In a communication to Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas, UDF nominees point out that blanket cancellation of decision taken at July 17 Syndicate meet allowing officials, who were found to have not signed on tabulation registers prepared before issuance of final marks lists, is not practical
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The launch marks an important step in Envistas long-term vision for India, bringing together Kerrs legacy of quality, clinical excellence and innovation with a focus on scientific education and strategic partnerships
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The electric detonators were allegedly abandoned during a construction of venture beside the golf course
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Raghav Chadha claims his name marked shifted in Punjab draft rolls at AAPs behest
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Presented by Prakriti Foundation on September 5, Xerxes will be in conversation with Ranvir Shah, founder, trustee, Prakriti Foundation, where they will discuss the book while exploring the everyday legal questions that creators often grapple with
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Keralam Cabinet move to extend validity of PSC rank list evokes mixed response
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Motorcyclist Dies After losing Control of Bike in Srinagar's Khanyar
Srinagar, Sep 03 : A motorcyclist died after losing control of his bike and crashing into a nearby shop at Siraz Chowk in Khanyar area of Srinagar on Thursday, officials said. An official said that the man was riding a Bajaj Pulsar bearing registration number JK13F-2915 when he apparently lost control of the motorcycle and crashed into a nearby shop. He said the man was injured in the accident and died on the spot. Locals informed the police, who soon reached the spot. The deceased was later identified as Altaf Hussain Daded (28), a resident of Sangerwani, Pulwama. Police have taken cognisance of the incident and an investigation is underway.(KNO)
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjees office ransacked in Kolkata
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A Taste of Thailand: Discover the Spirit of the Elephant at Chang Thai
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TEATER BESAR TAMAN ISMAIL MARZUKI SIMPLIFIES WIRELESS WORKFLOWS WITH SENNHEISER SPECTERA
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10,446 posts vacant in J&Ks education sector
Srinagar, Sep 02: A majorshortage of staffcontinues to affect the education sector in Jammu & Kashmir, with 10,446 posts lying vacant in the Higher Education and School Education departments, according to government figures. The vacancy position shows that School Educationis facingthe larger gap, with 9,407 posts awaiting recruitment or promotion. The Higher Education Department has 1,039 vacant posts across different categories. In Higher Education, 201 Gazetted, 275 Non-Gazetted and 267 Multi-Tasking Staff posts are vacant under the direct quota. Another 47 Gazetted, 218 Non-Gazetted and 31 MTS posts remain vacant under the promotion quota. The School Education Department has 594 Gazetted, 727 Non-Gazetted and 43 MTS vacancies under the direct quota. Under the promotion quota, 2,683 Gazetted, 3,598 Non-Gazetted and 1,762 MTS posts are lying vacant. The combined figures underline the scale of the staffing shortage in the two key education departments. A large number of vacancies remain pendingat a timewhen schools, colleges and other higher education institutions require adequate staff for routine functioning. The shortage covers teaching as well as other categories of employees. Officials said efforts are underway to fill the vacant positions through recruitment and promotion. According to the government, vacancies are being identified and referred to the concerned recruiting agencies for selection. Posts that have already been advertised or referred to recruiting agencies are expected to be filled in a time-bound manner. The official said that steps are being taken to streamline recruitment procedures and improve coordination with the recruiting agencies. Ithasstressed the need to follow prescribed recruitment rules, plan recruitment cycles in advance and monitor the progress of selections closely. The recruiting agencies have issued examination calendars for 2026, and the schedules are being followed, a senior government official said. The vacancy figures point to a continuing need for faster recruitment in the education sector. The situation is particularly significant in School Education, where more than 9,400 posts remain vacant, making it the department with the largest staffing gap.
NC, BJP face off in rare political showdown on Srinagar streets
Srinagar, Sep 02: Srinagar witnessed a rare political face-off on Wednesday as ruling National Conference (NC) and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers took to the streets in separate protests, with Lal Chowk and Rajbagh areas turning into competing centres of political mobilisation. The BJP protest, led by party J&K president Sat Sharma and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma, saw hundreds of party leaders and workers assemble at the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk. The protesters attempted to march towards the Civil Secretariat but were stopped by police and pushed back. The confrontation led to minor scuffles between BJP workers and police, during which a few policemen sustained injuries. Addressing the gathering, LoP Sunil Sharma told Rising Kashmir that the turnout at Lal Chowk reflected what he termed the governments failure to deliver on promises made in its election manifesto. The sea of people at Lal Chowk reflects the governments failure in delivering what was promised in the manifesto, Sharma said. He questioned the government over promises of free electricity, jobs for youth, 12 LPG cylinders and free ration, alleging that instead of fulfilling these commitments, around 30,000 jobs had been outsourced. We want to ask the government where is free power, jobs for youth, 12 gas cylinders and free ration? Instead, 30,000 jobs have been outsourced, he said. Taking a swipe at the NC governments own protests, Sharma said he wondered who the government was protesting against. I wonder who the government is protesting against. Perhaps J&K is the only place where the government is protesting against its own failures, he said. The BJP protest came amid growing political confrontation over the governments performance and its demand for restoration of statehood and other political issues. Meanwhile, the NC also took its protest to the streets, with party leaders and workers assembling at Rajbagh and attempting to march towards the BJP headquarters at Jawahar Nagar. Police stopped the protesters and pushed them back, leading to another confrontation between party workers and security personnel. Among the senior NC leaders present were Minister Sakeena Itoo, MP Choudhary Ramzan, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Tanvir Sadiq, Hilal Akbar Lone and Ahsan Pardesi. Speaking to reporters, Sakeena Itoo questioned asked why NC workers were being stopped when, according to her, the BJP had been allowed to march towards Lal Chowk. Why are we being stopped when the BJP was allowed to march towards Lal Chowk? Itoo asked. She said the NC would continue its protests until statehood was restored and the reservation file was cleared. NC MLA from Hazratbal Salman Sagar alleged that he was injured during the protest but said the incident would not deter him or his party workers. He maintained that the NC would continue its protests until statehood was restored. Tanvir Sadiq, the NC chief spokesperson, also alleged that he sustained injuries during the protest. He said the NC would continue to take to the streets to demand the return of what he described as rights that had been snatched. NC MLA from Habba Kadal Shameema Firdous also led a womens group in the protest. The parallel protests brought the political rivalry between the NC and BJP onto Srinagars streets, with both parties accusing the other side of failing to address issues confronting the people. While the BJP sought to turn the spotlight on unfulfilled election promises and governance, the NC used the streets to press its demands for restoration of statehood and resolution of the reservation issue. With both camps holding protests at different locations on the same day, Srinagar witnessed a politically charged confrontation, underscoring the widening divide between the ruling party and the principal Opposition.
