Kashmir Reader

Srinagar: The Centre on Tuesday said that three proposed railway projects in Kashmir have been put on hold following objections from locals and elected representatives, who raised concerns over large-scale land acquisition and its impact on apple orchards. Union Railway Minister Ashwani Kumar there is already a railway line from Srinagar to Baramulla, and there []

Jammu: An Exchange of fire was reported between terrorists and security forces in Drabar forest in Majalta area of Udhampur district on Tuesday. Officials sources said that there was a exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces after security forces recieved a specific input about presence of terrorists in the area The joint operation []

SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday alleged that state governments appeared to be granting patronage to mob violence against Kashmiris outside the Union Territory, allowing hatred to replace the rule of law. Instead of upholding Raj Dharma, the state governments appear to be granting silent patronage to mob violence, treating hatred as a shortcut []

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the issue of alleged victimisation and harassment of Kashmiris will be taken up for discussion in the ongoing Assembly session, asserting that he would respond to queries related to the budget only on the floor of the House. Speaking to reporters outside []

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday said that critical healthcare infrastructure in Bandipora district is being upgraded under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) and allied schemes. Replying to a query by Congress legislator Nizam-Ud-Din Bhat, Healthb Minister Sakina Itoo, said major interventions are underway at the District []

Srinagar: The government on Tuesday acknowledged that payments under the Marriage Assistance Scheme are pending for thousands of approved beneficiaries even as it denied any delay in the disbursement. In a written reply to a question by legislator Javid Hassan Baig, the Social Welfare Department, said that during the current financial year, Rs 163.93 crore []

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday said that Srinagar district continues to function with just one medical block and four medical zones, and there no proposal to create constituency-wise medical blocks. Replying to a question by MLA Sheikh Ahsan Ahmad, Health Minister, Sakina Itoo, said that the four medical zones in Srinagar are []

Srinagar: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Abdul Rahim Rather on Monday announced that he had rejected an amendment moved by Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on the issue of Article 370, because a resolution on the same was already passed by the House. After Question Hour was over, said Lone questioned the Speaker for []

Qazigund: Two personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) department were injured while battling a fire incident in the Qazigund area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district on Tuesday, officials said. An official said that a blaze broke out at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Qazigund and quickly engulfed the building before it could []

Jammu: The Jammu & Kashmir Government on Tuesday said that no assessment has been carried out to evaluate the losses suffered by tourism stakeholders in 2025. In a written reply to a question from MLA Lal Chowk, Ahsan Pardesi the minister in charge of Tourism, who also happens to be Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, []

Srinagar: The demand for setting up the National Law University in Jammu echoed in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, with BJP MLAs staging protests over the issue. As soon as Question Hour began, BJP MLAs stood up and protested, demanding a Law University for Jammu. The students are on the streets in Jammu seeking a []

Srinagar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) 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 J&K has registered a formal []

Jammmu:: The ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly, demanding restoration of statehood and an end to the harassment of Kashmiris in other states and Union Territories. Carrying placards with slogans like Restore Statehood, NC MLAs demanded i the restoration of statehood. PDP MLA Muntazir []

NEW DELHI: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the India-US trade agreement will open up huge opportunities for domestic farmers, MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and skilled workers and promote Make in India initiative. India and the US have agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods []

DUBAI: Turkey is attempting to bring US and Iranian officials to the negotiating table in hopes of easing the threat of US military action against Iran. Neither the US nor Iran has confirmed whether they plan to take part in any negotiations. Two Turkish officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were []

NEW DELHIIndia and the US agreed to a trade deal under which Washington will bring down reciprocal tariff on Indian goods to 18 per cent from current 25 per cent, US President Donald Trump said on Monday after a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The prime minister said he was delighted that Made []

Says 8th harassment incident this year Condemns hate speech, intimidation against Kashmiri Muslims Calls for immediate action to uphold law, protect citizens rights SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Monday sought the urgent intervention of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and condemned the harassment, intimidation, and open threats faced by an []

Directs joint inspection of agencies for evaluation of interventions SRINAGAR: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, along with Secretary Transport, Avny Lavasa on Monday chaired a meeting to review the removal of bottlenecks for water transport of the Inland Waterways Authority of Indias (IWAI) envisaged project of River Jhelum. The meeting was participated in by Deputy []

SRINAGAR: The University of Kashmir (KU) on Monday organised a felicitation ceremony to honour its former Professor and eminent Kashmiri litterateur, Prof Shafi Shauq, who was recently conferred the prestigious Padma Shri by the Government of India on the eve of the 77th Republic Day in recognition of his outstanding contribution to education and literature []

