Jammu, Oct 28: An Army jawan and a Border Security Force personal suffered injuries in an explosion along the Line of Control in Balakote area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Official sources said an explosion took place near forward Army post resulting in injuries to an Army and a BSF personnel, deployed on the spot.

They said that both the injured are presently undergoing treatment in Army hospital, adding, “exact nature of explosion was not ascertained yet but it seems to be land.”

‘Its establishment in JK is a significant move; will help reinforce investors’ trust in region’

Precious Kashmir News

SRINAGAR, OCT 28: Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha Wednesday inaugurated the much awaited Jammu and Kashmir International Arbitration Centre (JKIAC). The occasion also marked the launch of the website of J&K International Arbitration Centre.

The Lt Governor, during his address, observed that the establishment of International Arbitration Centre in Jammu and Kashmir in the time of Liberal Economy and Globalization is a significant move. With this institution of arbitration, Jammu and Kashmir has secured its place in the commercial arbitration map of the world. The step will help J&K to promote domestic & international investments, industry, business and trade, he added.

Globalization has reduced the relevance of borders in trade and investments but we need to follow international practices to maximize benefits. Arbitration, as a mode of Alternate Dispute Resolution, gives flexibility, choice and confidence to investors, said the Lt Governor.

The setting up of the Centre is in line with requirements of modern day borderless trade, business and investments which cannot flourish with legal issues of jurisdictions cropping up in the event of any dispute. This mechanism will do away with cultural and language barriers, confusion over legal language employed in different courts and delays which causes great financial and other hardships to investors, he observed.

The Lt Governor said the Indian companies prefer arbitration for resolution of disputes half of the time. Good arbitration helps in improving ranking under the Ease of Doing Business Index.

“I believe that a robust Arbitration Institution would help strengthen India’s position as a global leader in the business world,” he said.

Underlining the importance of Arbitration, the Lt Governor said that it suits foreign investors and traders who do not have knowledge about domestic laws and would like their disputes to be confidential and resolved faster.

“I have seen encouraging results emanate from the Mumbai Centre for International Arbitration and the Delhi International Arbitration Centre,” he said.

Arbitration simplifies the procedure and reduces the cost and time in settling disputes with the help of experts with domain knowledge who are appointed as arbitrators.  As against courts which are already overburdened, arbitration provides for availing the services of technical experts in the field who can devote more time and decide swiftly, he continued.

The Lt Governor observed that the expert panel in the Jammu and Kashmir International Arbitration Centre consists of retired judges, senior officers, architects, engineers, professors and veterans of various walks of life and all would ensure effective resolution of disputes in a set time frame.

The quality and performance of arbitrators would also be monitored and they would be provided timely training also if needed. This would help establish norms and fix accountability. And ,it is as effective in terms of relief as arbitration awards are binding on the parties, he added.

The Lt Governor said that the setting up of the Centre will only boost our effort as this will do away with Investors apprehensions while considering investment.  It would also help reinforce the investors’ trust in the region.

I believe that Arbitration – which provides an alternative mode of dispute resolution and also reduces pending cases across the judiciary, should make investors feel at home, he maintained.

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Oct 28:  The University of Kashmir is launching more undergraduate and postgraduate programmes from this academic session, even as some of the courses offered at the varsity hitherto under the umbrella of allied departments are set to be offered from full-fledged departments-cum-research centres now.

According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the crucial decisions, which shall be placed before the University Council for its consideration/approval, were endorsed or ratified at the 97th meeting of the University Syndicate, chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad.

The new programmes to be introduced from academic session 2020-21 include Bachelor’s Degrees in various Paramedical Courses at Government Medical College Srinagar, Master’s Programmes in three disciplines of engineering at the Institute of Engineering Zakura, a PG programme in Anthropology at the Institute of Kashmir Studies, and integrated B.Ed-M.Ed programme at the Department of Education.

The Syndicate also considered proposals including recognition of Geo-Informatics, Clinical Biochemistry and Bio-Resources as full-fledged Departments-Cum-Research Centers. The courses in these were hitherto offered under the umbrella of departments of Earth Sciences, Biochemistry and Botany, respectively.

The Syndicate also endorsed the introduction of an integrated PhD programme in Microbiology at the Centre for Research and Development (CORD) from this academic session (2020). The meeting, apart from considering academic matters, also considered several administrative matters, including confirmation of services of faculty appointed during the recent years.

The University also held its Finance Committee meeting, which was also chaired by Prof Talat Ahmad. Both the Syndicate and Finance Committee meetings, among others, were attended by Shadi Lal Pandita, Director General Codes, Finance Department, J&K (Nominee of the Financial Advisor); Talat Parvez Rohella, KAS, Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department; Prof Nahida Tabassum Dean, School of Applied Sciences & Technology,  University of Kashmir; Prof Riyaz Farooq, Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Kashmir; Prof Shohab Inayat Malik, Dean, Faculty of Arts,  University of Jammu; Prof. Roopma Gandotra, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Jammu; Prof. MA Lone Principal,  Government Degree College, Khan Sahab; Dr Salma Ahad, Principal, Government Degree College, Magam; Prof Shamim Ahmad Shah, Dean, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kashmir; Prof Pankaj K Srivastva, Department of Geology, University of Jammu; Prof Vivek Gupta, Department of Physics, University of Jammu; Prof Zafar A Reshi, Department of Botany, University of Kashmir; Prof F A Shah, Department of Management Studies, Central University of Kashmir; Prof Yasmeen Kawoos, Former Dean, School of Education, Cluster University of Srinagar.