Bengalurus September food guide brings new menus, Italian plates, and coastal flavours
From Phurrs new vegetarian menu and Beyond Beans all-day breakfast to a Coastal Karnataka chefs table, Roman-style pizza, frozen yoghurt and cocktail takeovers, here is what is new on Bengalurus food scene
CM calls for harnessing J&Ks biomass to decarbonise economy
Srinagar, Sep 02: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday called upon engineers, scientists and academic institutions to harness Jammu and Kashmirs abundant biomass resources to develop locally suited, economically viable and environmentally sustainable solutions for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and decarbonizing the economy. The Chief Minister was addressing the inaugural session of the 41st National Convention of Chemical Engineers and National Seminar on Biomass: A Sustainable Resource for Decarbonizing the Economy, organized under the aegis of the Chemical Engineering Division Board of The Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI) in association with the Department of Chemical Engineering, NIT Srinagar, at the IEI J&K State Centre here. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof. Nelofer Khan, Director NIT Srinagar Anurag Mishra, Chairman IEI J&K State Centre Ferdous Ahad Bhat, Chairman Chemical Engineering Division Board, FIE, Prof. G. Madhu, besides engineers, academicians and other experts attended the two-day national convention and seminar. Highlighting the significance of the convention being held in Jammu & Kashmir after a gap of several decades, the Chief Minister said the last National Convention of the IEI held in J&K had taken place in early 1989. For us, to have all of you present for the 41st National Convention, organized by our own NIT Srinagar and the Chemical Engineering Division Board, is a significant moment, he said, while expressing appreciation to the organizers for choosing biomass and decarbonization as the central theme of the convention. The Chief Minister said the need to reduce dependence on carbon-based fuels had become increasingly urgent, both from the perspective of energy security and the growing environmental consequences of using fossil-fuel. He said recent pressures on fuel supplies had underlined the vulnerabilities associated with excessive dependence on carbon-based energy sources, while the consequences of unchecked fossil-fuel use were becoming increasingly visible in the form of global warming and climate-related disasters. Those of us who are roughly around my age or maybe a little older have seen with our own eyes the way in which our glaciers are retreating and shrinking, Omar Abdullah said, highlighting the particular vulnerability of the Himalayan region to climate change. Referring to the Thajiwas glacier near Sonamarg, the Chief Minister said the extent of glacier retreat could be understood from personal experience. We have only to travel two hours out of Srinagar to go to Sonamarg to see the Thajiwas glacier there, he said, recalling that it was once possible to reach the foot of the glacier after a short walk, whereas today it requires a considerably longer trek. He said such changes offered a stark reminder of the environmental consequences of the continued and unchecked use of fossil fuels. However, the Chief Minister cautioned that moving away from a carbon-based economy could not be achieved simply by switching from one energy source to another overnight. Economically viable, sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions are the need of the hour, he said, stressing that alternative energy solutions must be capable of competing economically with established sources of power. Omar Abdullah pointed out that Jammu & Kashmir possessed significant biomass resources generated through agriculture, horticulture, forests, municipal waste and increasing consumption. We are sitting on a wealth of biomass whether we like it or not, he said, adding that the challenge was to develop effective mechanisms for converting this resource into useful energy. The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir had so far struggled to develop a workable and sustainable model for waste-to-energy, despite generating sufficient waste to support such initiatives. He observed that the economic viability of waste-to-energy projects remained a major challenge, particularly when compared with relatively cheaper sources such as solar and hydropower. At the same time, he stressed that economic considerations could not be the only factor determining the future of waste management and energy policy. We will have to do it, he said, underlining the need to address not only the problem of legacy waste but also the continuously increasing generation of organic waste that could potentially be converted into energy. The Chief Minister also recalled his efforts during his previous tenure to explore the possibility of converting plant material harvested from Dal Lake into biofuel, in collaboration with higher education institutions, particularly the agricultural university. He said that while the idea had so far remained largely at the discussion stage, such initiatives needed to be pursued with greater determination and through practical experimentation. Drawing from a personal experience at a boarding school in Himachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister illustrated how seemingly unconventional ideas could eventually become successful and practical solutions. He recalled how one of his teachers had proposed establishing a poultry farm at the school to ensure an in-house supply of eggs. The teacher then went a step further by exploring the possibility of converting poultry waste into biogas. What initially may seem to others as a pipe dream or may even for people evoke mockery, actually, in the long term, if you keep going at it, people will realize that the mockery was wrong and the vision was actually the correct thing, Omar Abdullah said. He said the school ultimately developed a workable system in which poultry waste was converted into biogas, which was then transported almost a kilometre to the central dining hall and used to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for cooking. The Chief Minister urged scientists, engineers and academic institutions not to be discouraged by unsuccessful experiments while working on new technologies and solutions. Let us not be afraid of failure, he said, stressing that experimentation and learning from unsuccessful attempts were essential for technological progress. He cited the example of Thomas Edison and his approach to experimentation while developing the electric light bulb, as well as contemporary technological ventures where failed experiments provide valuable data for subsequent innovations. Omar Abdullah called for the collective intellectual capacity of the engineers, scientists and institutions participating in the convention to be channeled towards developing practical projects capable of addressing Jammu and Kashmirs specific requirements. We need to commit the awesome brain power that is present in this room, or that is represented by the institutions that are present here, to arrive at workable, sustainable, economically viable projects, he said. He emphasized that solutions for biomass utilization could not simply be replicated from one part of the country to another, given the differences in available resources, geography, climate and local conditions. The biomass of Jammu and Kashmir will not be the same as the biomass of Maharashtra, will not be the same as the biomass of Tamil Nadu, he said, calling for greater emphasis on localized and indigenized solutions. The Chief Minister suggested that the deliberations of the convention should culminate in concrete recommendations that could be examined by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and subsequently shared with governments in other parts of the country as well as the Government of India. He said the objective should be to identify technologies and models that could simultaneously address waste management, energy generation, environmental sustainability and economic viability. Let us arrive at localized, sustainable, economical solutions, he said, emphasizing that Jammu and Kashmir should seek to utilize biomass that is available locally rather than depend on resources brought in from outside. The Chief Minister said the ultimate objective of such efforts should be to gradually move the economy away from excessive carbon dependence while protecting the environment for future generations. We have to be able to give them a planet that is more sustainable than the planet that we have inherited from our forefathers, he said, referring to the young participants and students present at the convention. He expressed hope that the two-day national convention would produce actionable recommendations and practical ideas capable of translating scientific research into field-level solutions. If we are able to do that, I believe this national convention will more than have met the goals that it set for itself, he said. The Chief Minister wished the participants and organizers success in their deliberations and expressed hope for continued engagement with the Institution of Engineers (India) and the engineering and academic community in Jammu and Kashmir.
Serve wherever posted: CM Omar to new doctors
Srinagar, Sep 02: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today handed over appointment orders to newly appointed Medical Officers of the Department of Health & Medical Education at a ceremony held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here. Handing over the appointment orders to the newly recruited Medical Officers appointed across Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister congratulated them on joining the J&K Government service and urged them to regard their appointment as the beginning of a new chapter dedicated to serving the people. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that the appointment marked the culmination of years of hard work, perseverance and sacrifice by the appointees and their families. Today, a new chapter of your lives is about to begin. What you will write in this chapter and what you will leave for others to read is up to you, he said, while acknowledging the contribution and sacrifices of the parents and families who supported the young doctors throughout their journey. Recalling the rigorous journey from admission to medical college and completion of medical education, training, internship and recruitment, the Chief Minister said the newly appointed Medical Officers had earned their place through sustained effort. He, however, emphasised that joining government service brought with it a much greater responsibility, particularly in the health sector, where people approach doctors at some of the most difficult and vulnerable moments of their lives. People have high expectations from you. In the most difficult of times, when people go in search of someone, they go in search of a doctor. Some people will reach you when they have given up all their hopes, and they will see the last ray of hope in you, he said. Urging the doctors to serve wherever they are posted, particularly in remote and underserved areas, the Chief Minister said that strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots was essential to reducing the burden on hospitals in Jammu and Srinagar. He said that people should not have to travel from sub-district and district hospitals to the major cities for routine medical procedures and treatment. Normal deliveries, gallbladder and appendicitis surgeriesthese should be available at the sub-district level, and at least at the district level where they cannot be provided at the sub-district level. But often we see patients being referred directly to Srinagar or Jammu, he said. The Chief Minister said the Government expected newly appointed doctors to help change this situation by providing quality and accessible healthcare closer to where people live. At the same time, he acknowledged that doctors posted in remote areas would have legitimate expectations from the Government regarding infrastructure, connectivity and better working conditions. You will expect us to provide you with proper infrastructure so that you can carry out your duties properly. You will expect us to provide you with proper connectivity in the areas where we post you, he said, assuring that the Government would continue working to improve service conditions and healthcare infrastructure. The Chief Minister also shared an anecdote from his earlier interaction with newly appointed doctors to underline the need for a change in the mindset towards postings in remote areas, saying that even postings in relatively accessible places were sometimes viewed as difficult. We have to change the future of Jammu and Kashmir. To change the future, we are paying special attention to two thingseducation and health, Omar Abdullah said. He described education and health as the foundation for Jammu and Kashmirs progress, saying that development in other sectors would not yield its full potential unless the people were educated and healthy. The Chief Minister said that this was the reason he attached particular importance to programmes of the Education and Health departments. Highlighting the Governments efforts to make medical education more accessible, Omar Abdullah said that J&K continues to subsidise medical education substantially so that students are able to pursue medical studies at comparatively affordable costs. He pointed out that medical education in government medical colleges in J&K remains significantly cheaper than in several other states, despite the high cost involved in training a doctor. We happily accept this expense because we want more doctors to be made, he said, adding that the Government had also taken steps to increase the intake capacity of medical colleges in J&K in coordination with the Centre. The Chief Minister said that increasing the number of medical seats would create a larger pool of trained doctors who could eventually enter public service and contribute to healthcare delivery across J&K. Assuring the newly appointed Medical Officers of continued Government support, he said: We will improve your service conditions so that you can carry out your work without fear. We will also improve your infrastructure. And in medical colleges, wherever there is a shortage, we will also improve it. Calling upon the doctors to make the most of their long careers in public service, the Chief Minister expressed hope that they would dedicate the coming decades to serving the people and contributing to the development of Jammu and Kashmir. You have entered the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. Please do your work with that spiritwith the hope that people see you in these positions, and with the hope that your parents and family, who helped you reach here by making sacrifices and supporting you, can be proud of you, he said. Congratulating the newly appointed Medical Officers once again, Omar Abdullah wished them a successful and fulfilling career in public service and urged them to discharge their responsibilities with dedication and compassion. Minister for Health & Medical Education Sakina Itoo, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Commissioner Secretary, Health & Medical Education, M. Raju, Mission Director, National Health Mission J&K, Akriti Sagar, faculty members of Health Services Kashmir, newly appointed Medical Officers and their proud parents were present on the occasion.
