Daily Excelsior

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 12: BJP senior leader and former Health Minister, Bali Bhagat while attacking the Omar Abdullah-led Government, alleging that the administration has failed to address the alarming number of vacant posts across Government departments, resulting in the weakening of governance and public service delivery. Reacting to the Governments admission in the Assembly that over 77,000 posts are lying vacant across 38 departments, Bhagat said the figures expose the administr

Excelsior Correspondent KATHUA, Feb 12: Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma today chaired a review meeting of the Social Welfare Department to assess the implementation of various welfare schemes and programmes in the district. The meeting was attended by Chief Planning Officer Ranjeet Thakur, District Social Welfare Officer Varun Chaudhary and officers of allied wings. During the meeting, schemes being implemented by the Social Welfare Department and its allied wings were discussed in deta

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 12: The Shiv Sena (UBT) J&K unit has launched a campaign against the immoral activities being carried out under the guise of health services in Jammu city and to check human trafficking mafia spreading its roots in the UT. In a press conference here today Shiv Sena J&K president, Manish Sahni described the recent crackdown by the administration on spas and massage parlours as a victory for the voice of the people. He claimed that on [] The post Shiv Sena starts

Excelsior Correspondent KATHUA, Feb 12: The residents of Nagari here today staged a protest demonstration against the continuous attacks on shopkeepers and other locals by burglar and miscreants. Many protesters including women blocked Nagari road and hindered traffic movement. The protestors claimed that burglars attack shopkeepers during night and loot the cash and other valuables while the addict people are also active in the area. They further said that the area is connected with nearby Punj

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 12: An unidentified male body was recovered from the bank of Tawi River here. On February 8, an unidentified body of a male aged between 25 and 40 years was found at around 5 PM on the right bank of River Tawi, opposite Harki Paudi, a police official said. He said the body was notified under suspicious circumstances and as such, legal proceedings have been initiated. The police official described the deceased as a male of [] The post Unidentified male body foun

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR Feb 12: A meeting of District Telecom Committee (DTC) was today held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo to review and discuss the development of telecom infrastructure under Jammu & Kashmir Communication and Connectivity Infrastructure Project (JKCCIP). The meeting was attended by Additional District Development Commissioner, Rifat Aftab Qureshi; Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mir Imtiyaz Ul Aziz; Dy Superintendent of Poli

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 12: Former Minister and senior PDP leader, Abdul Rehman Veeri today appealed the Government to ensure supply of essential commodities to Kashmiri Pandits living in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir Valley on the occasion of Maha Shivratri falling on February 14 and 15 on controlled rates. The PDP leader said the Government should ensure the walnuts, flowers, milk, vegetables and fruit in all migrant camps in Jammu including Jagti , Nagrota, Buta Nagar, Muthi

Excelsior Correspondent SAMBA, Feb 12: Samba police has foiled a bovine smuggling attempt in the jurisdiction of Police Station (PS) Ghagwal, arrested three bovine smugglers and rescued four bovines from the clutches of bovine smugglers. Police said acting on information received from reliable sources, a team of Police Station, Ghagwal during vehicle checking at Naka NHW Tapyal, intercepted a Mahindra Load Carrier bearing Registration Number, RJ13GC-5277 for its checking. During checking, four b

Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Feb 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners & Senior Citizens United Front has demanded pending DA and enhancement of Medical Allowance of the employees and pensioners. The members of the Front also held a brief protest demonstration, in coordination with Employees Joint Action Committee- R, and projected their main demands here. They drew the attention of the Government towards their long-pending demands, which have remained unresolved for long. They demanded regular

Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Feb 12: The police arrested two persons and recovered contraband substance during routine naka in Manyal area of Thannamandi today. Reports said a police team led by SHO Thannamandi, Inspector Sachinder Pal Singh, under the supervision of SDPO Thannamandi, Parupkar Singh, during naka intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number JK11F-3666 for checking. During checking nearly 30 grams of charas was recovered from the possession of two persons on board the veh

Jammu, Feb 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Secretariat on Thursday announced that there will be an Off Day on Monday, February 16, 2026, following a unanimous decision taken by the House. According to a bulletin issued by the Assembly Secretariat, the business that was earmarked for February 16 will now be transacted on Friday, February 20, 2026. The bulletin, issued under No. LA-1001-36/Legn/2026 and dated February 12, 2026, was signed by Secretary of the Legislative Assembly, Mo

Jammu, Feb 12: In a significant move to promote the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has constituted a high-level committee to draft a comprehensive and time-bound roadmap for the sectors commercial expansion across the Union Territory. According to Government Order No. 199-JK(GAD) of 2026 dated 12.02.2026, issued by the General Administration Department , sanction has been accorded for the constitution of the committee to ensure structured

