Hajj flights from Srinagar are scheduled to commence from April 18 and continue till May 20, with a total of 4,704 pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir set to undertake the pilgrimage this year. Executive Officer of the Hajj Committee, Dr Shujat Ahmed, informed that that 3,990 pilgrims will depart via Srinagar embarkation, including 323 from Ladakh, while 1,000 pilgrims will travel through Delhi and 50 through Mumbai. He said the flights will operate for around 10–15 days from Srinagar, with schedules subject to adjustments due to operational requirements. Ahmed said new guidelines issued by Saudi authorities include stricter health screening,…
Author: KNO
Jammu and Kashmir’s premier tertiary care hospital, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, is grappling with an acute manpower crisis, with more than half of its sanctioned posts lying vacant, raising serious concerns over patient care and healthcare delivery in the Valley. According to details accessed, out of a total sanctioned strength of 2,262 posts at SKIMS Soura, only 1,040 employees are currently in position, while a staggering 1,222 posts remain vacant, reflecting a shortage exceeding 50 per cent. A further breakdown of the figures reveals that out of 250 sanctioned faculty positions, only 152 are filled, leaving 98…
Even though the State Election Commission has initiated the process of revising Panchayat electoral rolls, the chances of holding local body elections in the near future appear bleak. Sources said that the elected government is not keen on conducting Panchayat polls anytime soon. “There are no chances of the polls in the near future. The earliest window for any such exercise would be between September and December this year,” sources disclosed. A minister in the NC-led government, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the polls would be held at an appropriate time. “The matter has not been discussed yet,” he…
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are likely to face nearly eight percent power deficit against the total availability during the peak hours in the ongoing month of April. According to the official documents, Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC) has anticipated a power deficit of minus 7.7 percent during the peak hours for the month of April-2026. The officials have projected that there will be a total of 2880 Megawatts (MWs) power availability in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh against the total anticipated requirement of 3119 MWs during the peak hours. It also said that there will be surplus power of…
Dal Lake has lost more than 10 per cent of its open water area over the past decade, with a government audit flagging encroachments, untreated sewage and weak monitoring as key factors behind its ecological decline. According to a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the lake’s open water spread reduced from 15.40 square kilometres in 2007 to 12.91 square kilometres in 2020, marking a decline of 10.15 per cent. The audit noted that the shrinking water area coincided with an increase in human activity within and around the lake. Floating gardens expanded significantly, while areas…
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that Pakistan played an important role in the Iran–Israel–US ceasefire, helping bring the conflict to a halt in a short time. Speaking at a party convention at Kulgam Mini Stadium, Mehbooba, said the ceasefire remains fragile. “The ceasefire is like ice, it can break at any moment. It is difficult for many of us to even mention Pakistan, but it played a crucial role in securing a ceasefire between Iran and the US, helping prevent large-scale devastation. However, I am uncertain how long this ceasefire will hold, as Israel may…
The number of houseboats operating in the Jhelum river and its connected channels has dropped drastically over the years from over 200 earlier to just around 60–70 at present, raising concerns over the survival of the traditional sector. Chairman of the Houseboat Owners Association (HBOA), Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon said that the decline translates into a loss of more than 130 houseboats over time. This data, he said, excludes Dal Lake and includes Jhelum, Tschooni Koul and areas near Dal Gate. Providing further details, Pakhtoon said the Tschooni Koul stretch alone once had around 100–150 houseboats, but the number has now…
The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) Compliance Audit of revenue receipts and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in Jammu and Kashmir has flagged deep-rooted systemic failures in financial oversight, exposing significant revenue leakages, weak enforcement under GST, and serious irregularities in public sector operations. The report, points to a doubtful recovery of ₹104.51 crore, wrongful disbursal of ₹59.21 crore, and blocking of ₹85.75 crore in funds. It also highlights a five-year delay in the implementation of GST scrutiny mechanisms and extremely low compliance in the submission of PSU accounts, raising serious concerns over transparency and fiscal accountability in the Union Territory.…
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has reported that 315 lakes in Jammu and Kashmir have disappeared since 1967, indicating a decline in water bodies across the region. According to the CAG report, 697 lakes were recorded in 1967, of which 315 are no longer traceable. These covered over 1,500 hectares. The report, which reviewed lake management between 2017-18 and 2021-22, also noted that 203 lakes have reduced in size, losing more than 1,300 hectares of area. In total, 518 lakes have recorded a decline in water spread, affecting the extent of these water bodies and associated systems. The…
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said that funds under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Castes (SC) are being disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), with release of central share linked to data submission by States and Union Territories on the National Scholarship Portal. As per official figures accessed, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a decline in central assistance and the number of beneficiaries under the SC Post-Matric Scholarship scheme over the past three financial years. The UT received ₹5.43 crore in 2022-23, benefiting 10,097 students, ₹4.68 crore in 2023-24, benefiting 7,370 students, and ₹4.09 crore in 2024-25,…