Solid Waste Management: The urban test we can no longer ignore
ARSALAN NABI Solid waste management is one of those public issues that stays invisible only until it begins to choke everyday life. Then it becomes impossible to ignore. Piles of garbage at street corners, overflowing dustbins, clogged drains, foul smell, stray animals tearing open waste bags, and the constant fear of disease all of it tells a familiar story in our towns and cities. We have treated waste as if it disappears the moment it leaves our homes. It does not. It merely moves from one neglected space to another, until the burden returns to us in the form of pollution, public health risks, and civic embarrassment. The problem is not limited to a lack of machines or manpower. In fact, many municipal bodies today speak the language of modern waste management. They talk of segregation at source, door-to-door collection, composting, recycling, material recovery facilities, and scientific landfill sites. These are all necessary parts of the solution. Yet the gap between policy and practice remains painfully wide. Waste management is still handled more as a dumping exercise than as a system of resource recovery. A city that cannot manage its waste cannot call itself clean, efficient, or even reasonably well-governed. At the root of the crisis lies a simple but stubborn truth: we produce too much waste and separate too little of it. Household waste, market waste, construction debris, plastic packaging, food leftovers, and biomedical waste are often mixed together and handed over in the same manner. Once mixed, waste becomes far harder and costlier to process. Segregation at source is therefore not a slogan but the foundation of the entire system. Wet waste can be composted. Dry waste can be recycled. Hazardous waste must be handled separately. But for this to happen, households, shops, institutions, and local authorities must work in coordination. Responsibility cannot begin and end with the municipal truck. The culture of disposal must give way to the culture of accountability. Citizens must understand that keeping a clean city is not the sole duty of sanitation workers. It begins with discipline inside the home. Separate bins, proper wrapping of waste, avoiding littering in public places, reducing single-use plastic, and cooperating with collection systems are small actions with large consequences. Unfortunately, civic habits are often the weakest link. People demand cleaner streets, but many are quick to throw garbage from vehicles, spit in public spaces, or leave waste outside collection points in unsegregated form. A clean city cannot be built on selective morality. Municipal authorities, on the other hand, must move beyond temporary clean-up drives and photo opportunities. A city needs a waste management system that is consistent, transparent, and measurable. Collection must be regular and efficient. Workers must be trained and adequately protected. Vehicles and disposal sites must be monitored. Waste processing plants must actually function, not merely exist on paper. There must be clear accountability for missed collection routes, open dumping, burning of garbage, and irregular transport. In many places, waste is still burned in the open, releasing toxic fumes and damaging both air quality and public health. This is not just negligence; it is environmental harm. One of the most neglected aspects of the debate is decentralised waste management. Every ward, locality, school, market, hotel, and housing colony should be encouraged to process a part of its own waste. Organic waste can be converted into compost at the local level. This reduces pressure on landfills and lowers transport costs. Markets and institutions that generate large quantities of waste should be made responsible for on-site segregation and treatment. If waste is managed closer to where it is generated, the system becomes more practical and less dependent on a few overloaded disposal sites. Recycling, too, needs to be viewed not as an informal leftover activity but as a vital economic sector. Thousands of people already survive by recovering paper, plastic, metal, and glass from waste streams. Yet this economy remains largely unrecognised and unsupported. Scientific waste management should integrate waste pickers and recyclers into the formal system with dignity, safety, and fair working conditions. A city that ignores the people who handle its waste is not just failing them; it is failing itself. Plastic waste deserves special attention because it has become the symbol of modern carelessness. Thin carry bags, wrappers, bottles, and multi-layered packaging are everywhere. They clog drains, pollute water bodies, and remain in the environment for years. Bans alone do not solve the problem unless alternatives are affordable and enforcement is consistent. Producers must also share responsibility through extended producer responsibility frameworks, ensuring that the goods they place in the market do not become the entire burden of municipalities after consumption. Public health is another reason why this issue cannot be delayed any longer. Poor waste management creates breeding grounds for flies, mosquitoes, rodents, and disease-causing organisms. During summer and monsoon seasons, the risks multiply. Garbage heaps near homes, schools, clinics, and marketplaces are not merely unpleasant; they are dangerous. They affect children, the elderly, waste workers, and the urban poor first and worst. In this sense, waste management is not just an environmental issue. It is a question of dignity, health, and basic urban justice. The challenge becomes even greater in towns where rapid construction and population growth have outpaced planning. Urban expansion without waste infrastructure is a recipe for long-term disorder. New colonies appear faster than collection systems can adapt. Markets expand, consumption rises, and waste volumes grow accordingly. Yet landfill capacity remains limited, transport systems remain weak, and public awareness remains uneven. This is why solid waste management must be included in urban planning from the start, not as an afterthought once a city is already drowning in refuse. What is needed now is not more rhetoric but a shift in public behaviour and institutional seriousness. Schools should teach children about waste segregation and environmental responsibility. Resident welfare groups should monitor local cleanliness. Shopkeepers should be made accountable for waste near commercial areas. Religious institutions, civil society organisations, and the media must all help change public attitudes. Cleanliness is not merely an administrative function; it is a civic culture. Ultimately, the manner in which a society manages its waste says much about how it values itself. Solid waste management is not glamorous work. It is routine, uncelebrated, and often politically inconvenient. But it is one of the strongest indicators of whether a city is serious about public welfare. The solution will not come from one machine, one campaign, or one deadline. It will come from a sustained partnership between government, citizens, and businesses, each accepting its share of responsibility. If our cities are to become healthier, more livable, and more dignified, we must stop treating waste as someone elses problem. It is ours and the sooner we manage it with seriousness, the better our future will be. (The author is a PhD scholar, social activist and freelance writer)
Former Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman joins regional airline FLY91 as pilot
FLY91, which started flying in March 2024, currently operates a fleet of six ATR 72-600 aircraft. The airline's two bases are Goa and Hyderabad
HC pulls up police over KSU rally violence, says procession should have been stopped
Shillong, Sep 2:The Meghalaya High Court has expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which police handled the Khasi Students Union (KSU) bike rally that led to vandalism and assaults in the city, observing that the procession ought not to have been allowed to proceed after clear breaches of permission conditions. A bench of Chief Justice [] The post HC pulls up police over KSU rally violence, says procession should have been stopped first appeared on Highland Post .
