Comprehensive Review
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s dedication of development works worth over Rs 11.58 crore in Kathua, along with a comprehensive review of progress in both Kathua and Samba districts, reflects a renewed emphasis on grassroots development and administrative accountability. The projects inaugurated and foundation stones laid span critical sectors rural enterprise, agriculture, education and infrastructure signalling […]
GIA expenditure
The Jammu and Kashmir Government’s recent decision to introduce detailed sub-heads for Grant-in-Aid (GIA) expenditure from the financial year 2026–27 is a welcome step towards improving fiscal discipline and transparency. By replacing the earlier practice of booking all such expenditure under a single head with three clearly defined categories—GIA (General), GIA (Creation of […]
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE
The proposed extension of environmental clearance for the 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric project once again brings into focus the uneasy balance between development ambitions and environmental accountability in Jammu and Kashmir. At its core, the issue is procedural but far from trivial. The original environmental clearance granted in 2012 expired in December 2022, […]
Sub-Zero Cold Grips Kashmir as Gulmarg Freezes at –8.6°C
Cold conditions persisted across Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, with most parts of the Kashmir Valley recording sub-zero minimum temperatures. Gulmarg, the famed tourist resort, emerged as the coldest location in the Valley, registering a minimum temperature of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam followed at minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, while Shopian recorded minus 6.0 degrees […]
SURPRISE INSPECTION
The revelations emerging from the recent surprise inspection by the National Medical Commission (NMC) at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Institute of Medical Excellence are deeply troubling and raise fundamental questions about regulatory compliance, governance and academic integrity in medical education. Medical colleges are not mere degree-granting institutions; they are entrusted with […]
Gulmarg Records –8.8°C as Severe Cold Deepens Across Kashmir
Gulmarg witnessed the coldest night of the season so far, with temperatures plunging to minus 8.8 degrees Celsius.Jammu & Kashmir tourism This skier is using a slightly safe slope at Gulmarg. KL Image: Shuaib Wani Across the Kashmir Valley, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, with similar readings at the Srinagar […]
RAINFALL DEFICIT
The alarming rainfall deficit across Jammu and Kashmir during the October–December period highlights a growing climate vulnerability that can no longer be treated as seasonal aberration. With 22 out of 23 districts recording below-normal precipitation and an overall shortfall of 39 percent, the Union Territory finds itself in a precarious position as winter advances. […]
Leh Freezes at –10.6°C as Sub-Zero Cold Tightens Grip on Kashmir
Cold conditions continued across Kashmir and Ladakh on Saturday, with large parts of the Valley recording sub-zero night temperatures, while Ladakh remained in the grip of intense cold, officials said.Kashmir History books In Ladakh, temperatures stayed well below the freezing point, with Leh recording a minimum of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius. Kargil was colder at […]
Short Circuit in Electric Blanket Triggers Fire in Srinagar
A fire that broke out at HMT Shah Vilayat Colony in Srinagar during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday was swiftly brought under control, with timely action by Fire and Emergency Services preventing a major mishap, officials said. The fire erupted in a three-storeyed residential house in Sector 8 after a short circuit in […]
FIRSTHAND ENGAGEMENT
Recently Chief Secretary Ladakh’s first-day directive to senior officers to undertake regular field visits marks a welcome shift towards grounded and accountable governance. In a geographically vast and climatically challenging Union Territory like Ladakh, administration from conference rooms and distant capitals is no substitute for firsthand engagement with people’s realities. By mandating fortnightly field […]
