SRINAGAR: Weather department on Sunday forecast fairly widespread light snow on February 6 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Quoting a meteorological department official news agency GNS reported that partly cloudy weather was expected on February 7-8. “Light to moderate snow/rain was expected at many places during February 9 (night) -11th,” the official said.
Meanwhile amid cloud cover, the minimum temperature saw further increase except at a few places with Srinagar recording a low of 1.8°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 2.2°C for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus o.4°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night and it was 1.1°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 5.4°C against minus 0.9°C on the previous night and it was 0.8°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.0°C against minus 1.8°C on the previous night and it was 2.0°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.4°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night and it was 0.3°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 2.9°C against minus 1.8°C on the previous night and it was 4.9°C above normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 8.3°C against 8.9°C °C on the previous night. It was 1.2°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 2.2°C (above normal by 1.2°C), Batote 3.8°C (above normal by 1.6°C), Katra 9.1°C (1.7°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 2.2°C (2.5°C above normal).
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 10.8°C and minus 15.4°C respectively, the official said. While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 has ended, Kashmir is under the grip of a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’. It will be followed by a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
Hyderabad: The state government will be presenting the Budget for the financial year 2023-24 on February 6, as per the decision made in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held on Friday.
While the Assembly is closed on February 7, the discussions on the Budget and other bills will be held on February 8.
The BAC, under the chairmanship of Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, met on Assembly premises after the Governor’s address. and decided that T Harish Rao will present the budget.
Legislative affairs minister V Prashant Reddy, finance minister T Harish Rao, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others attended the meeting.
Discussion on the Motion of Thanks for the Governor’s address will be taken up in the Assembly on February 4. There will be no sitting on February 5 and 7. Harish Rao will present the budget on Monday. Discussion on the Budget will be held on February 8.
Congress MLA Batti Vikramarka reportedly requested the Speaker, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, to conduct the Assembly sessions for another 25 days saying that there are many public issues to be discussed in the House.
However, Vemula Prashanth Reddy gently refused the proposal and said that the decision will be taken based on the issues and the Bills.
The leader further said that a discussion on the Budget should be held for six and 18 days on the demands adding, that there should be a discussion on unemployment and public issues in the Assembly.
AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi also raised a request for short discussions on 25 issues and more than 20 working days in the current Assembly session.
The short discussions should be on minorities’ welfare, developmental activities in the Old City, protection of Waqf lands in the state, scholarships for SCs, STs, BCs and minorities and EBCs, construction of new towers in Osmania General Hospital, implementation of the unemployment allowance to youth, reduction, and non-release of funds by the Union government to Telangana for NREGS works and funds to the gram panchayats and urban local bodies under 15th Finance Commission grants and others, Oawaisi added.
Riyadh: The highly anticipated fight between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury has been officially announced on February 26 in Saudi Arabia.
This will be the first time that YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul and Tommy Fury, half-brother of two-time world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury,will fight in Saudi Arabia.
The details were made official by Jake Paul on Friday, January 27, via Instagram.
After multiple failed attempts to get Tommy Fury in the ring, the moment of truth has finally arrived.
Fumbles has no excuses now. Baby is born. Money is massive. Immigration is not an issue. Sunday February 26, Paul vs Fury is live on ESPN+ PPV in the US and BT Sport Box Office in the UK.
Tyson Fury has promised he and Papa John will make Tommy retire from boxing and change his last name forever if he can’t beat the YouTuber. Saturday (tomorrow) I’m coming to London to look at all three Fury’s in the eye and shake on that promise.
Alhamdulillah! @mostvaluablepromotions
The two arch-rivals boxers have seen scheduled encounters fall out twice, but are finally ready to go head-to-head after the two camps fell to a grudge match in Riyadh.
Paul (6–0) and Fury (8–0) were scheduled to face each other for the first time in December 2021, but Fury pulled out due to a medical issue. The match was then rescheduled for August 2022 in New York. However, the British boxer ran into visa problems while trying to enter the United States.
The Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury match will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It will air on ESPN+ PPV and BT Sport Box Office. Boxing fans can also watch the fight via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.
According to what Most Valuable Promotions posted on Twitter, the match will be held in Diriyah as part of Diriyah Season activities. Unfortunately, more details, such as ticket prices, exact location and time, have not yet been revealed.
Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury is official. The Truth wil be revealed and the talk is over on Sunday, February 26.
From Riyadh, Saudi Arabia live on ESPN+ PPV in the US and BT Sport Box Office in the UK.
SRINAGAR: Mainly dry and foggy weather was expected till February 4 and light rain and snowfall thereafter for one week in Jammu and Kashmir, meteorological department (MeT) said on Tuesday.
However, the weather department has ruled out the possibility of any major snowfall in the next ten days.
