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Saffron bowl of Kashmir may soon expand to northeast

Saffron bowl of Kashmir may soon expand to northeast

New Delhi (NVI): The saffron bowl, which was so far confined to Kashmir, may soon expand to northeast as well. Plants from seeds transported from Kashmir to Sikkim and acclimatized there are now flowering in Yangyang in the Southern part of the North-East state.

Saffron production has long been restricted to a limited geographical area in the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Pampore region, in India, commonly known as Saffron bowl of Kashmir, is the main contributor to saffron production, followed by Budgam, Srinagar, and Kishtiwar districts.

The Northeast Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), a body under the Department of Science and Technology, supported a pilot project to explore the feasibility of growing saffron in the northeast region of the country with same quality and in higher quantity, according to a statement released by Ministry of Science & Technology.

The Botany and Horticulture department of Sikkim Central University carried out tests to understand the soil condition of Yangyang of Sikkim and found it comparable to the saffron-growing places of Kashmir, the statement added.

Saffron seed/corms were purchased and air transported from Kashmir to Yangyang site by the department. One saffron grower was engaged and stationed to look after the complete growing process, along with the faculty of the university.

The corms were irrigated during September and October, which ensured timely sprouting and good flower yields.

“The matching of climatic and geographical conditions between Pampore (Kashmir) and Yangyang (Sikkim) led to the successful sample farming of saffron in Yangyang,” the statement read.

Saffron has traditionally been associated with the famous Kashmiri cuisine. It’s its medicinal values were considered as part of the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir. As saffron growing was confined to very specific areas in Kashmir, its production remained limited. Though the National Mission on Saffron focused on several measures to improve its farming, the measures were still limited to the specified areas of Kashmir.

The project also focused on post-harvest management and value addition of saffron so that quality saffron drying and efficient post-harvest processing can improve saffron recovery, thereby improving its production.

Further, detailed analysis and testing of all parameters, including soil testing, quality, quantity, and possible value addition are planned, for immediate results and extrapolation of the project to other parts of the North East Region along with Micro Food Enterprises.

-CHK

UK bans entry of travelers from Denmark amid mink fears

travelers
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New Delhi (NVI): The UK government has banned the entry of visitors from Denmark amid concerns over a new coronavirus strain that has transferred from minks to humans.

The government issued the ban citing a mutated strain of the virus that has spread to local communities in Denmark from the mink population, according to foreign media reports.

British Transport Minister Grant Shapps said, “Visitors arriving into the UK from Denmark will not be permitted entry into the UK.”

“This decision to act quickly follows on from health authorities in Denmark reporting widespread outbreaks of coronavirus in mink farms, with a variant strain of the virus spreading to some local communities,” he added.

The British Department of Transport (BDT) initially said that all travelers arriving from Denmark would be required to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival.

But it later announced that visitors arriving from Denmark would no longer be permitted entry to the UK, except for British nationals and residents, and hauliers. The department added that the ban would be reviewed after a week.

“Passenger planes and ships carrying freight (as well as passengers) from Denmark will also not be allowed to dock at English ports,” it said.

A mutated strain of coronavirus that has spread to humans has triggered culling of millions of mink across Denmark and a lockdown in some parts of the country. Over 200 people have been infected with strains related to mink and most of them are connected to farms in Denmark’s North Jutland region, according to reports.

The Danish authorities have described the situation as very serious and have ordered the culling of all minks in Denmark, thought to number around 17 million.

However, number of steps are being taken to stop the mutated form of COVID-19 virus from spreading.

-RJV

Mehbooba stokes controversy again, says ‘youth in Kashmir preferring to hold gun’

Srinagar (NVI): In yet another shocking remark, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said that the youth in the valley is “preferring to hold a gun” rather than “going to jail forcibly” while claiming that the militancy has also witnessed a rise in BJP rule at the Centre.

The PDP chief, who is on her maiden visit to Jammu after her release from 14-month detention, came up with the controversial remarks during a press conference here. While talking to media persons at her party office in Jammu, Mehbooba alleged that because of the high-handedness of the Government, the youth in Kashmir are left with no option but to pick up arms.

She further said that Article 370 and other provisions of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir were not only meant for Muslims of Kashmir alone but for entire Jammu and Kashmir and were indeed brought by Maharaja rule to save the Dogra culture.

“We want 370 back and they (BJP) will have to return everything snatched from us on August 5, 2019,” Mehbooba said.

“The darkness that started here post August 5, 2019 has engulfed Jammu also and people here are too much worried with the sequence of events,” she claimed.

-ARK

Tropical Storm Eta nears South Florida after making landfall in Florida Keys

Tropical Storm Eta nears South Florida after making landfall in Florida Keys

New Delhi (NVI): Tropical Storm Eta is tracking near South Florida, where heavy rainfall, strong winds, storm surge and high surf are expected to continue today.

Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys at Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night. This is the 12th named storm to make landfall in the US this hurricane season and the first for the state of Florida.

