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JAMMU: A delegation of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra Welfare Society, led by its President Kiran Wattal called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today.

The members of the delegation also included Anil Gupta, Senior Vice President, Chamber of Commerce & Industry Jammu, who discussed various important matters pertaining to the smooth conduct of the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also unveiled the 2nd edition of a specially designed LED glow Lord Mahadev Shivling Pratima with MP3 audio pre-recorded ancient Katha of Lord Shiva and Maa Parvati, along with Bhakti bhajans and Leelas.

Subsequently, representatives of Akhil Bharatiya Mahajan Phagetra Biradari headed by Rajesh Gupta also called on the Lieutenant Governor.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Sharma, Zonal Head for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at ICICI Bank, called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Sharma apprised the Lieutenant Governor of the various initiatives undertaken by ICICI Bank under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.

He also outlined the bank’s endeavours to deliver seamless and efficient financial services across the UT, and creating opportunities for talented youth from remote areas of Jammu Kashmir, enabling them to pursue promising careers in the banking sector.

Flags off mobile ICTC Vans of J&K AIDS Control Society at Srinagar

SRINAGAR: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo, flagged off Mobile Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC) Vans of Jammu and Kashmir AIDS Control Society (JKACS) here today.

The initiative was aimed at strengthening the healthcare outreach and awareness among the people of underserved areas and vulnerable communities.

Secretary Health and Medical Education, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; Director SKIMS; Project Director, JKACS; Director Family Welfare and Immunization; Director AYUSH; Principal GMC Srinagar; Chief Medical Officers; senior officers of JKACS; health department and other concerned officers were present on the occasion.

Addressing a gathering of health professionals, the Minister emphasized on the urgent need to de-stigmatise HIV/AIDS persons and ensure a support-oriented approach for the affected individuals. “People living with HIV/AIDS need to be handled with compassion and dignity. It’s not just about medical intervention, it’s about restoring hope and trust through proper counselling, awareness and community support,” she stated.

She remarked that people affected by this virus need to be counselled, sensitised and looked after properly, so that those hiding this due to stigma associated with it, can also come forward and seek proper medical treatment.

The Minister further said that these ICTC Vans are high-end vehicles which will contribute effectively in fighting this virus. She added that these mobile ICTC Vans are aimed at expanding the reach of HIV/AIDS testing and counselling services to remote and underserved areas of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly targeting the high-risk groups and marginalized populations.

“The launch of these mobile vans is a testament to Government’s resolve to bring best healthcare services to the doorsteps of the most vulnerable. No one should be denied access due to geography or stigma,” said the Minister.

Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed called upon all to redouble their efforts for completely wiping out this virus from the region as J&K has minimal cases of this virus. He also spoke in length about the role of every individual in eradicating this virus from the society.

Earlier, in her welcome address, Deputy Director, JKACS, Dr. Monika Vali, spoke about the broader aspects of mobile ICTC Vans.

She further said that this initiative will also help in early detection of this virus among affected individuals aa well as strengthen prevention measures due to awareness.

On the occasion, the Minister was also briefed about the specialities of these mobile ICTC Vans. He was informed that these Vans are equipped with facilities for confidential counselling, blood sample collection, rapid testing and IEC (Information, Education and Communication) awareness campaigns.

It was also given out that these vans will be manned by trained healthcare professionals, ensuring both sensitivity and professionalism in every interaction.

SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a comprehensive review meeting to assess progress on various digital initiatives spearheaded by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) across the government departments.

The meeting, besides the Administrative Heads, was attended by DG, Planning; Commissioner, State Taxes; Director, Employment; MD, JKTDC; CEO, JaKeGA; IT professionals from BISAG-N and representatives from other departments.

The Chief Secretary took stock of the progress made on the development of every new initiative taken up with the BISAG-N, along with the dates for their rollout for public usage. He observed that such IT measures would make the lives of common citizens largely amenable.

Dulloo underscored the need for developing respective dashboards for people-centric interventions like Mission YUVA and the Sehat Mobile app simultaneously. This will help in having a peek into their uptake among the masses besides devising subsequent action plans as per the requirements on the ground.