“From February 1 to 4, mainly dry weather is expected but fog is likely to develop in Jammu & Kashmir (60% chance),” said a MeT official, as reported by GNS.
For the subsequent one week, he said, light rain and snowfall is expected at isolated places.
“There is no major snowfall for the next 10 days,” he said.
In last 24 till 0830 hours today, the MeT department official said that Srinagar received 6.29 inches of snow, Qazigund 9.8 inches, Pahalgam 10.56 inches, Kupwara 7.87 inches, Kokernag 7.1 inches and Gulmarg 19.7 inches, Banihal 1.37 inches, Batote 0.4 inches and Bhaderwah 0.8 inches.
Regarding minimum temperature, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 0.0°C against minus 0.2°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 0.7°C for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against minus 0.1°C on the previous night and it was 1.7°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 4.7°C against minus 1.4°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.8°C, the same as on the previous night and it was 1.6°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.4°C against minus 4.6°C on the previous night and it was 0.8°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at minus 0.8°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night and it was above 1.5°C above normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu received 26.6mm of rain during the 24 hours and recorded a low of 7.1°C against 10.4°C on the previous night. It was 1.3°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal, he said, had 39.8mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of minus 0.4°C (below normal by 1.2°C); Batote 52.1mm of rain and recorded a low of minus 0.5°C (below normal by 2.6°C); Katra received 49.4mm of rain and recorded a low of 6.1°C (0.9°C below normal) while Bhadarwah received 27.8mm of rain during the time and recorded minimum temperature of 0.2°C (0.8°C above normal).
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 8.0°C and minus 10.2°C respectively, the official said.
With the end of harshest Chillai-Kalan on Monday, Kashmir is under the grip of 20-day-long winter period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’.
Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha addressed the Republic Day gathering in Jammu in 2023.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said that every drop of blood and tears that were shed in Jammu and Kashmir due to the killings of innocents at the behest of the “neighbouring” country will be avenged. Highlighting the interventions aimed at getting Jammu and Kashmir back on the rails of peace and progress, Sinha said there are sustained efforts of the security grid to eradicate militancy. “I want to tell those involved in the barbaric killings of innocents at the behest of the neighbouring country that we will avenge every drop of blood and tears”, Sinha said. “Today, I bow to the brave soldiers of Jammu and Kashmir police, army and central security forces, who displayed unmatched heroism and the spirit of sacrifice in defending the motherland.” In 2022, the security grid killed 180 militants as the year witnessed a 55 per cent fall in civilian killings and a 58 per cent reduction in the killing of security forces. He said the security grid has been strengthened.
Jammu and Kashmir Police have constituted a 20-member Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) that will be headed by an SSP rank officer and will have six DySPs, six inspectors, six head constables and a follower.
POONCH
Army imparting training to Village Defence Committee (VDC) members on weapon handling, cleaning, musketry, firing and weapon maintenance drills at Mendhar (Poonch). Pic: PRO defence Jammu
In the first post-reorganisation of VDC, a young housewife in Surankote was killed by her husband when the latter was playing with the rifle of a VDC member, a relative. Police arrested the man, seized the weapon and are investigating if it was an accident or a deliberate one. The deceased was identified as Rubina Kouser, 30. Her husband, now in detention for the killing, was identified as Nassar Ahmad son of Nazir Hussain of Upper Murrah in Surankote. The rifle belonged to a VDC member. Meanwhile, the High Court has declined to stay the government order of August 14, 2022, that accorded sanction to the creation of the Village Defence Guards Scheme (VDGS) 2022. The court of Justice Rahul Bharti was hearing a plea filed by 619 Village Defence Guards (VDGs) and Special Police Officers (SPOs) seeking direction to the Government not to change the status of VDC SPOs. The 2022 order superseded September 30, 1995, which created the extra-constitutional VDC network.
2022 witnessed 1.8 crore tourist arrivals in Jammu and Kashmir including pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine.
CHENNAI
Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha attends Vitasta Festival at Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai on January 28, 2023. Image DIPR
Ministry of Culture is organising a festival Vitasta – the ever-flowing legacy of Kashmir in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Jammu and Kashmir. The first edition of the festival will be held from January 27 to 30, at Kalakshetra, and on January 29, at Dakshina Chitra. It will have a choreographed dance presentation of the Kashmiri folk dance forms, a folk symphony with Kashmiri folk musical instruments, a unique presentation of two folk theatre forms – Bhand Pather of Kashmir and Therukoothu of Tamil Nadu, a recital by Santoor player music composer and conductor, Abhay Rustum Sopori, Kashmiri Sufi Band by Aabha Hanjura, Kashmiri cuisine fair, crafts fair with the handicrafts, needlework and weaves of Kashmir, workshops on pashmina wool weaving and papier mâché, seminars related to the Vitasta river and Kashmir including the impact of Buddhism and Shaivism, art camp for artists, an art competition for schoolchildren, a play, photography exhibition, Sharada Stotram by the students of Kalakshetra, a production on national integration based on a literary work by Subramania Bharathi by the students of Kalakshetra, and villu pattu on Vitasta.
