Author: snskashmir

SNS KASHMIR

HANDWARA, FEBRUARY 17 :

The former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Wednesday said that the delegations will come and go but the fact remains that the situation isn’t favorable in J&K.

Mehbooba was speaking to a gathering in the Handwara area of Kupwara. She is on a two day-visit to the border district.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of her visit to Handwara, Mehbooba as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the delegations will come and go but the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not good.

To a question about the approach of the central government and visit of foreign delegation to J&K, Mehbooba said that the delegations keep coming but the situation is and not good at all.

“The approach that has confined the movement of Jammu and Kashmir’s leadership is not good at all. We are being caged in our own homes,” she said.

The party workers during their interaction apprised Mehbooba about the party functioning in the border district Kupwara, Handwara and Langate in particular.

Mehboba concluded the workers meet in just very few minutes saying that all the grievances raised are genuine and everything will be done in the times to come to give party workers ease—(KNO)

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 17:

A group of 24 diplomats from foreign missions, who arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday, were accorded a traditional welcome in Budgam district.

The diplomats visited Magam block in Budgam district where they were welcomed by the District Development Council (DDC) Chairman, Nazir Ahmad Khan and other panchayat representatives. Thereafter, Nazir Khan also addressed the envoys.

The foreign envoys were briefed on Panchayati Raj and grievance redressal through Back to villages and Block, thus elaborating how the administration reaches the doorstep of people.

The delegation also interacted with locals.

French envoy Emmanuel Lenain and Italian envoy Vincenzo de Luca interacted with locals in Magam block of Budgam district.

Foreign diplomats from Chile, Brazil, Cuba, Bolivia, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Bangladesh, Malawi, Eritrea, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Malaysia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and the European Union are on the visit.

The latest visit of foreign envoys comes in the backdrop of District Development Council polls, which saw huge participation and restoration of 4G mobile internet in the entire region after 18 months, which many see as a return of full normalcy in the Union Territory.

This will be the first visit by foreign diplomats to Jammu and Kashmir since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two batches of foreign diplomats had earlier visited J-K in January and February last year after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

Sources told ANI that some elements, who are working against Jammu and Kashmir’s progress and restoration of normalcy, have been giving calls of a shutdown during the visit of envoys.

In January last year, envoys of 15 countries including the then US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster and diplomats from Vietnam, South Korea, Brazil, Niger, Nigeria, Morocco, Guyana, Argentina, Philippines, Norway, Maldives, Fiji, Togo, Bangladesh and Peru visited Jammu and Kashmir to see first-hand the efforts being made by the government in the region.

In February last year, 25 foreign diplomats, including those from Germany, Canada, France and Afghanistan, visited Jammu and Kashmir to witness the ground situation in the region. (ANI)

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 17 :

After remaining suspended for the last 10 months due to Covid-19 pandemic, the rail services are all set to resume “partially” from February 22 onwards in Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday.

The officials told GNS that Chief Area Manager Northern Railway Srinagar has written a communication to SSP/GRP/ Srinagar, clearly mentioning that the train services are to be partially restored in Banihal-Baramulla section from February 22. The Chief Area Manager is learnt to have sought comments from the SSP if his office has any objections in restarting the passenger services between Banihal-Baramulla section. The response has been sought on urgent basis, they added.

The decision for the resumption of the train services after Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, wrote a letter to railway officials earlier this month. (GNS)

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR FEBRUARY 17 :

A delegation of foreign envoys would be visiting Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit beginning Wednesday.

The delegation likely to be led by European Union Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Ugo Astuto, would include diplomats from African and European countries.

The delegation will meet members of political parties and other stakeholders including newly appointed District Development Councils (DDC) members, social activists, stakeholders in the hospitality sector and newspaper editors, officials said.

The delegation which will arrive in the Valley on Wednesday will be also going for sightseeing to Dal Lake.

The group of envoys will leave for Jammu on Thursday. The group comprising almost 20 members will get a briefing from top officials of the Army, officials said.

Officials said that during their two-day visit, the envoys would receive firsthand information from the J&K administration.

On Thursday, the Ambassadors would visit Jammu where they would likely be meeting Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha besides some of the DDC members and representatives of some social organisations.

This will be the fourth visit by any foreign envoy group to J&K in the last two years.