State Govt arbitrarily created 2-tier teaching jobs: Congress
Shillong, Sep 2:State Congress Party leader Manuel Badwar today alleged that the Meghalaya government has quietly restructured the entire future of teaching jobs in Meghalaya through a one-page letter, without any law, Assembly debate or public announcement. Addressing a press briefing, Badwar referred to a letter from the Education Department dated August 19, 2026 addressed [] The post State Govt arbitrarily created 2-tier teaching jobs: Congress first appeared on Highland Post .
Shillong, Sep 2:Leader of the Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma today laid to rest speculation that he and his Trinamool Congress MLAs are trying to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The rumour is not a new one and could well surface again. The TMC has five MLAs in the Meghalaya Assembly and has not [] The post Mukul scotches BJP rumours first appeared on Highland Post .
Govt seeks two weeks to resolve concerns over AG: Rymbui
Shillong, Sep 2:Law Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday sought two weeks time to address concerns raised by the Bar Associations over the functioning of Advocate General Amit Kumar. The state government held a meeting with members of the Shillong Bar Association and High Court Bar Associationfollowing their demand for removal of the AG. Speaking to [] The post Govt seeks two weeks to resolve concerns over AG: Rymbui first appeared on Highland Post .
Shillong, Sep 2:The Meghalaya government must take the matter of the bar associations grievances against the state Advocate General seriously, Leader of the Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma said today. The Shillong Bar Association and the High Court Bar Association have been abstaining from court proceedings over various grievances concerning the Advocate General Amit Kumar and [] The post Govt must hear lawyers grievances against Advocate General: LoP first appeared on Highland Post .
Shillong, Sep 2:Leader of the Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma today said that the August 30 incident where four alleged members of an inter-state gang were killed in an encounter with police in East Garo Hills is only the tip of the iceberg. The government has to look at the larger fallout of the inputs which [] The post EGH shootout with gang only tip of iceberg first appeared on Highland Post .
Power Ministry orders probe against NEEPCO official
Shillong, Sep 2:The North East Electric Corporation (NEEPCO) is back in the news, all for the wrong reasons. The Ministry of Power, Government of India has recently launched an enquiry against NEEPCOs Director (Finance) Baidyanath Maharana for alleged gross irregularities and misuse of power resulting in huge financial losses to the corporation. The order for [] The post Power Ministry orders probe against NEEPCO official first appeared on Highland Post .
Three-Tier Panchayat Elections in Abeyance: Oligarchy or Tyrannical Order?
SURINDER AMBARDAR There is something profoundly paradoxical about the condition of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir today. The vocabulary of grassroots democracy has become increasingly elaborate, even as the institutions through which that democracy is supposed to acquire meaning have fallen into abeyance. Panchayats have been elected, Block Development Councils constituted, and District Development Councils established; yet, at the very moment when decentralisation ought to have become an everyday political practice, the institutional architecture of rural self-government stands without elected representatives. The problem is not merely that elections have been delayed. Elections are important, but the deeper issue is what their absence does to the distribution of political power. Democracy is not sustained merely by constitutional declarations or administrative schemes. It requires institutions through which citizens can exercise judgment, articulate preferences, scrutinise public expenditure, and hold those exercising public authority answerable. When these institutions become vacant for prolonged periods, power does not disappear. It migrates. It returns to administrative hierarchies, departmental offices, and political executives. The more unsettling question before Jammu and Kashmir, therefore, is this: when grassroots institutions cease to function, who occupies the space that democracy leaves behind? The history of local self-government in India makes this question particularly significant. The village has never been merely an administrative category. From the Sabha and Samiti of ancient political thought to the village institutions described in Kautilyas Arthashastra, from the local institutions of the Chola period to the muqaddam, patwari, and chowkidar of medieval rural administration, governance in India has always depended upon some form of local mediation between the state and society. These institutions were certainly not democratic in the modern egalitarian sense. Their social structures were hierarchical, exclusionary, and often deeply unequal. Yet they reveal an enduring political fact: the state could not govern the village without institutions and persons rooted in the village. Colonial rule transformed this relationship. The British state increasingly substituted bureaucratic penetration for autonomous local authority. The resolutions associated with Lord Mayo in 1870 and Lord Ripon in 1882 introduced a vocabulary of decentralisation, but colonial local government remained circumscribed by the imperatives of imperial administration. The paradox of colonial decentralisation was therefore already visible: authority could be devolved administratively without sovereignty being democratised politically. Indian nationalism altered the meaning of this question. Dadabhai Naorojis advocacy of self-government and the subsequent nationalist discourse of Swaraj gradually shifted the issue from administrative participation to political autonomy. Gandhi radicalised this idea. For him, Swaraj could not mean simply replacing British rulers with Indian rulers. A society remained politically dependent if ordinary citizens were excluded from decisions concerning their own lives. His conception of Gram Swaraj consequently placed the village at the centre of democratic self-rule. The constitutional order eventually gave this aspiration a formal foundation. Article 40 of the Constitution directs the state to organise village panchayats and endow them with the powers necessary to function as units of self-government. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment subsequently transformed this aspiration into a constitutional framework for Panchayati Raj, creating Part IX of the Constitution and recognising Panchayats as an institutional component of democratic governance. The language matters. The Constitution does not describe Panchayats merely as agencies for implementing government programmes. It calls them units of self-government. That distinction is frequently lost in administrative practice. The application of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, and more specifically the three-tier Panchayati Raj system, was anchored by the Honourable Prime Minister of India from the Red Fort, with the recognition that a Panchayat is meaningful not simply because it receives funds, implements a government scheme, or constructs a local road. Its democratic significance lies in whether citizens possess institutional authority to determine priorities, deliberate over competing claims, and hold representatives accountable. Decentralisation is therefore not simply the geographical movement of government offices. It is the political movement of authority. This is precisely where the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir becomes troubling. The constitutional location of the electoral process makes the present impasse all the more revealing. Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir are conducted under the superintendence, direction, and control of the State Election Commission; they are not, in a formal constitutional sense, elections that the executive government can simply schedule or cancel according to its political convenience. But constitutional responsibility cannot be reduced to the question of who puts the ballot paper before the voter. An Election Commission can conduct elections; it cannot, by itself, create every legal, administrative, and institutional precondition necessary for them. The preparation and revision of electoral rolls, reservation and rotation, delimitation where required, notification of constituencies, and the deployment of the administrative machinery necessarily involve the executive apparatus. The meaningful constitutional question, therefore, is not merely who conducts the election, but who creates the conditions under which the election can be conducted in a timely manner. To invoke the independence of the Election Commission as a reason for executive inaction would be to mistake institutional autonomy for institutional isolation. This distinction assumes particular significance in Jammu and Kashmir because the issue can no longer plausibly be presented as a momentary administrative inconvenience. The Panchayats and Block Development Councils completed their terms in January 2024, while the District Development Councils completed their five-year terms in February 2026. The consequence is not the disappearance of the government from rural Jammu and Kashmir. Departments continue to function, schemes continue to be implemented, and public expenditure continues to be incurred. What has disappeared is something more difficult to replace: the elected political agency through which rural citizens can collectively question, prioritise, and hold local authority accountable. There is an uncomfortable irony here. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir derives its own authority from an electoral mandate, yet the institutions that carry electoral democracy into the village have remained in suspension for an extended period. One need not impute motives to recognise the contradiction. Governments are not merely elected to administer; they are also entrusted with sustaining the institutional conditions of democratic life. If an elected government does not demonstrate sufficient urgency in restoring elected local bodies, it becomes difficult to persuade the bureaucracy, whose institutional logic is administrative rather than representative, that Panchayats should be treated as genuine centres of political authority rather than as subordinate implementing agencies. Democracy cannot credibly demand from the bureaucracy a respect for grassroots representation that the political executive itself appears unwilling to prioritise. The deeper danger, therefore, is not simply bureaucratic substitution. It is the gradual normalisation of a peculiar political hierarchy in which electoral legitimacy is considered indispensable at the national and territorial levels but dispensable at the grassroots. Such a hierarchy would invert the very logic of decentralisation. The 73rd Constitutional Amendment was conceived not to make villages better administered by distant authorities, but to make citizens more capable of governing the affairs closest to them. When elected local institutions remain absent, the state may continue to function; but self-government begins to recede. This is where the problem of administrative centralism becomes important. Administrative centralism is not necessarily hostile to democracy. A functioning democracy requires a professional bureaucracy. The problem begins when administrative institutions start occupying spaces constitutionally intended for representative institutions. A