The issues and debate around the Government action on Land grabbers in Jammu and Kashmir are heating up. For the past three decades, Land Grabbing has been an issue of major concern. Now the ongoing Government action has started a debate.
It is worth pointing out that
The L-G administration passed directions to all deputy commissioners to evict illegal occupiers from the State land in J&K by January 31 this year.
As a matter of fact, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said only influential and powerful people who misused their position to encroach upon the State land would be evicted in the Union Territory (UT).
“The High Court has passed directions repeatedly to evict illegal encroachers from State land. Let me clarify that influential people who have misused their position, violated rules and grabbed land will be evicted. The common man and poor man will not be touched. We will ensure their rights are secured,” L-G Sinha said in Srinagar.
“The drive will continue and no one will be spared and all the illegal encroachments on the State as well as ‘kahcharai land’ will be removed”ShyambirDeputy Commissioner Ganderbal stated.
According to official figures released on Thursday, around 1,600 kanals (200 acres) of government land was recovered in a single day during anti-encroachment drives in Bandipora.
With these 1,571 kanals, the total retrieved land has increased to around 28,000 Kanals (3,499 acres), which have been retrieved from the land grabbers.
The official pulse is that
most of these encroachments had taken place on the posh outskirts of the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar—in Bahu tehsil (Sidhra, Bhathandi, Sunjwan) in Jammu and Humhama and Rangret areas of Srinagar—in the last several decades. Cost of land in these areas ranges between Rs 2.00 crore and Rs 4 crore.
Consequent of the UT Government’s recent decision of retrieving all these lands, Commissioner-Secretary Revenue, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, has directed all the 20 DCs, vide Circular No: 02-JK(Rev) of 2023 dated 09-01-2023, to remove all the identified encroachments and achieve “100% target” by 31st January 2023. He has asked the DCs to submit daily progress of the retrieval of State land and Kahcharai land, as per a format, through respective Divisional Commissioners every evening.
Despite protest from some political parties Jammu and Kashmir Government is going ahead with retrieving of land grabbed and so far thousands of Kanals have been received back.
One hopes all the land grabbed illegally would be retrieved back.
According to projections from the World Population Review (WPR), India’s population was 141.7 crore as of the end of 2022. That’s a little more than 50 lakh more than the 141.2 crore declared by China on January 17, when there was the first fall since the 1960s, according to official announcements.
India, a country where 50 percent of the population is under 30, is anticipated to have the world’s fastest-growing major economy. The milestone was supposed to be reached later this year, according to the UN. According to WPR, India’s population increased to 142.3 crore people as of January 18. WPR predicts that, though India’s population growth has slowed, it will still climb until at least 2050.
The most recent figure for India is 142.8 crore, according to a different estimate from the research platform Macrotrends. After postponing population surveys due to pandemic disruptions in 2021, the nation did not release its once-every-ten-year census statistics.
On the otherhand, The country has made huge strides in improving energy access, but needs to continue to develop the energy network and diversify its fuel mix.
The country’s path to decarbonization could be a net-positive one if it turns to low- and no-emissions technologies.
Also considering our growing population, The Indian economy is likely to reach the $26 trillion mark by 2047, the 100th year of the country’s independence, according to an EY report.
It also said that the per capita income is also expected to increase to $15,000, putting the country among the ranks of developed economies.
The hope on ground is that we control rising population and also look into means of giving quality life to entire population.
Khushi Pallavi Gillani Is a brilliant child who since very tender age has dedicated herself to welfare of animals especially saving street dogs.
In an exclusive interview with News Kashmir, She talks to Farzana Mumtaz and Rameez Makhdoomi.
Tell us a bit about yourself ?
I am student of class 11th of International School Kodaikanal Tamil Nadu, India .
How did you develop passion for working for cause of street animals?
I have lot of love for animals since very tender age especially from class first. I was moved by the pain and agony felt by animals especially the likes of street Dogs in our part of world, so thought that one can’t be just a mere animal lover but have to do practically somethings for them. One episode moved me especially when at age of 13 I saw video of animal cruelty on Instagram, and wrote article on animal abuse.
Tell us about your baked items initiative for street animals?
I saw street dogs in Kashmir living under miserable conditions so made some baked items which I put for sale, to help street dogs in Kashmir. It got good response and from the funds generated I donated 70 percent to heath centers looking after street animals, 20 percent to NGO working for street Dog welfare, and ten percent I bought Dog feed and distributed at different places of Kashmir.
What are your future plans for animal protection?
When I will come for summer vacation next time I would do fund raising to cover good number of street Dogs maybe by selling baked items or some other idea to cover more animals. I want to do big things for street animals especially dogs in Kashmir in future times.
Are your parents supporting you?
Yes, my parents are supporting like me anything. They are themselves animal lovers and we have a dog at home. They support my every noble idea and initiative.
