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92 pc revenue records digitised in J&K: Govt

Srinagar (NVI): At least 92 per cent revenue records in the union territory have been digitized, according to Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary (Revenue) Pawan Kotwal,  who said the government was taking all possible measures to bring vibrancy in the department  considered as backbone of the administration.

Speaking to several delegations during a Public Grievance Camp here, Kotwal said there are about 6.6 crore revenue documents and 55,000 revenue maps in Jammu and Kashmir which need to be scanned, digitized and updated.

“In order to speedily complete computerization of revenue records, early completion of writing and computerization of Jamabandis officers of the Revenue Department have been directed to club the Phase-II and Phase-III of DILRMP for the completion of 100 per cent work by March 2021,” he said.

“The scanned revenue, land documents would also be available at Tehsil Level Record Rooms so that public can have access to those documents,” he added.

He informed that 92 per cent of revenue records of Jammu and Kashmir have been scanned whereas 95 per cent of the Cadastral Maps (Massavis) have also been scanned so far.

He also informed that as directed by Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu, the Department of Revenue was making every possible step to make Data Centre of J&K ready by 31st March.

“The department was also working for creation of Disaster Recovery Centre making it functional before June 2020,” he said.

“We now have a vital work of registration to carry out. For effective working of newly created registration offices, officers have been directed to go for the computerization of the registration process and posting of staff for registration offices,” he said.

He said that Rs 24. crores have been released for the computerization of the registration system while as DPR, estimating the cost of Rs 48 crore have been formulated.

The Principal Secretary said that 28 Sub-Registers would be posted on regular basis and the registration process would be done on monthly and hassle-free basis.

The process of digitization of land records is being carried out under Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).

The project aims to provide computerized management of the land records and their digital maintenance would make it easier and quicker to obtain updated land revenue records.

“We are working on the shortcomings and more manpower is tasked to complete the work,” he added.

“The pace of the work at Central Record Room (CRR) Srinagar also called Muhafiz Khana of the Revenue Department has also picked up its pace,” he further added.

Similarly, Central Record Room Jammu under DILRMP has been carrying out computerized management of the land records and ensuring digital maintenance of the vital documents.

The programme involves three phases. Phase I of the programme includes Jammu and Srinagar. Phase II involves Poonch, Ramban, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kargil, Udhampur, Leh, Doda, Bandipora and Rajouri. In phase III, Kathua, Kulgam, Shopian, Budgam, Reasi, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Kupwara, Kishtwar and Samba are to be taken.

In Kashmir, E-commerce sites are grappling with low speed internet

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Limited access and low-speed internet have affected the business of e-commerce sites in Kashmir as the losses in the sector pile up, leaving more than 4000 courier boys jobless.

Major e-commerce sites in Kashmir stare at an empty wall, with many of them blacklisted after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

In the last few years, e-shopping firms like Flipkart, Snapdeal, Myntra, e-bay, Amazon, and Jabong have eaten into the market, leaving the local businesses high and dry. But the communication clampdown post abrogation of Article 370 has drastically affected their businesses.

Although the government has relaxed restrictions by restoring low-speed 2G internet, the e-commerce outlet owners, however, claim that their businesses have not reported any activity since their websites are not accessible to customers.

Zahoor Qari, the president of the Kashmir Courier Association said that nearly 4000 courier boys have lost their earnings as courier services in the valley have been affected due to the non-availability of the internet.

“The e-commerce sector has suffered badly with losses running in crores. Most of the online shopping sites stopped their deliveries to Kashmir,” Qari said.

According to Qari, they use to deliver more than 10 thousand products in a day to customers, but the number has gone down to 200 to 300 post communication clampdown. “Internet is the backbone of online shopping. When you have no internet services, you can’t run this business anywhere in the world. We have very little work these and big companies have stopped services to Kashmir,” he said.

When asked, whether any online shopping site has started services after the restoration of 2G services, he said though few sites have started shipping products, but on a pre-paid basis. “Some are delivering here now but you have to make advance payments for that. No cash on deliveries is applicable for this region for now,” he said.

Few e-commerce sites including global giant Amazon is functioning in the valley.  The majority of the e-commerce sites don’t function either due to the low speed or they have not been included in the whitelisted sites.

Umar Bin Ahmad, who ran an online venture `Modest Attire’ with global operations, said his business suffered more than 300 percent loss after August 5.

“The restoration of 2G internet proved more harmful for the e-commerce sector in Kashmir. We often get queries from our outside state-based clients, who blame us for not responding to them. Kashmir’s e-commerce mostly functions on social media sites like Instagram, which too is blocked in the valley,” he said.

Ahmad said he couldn’t update his website and android application on low-speed internet due to which he was losing his customer base.  “Normally I would get at least 50-60 orders which have now fallen to just one per day,” he added.

