Page 71 - Jammu And Kashmir

Highlights: BJP will ensure reservation for SC, ST, OBC; even if one BJP MP in Parliament, says Shah

From Congress' star campaigners list for Lok Sabha elections to PM Modi's roadshow in Ayodhya, catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

No force needed for PoK; people will want to join India themselves: Rajnath

India will never give up its claim on Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK) but it won't have to capture it with force because its people, on their own, would want to be part of India after seeing the development in Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said. In an exclusive interview to PTI, Singh asserted that the ground situation has improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir and that a time will come when AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) will no longer be required in the Union Territory. The defence minister, however, said the matter is under the domain of the Union Home Ministry and it will take appropriate decisions. He said elections will also be held there definitely, but wouldn't give a timeline. "I think India will not have to do anything. The way the ground situation has changed in Jammu and Kashmir, the way the region is witnessing economic progress and the way peace has returned there, I think demands will emerge from people of PoK that they should merge with ..

Air Force convoy attack: Search operation underway in J-K's Poonch

According to the officials, the search operation was carried out to track the terrorists. Security forces have laid down nakas and checking is going on in the area

1 IAF soldier killed, 4 injured in terror attack ahead of polls in Poonch

Three weeks ahead of polling in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, terrorists ambushed two security vehicles, including one belonging to Indian Air Force (IAF), in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, leaving five soldiers injured, officials said. Poonch is part of Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency which is going to polls in the sixth phase on May 25. The border district of Poonch along with adjoining Rajouri have witnessed some of the major terrorist attacks over the past two years, signalling return of terror activities to the region, which was once cleared of terrorism and remained peaceful between 2003 and 2021. The officials said five security personnel were injured, two of them critically, when terrorists opened fire on two vehicles, including one belonging to the IAF, near Shashidhar in the evening. "An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by militants in the Poonch district of J-K, near Shahsitar. Cordon and search operations are underway presently i

JK Bank Q4 Results: Bank reports highest-ever annual profit of Rs 1,767 cr

Jammu and Kashmir Bank on Saturday reported its highest-ever annual profit at Rs 1,767 crore for 2023-24. Its Managing Director and CEO Baldev Prakash said the net profit surged 48 per cent compared to the previous fiscal. "Beating its own highest-ever record of profits achieved only last year, the net profit surged in fiscal 2023-24 by 48 per cent to achieve its record profit figure of Rs 1,767 crore," Prakash told PTI after the bank's annual results for FY 2023-24 were released bank here. He said the bank will be sharing the historic profits with its shareholders by making the highest dividend payment of around Rs 236.75 crore this year. The bank witnessed a 10 per cent increase in its total income to Rs 6,029.17 crore from Rs 5,502.09 crore. It had posted a profit of Rs 1,197 crore last fiscal, which was the highest profit till last year. Prakash said the bank's asset quality has improved by bringing the gross non-performing assets to a decadal low of 4.08 per cent, while the

Indian-American groups urge Rutgers Univ to ban separatist Kashmiri flag

Prominent Indian-American community organisations have urged the Chancellor of Rutgers University in New Jersey not to allow the display of a separatist Kashmiri flag on its campus, asserting it would send a wrong message amidst the current chaos at leading US educational institutions against Israel's war in Gaza. Leading universities across the US are witnessing protests against Israeli military action in Gaza. The conflict was triggered by unprecedented attacks against Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive against the Islamic militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. On Friday, a group representing protesting students said that eight of its 10 demands were met by the Rutgers University administration. Point nine of the demands said: Display of the flags of occupied peoples including but limited to Palestine, Kurds, and Kashmiris in all areas displaying international flags across the Rutgers .

NIA chief, J-K DGP strengthening collaborative efforts to combat terrorism

NIA Director General Sadanand Vasant Date and Jammu and Kashmir Police chief R R Swain on Monday underscored the need to strengthen collaborative efforts in investigations to combat terrorism in the Union territory. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief visited the police headquarters in Jammu, where he held a detailed interaction with the J-K director general of police and other senior officers, a police spokesman said. During the interaction, the officers emphasized the need to further strengthen collaborative efforts in investigations to combat terrorism and counter the support structures that aid and abet such nefarious activities, he said. They called for devising more effective measures by focusing on effective investigations. The officers focused on exploring opportunities and launching initiatives that will ensure sustainable support, resources, and coordination between the police and NIA, the spokesman said. "This collaborative approach will further bolster ...