How is love towards street animals in Kodaikanal?
We are not allowed to roam here much beyond school, but whatever I am seeing here street dogs are less but treated well. Although there are many in Kashmir who feel pain of street animals and work for their welfare. In future in Kashmir too the condition of street animals would improve.
The death of puppies and dogs due to cold in Kashmir is although a very painful reality.
Often street Dog bites cause Human -Dog conflict in Kashmir. Your take on it ?
Yes we often hear Dog bites which is a painful phenomenon. We can adopt multi pronged strategy for same. More shelter homes for street dogs, increase in sterilization process, feeding street dogs often as hunger and starvation creates problems for any form of life .
What is your message to people?
My message to people is don’t kill animals nor hurt them . Be kind to them.Try best to work for their welfare and do efforts for promoting the conditions that keep especially street animals safe.
Geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product’s source, is intended as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, is made according to traditional methods, or enjoys a good reputation due to its geographical origin.
Article 22.1 of the TRIPS Agreement defines geographical indications as “…indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a Member [of the World Trade Organization], or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.”
In India, sometime back adding to the present collection of Geographical Indications (GIs), nine new items, including gamocha of Assam, Tandur red gram of Telangana, Raktsey Karpo apricot of Ladakh, and Alibag white onion of Maharashtra, have been given the coveted GI tag. Kerala has been awarded five GI tags for its agricultural produce.
With this, the total number of GI tags in India comes to 432. The top five states holding the maximum number of GIs are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. Of these, 401 are Indian-origin products, 31 foreign-origin.
In Kashmir too the large number of GI tags given by the Government is giving many positives by boosting the local economy and promoting orginal and pure products of Kashmir..
The GI tag ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name.
As a matter of fact, The Department of Handicrafts and Handloom (H&H) Kashmir has submitted the dossier for registration of two more crafts viz. Crewel and Chain-stitch to Intellectual Property India, Chennai, an apex body for the registration and better protection of geographical indications (GI) relating to goods in India.
Recently also, to give a impetus to saffron production in Kashmir, J&K government launched new initiatives including the introduction of GI tagging.
The GI certification of Kashmiri saffron by Geographical Indications Registry would cease the adulteration and will also put an end to the marketing of saffron cultivated in other countries under the garb of being produced in Kashmir.
In other development sometime back, The Jammu and Kashmir government has finally started a Geographical Indication (GI) registry for the famed Kashmiri carpet with a quick response (QR) code with details of artisans and the material used. The first ever consignment of GI-tagged carpets were exported to Germany from New Delhi.
One hopes Geographical Indications would continue to boost economy of Jammu and Kashmir and entire India.
Fake news is a cancer, which has potential to harm our entire society as it creates chaos and commotion.
In a historic and great development, recently the PIB Fact Check Unit (FCU) of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting busted six YouTube channels which were working in a coordinated manner and spreading false information in India. The Fact Check Unit released six separate Twitter threads having over 100 fact-checks to counter the fake news spread by these channels. This is the second such action from the Unit under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting where entire channels have been busted.
The six YouTube channels were found to be operating as part of a coordinated disinformation network, had nearly 20 lakh subscribers and their videos have been watched over 51 crore times.
The YouTube channels exposed by the PIB Fact Check unit spread fake news about the elections, proceedings in the Supreme Court and Parliament of India, functioning of the Government of India, etc. Examples include false claims regarding ban on Electronic Voting Machines, and false statements attributed to senior Constitutional functionaries including the Hon’ble President of India, Hon’ble Chief Justice of India.
The channels are part of a fake news economy that thrives on monetization of fake news. The channels use fake, clickbait and sensational thumbnails and images of television news anchors of TV Channels to mislead the viewers to believe that the news was authentic and drive traffic to their channels in order to monetize the videos published by them.
This is the second such action by PIB Fact Check Unit. In an earlier major action, on 20th December, 2022, the Unit had exposed three channels peddling fake news. One hopes that Fake news in India would be soon a thing of past.
Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Dr Shah Faesal and Fazlul Haseeb are among the top IAS officials of Jammu and Kashmir administration who have passed the UPSC exams in 2008, 2010 and 2017 respectively and became role model heroes of hundred of youths of Jammu and Kashmir those intending to qualify the UPSC exams from time to time to attain bureaucratic positions.
Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary is a 2009 batch Indian Administrative Service officer from Jammu and Kashmir cadre and the current administrative secretary of Tribal Affairs Department and Chief Executive Officer, J&K Mission Youth, Mission Director, Skill Development Mission. He secured an All India Rank 51 in the UPSC’s Civil Services Examination for the year 2008. Shahid was the first Muslim from Jammu region to get into Indian Administrative Service as a direct recruit.
