Cultural Academy
Wednesday, 22 February 2012

NC nominates Taing for LC Deputy Chairman post

CM calls coalition partners meeting

Jammu, Feb 22 (KNS): Ruling National Conference Wednesday nominated its MLC Mohammad Yousuf Taing for the post of deputy chairman Legislative Council. The elections for the posts of chairman and deputy chairman would be held on February 24.Coalition partner of the NC, Congress has already nominated its candidates Amrit Malhotra for the chairman’s post. The Council has 27 members at present.Taing’s nomination was announced by Dr Farooq Abdullah during the party legislature meeting in Jammu and later Chief Minister Omar Abdullah confirmed it in Civil Secretariat.Talking to KNS Taing confirmed he has been nominated. “I have 11 years of experience as MLC and I will try my best to run the House in accordance with the constitution,” he said.“I am hopeful all the members will cooperate with me in running the business of the House smoothly,” he added. Read more...

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Hurriyat (M) leaders call on Iranian Ambassador in Delhi

Srinagar, Feb 22 (KNS): A high level delegation of Hurriyat Conference (M) led by its chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has started its campaign in New Delhi to aware world diplomats about the happenings in Kashmir.Sources told KNS in the first meeting the delegation called on Iran Ambassador in New Delhi, Dr S Mehdi Nabi and held a detailed discussion with him. “The Hurriyat leaders thanked Iran for their support to Kashmir. They urged Iran to use its good offices for the settlement of Kashmir issue,” sources added.The Hurriyat delegation besides Mirwaiz comprises of Shabir Ahmad Shah and Agha Syed Hassan Almosvi. Sources said that in coming days Hurriyat leaders will meet diplomats of several countries and brief them about the latest political developments in Jammu and Kashmir.



Wednesday, 22 February 2012

MOS Home calls on Governor

Jammu, Feb 22 (KNS): Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani called on Governor, N N Vohra at Raj Bhavan here today.During the meeting, Wani briefed the Governor about the management of varied internal security issues in the State. He also informed the Governor about certain matters relating to the upcoming Session of the State Legislature.


Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Omar lauds Taing’s contribution to literature, politics

Releases Sheeraza Special Number on the litterateur

Jammu, Feb 22 (KNS): Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today lauded the contribution of noted, writer and critic Mohammad Yusuf Taing in the field of art and literature describing him as an important pillar of the literary field.Releasing the Special Number of Sheeraza on the life and achievements of Taing, Omar Abdullah said that he held the fort with all his enthusiasm and dedication and continues to do so even now despite being involved actively in public life and politics. He said Taing continued to nurture the writer within him even after he joined politics and maintained the fine balance between politics and intellectual role.The Chief Minister said that Taing will be remembered among great luminaries of art and literature in the country. He expressed the hope that Mohammad Yusuf Taing’s literary contribution would be recognized at the national level during his life time. He said Taing did not only perform well in his literary ventures but equally made a mark on the political turf as well. He said Taing worked as a father figure in the Upper House and it would be fruitful to take benefit of his experiences and observations. Read more...

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Mir chairs 60th JK AIDCL  BoD meeting

‘Expand business activities, extend marketing opportunities to farmers’

Jammu, Feb 22 (KNS): Minister for Agriculture, Ghulam Hassan Mir, has stressed upon the Jammu & Kashmir State Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd. (JK AIDCL) to expand its business activities by way of providing marketing opportunities to the farm products.The Minister was speaking at the 60th Board of Directors Meeting of the Corporation here this morning.Principal Secretary Finance, M I Khanday, Commissioner secretary Agriculture production, Navin Chowdhary, Director Agriculture Jammu, Ajay Khajuria, Director Agriculture Kashmir and MD J K AIDCL, Dr Farooq Ahmad Lone, Director Animal Husbandry Jammu, S L Tikoo, Director Animal Husbandry Kashmir, Dr Farooq Ahmad Kaloo, Chief Manager NABARD SC Rabra and representatives of Horticulture, Planning, and Industries and Commerce were present in the BODs meeting.The Minister said that the prime objective of the corporation is to attain profitability in its business activities   besides to provide an opportunity to the farmers to market their products and help them to strengthen their economic status. Read more...

Tuesday, 21 February 2012

JKPA delegation concludes Delhi tour

Discuss problems of journalist fraternity with politicians, bureaucrats

Srinagar, Feb 21 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Press Association delegation concluded its eight day tour of New Delhi where they discussed the problems faced by journalist fraternity in the state with national leaders and bureaucrats.The 14-member JKPA team led by its president, Ghulam Hassan Kaloo met senior Congress leader and Sonia Gandhi’s Political Secretary, Ahmad Patel, Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ambika Soni, senior Congress leader, Makhan Lal Fotedar, Joint Secretary (Kashmir) in Union Home Ministry, K Sakandan, Press Council of India chairman, Justice (R) Markanday Katju, All India Journalist Forum vice president and former president of Minority Commission of India.The JKPA spokesman, Fayaz Wani, who was part of the delegation, told KNS that they briefed the national leaders about the problems faced by the journalist fraternity in the state.“We presented a memorandum to Ambika Soni in which we urged that newspapers should be given status of small industry to create employment opportunities. The delegation also raised the issue of stopping of DAVP ads to Valley based newspapers including Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma and Etalaat with the minister,” Wani told KNS.


