV footage captured the animal moving within the campus. The Wildlife Department was informed and a response team was dispatched. The administration, officials said, []

SRINAGAR: In 28 years, Jammu and Kashmir has lost 1668 people to AIDS, according to new data shared on World AIDS Day, even as over 4,100 patients remain alive and on treatment under the Care, Support and Treatment (CST) system of the Jammu and Kashmir AIDS Control Society (JKACS). Figures presented at an event in []

SRINAGAR: National Investigation Agency on Monday said it carried out searches across several locations in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh in connection with the Delhi car bomb blast case, claiming to have seized digital devices and what it described as incriminating material. In a statement, the agency said eight locations were searched in Shopian, []

SRINAGAR: A man was killed and another critically injured after a tractor overturned in the Chhungan area of Mendhar in Poonch district on Monday evening. Officials said the tractor met with an accident, leaving two persons with severe injuries. Both were taken to the Community Health Centre, Mendhar, where Mohd Azeem, son of Faiz Mohd, []

SRINAGAR: Gold prices in the national capital soared by Rs 3,040 to Rs 1,33,200 per 10 grams on Monday, driven by robust global trends and a weakening US dollar, according to the All India Sarafa Association. The sharp rise places the metal within striking distance of its all-time high. The association said gold of 99.5 []

SRINAGAR: Police in Rajouri district of Jammu Kashmir have registered two FIRs against individuals for allegedly violating the District Magistrates prohibitory order banning the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), officials said on Monday. Rajouri police said that the action was taken during routine naka checking in two police station jurisdictions. At Manjakote, a police []

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir Peoples Conference Chairman and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone on Monday issued a sharp response to reports suggesting potential changes to the Union Territorys reservation framework, warning that Kashmiri-speaking populations could face significant disadvantages. Lone said he was unsure whether to trust the Indian Express report on the matter but noted that the []

SRINAGAR: District Police Ganderbal on Monday secured life imprisonment for a man convicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, with the court also awarding additional sentences and fines under the Indian Penal Code. Officials said the accused, Varinder Thakur of Sariswa village in Bihar, was convicted by the Principal Sessions Court, Ganderbal, []

SRINAGAR: National Conference leader and MLA Beerwah, Dr Shafi Ahmed Wani, on Monday launched a sharp attack on BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma over his remarks on the admission of Muslim students at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, saying the issue exposes what he described as a divisive and ideological mind-set. Reacting []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday filed a chargesheet against Dr Bilquees Ara Sidique, then in-charge Scientist-C at the Pollution Control Committee (PCC) Srinagar, in a bribery case. According to an ACB statement, the chargesheet in FIR No. 02/2024 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was submitted before []

SRINAGAR: Prices of essential commodities continue to spiral across the Kashmir Valley, with consumers accusing the administration of abandoning market regulation and allowing traders to operate without oversight. Despite the SrinagarJammu highway remaining open, food prices have surged to record levels, raising questions over the governments ability to monitor supply lines or enforce any form []

SRINAGAR: Rambans famed Sulai honey received a boost after Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted it in his Mann Ki Baat address, saying the product has been steadily gaining recognition across the country since being awarded the Geographical Indication tag. The Prime Minister stated that the government has observed the unique characteristics of the hilly terrain []

by Iqbal Ahmad Archaeology in Kashmir must rise above colonial religious labelling and return to scientific enquiry. The Zahenpora excavation offers a chance to reveal cultural layers and deepen understanding of early civilisations Archaeology, in simple terms, means the scientific study of past human cultures through the analysis of their material remains, such as buildings, []