Haseeb Ahmad, who owns an online book shop Lal Chowk. in, said he has changed his mode of operation from online orders to SMS. “I would receive orders for almost 400 books every day. Now, I ship merely 100 books to different locations in Kashmir and other parts of the country. I now receive orders over the phone or via SMS,” he said.

Ahmad noted surprisingly, some global websites likely Swiggy and Zomato have been whitelisted despite the fact that they don’t function here. “Our sites do not feature in the whitelisted websites,” he said.

According to official figures, there are around 20,000 BSNL broadband connections in Kashmir valley and a majority of them are shut. Many of them provide internet services to offices, business establishments, shops and even government offices.

J&K: Pipelines in every household by December 2021

Representational image

Jammu (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir administration accorded sanction to the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission and roadmap to achieve 100 per cent coverage of piped water supply by December 2021 across the valley aligning it to the National Mission of Jal Jeevan.

The Administrative Council, met under the chairmanship of Lt Governor GC Murmu also accorded sanction to renaming of the Public Health Engineering and Irrigation and Flood Control Department as the ‘Jal Shakti Department’.

The objective of the mission is to provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) to every rural household with priority to desert/drought prone and border areas, schools, anganwadi and health centres etc.

In order to accomplish the roadmap and align the activities of the department with the National Mission of Jal Jeevan, the Administrative Council accorded sanction to renaming of PHE & I&FC Department as ‘Jal Shakti Department’ and setting up of a Mission Directorate of Jal Jeevan Mission, J&K by merging Communication and Capacity Development Unit (CCDU) to look after JJM works and an Executive Committee of JJM for its assistance with creation of necessary staff.

The Administrative Council has also approved appointment of Financial Auditors at provincial level to undertake audit of the expenditure under JJM; hiring of Consultants for the Project Appraisal Committees; and, appointment of Third Party Technical Monitors.

The authorities also said that special cells will be set up by the revenue and forest departments for speedy clearance of land and forest cases related to the Jal Jeevan Mission across J and K.

To achieve 100 percent coverage under JJM in a phased manner by December 2021, the PHE Department has carried out a detailed exercise to prepare District Water Security Plan through the District Water and Sanitation Mission headed by the concerned Deputy Commissioners.

In the initial phase, seven districts viz. Poonch, Reasi, Samba, Srinagar, Ganderbal, Shopian and Pulwama will be covered for 100% piped water supply by June 2020.

In the second phase, seven more districts will be covered by June 2021 and the remaining six districts shall be covered in the third phase ending December 2021.

At present, 30.5 per cent of J and K’s rural households have piped water connections compared to the national average of 18 per cent.

Special focus will be laid under the mission to provide FHTC to remaining 11.12 lakh rural households out of 16.02 lakh in J&K as per Integrated Management of Information System (IMIS) data of JJM.

Karnal coldest place in the plains at 2.3 degrees

(Pic courtesy: SkymetWeather)

New Delhi (NVI): As temperature drops in most of the parts in north India, Karnal in Haryana is the coldest place in the plains where the minimum temperature was recorded at 2.3 degrees celsius today, according to Skymet Weather.

Right from Indo-Gangetic plains up to the central parts of the country, there has been a significant drop in temperature due to icy cold winds from the Himalayas.

Apart from this, Ludhiana and Patiala in Punjab recorded 4.6 degrees Celsius each. Hisar in Haryana and Barelli in Uttar Pradesh both shivered at 4.8 degrees celsius.

While, Rohtak in Haryana witnessed a minimum temperature of 5.0 degrees celsius. Amritsar in Punjab saw a minimum temperature of 5.1 degrees celsius.

In Haryana’s Ambala and Rajasthan’s Churu, the mercury settled at 5.4 degrees celsius.

The cold Himalayan winds which sweep across the plains have still maintained the chill in many plain areas in these states.

The region of Vidarbha in Maharashtra is receiving light to moderate rains and thundershowers for the last many days, according to Skymet Weather.

However, the weather over rest all parts of Maharashtra is running dry. Soon, this is going to change as the rains will now shift southwards and cover more parts of Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the national capital region Delhi and NCR region also shiver due to the cold wave as the minimum temperature dropped to 6.1 degrees from 6.3 degrees Celsius recorded yesterday.

The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 20.0 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Some parts of north India like Uttrakhand, Punjab, and Haryana also witnessed Dense fog in isolated parts.

The IMD has also predicted that due to confluence between easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal and westerly winds at lower tropospheric levels, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall is expected over East India and over central India for next two days.

The weatherman has forecast that in North India there will be a fall in minimum temperature by 2 to 3 degrees but in west India, there is no significant change is expected in minimum and maximum temperatures during the next two to three days.

“The shallow to moderate fog is expected likely over northeast India,” it added.

The overall air quality in the national capital today is in the “poor” category.

