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JK Govt orders closure of schools, colleges, varsities till Mar 31

Mubashir Bukhari

Jammu (NVI): Amid growing coronavirus scare, Jammu and Kashmir government ordered the closure of all educational institutions across the Union Territory till March 31.

Addressing media in Jammu, Director, NHM Bhupinder Kumar said that government has decided that all government and private schools, colleges and universities across Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed till March 31.

“Teaching and class work shall remain suspended in these institutions till this period. However, Board and other competitive examinations shall be conducted by the authorities as per schedule,” he said.

Kumar said that the public is advised to maintain social distance and avoid unnecessary travels and use of public transport.

Spelling out measures being taken up to control and prevent spread of this virus, the director informed that control rooms and surveillance teams have been constituted in all the districts of UT. Besides that, two coronavirus lab testing facilities have already been made functional in SKIMS, Srinagar and GMC, Jammu.

Giving a detailed break up on the COBID-19 suspected cases in the UT till date, he informed that 1,211 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been put under active surveillance; 150 of these have completed surveillance period of 28 days while as 12 are undergoing hospital quarantine.

Kumar added that 64 samples of suspected cases have been sent for testing so far; 28 have reported negative, 1 has tested positive and report of 35 is still awaited.

Urging people to contribute in tackling the situation, Kumar appealed all incoming passengers returning to J&K having travel history to China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany, to undergo self-imposed quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival.

Kumar also said that the government has urged citizens especially those with travel history to affected countries such as China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, etc., to self declare immediately and to report to the nearest government health facility if any symptoms are found.

He maintained that novel coronavirus has no definite treatment so prevention is best and every person has a capacity to contribute in this situation. He urged the public to maintain social distance and avoid unnecessary travel and use of public transport. He reiterated that citizens must take basic precautions such as personal hygiene, hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquettes and must avoid touching of face, eyes, nose and also report any symptoms (fever, difficult breathing and cough) to the medical authorities immediately in order to contain the virus.

The government also advised people not to panic and to rely on the information released by the administration and health officials in this regard.

Earlier in the day, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu ordered the closure of all educational institutions, public clubs and stadiums within the district’s limits.

He said that Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has taken the step as a preventive measure to keep the viral infection away while adding that the decision would allow the municipal body to sterilise and sanitise schools and colleges.

“Under a special set of statutory provisions, SMC has ordered closure of all educational institutions, public clubs, sports clubs, indoor and open stadiums, coaching centers within #Srinagar City Limits till further orders. The order within SMC limits takes effect from tomorrow,” he tweeted earlier today.

Latika Kundu to join MSE as its 1st woman MD, CEO

Mumbai (NVI): Metropolitan Stock Exchange (MSE) today announced that exchange industry veteran Latika Kundu Will join the third national stock exchange in India as its Managing Director and CEO tomorrow.

Kundu will also be the first woman MD & CEO of the stock exchange. She is also experienced in setting new ventures.

She has over 20 years of experience with leadership role in setting up and managing Global Exchanges, Depository, Clearing houses.

Kundu has also been recognized as a ‘Thought Leader’, felicitated by her alma mater ITM with ‘Distinguished Alumnus Award’ in 2010 and, recognized as ‘Top 50 Entrepreneurs’ in Ideas with Intention 2.0 by her alma
mater Narsee Monjee College in 2019.

Apart from this, she has also been former member of the board at Institute of Banking & Finance’s (IBF), Capital Markets and Financial Advisory Services Examination Board (CMFAS) Singapore, and Expert Committee Member of the Capital Market Committee of the Bombay Chambers of Commerce & Industry (BCCI).

 

NABARD projects Rs 2,525 cr credit potential for Anantnag

Anantnag (NVI): The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has projected a credit potential of Rs 2,525 for Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir in the 2020-21 fiscal.

The figure was released at a district level consultative committee meeting held under the chairmanship of District Development Commissioner, Bashir Ahmad Dar, Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS).

District officers from various departments, RBI, NABARD and banks were also present in the meeting.

On the occasion, the DC unveiled the booklet on NABARD’s Potential-linked Credit Plan (PLP) for the ensuing year.

NABARD has estimated a total credit potential of Rs 2,525 Crore for the year 2020-21 under priority sector to be

disbursed by the Banks and Financial Institutions in the district, DDM NABARD, Rouf Zargar said while giving details about the potential plan.

The PLP would form the basis for the preparation of annual District Credit plan for 2020-21 based on the policies of the Central and State Government in the district, Zargar said.