Express unhappiness over abrogation of Art 370 through your votes: Mehbooba

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti asked the voters of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday to register their unhappiness over the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution through their votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha election. Addressing a roadside meeting in the Larkipora area of Anantnag district, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, "This is not an Assembly election. This is not about whether the PDP, the National Conference or the Congress will win. This election is about sending a message that the decisions taken in 2019 and what followed are not acceptable to the people." The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370, which gave special rights to Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories. Mufti said Jammu and Kashmir has been through very tough times in the past and the present situation is also a difficult one. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed tough times in the past. Those di

Search op to track down, neutralise terrorists underway in J-K's Udhampur

A massive search operation to track down and neutralise two groups of terrorists in the dense forests of Basantgarh in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district entered the second day on Monday. A village Defence Guard (VDG) was killed in a brief encounter with terrorists in remote Panara village in Chochru Gala heights early Sunday, following which the hunt was launched by the police, army and CRPF. The operation is on and there was no fresh contact with the fleeing terrorists. Additional forces have moved in this morning to intensify the efforts to track down and neutralise the terrorists, a police official said. Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain said two groups of terrorists are believed to be present in the area after they recently infiltrated from across the border. He said the strength of the two groups, as per preliminary investigation, is between four and six and the security forces are working on various inputs to flush them out. According to offic

Lok Sabha polls: Anantnag-Rajouri an uphill challenge after delimitation

Several of the parties have petitioned the Election Commission to postpone the polling in Anantnag pointing to inaccessibility

Village defence guard killed in gunfight with terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir

A Village Defence Guard (VDG) member was killed in a gunfight with recently infiltrated terrorists in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district early Sunday, a senior police officer said. Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain, who rushed to the area to supervise the anti-terrorist operation, said a massive search operation is on to track down and neutralize the terrorists who have infiltrated from Pakistan. The ADGP said two groups of terrorists are believed to be present in the area after they recently infiltrated from across the border. Jain led the wreath laying ceremony of slain VDG member Mohd Sharief at Basantgarh police station this evening and saluted his supreme sacrifice for the nation. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi range, Rayees Mohd Bhat and other officers from police and CRPF also paid floral tributes to the martyr. We got information about the presence of terrorists (in Panara village of Basantgarh) late ..

Over 500 persons relocated amid land sinking in Jammu & Kashmir's Ramban

More than 500 people have been relocated to safer places after over 58 houses were completely damaged due to land sinking in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district, officials said on Saturday. An official said the assessment of damages due to the land subsidence in Pernote village over the past three days has also started on war-footing to facilitate speedy release of compensation to affected families under the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) norms. The natural calamity hit the village on Thursday evening, also damaging four transmission towers, a power receiving station and a section of the road connecting the Gool sub-division with Ramban district headquarters. The Ramban district administration under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary, who is also Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), has relocated all the affected families, the official said. A total of 100 households were affected as 58 houses got completely .

LS polls: Over 1.7 million voters to decide fate of 22 candidates in Jammu

The Jammu parliamentary constituency is all set to go to polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections amid tight security arrangements on Friday. Over 17.81 lakh eligible voters are set to exercise their franchise across 2,416 polling stations to decide the fate of 22 candidates. The Jammu Lok Sabha seat is one of the 89 constituencies in 13 states and Union territories across the country going to polls on Friday. The campaigning for the elections to the Jammu Lok Sabha seat concluded peacefully on Wednesday evening. "The preparations are underway. Tomorrow is the election date. The teams have been dispatched. The process started at 9 am. The teams will reach the polling stations in Jammu by evening," said Sachin Kumar Vaishya, the returning officer for Jammu Lok Sabha constituency. The officials said that all arrangements have been put in place for an incident free polls. Security and other related arrangements are in place to ensure free, fair and peaceful voting. A .

