Author: Indus Dispatch

NEW DELHI : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday released the third positive indigenisation list of defence equipment, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. Elated to release the list, Singh said, “I am very happy to issue the third positive list of indigenisation of 101 equipment and systems. These equipment and systems would be procured from the indigenous manufacturers only. Our objective is to make India a defence manufacturing hub.” The third positive indigenisation list includes several important systems including weapons, naval utility helicopters, and anti-ship and anti-radiation missiles. “Taking PM Narendra Modi’s vision for…

LEH : The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Leh organised a medical camp at District Court Complex, Leh to observe World Health Day today. The medical camp was inaugurated by the Chairman, DLSA Leh, O.P. Bhagat in the presence of Chief judicial Magistrate (CJM) Leh, Spalzes Angmo; Secretary, DLSA Leh, Phuntsog Angmo;President, Bar Association, Leh, Mohd Shafi. Health check-up of around 80 people, including Judicial officers, Bar members, Court staff, Para Legal Volunteers and litigants were done in the medical camp. Requisite medicines were provided to the needy and medical tests were also done during the camp. The medical team was headed by…

UDHAMPUR : After 75 years of Independence, the village Saddal of Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur got freedom from darkness by getting electricity for the first time on Wednesday, under the Central Government’s ‘Untied Grants Scheme’. As the houses have got electrified, natives of this village turned hopeful for a better future for their children. Earlier, the only source of light during the evening, in the village was candles and oil lamps, which gradually became a part of their day-to-day life. The villagers seem overjoyed as their long-pending demand for getting proper electricity has finally been fulfilled. For the success of…

LEH : As per the media bulletin released by the Directorate of Health Services UT Ladakh, 2 new positive sample reports of Covid-19 were received yesterday. Both of them were received by CMO Kargil. While a total of 267 sample reports were tested in UT Ladakh. 171 sample reports in Leh and 94 sample reports in Kargil were found to be negative. The bulletin further informs that 1 patient has been discharged. With this, the total number of COVID-19 active cases in UT Ladakh is 05; 2 cases in Leh and 3 cases in Kargil district. The bulletin further informs…

 LEH : The proposal for construction of more airstrips in arid region of Ladakh, which faces the major challenge of poor road connectivity, has grounded before its take-off as a multi-disciplinary team from Airports Authority of India (AAI), Indian Air Force and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) refused to give clearance to six sites identified for new airstrips. The high-level multi-disciplinary team of AAI, IAF and DGCA visited six identified sites at Turtuk (Nubra valley), Diskit (Nubra Tehsil), Nyoma, Padum/Zanskar, Wakha and Kargil last year for examining feasibility of these sites for construction of airstrips and concluded that none…

JAMMU : Weather remained dry in J&K and Ladakh on Thursday as the Meteorological (MeT) department forecast clear weather in the two UTs during the next 24 hours. “Weather will remain dry and clear in J&K and Ladakh during the next 24 hours,” an official of the MeT department said. Srinagar had 9.3, Pahalgam 4.2 and Gulmarg 5.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. Drass in Ladakh region had minus 1.4, Leh 3.3 and Kargil 2.4 as the minimum temperature. Jammu had 20.1, Katra 19.7, Batote 13.9, Banihal 9.5 and Bhaderwah 10.7 as the night’s lowest temperature.

Washington DC : The US stands ready to support India in diversifying its energy imports, the White House has said, reiterating its desire that New Delhi does not purchase oil from Russia amid American sanctions on Moscow for attacking Ukraine. The remarks made by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday come amid increasing disquiet in the West over India’s indication to buy larger volumes of discounted crude oil from Russia. On Monday, the White House said the US views that it is not in India’s interest to ”accelerate or increase” imports of Russian energy and other commodities while…

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (April 7, 2022) extended greetings on the occasion of World Health Day. In a series of tweets, the prime minister expresses gratitude to the health sector and workers. “Greetings on World Health Day. May everyone be blessed with good health and wellness. Today is also a day to express gratitude to all those associated with the health sector. It is their hardwork that has kept our planet protected,” he tweeted”The Government of India is working tirelessly to augment India’s health infrastructure. The focus is on ensuring good quality and affordable healthcare to…

NEW DELHI : India reported 1,033 new COVID -19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Thursday. With the new cases, the active caseload stands at 11,639 which accounts for 0.03 per cent of the country’s total positive cases. Meanwhile, 1,222 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 4,24,98,789. The current recovery rate is at 98.76 per cent and the daily positivity rate is at 0.21 per cent. With 4,82,039 tests conducted in the last 24 hours 79.25 crore COVID tests have been conducted…

JAMMU :   A lookout notice has been issued against former Jammu and Kashmir minister Babu Singh who has gone underground after his name figured as a suspect in a hawala transaction case here, officials said Wednesday. Singh’s link to the case surfaced after the police Thursday arrested Mohmmad Shareef Shah (64) and seized Rs 7 lakh of alleged hawala money from him. The seized cash was allegedly meant to support insurgency in the Jammu district, the police said. “We have issued a look-out notice for Babu Singh,” a senior police officer told PTI, adding the notice was issued by the…

Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday attached Incharge Medical Superintendent District Hospital Kulgam and in-charge medical officer (BMO) Pampore besides suspended two medical officers for alleged dereliction of duties. As per separate orders, Dr. Muzaffar Ahmed Zargar, Incharge Medical Superintendent District Hospital Kulgam, has been attached with Director Health Services Jammu over alleged dereliction of duties. “In view of dereliction of duties, Dr. Muzaffar Ahmed Zargar, 1/C Medical Superintendent, District Hospital, Kulgam is hereby attached to the office of the Director, Health Services, Jammu with immediate effect,” reads an order by Vivek Bharadwaj (IAS) Additional Chief Secretary Health…

NEW DELHI : Parliament Wednesday passed the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill that seeks to allow investigators to collect certain identifiable information of convicts and other persons for purposes of identification and investigation in criminal matters. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill by a voice vote after Home Minister Amit Shah allayed concerns raised by the opposition which claimed that the draft law was draconian. Earlier, the bill was passed by Lok Sabha. The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 replaces the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920. Shah said the bill has been brought in to ensure that police and investigators remain…

LEH : Director, Corporate Affairs, Shapoorji Pallonji And Company Private Limited, Manish Tripathi, called on the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur, in New Delhi today. He talked of digitisation of pre-tender and tender process, scientific and aesthetic architecture designs based on Ladakhi heritage, carbon neutral technologies and drinking/irrigation water supply technologies for Ladakh.

LEH : The valedictory ceremony of the five-day training course on Modern Traffic Gadgets, Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019, Traffic Drills, organised by the Police Headquarters (PHQ) Ladakh for its Traffic Wing Police personnel, was held at Shenam Community Hall, Leh. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), UT Ladakh, S S Khandare was the chief guest of the occasion. Commencing the programme, Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Mohd Rafi Giri briefed about the training and the feedback from the trainee participants. He termed the training course a great learning experience for the participants. Congratulating the participants on the successful completion of…

Online bookings ensured transparency and convenience to people LEH : In a press statement issued from the Civil Aviation Department of Ladakh, it has been stated that during the winters of 2021-22, 4468 passengers were airlifted in around 90 sorties. The An-32 operated in Jammu-Kargil and Srinagar-Kargil sectors. This year the operations of An-32 were made online through the ticketing portal of the Civil Aviation Department of Ladakh. All bookings, cancellations, and rescheduling of the operations were online thereby ensuring complete transparency, complete digital transactions, and convenience to the general public. Around 350 senior citizens and 700 women availed the…

LEH :  The two-day extensive General Council Meeting (GCM) of the 6th LAHDC Leh at the Council Secretariat concluded on April 5. The GCM deliberated on the draft CAPEX budget of Leh district for the financial year 2022-23 and on the last day, it approved the action plan of draft CAPEX budget with the unanimous approval of all the Councillors. Presenting the concluding remarks on the GCM, Chairman/CEC, LAHDC Leh, Adv Tashi Gyalson underpinned an important observation from the two-day deliberation and discussion. He said, “I request LG Ladakh, RK Mathur and UT Administration to earmark 300 crore special funds,…

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is capable and making efforts to restore assets belonging to the Kashmiri migrants and so far properties of 610 applicants have been returned, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityananda Rai told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Responding to queries during the Question Hour in the Upper House, the Minister said the District Magistrate has been designated as the custodian of the migrants’ properties. The state government has also started a portal to resolve the complaints of migrants. “The Modi government and Home Minister is capable of returning the assets to migrant Kashmiris. Constant…

By Dhurjati Mukherjee The timing of the notification of National Hydrogen Mission couldn’t have been better, in the backdrop of the Russian-Ukraine war, which has greatly impacted the energy sector. While the US, Japan and South Korea have already stopped or cut imports of Russian oil, there is pressure on Middle East countries to increase prices. However, Russia will try to stay in the game by increasing its supplies to China, India and other Asian countries by offering oil at discounted prices. India, which imported 3 percent of its demand from Russia last year, has already ramped up purchases of…

NEW DELHI : The killing of people belonging to minority communities in Jammu and Kashmir was at its peak in 2021 with 11 deaths in different terrorist attacks, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. As per the data, a total of 11 people from the minority communities were killed in J&K in 2017 followed by three killings in 2018, six in 2019, three in 2020 and 11 in 2021. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai shared the data in the Upper House while responding to a question in a written reply,…

JAMMU : The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has given six weeks to the government to identify immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh who are illegally staying in the Union Territory. A bench comprising Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Moksha Khajuria Kazmi passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Hunar Gupta seeking deportation of such illegal immigrants. ”We direct the secretary home, UT of J&K to consider the matter and to evolve a mechanism for the identification of all illegal immigrants and to prepare a list after identifying them. “The said exercise may be carried…