SRINAGAR: The Private Schools Association (PSA) J&K has congratulated all 11th class students who successfully qualified the Annual Examination 2025 (November Session). While congratulating the achievers, the State President of PSA J&K, Dr. Nazrul Islam Baba, lauded the dedication, hard work, and perseverance shown by the students, teachers, and parents. He congratulated both private and []

SRINAGAR: In a significant stride toward strengthening the entrepreneurial landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, SKUAST-K, in collaboration with the Institute Incubation & Innovation Council (I3C) at IIT Jammu, launched a week-long Capacity Building Program today. The initiative is being held under the JKCIP framework and is specifically tailored for the capacity building of incubation staff, []

ANANTNAG: Ehsaas Foundation on Sunday organised a historic Mehfil-e-Mushaira dedicated to the legendary Kashmiri poetess Habba Khatoon at Al-Sufra Restaurant, Anantnag, marking the first-ever Mushaira on Habba Khatoon in the history of the town. The literary evening witnessed an impressive gathering of poets, scholars, media persons, and lovers of Kashmiri literature. Renowned poet Suhail Ahmad []

LG says session significant to chart future roadmap Session split into three phases around Ramzan & Eid Opp parties ready to question govt on key issues CM Omar to present FY27 Budget on Feb 6 Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the Budget session of the assembly holds special significance []

Announces Panel of Chairmen; House pays tributes to former legislators Jammu: Speaker Legislative Assembly, Abdul Rahim Rather on Monday said it is collective responsibility of the House to ensure productive outcomes during the session. The Speaker said that people expect solutions to their problems and reminded members that significant public resources are invested in conducting []

Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the economy of Jammu and Kashmir has demonstrated encouraging momentum in recent years, with the Union Territory recording an annual nominal growth rate of around 11 per cent in 2024-25. He said that the growth reflects positive outcomes of sustained policy reforms, enhanced infrastructure development and proactive []

Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said that tourism continues to be a vital pillar of Jammu and Kashmirs economy, with the Union Territory recording 1.78 crore tourist visits in 2025 despite security-related incidents and natural calamities. Despite challenges arising from security-related incidents and natural calamities, the Union Territory recorded 1.78 crore tourist visits []

National Cadets Corps has inspired generations of youth Jammu: The true meaning of a developed society and a developed nation, extends far beyond infrastructure, modern technology, or economic progress alone. A developed society and nation also signify a place where people possess strong character, where social values stand firm, and where the social fabric remains []

Jammu: The Pakistan governments decision to pull out from the high-profile T20 World Cup clash against India in Colombo on February 15 has evoked a strong response in the political corridors of Jammu and Kashmir, with some saying politics should not be mixed with sports, and others batting for sporting ties between the neighbours amid []

Srinagar: Night temperatures across Kashmir rose marginally, with Srinagar recording a minimum of 2.6 degrees Celsius, three degrees above the seasonal average, officials said on Monday. The minimum temperature in Srinagar city has been rising slowly but steadily since the end of Chillai Kalan, the 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir. The ski resort of []

Srinagar: An earthquake of magnitude 4.7 hit the Kashmir Valley early on Monday, causing panic among the people in Pattan and surrounding areas of Baramulla district, officials said. There were no reports of any damage so far, they said. According to the National Centre for Seismology, the quake occurred at 5.35 am at a depth []

Societys struggle to see women as potential perpetrators and men as credible victims is undermining the legal system. True equity demands laws and a culture that protect the innocent and believe the harmed, no matter who they are. Falak Aslam In mid-2024, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh quashed a rape FIR []

JAMMU: The Northern Railways Jammu division has decided to operate an additional pair of special trains between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and Srinagar over the next two days for the benefit of travellers and tourists visiting snow-bound Kashmir, officials said on Monday. The special reserved trains will operate on Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra []

NEW DELHI: A row erupted in the Lok Sabha on Monday after Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sought to quote from the unpublished memoir of former Army chief Gen (retd) M M Naravane but Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with other BJP members, strongly opposed it and accused the Congress leader of misleading the []

Srinagar: District Police Anantnag on Monday said it has registered a case in connection with objectionable and provocative content circulated on social media, which had triggered public concern and speculation. In a statement, the police said FIR No. 14/2026 has been registered at Police Station Mattan under relevant provisions of law against a woman []

