Amendments in J&K Land Development Act

Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir administration has set the ball rolling for implementation of new provisions of Jammu & Kashmir Development Act-1970.

To begin with, the government has set-up a three-member committee to devise a roadmap for implementation of amendments made by the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jammu & Kashmir Development Act-1970 in October last year, which proposes setting up an industrial development corporation for rapid establishment, growth and development of industries in the Union Territory.

According to an order in possession of Precious Kashmir, the panel comprising Managing Director, State Industrial Development Corporation(SIDCO), Director Planning, Industries and Commerce Department and Managing Director, Small Scale Industrial Development Corporation(SICOP) would also suggest modalities for merger of SIDCO and SICOP for better management of industrial estates.

According to the amendments made in the law, the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Development Corporation will be set up for the purposes of securing and assisting in the rapid and orderly establishment, and organisation of industries in industrial areas and industrial estates in the union territory.

It will also help in establishing commercial centres in connection with the establishment and organisation of such industries.

The Corporation shall acquire and hold such property, both movable and immovable, for the performance of any of its activities, and to lease, sell, exchange or otherwise transfer any property held by it on such conditions as may be deemed proper, the ammendments state.

It will establish and manage industrial estates, develop industrial areas and make them available for undertakings to establish themselves.

It is worthwhile to mention that amendments made in the law were made under section 96 of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, which empowered the Centre to amend or repeal laws for a period of one year, starting from October 31, 2019.

CS directs setting up of quality management cell, project planning cell in PWD to achieve 5k progress next year

Jammu: Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam today chaired a meeting of UT level Standing Committee of J&K Rural Roads Development Agency (JKRRDA) to review progress made under the flagship programme, ‘Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana’ (PMGSY).

Administrative Secretary, Public Works (R&B), Chief Engineers (PMGSY), Jammu and Kashmir, Superintendent Engineers and Executive Engineers, among others, participated in the meeting.

While appreciating the progress made so far in the current financial year, the Chief Secretary observed that JKRRDA has registered an unprecedented achievement by completing 1,917 km of rural roads under 234 schemes with financial implication of Rs. 1200 crore, thereby providing safe and secure all-weather connectivity to 93 eligible habitations.

The Chief Secretary maintained that JKRRDA must complete the additional 2,418 km rural roads of 293 schemes which are at various stages of completion by 31st March, 2021, to take up this year’s progress to 4,000 km. These roads will further connect 57 habitations eligible under the scheme at an estimated cost of Rs. 927 crore. “Having attained the technical expertise for fast-tracked project execution, the Department can comfortably target construction of 5,000 km road in rural areas in the upcoming year”, the Chief Secretary added.

He directed setting up of Quality Management Cell and Project Planning Cell within the Public Works Department to promote specialization of workforce, and coordination between various project executing agencies towards the high-quality output.

He directed Principal Secretary to periodically review district-wise progress for timely resolution of bottlenecks and associated challenges. He advised the Department to prioritize works that are free from encumbrances like land acquisition, forest clearance, court cases, and shifting of utilities while simultaneously resolving such issues/grievances in the projects facing delays.

The Department was asked to put in dedicated efforts for the establishment of quality control labs to ensure the construction of high-quality infrastructure, besides undertaking routine inspections of the works with focussed attention on maintenance works.

It was informed that for the next phase of PMGSY, the Department has initiated the process of finalizing its candidate road list which is expected to include 1,877 numbers of roads covering a length of 12,300 km. Further, the Department is also engaging a consultancy bridge expert to monitor the construction of bridges under the programme.

The Committee also reviewed issues related to un-awarded works, forest clearances, raw material supply, quality standards, and e-Marg status.

Currently, the rural road network created under PMGSY in Jammu and Kashmir stretches over 12803.59 km connecting 1,931 habitations through 2,101 schemes with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 7,228.25 crore. Pertinently, J&K figures at rank 3 in the national index.

Srinagar: A 22-year-old youth was on Wednesday evening injured in a firing incident at Krishna Dhaba in Sonwar area of Srinagar, official sources said.

A police spokesman in a statement said that today at about 7:35 pm, Srinagar Police received information about a firing incident at Krishna Daba area of Dalgate, Srinagar where militants had fired upon a civilian. “Senior police officers reached the spot. Preliminary investigation revealed that militants had fired upon an individual at Krishna Daba area of Dalgate Srinagar. He has been identified as Akash Mehra son of Ramesh Kumar Mehra resident of Janipora, Jammu at present Dalgate Srinagar. He has received gunshot injuries in this incident and was evacuated to nearby hospital for treatment of his injuries,” the police spokesman said.

Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. “Investigation is in progress and the area has been cordoned and search is going on,” the police statement said.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah tweeted: “Very sorry to hear about the attack on the Krishna Dhaba in Srinagar, these attacks are unacceptable. I hope the injured person who is himself associated with the dhaba & is undergoing treatment in a city hospital makes a complete & speedy recovery.”
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also reacted to the incident and wrote on her twitter handle, “Deeply saddened by the attack on Krishna Dhaba at Sonawar in Srinagar. Extend my sympathies to the injured & his family. Violence is never the answer.”

BJP General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul also condemned the attack terming it as “unacceptable.”

BY: Bhat Imran

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) is likely to declare annual regular results of 10th and 12th standard after two weeks.

BOSE chairman, Veena Pandita told KNO that the Board will likely declare the results of both classes after two week.

“We will try to declare the results as early as possible and most probably the results would be declared after two weeks,” she said.

On asking about the delay in declaring results, Pandita said that the results got delayed because the Board couldn’t allow huge number of students to appear in the exams keeping in view the COVID-19 threat.

“In order to avoid students getting infected and observing government recommended Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), a very few students were allowed to appear for the exams in one particular room,” she said.

Pandita also said, “Like previous years we were allowing up to 300 students to appear in the examination in a one hall, but this year the situation was entirely different and that is one of the major reasons for delay in declaring results.”

She said that as of now BOSE was not fully prepared for declaring the results of 10th and 12th standard.

Earlier, on January-22, the Jammu and Kashmir government ordered re-opening of all government and private schools in Jammu and Kashmir in a staggered manner for physical academic activities.

In Jammu, the schools reopened on February-8 while in Kashmir division, the schools are scheduled to be reopening on March-1-2021 for physical academic activities.

Srinagar: The train services will resume partially in Jammu and Kashmir from Banihal to Baramulla on 22 February (Monday).

Chief Area Manager railways, Saqib Yousuf told KNO that the train services will resume partially from 22 February.

Chief Area manager has also written a letter to SSP/GRP/Srinagar to inform his office whether they have any objection in restoration of train services.

“In reference to the above mentioned subject, train services are to be partally restored in Banihal- Baramulla section from 22 February 2021 onwards. Kindly inform the office of undersigned whether your office has any objection in restarting the passenger services between Banihal-Baramulla section. Kindly treat this as most urgent, please regards, reads the letter from Chief Area Manager railways to SSP/GRP/ Srinagar,” the letter reads.

Pertinently, train services in Jammu and Kashmir were suspended on March 19 last year in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Notably, Banihal-Baramulla Train services resumed on 11 November 2019 after remaining suspended for around 100 days after abrogation of special status of erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Railway officials had said that railway suffered a loss of around 2 crore after it remained suspended from 05 August 2019 to November 11, 2019.

Srinagar: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, Lt Gen YK Joshi visited forward areas in Eastern Ladakh to review the disengagement process, including dismantling of bunkers and other facilities by the Chinese military around the Pangong lake.

An Army official on Wednesday said that Lt Gen Joshi on Tuesday visited the forward areas of Eastern Ladakh to review the disengagement process agreed upon by India and China.

The Army commander met the troops and congratulated them for having made the nation proud, besides praised junior leadership for their bravery and grit.

After a standoff that lasted for over 10 months, India and China finally started disengaging their troops from the Pangong lake area. The Indian Army on Tuesday released short videos and photographs showing withdrawing of troops and dismantling of bunkers and other facilities by the Chinese military around the Pangong lake in accordance with the agreed disengagement process between the two neighbouring countries.

According to the agreement, China has to pull back to east of Finger 8 areas in northern bank of the lake while India will be based at its permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3. Similar action by both sides will be taken on the southern bank of the lake.

The ninth round of the China-India Corps Commander-level meeting was held on the Chinese side of the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point on January 24, 2021.

During the meeting, the two sides agreed that the meeting was ‘positive, practical and constructive’. The two sides agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops.

“The two sides agreed to continue their effective efforts in ensuring the restraint of the frontline troops, stabilise and control the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the China-India border, and jointly maintain peace and tranquillity,” a joint press release of the 9th round of India-China military Commander-level meeting said last month.