He also accentuated the importance of linking the learning of skill development courses with U-Dise data so that the trajectory of every student is known for chiselling his/her career in a better shape.

The review highlighted significant advancements in e-governance, agricultural development, public services and infrastructure mapping, reaffirming J&K’s commitment towards digital transformation.

Earlier, the IT Secretary Piyush Singla gave a detailed overview of ongoing, completed and upcoming initiatives, outlining plans for collaboration with BISAG-N to drive project completion. He also detailed out the objectives that have to be achieved after the accomplishment of these projects.

Afterwards, the BISAG-N presented a detailed overview of its extensive portfolio of projects, emphasizing both the ongoing endeavours and new initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency and citizen-centric service delivery.

The major IT projects related to Revenue Department reviewed in the meeting included ongoing digitization of Revenue Maps (5670 villages completed), development of the Jamabandi portal, Mutation Register, Oracle Database Migration and a GIS portal for Ground Truthing (targeted for completion on June 30, 2025).

A key focus of the meeting was the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Emerging Technologies. This envisages the development of high-performance computing (GPUs), robotic kits, drone/UAV innovation capabilities and cloud infrastructure. The revised DPR has been submitted, and funding is being pursued from MeitY, J&K government and J&K Bank, the meeting was informed.

About JK Samadhan 2.0, it was informed that the progress is satisfactory, with the dashboard and heat map for the latter already developed. These systems empower the citizens to register and track their grievances efficiently.

The initiatives named Kisan Khidmat Ghar (KKG) and Daksh Kisan for the Agriculture Production Department are nearing completion.

KKG serves as a one-stop solution for the farmers, offering services like booking cold storage, custom hiring centres, expert video calls and access to farm inputs. Daksh Kisan provides a comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS) with over 121 certificate courses in multiple languages for farmers and agri-preneurs.

The core Mission Yuva app, a single platform for youth skill enhancement, job vacancies, entrepreneurship ideas and e-courses, was also said to be in the final phase of completion. The Yuva Baseline Survey, which collects data on entrepreneurs, is also finished, and its database has been shared with the government departments. Besides, work is in progress on the dashboard for all services, the capacity building module and the ONDC App.

With respect to the Sehat Mobile Application, it was given out that the same has been completed and is undergoing capacity building. The SEHAT App guides the patients on health facilities, services and opportunities for healthcare professionals, ensuring optimal resource utilisation.

Regarding the development of the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP), this app for the Agriculture Production Department was also said to be complete and under maintenance, which is going to allow the farmers to record and monitor farm output.

The PM-Gati Shakti State Master Plan platform, as disclosed in the meeting, aims at bringing together all departments for integrated planning of infrastructure and connectivity projects. The status was said to be complete and under maintenance across all departments.

The meeting also had discussions on a comprehensive mobile application for education stakeholders, an AI-based learning advisor, a teacher transfer portal and integrated litigation management services.

The Chief Secretary also reviewed progress on Jalshakti Mob app, Real time Mining Surveillance app, JKCIP portal, Chief Minister Assurances Monitoring Dashboard, J&K Tourism app, GIS based Land bank, Mission YUVA and ONDC Integration and many others relevant to different departments.

The Chief Secretary expressed satisfaction with the progress and reiterated the government’s commitment towards leveraging the technology for good governance and citizen welfare across the UT.

Assesses Muharram, Shri Amarnathji Yatra arrangements

SRINAGAR: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj, Javid Ahmad Dar, today conducted an extensive visit to Shia-dominated areas in Srinagar to review the arrangements being put in place for the peaceful and smooth conduct of Muharram processions.

Accompanied by MLA Lal Chowk, Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed and senior officers from various departments, Javid Dar visited several Imambaras including Balhama, Pandrethan and Guru Bazar.

The Minister emphasized the importance of close coordination among the departments to ensure that all arrangements are well in advance. He stressed the need for uninterrupted electricity and potable water supply, sanitation, medical facilities and effective traffic management.

