Page 2 - Omar Abdullah

Hope Kashmir marathon becomes one of top events in world, says CM Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who ran a half marathon on Sunday, expressed hope that the Kashmir Marathon would become one of the top athletic events in the world in the coming years. "I am thankful to the people of Srinagar for the way they came out to encourage the runners. I hope that the Kashmir Marathon becomes one of the top events in the world," Abdullah told reporters here. The chief minister thanked the organisers and other stakeholders associated with the first-ever international marathon in Kashmir for putting up "such a good show". "I congratulate everyone who competed in the event. I did not know I would be able to run 21 kilometres as the longest I have run earlier has been 12 or 13 kilometres. But I think running with other athletes pushed me to complete the run," he added. Earlier, Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, who was with Abdullah at the flagging off ceremony, also expressed similar views on the event. "This is going to be one of the most ...

Aim to restore smiles in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions: Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his government will not be run on the voting pattern witnessed in the assembly elections as he wants to see the "missing smiles" back on the faces of the people in both the divisions of the Union Territory (UT). Abdullah, who assumed the charge of the new government in Srinagar on Wednesday, was accorded a rousing reception on reaching the National Conference (NC) headquarters in the winter capital. The BJP swept the polls in Jammu to emerge as the second largest party. In the recently held JK assembly polls, results of which were declared on October 8, the BJP won 29 of the 90 seats on which elections were held and garnered 25.64 per cent vote share. This was the first visit of Abdullah to Jammu after becoming the chief minister with his party winning 42 seats and bagging 23.43 per cents votes. Its alliance partner Congress won six seats and CPI(M) one. "When the election results were out, some people started spreadin

J&K LG clears Omar-led cabinet's resolution for Centre to restore statehood

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has cleared a resolution passed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led cabinet urging the Centre to restore the statehood to the Union territory, officials said on Saturday. "The cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Omar Abdullah on Thursday passed a unanimous resolution for restoration of statehood in its original form," an official spokesperson said. Without giving any further details, the officials asserted that the LG has cleared the resolution passed by the cabinet. The spokesperson said the restoration of statehood will be a beginning of a healing process, reclaiming the constitutional rights and protecting the identity of people of Jammu and Kashmir. The cabinet has authorised the chief minister to take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Government of India for restoration of statehood, he said. Protection of Jammu and Kashmir's unique identity and constitutional rights of people remains the cornerstone

Omar Abdullah's Cabinet passes resolution on J&K statehood

BJP downplays Omar Abdullah-led cabinet resolution for J-K statehood

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir JD(U) president GM Shaheen said that it does not matter if the cabinet led by Omar Abdullah passes Jammu and Kashmir's statehood resolution

Omar Abdullah-led J&K Cabinet passes resolution to restore statehood

The National Conference, having won 42 seats in the recent J&K Assembly elections, drafted the resolution, which Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will present to Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi

J&K LG allocates portfolios to newly inducted ministers in Omar-led cabinet

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Friday allocated portfolios to the newly inducted ministers in Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led cabinet. An order to allocate the portfolios on the advice of the Chief Minister was issued by the LG here. According to the order, deputy chief minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary will hold the charge of Public Works (R&B), Industries and Commerce, Mining, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development. The lone woman minister -- Sakeena Masood (Itoo) has been assigned the charge of important ministries of Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare. She was the Social Welfare minister during Abdullah's first tenure as the CM in the erstwhile state. Javed Ahmed Rana has been allocated the departments of Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment, and Tribal Affairs. Javid Ahmad Dar will be the minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative, and Election. Satish Sharma

Jammu industrialists seek CM's intervention in revival of MSME sector

A body of industrialists on Thursday sought the intervention of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure revival of the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise) sector of the Union Territory. Jammu-based Federation of Industries (FOI) hailed the formation of the National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir and congratulated Abdullah and his cabinet colleagues. FOI chairman Lalit Mahajan said the industrial fraternity of Jammu has a lot of expectations from the new government and hopes it will ensure revival and strengthening of the MSME sector. He said the existing MSMEs, mostly run by the sons of the soil, are suffering due to dilution of fiscal incentives and stiff competition from new units being established under the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS). In his meeting with the chief minister, Mahajan highlighted long-pending issues related to the existing MSME units, and asked for fiscal incentives for the next 10 years. He also urged the government to

Omar Abdullah's first order as J&K CM: No green corridors on his routes

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has ordered police to avoid stopping traffic during his travels, minimise the use of sirens and public inconvenience