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said that the government remains committed to addressing the challenges of unemployment, infrastructure gaps, and social welfare. Addressing the MLAs in the Central Hall of the J&K Legislative Assembly complex, Sinha, said: The Government during its first year in office has sought to combine development with dignity, growth []

Srinagar,: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday carried out raids at multiple locations across the Kashmir Valley, officials said. They said the searches were conducted early in the morning in Srinagar, Sopore, and Bandipora as part of an ongoing investigation into terror-related activities and funding networks. An official said that NIA teams, assisted by []

Islamabad/Karachi: At least 145 terrorists and 17 security personnel have been killed in the last 40 hours in multiple counter-terrorism operations in the restive Balochistan province, Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said on Sunday. Bugti, in a press conference in Quetta, said that the bodies of all the 145 terrorists were in the custody of []

Association slams HP CM Sukhu for inaction SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Sunday expressed deep concern after a fresh and disturbing case of alleged harassment and assault involving a Kashmiri shawl seller was reported from Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, just days after two Kashmiri shawl seller brothers were brutally assaulted in Uttarakhand. []

Rs 62 lakh fines recovered JAMMU: Astaggering 8,354 ticketless travellers were apprehended by officials of the Railways Jammu Division in January, with fines amounting to approximately Rs 62 lakh recovered from the offenders, said officials on Sunday. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Jammu Division, Uchit Singhal, said that to provide better facilities to passengers and []

Call for citizenship for Pak-returned families, end to employee terminations SRINAGAR: Senior AIP Leader and MLA Langate Sheikh Khurshid along with AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, addressed a press conference here on Sunday, outlining a series of political and humanitarian initiatives taken by the Awami Itihaad Party both inside and outside the Assembly. During []

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah Sunday asked J&K administration to ensure adequate and comprehensive arrangements at all major shrines across Jammu and Kashmir in view of the upcoming auspicious occasion of Shab-e-Barat. Dr. Farooq emphasised that Shab-e-Barat holds immense religious significance for the Muslims across the region with large []

SRINAGAR: Emphasising the need to integrate health education with formal schooling to strengthen human development in Jammu and Kashmir, Tarang Health Alliance and the SKUAST-K Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre have joined hands to promote structured school-based health education in the region. Speaking during a webinar organised by Tarang Health Alliance in collaboration with Fijeeha []

SRINAGAR: The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar Region, has organised a press tour for journalists from Srinagar, as part of its ongoing media outreach initiatives. The tour commenced today and will continue till 7 February 2026. A 14-member press delegation, comprising journalists from Srinagar, including organising officials from PIB, is participating in the tour. Ahead []

NEW DELHI: The government estimates an 8 per cent growth in gross tax revenues at over Rs 44.04 lakh crore in the 2026-27 fiscal. The personal income tax collection is expected to grow at 11.73 per cent to Rs 14.66 lakh crore in FY27 over revised estimates of Rs 13.12 lakh crore in FY26. Corporate []

NEW DELHI: The allocation for control of pollution schemes and projects, which includes funding for pollution control boards and the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), has increased in the Union Budget 2026-27. For 202627, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been allocated Rs 3,759.46 crore, about Rs 278 crore or nearly []

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday unveiled a comprehensive package for the livestock, fisheries and high-value agriculture sectors in Budget 2026-27, with a total allocation of Rs 1,62,671 crore for agriculture and allied activities a 7.12 per cent increase from the revised estimate of Rs 1,51,853 crore for 2025-26. The Budget seeks []

Fiscal deficit pegged at 4.3% of GDP Total expenditure up 7.7% Net market borrowings at Rs 11.7 lakh crore GDP projected at 393 lakh crore, up 10% from current year New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented a Rs 53.47 lakh crore Budget for 2026-27, up 7.7 per cent []

LG Gupta says development in focus New Delhi/Leh: The Centre has allocated more than Rs 4,869 crore to the Union territory of Ladakh in the Union Budget 2026-27, a drop of around 33 per cent compared to the Revised Estimates of Rs 7,377.43 crore for the current fiscal. The Union territory, which came into existence []

Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday hailed the Budget 2026-27 as pragmatic which he said will prioritize economic acceleration, create future-ready infrastructure, sustain growth momentum, chart path to $5 trillion economy milestone within few years and comprehensive fiscal strategy will balance growth ambition with social welfare. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and []

Criticises neglect of J&Ks regional needs Srinagar: While welcoming the Union Budgets emphasis on strengthening the manufacturing sector, supporting MSMEs, promoting exports, and expanding capital expenditure, the Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK) on Sunday said that these measures have the potential to bring much-needed stability to the MSME and manufacturing sector across the []