The Minister also interacted with the caretakers, organizers and devotees, listening to their concerns and suggestions as well.

Javid Dar directed the officials to address the public grievances on priority to ensure a peaceful and comfortable experience for the devotees. He assured that the Omar Abdullah led government is committed towards facilitating peaceful and smooth conduct of religious events in the region.

The Minister also visited transit camp at Panthchowk, setup for the annual Shri Amarnathji Yatra, to review the boarding and lodging, sanitation and medical facilities put in place for the yatris.

The Minister’s visit aimed to ensure a peaceful and successful conduct of Muharram and Shri Amarnath Yatra while also addressing the needs and concerns of the local community.

SRINAGAR: With the annual Shri Amarnathji Yatra approaching, Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, today visited the Integrated Command & Control Center (ICCC) at HMT to assess the unctioning of the centre for hassle-free Yatra.

During the visit, he informed that all designated officials from the relevant departments were deployed to the ICCC urgently for round-the-clock functioning of the command centre and effective surveillance and dissemination of real-time information, especially in exigencies.

He emphasized the need for the operation of hunting line numbers to ensure that pilgrims have access to urgent assistance.

Div Com also called for the daily compilation of surveillance data and call logs reports.

Meanwhile, he also reviewed final arrangements in a meeting with officers to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the Yatra.

The meeting was attended by the Director of FCS&CA, Dr Owais Ahmad; the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Akshay Labroo; the Commissioner SMC, Faz Lul Haseeb; and representatives from various departments such as ULB, IMD, PHE, KPDCL, I&FC, PWD, R&B, SDRF, NDRF, Fire & Emergency, SRTC, and the Police.

In the meeting, Div Com assessed preparations across departments to ensure a seamless and spiritual experience for the yatries.

Director FCS&CA informed the meeting that sufficient quantities of essential supplies have been allocated for the Yatra camps, and this will be adjusted as per need as the Yatra progresses.

Chief Engineer KPDCL shared that all base camps have been equipped with electricity, and street lighting has been installed to eliminate dark areas. Additionally, officials from Jal Shakti confirmed that water connections have been installed at all camp areas and that all sanitary facilities have been linked to the water supply.

Div Com also reviewed fire safety protocols and issued a directive to the Fire & Emergency department to ensure accessibility to fire extinguishers.

The health department was instructed to ensure the installation of sufficient oxygen booths and other medical setups at the camps and enroute to the holy cave.

Regarding the registration of service providers and ponies, it was reported that over 23,000 service providers and 14,000 ponies have been registered to facilitate SANJY pilgrims.

SRINAGAR: The Committee on Public Undertakings of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly today held a review meeting at the Assembly Complex in Srinagar to examine audit paras related to the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC).

The meeting was presided over by Committee Chairman, Ali Mohammad Sagar and attended by members, including Saifullah Mir, Ali Mohammad Dar, Baldev Raj Sharma, Shakti Raj Parihar, Ranbir Singh Pathania, Showkat Hussain Ganai, Saif Ud Din Bhat and Tanvir Sadiq.

Secretary Legislative Assembly Manoj Kumar Pandita outlined the agenda.

The Chairman called for expediting all ongoing hydroelectric and power projects across Jammu and Kashmir, noting the Union Territory’s vast yet under-utilised potential for power generation. He stressed the need for timely completion and commissioning of projects to benefit the public.

The Chairman underlined the role of robust audits in ensuring transparency and accountability. He directed the officers to prepare and submit all relevant audit reports to the Committee for appropriate reply to the audit para’s.

He also instructed that the joint representation submitted by the employees of various PSUs be referred to the General Administration Department (GAD) for comments.

Highlighting the importance of efficient Public Sector Undertakings, the Chairman emphasised active cooperation from the members and the officials to strengthen the sector.

“It is the responsibility of this Committee to ensure people do not suffer due to delay in the execution and completion of projects. Instead responsibility shall be fixed on company or officers for making any kind of delay in the execution of the PDD projects in J&K,” said the Chairman.

