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Srinagar: As many as six elected representatives of various Panchayati Raj bodies have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir by militants, Government of India informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Replying to a written query by one parliamentarian Sougata Ray, the minister of Panchayati Raj

Narendra Singh Tomar said that as reported by the Government of J&K, 6 elected representatives of various Panchayati Raj bodies have been killed by militants.

As regards security, the minister, as per GNS, said that the Government of J&K has reported that the administration has, in coordination with the security agencies, taken requisite steps to provide a secure environment to the elected representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, which includes provision of individual security based on vulnerability to threat, security during tours by these representatives. “They are also accommodated at various cluster locations within respective district headquarters,” the minister added. (GNS)

Srinagar: The Government of India on Tuesday said that after constitutional changes and reorganization of the erstwhile State, the UTs have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation.

Responding to questions from Asaduddin Owaisi and Syed Imtiaz Jaleel, Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said that after the constitutional changes and reorganization of the erstwhile State of Jammu-Kashmir, the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation. “As a result, all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and benefits of all the Central Laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country are now available to the people of Jammu-Kashmir.

The change has brought about socio-economic development in both the new UT’s i.e. UT of Jammu-Kashmir and the UT of Ladakh,” he said in the reply as per GNS, adding, “Empowerment of people, removal of unjust Laws, bringing in equity and fairness to those discriminated since ages who are now getting their due along with comprehensive development are few of the important changes that are ushering both the new Union Territories towards the path of peace and progress.”

He said that no political leader is under house arrest in the J&K.

“Besides regular flow of funds under various schemes by different ministries of the Government of India, an amount of Rs. 30,757 crore has been allocated in the Financial Year 2020-21,” he said, adding, “Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package announced in 2015 for the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, Rs 80,068 Crs continue to be spent for 63 major development projects (54 in the UT of J&K and 9 in the UT of Ladakh) in Road, Power, Health, Tourism, Agriculture, Horticulture, Skill Development sectors etc.”

Under the package, he said, the Govt. of India had approved creation of 3,000 additional State Government jobs for the Kashmiri migrants at a cost of Rs. 1,080 crore, which was in addition to 3000 jobs for the migrants, created under the PMRP-2008. Under the HIMAYAT scheme, 15,142 canditates have been imparted job oriented training in ITeS, Sales and Customer service, Hospitality etc.

“Till 31st July, 2020, 6763 youths are undergoing training and 6556 youths have got employment. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana has also been targeting the youth for training in Agriculture, Automotive, Banking and Financial services, Apparel, Make up & Home furnishing, Beauty and wellness, Construction etc.”

Further, he said, all the flagship schemes of the Government of India, including various centrally sponsored schemes and the individual beneficiary centric schemes, are also being proactively implemented in both UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh. (GNS)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 19 COVID-19 related deaths in last 24-hours, taking its fatality count to 916.

Official sources told GNS that while 14 of the casualties were reported from Jammu, five were from Kashmir Valley.

The deaths from Valley, they said, include a 60-year-old woman from Kangan Ganderbal , a 70-year-old woman from Bohri Kadal Srinagar, a 52-year-old woman from Tangdar Kupwara, a 65-year-old from HMT Srinagar and a 55-year-old from Hawal Srinagar.

Two among the 14 persons from Jammu division died in Srinagar hospitals and includes a 68-year-old from Banihal who succumbed at CD hospital, a day after he was admitted in one of the exclusive facilities for the management of covid-19 patients.

The another victim, a 45-year-old man from Batawote Ramban died at SKIMS Soura where he was admitted on August 8 as a case of Diagnosis a case of “CA Oesophagus with Metastasis with Severe Covid Pneumonia with encephalopathy with sepsis with shock.”

The fatalities from Jammu division includes an 82-year-old man and a 52-year-old man from Nanak Nagar besides 5 other victims from winter capital of J&K as well as two persons each from Udhampur and Doda and one from Kathua. With these deaths, the death count has reached 916 in J&K. (GNS)

Rajouri: Three soldiers including an army major were injured as India and Pakistan troops exchanged fire along the Line of Control in Rajouri district.

Official sources told GNS that three soldiers of 17 Madras were injured after Pakistani army fired at them in “violation of the ceasefire agreement” in Nowshera sector.

The injured have been identified as Major Kambley, Havildar Mahender and Rifleman A Thomas.