bureaucracy can maintain continuity without representation. A department can administer a programme without deliberation. A government can spend money without citizens possessing meaningful institutional control over priorities. Administration answers the question of how the government operates. Democratic self-government asks the more fundamental question of who possesses the authority to decide what the government ought to do. When elected Panchayats disappear, this second question becomes increasingly vulnerable. The danger is not necessarily tyranny in its classical sense. There is no need for an overtly coercive regime before democratic institutions become hollow. There is a subtler form of political concentration in which decisions gradually accumulate within administrative structures while citizens become recipients rather than participants. It is this condition that requires conceptual scrutiny. Is it oligarchy? In the classical sense, oligarchy denotes government by the few. The contemporary danger in a decentralised administrative system is more institutional than personal: the concentration of decision-making among a relatively narrow circle of officials, departments, and political authorities who possess access to information, resources, and discretionary power unavailable to ordinary citizens. Or is it a tyrannical order? Again, the term should be used cautiously. Tyranny traditionally implies arbitrary and coercive rule. The present concern is different. It is the possibility of democratic government becoming increasingly administrative and increasingly remote from those whom it governs. Perhaps the more accurate term is administrative centralism. This becomes particularly important in rural development. A village does not experience governance through departmental compartments. Its inhabitants do not experience water, roads, sanitation, agriculture, education, horticulture, employment, and social welfare as separate bureaucratic files. They experience them as interconnected dimensions of everyday life. Yet governmental responses are frequently fragmented among numerous departments and schemes. Panchayati Raj was intended, at least in principle, to provide a political mechanism for integrating these fragmented interventions around local priorities. Without elected Panchayats, that integrative political function weakens. The result can be a peculiar form of decentralisation in which programmes move downward but power remains upward. This is perhaps the most important contradiction in the current moment. The language of grassroots development is everywhere. Government schemes speak of participation, inclusion, community development, and local implementation. But participation without institutional authority risks becoming ceremonial. Consultation without decision-making power becomes procedural. And decentralisation without fiscal and administrative autonomy can become little more than the delegation of responsibility without the transfer of power. The financial dimension is therefore crucial. Panchayati Raj cannot function merely on symbolic authority. It requires what may be called the threefold architecture of decentralisation: functions, functionaries, and finances. A Panchayat expected to solve local problems without adequate financial resources is not empowered; it is merely burdened. Similarly, allocating funds without giving local representatives meaningful authority over priorities does not constitute genuine self-government. The problem of unutilised funds consequently cannot be reduced to bureaucratic inefficiency. Every unutilised public allocation represents a possible failure to translate collective resources into public goods. But there is an additional democratic cost. When local institutions cannot convert resources into visible outcomes, citizens may begin to regard democratic institutions as irrelevant to their material lives. That produces a dangerous political psychology. Citizens cease asking their elected representatives to explain development failures because there are no elected representatives to whom such questions can be directed. They instead approach officials, political intermediaries, or higher administrative authorities. Accountability consequently travels upward rather than downward. This is the inverse of democratic decentralisation. And it creates a double loss for Jammu and Kashmir. The first is an economic loss: delayed projects, underutilised allocations, and unrealised development outcomes. The second is a democratic loss: the weakening of institutions through which citizens can demand explanations for that very underperformance. The second loss may ultimately prove more consequential than the first. Roads can eventually be constructed and funds reallocated. Institutional habits of democratic accountability are harder to rebuild once citizens become accustomed to approaching power through informal channels rather than representative institutions. The significance of the District Development Councils is particularly important here. Their creation was presented as an important step towards strengthening democratic decentralisation in Jammu and Kashmir. Yet their subsequent completion of term without immediate replacement raises a larger question about democratic continuity. A democracy cannot be understood only as a sequence of elections. It must also be understood as a continuity of institutions. This is why prolonged electoral interregnums deserve greater scrutiny than they ordinarily receive. There will, of course, be legitimate reasons for electoral preparation: delimitation, reservation, rotation, revision of electoral rolls, and other statutory requirements. These are not trivial matters. But procedural complexity cannot become a permanent substitute for political accountability. The legitimacy of delay depends upon whether the delay is demonstrably necessary, transparently explained, and followed by a credible institutional timetable. Otherwise, constitutional democracy begins to acquire a peculiar temporality: elections are promised in the future while administration governs in the present. That gap matters. It matters because local democracy performs a function that higher levels of government cannot easily reproduce. The Panchayat creates political proximity between citizens and representatives. The Gram Sabha, at least in principle, makes public expenditure and development priorities visible within the community itself. It creates the possibility of disagreement without alienation, contestation without institutional rupture, and accountability without waiting for a distant election. The absence of this institutional proximity produces a democratic void. And democratic voids are rarely empty. They are occupied by informal power. Political brokers, bureaucratic discretion, departmental hierarchies, and local elites can acquire greater influence when formal representative mechanisms weaken. This is why the question of Panchayati Raj is ultimately also a question of oligarchy. The absence of democratic institutions can empower those who already possess resources, information, networks, and proximity to authority. The irony is striking: an institution designed to democratise power may become most necessary precisely when the concentration of power begins to grow. This is where the intervention of the Union government must also be assessed carefully. There is a legitimate argument for Union intervention in strengthening democratic institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly where institutional capacity, finances, and administrative coordination require support. But there is a constitutional and political limit to such intervention. The purpose of decentralisation cannot be to create a more efficient system through which higher authorities govern the village. It must be to enable the village to participate more meaningfully in governing itself. Otherwise, decentralisation becomes paradoxical: the centre creates institutions of local government while simultaneously retaining the substantive architecture of decision-making. The real measure of democratic deepening, therefore, is not how many schemes reach a Panchayat. It is how much discretion, deliberation, and accountability accompany those schemes. The challenge before Jammu and Kashmir is consequently larger than the scheduling of another round of Panchayat elections. Elections are the immediate necessity, but institutional reconstruction is the larger task. The Panchayats need not merely elected representatives but meaningful functions. They need not merely allocations but predictable finances. They need not merely responsibilities but administrative capacity. And they need not merely meetings but genuine Gram Sabha participation. The objective should be to transform the Panchayat from an implementing appendage of government into a political institution capable of articulating the priorities of the people it represents. This is ultimately the unfinished promise of Swaraj. Gandhis insight remains relevant because he understood that political freedom becomes fragile when citizens are spectators to the exercise of power. The village was important to him not because rural life was inherently virtuous, but because democratic citizenship had to be cultivated somewhere. It had to acquire habits of deliberation, disagreement, responsibility, and collective judgment. The question confronting Jammu and Kashmir today is therefore deceptively simple: Are we decentralising power, or merely decentralising administration? The objective should be to transform the Panchayat from an implementing appendage of government into a political institution capable of articulating the priorities of the people it represents. This is ultimately the unfinished promise of Swaraj. If Panchayat elections remain in abeyance while development continues through administrative channels, the distinction will become increasingly difficult to ignore. A government may continue to function efficiently in the absence of elected local institutions. But efficiency cannot substitute for representation, and administration cannot permanently substitute for self-government. The real danger is not that democracy suddenly disappears. It is that democracy survives as vocabulary while its institutional substance gradually recedes. That is why the three-tier Panchayati Raj system must not be treated as another administrative cycle awaiting completion. It is part of the constitutional architecture of Indian democracy. Its suspension, even when legally explained, carries political consequences. The question is therefore not whether Jammu and Kashmir has Panchayati Raj on paper. The question is whether power has actually reached the people for whom Panchayati Raj was created. Until that question is answered affirmatively, the language of grassroots democracy will remain ahead of its institutional reality. And when the institutions of self-government fall silent, the political space they leave behind does not remain vacant. It is occupied by the few who have the authority to decide. That is the point at which decentralisation risks becoming oligarchy, not because democracy has formally been abolished, but because the distance between the citizen and the exercise of power has once again begun to widen. (https://himalayanprf.org/)
Politicians And Their Achievements
By Gregory Shullai From the most basic interpretation of the heading of this article, you can gather that I am writing after having heard some speeches from our political leaders on their successesand there have been many speeches of this category in the past few dayseven messages on Facebook and Instagram. Those with a family [] The post Politicians And Their Achievements first appeared on Highland Post .