He also informed that the PLP document takes into account in various sectors such as Short Term Crop loans, Term loans under various Agri-Allied activities upto the tune of 261 Crore, MSME upto the tune of 670 Crore, renewable energy upto the tune of 4.24 Crore, food/agro-processing for 24 Crore and other activities such as education, housing and social infrastructure under Priority Sector. The document were drafted in consultation with various developmental departments and banks, he added.

The DC emphasized upon the Banks to increase the lending in Agriculture, horticulture and also the Allied activities to generate employment in the district.

He also emphasized on providing working capital to dairy, sheep and fisheries sector under KCC and advised the banks to utilize the NABARDs PLP document while setting up their targets under credit plans and utilize the booklet as a reference guide to plan their annual targets.

396 people including 3 former CMs detained under PSA in Kashmir

Pulwama
Representative picture of Kashmir

New Delhi (NVI): As many as 396 persons including three former J&K chief ministers have been detained under Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), out of total 451, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said in Rajya Sabha today.

In response to a question by Shiromani Akali Dal MP Sardar Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Reddy informed the Upper House that 7,357 persons including stone pelters, miscreants, over ground workers, separatists, etc. were taken into preventive custody since August 2019.

Among those who have been booked under PSA also include three former Chief Ministers, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah. The three former CM’s were booked under the PSA on January 6. Since then, the stringent law has come under sharp focus.

Omar, Mehbooba and Farooq were among the Kashmiri politicians who were detained after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

A total of eight mainstream leaders have also been detained under the PSA in Kashmir.

CO2 emissions from power sector fell 2% globally last year: Report

Climate Change
Representative Image

New Delhi (NVI): Due to reduced coal usage in Europe and the United States, global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the power sector fell by 2 per cent last year, the biggest fall since at least 1990, a new study showed.

According to the research by independent climate think tank Ember, coal-fired power generation fell by 3 per cent globally, also the largest fall since 1990.

The drop in Europe was 24 per cent, driven by a switch to renewables, while US coal-fired generation was down 16 per cent because of more competitive gas, according to the study.

However, China bucked the trend with a rise as it became responsible for half of the global coal-fired power generation.

Overall, the decline in coal use last year and shift toward renewables was helped by factors such as cheap gas, nuclear plant restarts in Japan and South Korea and slowing electricity demand, the report said.

Coal generation needs to fall by 11 per cent a year to keep within a warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Lead author of the report and electricity analyst at Ember Dave Jones said that the global decline of coal and power sector emissions is good news for the climate, but governments have to dramatically accelerate the electricity transition so that global coal generation collapses throughout the 2020s.

“To switch from coal into gas is just swapping one fossil fuel for another,” he added.

Wind and solar power generation rose by 270 terrawatt hours, or 15 per cent, last year. That growth rate would need to be maintained every year to achieve climate goals under the Paris Agreement.

The report examined data covering 85 per cent of the world’s electricity generation and used informed estimates for the remaining 15 per cent.

Last month the International Energy Agency said that global CO2 emissions from power production flattened last year as the growth of renewable energy and fuel switching from coal to natural gas led to lower emissions from advanced economies.

Kashmir: 3 Jaish-e-Mohammed associates arrested in Budgam

Terrorist arrested
Representational image

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir today claimed to have arrested three Jaish-e-Mohammed associates from Budgam district of Kashmir.

Acting on specific information, Budgam police and 50 RR regiment of Army busted a JEM module active in the Chadoora area of district Budgam. “Three militant associates affiliated with JEM have been arrested,” police said.

Two of them have been identified as Dilawar Sofi and Sameer Yousuf Ganie of Chadoora Budgam. The identity of the third person has been withheld, they said.

Police said that these individuals were active in the area for last few months and, “were involved in various subversive activities and providing shelter and logistic support to militants”.

Police has also recovered arms, ammunition and other incriminating material from their possession.

“In this regard a FIR under relevant provisions of law stands registered in PS Chadoora and investigation taken up,” police said.

Jyotiraditya Scindia joins BJP

New Delhi (NVI): Jyotiraditya Scindia, who quit the Congress Party yesterday, finally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today.

Scindia joined the saffron party in the presence of party president JP Nadda here today, ending his 18-year association with the Congress.

Following him, 22 MLAs have also tendered their resignation.

On March 10, Scindia met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and released the resignation letter which was dated March 9 to Congress President Sonia Gandhi while announcing his exit from the party.

Govt committed for safety, return of Indians from Iran: Jaishankar

New Delhi (NVI): A day after 58 Indian pilgrims were evacuated from Iran, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar briefed Rajya Sabha on the further evacuation process going on in the coronavirus-hit country including sample collection and proper screening.