According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 249 which falls in the “poor” category.

DRDO inks technology development contract with Russia’s Rosoboronexport

New Delhi (NVI): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a technology development contract with a Russian company Rosoboronexport today on the third day of Defence Expo 2020 in Lucknow.

The DRDO High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) is working in the development of spectrum of high energy materials required for missiles, rockets and guns.

While speaking HEMRL director KPS Murthy said that this will enable advancement in the field of energetic materials and pyrotechnic technology leading to the development of advanced ignition systems.

“This will meet futuristic requirements of high-performance propulsion systems. Propulsion systems are the power behind the rockets and missiles,” he said.

“This technology development will facilitate design and development of state of art solid rocket motors for upcoming products. These products will be based on compact and energy efficient propulsion systems,” he added.

Can tomatoes help improve male fertility?

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): A compound found in tomatoes could help tackle fertility problems in men, scientists claim. Sperm quality is becoming a major problem these days in men all over the world. Scientists are constantly studying this and most studies have shown that the sperm quality of men has dropped significantly in the last 20 years.

A new study by the team from the University of Sheffield of a small cohort of men has found that the pigment which gives the fruit its red colour, known as lycopene, could boost sperm quality, specifically around size and swimming capabilities.

Lycopene, like vitamin E and zinc which have been the focus of previous research, is an antioxidant which means it prevents oxidation in cells, and therefore damage.

It has been linked to other health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

The researchers say their findings could help reduce the need for invasive fertility treatments in the future as more than 40 per cent of all infertility cases are due to abnormal sperm production or function.

For the study, 60 healthy volunteers were recruited aged between 19 and 30.

During the 12-week trial, half of the participants took 14mg of LactoLycopene – a pill created by supplement manufacturer Cambridge Nutraceuticals Ltd that contains the tomato pigment – while the other half took placebos.

The team analysed the sperm samples collected at the beginning and end of the trial.

The results, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, showed that participants taking LactoLycopene had almost 40 per cent more fast-swimming sperm than when they began the trial, along with improvements to size and shape.

Professor Allan Pacey, head of the University of Sheffield’s department of oncology and metabolism and lead author, said, “We didn’t really expect that at the end of the study there would be any difference in the sperm from men who took the tablet versus those who took the placebo.”

“When we decoded the results, I nearly fell off my chair. The improvement in morphology – the size and shape of the sperm – was dramatic,” Allan said.

Pacey added that he believes the anti-oxidant properties of lycopene could prevent sperm from becoming damaged.

The team says that the next stage is to repeat the exercise in men with fertility issues to see if the supplement can increase sperm quality and whether or not it can help couples conceive without invasive fertility treatments.

Delhi polls: Campaign to put focus on child-centric issues

New  Delhi (NVI): With Delhi set for Assembly elections, some children launched a campaign for making the political parties and their candidates commit to work for children demands in the national capital.
The ‘Child Friendly Delhi’ campaign, which concluded today, was supported by Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF).
During this period, the children of Bal Panchayats of four Bal Mitra Mandals (BMM) of Delhi, Sanjay Camp in Chanakyapuri, Inder Camp and Israil camp in Vasantkunj and Indra Kalyan Vihar in Okhla phase 1, came up with a long list of child centric demands from the contesting candidates.
BMM is an initiative of KSCF, is a preventative, sustainable, and holistic approach to child protection and development in urban slum communities so that every child is safe, free, healthy and educated.
These demands were then taken to all the 70 constituencies of Delhi by Mukti Caravan, a campaign on wheels led by youth leaders who are former child labourers and rescued by the organisation at some point in time.
The Mukti Caravan team visited all the constituencies, engaging and sensitising the electorate about children’s demands enacted through street plays, announcements, interaction with the people even as the highlight was the slogan ‘Jo Bachchon Ki Baat Karega, Woh Dilli Pe Raaj Karega’.
The Mukti Caravan members also met nominees across party lines, engaging them to sign pledges that if elected they will work towards fulfilling the children’s demands.
In the course of the campaign, more than 220 candidates were reached across all 70 constituencies and, till today more than 100 pledges were signed.
A few major demands, among many others, included making Delhi child labour-free, ensuring safety and security of children from sexual abuse and other forms of violence, ensuring free education till Class 12, and ensuring that no child is trafficked were put forth to the nominees of all the three major political parties.
While commenting KSCF spokesperson Rakesh Senger said that children contribute a large share of the population of Delhi in the national capital.
“KSCF wants child centric policies to be made having focus on education, security and health of children to ensure that every child is free, safe and educated and Delhi becomes child friendly,” he said.
Meanwhile, as a part of the campaign, slum children went door to door in their communities with the demands, sharing it with their parents, relatives and neighbours and insisting that they vote only for those candidates who accept these demands.

Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah booked under PSA

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir government on late booked two former chief ministers– Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah– under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) late today.

The development comes when the six-month preventive custody of the two leaders was ending on today.

Omar Abdullah has been detained at Hari Niwas since August 5 and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who was initially lodged at Chesmashahi huts is detained at government building in the heart of Srinagar.

Lok Sabha MP for Srinagar seat Farooq Abdullah has already been booked under PSA and is detained at his Gupkar residence.

Confirming about the development, Iltija Mufti- Mehbooba’s daughter who runs her Twitter handle said, “Ms Mufti received a PSA order sometime back. Slapping the draconian PSA on 2 ex J&K CMs is expected from an autocratic regime that books 9 year olds for ‘seditious remarks. Question is how much longer will we act as bystanders as they desecrate what this nation stands for?”

The move comes soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Mehbooba Mufti had said on August 5 that India had betrayed Kashmir.

PM Modi ha said, “She said we made the wrong decision in 1947… do the people here support these statements? Omar Abdullah said abrogation of Article 370 will bring such an earthquake that Kashmir will separate from the country. Farooq Abdullah said the abrogation will open the way for Kashmir’s independence… Can anyone agree with such language?”

Modi had asserted that the government won’t allow peace to be disturbed anywhere in the country, be it Kashmir or the northeast.

Earlier today,Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) against National Conference (NC) General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar and senior PDP leader Sartaj Madani- who is uncle of Mehbooba Mufti.

Both the leaders are under detention from August 5, 2019 and were lodged at MLA hostel in Srinagar. Soon after slapping them with PSA, these leaders were shifted to a government building at Gupkar road in Srinagar.

According to a dossier, Sartaj Madani, who is uncle of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has been slapped with PSA for his role during the double-rape and murder of Asiya and Nelofar in 2009 and pioneering the self-rule doctrine of PDP.

His PSA has been approved by District Magistrate Kulgam.

Similarly, NC’s Ali Muhammad Sagar has been slapped PSA for raising voice against the vision of India besides opposing Article 370 and Article 35 A.

HAL gets modification document of Dornier-228 civil aircraft from DGCA

Lucknow (NVI): State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited today received the modification document from Director General of Civil Aviation for upgrading Dornier-228 civil aircraft by reducing its gross weight below 5,700 kg.

The development took place on the second day of DefExpo-2020 in Lucknow today as the Joint DG of DGCA, G Rajshekhar, handed over the document to HAL.

Under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN, two civil Do-228 were produced by HAL, having state-of-the-art configuration certifications from DGCA for maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) at 6200 kgs. But, in order to meet the prospective operator’s requirement of a transport aircraft flyable under Commercial Pilot License (CPL) category, HAL undertook efforts to reduce the aircraft weight below 5700 Kgs.

Apart from weight criterion, HAL Do-228-201(Upgraded) civil aircraft will also be equipped with digital cockpit which will ensure more accurate readings, precise information and ergonomic data displays with feedback loops and capability for self-check to alert pilot in emergencies. The Glass Cockpit architecture enabled aircraft will be most sought after new age aviation technology.

Also, the incorporation of civil certified turbo-prop minus 10 Engine ensures more reliable torque sensing system, higher component life, lighter in weight and higher time between overhaul (TBO) as compared to previous minus 5 engine.

It is also assured that the integration of the five-blade propeller to HAL Do-228-201(Upgraded) aircraft will augment in a significant reduction in noise levels, faster engine start, less lubrication and better damping characteristics.

NC leader Sagar, Mehbooba’s uncle Madani slapped with PSA

Ali Muhammad Sagar and Sartaj Madani

Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday slapped Public Safety Act (PSA) against National Conference (NC) General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar and senior PDP leader Sartaj Madani- who is uncle of Mehbooba Mufti.

Both the leaders are under detention since August 5, 2019 and were lodged at MLA hostel in Srinagar. Soon after slapping them with PSA, these leaders were shifted to a government building at Gupkar road in Srinagar.

According to a dossier, Sartaj Madani, who is uncle of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has been slapped with PSA for his role during the double-rape and murder of Asiya and Nelofar in 2009 and pioneering the self-rule doctrine of PDP.

His PSA has been approved by District Magistrate Kulgam.

Similarly, NC’s Ali Muhammad Sagar has been slapped PSA for raising voice against the vision of India besides opposing Article 370 and Article 35 A.

These leaders were part of preventive detention of mainstream politicians, activists and trade leaders carried out after August 5 last year when the Centre withdrew the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Among the prominent leaders who are still under detention are NC leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.

While Farooq Abdullah has been kept at his Gupkar house, his son and NC vice president Omar Abdullah has been detained at Hari Niwas.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who was initially lodged at Chesmashahi huts, has been shifted to a government building in the heart of Srinagar.

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