The order of the Meghalaya High should not be read as just another status update. It is an indictment. After four years of Suo Motu monitoring, the Court has been forced to say what many in the coal belt have long whispered that the States response is knee-jerk, accountability is only on paper, and the [] The post The Coal That Vanished first appeared on Highland Post .
TMC MP Samirul Islam seeks DGPs intervention over alleged illegal detention of 66-year-old
The MP drew a parallel between the alleged detention of Jalil Akhtar and the pushback of two families from Birbhum into Bangladesh.The families of Sweety Bibi and Sunali Khatun were repatriated after a long legal battle
Future of medical students in Dark, govt must act: PDP
Srinagar, Sep 2: PDP senior spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Tramboo has expressed concern over the uncertain career prospects of nearly 20,000 students who have completed or are pursuing the two-year Medical Assistant Course in Jammu and Kashmir, urging the government to intervene immediately. In a statement, Tramboo said the course was offered by various colleges and educational institutions in J&K before 2019, with students completing the programme able to seek registration as pharmacists, apply for government jobs and obtain licences to operate medical shops under the prevailing system. He said changes in laws and regulations after 2019 had resulted in the qualification no longer being recognised for these purposes, leaving thousands of students facing uncertainty despite having invested years and money in their education. It is highly unjust to leave students in the lurch merely because the regulatory framework changed after they had already invested their time, money and years of education, Tramboo said. He also expressed concern that some institutions continue to offer the course despite uncertainty over its professional status and future prospects. Tramboo called for the course to be discontinued in its present form and sought a comprehensive transition policy for students already enrolled or who have completed the programme. He suggested exploring an equivalence or bridge-course mechanism, wherever legally permissible, to provide them with a recognised pathway to professional registration and employment. He urged the Pharmacy Council of India, Pharmacy Council of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Secretary and Secretary Health and Medical Education to take up the matter on priority and formulate a legally sustainable solution. The government cannot allow the future of thousands of young people to remain in darkness, Tramboo said, stressing that the education, financial investment and years of effort of the affected students should be protected.
Drive launched to reclaim Srinagar footpaths
Srinagar, Sep 2: In a fresh push to reclaim Srinagars footpaths for pedestrians, Kashmir Seva Sangh chief Dr Firdous Baba on Wednesday launched a Free Footpath Campaign, setting September 7 as the deadline for voluntary vacation of all encroachments along pedestrian pathways in the city. Dr Baba said the campaign was aimed at restoring the basic right of pedestrians to walk safely on footpaths, which, he alleged, have increasingly been taken over by vendors, carts and other forms of encroachment. September 7 is the deadline. All encroachments along footpaths should be removed by then. If this does not happen, we will intensify our fight, he said. He said Srinagars footpaths were meant for millions of residents and visitors and could not be allowed to become the preserve of a few hundred vendors. Four hundred cart sellers cannot hijack 20 million people, Dr Baba said, stressing that public spaces must serve the larger population rather than a limited group. He said the occupation of footpaths was not merely an inconvenience but had also become a serious road-safety concern, forcing pedestrians, including children, women and elderly people, to walk on busy roads. Accidents are increasing because people are unable to use the footpaths. When pedestrians are pushed onto the carriageway, the risk to their lives increases, he said. Dr Baba said the campaign would seek cooperation from authorities as well as traders and vendors, but maintained that public pathways could not remain blocked indefinitely. He called for a coordinated drive by the concerned departments to identify encroachments, clear pedestrian corridors and ensure that the footpaths remain accessible after their removal. The campaign comes amid growing concerns over congestion, pedestrian safety and the shrinking availability of public spaces in Srinagar, where encroachment along busy commercial stretches has often forced people to negotiate crowded roads alongside moving traffic.
Rs 5 Crore Assets Seized In Raids On Tirumala Temple Board Official
The ACB's preliminary assessment put the total value of the assets at approximately Rs 5 crore, although officials said the market value of the properties could be several times higher.
Rana stresses sustainable water security for J&K
New Delhi, Sep 2: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmed Rana participated in the two-day Departmental Summit of the Ministry of Jal Shakti at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, where he highlighted the Union Territorys priorities and challenges in the water sector. The summit brought together senior officials and stakeholders to discuss the implementation of water-sector programmes and measures to strengthen water security across the country. Deliberations focused on timely execution of water infrastructure projects, rainwater conservation and harvesting, sustainability of water sources, and effective operation and maintenance of rural drinking water supply systems. Sharing J&Ks perspective and field-level experiences, Rana stressed the need for sustained coordination between the Centre and the Union Territory to expedite critical water infrastructure projects and ensure timely delivery of benefits to the people. He called for a comprehensive and sustainable approach to water management, with greater emphasis on source sustainability, conservation, climate-resilient infrastructure and the long-term functionality of rural drinking water systems. Rana also underscored the importance of robust operation and maintenance mechanisms to ensure reliable and uninterrupted water supply, particularly in rural and remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir. The minister reiterated the J&K governments commitment to sustainable water security and dependable drinking water services for every household, stressing that effective Centre-UT coordination, sound planning, efficient implementation and regular monitoring would be key to achieving these goals. The summit provided a platform for officials and stakeholders to share experiences, discuss challenges and explore coordinated strategies for strengthening water services and ensuring reliable, sustainable and people-centric water supply.
Consent irrelevant in POCSO cases, says Kerala High Court
The Court made the legal position clear while dismissing a plea by an accused challenging his conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012
Statehood essential for J&Ks prosperity: Karra
Jammu, Sep 2: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hamid Karra on Wednesday said restoration of statehood is essential for the development and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the Congress has been at the forefront of the demand for the past two years. Addressing a press conference in Jammu, Karra said the Congress had consistently raised the issue of statehood through protests and campaigns at various levels, including in Jammu, Srinagar, across districts and even in Delhi and Lucknow. As far as statehood is concerned, if anyone has taken this cause forward, it is the Congress Party and JKPCC, Karra said, adding that the party has been working on the issue for the last two years. He said the Congress had held protests at the district, regional and national levels to press for the restoration of statehood. We are happy that other parties have also participated in it. We have reached the point that the Congress Party has fixedthat as long as there is no statehood, the people here cannot prosper, he said. Responding to allegations and counter-allegations among political parties, Karra said such developments were part of democratic politics. He claimed that people of Jammu and Kashmir were now looking for an alternative to the present system of governance. People have understood that this type of government should not exist. They are looking for an alternative, he said, asserting that the Congress could emerge as that alternative in the future. Karra also defended the partys organisational activities, saying the Congress was focusing more on strengthening its organisation and putting pressure on the government rather than engaging in what he termed show-off politics. On speculation regarding political developments within the Congress and the possible return of certain leaders, Karra said he had no information about such developments. I am the head of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the party. If anyone knows about it, I should know first. In my knowledge, there is no such thing, he said. Commenting on the ongoing political speculation in Jammu and Kashmir, Karra said the Congress would decide its political course based on its own agenda. He said the party was providing political space to those joining it but made it clear that newcomers would have to follow the Congress's existing agenda. Whoever comes from outside will have to follow the agenda of our party. No one will come with a new agenda from outside and think that we will apply it here. This cannot happen, Karra said.