Jammu, Feb 12: Amid concerns that the proposed ropeway project along the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi route in Reasi district might lead to livelihood loss, the Shrine Board on Thursday assured stakeholders that their rehabilitation plan would be finalised through consultation. The assurance was given during a meeting with representatives of service providers such as ponywallas, pithus and palkiwallas associated with the yatra in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine, a spokesperson of

Jammu, Feb 12: The Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers on Thursday held a flag meeting along the International Border in the R S Pura sector here, officials said. The meeting was held near Bullechak Border Outpost at the request of Pakistan Rangers over an incident of firing, the officials said. They said the BSF clarified that the firing was part of a scheduled training exercise within its area of responsibility. The meeting was conducted in a cordial atmosphere, [] The post BSF, P

New Delhi, Feb 12: The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, on Wednesday announced the dates for the Gulmarg leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2026, which will be held from February 23 to 26 in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This will be the sixth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG). The first leg of KIWG 2026, featuring ice sports, was successfully held in Ladakh from January 20 to 26, [] The post Dr Mandaviya Announces Dates For Gulmarg Leg,

SRINAGAR, Feb 12: The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC)-2026 was successfully conducted today across 27 wetlands of the Kashmir Valley, marking a major field-based biodiversity monitoring exercise undertaken by the Department of Wildlife Protection, Jammu & Kashmir, through its Wetland Division, Kashmir, in coordination with the Wular Conservation and Management Authority (WUCMA). The census exercise commenced today, simultaneously covering 58 designated census points spread across north, central and

JAMMU, Feb 12: The Finance Department of the Jammu and Kashmir Government has assigned additional responsibilities to four officers in the interest of the administration. See Order Copy Click Here The post J&K Finance Dept Assigns Addl Charge To Four Officers appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday attached a three-story residential house belonging to an alleged drug peddler in Bandipora district. Police have attached a three-storey house of notorious drug peddler Mohammad Shafi Sheikh, here in Ward No 5, Sheikh Mohalla, under Section 68-F of the NDPS Act 1985, a police spokesperson said. According to the spokesperson, Sheikh was found involved in several NDPS cases registered at the Bandipora police station. During the investigation,

Srinagar, Feb 12: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will hear next week AAP MLA Mehraj Maliks petition challenging his detention under the controversial Public Safety Act. Justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani heard the arguments of state counsels Sunil Sethi and Monica Kohli on Thursday. The court listed the case for further hearing on February 19, Advocate Appu Singh Slathia told reporters after the court hearing. The court had part heard the arguments of the state counsels last [] The pos

Mumbai, Feb 12: Italy trounced Nepal by 10 wickets to record a historic first-ever win in the mens T20 World Cup, producing a clinical show in only the second match of their maiden appearance in the competition, here on Thursday. After their spinners ruled the roost to bowl Nepal out for a paltry 123, brothers Anthony Mosca (62 not out) and Justin Mosca (60 not out) put on a ruthless unbeaten opening stand to crush the Rhinos, who failed to [] The post Clinical Italy Trounce Nepal By 10 Wickets

Jammu, Feb 12: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday called upon the people to celebrate Indias grand renaissance. He said for thousands of years, the sacred land of India has journeyed toward spiritual excellence, with our saints and great souls reaching the pinnacle of consciousness. In near future, India alone will guide the world towards the right path. The society, especially the youth should also recognize and harness its spiritual fire alongside its technological & scientific prowes

SASB approves Laser and Sound Show dedicated to Baba Barfani Accidental insurance cover for registered yatris, service providers, officials, seasonal workers & pujaris enhanced from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh JAMMU, Feb 12: During its 50th Board meeting, Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) today approved setting up Laser and Sound Show dedicated to Baba Barfani, to be hosted in both Srinagar and Jammu. The show will also serve as a cultural beacon, highlighting the rich spiritual history [] The po

NEW DELHI, Feb 12: The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is working to bring the youth of Jammu and Kashmir into the national mainstream and prevent them from going on the wrong path, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje said in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Replying to supplementary questions in the Upper House during the Question Hour, she said there was a time when incidents of stone pelting were commonly seen in [] The post Govt Working

New Delhi, Feb 12: The defence ministry on Thursday cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework from France, nearly 13 years after a similar acquisition was almost firmed up. In total, capital acquisition of military hardware worth Rs 3.60 lakh crore was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to enhance the combat readiness of the defence forces. The approval for procurement o