Wednesday, 22 February 2012

PDP Legislature Party Meeting

Party to finalise its strategy for the session

Srinagar, Feb 22 (KNS): Ahead of Budget Session of the Assembly, opposition Peoples Democratic Party has called party legislature meeting at the residence of the party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Jammu on Wednesday evening.Sources told KNS that PDP will finalize its strategy for the session in the meeting. “Lack of good governance, the issue of the death of National Conference senior worker Haji Yousuf Shah, corruption, AFSPA and the copying scam involving Minister of Public Enterprises, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed will be the main front of the attack from the PDP,” they added.Talking to KNS PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti said, “The CM says that opposition won’t allow running the House smoothly. How does he (CM) know it in advance? He knows he has committed wrongs and will be held accountable.”There is total lawlessness in Jammu and Kashmir at the moment and corruption has reached its zenith, while the administration is in deep slumber,” she added.


Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Soz for releasing Mehjoor’s commemorative stamp in Srinagar

Srinagar, Feb 22 (KNS): State Congress President and MP, Prof Saifuddin Soz has requested Union Human Resources Development Minister and philately division Department of Posts that the commemorative stamp of Peerzada Gulam Ahmad Mehjoor be released in Srinagar“It will be heartening to the people of Jammu & Kashmir particularly to the people of the Kashmir and Mehjoor lovers that the Govt. of India have accepted my proposal and decided to release commemorative stamp on Mehjoor. The GoI’s decision was conveyed to me recently and the commemorative stamp will be released any time during 2012,” Soz said in a statement.“It will be recalled that I had made special mention on Shair-i-Kashmir Mehjoor in the Rajya Sabha during the last session and, thereafter, I had discussed this matter thoroughly with Shri Kapil Sibbal Hon’ble Union Minister of HRD who had lent support to my proposal,” he added.


Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Avalanche warning

Srinagar, Feb 22 (KNS): On the basis of advisory issued by SASE, the Divisional Disaster Management Authority has issued medium danger avalanche warning for Keran, Machil, Chowkibal, Tangdhar, Gurez and Sonamarg areas for the next 24 hours.People living in these snowbound areas have been advised not to go near steep slopes and to take precautions.


Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Shri Amarnathji Yatra: 2012

BABA Yatri Niyas delegation meets Governor

Jammu, Feb 22 (KNS): A delegation of the Baba Amarnath and Buda Amarnath Yatri Niyas, Jammu, met N N Vohra, Governor, at Raj Bhavan, here today and presented to him two memoranda of their recommendations relating to this year’s Yatra schedule and the upgradation of various Yatra facilities.The delegation particularly discussed with the Governor the approach being considered for prescribing this year’s Yatra schedule. In this context, the CEO informed the meeting about the several rounds of the discussions undertaken by the Board’s sub-Committee which was set up last year under the chairmanship of H. H. Sri Sri Ravishankarji, following an agreement with the BABA Yatri Niyas. The Governor stated that the Board is scheduled to consider the recommendations of the sub-Committee on 24th February in its meeting at Delhi. He observed that the Board would continue to make efforts for the early commencement of Yatra, while keeping all viability aspects in view. Read more...

Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Mehbooba condemns civilian killings, attack

Jammu, Feb 21 (KNS): Strongly condemning the stepped up attacks by ‘unidentified’ gunmen on civilians, People's Democratic Party (PDP) today said the phenomenon seemed to be a permanent accomplice of the National Conference. “Whenever NC comes to power the unidentified gunman is not far behind,” Mehbooba said in a statement. She said unexplained killings have become a hallmark of NC regimes since 1996.Referring to the brutal killing of a youth Omar Rasool Kaboo in Sopore Mehbooba expressed deep grief at the loss of another young man at the hands of unidentified gunman. She said the killing came after a series of similar incidents and the outrage of the town was understandable. Read more...

Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Dudha condemns civilian killings

‘It can snowball into uncontrollable situation’

Srinagar, Feb 21 (KNS): Political Secretary of Peoples Democratic Front (DPF) Shiban Dudha, Tuesday expressed sympathies with the families and dear ones of all those who fell to the bullets of assassins in the recent past.“Innocent people are being mercilessly killed at will of the killers and without any fear of law. Not a single such incident has been solved and network cracked due to which people in Kashmir are losing faith in administration,” Dudha said in a statement.The PDF leader demanded that guilty must be dealt with severely and immediately brought to justice.“Killing of Umar Rasool Kaboo of Aramwari is the latest incident. Such shameful incidents are happening almost every day in North, South and Central Kashmir and these have the potential of snowballing into eventual unabated and uncontrollable situation,” he said,Dudha regretted that that when State is equipped with heavy intelligence paraphernalia from different sources, “occurrence of such repeated events is a matter of great concern as it shakes the confidence of civilians in administration.”He said utter silence from administration further rubs salt to the injuries.