REC to extend Rs 1,869 cr loan for Kiru hydro project in Jammu & Kashmir

State-owned REC Ltd on Wednesday said it will provide a term loan of Rs 1,869 crore for 624 MW Kiru Hydro Electric Project in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir. The loan will be utilized for development, construction and operation of the project on River Chenab, a statement said. According to the statement, REC has signed an agreement with Chenab Valley Power Project Private Ltd (CVPPPL), under which REC will provide CVPPPL with a financial assistance of Rs 1,869.265 crore as term loan. The project envisages construction of a 135-metre high dam and an underground power house with 4 units of 156 MW each. CVPPPL is a joint venture between NHPC (51 per cent) and JKSPDC (49 per cent). The company was incorporated in 2011. REC finances the entire power-infrastructure sector comprising generation, transmission, distribution, renewable energy and new technologies like electric vehicles, battery storage, pumped storage projects, green hydrogen and green ammonia projects. REC is an NBFC ...

Expect to log a record profit this time: J&K Bank CEO, MD Baldev Prakash

Baldev Prakash, is quite reasonably a happy man. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too recently praised the turnaround due to government efforts

NIA along with security forces raids nine places in J&K in terror case

The search operation was conducted almost a month after the NIA chargesheeted two accused in the Kokernag (Jammu and Kashmir) encounter case

Home voting conducted for sr citizens, PWDs in 4 segments of Jammu LS seat

Home voting for senior citizens and PWDs was conducted in four segments of the Jammu Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to the polls in the second phase on April 26, officials said on Sunday. The Election Commission, while announcing the Lok Sabha polls schedule, unveiled the 'Vote From Home' scheme, designed to facilitate the participation of citizens aged 85 and above and individuals with more than 40 per cent disabilities in the elections. Home voting for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Ramgarh, Samba and Ramgarh assembly constituencies of Samba district was held to ensure an inclusive and participative election, the officials said. District Election Officer (Samba) Abhishek Sharma constituted 49 teams to facilitate home voting of 514 voters. Of the 514 electors, 498 (96.88 per cent) exercised their franchise by availing of the home voting facility on the first day, they said. They added that a polling team travelled 25 kilometres by bus and seven kilome

Highlights of the day: Delhi records maximum temperature of 37.2 degrees Celsius

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LS polls about safeguarding J-K's identity, saving its resources: Mehbooba

The Lok Sabha elections are not about addressing the day-to-day development issues but safeguarding the identity of Jammu and Kashmir and saving its resources, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday. The former chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, who is contesting the general elections from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, took part in a roadshow in the Pahalgam area of south Kashmir as part of her campaign. "This election is not about building roads or water and electricity supply. This election is about safeguarding the identity of Jammu and Kashmir, its youngsters and their dignity, and saving Jammu and Kashmir's resources," the People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief told reporters. Mehbooba said she feels an affection towards the people of Pahalgam as her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was fond of them. "I have an affection for this area as my father was fond of this area. He did a lot of work here and I am thankful to the people who came to welcome me. T

LS polls 2024: Over 68% polling recorded in J-K's Udhampur amid rains

An estimated 68 per cent of the total 16.23 lakh registered voters cast their ballot in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Udhampur, officials said, as Jammu and Kashmir witnessed incident-free polling in what was its first major electoral battle since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. In 2019, Udhampur parliamentary constituency had recorded a total poll percentage of 70.22 per cent. Voting began at 7 am at 2,637 polling stations across the constituency, including 31 near the International Border, to decide the fate of 12 candidates and ended at 6 pm. The voting percentage was around 68.27 per cent. It is especially highlighted that due to weather latest updated reports are awaited from some of the Polling Stations, specially located in remote hilly areas of Kishtwar, Gandoh, Ramban and Dudu-Basantgarh, the polling percentage is likely to increase slightly, the election office said in a statement shortly after midnight. It said once all polling parties, especially in .