32000 students from across India study in Jammu and Kashmir, according to Home Minister Amit Shah.
LADAKH
LAB, KDA hold protest in Jammu on Sunday, January 16, 2022
China is reported to have blocked access to the Indian Army at 26 patrolling points along the Line of Actual Control (LoAC) in eastern Ladakh, resulting in the denial to use huge swatches of grazing land to the local herdsmen. A Leh Police reports suggest that there are a total of 65 PPs (patrolling points) starting from Karakoram Pass to Chumur which were routinely being patrolled by the army. These points were openings towards high-altitude meadows as well. The access has been denied by the Chinese Army under the land grabbing inch by inch, which is called salami slicing, the report authored by OPS officer PD Nitya has said. The officer submitted its report to the just concluded annual conference of DGPs and IGPs held in Delhi. “Out of 65 PPs, our presence is lost in 26 PPs (i.e. PP no. 5-17, 24-32, 37), due to restrictive or no patrolling by the security forces,” the paper added. Though the government has not formally reacted to the findings, informal sources have denied the status quo. The anonymous said the herders have been restricted by the army itself.
Meanwhile, in an unlinked development, reports suggest that the MHA will resume talks with the protesting political leadership of the region seeking assurance for full statehood, and protection of the region’s identity under the Sixth Schedule and jobs. Region’s leaders have boycotted a High Power Committee that MHA constituted and protested in Ladakh and then in Jammu. Now, the regional leaders have written a joint letter to Amit Shah suggesting that to begin with, dialogue should be initiated with two representatives each of LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) with the provision of wider participation as it makes headway.
Jammu and Kashmir Bank netted Rs 311.59 crore profit in Q3, ending December 2022, taking the 9-month profit to Rs 721.05 crore in fiscal 2022.
SRINAGAR
Co-founders of a logistics company, FastBeetle, Abid Rashid (L) and Sheikh Samiullah (R). They got an institutional investment of 100 thousand dollars after their less than 2-year start-up was evaluated as worth a million-dollar company.
Srinagar-based e-commerce start-up, Fast Beetle succeeded in raising Rs 90 lakh by diluting its shareholding by 7.5 per cent to two shark investors, Piyush Bhansal and Aman Gupta. The development took place at the business reality show, Shark Tank India. Investors were impressed by the story of start-up promoters Sheikh Samiullah and Abid Rashid, who in 2019 started a logistics company that delivers parcels to buyers. This is the second time that the company succeeded in raising money from the highly competitive open market. In 2021, they had raised almost one crier from a group of venture capital investors. Now the two co-founders retain 76 per cent of their company’s equity.
Jammu and Kashmir’s government has launched an Rs 879.75-crore Food Processing Programme for the Development of Clusters for Specific Products to maximise farmer income and minimise post-harvest losses.
DELHI
Kashmir’s last Santoor maker Ghulam Mohammad Zaz was among three eminent persons from erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir who were awarded Padma Shri this year. Others are litterateur Mohan Singh (Jammu) and Ladakh’s religious personality Kushok Thisksey Nawang Chamba Stanzin. Zaz is the eighth-generation Santoor maker and lives in Srinagar’s Zaina Kadal. “The legacy will end with me,” he regrets. Santoor is a trapezoid-shaped instrument with 87 strings and 28 bridges. Traditional Kashmiri Santoor, however, has 100 strings. For use in Indian Classical Music, the number of strings is reduced. Zaz is survived by his wife and three daughters. Normally the instrument made with almond wood is considered better.
URI
JK LG Manoj Sinha with the family of Mudasir A Sheikh, an SPO, who was killed in an encounter in Kreeri on May 25. Sinha visited the family in Uri on May 28, 2022.
Mudasir Ahmad, 32, a Jammu and Kashmir Policeman who was slain in a counterinsurgency operation was awarded Shaurya Chakra posthumously. He was killed in an encounter in Najibhat Kreeri (Baramulla) on May 25, 2022. Three foreign militants were also killed in the encounter that was mounted by police, the army and CRPF. On October 5, 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah visited Sheikh’s family and paid respects at his grave barefoot. He has worked undercover earlier, reports in the media suggest. Mudasir is survived by his father Maqsood Sheikh, a retired sub-inspector, mother Shameema Begum, two sisters, and three brothers. Sheikh was hired as SPO after his father’s retirement and on basis of his extraordinary services with SOG, he was formally adjusted into police. He was a daredevil police official.
