Month: January 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 3.31 crore on Jammu Kashmir Bank for lapses in regulatory compliance. The violations pertain to norms related to financial inclusion, specifically in areas such as access to banking services under the Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA) scheme, Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, and statutory restrictions on loans and advances. According to the RBI, the penalty was imposed based on deficiencies observed in the bank’s adherence to statutory and regulatory guidelines. The central bank clarified that this action is strictly regulatory and does not question the validity of any transactions or agreements made by the bank with its customers. [KNT]

Uber’s much-hyped Shikara service on Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake appears to have run aground barely a month after its launch. The initiative, promoted as a blend of technology and tradition, has faced stiff resistance from local Shikara owners, who accuse the ride-hailing giant of attempting to exploit their livelihoods. The once-celebrated service is now absent from the lake, and locals say they are unwilling to partner with a private company that undermines their traditional way of life. One Shikara owner, Abdul Hamid, said, “Such things do not work in Kashmir. Shikaras have a massive demand; we don’t need Uber to find us customers. Private companies like these exploit drivers everywhere—we’ve seen it in the news. Kashmir is not a place where you can buy people for a few bucks.” ...

In a significant development, the Jammu Police have filed an FIR (No. 30/2025) at the Bahu Fort Police Station in connection with the assault, abduction, and threats against journalist Bilal Ahmed Paray. The FIR, lodged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 140, 324, 4, 126, and Subsections 2 and 115, marks the beginning of an official investigation into the incident that left Paray severely traumatized. The complaint, which was filed by Paray after the January 15 attack, accused a group of unidentified individuals of abducting him, subjecting him to physical abuse, and threatening his life after he reported on a luxurious property allegedly owned by Mehraj Malik, the MLA from Doda. Paray's mobile phone was destroyed during the ordeal in an apparent a...

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday accused the Jammu Kashmir government of using education as a “propaganda tool” by compelling students to participate in a Tiranga rally organized by the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The party called this act "unacceptable." PDP leader and Pulwama MLA Waheed Para highlighted the irony, pointing out that J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had previously criticized such directives. “This blatant transformation under the current government is being hailed as its only so-called achievement in the last 100 days,” Para stated on X. Para also accused the National Conference (NC) government of reneging on its electoral promises, including the restoration of Article 370, the release of political prisoners, free ...

A clinic in Dara Syedpora, Harwan, accused of offering unproven medical treatments, was sealed, and medicines were seized for investigation. Talking to news agency JKNS, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Srinagar, Dr. Tahir Sajad, said, "The clinic of Famous Cure Quackery has been seized in Dara Syedpora, Harwan, Srinagar. We have seized medicines as well. Samples of medicines have also been taken and will go through investigations to verify their authenticity and assess any violations of medical practices." Earlier, in an official communique, the Head of the Department of Paediatrics at GMC urged Principal GMC Srinagar to take strong measures against the practice of quackery. “With profound reverence and humble submission, it is to request your august self to protect public health and ...

The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) of Jammu and Kashmir submitted a memorandum to Jagdambika Pal, Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), raising concerns over the proposed Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. Dated January 24, 2025, the document warns of significant repercussions for the Muslim community and their institutions if the amendments are implemented. Led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the MMU delegation criticized the amendments for threatening the autonomy of Waqf properties, historically used for charitable and religious purposes to support underprivileged communities. The memorandum stated that the proposed changes undermine constitutional rights, weaken Muslim representation in Waqf councils, and remove the “Waqf by user” provision, which recognizes long-standing religiou...

The District Administration Srinagar has issued an order requiring all government employees under its jurisdiction to attend the Republic Day 2025 celebrations at Bakshi Stadium on January 26. The administration has warned that failure to attend will be treated as dereliction of duty. The directive, issued by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, mandates the presence of all Heads of Departments (HoDs), district officers, sectoral officers, and their subordinate staff. Attendance is considered part of their official responsibilities. To ensure compliance, each department is required to designate a senior officer to oversee and document attendance during the event. These records will be submitted to Yamin-ul-Nabi, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, who has been appointed as the D...

The intervening night of Thursday and Friday brought bone-chilling cold across Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh, with temperatures dipping to extreme lows in several areas. Kashmir experienced a significant drop in temperatures during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, with several places recording sub-zero temperatures. Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of -3.3°C, while nearby Qazigund registered -2.5°C. The tourist destinations of Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded some of the lowest temperatures, with Pahalgam at -7.0°C and Gulmarg plunging to -8.5°C. Sonamarg was even colder, with the mercury dipping to -9.8°C, while Zojila recorded an extreme low of -28.0°C, making it the coldest location in the region. Kupwara in north Kashm...

Over 200 individuals, who came in contact with the affected families of the 17 people who died due to the mysterious illness in Rajouri, have been quarantined as a precautionary measure, an official said on Thursday. Four people, including three sisters, have been shifted to hospitals, with three airlifted to a hospital in Jammu. Top health officials have identified a common factor among all those who lost their lives in Badhaal village as involvement of the brain and damage to the nervous system. National Conference (NC) leader and local MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary on Thursday demanded the imposition of a medical emergency to save people and contain the spread of such a mysterious illness. Over 200 individuals who came into contact with the affected families have been relocated...

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has said it is establishing a center in Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir. The statement was made on January 15 at the opening ceremony of the Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohanji Temple in the Kharghar neighborhood of Navi Mumbai, which was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sura Das, ISKCON Trustee and President, made a formal petition for land allotment and expressed gratitude for the Prime Minister's presence. "I've been thinking about this project for years. I had even addressed it with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha before, considering that plots had already been assigned to other religious institutions," he remarked Sura Das emphasized ISKCON’s international presence in nations such as Russia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, and ra...