Lal Chowk protest reflects public anger: LoP Sharma
Srinagar, Sep 2: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma on Wednesday said the protest march at Lal Chowk towards the Civil Secretariat reflected growing public anger over what he termed the National Conference governments failures, unfulfilled promises and lack of transparency. Sharma said people across Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the youth, were seeking answers on unemployment, electricity tariffs, recruitment and promises made by the National Conference ahead of the 2024 Assembly elections. He questioned the government over its election commitments, including 200 units of free electricity, an end to smart meters, 10 kg of ration and one lakh jobs. The people of J&K want to knowwhere are these promises? Sharma said, alleging that the government had failed to deliver on commitments made to voters. The BJP leader also raised concerns over the engagement of thousands of people through outsourcing. Referring to discussions in the Assembly, he said the Chief Minister had spoken about the engagement of around 20,00025,000 people through outsourcing. Sharma sought clarity on the recruitment mechanism and asked whether such positions would be advertised and opened to all eligible candidates through a transparent, merit-based process. He alleged that government employment should not become a means of political favouritism or backdoor appointments and called for equal opportunities for all eligible candidates. Sharma said the BJP would continue to raise issues concerning employment, recruitment, electricity, development and governance both inside and outside the Assembly. The message from Lal Chowk is clear: the people want jobs, merit, transparency, development and accountability, he said. He further urged the government to honour its commitments and provide answers on the promises made to the people during the election campaign.
Trump administration backs OpenAI in New York Times copyright case over training of chatbots
The Justice Department wrote that the creative possibilities and public benefits of training large language models on such content far outweigh any competitive harm
J&K U/17 Boys, Girls lift bronze medals in NZ National Cship held at Dehradun
Srinagar, Sep 2: Mini U/11 & U/17 Boys and Girls Categories North Zone Roll Ball National Championship 2026 was held at Parade Ground and Shukun Sports Academy Dehradun on August 29 to 31, 2026, with full sports enthusiasm and sprit. J&K boys and girls participated in the U/11 & U/17 Categories respectively. In the Boys U/17 category, the team was comprised of: Omaik Bagdadi as Captain, with Agrim, Bhavyansh, Medhansh Kumar, Ahamdeep, Yogeshwar Tanesh Kumar, Rasiq Khan, Zehraan, Anas Bin Yassin, Mohammad Aneef and Sunandas. While as in Girls U/17 category, Qurat ul Ain was leading as Captain, with Eleeza Mukhdomi as goalkeeper, Meera Verma, Arushema Mir, Areeba, Aliza, Dhwani, Nanda. The teams were led by M. Ashraf Dijoo Chief Coach, assisted by Manvi Vijay Singh, Suresh Kumar and Sameer Gupta. Both the teams (boys and girls) played very well and proved their mettle in the championship and won bronze medals. U. P State emerged as the overall winners. The girls team captain Qurat ul Ain on her best performance in the championship was awarded a Bicycle as a best Scorer of the Championship. She was also awarded a bicycle in Agra Nationals held last year. Omaik Bagdadi, J&K team Captain also Shown the best performance in the Championship by Scoring overall 10 goals. U/11boys also participated Ist time at the National Level Shows Best Performance in the Championship. Roll Ball Association of UT J&K is doing its best for the development of this indigenous game in the State under the aegis of JK Sports Council. At the concluding ceremony, all the coaches and referees were felicitated with an award of honour.
YS&S bids farewell to Chief Accounts Officer on transfer
Srinagar, Sep 2: The Youth Services & Sports Department accorded a warm farewell to Financial Advisor/Chief Accounts Officer, Jaswinder Pal Singh, on the occasion of his transfer from the Department, in recognition of his services and contribution during his tenure. The Commissioner/Secretary, Youth Services & Sports Department, expressed high appreciation for the officer's efficiency, professionalism and dedicated approach towards his responsibilities, particularly in handling financial matters and other important assignments entrusted to him. The Commissioner appreciated his ability to effectively coordinate with various stakeholders and ensure timely disposal of matters relating to the Department. During his tenure, particular emphasis was laid on effective budget management, financial discipline, timely release and utilisation of funds, monitoring of expenditure, and coordination with the Finance Department on various financial and developmental initiatives of the Department. His contribution towards streamlining financial procedures and facilitating the implementation of major departmental programmes was also appreciated. The function was attended by all officers and officials of the Department, including the Director General, Special Secretary, Secretary J&K Sports Council, Financial Advisor, Additional Secretaries and other senior officers. All officers were appreciative of the professional approach, commitment to work and constructive coordination with the administrative and field formations of the Department. They expressed appreciation for the support extended by him in dealing with financial and budgetary matters and in ensuring adherence to financial rules and procedures. The Commissioner/Secretary and other senior officers wished him success and fulfilment in his new assignment, expressing confidence that his experience and professional expertise would continue to contribute meaningfully to public administration.
SC/ST quota medical seats in Karnataka see sharp decline after reconfiguration of reservation matrix
As Karnataka has reverted to the earlier reservation quantum for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, with cases against the increased reservation in recruitment being heard in the High Court of Karnataka, the number of medical seats for these communities has seen a decline
DC Gbal felicitates officers, officials for successful conduct of SANJY-2026
Ganderbal, Sep 2: In recognition of the dedicated efforts and exemplary services rendered during the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026, the District Administration Ganderbal on Wednesday organised a felicitation ceremony wherein officers and officials associated with the Yatra arrangements were felicitated for their valuable contributions. On the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore, presented appreciation certificates to officers and officials from various departments and agencies, including Police, Army, Beacon, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Roads & Buildings (R&B), Power Development Department (PDD), Rural Development Department (RDD), Information Department and other concerned line departments, in recognition of their dedicated services and contribution towards the smooth and successful conduct of the Yatra. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner lauded the coordinated efforts of all stakeholders and said that the smooth and successful conduct of the Yatra was a reflection of effective planning, close coordination and dedicated execution by all the departments. He appreciated the professionalism displayed by the officers and officials while discharging their responsibilities. He highlighted that the arrangements encompassed a wide range of essential services, including security, road connectivity, parking facilities, water supply, power, sanitation, information dissemination, logistics and other facilities, which were managed through the coordinated efforts of the concerned departments and agencies. The Deputy Commissioner expressed his gratitude to all officers, officials and field functionaries for their contribution and commitment to public service and encouraged the officers to maintain the same spirit of professionalism and dedication in future assignments.
DC Anantnag stresses rail freight for horticulture produce
Anantnag, Sep 2: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag, Dr. Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat on Wednesday chaired a meeting at DC Office to review the operationalization of railway goods services for transportation of horticulture produce from the district to outside markets. The meeting was attended by the Addl Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Muzamil Maqbool, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Tariq Ahmad Malik, SDM Bijbehara, Tanveer Ahmad Tanveer, Tehsildar Bijbehara, Chief Horticulture Officer, SDPO Bijbehara, Area Marketing Manager, Railway Officer from Anantnag Railway Station, President Fruit Association Qazigund, and representatives of the Transport Association, Anantnag. Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner stressed the importance of close coordination among the concerned departments, railway authorities, fruit associations and transporters for the effective operationalization and utilization of railway goods services. He directed all stakeholders to work in a coordinated manner and address logistical issues to facilitate the smooth movement of horticulture produce. During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the availability of railway goods services, operational modalities and logistical requirements for ensuring the smooth and efficient transportation of horticulture produce. It was informed that horticulture is one of the key sectors of the district economy, with around 32,381 hectares of land under horticulture and an annual fruit production of approximately 3 lakh metric tonnes. In view of the substantial volume of produce, the meeting highlighted the significance of railway services for timely delivery of fruit to the outside markets. The meeting was further informed that Jablipora, Ashijipora and Batengoo are three major fruit mandis in District Anantnag, serving as important centres for the collection, marketing and distribution of horticulture produce. The participants discussed the potential of railway goods services as an additional efficient and cost-effective mode of transportation, particularly during the peak harvesting season. The service is expected to provide growers and traders with an alternative transportation option and improve market connectivity for the horticulture sector. The meeting concluded with directions to all concerned stakeholders to take necessary measures for the effective utilization of railway goods services, with the objective of facilitating timely transportation, reducing logistical challenges and benefiting fruit growers and traders of the district.
