Jammu, Feb 18: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary Wednesday informed the Legislative Assembly that some of the road stretches in Old Srinagar were old alignments developed several decades ago with limited Right of Way (ROW). He said this while replying to a question raised by MLA Tanvir Sadiq. Sadiq raised a query that despite passage of several decades many of the main arterial roads in the downtown areas of Srinagar continue to remain structurally outdated, un-widened and poorly maintained, resulting in chronic traffic congestion. The deputy chief minister who is the minister in-charge for Roads and Buildings Department said that traffic congestion was experienced particularly during peak hours due to the substantial increase in traffic volume, urbanization and commercial activity. The minister said the routine maintenance and necessary repairs were being carried out periodically to ensure traffic ability and road safety.  "Preliminary assessments for improvement and widening of select stretches have been undertaken. Comprehensive widening in most cases entails substantial land acquisition, shifting of utilities and removal of encroachments, requiring inter-departmental coordination," the minister said. The House was informed that the land acquisition process has also been affected in certain stretches due to court litigation's, thereby impacting progress. The government said structures near Nalbal Bridge stand acquired for widening of Nowshera to Sour (KZP Road). "Acquisition of remaining structures shall be taken up after settlement/negotiation in the High Level Committee (HLC) and finalization of pending court cases," he said. About Saida Kadal to Ashaibagh (SMS Road), the government said that the survey for widening was presently underway for a length of approximately 1.75 km. "The proposal envisages widening of the carriageway from 7.50 meters to 21.00 meters. The Detailed Project Report (DPP) shall be submitted after completion of survey and feasibility formalities," the minister said. He informed the House that the preliminary project report for widening and upgradation of Devi Angan-Hawal Road has been prepared by Chief Engineer, R&B Central Kashmir under CRIF scheme for an estimated cost of Rs. 31.25 Crores for a length of 1.40 km. "This includes land acquisition and utility shifting cost of Rs.30.00 Crore and development cost of Rs. 1.25 Crore. The project shall be taken up upon approval under the scheme and subject to the availability of funds," he said. He said that the Alamgiri Bazar Chowk project stands approved under UT Sector 2025-26 for an amount of Rs. 335.00 lakh, which includes acquisition of 05 structures and junction redesigning. "The DPR is under process for Accord of Administrative Approval/Technical Sanction and shall be considered subject to the availability of funds," he said. He said that redesigning of Mirza Kamil Sahib (MK Sahib) Chowk stands approved under UT Sector 2025-26 for an amount of Rs. 135.00 lakh. "The DPR is under process for Accord of Administrative Approval/Technical Sanction," he said. The minister said the government was cognizant of the traffic congestion issues in downtown Srinagar and the necessity of ensuring smooth movement of ambulances, fire services and other emergency vehicles. "Road up-gradation and improvement works are being undertaken in a phased junction and prioritized manner based on traffic density, public safety considerations, land availability and financial feasibility," he said. The minister said that the improvement works including resurfacing, strengthening, drainage correction and junction re-modelling are being executed under regular R&B grants and other infrastructure development schemes.

Karta, Feb 18: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the much-anticipated Sri Shankaracharya Temple. Perched on hillocks beside the revered Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, this project takes root after decades, realizing a vision first envisioned in the 1960s. Total expenditure for the temple complex, amounting to Rs. 31.51 crore, will be fully borne by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. The Lieutenant Governor announced that the Shrine Board will construct 50 commercial shops within the Temple complex, which will be allotted to the landowners who donated it for sacred cause. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and the concerned landowners was executed in 2025, wherein the landowners have consented to donate 41 Kanals for sacred cause. “In the years ahead, the Sri Shankaracharya Temple will serve as a spiritual anchor for millions of devotees. It will be a living emblem of India's eternal culture, collective faith, resilience, and profound spiritual-cultural consciousness," LG said. He said that devotee visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi for darshan will also come to Sri Shankaracharya Temple, generating significant economic momentum across the region. "This influx will create employment opportunities, strengthen local enterprises, and inject fresh energy into overall regional development,” the Lieutenant Governor said. During his visit to the holy town of Katra, the Lieutenant Governor presided over the ‘Samridh Nari, Samridh Bharat’ program at the Spiritual Growth Centre, where he interacted with the women entrepreneurs of Self-Help Groups of Reasi and adjoining areas. The Lieutenant Governor reiterated the commitment of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board towards keeping spiritual hubs vibrant while prioritizing every devotee's comfort, safety, and dignity.  He said when sacred sites thrive with vitality, they spark renewed faith and unlock paths to progress. “Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has consistently prioritized welfare of local communities. It has not only generated large-scale local employment and supported extensive business activity, but has also contributed significantly to shaping a renewed social and cultural identity in the Union Territory,” the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor said that Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in a recent meeting had approved key decisions to transform the Shrine and surrounding area into India's premier vibrant spiritual hub. He announced that the Shrine Board is enhancing the annual procurement of Puja Samagri and Prasad from SHGs from current procurement value of Rs.5 Crore to Rs. 12 Crore significantly strengthening livelihood generation in the region. “A standout measure was to prioritize purchases from local self-help groups, women, and young entrepreneurs to boost the regional economy.  This initiative will onboard 20 additional self-help groups into the supply chain, providing livelihood support to around 1,500 women from villages in Reasi, Udhampur, and Jammu. Total annual purchases from these groups will be scaled to Rs. 50 crore in coming years,” the Lieutenant Governor said. The Lieutenant Governor stated that the soul of J&K UT is deeply rooted in India’s rich civilizational heritage, so we have decided to channel Vedic education's vast wisdom to the youth to nurture this legacy. He said, through the Gurukul initiative, SMVDSB will nurture youth who will uphold sacred traditions and perform religious practices with authenticity and understanding. The Lieutenant Governor also shared his vision for the future of the holy town. "I envision Katra carving a unique global identity in the coming years- drawing investments, superior infrastructure with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board support, booming business activity, and boundless opportunities for the youth,” he said. The Lieutenant Governor further highlighted that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board envisions building a world-class cultural and spiritual center—one that provides society with a foundation of lasting stability. Suresh Kumar Sharma and Gunjan Rana Members of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Prof. Pragati Kumar Vice-Chancellor SMVDU, Ramesh Kumar Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Mohammadd Aijaz Asad Secretary Rural Development & PR, Sarah Rizvi DIG Udhampur and Reasi Range, Sachin Kumar Vaishya CEO SMVDSB, Nidhi Malik Deputy Commissioner Reasi, senior officers of Police and Civil Administration, members of women self-help groups from Reasi and adjoining districts attended the function.