The center of Eta is now located just off the southwest coast of Florida.

Furthermore, tropical storm warnings have been issued for the northwestern Bahamas and South Florida from the Brevard-Volusia County line to Anna Maria Island. This includes Nassau, Grand Bahama Island, the entire Miami metro area and the Florida Keys. This is where tropical storm conditions are expected generally through Monday.

Meanwhile, bands of heavy rain and gusty winds continue to feed into the Florida Keys and South Florida.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 310 miles from the center of Eta. That means a large part of South Florida could see winds gust to tropical storm strength (39+ mph) at times tonight.

However, the forecast for Eta’s future track and intensity remains highly uncertain. In the near-term, Eta is expected to track southwestward toward the western tip of Cuba by early Tuesday. That’s due to the steering influence from Eta’s interaction with an upper-level low-pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico, and an area of high pressure off the Southeast U.S. coast.

After that, Eta is expected to lose steering influences, meaning it will slow down significantly or even stall over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Storm Eta previously made landfall on the south-central coast of Cuba early Sunday.

-CHK

PM inaugurates development projects in Varanasi, says promote ‘local for Diwali’

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development projects worth Rs 614 crore in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi today and made a fervent appeal to people to promote ‘local for Diwali’ and buy local products this festival season, saying it will give a new boost to the economy.

The event, which was joined by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, marked the inauguration of 16 schemes worth over Rs 219 crore and the foundation of 14 projects worth over Rs 394 crore.

The projects include Sarnath Light and Sound show, upgradation of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital Ramnagar, sewerage related works, infrastructure facilities for protection and conservation of cows, multipurpose seed storehouse, agriculture produce warehouse of 100 MT, IPDS phase 2, a housing complex for players in Sampurnanand Stadium, Varanasi city smart lighting work, along with 105 Anganwadi Kendras and 102 Gau Ashray Kendras.

Modi also laid the foundation stone of projects including the redevelopment of Dashashwamedh Ghat and Khidkiya Ghat, barracks for PAC police force, redevelopment of certain wards of Kashi, parking facility along with redevelopment of park in Beniya Bagh, upgradation of the multi-purpose hall in Girija Devi Sanskritik Sankul, repair work of roads in the city and development of tourist places.

In his address through video conferencing, PM Modi said that Varanasi is moving fast on the path of development and it never stopped getting Mahadev’s blessings. Kashi continued to advance even during the difficult times of coronavirus, he said.

Modi also said, “Buying local products will not only strengthen local identity but will also brighten up Diwali for those who make them.”

Extending festival greetings to the people, he said, “You are seeing today that along with vocal for local, the mantra of local for Diwali is resonating everywhere.”

The Prime Minister also spoke about agriculture reforms introduced by the government, saying they will connect farmers directly to the market and “send middlemen out of the system”.

“The agriculture reforms will give direct benefit to farmers. They will be directly connected to the market and the middleman will be out of the system. The farmers of Purvanchal (eastern Uttar Pradesh) will also be benefitted from this,” he said.

PM also interacted with locals during the event through video conferencing.

Locals and party workers joined the event at six locations – the Circuit House, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Shultankeshwar Temple, Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport and Trade Facilitation Centre – in the city.

-CHK

Here are the new guidelines issued by Health Ministry for international arrivals

Here are the new guidelines issued by Health Ministry for international arrivals
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New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued new guidelines for international arrivals on November 5 in the wake of rising cases of coronavirus in Europe.

As per the new guidelines, all travellers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel or physically after arrival at the respective health counters, before planning for travel.

Travellers will not be required to undergo institutional or home quarantine if they can submit a negative RT-PCR report that has been conducted within 72 hours of their journey, as per the new guidelines.

“The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India,” read the guidelines.

“They should also give an undertaking on the portal or otherwise to Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India, through concerned airlines before they are allowed to undertake the journey that they would abide by the decision of the appropriate government authority to undergo facility/home quarantine/self-monitoring of their health for 14 days, or as warranted,” read the guidelines for international arrivals issued by MoHFW.

Apart from that, only for compelling reasons/cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days.

International passengers arriving without an RT-PCR negative certificate and wishing to seek exemption from institutional quarantine may also avail the facility available at the airports to undergo RT-PCR testing (where such provisions exist).

-ARK

15th Finance Commission submits its report for FY22-26 to President Kovind

Finance Commission

New Delhi (NVI): The 15th Finance Commission (XVFC) led by Chairman NK Singh, submitted its report for fiscal years 2021-22 to 2025-26 to President Ram Nath Kovind today.

As per the terms of reference (ToR), the Commission was mandated to give its recommendations for five years by October 30, the Finance Commission said in a statement.

The report titled —”Finance Commission in Covid Times” used scales on the cover to indicate the balance between the States and the Union Territories.

Meanwhile, the Commission was asked to give its recommendations on many unique and wide-ranging issues in its terms of reference. “Apart from the vertical and horizontal tax devolution, local government grants, disaster management grant, the Commission was also asked to examine and recommend performance incentives for states in many areas like power sector, adoption of DBT, solid waste management etc,” the statement said.