In January 2019, a 15-member foreign envoys’ delegation arrived in Srinagar on a two-day visit to J&K and met over 100 people including senior Valley-based politicians, top newspaper editors and grassroots representatives.

A month later in February 2019, a group of 25 foreign envoys of over 20 countries visited Kashmir for a firsthand assessment of the ground situation. In October 2019, about 23 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) visited J&K on a private tour to assess the ground situation.

Clearance in full swing; Road expected to be opened by 1st Week of March.

SNS KASHMIR

BANDIPORA, FEBURARY 16:

Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Dr Owais Ahmad on Tuesday inspected the Snow Clearance Operations on 85-Kilometers Bandipora- Gurez road
Dr Owais visited Razdan top- the highest point between Gurez and Bandipora road situated at an altitude of 3300 mtr and inspected the snow clearance operations. He was accompanied by the officers of Border Roads Organization (BRO) who have been assigned the job of snow clearance on the road.

On the occasion the officers informed the Deputy Commissioner that the snow clearance operation is in full swing with the improvement in weather and only 20 Kms are left for clearance. DC Bandipora directed the officials to expedite the pace of work so that road is thrown open for traffic at an earliest. It was given out by the concerned officers of BRO that with the present pace of work and subject to fair weather conditions, Road will be ready for plying of traffic by 1st week of March.

SNS KASHMIR

SOPORE FEBRUARY 16 :

Today the marketing squard of municipal council Sopore headed by Imtiyaz Ahmad Food Inspector conducted market checking of various markets of Town Sopore during the course of action team intercepted/seized substandard, overdated food stuffs and destroyed them on spot, besides this decomposed vegetables and rotten fruits stands also destroyed. The erring shopkeepers/vendors have been directed to remain careful in future.

Field staff to be insured for life and injury

SNS KASHMIR

JAMMU, FEBRUARY 16:

The government today decided to replace all the wooden poles and barbed wire in Jammu division. It has kept aside a sum of Rs 500 crore for the same. These revelations were made today in the meeting chaired by Principal Secretary, PDD, Rohit Kansal here to review summer preparedness of the department to ensure reliable power supply to Jammu division during summer months.

The Principal Secretary enunciated that safety and welfare of ground level workers is paramount. He said that each human life is valuable and needs to be safeguarded at every cost. He directed to enhance substantially the personal and systematic safety by the department so that happening of accidents are avoided to a larger extent.

The meeting was attended by Managing Directors of JKPTCL, JPDCL, Director Finance, PDD; Secretary (Technical), PDD; Spl Secretary, PDD; Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers of all the allied corporations of Jammu division.

The Principal Secretary said that to extend the welfare and well being of its workers Power Development Department (PDD) would insure each of its field worker including DRWs, PDL and TDL persons for life and any possible injuries.

The Principal Secretary asked the officers of JPDCL to ensure that all the transformers wanting repairs should be kept available before the onset of summer months. He exhorted upon them to replace damaged transformers within 24 hours in urban areas and up to 48 hours in rural areas.

He urged them to augment the capacity of their workshops to cater to the needs of daily and additional damages received by the department during the season. He asked them to make best use of time available with them so that the department isprepared to deliver on expected lines during summer.

Kansal further directed the officers to strengthen their grievance redressal mechanism so that people are able to reach to higher officers on real time basis. He advised them to increase their reach on social media like twitter etc so that the necessary complaints reach to them directly. He asked the officers to provide meritorious solutions to public instead of passing the buck. He directed for taking proper note of grievances and directions from LG office so that they are solved and implemented well in time.

Kansal asked them to make necessary procurement of material and labour during these months so that department is readily braced to face the challenge. He asked them to create an ecosystem of efficiency so that every due action follows a systematic path by default.

The Principal Secretary asked them to work for enhancing their capacity to meet the deadlines. He stressed on making the system robust so that every project created gives appropriate result. He asked them to integrate every new asset fully into the system so that outcome is on expected lines. He directed the companies to work in synergy with each other.

The Principal Secretary asked to establish round the clock call centres so that everybody is able to register their complaints with ease and get feedback about them. He asked them to liaise with the IT professionals for realising this objective as per the best practices found anywhere.

Kansal asked the department to expedite the expenditure of funds as the financial year is about to end. He made them aware that future projections would be proportional to the expenditure registered this year. He asked them that their efficiency would be gauged by it. He implored them to create plans with prudence as no midway changes could be made. He asked them to keep in mind all the exigencies and people’s demands while formulating the same.