Srinagar, Feb 18: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday informed the House that out of 877 ventilators installed across hospitals in the Union Territory, 219 remain non-functional, highlighting gaps in critical care infrastructure. Replying to a question of MLA Shamim Firdous, minister in-charge for Health and Medical Education Department informed the House that 658 ventilators are functional while 219 are non-functional. While giving institution-wise details, she said that in GMC Jammu and its associated hospital there are 320 ventilators, among which 209 are functional and 111 are non-functional. “In SMHS Srinagar, 08 ventilators are non-functional and in GMC Srinagar associated hospitals excluding SMHS, 44 are non-functional,” the government said. As per the figures, in GMC Anantnag only 10 out of 36 ventilators are functional while GMC Baramulla has 2 non-functional ventilators and GMC Doda 10, GMC Kathua 2 and GMC Rajouri 3 are non-functional as well. Also, in GMC Udhampur and GMC Handwara, all 39 and 6 ventilators respectively are functional. The government further said, in SKIMS and its associated hospitals, out of 53 ventilators, 40 are functioning while 13 are non-functional.

Srinagar, Feb 17: J&K Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday made a sweeping case for transforming Jammu and Kashmir's economic future through horticulture. During his address in the Assembly, Sajad Lone took a sharp aim at policy gaps ranging from highway mismanagement to the corporate capture of post-harvest subsidies during his address in the J&K Legislative Assembly. Opening his remarks on the highway blockade crisis, Lone said the government was "unfortunately caught sleeping" when the roadblock struck and only moved after orchardists hit the streets. He rejected the government's claim that merely one percent of fruit worth 22,000 metric tons was ready at the time, calling it inaccurate.  He pointed out that the National Highway has always been a National Highway both before and after the abrogation of Article 370 and that the administration's sluggish response resulted in losses of crores with no accountability and no possibility of recovery. "It is a permanent damage which will never be recovered," he said. On the pending US trade deal, Lone urged the government to act proactively rather than wait for the agreement to be signed and then raise an outcry. He said the landed cost of American apples in duty-free markets like Dubai is publicly available and that even a basic desktop analysis could arm the administration with enough data to formally represent J&K's interests before the Government of India.  He said that India's Trade Minister may have little knowledge of walnuts, apples or pears and that it falls on the J&K government and the Chief Minister to make a pre-emptive representation before the deal is finalised. "The deal hasn't been signed yet," he said. He questioned why the concerned department was not already on this. Lone said that that J&K has no competitive advantage in growing rice and questioned why the region continues to cultivate it, attributing it primarily to food insecurity. He said that if all agricultural land were converted to horticultural use over the span of a decade, revenues could reach approximately two lakh crores, an amount he equated to three to four lakh jobs. He added that existing horticultural land alone has the potential to grow from generating ten thousand crores to seventy thousand crores. "If there is an economic revolution waiting to happen in J&K, it's through horticulture," he said. He said that besides tourism, horticulture was the only sector capable of genuinely transforming the region's economy.  Lone acknowledged that the government is doing a lot but stressed that the real change would only come when conversion efforts reach the village and Halqa level with officers physically present on the ground. He also flagged what he termed as monopolisation of post-harvest subsidies by the corporate sector, warning that the growers for whom these subsidies are intended are seeing little to none of the benefit. He called for direct government intervention to redirect these funds to the actual fruit growers. Turning to rural development, Lone made an unusually candid and pointed appeal to remove elected representatives including MLAs entirely from the rural development process. He argued that MGNREGA and Gram Sabha funds come from the Government of India for the poor and should remain with the poor, governed at the village level through the Gram Sabha without political interference.  He criticised the transfer of a Gram Rozgar Sahayak earning ten thousand rupees by ten or twenty kilometres, calling it an abuse of political power and asking pointedly whether MLAs were elected for this purpose. On MGNREGA administration, he said that the rest of India employs dedicated trained programme officers who develop expertise over time whereas in J&K the responsibility has been handed entirely to the BDO. While expressing full respect for the KAS cadre, Lone said that rural development was a specialist technical subject that cannot be effectively handled by generalist officers who need time to learn the rules before they can deliver results. Lone also proposed a fundamental reorientation of MGNREGA's core objective, suggesting that asset creation should be the primary goal with employment as its natural byproduct rather than the other way around as it currently stands. He acknowledged this may be difficult to change but said it would significantly improve outcomes on the ground. Closing his remarks, Lone once again urged the minister to keep elected representatives away from the Gram Sabha, framing it as a matter of integrity toward the rural poor.