All outstation members, except for one, joined the meeting over Skype—(KNO)

Bhat Imran

Srinagar, Oct 28: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is likely to go for school based examinations for Class 8th for the current session.

An official source of SCERT said that the said examination was being discussed by the council and the proposal for the sane was sent to the government for approval.

Source said that the proposal was approved by the government and the order for the same might be issued in a week’s time.

“The suggestion of holding the in-house exams of the 8th standard has been approved by the government and the board exams will not be conducted this year, however, the exams will be held at the respective schools,” he said.

The proposal, according to the source, was submitted in view of COVID-19 outbreak in Jammu and Kashmir.

BOSE Chairperson, Veena Pandita was not available for her comments in this regard.

Pertinently, the exams for 8th standard were being conducted by the erstwhile State Institute of Education (SIE) that however was upgraded to SCERT following the abrogation of Article-370.  (KNO)

London, Oct 28: A COVID-19 vaccine may be available for some people before Christmas, Kate Bingham, the chair of the UK government’s vaccine taskforce said in an interview. However, an early 2021 launch is more likely, she added.
“The first phase III efficacy data from the leading vaccine candidates are due by the end of 2020, subject to accruing sufficient rates of infection within the clinical trial cohorts to show the vaccines’ efficacy. The primary endpoint is to show that the vaccine can protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduce symptom burden,” Bingham wrote in medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday.
Two phase III efficacy clinical trials are now underway in the UK — the Oxford AstraZeneca adenovirus-vectored vaccine and Novavax’s protein-adjuvant vaccine
“If the first two vaccines, or either of them, show that they are both safe and effective, I think there is a possibility that vaccine roll out will start this side of Christmas, but otherwise I think it’s more realistic to expect it to be early next year,” Kate Bingham said on BBC television.
The first-generation of vaccines to fight the COVID-19 infection may not be perfect and may not work for everyone, she earlier mentioned. “The first generation of vaccines is likely to be imperfect, and we should be prepared that they might not prevent infection but rather reduce symptoms, and, even then, might not work for everyone or for long,”
British pharma giant AstraZeneca earlier said the trials of its coronavirus vaccine pioneered with Oxford University had shown “encouraging” responses among elderly, as well as younger participants.
The UK vaccine taskforce secured access to six vaccines (from more than 240 vaccines in development) across four different formats: adenoviral vectors, mRNA, adjuvanted proteins, and whole inactivated viral vaccines, which are promising in different ways.
The UK is committed to ensuring that everyone at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, anywhere in the world, has access to a safe and effective vaccine, she mentioned in the journal.
Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine still possible in 2020
Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla expressed optimism over the prospect of providing a coronavirus vaccine in 2020. “We have reached the last mile here,” Bourla said.
The drug giant could supply some 40 million doses in the United States in 2020 if clinical testing proceeds as expected and regulators approve a vaccine, he further mentioned. But Bourla said the company still had not reached key benchmarks in assessing vaccine efficacy. He said the company expects to file for emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine in the third week of November, roughly in line with earlier timetables.

Chairs maiden meeting of UTLAMC

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Oct 28: Principal Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Navin Kumar Choudhary Wednesday chaired the maiden Union Territory Level Approval and Monitoring Committee (UTLAMC) meeting  for approval of DPR of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) 2020-21 for UT of J&K at Civil Secretariat here.

The meeting was attended by Sheetal Nanda, Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Amin Mir, Director Fisheries, M.Y. Bhat, Director Planning, Jal Shakti Department, Fayaz Ahmad Zargar, Vice President J&K UTSLBC, Dr. Farooz Ahmad Bhat, Head, Division of FRM, SKUAST-K and Dr. Arif Bashir Technical Officer ASHF.

Principal Secretary highlighted the importance of recently launched economic package of Government of India under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self Reliant India) for fisheries Sector to bring “Blue Revolution” through sustainable development of fisheries under Pardhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).

Principal Secretary said that the main objective of the PMMSY is to create direct employment opportunities, double the income of fish farmers and increasing fish production through sustainable fishing practices.The scheme will focus on creating critical modernization and strengthening of value chain & improve availability of certified quality fish seed/ feed.

Director Fisheries, J &K presented the achievements of the Fisheries Department and informed the house that fisheries sector is playing a vital role to build entrepreneurship avenues. He said that so far 1073 Carp rearing units and 534 Trout rearing units and 01 Trout hatchery has been established in private sector. He said that around 17398 professional fishermen of the Union Territory derive their livelihood from natural water resources on nominal average license fee of Rs. 400 or 500 per annum.

The department has established, 19 Carp fish farms and 51 Trout farms/ rearing Units, 16 Trout hatcheries, 05 Carp hatcheries, 02 Aquaria, recreational centers, marketing outlets and Trout beats in the various districts of the Union Territory as per the feasibility.

Navin while appreciating the achievements of department stressed that more focus should be laid on beneficiary oriented components of PMMSY to build entrepreneurship in the sector and efforts shall be made for promotion of  Kashmir trout in national and international markets.  He said that maximum benefits can be provided to entrepreneurs with implementation of PMMSY in convergence with MNREGA, NRLM, RKVY and other Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

He directed Fisheries department to keep provision in PMMSY for establishment of fish ponds at Block level which shall be managed by local panchayats and Municipal Bodies. He further directed that maximum SC/ST and women farmers shall be provided benefit under the scheme.