Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for his efforts to draw more investment to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Exemplary efforts to draw more investment to Jammu and Kashmir, and ensure greater opportunities for the people,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

Earlier Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday addressed the Gulf Countries’ Investment Summit at SKICC, Srinagar which is aimed at providing a platform for the foreign business delegates to explore a host of investment opportunities in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir.

Involved militants identified, says IGP

Srinagar, Mar22: A police man was killed on Tuesday in a brief shootout with militants at Soura area of Srinagar, police said.

A police spokesman said that on a specific input regarding movement of militants in a vehicle around Soura area of Srinagar city, a covert team of Srinagar Police was following them.

“The militants boarding the vehicle however fired indiscriminately upon the said team. The fire was effectively retaliated leading to a brief shootout, in which one militant got injured.However, they managed to escape from the spot taking the advantage of huge rush of commuters.”

In the brief shootout,SgCT Amir Hussain Lone got critically injured, who was immediately evacuated to hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries and later succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. Investigation is vigorously in progress, police said.

Meanwhile, to pay honour and respect to the sain, a wreath laying ceremony led by DGP Dilbag Singhwas held at DPL Srinagar, where floral tributes were paid to the slain.

Special DGP CID RR Swain, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, IG (Ops) CRPF MS Bhatia, DIG CKR Sujeet Kumar, SSP Srinagar, SSP PCR Kashmir, besides, other officers & officials and family members of the slain also laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid rich tributes for his supreme sacrifice made in the line of duty.

J&K Police stands by the family of the slain at this critical juncture, police said.

Talking to the reporters on the sidelines of wreath laying ceremony, IGP Kashmir said that the involved militants have been identified as commander Basit, Rehan and another militant affiliated with LeT.

He also said that this group is involved in recent incidents in Srinagar &Budgam and will be tracked down and brought to justice soon.

IGP also said that during the current month 11 hardcore militants have been killed and almost a dozen have been arrested.

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor ManojSinha Tuesday visited the SMHS hospital to enquire about the well being of two labourers –Bisujeet Kumar from Bihar and Muhammad Akram from Bijnoor, Uttar Pradesh who had sustained injuries in the recent militant attacks at Pulwama and Tral.

The Lieutenant Governor met the injured labourers and assured them of the best possible health facility for their treatment.

While condemning the militant attacks on civilians, the Lt Governor said that the government is determined to eliminate militants and perpetrators of despicable militant attacks will be brought to justice soon.

Earlier, Principal, GMC Srinagar, Prof. Samia Rashid briefed the Lt Governor about the condition of the injured and the healthcare facilities being provided by the hospital.

The Lieutenant Governor was accompanied by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K. Pole; Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz; Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital, Kanwaljeet Singh and other senior officers of the health department.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested three persons involved in grenade attack on CRPF camp in South Kashmir’s Shopian district.

In a statement, a police spokesman said that it has solved a grenade attack case (FIR number 22/2022 of PS Zainapora) and arrested accused persons involved in the case, besides recovered incriminating materials including arms and ammunition.

“During investigation of a grenade attack case (FIR number 22/2022 of PS Zainapora), Shopian police based on reliable sources picked up one suspect identified as Fazil-bin-Rashid, son of Abdul Rashid Alai of Melhura. During questioning, he disclosed that he was working with one active militant namely Basit Ahmed of LeT (TRF) of FrisalKulgam and on his instructions, he threw a grenade on 19th of March 2022 at Babapora camp (D-Coy of CRPF 178 Bn), in which one CRPF Jawan namely Amit Kumar got injured.”

Police said that he further disclosed that he lobbed the grenade as a task given by the said militant in order to join militancy,” police statement said.

It added that during further questioning, he disclosed the name of another accused person as QaiserZahoor Khan, son of Zahoor Ahmed Khan of NowporaSafakadal, Srinagar. “On the disclosure of accused QaiserZahoor Khan, incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including three Chinese pistols, six magazines, four grenades & 30 rounds have been recovered,” the statement said.

The police said all the three accused persons involved in the case have been arrested.

Jammu: In the aftermath of charges framed against Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate and others in militant funding and killing of Kashmiri Pandits, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Tuesday said that no one will be spared and the police were probing all militancy related cases.

“The cases related to militant activities are being investigated. If anybody is found guilty, he will not be spared and face action,” Singh told reporters at the sidelines of flagging off of motorcycles for patrolling in the bordering regions.

“Every case related to militants or militant activities will be investigated thoroughly,” he said, adding that the militants and their masters were trying to disrupt peace in the region.

“We have not only foiled all nefarious designs perpetuated from across the border but have also caught the people involved in the conspiracies,” said Singh.

On targeted killings, he said: “Targeted killings have always been a challenge… We are dealing with it.”

“Pakistan and its agencies are constantly conspiring to carry out smuggling, infiltration through tunnels, weapons and drugs smuggling through drones but our security grid is well in place to curb all such activities,” he said. (UNI)

Srinagar:The security forces on Tuesday arrested one person with arms and ammunition in J&K’s Srinagar city.

Police said a team of the security forces, including special operations group (SOG) Shopian and SafaKadal police arrested one person from the SafaKadal area of Srinagar and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition from his possession.

“A youth was chased by SOG party from Shopian district and subsequently was apprehended by joint team of forces at Danamazar Ground in Safakadal, Srinagar. “Huge cache of arms and ammunition including 3 Pistols, 6 Magazines, 30 Pistol Round, 4 hand grenades were recovered from his possession.