Cong rebel Satish Sharma who won Jammu as Independent now part of NC govt

Congress rebel Satish Sharma, who defeated the BJP's Rajeev Sharma by nearly 7,000 votes and relegated his former party's heavyweight Tara Chand to the third position in the Chhamb seat, has found a place in the Omar Abdullah government, representing the Jammu region in the dispensation. The Independent MLA becomes a key face of the current government in the BJP-dominated Jammu belt. Celebrations erupted in the Chhamb constituency after Sharma's inclusion in the National Conference government as he was the lone non-BJP member to have won in Jammu district, where the BJP took 10 seats. Sharma, who was administered the oath of office by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, expressed his gratitude to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for ensuring Jammu's representation in the government. "I have been blessed by Mata Rani. I thank the people and Omar Abdullah ji for bridging the gap between the two regions and granting the Jammu region more than expected," Sharma said. He emphasised that this

As new government takes charge, J&K admin disbands Administrative Council

Hours after a new elected government took charge in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the administration rescinded various orders which led to the creation of an administrative council headed by the lieutenant governor for governing the union territory. According to an official statement, four government orders instituted in 2020 stand withdrawn. The order for rescinding them was issued by General Adminstration Department Secretary Sanjeev Verma in pursuance to a Union Home Ministry's notification dated th October 13. "It is hereby ordered that Government Order No. 808-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 01.09.2020, Government Order No. 809-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 01.09.2020, Government Order No. 810-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 01.09.2020 and Government Order No. 811-JK(GAD) of 2020 dated 01.09.2020, alongwith any modification, alteration or addition are rescinded forthwith," Verma said in his order. The order number 808 had led to creation of the Administrative Council headed by the LG and comprising his

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Omar Abdullah becomes J&K CM, Bomb threats, Elon Musk on spectrum allocation

Mehbooba Mufti hopes Omar-led govt will heal 'wounds' of J&K people

It is a "very auspicious day" as people of Jammu and Kashmir have got their government after several years, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday on the swearing-in of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. "Today is a very auspicious day. People of Jammu and Kashmir have got their government after several years. People have elected a stable government. People of Jammu and Kashmir suffered a lot especially after 2019, and we hope that this new government will heal the wounds we got," she told reporters after attending Abdullah's oath ceremony. She, however, expressed hope that the government would pass a resolution condemning the Centre's August 5, 2019 decisions of abrogating Article 370, and bifurcating J-K into two union territories. "We hope that the government will pass a resolution condemning the decision of August 5, 2019, that the people of J-K do not accept those decisions," she added. The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K also expressed hope that the ...

Defeat to win: Stunning turnaround of Omar Abdullah's political fortunes

From facing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in June to scripting history four months later as the first chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir after an emphatic victory in the assembly elections, it has been quite a ride for Omar Abdullah. Abdullah, 54, was sworn in as chief minister on Wednesday, marking the beginning of his second stint and the third generation of the influential Abdullah clan -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah -- in power. The National Conference (NC) vice president served as chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 2009-14. In a decisive win in the recent assembly elections, the NC won 42 of the 90 seats that went to polls. It's pre-poll alliance partner Congress won six. Together, the two allies have a majority in the 95-member assembly -- five members are to be nominated by the lieutenant governor. Five Independents and the lone AAP MLA have also extended support to the NC-Congress ...

Centre will work closely with Omar, his team for J-K's progress: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Omar Abdullah on being sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and said the Centre will work closely with him and his team for J-K's progress. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the first elected government in the Union territory since 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated. In a post on X, Modi said, "Congratulations to Shri Omar Abdullah Ji on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Wishing him the very best in his efforts to serve the people." "The Centre will work closely with him and his team for J&K's progress," the prime minister said. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Abdullah, who takes over as chief minister for a second term and is the third generation of the Abdullah family to occupy the office -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. Five ministers

Omar Abdullah takes oath as Jammu-Kashmir CM; Congress opts out of govt

Top INDIA bloc leaders including Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were present at Omar Abdullah's swearing-in ceremony in Srinagar

Watch: Omar Abdullah takes oath as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir

Omar Abdullah to be sworn in as J&K's first CM since Article 370 abrogation

The swearing-in ceremony is set for October 16 at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre, where Lt Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath to Omar Abdullah and his ministers

BJP overcomes taboo to achieve highest vote share in J&K: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said from being a "taboo", the BJP rose with the highest vote share in Jammu and Kashmir, marking an incredible journey in the recent assembly elections in the Union Territory. Addressing a media conclave, Singh said the BJP registered its best ever performance in J&K and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having introduced in the last 10 years a new work culture wherein the benefits of development and public welfare schemes reached to every section of society regardless of caste, creed or religion. "This was a huge departure from the politics followed by Congress party which was primarily based on vote bank considerations," the science and technology minister said. He said the BJP is a party that has ensured fair deal to every citizen, following the mantra for "justice to all, appeasement to none". Singh said there were times when a returning officer would reject all the nomination papers and accept only that of the ruling party ...