Jahanagir Lolabi
Srinagar, Nov 23: BSF troops were engaged in a brief gunfight after some suspicious movement was observed in Machil sector along Line of Control in Kupwara district, officials said on Monday.
They told GNS that the BSF troops fired several round last night after observing the suspicious movement.
“BSF observed some movement on the intervening night of 22 and 23 November. The soldiers fired on the suspicious movement and there was late retaliation. Army troops also gave fire support” Deputy Inspector General of BSF R Muthu Krishnan told GNS. However, he said, due to heavy snowfall, the searches could not be carried. “It will be resumed as soon.”
On November 8, four soldiers including an army officer and a BSF trooper were killed along with three militants in the same sector, the sources said.

NIA questions PDP youth leader
Srinagar, Nov 23: National Investigation Agency (NIA) Monday questioned the PDP’s youth leader Waheed ur Rehman Para in connection with the DySP Devender Singh and Hizbul Mujahideen commander Naveed Babu’s arrest case, in New Delhi. Para will be questioned for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as well.
A top NIA official told KNO over phone from New Delhi that today, PDP youth leader Para was questioned for the entire day in New Delhi office of NIA. “He has been asked to report to NIA headquarters Delhi for the second consecutive day on Tuesday where he will be questioned,” the official said.
On January 12, DySP Devender Singh, along with Hizbul Mujahideen commander Naveed Babu besides a lawyer were arrested while travelling in a vehicle from Srinagar to Jammu on January 19, this year. On June 19, suspended the DySP managed to get the bail, while the NIA stated that it was investigating another case against DySP Singh. (KNO)

Kolkata, Nov 23: In a move that is set to revolutionize Covid-19 testing in India and make Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests affordable for the common man, SpiceHealth Monday announced that it will conduct this key test known as the most decisive and crucial for Covid-19 testing starting at Rs. 499/- only.
Also, in a huge relief for people undergoing the swab test, the report would be available within just 6 hours from the time of sample collection as compared to the average 24-48 hours – the time committed for similar test reports at present. The RT-PCR is the most commonly used and the most accurate COVID test worldwide.
A significant proportion of the tests will be conducted in collaboration with agencies of the Government of India and State governments.
SpiceHealth’s first mobile testing laboratory at ICMR, AIIMS, was inaugurated by Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, in the presence of Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Prof. Balram Bhargava, Secretary DHR & DG, ICMR, Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet and Avani Singh, CEO, SpiceHealth.
SpiceHealth, a health care company founded by the promoters of SpiceJet, and led by Avani Singh, and GeneStore will jointly establish mobile molecular diagnostic testing facilities across the country as a Make-In-India initiative. The testing kits and laboratory facilities have been certified by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the mobile laboratories have been duly accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Avani Singh, CEO, SpiceHealth said, “Today is a momentous day for all of us at SpiceHealth as we take this crucial step towards ensuring affordable Covid-19 testing to as many Indians as possible. Despite being the world’s second most affected country by Covid-19, with over 9 million reported cases so far, India has found it challenging to scale up RT-PCR testing for the virus. We are proud to be able to contribute to our country’s efforts to fight this global pandemic.”
“The RT-PCR test, known for its diagnostic accuracy, is the most commonly used COVID test worldwide. By offering this test at a fraction of the current price, ensuring a much faster turnaround time of just six hours, and deploying mobile laboratories which are easily transportable to the remotest areas, we hope to significantly scale up testing across the country.”
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “Just as ‘affordable flying’ has been the constant endeavor of SpiceJet, facilitating affordable, quick and easily available medical solutions is the constant endeavor of SpiceHealth. Taking a Covid-19 test should be as easy as visiting a neighborhood store, while ensuring utmost safety, and that is exactly what we are aiming to build at SpiceHealth. Facilitating affordable and easily accessible Covid testing facilities will go a long way in restoring normalcy in the country and building a stronger India.”
SpiceHealth has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ICMR for setting up testing facilities (laboratories) and collection centers across the nation. To begin, the first testing facility has been set up in Delhi. Each testing laboratory will have the capacity to process 3,000 test reports-a-day to start with.
Many more of such testing facilities will come up in different parts of the National Capital as well as the rest of the country in the coming days.

Precious Kashmir News

Jammu, Nov 23:  R.K Srivastava, Chief General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) called on Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here Monday.

The CGM briefed the Lt Governor about the various ways in which NABARD is providing support under RIDF to the UT government for developing rural infrastructure. It was further informed that this year NABARD focused on strengthening of Agri-Marketing, Post-Harvest Management and Irrigation Infrastructure and with a view to address the issue of improving farmer’s income, NABARD is currently providing support to 17 FPOs in the UT mainly for mushroom, dairy, vegetable, rice, honey, medicinal plant and carpets. Moreover, support is also being provided through Watershed Development Funds and Tribal Development Fund in districts like Samba, Udhampur, Rajouri and Anantnag.

The Lt Governor advised the CGM to take all requisite measures for promoting agriculture and keep assisting in development of rural areas through financial as well as non-financial assistance, besides collaborating with Agriculture Universities both in Jammu as well as Kashmir to take their research to farmer’s field.

Meanwhile, Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy, Director, CSIR-IIIM (Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine) called on the Lt Governor and discussed several issues related to the promotion of Scientific and Industrial Research, besides various programmes and activities which are being carried out under CSIR.

The Lt Governor stressed upon promoting innovations and recent advancements in Scientific and Industrial Research for creating a broad knowledge base to develop IIIM as a centre of excellence in all facets of natural products research and technology.