The Principal Secretary asked the Transmission company to gear up their efforts to deliver the projects well on time. He asked the executing agencies to complete the Grid Stations at Kathua and Samba at the end of March, 2021. He further asked them to complete the transmission works being created for the Jammu-Udhampur-Baramulla railway line expeditiously as per the desire of the Prime Minister is to see it getting completed soon.

The MD, JPDCL informed the meeting that up to the month of April some 1382 transformers would be added to the stock in Jammu division including 85 new transformers. He revealed that their workshops are working in double shifts to repair as many as 200-300 transformers per month. He gave up that if need arises they would increase one more shift to enhance the capacity of their workshops.

The officers informed that tenders have already been floated as per earlier directions so that the requisite performance is registered. They ensured the chair that all the directions would be fully implemented in letter and spirit and department would deliver to the best of the expectations of general public.

Quality of Food Grains, e-Weighing Machines among other SoPs inspected during the Drive

BARAMULLA, FEBRUARY 16:

To ensure that people in district Baramulla get qualitative food grains in a hassle free manner, authorities in Baramulla today conducted random inspection of about 120 food sale centres including FCI godown where they checked various aspects.

The inspection was conducted on the directions of Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Aijaz Asad as part of commitment of District Administration towards ensuring transparent and hassle free public services.

At Baramulla, the inspection was conducted by ACR and AD FCS&CA among other officals whereas at Sopore it was conducted by ADC Sopore. Respective SDMs conducted the inspection in their jurisdictions.

The inspection squads conducted inspection of several necessities which includes availability of rate list at ration stores, availability of e-Weighing and PoS machines , quality of food grains, duty roster of employees among other facilities. In Tangmarg, the authorities found about 10.5 Quintals of substandard rice which was subsequently seized.

The Deputy Commissioner has urged upon all traders and shopkeepers to abide by the rules and regulations. He said no violation of the rules would be tolerated in the larger public interest. He added that the administration is committed to providing smooth, clean and hassle-free public services to the people.

Meanwhile, SDM Pattan has inspected several tution centres in Pattan area wherein 02 centres were running without proper registrations. The SDM has warned the owners of these tution centres to register within 07 days failing which shall render strict legal action against the defaulters.

SNS KASHMIR

SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 16:

Incharge Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Tuesday said that school transport will operate as usual from March 01 when schools reopen across Kashmir division.

He said this after chairing a meeting with representatives of private schools associations in which concerns surrounding operation of school transport were discussed in detail.

Speaking during the meeting in which Director School Education Mohammad Younis Malik was also present Dr Shahid said the government understands the concerns surrounding school transport charges and assured that these will be addressed and resolved in a manner that suits both parties.

He said the students cannot be denied the transport service while concerns surrounding the matter are to be resolved which he assured will be done soon.

Director School Education while speaking informed the meeting that the fee fixation and regulation committee of the government is assessing the matter and assured that concerns of private schools surrounding transport fee structure will be resolved soon.

Representatives of associations of parents of school children were also present in the meeting. While taking note of their concerns the Dr Shahid assured them that school transport will remain available as usual as schools in Kashmir reopen from March 1.

Regional Transport Officer Kashmir Akramullah Tak and Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Mohammad Haneef Balkhi were also present in the meeting.

Meanwhile, schools in Kashmir division will reopen for the first time after the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020.

SNS KASHMIR

NEW DELHI FEBRUARY 16:

Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Haseeb Drabu has formally joined aircraft maintenance provider Air Works”s board as an independent director after getting all requisite government and regulatory approvals, said an official statement on Tuesday.

“Dr Haseeb Drabu – noted economist and policy maker – was appointed to the Board of Directors of the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) major in August 2020, subject to receipt of requisite government and regulatory approvals,” said Air Works”s statement.

The statement said he has joined the company”s board now as he has received all requisite approvals, including security clearance.

Air Works is India”s largest MRO provider. Its board has five members, including two independent directors.Apart from Drabu, it has Lt Gen (Retired) K J Singh as another independent director.

Apart from facilities in Hosur and Kochi, Air Works has a facility approved by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Mumbai for smaller aircraft (general aviation aircraft). (PTI)