New Delhi, Feb 12: Union minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday launched a scathing attack at Rahul Gandhi, calling him liar and rowdy and alleged that the Congress leader wants to start a civil war in the country because his partys is not able to return to power at the Centre. Singh also accused Gandhi of trying to spread confusion among farmers in the country with his lies about the India-US interim trade deal. I would like to tell Rahul Gandhi [] The post Rahul Gandhi a big liar, wants to start c

NEW DELHI, Feb 12: The Delhi High Court, the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Home Affairs were among the major public authorities who rejected RTI applications the most in 2024-25, while the Ministry of Finance also recorded a significant number of denials, according to the latest annual report of the Central Information Commission. The CIC report revealed that Section 8(1) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act which provides exemption from disclosure of information when it comes to [] The po

SRINAGAR, Feb 12: A large number of daily wagers and contractual employees, along with their children, staged a protest here on Thursday to demand regularisation of their services in the Jammu and Kashmir government. The protests, organised by the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), were held at Sher-e-Kashmir Municipal Park here, where the demonstrators staged a sit-in and raised slogans such as we want justice and sadda haq ithay rakh (give us our rights). Addressing the gathering, the EJ

New Delhi, Feb 12: With trade unions observing a day-long strike against the Centres policies, the Congress on Thursday expressed support for them and Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government ignored the voices of workers and farmers while making decisions concerning their future. Gandhi wondered whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will listen to them now or if there is a grip on him too strong. Employees and workers associated with a joint forum of central trade unions observed a day-long [] T

SEOUL, Feb 12: South Koreas intelligence agency believes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may be moving closer to formally naming his daughter as his heir, lawmakers said Thursday after a confidential parliamentary briefing. Members of the National Assemblys intelligence committee said the National Intelligence Service (NIS) now assesses that Kim Ju Ae has progressed beyond being a potential successor and may be entering a stage where her succession is being actively prepared,according to South K

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: Pakistans Supreme Court on Thursday ordered authorities to set up a medical board to examine jailed former premier Imran Khans eyes following a report about vision loss in one of them. The apex court also ordered authorities to allow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder to speak with his children. Khan has been in jail since August 5, 2023, when he was arrested at his Lahore residence after his conviction in a corruption case. Currently, he is incarcerated [] The post Pa

ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: Pakistan on Thursday successfully launched its second indigenous Earth Observation Satellite, EO-2, from Chinas Yangjiang Seashore Launch Centre, according to the state media. Developed by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the satellite is designed to significantly enhance the countrys earth observation and high-resolution imaging capabilities, reported the state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan. The officials of Suparco said the satelli

LONDON, Feb 12: A 13-year-old boy, arrested over the stabbing of two boys at a school in north-west London, has been charged with attempted murder and to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court, the UKs Metropolitan Police said on Thursday. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons as a minor, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, possession of a bladed article on school premises and administering a noxious substance spray and possession of a bladed article, [] The post

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 12: Syrias president, interior minister and foreign minister were the targets of five foiled assassination attempts last year, the UN chief has said in a report on threats posed by Islamic State militants. The report released on Wednesday said President Ahmad al-Sharaa was targeted in northern Aleppo, the countrys most populous province, and southern Daraa by a group called Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah, which was assessed to be a front for the Islamic State group. The report, issue

Jammu, Feb 12: Taking cognisance of concerns raised by members across party lines over online smear campaigns, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Thursday assured a separate half-an-hour discussion on the issue during the ongoing budget session. The issue was raised in the House amid allegations that fake social media accounts and politically motivated handles were circulating defamatory content and misleading videos against elected representatives, damaging their reputatio

NEW DELHI, Feb 12: India will get concessional duty access for garments made using American yarn and cotton under its trade agreement with the US, similar to the benefits currently provided to Bangladesh, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. The United States will reduce reciprocal tariffs on Bangladeshi goods to 19 per cent, but garments attract zero duty only if made with US cotton and man-made fibres. A Bangladeshi garment now faces a 31 per cent levy [] The post Indi

NEW DELHI, Feb 12: Normal life largely remained unaffected by the strike call given by a joint forum of central trade unions across the country on Thursday to protest against the alleged anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the central government. According to reports, a mixed response was seen in states including Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Normal life was affected in Odisha due to a 12-hour nationwide agit

New Delhi, Feb 12: We are not bothered about any motions and if you want to hang us, we are ready for that also, said Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Thursday after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey gave a notice to initiate a substantive motion against Rahul Gandhi. Venugopal lashed out at the government over Gandhis certain remarks in the House being expunged from the records on Wednesday, saying questions were asked as to why we took an extreme [] The post If You Want To Hang Us, We Are Read

