Greater Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 21: Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered an FIR against Arvind Saini, the then Branch Head J&K Grameen Bank, Branch Office Reban, Sopore District Baramulla and Firdous Ahmad Sheikh, Business Correspondent & others for commission of serious financial irregularities by way of premature release of Capital Subsidy under sponsored schemes in relation to implementation of the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) etc, during the period 2021-2023, b

Srinagar, Sep 21: CPI(M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that the Question Hour, which is part of the list of business of the legislature, is the most important part of the proceedings, as it enables members to question the government, seek answers from it and hold it accountable. Stalling the Question Hour virtually deprives legislators of an important opportunity to make the government responsive to the urges and aspirations of the people. Intervening amid sloganeering by B

Srinagar, Sep 21: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) here is set to become the country's first NIT to have a dedicated campus-based observatory equipped with a high-performance 14-inch aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, officials said on Monday. The telescope provides aberration-free flat-field images for advanced astrophotography and planetary observation. The Observatory for Astronomy and Astrophysics (NSOAA) will be inaugurated on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in scien

Srinagar, Sep 21: Jammu and Kashmir has over 40,000 vacancies in various government departments, with the highest in the Health and Medical Education department, the assembly was informed on Monday. In reply to questions from MLAs Sajad Lone and Irfan Hafeez Lone about recruitment and vacancies, the government said there were 40,672 vacancies across various government departments. A total of 3,318 gazetted posts, 24,427 non-gazetted posts, and 12,927 multi-tasking staff (MTS) posts were lying va

New Delhi, Sep 21: The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that a new office-and-court complex of the Central Administrative Tribunal has been inaugurated in Jammu. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, told a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the new complex of the Central Administrative Tribunals (CAT) Jammu bench was inaugurated at Bahu Plaza on Sunday. The top court took note of the submission and cl

Srinagar, Sep 21: President of the All J&K Shia Association and General Secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference, Imran Reza Ansari, on Monday appealed to legislators not to lose precious Assembly time to protests that force the House to adjourn, saying that the J&K Assembly has only a few sitting days. Ansari said the J&K Assembly has only a few sitting days, with the next session likely to be held after a gap of five or six months and urged legislators to make the most of the limi

Srinagar, Sep 21: J&K Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone launched a scathing attack on the National Conference government on Monday after assembly data revealed a devastating gap between election promises and ground reality on the recruitment front. Speaking after the assembly adjournment, he raised a pointed question on recruitment figures. Lone said the data had exposed ugly truths about the false promises made by the NC government. The NC manifesto is a litany of lies, h

Srinagar, Sep 21 : PDP leader and MLA Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra on Monday demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir government make public its report on the reservation policy and initiate a process to rationalise the system, saying the policy was affecting open-merit candidates and raising concerns over the representation of Kashmiris in government institutions. The government asked for six months. Nearly two years have passed, but the government has still not made its report on the reservation

Leh, Sep 21: Monthly emoluments of village heads, locally known as 'gobas', in the Union territory of Ladakh have been hiked more than three-fold from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000, after Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena gave his approval. The increase in emoluments by over 233 per cent is the first revision in the last 10 years, which will benefit 247 'gobas' across Ladakh, officials said. The lieutenant governor said the decision would provide greater financial support to village heads, also know

Srinagar, Sep 21: Only 899 new posts have been created across various departments in Jammu and Kashmir Government since October 16, 2024, the Government informed the Legislative Assembly on Monday. In response to a question by MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone, Government data states that the Health & Medical Education Department accounts for the highest number of 485 new posts created, followed by Housing and Urban Development with 266 posts and Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs with 82 posts.

Srinagar, Sept 21: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma on Monday accused the Omar Abdullah-led government of failing to fulfil its promises and provide basic amenities to the people during its nearly two years in office. Addressing reporters on the first day of the Autumn Session of the J&K Assembly, Sharma said people had high expectations from the government, particularly those who had been waiting for years for their grievances to be addressed. Even

Srinagar, Sep 21: The Jammu and Kashmir government has prepared a detailed project report (DPR) estimated at 1,000 crore to tackle traffic congestion in Sopore town and its Fruit Mandi, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary said on Monday, adding that the government was exploring funding options with different agencies, including the Centre. Replying to questions in the Assembly, Choudhary described the demand for decongesting Sopore as a very serious issue and a very genuine demand. He

Srinagar, Sep 21: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the initial five years of pre-regularisation service rendered by Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers on honorarium basis will be counted, on a notional basis, as qualifying service for pensionary and other retirement benefits, wherever applicable. The government said this in reply to a question asked by MLA Shangus (Anantnag East) Reyaz Ahmad Khan regarding the service benefits and pension scheme appli

Srinagar, Sep 21: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said 3.21 crore in relief had been disbursed among families affected by flash floods and landslides in Rajouri, while a 185 crore proposal had been prepared for the permanent restoration of 403 damaged roads and bridges in the district. Replying to a question in the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session, Omar said 149 family-wise cases seeking relief under SDRF norms had been received in connection with damage caused by the recent fla