The Foreign Minister said that the Central Government is committed to the safety and return of Indians stranded in Iran after their proper screening.

The FM also said that three flights were sent to Wuhan in China to evacuate Indians, while highlighting that focus has now shifted to Iran, in view of the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in that country.

“The House is already aware of the efforts Government had made to bring back Indians from Wuhan in China by mounting three flights to that city. Thereafter, we brought back the crew and passengers of a cruise ship off Japan that was affected by Coronavirus. These evacuations also included some foreign nationals. Our focus since has shifted to Iran, in view of the sharp increase of Coronavirus in that country,” he said.

Amid coronavirus cases being reported from India almost daily since the past one week, Jaishankar informed the Parliament that around 6000 Indians, including 1000 fishermen from Kerela, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are currently in Iran. However, the fishermen are in areas that are less affected by the virus, he said.

“As per available information, there are over 6000 Indian nationals in various provinces of Iran. These include about 1100 pilgrims mainly from the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and the State of Maharashtra; nearly 300 students primarily from the UT of Jammu and Kashmir; about 1000 fishermen, including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat; and others who are on longer term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies,” he told Rajya Sabha.

Jaishankar also expressed concern over the situation in Italy where 631 people have lost their lives due to coronavirus and more than 10,000 are affected.

“The situation in Italy is now emerging as a cause of great concern. I would like to share with the Hon’ble Members that steps in this regard have already been initiated. The challenge is growing by the day in Europe and we will respond accordingly,” he said while informing the house.

The EAM also added that the Indian Embassy is in contact with students studying there and is working in close coordination with Iranian authorities for their safe evacuation.

Afghan Prez Ghani signs decree to release Taliban fighters

New Delhi (NVI): Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani today signed a decree to release 1,500 Taliban prisoners as a move to pave the way to talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan government.

The release of prisoners was a part of a peace deal signed by the United States and the Taliban last month.

“President Ghani has signed the decree that would facilitate the release of the Taliban prisoners in accordance with an accepted framework for the start of negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government,” Ghani’s spokesman Sediq Sediqqi posted on Twitter.

The decree lays out details about how the Taliban prisoners will be released in a systematic manner to further peace deals. The process of releasing the prisoners will begin in four days, the decree said.

The decree also reads that “prisoners will be released based on their age, health status and the remaining jail term”.

The presidential decree also requires all prisoners to give “a written guarantee to not return to the battlefield”.

In exchange, the Taliban has agreed to hand over 1,000 government troops.

According to the decree, all 1,500 prisoners will be released within 15 days, with 100 prisoners walking out of Afghan jails every day.

Talks between the Afghan government and Taliban will take place in parallel with the release. If talks progress, the government has pledged to free 500 more Taliban prisoners every two weeks until a total of 5,000 have been released.

President Ghani had earlier refused to free 5,000 prisoners as part of the US agreement with the Taliban, but Wednesday’s decree signalled a softening of his stance.

On February 29, 2020, the United States and the Taliban had signed a long-awaited peace deal in Qatar that set the beginning of talks for March 10, provided that up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners are released from jail by that time.

The talks were due to start on Tuesday, but negotiations were delayed by demands over the prisoner release.

Fuel prices slashed, petrol at Rs 70.29 in Delhi today

petrol
Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): Following a huge fall in crude oil prices on Monday, petrol prices in Delhi slipped to an over eight-month low.

If you are in the National Capital, then you will have to pay Rs 70.29 per litre for petrol and Rs 63.01 for diesel.

Diesel and petrol prices witnessed a reduction across all major metropolitan cities in the country. Fuel prices have been on the decline since February 27 on international trends.

Yesterday, petrol and diesel prices in Delhi went down by 30 paise per litre and 25 paise per litre respectively.

Petrol prices slipped below the 71 mark for the first time in eight months on Monday.

In Mumbai, petrol is selling at Rs 75.99 per litre and diesel at Rs 65.97 per litre. In Chennai, a litre of petrol will now cost Rs 73.02 per litre whereas diesel will be Rs 66.48 per litre. In Kolkata, a litre of petrol will now cost Rs 72.98 per litre while diesel will be Rs 65. 34 per litre.

International fuel prices tumbled most in decades overnight on March 8. The collapse was caused by sinking demands due to coronavirus outbreak worldwide.

On March 9, Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures plunged nearly 30 per cent to USD 31.02 per barrel after top exporter Saudi Arabia launched a price war in response to a failure by leading producers to strike a deal to support energy markets.

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