‘Op Sindoor sent strong message to terrorists’New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday strongly defended the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan,...

 Srinagar, Aug 14: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo Friday said the renewed Homestay Policy would play a key role in expanding tourism to unexplored destinations across Jammu and Kashmir, stressing the need for easier access to credit and greater capacity-building support to encourage wider participation by local communities.Chairing a review meeting of the Tourism Department, Dulloo described homestays as the foundation of tourism development in lesser-known destinations and said the initiative would help create a more sustainable and inclusive tourism ecosystem across the Union Territory.He said homestays offer an environmentally sustainable model particularly suited to the ecologically fragile region of Jammu and Kashmir while enabling tourism benefits to reach areas beyond established tourist circuits.The Chief Secretary observed...

New Delhi: Gold prices surged 0.86 per cent on a weekly basis as slew of weaker‑than‑expected US economic data reinforced expectations that the US Federal Reserve will hold interest rates unchanged. On Friday, MCX gold futures (October) gained 0.73 per cent and stood at Rs 154,590. On the other hand, MCX silver futures (September) advanced 0.15 per cent and stood at Rs 2,36,272 per kg. Moreover, the price of 10 grams of 24-carat gold was at Rs 1,49,621 on Friday, up from Rs 1,42,863 seen on Monday at market opening, according to data published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA). Gold and silver also benefited from crude oil staying volatile on lingering Middle...