Various delegations call on LG Ladakh Leh, Feb 12: Various delegations today called on the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, at the LG Secretariat and apprised him of issues related to development, renewable energy, tourism promotion, connectivity, and social welfare in different parts of the Union Territory. A joint delegation from the Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency (LREDA) and the Kargil Renewable Energy Development Agency (KREDA) met the Lieutenant Governor and briefe

New Delhi, Feb 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans reply in Lok Sabha to the discussion on the Union Budget, saying she gave a comprehensive picture of how this years budget will contribute to the nations economic transformation. Sitharaman, in her speech, said the government has envisaged a total expenditure of Rs 53.47 lakh crore for the next financial year, up 7.7 per cent from the current fiscal ending March 31. In a post [] The post PM ha

Most car owners are careful while driving, but careless with paperwork. Many people are shocked when their renewal premium suddenly jumps, sometimes almost double, even though they have not made a single claim. The reason is often not an accident or a traffic fine, but one simple mistake that quietly increases your cost year after year. Understanding this mistake can help you avoid paying much more than you need to. This blog explores the mistakes that can increase the car [] The post This One M

New Delhi, Feb 12: The Delhi High Court on Thursday permitted AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal to withdraw his petition challenging the summonses issued to him by the ED in connection with its probe into an excise policy-linked money laundering case. Senior counsel appearing for the former Delhi chief minister said he did not wish to pursue the matter further as he had already been acquitted in the criminal cases against him for failing to appear before the agency in pursuance [] The post Arvind Kejri

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Jammu, Feb 12: Two BJP legislators on Thursday staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in support of extending reservation benefits under the Pahari quota to eligible community members, including Pakistani refugees residing in the plains. Narinder Singh Raina and Arvind Gupta walked out of the House, stating they were not satisfied with the governments response regarding the extension of reservation benefits under the Pahari quota to community members residing in Jammu and other pla

Nagpur, Feb 12: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said veterinary practitioners have a significant role to play in the countrys economic growth, and urged them to broaden their outlook beyond the conventional responsibilities. Emphasising coexistence, he said humans, animals and nature must live in harmony, and society needs to seriously deliberate on how to ensure balanced coexistence. Bhagwat was speaking at a National Symposium on the Role of Canine in One Heal

Jammu, Feb 12: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators Arvind Gupta and Dr Narendra Singh on Thursday staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, protesting what they termed as the administrations failure to issue ST-II certificates to eligible beneficiaries in Jammu district. The BJP members raised the issue in the House, alleging that several deserving individuals have not been granted the Scheduled Tribe (ST-II) certificates despite fulfilling the required criteria. The

NEW DELHI, Feb 12: You cannot denigrate a section of society by using such a title, the Supreme Court remarked on Thursday while rapping filmmaker Neeraj Pandey on his film Ghooskhor Pandat. The top court was hearing a plea seeking a stay on the release of the Manoj Bajpayee-starrer film on OTT platform Netflix. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Central Board for Film Certification and Pandey [] The post You cant d

By Asad Mirza Microplastics have infiltrated our food supply. Now, a Japanese research team has developed a breakthrough plastic that fully dissolves in seawater within hourspointing toward cleaner and safer packaging. Microplastics represent an escalating challenge worldwide. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, an estimated 2.7 million tons were released into the environment in 2020 alonewith projections suggesting that figure could double by 2040. These microscopic particle

NEW DELHI, Feb 12: CPI-M leader from Kerala AA Rahim on Thursday in the Rajya Sabha raised concern over alarming working conditions in public sector banks, claiming around 500 employees have died by suicide in the last decade due to work-related stress, harassment and workplace abuse. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Rahim cited multiple instances of bank employees taking their own lives, unable to cope with mounting work pressure and impossible targets. I am not able to bear it [] The post C

Srinagar, Feb 12: Over 30 students from Jammu and Kashmir have been suspended from a private university in Rajasthan after they protested against its failure to secure mandatory approvals for a nursing course, a students body said on Thursday, seeking Chief Minister Omar Abdullahs intervention. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association informed said 33 students of Mewar University in Chittorgarh were suspended following a peaceful demonstration against the absence of recognition from the Rajast

Dewanshi Verma dewanshivermaa@gmail.com Artificial Intelligence has quietly crept into almost every corner of our daily lives. Its no longer just a futuristic idea from movies or tech magazines; its in the devices we wake up to, the apps we scroll through, the cars we drive, and even the way doctors treat us. Most of the time, we barely notice it, yet AI is shaping how we live, work, and connect with the world around us. Its potential is enormous, [] The post Living With AI: How Intelligent Mac