Chinese military had built seven bunkers and other structures in the area between Finger 8 and Finger 4, triggering strong reaction last year. On June 15, Indian and Chinese troops clashed in Galwan Valley, leading to the death of 20 Indian troops, and an undeclared number of Chinese soldiers.

Srinagar: People continued to enjoy pleasant weather during the day when the maximum temperature remained above normal due to sunshine in the Kashmir valley, where the night temperature was below normal on Wednesday.

Interestingly the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, where Khelo India National Winter Games are scheduled to be held from February 25 to March 3, witnessed above normal maximum and minimum temperature, threatening early melting of snow. At famed health resort of Pahalgam the day temperature was above normal while minimum temperature was slightly below normal.

A Met department spokesman said on Wednesday that weather will remain dry during the next 72 hours in Jammu and Kashmir. However, there is possibility of isolated rain or snow on February 21, second day of 10-day-long Chilai-Bacha. The 20-day-long Chilai-Khurd which was followed after harhest 40-day-long Chilai-Kalan, will end on February 19, announcing the onset of Spring season in the Kashmir valley.

As the sun was again out this morning, people, though still wearing warm cloths, continued to enjoy pleasant weather. The maximum temperature remained 6 to 7 degree above normal in most parts of the valley though the minimum temperature was below normal at majority places, including summer capital, Srinagar.

Though shops and business establishments remained closed in Srinagar on Wednesday when a foreign envoy delegation arrived here to assess the ground situation, people could be seen basking in the sun in parks and other open fields.

Met spokesman said after recording 6.7 degree above normal day temperature on Tuesday, the minimum temperature in Srinagar on Wednesday witnessed further dip and settled at minus 1.2 degree, 2.9 notches below normal.

The sky would be mainly clear and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be 7 degree and minus one degree in Srinagar during the next 24 hours.

Gulmarg, about 55 km from here which is flooded with skiers, tourists and other adventure lovers, witnessed 6.2 degree above normal temperature on Tuesday, recorded minor improvement in minimum temperature. Against yesterdays night temperature of minus 4 degree, it was minus 3.2 degree, 2.3 notches above normal. Above normal mercury has threatened early melting of snow at the ski resorts.

Pahalgam, a health resort in south Kashmir also recorded 6.7 degree above day temperature yesterday. There was slight change in the minimum temperature today.

Kupwara, frontier district in north Kashmir recorded minus 3.2 degree minimum temperature which was 3 notches below normal.

Jammu:  Panic gripped Jammu-Poonch national highway on Wednesday morning when a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) was found lying abandoned in Manjakote area of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police sources here said that the suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was recovered along the highway in Rajouri district, adding, “a suspicious wooden box having a pressure cooker inside and wires tied to it was found lying in a drain in Manjkote area along the Jammu-Poonch highway.”

They said that the area was cordoned off and a bomb disposal squad was rushed to the spot.

“We have sealed the area and experts have been called in. It is a suspicious object,” said a senior police officer adding that it was diffused on the spot.

Traffic that had been suspended was allowed to resume later on the highway, he added.

Jammu: The flights operation may be suspended from March 5 at Jammu Airport as the Indian Air Force has written to the authorities of Jammu Airport as well as the airlines operators for the closure of the runway for the period of 15 days.

In its communication to Airport Authorities and Airlines, Senior Air Traffic Controller has written that the complete closure of runway at Jammu for 15 days towards laying of final two top DAC-II layers on runway surface has been approved by Air HQ from March 6 to March 20 and the same has been intimated to ED (Operations) Airport Authority of India, New Delhi.

The letter titled, “Complete closure of runway for overlay of DAC-II layer: Mar 5 to 20” has also been sent to the airline operators which are having their flights operating from and to Jammu airport.

The Airport Director has been directed as per the official letter by the Under Secretary to the Government, Civil Aviation Department to accordingly take up the matter with the Air Force authorities.

Acting on this communication from Senior Air Traffic Controller, a majority of the airlines have already stopped booking the tickets for the said dates. On the daily basis, Jammu airport has more than 20 operational flights with over 3000 travellers.

Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir BVR Subrahmanyam has written to Secretary, Civil Aviation, Ministry of Civil Aviation against the decision and asked them to carry out resurfacing in such a manner that civilian air traffic is not affected during the day time.

In his letter, J&K Chief Secretary has also said that closure of operations will create huge administrative issues for the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

Acting on the communication from J&K Government, the Ministry of Civil Aviation also wrote to the Ministry of Defence for intervention.

