KashmirLife

SRINAGAR: An encounter broke out on Wednesday between militants and security forces in the Bichaar area of Chhatroo, in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Official sources said that the exchange of fire erupted during a search operation launched by security forces following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as one of the top contributors to the Centres nationwide digitisation of Waqf assets, uploading more than 25,000 Waqf properties on the newly launched UMEED portal, even as users across the country reported intermittent technical issues during the initial rollout of the platform. Data shared by the Ministry of []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir continues to record one of the lowest volumes of consumer disputes in the country, yet its redressal mechanism is operating with substantial vacancies and infrastructure constraints, raising concerns over access to timely consumer justice in the Union Territory. Information shared by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in []

SRINAGAR:The Government of India on Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha that it is aware of incidents of rape threats, abusive trolling and organised harassment targeting women on social media platforms, and said intermediaries failing to curb such content could lose legal protections under the Information Technology Act. Responding to an unstarred question raised by Smt. []

SRINAGAR: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday announced that the Jammu and Kashmir government will expedite forest clearance to ensure the speedy execution of road projects across the Union Territory. He said cases will be coordinated with the concerned agencies to enable hassle-free work on the road network. The Deputy Chief Minister also stated []

SRINAGAR: The Tehsil Administration in north Kashmirs Sopore began a public reading of digitized Jamabandi (land revenue records) in Seer village on Wednesday. This initiative aims to promote transparency and digital governance officials said. An official said that the exercise is under the supervision of Tehsildar Sopore, Sheikh Tariq Ahmad, with Patwari Zafar Iqbal leading []

SRINAGAR: The government has launched the JKMSME Health Clinic and announced financial relief measures intended to ease credit for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including reimbursement of the annual guarantee fee of 0.33 per cent on loans up to Rs 10 lakh under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued transfers and postings of mechanical engineers in the Public Works (R and B) Department, with immediate effect. According to Government Order No. 37-PW(R and B) of 2026, dated February 2, Er Vinod Kumar has been transferred from the Mechanical Hospital Division Rajouri to the Mechanical and Hospital []

SRINAGAR: Seven rice samples from Srinagar markets were reported as not of standard quality and legal cases have been lodged, the Government told the Assembly on the Starred question on adulterated rice. The reply, placed before the House in response to a starred question tabled by Shamim Firdous, said the Health and Medical Education Department []

SRINAGAR: The Government said in the Assembly that the moratorium on the establishment of new air-polluting industries in Khrew and Khonmoh will remain in force until the annual average air quality index falls below 100 or the Comprehensive Environment Pollution Index score falls below 60, amid continuing concerns over dust and emissions from cement factories []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday informed the Assembly that it is not considering any proposal to provide monthly financial assistance to young advocates who have completed more than three years of legal practice. The clarification was given by the Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs in response to Assembly Question No. []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hameed Karra on Wednesday said that while the Congress has no expectations from the present government on the issue of statehood, it will continue its struggle for the restoration of constitutional rights. Speaking to reporters outside the JK Assembly complex in Jammu, Karra, said that []

SRINAGAR: Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Sunil Sharma on Wednesday accused the ruling National Conference government in Jammu and Kashmir of failing to deliver on its commitments and avoiding accountability. Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly complex in Jammu, Sharma said the government must provide clear answers on its promises to the people. He []

SRINAGAR: The ongoing encounter in the Ramnagar area of Udhampur district entered its second day on Wednesday, with security forces using drones to locate militants who were spotted firing from inside a cave, officials said. Officials said the encounter, which broke out on Tuesday following specific intelligence inputs, intensified after aerial surveillance detected militant movement []

SRINAGAR: Saudi Arabias Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has halted contracts with 1,800 overseas travel agencies after an assessment identified significant shortcomings in service quality and adherence to approved standards. The decision, announced on February 1, 2026, affects almost one-third of the approximately 5,800 Umrah operators worldwide but does not affect pilgrims who already hold []

Sheikhgund village in Kashmirs down south transformed itself into a smoke-free community through collective action, local leadership and national recognition, showing how grassroots resolve can curb tobacco, drug abuse and eventually cancer, reports Saqlain Ashraf and Muazam Mohi Ud Din Kashmir is one of the cancer hotspots, and one of the reasons for smoking. The []

by Dr Farooq A. Lone Birth largely determines ones starting conditions in life, shaping opportunity and constraint, yet effort, awareness, and fair policies can help individuals and societies overcome inherited inequalities Recent discourses on opportunities available to our youth, reservations in public employment and professional education, and similar concerns have reignited my reflections on the []

