Page 7 - Omar Abdullah

J-K Assembly's first budget session in 6 years to begin on March 3

The Budget Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will begin on March 3 with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's address, officials said on Thursday. This will be the first budget of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government after assuming power on October 16 last year, ending a six-year-old central rule. "I, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, under the provisions of Section 21(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, call upon the Members of the Legislative Assembly to assemble in the Legislative Assembly Complex at Jammu on Monday, the 3rd of March, at 10 am to hear my address," read a bulletin issued by the Assembly secretariat. In another bulletin, the Assembly Secretariat requested the members not to send more than 10 starred and 10 unstarred questions in relaxation of Rule 32 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business and not more than three bills in relaxation of sub-rule (3) of Rule 65 of the Rules o

CM Omar Abdullah releases mascot, commemorative souvenir for KIWG in J-K

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday unveiled the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 mascot, the snow leopard, symbolising the region's rich biodiversity and commitment to conservation. The Chief Minister also released a commemorative souvenir and launched a multimedia campaign for the event scheduled to be held from February 22 to 25 at Gulmarg in north Kashmir, an official spokesman said. Abdullah reviewed the preparations for the 5th edition of the KIWG during a high-level meeting held here, with the focus on ensuring the successful conduct of the event and strengthening the region's position as a premier destination for winter sports, the spokesman said. The first phase of the event was held in Ladakh from January 23 to 27. Over 1,000 athletes from 35 states, Union Territories and sports boards are expected to participate in competitions such as alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, snowboarding and a demonstration sportsnowshoe racing. The ..

Trump's behaviour towards India good as of now, says J&K CM Omar Abdullah

Asserting that US President Donald Trump's behaviour towards India has been good till now, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that when he was in office earlier, his relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi were good. On the issue of mysterious deaths in Rajouri, he said that investigations are going on. "It has been two days since he assumed office. At least his behaviour at present has been good. When he was in office earlier, his relations with Prime Minister Modi were good", he told reporters here. Abdullah further said that as far as the duty hike is concerned, our country has not been included in it so far. "Let's see what happens going forwardit's only been two days," he added. He was replying to questions about Trump's relations with India and investigation into Rajouri deaths case. "As of now, our investigation is ongoing. Like I said that day in Rajouri, we have at least been able to understand that this is neither a virus nor a bacteria,"

J&K mysterious deaths: Rajouri's Badhaal village declared containment zone

The remote Badhaal village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district was on Wednesday declared a containment zone and prohibitory orders imposed on all public and private gatherings in the wake of the death of 17 people belonging to three families, officials said. Another person belonging to the village has been admitted to a hospital in a critical condition, they said. The containment orders have been imposed under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Section 163 of BNSS gives magistrates the power to issue written orders in urgent situations. These orders can be used to prevent or remedy nuisance or dangers. According to the order issued by additional district magistrate (Rajouri) Rajeev Kumar Khajuria, the village has been divided into three containment zones the first covering all families where deaths have occurred. The houses of these affected families shall be sealed and entry will be totally restricted for all individuals, including their family ...

Brain, nervous system affected in cases: Principal of GMC on Rajouri deaths

While the exact cause of the illness remains unknown, authorities have ruled out bacterial or viral infections

CM Abdullah praises armed forces for safeguarding country, assures support

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday praised the armed forces for safeguarding the country and assured them of his government's complete support in mitigating their problems. He was addressing a function organised by the Army at Tanda Artillery Brigade in the Akhnoor sector near Jammu to celebrate the ninth Armed Forces Veterans' Day celebrations. The defence minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. You have given everything for this nation without caring for yourself you have rendered your duties and it is now our duty to take care of your needs and address your problems, the chief minister said. He assured the armed forces of his government's support to address their issues. You have done a great favour to us in safeguarding our borders and I assure you the J-K government will always be available for you. If there has been any shortcoming, we will set it right and will reach out to you and ensure that you get reservation and an

Right things will happen at right time: PM after J&K CM asks for statehood

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he will keep the promises he made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and right things will happen at the right time. Modi was addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the strategically important Z-Morh tunnel here. His remarks shortly came after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sought restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir during his speech at the event. "You have to believe that this is Modi and he keeps his promises. There is a right time for everything and right things will happen at the right time," Modi said without mentioning the demand for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. The prime minister further said that Jammu and Kashmir is the crown of the country and he wants it to be beautiful and prosperous. "There is an atmosphere of peace in Jammu and Kashmir and we have seen its effect on tourism. Kashmir is writing a new saga of development today," he said. He said the Kashmir valley will soon be connected by tra

Omar Abdullah credits PM Modi for J&K polls, pitches for 'full statehood'

PM Modi inaugurated the Z-morh tunnel in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district in the presence of Abdullah and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha

PM Modi inaugurates Z-Morh tunnel in J-K to make Sonamarg accessible

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the strategically important Z-Morh tunnel in the Sonamarg area of Jammu and Kashmir which will make the tourist resort accessible round the year. After inaugurating the Rs 2,700 crore project, the prime minister went inside the tunnel and interacted with the project officials. He also met the construction workers who worked meticulously amid harsh conditions to complete the tunnel. Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were also present at the inauguration. The PM landed in Srinagar at 10.45 am and then flew to Sonamarg for the inauguration. He will also address a public meeting. This is his first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly elections in September-October last year. The 6.5 km-long two-lane bi-directional road tunnel between Gagangir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district is equipped with a parallel 7.5-metre escape passage f

Dialogue needed to save, strengthen INDIA bloc: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Raut