SRINAGAR
After formally and informally identifying the encroachment on the state land basket, the authorities have started demolitions in certain cases, In a high-voltage operation, the Budgam district administration demolished the outer wall of National Conference (NC) leader Ali Muhammad Sagar’s security detail near his Humhama house. The government had raised a plank suggesting the piece of land had been encroached upon by the politician. Officials said they demolished the outer wall, the main gate and the entry of the guardroom. Official records said the Saleema, wife of Sagar is the owner of land measuring 3 kanal 18 marlas. However, the family had allegedly encroached upon 2 kanals of state land on which a building had been raised.
DODA
Mubeen Fatima was a mother when she enrolled for MSc Botany and soon she fell apart from her husband. She is now a JKAS officer.
Marriage, after all, is a social contract with a lot of emotional, moral, ethical and economic equity. Sometimes it does not succeed. Instead of staying in a bad relationship, it is better to move out formally and rediscover life. That is what Mubeen Fatima did. Daughter of Abdul Sattar of Upper Thathar, Bantalab, the mother of a young daughter, put in her efforts and made it to Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS), with a rank of 154. She graduated in 2018 and was a mother in the same year. As she joined for her masters in Botanay, she was divorced by her husband – conveyed the same digitally. She was declared MSc Botany in 2020 and soon she started preparing for JKAS. On the first attempt, she made it.
ZEWAN
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha with Kashmiri Pandits after he laid foundation stone of Transit Accommodation for PM Package Employees at Zewan on Friday January 20, 2022
The Zewan locality on the borders of the Srinagar and Pulwama districts will have a series of towers that will house a Kashmiri Pandit township. LG Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone last week for 936 flats. These are for the employees who will be posted in Kashmir. In comparison, it is a better-secured locality. LG said by December 2023, 1200 flats will be ready for the Pandit employees who were appointed under a special package of the Prime Minister.
JAMMU
Kanak Mandi Jammu.
Finally, the government has decided to collect Property Tax in Jammu and Kashmir and it will start with commercial establishments. Officials said collection of this tax is linked to the devolution of various grants to Jammu and Kashmir. Slabs for the imposition of the tax are reportedly being worked out. For the time being, it will not be collected from residential establishments.
SRINAGAR
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on one of his initial visits to SKIMS after the institute started functioning. Sheikh was the Chief Minister.
A young SKIMS doctor survived an electric shock while performing on a cardiac patient in the operation theatre. Reports suggest that when he started the procedure, he got an electric shock, following which he collapsed on the ground and was admitted. He has suffered injuries on his hand and fingers. After the shocking incident, SKIMS management started an audit at key spots in the hospital.
Hyderabad: The Budget Session of the Telangana Legislative Assembly will begin from February 3, a senior legislature official has said.
The session of both the Assembly and the Council will commence at 12.10 pm on Friday, the Legislature Secretary V Narasimha Charyulu said.
“The Fourth Meeting of the Eighth Session of Second Telangana Legislative Assembly will commence at 12.10 PM on Friday, the 3rd February 2023,” he said yesterday.
Final touches to the state budget estimates will be given after the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1, he said.
It would be the last Budget session for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, as the state assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year.
Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Revanth Reddy announced that the statewide Hath Se Hath Jodo Yatra will start on February 6.
Speaking to mediapersons on Saturday he said the yatra will last for 60 days, starting from Bhadrachalam or Mahbubnagar or Adilabad.
He said that the initial date was to start the yatra on January 26, the day when Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra will come to an end. However, citing security issues, the date was postponed.
He also blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir to create obstacles for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
While the Union Budget is scheduled to be presented on February 1, the Assembly sessions on February 3 and the state budget on February 5, the Hath Se Hath Jodo yatra will commence on February 6, Revanth sad.
On January 26, the national flag along with the party flag will be unveiled in all villages, Mandals and district headquarters across the state.
“Observers will be appointed to coordinate the yatra. We will replace those who are not working responsibly and hand over the responsibilities to new ones. Action will also be taken against those who do not participate in the yatra,” Revanth remarked.
Dalitha-Girijana Atmagaurava Dandora meet on Jan 22
Revanth Reddy said the Dalitha Girijana Atmagaurava Sabha will be held on January 22 in view of a recent case filed against Nagam Janardhan Reddy falsely implicating that he humiliated a woman sarpanch.
“Even after the female sarpanch gave a statement to the deputy inspector general of police (DIG) that no humiliation was caused by Reddy, the government did not apologise for its mistake. Inthe meeting, all key leaders along with in-charge Manik Rao Thackeray will attend the meeting,” Revanth said.