SRINAGAR: The United States military has shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea, a US official told Reuters. The official said the unmanned aerial vehicle was intercepted after it came too close to the carrier, describing the action as a defensive measure taken to protect US []

SRINAGAR: Minister for Transport, Satish Sharma said that as per the operational guidelines of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), e-bus service is being operated within the Srinagar Metropolitan Region (SMR) limits. The Minister said this while replying to a question raised by Rafiq Ahmad Naik. He informed the house that the Tral constituency []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Ladli Beti Scheme has been approved for implementation in eight districts of the Union Territory. Replying to an unstarred question raised by MLA Javid Hassan Baig on the non-implementation of the scheme in Baramulla, the Minister in charge of Social Welfare []

SRINAGAR: Power supply will remain disrupted in several areas of Jammu and Kathua districts over the next few days due to scheduled maintenance works, officials of the Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) said on Tuesday. According to the Chief Engineer (Distribution), JPDCL Jammu, electricity supply to Transport Nagar, Narwal, Railway Colony, parts of Channi []

SRINAGAR: Rajya Sabha member Sajad Kitchloo on Tuesday raised concerns in the Upper House over the alleged targeting and harassment of Kashmiri shawl sellers in various parts of the country, linking the incidents to what he described as a wider climate of suspicion towards Kashmiris outside the Union Territory. Speaking during the proceedings, Kitchloo said []

SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday flagged off special JK Road Transport Corporation (RTC) bus services to major religious destinations across the country from MA Stadium in Jammu, aimed at facilitating affordable pilgrimage travel for devotees from the Union Territory. The services will operate to prominent shrines and places of worship of different faiths, []

SRINAGAR: As many as 5,967 posts of medical and paramedical staff are lying vacant in health institutions across Jammu and Kashmir, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Tuesday. The information was provided in response to Starred Assembly Question No 445 tabled by MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, who sought category-wise details of vacancies in health []

SRINAGAR: An earthquake of magnitude 6 struck Myanmar on Tuesday night, with tremors felt across parts of eastern India, including Kolkata, and in several areas of Bangladesh, according to seismological agencies. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said the quake occurred at around 9.04 pm local time, with its epicentre located about 70 miles east of []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is set to introduce two major Bills focusing on governance reforms and social justice during the Legislative Assembly session on Wednesday. According to the List of Business issued by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, the House will convene on Wednesday, February 4, with proceedings scheduled to begin at []

SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir reported 11,950 tuberculosis (TB) cases in 2025, according to figures submitted in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The cases were notified under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, part of Indias National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), aimed at eliminating TB through early detection, free treatment, and nutritional []

SRINAGAR: Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said that the proposed AnantnagPahalgam and AwantiporaShopian railway lines in Jammu and Kashmir have been put on hold after Members of Parliament, the Jammu and Kashmir government, and local farmers raised concerns about potential damage to apple orchards. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Vaishnaw said []

SRINAGAR: The Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO), Kupwara, has issued a final notice to dealers involved in the resale or purchase of registered vehicles without valid authorisation, warning of strict action in case of non-compliance. According to the notice issued by the Motor Vehicles Department, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the action is being []

SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday urged teachers to move beyond rote learning and equip students to face future challenges such as artificial intelligence and climate change, while addressing the Amar Ujala Inspirational Teachers Award ceremony in Jammu. Speaking at the event held at Padma Shri Padma Sachdev Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, []

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo on Tuesday reaffirmed that the restoration of statehood and special status remains a core and consistent demand of the National Conference, asserting that the party has been raising the issue since the very formation of the Omar Abdullah-led government. Speaking to reporters, Minister Itoo said, We have always []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has informed the Legislative Assembly that more than 5,400 industrial establishments have been registered across Anantnag and Kulgam districts, while a series of targeted interventions, including seed funding, incubation support and mentorship programmes, are being implemented to boost entrepreneurship in the two south Kashmir districts. Replying to a starred []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has informed the Legislative Assembly that the Union Territory suffered extensive damage to property and public infrastructure during the unprecedented floods of 2014, with more than 1.6 lakh residential and commercial structures affected across both divisions, prompting large-scale flood management and mitigation works that continue to date. Replying to []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has informed the Legislative Assembly that the long-pending Khokhyal Check Dam project in Kathua is officially known as the Wajoo Check Dam and remains incomplete more than 15 years after it was first taken up, despite over Rs 22 crore having already been spent on it. Replying to Starred []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has informed the Assembly that the Government Nursing College at Sopore, established in 2021, is yet to become fully functional due to pending administrative handover and ongoing recruitment of staff, even as 13 posts have already been sanctioned for the institution. Replying to a Question raised by MLA Irshad []