Raut's remarks came after Communist Party of India General Secretary D Raja admitted that the INDIA bloc 'stands divided' post-Lok Sabha election 2024

J&K infra growth possible without removal of Article 370: Omar Abdullah

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister acknowledged that terrorism and stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir have declined, attributing the improvement to changing circumstances

PM Modi to inaugurate Z-Morh tunnel in J&K today: All you need to know

Built at an altitude of 8,652 feet, the Z-Morh tunnel connects Gagangir and Sonmarg, a popular tourist destination

INDIA bloc not just for polls: Farooq Abdullah after son's jibe at AAP-Cong

Abdullah said that his party seeks collaboration with the central government to resolve Jammu and Kashmir's challenges rather than engaging in confrontations

'Dissolve INDIA bloc if it was formed only for LS elections': Omar Abdullah

Delhi elections: AAP and Congress leaders clash in Delhi campaigns; Congress accuses AAP of corruption, poor governance, while AAP alleges Congress is aligning with BJP

Direct rail service to Kashmir won't negatively impact Jammu: Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday allayed fears of any negative fallout on Jammu after the launch of direct rail service between Kashmir and the rest of the country anytime soon, saying his government will ensure that the region benefits immensely by the completion of the long-pending project. Abdullah was speaking at a function organised here in connection with the virtual inauguration of the Jammu railway division by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the start of direct train service to Kashmir from Katra, with the final trial run scheduled for Tuesday. "Two days ago, we got this good news through media that the trial train reached Katra from Srinagar. It is expected that very soon, the prime minister will inaugurate this section which will complete the railway line and immensely benefit the people of the region," the chief minister said. However, he said there are some concerns among the people related to the rail service, especially in Jammu. "It is .

200 units free will be rolled out only after meters are installed: Omar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday announced that the state government will be able to provide 200 units of electricity for free to consumers only if meters are installed.He added that the scheme would likely be rolled out from March- April this year.The Chief Minister noted that the consumption of electricity in the state is more than the supply and J-K's Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT & C) losses are already high, nearly 50 per cent.CM Abdullah asserted that the power supply can be increased after under construction power projects in the territory gets completed.Addressing a press conference, CM Abdullah said, "200 units free will be rolled out only after the areas are metered. How else would you measure the units? When we roll out this scheme in March-April, all can benefit from this scheme.""The electricity load that we have is much more than what we are supplying. The sooner our power projects which are being constructed here finish, would be ..

Hope UT status temporary, Centre should restore statehood soon: Omar

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir's Union Territory status is a temporary phase and that the central government fulfils its promise of restoring its statehood. "It has been a little over two months since we came to power. It took us time to understand how the UT government works. We have been associated with the government earlier, but there is a vast difference between that form and the present form," Abdullah said at a media interaction at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) here. The chief minister said the start of the new government has been "decent" and that they "did not find much difficulty" in it. "We are bound by our election promises. We have started the process of implementing some of the promises and for other promises, we need change in the system. I hope J-K being a UT is a temporary phase," Abdullah said. "We the people are now expecting that the promises made with us will be fulfilled. The biggest ...

Omar Abdullah condoles death of 5 soldiers in Poonch accident, assures aid

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah have expressed deep sorrow over the death of five soldiers in a road accident in Poonch distrcit.The JK CM has also assured full support to the families of the soldiers who died near a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) during this 'difficult time'."The President of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, and the Vice President and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have expressed their profound sorrow and heartfelt condolences over the tragic loss of five soldiers in a road accident near a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district. The leaders have extended their deepest sympathies to the families of the fallen soldiers, assuring them of the government's support in this difficult time. They also prayed for the quick and complete recovery of the injured soldiers, wishing them strength in their recovery process," JKNC posted on X.Five soldiers ..

J&K CM urges south Indian filmmakers to promote state's natural beauty

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has stressed the importance of using south Indian cinema to promote the natural beauty of Jammu and Kashmir as part of a broader strategy to boost tourism in the region. The chief minister also expressed a desire to engage more with filmmakers from the south Indian industry, which he believes has been overlooked so far. "The places we should be focusing on where the money is there, the budgets are big are actually the south Indian film industry. That, for reasons of arrogance or ignorance, we have consciously ignored up until now. So they are the ones with movie budgets of Rs 300-400 crore," Abdullah told PTI during a recent interview. The chief minister observed the tourism sector would benefit greatly if films depicted the scenic beauty of Jammu and Kashmir, as he highlighted the historical connection with Bollywood that, he said, had played an important role in establishing the valley as a favourite honeymoon destination for generations of Indians. T

PDP leader Iltija Mufti accuses CM Abdullah of cancelling 150k ration cards

People's Democratic Party (PPD) leader Iltija Mufti accused the chief minister Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kasmir of cancelling at least 1.5 lakh ration cards.The PDP leader who is a vocal critic of the National Conference government also complained about the power curtailments durin the ongoing winter months.Speaking to reporters here on the "Cancellation of BPL rations cards", Iltija Mufti said, " The new government had in their election manifesto promised to provide 10 kilograms floor and rice for free for every month".The PDP leader asked the ruling National Conference government: "If you cannot provide anything to people, then do not snatch either. You have at least cancelled 1.5 lakh ration cards. Each ration card has at least 6 family members. You are witnessing the number of families getting affected".Iltija Mufti asked the people around, "This is the first day of 'Chillai Kalan' (40-day period of harsh winter in J & K). Is there electricity around?"To which the crowd ...