Earlier it was planned in the month of October 2019 but was postponed as Airport authorities objected to the move and Airport Director Dr P.R. Beuria wrote to the Airport Authority of India.

In September 2019, it was decided that the flight operations would not be suspended for two weeks as announced to facilitate its expansion and early start of night landing service with international flights.

The operational runway presently is 6,700 feet long and it is further being extended to 8,000 feet (1300 feet expansion) for night landing.

Meanwhile, official sources said the process for expanding the existing runway from 6,700 feet to 8,000 feet on 18 sides to facilitate operations of aircraft with load penalty, will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore.

Airport Authority of India has expanded, modified and upgraded the terminal building of Jammu Airport with enhanced passenger amenities, including doubling the area and per hour passenger handling capacity.

Earlier, the area of the building was increased earlier from 6,750 sqm to 14,500 sqm with increased numbers of escalators and lifts while three aerobridges with additional taxing track were also commissioned.

Jammu Airport had 1.6 million passengers in FY17 and now the airport handles 50 aircraft movements.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday reported 84 fresh cases of Covid-19 taking tally of cases in J&K to 125,547 while as no death related to covid-19 was reported in last 24 hours in the UT.

Of the exact number of 125,547 cases, 73,756 are from Kashmir and 51,791 from Jammu division. Officials said that among 58 new cases, 73 belong to Kashmir division while as 11 are from Jammu division, adding that the total number of positive cases in Kashmir division have reached to 73,756 including 72,027 recoveries and 1,226 deaths while as total number of positive cases in Jammu division have reached to 51,791 including 50,912 recoveries and 725 deaths.

The officials said that the total number of active cases in Jammu and Kashmir are 657 including 503 from Kashmir division and 154 from Jammu division.

With 56 more recoveries, the tally of total recoveries in Jammu and Kashmir has reached 122,939 which is 97.92 percent of the total cases.

“Cases tested positive in J&K include 42 from Srinagar, 02 from Baramulla, 09 from Budgam, 06 from Pulwama,   01 from Kupwara, 09 from Anantnag, 01 from Bandipora, 00 from Ganderbal, 00 from Kulgam and 03 from Shopian in Kashmir division while as 11 from Jammu division include 11 from Jammu, 00 from Udhampur, 00 from Rajouri, 00 from Doda, 00 from Kathua, 00 from Samba, 00 from Kishtwar, 00 from Poonch, 00 from Ramban and 00 from Reasi,” officials disclosed.

As per officials figures, 26,639 positive cases including 460 deaths and 25,907 recoveries are from Srinagar, 8,167 including 175 deaths and 7,959 recoveries are from Baramulla, 7,835 including 7,678 recoveries and 118 deaths are from Budgam, 5,803 including 5,678 recoveries and 88 deaths are from Pulwama, 5,672 including 96 deaths and 5,571 recoveries are from Kupwara, 4,973 including 4,843 recoveries and 86 deaths are from Anantnag, 4,705 cases including 4,630 and 62 deaths are from Bandipora, 4,660 including 4,582 recoveries and 47 deaths are from Ganderbal, 2,712 including 2,646 recoveries and 54 deaths are from Kulgam and 2,590 including 2,533 recoveries and 40 deaths are from Shopian.

In Jammu division, 25,116 including 24,651 recoveries and 373 deaths are from Jammu district, 4,241 including 4,161 recoveries and 57 deaths are from Udhampur, 3,873 including 3,814 recoveries and 55 deaths are from Rajouri, 3,436 including 3,366 recoveries and 64 deaths are from Doda, 3,256 including 3,203 recoveries and 53 deaths are from Kathua, 2,835 including 2,786 recoveries and 40 deaths are from Samba, 2,733 including 2,710 recoveries and 22 deaths are from Kishtwar, 2,520 including 2,477 recoveries and 24 deaths are from Poonch, 2,135 including 2,114 recoveries and 21 deaths are from Ramban and 1,646 including 1,630 recoveries and 16 deaths are from Reasi.

As per the daily information bulletin 1,232,067 persons in Jammu and Kashmir are under observation while 33,839 persons have been kept under home quarantine besides that 657 persons are in isolation.

According to the bulletin, 1,088,259 persons have completed surveillance period and 107,361 persons are under home surveillance besides that so far results of 4,917,708 samples are available. Out of 4,917,708 the number of samples tested negative stands at 4,792,161 while as 125,547 have tested positive, among them 657 persons are active, 122,939 persons have recovered and 1,951 persons have died.