The panel was also asked to examine whether a separate mechanism for funding of defence and internal security ought to be set up and if so how such a mechanism could be operationalised.

However, the Commission has sought to address all its ToRs in this report, organised in four volumes.

“Volume I and II, as in the past, contain the main report and the accompanying annexes. Volume III is devoted to the union government and examines key departments in greater depth, with the medium-term challenges and the roadmap ahead. Volume IV is entirely devoted to the states,” the statement noted.

Furthermore, the Commission has analysed the finances of each state in great depth and has come up with State-specific considerations to address the key challenges that individual states face.

This report will be available in the public domain once it is tabled in the parliament by the union government along with explanatory memorandum or action taken report on the recommendations contained in the report.

Last year, the Commission had submitted its report containing recommendations for the year 2020-21 which was accepted by the union government and tabled in the parliament on 30 January 2020.

Ajay Narayan Jha, Prof. Anoop Singh, Dr Ashok Lahiri and Ramesh Chand along with Secretary to the Commission Arvind Mehta accompanied the Chairman.

-RJV

PAGD moves SC, seeks early hearing of pleas against Art 370 revocation

J&K: PAGD seeks early hearing on abrogation of Article 370

Srinagar (NVI): People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) today moved the Supreme Court and sought early hearing on petitions challenging the Centre’s Article 370 move in August last year, which paved the way for the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of J&K into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

“As decided in the recent meeting of the People’s Alliance, we are seeking early hearings in this matter so that the petitions challenging 5th Aug 2019 move forward,” former Chief Minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said in a tweet.

He actually shared the news regarding a plea filed in the Supreme Court by J&K Peoples Conference, one of the parties in PAGD, seeking early hearing of the batch of petitions challenging abrogation of Article 370 and reorganisation of J&K.

The PAGD involves seven major mainstream political forces based in Jammu and Kashmir and it took shape last month to fight for the restoration of special status embedded in Article 370 and the resolution of the larger Kashmir issue.

-ARK

Delhi’s air quality remains in severe category; relief unlikely soon

New Delhi (NVI): The national capital’s air quality index (AQI) remained in the “severe” category for the fifth consecutive day with the AQI being recorded at 459 this morning.

According to India Meteorological Department’s environment research centre, a major improvement in Delhi-NCR’s air quality was highly unlikely in the coming days.

In order to keep the pollution in check, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) today imposed a total ban on the sale or use of all kinds of firecrackers in the National Capital Region (NCR) from November 9 midnight to November 30 midnight, saying “celebration by crackers is for happiness and not to celebrate deaths and diseases”.

The city’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 474 at 11 am, according to Central Pollution Control Board data. Its 24-hour average AQI was 416 on Sunday, 427 on Saturday, 406 on Friday and 450 on Thursday, the highest since November 15 last year, when it was 458.

The neighbouring cities of Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, and Gurugram also recorded “severe” air quality.

An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”.

PM10 levels in Delhi-NCR stood at 591 microgram per cubic meter (µg/m3) at 10 am, the highest since November 15 last year, when it was 637 µg/m3, according to CPCB data. PM10 levels below 100 µg/m3 are considered safe in India.

Furthermore, on Monday, the minimum temperature recorded at 8.30am was 10 degrees Celsius.

-CHK

India welcomes removal of Sudan from List of State Sponsors of Terrorism

India welcomes removal of Sudan from List of State Sponsors of Terrorism

New Delhi (NVI): India today welcomed the removal of Sudan from the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism and Sudan’s normalisation of relations with Israel.

“We congratulate the Transitional Government and the people of Sudan on the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement, and hope that these positive developments will usher in democratic changes and contribute to enhancing Sudan’s development, peace, security and stability,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a release.

India’s relations with Sudan are historic and special, and forged on the basis of shared values and close people-to-people contacts, it added.

In a big step on October 23, Sudan became the third Arab nation to normalise ties with Israel, days after the US removed it from its State Sponsor of Terrorism list, of which the North African country was a part for over 27 years.

Earlier on October 19, US President Trump had said he would be removing Sudan from the terrorism list, which effectively kept the impoverished nation off the global financial system since 1993, on a condition. Trump had said that he would be removing Sudan from the list in exchange for $335 million in compensation for victims of terror attacks on US embassies in East Africa in 1998 and on a US warship in Yemen in 2000.

The same day, Sudan accepted the offer and Trump tweeted: “GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!”

On Friday (October 23), the White House released a separate statement which said that the US was formally revoking Sudan’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, and that Sudan had transferred the $335 million into an escrow account on October 22.

The same day, the US, Sudan and Israel released a joint statement announcing the normalisation of relations between Sudan and Israel.

On October 26, Trump formally notified the Congress of his decision to remove Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism and stated that “the Government of Sudan has not provided any support for acts of international terrorism during the preceding 6-month period” and “the Government of Sudan has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future”.

-ARK

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