Srinagar, Sep 21: Amid a ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, Gurez MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi urged Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to continue with the Question Hour, accusing the BJP members of deliberately trying to waste the Houses time. None of you will be in the House after the next election. You ruined this State, Gurezi was heard telling the protesting BJP legislators. Earlier, Speaker Rather warned the BJP members to return to their seats and allow the proceedings to

The 6th edition of the prestigious Wathoora Big Bash cricket tournament, organized by the Wathoora Sports Association, culminated in a grand ceremony amidst vibrant sportsmanship and environmental awareness. The tournament witnessed fierce competition throughout the season, with 48 teams participating from across the region. The grand finale was graced by the esteemed presence of the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Chadoora Ali Mohammad Dar and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Budgam Athar Amir

Srinagar, Sep 21: In a departure from longstanding tradition, the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday carried out Government business immediately after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather read out obituary references. Breaking precedent, the Speaker proceeded with legislative work following tributes to former Members of the Legislative Assembly Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Dharam Paul and Ghulam Hassan. During the obituary reference, the Speaker read out the names of the deceased lawmakers, with no o

Srinagar, Sep 21: PDP MLA from Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Para moved an adjournment motion in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, seeking an urgent debate on issues related to the reservation policy. Para called for discussion of what he described as continuing injustice and delay over the reservation issue, and said the interests of students in the open-merit category should not be compromised. The reservation issue has remained a subject of debate since the Jammu and Kashmir go

Cairo, Sep 20: A senior official with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels is warning countries against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen's revived civil war, telling The Associated Press on Sunday that his group has assured the Trump administration that it won't attack US vessels in the Red Sea. Mohamed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, said Washington reached out to the rebels after their rapid advance down Yemen's western coast to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait earlier this month. We con

Moscow, Sep 21: Early results from Russia's first wartime parliamentary election, released by the country's election commission early Monday, showed the main Kremlin party dominating the vote. The tightly controlled balloting was virtually devoid of opposition to President Vladimir Putin's policies and all but certain to cement the Kremlin's dominance. With some 58% of the precincts counted, United Russia had nearly 58% of the vote for the 225 deputies apportioned by party lists, according to th

The Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner, J&K and Ladakh, Ajay K. Mehra, has urged employers and establishments across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to take timely steps to expand social security coverage of workers and comply with the latest provisions and welfare initiatives of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Mehra highlighted a series of initiatives related to social security coverage, statutory compliance, employee enrolment and employment generation, and called upon

Small backyard poultry units are increasingly finding space in homes across Srinagar and other districts of Kashmir, with families taking up poultry rearing for fresh eggs, chemical-free meat and, in some cases, as a hobby that allows children to engage with nature. From Srinagar to other parts of the Valley, households are starting with a few chicks and gradually expanding their flocks. While some rear local egg-laying breeds primarily for household consumption, others are investing in ornament

Vehicular movement on the SrinagarJammu National Highway (NH-44) was disrupted on Sunday evening after a fresh landslide and shooting stones hit the road at Dewal in Udhampur district, reducing the affected stretch to a single lane and causing traffic slowdowns. Traffic Police officials said vehicular movement through the affected portion was being regulated on a one-way basis to facilitate the safe passage of vehicles. The NHAI Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Udhampur was informed and was as

The Jammu and Kashmir Cine Association (JKCA) on Sunday urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to host the second edition of the prestigious event of International Film Festival in Jammu. Demand was raised in a meeting, convened to express JKCAs appreciation to the government for successfully organising the Union Territorys first-ever International Film Festival in Kashmir. The meeting, held at Kalakendra Jammu, attended by members of the executive body and general membership, welcomed the succe

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three persons, including a Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO) of the J&K Agriculture Department, an Agricultural Extension Assistant (AEA) and a private individual, in connection with an alleged bribery racket involving the release of subsidy under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP). The arrested accused, according to the CBI, have been identified as Rajan Sharma, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO), Agricultu

General Officer Commanding (GOC), Lieutenant General P K Mishra is relinquishing the command of Nagrota-based White Knight (16) Corps of the Indian Army on October 1, 2026. Lieutenant General Mohit Seth, presently serving as Commandant, Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), Indian Armys training establishment in Bhutan, will succeed him as the GOC XVI Corps. On April 1, 2025, Lt Gen Mishra had taken over the command of 16 Corps strategically one of the very crucial Corps of the Indian Army. H

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday chaired a special meeting of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) at Lok Bhavan, Jammu to review the progress of the International Museum of Goddess at Katra and discuss important matters concerning the Shrine Board. The meeting was attended by members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board including Baleshwar Rai, Dr Ashok Bhan, Gunjan Rana, Dr K K Talwar, Kulbhushan Ahuja, Lalit Bhasin and Suresh Kumar Sharma. Mahamandleshwar Swami Vish

The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday asserted that Rs 48 Cr were being expended for restoration, revival and development of sacred heritage sites of Purmandal and Uttervehini. Purmandal and Uttarvehini are very important religious destinations. For centuries, these prominent sites have been visited by devotees, saints and spiritual seekers from across the country. Their renovation and development have been a public aspiration. For the purpose, the development works worth Rs 14 Cr have a

Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi on Sunday urged the government to make reservation rationalisation, particularly the concerns of Open Merit candidates, a priority for discussion in the Legislative Assembly session beginning Monday. The government must make the Cabinet Sub-Committee report on reservation rationalisation public and place it before the Assembly for a transparent debate. There can be no meaningful discussion on an issue affecting the future of thousands of

The 5th edition of the Green Valley Model United Nations (GVMUN) concluded at Green Valley Educational Institute (GVEI) after three days of intensive debate, diplomatic deliberations and discussions on pressing global issues. The conference was jointly inaugurated by advisor to J&K CM Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Hazratbal Salman Ali Sagar. The valedictory ceremony was attended by social activist Roma Wani as the chief guest and was accompanied by Chairman GVEI, Mohammad Yousuf Wani, Director GVEI

The Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Jammu and Kashmir Campus, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening academic, clinical and professional collaboration in the areas of rehabilitation, mental health, behavioural forensic services, research and training. The MoU was formally signed by the Directors of SKIMS and Rashtriya Raksha University, Jammu and Kashmir Campus, on the occasion graced by

In a landmark moment for ALOHA J&K, Jammu & Kashmir hosted the ALOHA National Level Competition (NLC) for the first time, bringing together more than 1,700 students from across the country for a grand celebration of talent, mental arithmetic and academic excellence. The National Level Competition 2026, as per a statement, witnessed enthusiastic participation from students who came together on a national platform to demonstrate their speed, accuracy, concentration and mental calculation abilities

Srinagar, Sep 20: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday described the BJP as our biggest enemy, accusing it of having destroyed Jammu and Kashmir, ended its statehood and taken away Articles 370 and 35A. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function at Parraypora in Srinagar, Bukhari said the BJP had no moral ground to hold public darbars in Jammu and Kashmir after what he alleged was the erosion of the regions rights. Our biggest enemy is the BJP. They have des

Sixteen girls belonging to financially weaker families received marriage assistance kits during a programme organised by Khidmat Foundation Baramulla at Jadeed Eidgah on Sunday. The programme sought to ease the financial burden on families struggling to meet the expenses associated with marriage arrangements. Besides providing material assistance, the programme sought to promote a sense of dignity, community solidarity and shared responsibility towards vulnerable families. Speakers at the event

Srinagar, Sep 20:Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today lashed out at the continued neglect of Srinagar city and warned against pushing the historic city into deeper developmental deprivation and livelihood distress. He also said that Srinagar suffered massive and irreversible damage as its Master Plan was altered. He said, Srinagar, especially its downtown area has been suffering from decades of consistent neglect and developmental deprivation. The governments in power have cont

Chairman of the Nigeen Lake Conservation Organisation (NLCO), Manzoor Wangnoo, was honoured with the Peoples Environmental Ambassador Award at the Global Leaders Conference, Srinagar 2026, organised by Edufam International Academy. The conference, as per a statement, brought together renowned personalities from across the world as well as distinguished participants from Kashmir representing different walks of life. The conference focused on three themes of growing relevance: Sustainable Educatio

Renowned vocalist, music composer and cultural promoter Ustaad Waheed Jeelani presented his paper titled Art, Culture & Sustainability at the prestigious Global Leaders Conference on Sustainability, Srinagar 2026, organised by EDUFAM International Academy, UAE. Invited as a Speaker and Guest of Honour, Jeelani, through his paper, highlighted the significant role of art and culture in preserving heritage, strengthening social harmony and contributing meaningfully towards a sustainable future. He

Srinagar, Sep 20:The recent hike in sewerage fees for hotels and guest houses in Jammu and Kashmir has raised questions over whether higher charges can address water pollution when the Union Territorys sewage treatment infrastructure remains inadequate and significantly underutilised. J&K generates around 445.6 million litres of sewage every day (MLD), against an installed treatment capacity of only 229 MLD. Of this capacity, just about 137 MLD is actually being utilised for treatment, according

J&K BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Sharma (CA) on Sunday chaired an organisational review meeting in Srinagar, taking stock of the partys functioning, ongoing programmes and organisational activities across Kashmir. The meeting, as per a statement, held at Church Lane, was attended by BJP Vice President Dr Shehnaz Ganie, General Secretaries Mohammad Anwar Khan and Gopal Mahajan, besides State Office Bearers, Spokespersons, District Presidents, Morcha Presidents and General Secretaries. The

Srinagar, Sep 20: Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar on Sunday reviewed the prevailing security situation, counter-terrorism grid, law and order preparedness, crime scenario and overall operational readiness during a visit to Kupwara and Handwara in north Kashmir. IGP Kashmir was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir Range, Dr Vinod Kumar. During his visit to District Kupwara, SSP Kupwara Al Tahir Gilani briefed the IGP on the overall security scena

Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq on Sunday expressed great satisfaction over the overwhelming participation of children in the Grand Seerah Competition held at the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, where around 2800 boys and girls from maktabs across districts took part. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the programme, Mirwaiz, as per a statement, said it was a beautiful and heartening sight to see the historic Jama Masjid filled with young children eager to learn about the