REGIONAL

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by announcing the establishment of temporary classes of the proposed National Law University at Ompura in Budgam district during the ongoing Assembly session. In its letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner and dated October 29, 2025, the BJP candidate from Budgam alleged that the Chief Minister made the announcement on the floor of the Legislative Assembly at a time when the MCC is in force. The party claimed that the statement was intended to influence the electorate by projecting developmental benefits in the constituency. The BJP said the announcement constitu...

The Jammu Kashmir government has said that it is providing an additional 10 kg of free ration per beneficiary to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households in the region since April 2025, while the proposal for providing 12 LPG cylinders to these families is still under consideration. As per official documents, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), stated that the additional ration is being distributed in light of Government Order No. 25-JK (FCS&CA) of 2025 dated April 2, 2025, with an aim to augment the monthly food requirements of AAY households having a family size of four or more members. The department clarified that the distribution ensures the quantity “does not exceed 10 kg per beneficiary” under the Public Distribution System (PDS). Howev...

Senior National Conference leader from Budgam, Aga Syed Mehmood, on Wednesday expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for approving the establishment of the National Law University (NLU) in Jammu Kashmir, a long-pending demand of locals and public representatives from Budgam. Aga Mehmood said the decision fulfilled a long-cherished aspiration of the people of the district who had been advocating for the setting up of a premier legal institution in central Kashmir for years. “I am grateful to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for listening to this long-pending demand. Establishing the National Law University will not only strengthen legal education in Jammu Kashmir but also create avenues for our students to pursue quality legal studies without having to move outside the region,” A...

The Jammu Kashmir government on Wednesday said that around 11,602 kilograms of suspected rotten and adulterated meat has been seized and destroyed since July 31, 2025, across several districts of the region. In a written reply, health minister, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that to curb the import and sale of substandard, rotten, or illegal meat consignments, the department listed several measures. “It has conducted 1,430 inspections of food business operators dealing with meat and meat products since July 2025. Public notices were also issued to those handling frozen raw meat in August 2025, warning them to follow food safety norms,” the minister said. She further said that the department has also issued prohibition order, restricting manufacture, storage, tra...

Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday witnessed the withdrawal or rejection of four key private members’ bills, each addressing social welfare, artisan support, and education reforms across the Union Territory. The first proposal, moved by MLA Altaf Ahmad Wani from Pahalgam, sought to enhance financial assistance for families affected by fire incidents. Wani urged the government to raise compensation to ₹5 lakh for fully damaged houses, ₹3 lakh for severely damaged ones, and ₹2 lakh for partially damaged structures, calling existing relief “grossly insufficient.” “The Red Cross offers only two blankets, four utensils, and ₹2,000 in cash. The SDRF provides ₹1.36 lakh, which is not enough given current construction costs,” Wani told the House. However, the Chief Minister ter...

Jammu Kashmir government has revealed that more than 3.61 lakh educated unemployed youth are currently registered across the region as of September 2025. According to official figures shared in the Legislative Assembly, the Kashmir division accounts for over 2.08 lakh registrations, while the Jammu division has more than 1.52 lakh. Among districts, Anantnag leads with 32,298 registered unemployed youth, followed by Pulwama (28,671), Kathua (26,798), Srinagar (23,826), and Kulgam (21,446). The lowest figures have been recorded in Kishtwar (8,870) and Reasi (12,376). The data also highlights a gender divide — 2,33,845 males and 1,27,301 females are registered as unemployed. The government said the Employment Department, under Mission Youth and Mission YUVA, is working to create 4...

National Conference MLA from Anantnag West, Abdul Majeed Bhat (Larmi), is set to introduce The Government Doctors (Regulation of Private Practice) Bill, 2025 in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature on Tuesday. The proposed law aims to bar government doctors from engaging in private practice across the region. The move is intended to strengthen the public healthcare system and ensure that government medical professionals remain available full-time in public hospitals and health centres. Under the draft bill, no government doctor will be allowed to participate, directly or indirectly, in private practice. Any violation could lead to disciplinary action such as suspension, termination, withholding of increments, or monetary penalties. Private clinics and hospitals that employ govern...

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that at least 212,968 dog bite cases have been reported across the Union Territory between 2022 and 2025. Replying to a question raised by MLA Mubarak Gul, the Minister for Housing and Urban Development Department said that 212,968 people were bitten by dogs during the said period. The minister also informed the House that a total of 48,998 stray dogs have been sterilized under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program since September 2023. The minister added that the sterilization drives were being carried out in coordination with municipal bodies and animal welfare organizations to control the stray dog population, particularly in urban areas of Srinagar and Jammu, where most bite incidents have been reco...

The Jammu Kashmir government has admitted that the much-hyped Smart Bus service launched under the Smart City Mission is incurring heavy financial losses, nearly ₹20 lakh every day across Srinagar and Jammu. The disclosure came in response to a query raised by MLA Kangan Mian Mehar Ali, who sought details about the project’s financial performance during the ongoing Assembly session. According to a written reply submitted in the Assembly, the electric bus service, launched to promote clean and modern public transport, is running deep in the red. In Srinagar, the operational cost per kilometre is ₹60.74, while the revenue generated per kilometre is only ₹12 — resulting in a loss of ₹48.74 per km and a daily deficit of ₹9.74 lakh. In Jammu Division, the losses are even higher. The ru...

In a remarkable step, Jammu Kashmir government has relaxed the eligibility norms for its Marriage Assistance Scheme, easing the minimum educational qualification requirement for girls from economically weaker families. According to an order issued by the Commissioner Secretary, the minimum qualification has been waived off. Earlier, under the J-K Marriage Assistance Scheme, a girl applicant was required to have at least passed Class 8 or an equivalent examination to qualify for the financial assistance. The new order temporarily relaxes this condition until March 31, 2028, meaning that girls from economically weaker sections can now apply even if they haven’t completed Class 8. The order states that the amendment, annexed as “A,” will take effect from April 1, 2025, and remain in force...