SRINAGAR: The Government of India has not released any funds so far for flood restoration works in Jammu and Kashmir during the current financial year 202526, the Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the Assembly. Replying to a question raised by MLA Rajiv Jasrotia, the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR) Department said that no []

SRINAGAR: BJP MLAs Rajiv Jasrotia and Pawan Gupta staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, expressing dissatisfaction with the governments responses during the proceedings. Rajiv Jasrotia walked out after receiving what he called unsatisfactory and evasive answers, and Pawan Gupta of Udhampur joined him in protest, leaving the House in []

SRINAGAR: PDP MLA from Pulwama, Waheed Ur Rehman Para, has moved an adjournment motion in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, calling for an urgent discussion on the increasing incidents of hate crimes, harassment, and targeted attacks on Kashmiri students and working-class individuals across mainland India. As per the motion submitted to the Assembly Secretariat, []

SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch Jammu Kashmir has booked two individuals for allegedly securing MBBS admission at SKIMS Soura through forged Person with Disability and Economically Weaker Section certificates, officials said on Tuesday. In a statement, a spokesperson said, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of Crime Branch JK has registered a []

SRINAGAR: The ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly, calling for the restoration of statehood and an end to harassment of Kashmiris in other states and Union Territories. NC legislators carried placards bearing slogans such as Restore Statehood while urging the government to reinstate Jammu and Kashmirs []

by Syed Shadab Ali Gillani Sir William Mark Tully, the journalist who reported on the major events of South Asian history for more than 30 years, died in Delhi of multi-organ failure on January 25, 2026. He was 90. His career with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) made him one of the most recognised figures []

by Ishfaq Gani Mir Postponing happiness for a promised future drains meaning from daily life; fulfilment emerges through attentiveness, presence, and the quiet choice to live fully today There is a quiet sentence that many people carry through life. It is rarely spoken aloud, yet it shapes decisions, postpones joy, and justifies exhaustion. The sentence []

SRINAGAR: A massive fire broke out at Government Girls Higher Secondary School Qazigund on Tuesday morning, causing extensive damage to the school building. An official said that the fire engulfed the structure, resulting in the school being gutted before it could be brought under control. Fire and Emergency Services (FES) personnel rushed to the spot []

SRINAGAR: Four people were injured on Tuesday morning after a motorcycle and a car collided in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district, officials said. An official said that the accident occurred on the Shahdara Sharief road near the Government Degree College (GDC) in Thanamandi, resulting in injuries to at least four people. He said the []

SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir from February 5 to 7 to carry out a comprehensive review of the security situation, hold meetings with political leaders and inaugurate several development projects. Official sources told Daily Excelsior that Shah will arrive in Jammu at around 5 []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will conduct key business on Tuesday, February 3, including Question Hour, tabling of an ordinance, and discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Lieutenant Governors Address. The House is scheduled to convene at 10:00 AM, with Question Hour as the first item on the agenda. Chief Minister []

SRINAGAR: US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that he would lower reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports from 25percent to 18percent, following a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The move marks a warming of IndiaUS relations, which had been strained due to high tariffs. However, an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports []

SRINAGAR: In a major relief to cancer patients and their families, the Union Budget has announced the removal of basic customs duty on 17 cancer drugs, a move expected to significantly reduce treatment costs and improve access to life-saving medicines. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that, to ease the financial burden on patients suffering from []

SRINAGAR: The Union Budget announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to extend support for high-value nut crops, including walnuts, has sparked fresh optimism in Jammu and Kashmirs walnut sector, which sustains the livelihoods of nearly seven lakh people across the region. According to the details, the announcement has come as a much-needed morale booster for []

SRINAGAR: Structural damage was reported in parts of Uri in north Kashmir on Monday morning following an earthquake, with several residential houses in Nambla village developing cracks. Local sources said that houses belonging to Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Ghulam Mohammad Awan, Abdul Majeed Sheikh, and Muneer Ahmad Bhat sustained visible cracks due to the tremors. The []