Major and the havildar have been shifted to Military Hospital Akhnoor for further treatment while other has been admitted locally, they said. Confirming it, officials said army has given a “befitting” reply to the firing. (GNS)

PTI

Jammu: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday foiled a major infiltration bid by five heavily-armed militants along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The militants fled back to the Pakistani side after being confronted by the border guarding force, the spokesman said.

He said a strong protest note is being lodged with the Pakistan Rangers for helping the infiltrating militants.

The spokesperson said alert troops observed movement of militants on the Pakistani side in Samba sector during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

“Their movement was tracked by BSF troops and at about 0030 hours, the group was seen close to the International Boundary where they reached taking advantage of the undulating ground and thick wild growth,” the spokesperson said.

He said the five militants took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth.

“The BSF troops challenged them to stop but they opened fired on the party,” the spokesperson said.

The BSF troops fired on the militants with coordinated effective fire and foiled a possible infiltration bid from the Pakistani side, he said.

He said the area was illuminated by the help of parabomb and BSF troops saw the militants fleeing.

“The area was searched but nothing was recovered as the militants could not cross the IB. A strong protest note is being lodged with Pakistan Rangers for their help in facilitating militants infiltrate towards the Indian side,” the spokesperson added.

PTI

Jammu: Police on Tuesday arrested a truck driver and seized 42 kilogram of poppy from his possession in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

A police team stopped a Punjab-bound truck coming from Kashmir during a routine checking at the Jakhani area on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. During the Search, 42 kg of poppy was found in it, they said.

The truck driver, identified as Darshan Singh of the Fatehgarh area of Punjab, was arrested, police said, adding a case was registered in this regard.

PTI

Jammu: A 20-year-old woman who went missing from her home in Himachal Pradesh on September 13 was reunited with her family after she was found roaming here, police said on Tuesday.

The woman was brought to Bahu Fort police station after a patrolling party found her roaming aimlessly near Panama Chowk in the city on Monday, a police officer said.

The woman left her home on Sunday and reached Jammu by car, he said.

Her family was contacted and it was learnt they had already lodged a missing report at Dada Siba police station in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, the officer said.

The girl’s father and some policemen arrived here on Monday evening. The girl was handed over to them after the completion of legal formalities, he said.

PTI

New Delhi: As many as 138 militants were killed by security forces between March and August this year, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said Jammu and Kashmir has been affected by militancy, which is sponsored and supported from across the border, for more than the last three decades.

Reddy said that the government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards militancy and the security forces are taking effective and continuous action in countering terrorism.

“As a result, 138 militants have been neutralised in Jammu and Kashmir from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020. During this period of six months, 50 security force personnel have attained martyrdom in militants related incidents and ceasefire violations, cross border firings in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said replying to a written question.

There were 176 attempts of infiltration from across the border from August 2019 to July 2020 and 111 were successful, he added.

Srinagar: Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) on Tuesday expressed outrage over the harassment of traders by some officials of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, saying that for personal gain, such officers have tarnished the image of Jammu and Kashmir’s largest financial institution.

According to statement issued to KNS, President KTA Ajaz Shahdhar said that customers and traders belonging to Jammu and Kashmir, especially from the valley, have built every single brick of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank with their blood and sweat. However, some officials are harassing the traders for their own interests, which directly points to the credibility of the institution.

Shahdar said that these officers of the bank are also keeping the rules and regulations of the country above the odds, and only personal interests are given priority, while they do not even bring the common consumers to mind. He demanded the bank chairman and senior executives to immediately intervene in the affairs of the bank otherwise there would be delay and these officers would hollow out the institution.

Shahdhar said that they would not allow credibility of the financial institution established by the people here to be tarnished. He announced that the list of these officers would be handed over to the bank chairman soon. (KNS)

Srinagar: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Tuesday said that 223 persons are currently under detention in Jammu and Kashmir and ruled out the house detention of any political leader in UT.

According to KNS, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the government of Jammu and Kashmir has reported that after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year various measures were taken to maintain public order which included preventive detention of certain persons.

“As on September 11, 2020, 223 persons are under detention. No person is under house arrest in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir:, he said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

Reddy also said after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, the number of terrorist incidents has reduced significantly.

“From June 29, 2018 to August 4, 2019, there were 455 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and from August 5, 2019 to September 9, a total of 211 such incidents took place in the newly created Union Territory”, MoS said. (KNS)