Defends 6.83% hike, cites past 14-15% raisesBy: Rehan Qayoom MirSrinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday defended the 6.83% power tariff hike, calling it...

‘Private institutions making valuable contribution’SRINAGAR, AUGUST 24: Minister for Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare, Sakeena Itoo Monday addressed the Foundation Day celebrations of Maple Grove Education Institute Rawalpora here.Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that education remains the most important sector for the overall progress and development of society, adding that no amount of discussion on the subject can be considered enough given its far-reaching impact on individuals and communities.She underscored the pivotal role of education in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir.The Minister said that both government and private educational institutions are making sustained efforts to provide quality education to students, with several private institutions making a significant contribution to the...

Tokyo/New Delhi: India is negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with at least eight to nine more groups of countries and individual nations that together account for around $15 trillion of GDP, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday, as New Delhi seeks to expand preferential market access and integrate more deeply with global value chains. Goyal said India’s existing and recently signed trade agreements have already opened access to economies with a combined GDP of about $70 trillion, and the ongoing negotiations could take the coverage to a level equivalent to around 75 per cent of global trade. “Basically 75 per cent of global trade will be covered through our free trade agreements,...