Agri Dept ties up with Posts for faster material delivery
Srinagar, Sep 2: To secure, time-bound booking, transmission and delivery of sensitive agricultural materials, samples, documents and official consignments, the agriculture department Kashmir on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Department of Posts. The MOU was signed between Sartaj Ahmad Shah, the Director Agriculture Kashmir and Ramesh Lal Sharma, ASP Headquarter Division Srinagar. Speaking on the occasion, Director Agriculture Kashmir observed that the signing of MoU with the Department of posts will provide the Agriculture Department an opportunity to fast-track delivery of sensitive items and official consignments through speed post services.
Akshay Labroo reviews progress on AgriStack, Farmer ID Generation, digital crop survey
Srinagar, Sep 2: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo on Wednesday chaired a meeting of senior Revenue Officers at Conference Hall of DC Office to review the progress on the implementation of AgriStack, Farmer ID generation and Digital Crop Survey. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mir Imtiyaz Ul Aziz, Additional Deputy Commissioner Aadil Fareed, SDM West Irfan Bahadur, SDM East Zubair Ahmad, Assistant Commissioner Revenue Umar Gulzar, all Tehsildars, District Manager, CSC and other concerned. During the meeting, the DC took a detailed review of the progress achieved under the initiatives and assessed the status of farmer enrolment, generation of Farmer IDs and the ongoing Digital Crop Survey across all the Tehsils of the District. On the occasion, the DC directed all concerned Revenue Officers to accord top priority to the enrolment of eligible beneficiary farmers and ensure that the process is completed in a time-bound manner. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts at the Tehsil and field levels to ensure that no eligible farmer is left out of the enrolment process. The Tehsildars were directed to closely monitor the progress in their respective jurisdictions and complete the enrolment process of farmer-related data. Emphasizing the importance of reliable data, the DC stressed that the exercise should be carried out with due diligence so that the database remains. The DC also called for close coordination between the Revenue Agriculture Departments and CSC functionaries involved in the process. During the meeting, the DC also took stock of various revenue-related initiatives, including status of digitisation of Revenue Records, Online/Offline Migrant Grievance and other citizen centric revenue-related service. He stressed the importance of efficient, transparent and citizen-centric delivery of revenue services across the district. The DC directed all concerned Officers to maintain regular monitoring of progress and ensure effective implementation of all ongoing revenue and farmer-centric initiatives.
CS reviews Rs 40,000 Cr highway, tunnel projects across J&K
Srinagar, Sep 2: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo on Wednesday reviewed the progress of Jammu & Kashmir Infrastructure and Connectivity Development Programme, encompassing a massive portfolio of National Highways, tunnels, flyovers, viaducts, bridges, ring roads and other strategic connectivity projects being executed across UT through BRO, NHAI, NHIDCL and Public Works (R&B) Department. The comprehensive review also covered a substantial pipeline of projects at DPR and in-principle stages, being prepared for sanction and inclusion in the upcoming work plans of the respective executing agencies under various Government of India programmes. The meeting was attended by ACS, PWD; Commissioner Secretary, Forests; Divisional Commissioner, Jammu/ Kashmir; Deputy Commissioners; Chief Engineer, Project Beacon/SAMPARK; Chief Engineers of PWD; Regional Officers of NHAI and NHIDCL; and senior officers and representatives of concerned departments and executing agencies. Taking detailed stock of the progress of individual highway and tunnel projects, the Chief Secretary sought updates on their physical progress and probable dates of completion. He emphasized the transformative significance of these mega connectivity projects for Jammu & Kashmir and directed the Divisional and District Administrations to remain in close coordination with the executing agencies for swift resolution of bottlenecks and ensuring satisfactory pace of work. He stressed that field-level issues affecting project execution should be identified and resolved proactively so that the approved timelines are adhered to and the benefits of these major investments reach the people at the earliest. The Chief Secretary also laid particular emphasis on maintaining the existing road surfaces on highways under construction, directing the concerned agencies to ensure that stretches presently being used by commuters remain motorable and safe. He called for immediate attention to damaged road surfaces and other deficiencies contributing to traffic snarls and inconvenience to the public. He observed that the massive investment in connectivity is going to translate into faster, safer and more reliable movement of people and goods. At the outset, ACS, PWD, Anil Kumar Singh, gave an overview of the major connectivity projects being executed through BRO, NHAI, NHIDCL and PWD across Jammu & Kashmir. He stated that, besides the projects presently under execution, the agencies have identified a number of additional roads, tunnels and flyovers which have the potential to become game changers in easing travel across the regions. It was highlighted that the overall portfolio comprises 87 works with an estimated value of 1,19,736 crore. Of these, 44 works worth 39,711 crore are presently under execution, while 11 sanctioned projects involving 9,187 crore are awaiting commencement. Another 32 projects worth 70,839 crore are at DPR/in-principle stage, providing a substantial pipeline for the next phase of connectivity expansion. The meeting reviewed the progress of major NHAI projects, including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (NE-5), Ramban-Banihal tunnel packages, Jammu Ring Road, Chenani-Patnitop connectivity and Srinagar Ring Road projects being executed by NHAI here. The five packages of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway reviewed during the meeting cover around 142 km at a total project cost of 11,546 crore. Several packages have achieved substantial physical progress, with the Raya Morh-Samba-Kunjwani/Jammu Airport package recording over 96 per cent progress, while the Hiranagar package has crossed 91 per cent. The Srinagar Ring Road, comprising Phases I, II and IIA, covers about 78.8 km at a combined cost of 4,786 crore, with the works progressing as per revised schedules. The extensive portfolio of Project Beacon and SAMPARK was also reviewed, with emphasis on improving all-weather connectivity to strategically important and remote areas. The NH-501 Khanabal-Pahalgam-Chandanwari corridor, covering approximately 141 km at a sanctioned cost of 4,030.57 crore, was among the major projects reviewed. The alignment has been finalized up to the Pahalgam bypass, with further action on environmental assessment and related formalities underway. The meeting was also apprised that the major tunnel projects sanctioned by BRO during 2025-26 include the Pir Ki Gali Tunnel on NH-701A and Sadhna Tunnel, together accounting for an investment of around 7,160 crore. It also reviewed the Machil, Gurez and Keran Tunnels, approved in principle under the OTCA budget and presently at the consultant-engagement stage. The Chief Secretary also reviewed major NHIDCL projects, including the Zojila Tunnel, Khellani Tunnel, Khellani-Khanabal packages and Jammu-Akhnoor packages. The works reviewed have maintained positive physical progress, registering an average quarterly physical progress gain of 2.18 per cent. Major urban connectivity projects of the Public Works (R&B) Department were also reviewed, including the Parimpora-Shalteng Flyover, vehicle underpasses at Moominabad and Nowgam, and rehabilitation of the old Padshahi Bagh and Lasjan bridges. The meeting also noted the completion of NH-144 road safety works along the 55.05-km Pir Panjal stretch, achieving 100 per cent physical progress against a sanctioned cost of 18 crore. Moreover, it was also divulged that as many as 32 projects worth 70,839 crore are presently at DPR/in-principle stage across the implementing agencies, with NHAI alone accounting for projects worth 55,122 crore at DPR stage.
SMSS SIR Sikkim has emerged as a key issue after Sikkimese Moolniwasi Suraksha Sangh president Ratna Lal Sapkota said the organisation has neither won nor [] The post SMSS Says Supreme Court Case on SIR Not Lost, Seeks Earlier Cut-Off Date for Electoral Revision in Sikkim appeared first on The Voice Of Sikkim .
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