During the session, Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, H. Rajesh Prasad, provided a detailed overview of the current power generation scenario in J&K. He informed the Committee that out of the identified 15,000 MW of hydropower potential, 3,500 MW has been harnessed so far.

The Committee emphasized the need for corporation-wise review meetings and reiterated their collective commitment towards improving the sector.

The members also shared suggestions and raised issues concerning the power sector.

Also present were the Principal Accountant General J&K; Director General, Accounts and Treasuries; Director General, Expenditure Finance Department; Managing Director, JKSPDC; Director Finance, PDD; CEO, JAKEDA and other concerned officials.

POONCH: Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, stressed the need for collective efforts to conserve water for present and future generations.

He was speaking during a meeting of officers held in Poonch, during which threadbare discussions were held on various agricultural schemes and related issues.

Rana emphasized the importance of studying successful water conservation models from other parts of the country that can be replicated in Jammu and Kashmir. “There is a need to recalibrate water policies and accelerate water conservation efforts to address the challenges faced by our region,” he said.

The Minister underscored the crucial role of local community involvement in water conservation, stating that locals, NGOs and other stakeholders should be engaged in promoting judicious use of water resources and implementing water-saving practices. He called upon the officers to raise awareness about rainwater harvesting, drip irrigation, irrigation scheduling and other conservation efforts in their respective areas.

The meeting also focused on assessing progress, addressing challenges and sharing best practices in water conservation and groundwater management.

Rana emphasized the government’s focus on revolutionising agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir, with an emphasis on enhancing farmers’ income, productivity and sustainability.

During the meeting, the Minister also outlined the efforts to improve and modernise the agricultural practices, increase productivity and benefit farmers in the Mendhar region.

Chief Agricultural Officer, Poonch, Jog Raj Salathia, briefed the Minister about the progress on the ongoing and upcoming agricultural schemes and initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture.

The meeting also addressed the challenges facing the field staff in implementing government schemes.

SRINAGAR, JUNE 24: In connection with the upcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra-2025, Deputy Commissioner (DC)Srinagar, Akshay Labroo, along with Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation(SMC), Faz Lul Haseeb, undertook a visit to Yatra Transit Camp, Pantha Chowk here on Tuesday.

The visit was focused on ensuring robust arrangements for the smooth and seamless conduct of the annual pilgrimage, set to commence on July 3, 2025.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Aadil Fareed, Joint Commissioner SMC, Nuzhat Khurshid, SDPO Panthachowk Zohaib & senior Officers of Police and District Administration Srinagar accompanied the DC during the visit

On the occasion, the DC reviewed the boarding, lodging, bedding, registration, sanitation, medical facilities at the Pantha Chowk Transit Camp, a halt site for pilgrims traveling to the Amarnathji cave. He also took stock of other amenities to ensure they meet the needs of the yatries.

During the visit, the DC issued directives to Officers to expedite preparations and ensure all arrangements are put in place well ahead of the Yatra-2025. Emphasizing pilgrim comfort, he stressed the need for seamless coordination among Departments to enhance services at the Camp. Special attention was laid on ensuring proper sanitation facilities, availability of clean drinking water, electricity and setting up of Langars(community kitchens) to provide nutritious meals and the and.

The DC & SMC Commissioner also inspected the readiness of Yatri Facilitation Center, which will handle critical services such as e-KYC verification, RFID card distribution, and registration to streamline the pilgrimage process.

During the visit, the DC was apprised that as many as 100 mobile bathrooms, 100 urinals, and 300 mobile toilets have been setup at the Transit Camp for the convenience of the yatries. He was also informed that besides a dedicated water supply to the camp, 72 thousand liter capacity of standby water storage tanks have also been installed to suffice the needs of the visiting pilgrims at the halt camp.

On the occasion, the DC directed all line Departments to ensure all arrangements and facilities are completed by June 28 to ensure smooth conduct of the annual Yatra for this year.

Later, the Deputy Commissioner, along with the Commissioner SMC, visited Yatra Bhawan adjacent to the Yatra Transit Camp and inspected the arrangements/facilities being put in place for the Shri Amarnathji Yatries.