“The youth has been identified as Kaiser Zahoor belonging to SafaKadal area in Srinagar,” police said.(IANS)

New Delhi: On World Water Day, Prime Minister NarendraModi reaffirmed the country’s commitment to “save every drop of water,” saying it is heartening to see water conservation become a mass movement in recent years.

He also highlighted measures like the JalJeevan Mission to ensure conservation and access to clean drinking water for the citizens. He appreciated all individuals and organisations working towards saving water.

“On World Water Day, let’s reaffirm our pledge to save every drop of water. Our nation is undertaking numerous measures like the JalJeevan Mission to ensure water conservation and access to clean drinking water for our citizens,” he tweeted.

“Over the last few years, it has become a mass movement, with innovative efforts taking place in all parts of the nation. I would like to appreciate all those individuals and organisations who are working towards saving water.”

According to the Jal Shakti Ministry, in the last 2.5 years, the government has provided tap water to over 6 crore families across the country. Around 63,000 houses are connected to tap water every day. World Water Day is held annually on March 22 to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and to advocate the sustainable management of freshwater resources.(UNI)

‘Deptt to develop online POSHAN monitoring app’

Jammu: Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta Tuesday chaired a meeting of Steering-Cum-Monitoring Committee for PradhanMantriPoshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) and reviewed the achievements registered during the year.

Administrative Secretaries of the departments of School Education, Rural Development, Jal Shakti, Social Welfare, and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, besides representatives of the Finance Department, Housing and Urban Development Department and concerned HoDs participated in the meeting.

It was informed that during the current financial year, the Department has distributed 90% of the targeted food grains (17318.942 MTs) to approximately 8 lakh students by incurring an expenditure of Rs. 93.54 crore. It also signed anMoU with “AKSHAY PATRA” NGO for providing Hot Cooked Meal to 15,081 students in municipal limits of Jammu and Samba cities, on a pilot basis

The Department further organized16,420 POSHAN assemblies in virtual/physical mode and engaged 2,72,000 children in discussions on malnutrition, its impact on society and value of healthy and balanced diet, besides distributing School Health Cards to 12.07 lakh students to maintain a health repository of all school going children.

While reviewing the POSHAN Scheme, the Chief secretary asked the School Education Department to ensure provisions for healthy meals to the students through efficient coordination with the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, and Rural Development Department. It was also asked to undertake proper manpower management in food preparation and distribution so as to supplement the teaching efforts without compromising on the quality of education being provided across the Government schools of Jammu and Kashmir.

To promote consumption of fresh, healthy and balanced diet under the scheme, the schools were asked to promote growing of fruits and vegetables in their backyards in POSHAN vatikas. Schools facing land shortage were encouraged to coordinate with respective Panchayats in the matter and establish the vatika at a suitable nearby land.

The Chief Secretary asked the School Education Department to conduct social audits of the scheme by involving Panchayati Raj Institutions and ensure regular monitoring of the distribution of cooked meals.

To streamline the procurement and distribution processesunder the scheme, Dr. Mehta directed the Department to launch a POSHAN monitoring mobile application to provide real-time and GPS-based information, by 1st April, 2022.

Further, the Chief Secretary underscored the importance for early detection of malnutrition in children and asked the Department to conduct a survey on malnutrition, anemia, and stunting in coordination with the Social Welfare Department for facilitating prompt interventions towards healthy and overall development of students. Moreover, the Department was asked to issue digital health cards to all students within one month.

Regarding the reported kitchen-cum-store related pendency, the Department was asked to submit the AG audited financial estimates to the Finance Department within 3 days for release of the respective funds.

The UT level Steering-Cum-Monitoring Committee for PradhanMantriPoshan Shakti Nirman approved the annual action plan for the financial year 2022-23 which targets distribution of 2363.92 MT of food grains to approximately 9.31 lakh students from pre-primary to elementary schools with the financial implication of Rs. 167 crore.

Srinagar: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India on Tuesday said that 26330 posts have been identified in various departments in the J&K and taken up for recruitment.

“Presently selection process has been completed with respect to 11,324 Gazetted, Non-Gazetted& Class-IV posts,” Minister of State,MHA, NityanandRai said in a written reply to a question by parliamentarian GopalChinnayaShetty in LokSabha.

He was responding to question whether after abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A, the Government has decided to fill all the vacant posts in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh.

Rai said the Government has taken up recruitment drive in a transparent manner for which an Accelerated Recruitment Committee (ARC) was constituted for identifying Gazetted, Non-Gazetted& Class-IV posts and to expedite the recruitment process in J&K.

Regarding Ladakh, he said administration there has taken required measures for filling up of vacant posts. “Some of these measures are: i) 613 District Cadre posts have been filled. ii) 293 vacant posts in Ladakh Police have been advertised. iii) 45 vacant posts of JK Bank have been advertised for candidates from Ladakh and iv) Besides, the UT Administration has tied up with Staff Selection Commission (SSC) for recruitment to UT/Divisional cadre posts.”

Accordingly, he said 829 UT/divisional cadre posts have been referred to SSC. “District Staff Selection Board, constituted under Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act is already in place for recruitment to vacant district cadre posts,” he said in the reply.

“All the concerned Requisitioning Authorities have been directed to send the requisition of vacant Direct Recruitment quota posts to respective Recruitment Agencies.” (GNS)