Dr Shah Faesal, is an Indian bureaucrat currently posted as deputy secretary in the ministry of culture, Government of India. In 2010, he became the first Kashmiri to place first position in the Indian Civil Services Examination.
Faesal, who did his MBBS from Sher-i- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, topped the UPSC examination in his first attempt proves that anyone can achieve it by hard work.
Fazlul Haseeb cracked UPSC examination in 2017 and secured rank 36 is presently posted as Director, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism department, Kashmir. Haseeb topped the candidates from Jammu and Kashmir region in 2017 as he was groomed to get into the civil service and the idea was fed to him since childhood by his father, who kept guiding him and inspiring him to join the services.
Notably at least seven candidates from the Jammu region were confirmed to have made it to the latest batch of All India Civil Services while Kashmir Valley has been drawn completely blank. It is for the first time that no one from Kashmir Valley has been able to crack the Civil Services Exam for 2021 result of which was declared on May 30, 2022.
Shruti Sharma, Ankita Agarwal and Gamini Singla have secured the first, second and third rank respectively in the civil services examination 2021, results of which were announced by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on May 30, 2022.
The IAS dream is exclusive to the millions of Indian youth who devote years of their time and make innumerable sacrifices to achieve it. Every year, thousands of aspirants enroll themselves in the best IAS academy they can find, in order to chart their course towards the IAS dream.
For those who harbour the IAS dream, it is essential to know the kind of duties, powers and responsibilities that are part and parcel of the illustrious post. Indian Administrative Service Officers are an intricate part of the Indian bureaucracy and government machinery. The career is a complete package comprising an attractive pay package, job security, social status, and an excellent platform for serving the nation on various levels.
Lakhs of aspirants fill the form every year with an aspiration to join Lal Bahadur Shashtri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) which is the last and final step before joining the duty and coming to terms with living the life of an IAS officer.
The civil services examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages preliminary, main, and interview to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and the Indian Police Service (IPS) among others.
Once an IAS aspirant successfully aces the civil service exams, his/her life transforms into a very disciplined and busy one. IAS officers have to complete several duties in a day, based on their department. Most of the responsibilities involve going through daily reports, delegating duties, and overseeing policy formulation. The duties also involve extensive travelling across the length and breadth of their administrative area or district.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Civil Servants for the East India Company used to be nominated by the Directors of the Company and thereafter trained at Haileybury College in London and then sent to India. Following Lord Macaulay’s Report of the Select Committee of British Parliament, the concept of a merit based modern Civil Service in India was introduced in 1854. The Report recommended that patronage based system of East India Company should be replaced by a permanent Civil Service based on a merit based system with entry through competitive examinations. For this purpose, a Civil Service Commission was setup in 1854 in London and competitive examinations were started in 1855.
Nevertheless, in 1864, the first Indian, Shri Satyendranath Tagore brother of Shri Rabindaranath Tagore succeeded. Three years later 4 other Indians succeeded.
Throughout the next 50 years, Indians petitioned for simultaneous examinations to be held in India without success because the British Government did not want many Indians to succeed and enter the ICS. It was only after the First World War and the Montagu Chelmsford reforms that this was agreed to. From 1922 onwards the Indian Civil Service Examination began to be held in India also, first in Allahabad and later in Delhi with the setting up of the Federal Public Service Commission. The Examination in London continued to be conducted by the Civil Service Commission.
Similarly, prior to independence superior police officers belonged to the Indian (Imperial) Police appointed by the Secretary of State by competitive examination. The first open competition for the service was held in England in June, 1893, and 10 top candidates were appointed as Probationary Assistant Superintendents of Police. Entry into Imperial Police was thrown open to Indians only after 1920 and the following year examinations for the service were conducted both in England and India.
Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was formerly known as the Imperial Civil Service (ICS) is the Civil Services Examination and one of the toughest competitive exams in India. It is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment of officers for the All India Administrative Civil Service.
It is very important for aspirants to know and understand the requirements of the examination such as the UPSC IAS syllabus, pattern, eligibility criteria, application procedure and other such significant details before kick-starting the registrations.
The selection of the candidates will be made through the preliminary exam, main examination and an interview/personality test. This year-long selection process will begin in the month of June and conclude in April. The final merit list for the CSE will be released in May.
The role of IAS officers is very venerable, demands a great deal of responsibility and reverence. It is also important that an officer is physically and mentally fit and healthy to handle the work pressure without giving in. Handling affairs of government that involve framing and implementation of policy in consultation with the concerned minister Implementing policies through supervision and also traveling to the places where the approved policies will be implemented.
Implementing policies comprises disbursement of funds through personal supervision answerable to the Parliament and State Legislatures for any violation of rules while on duty functions and responsibilities differ at different levels of career. Initially, IAS officers join the state administration at the sub-divisional level, resuming their services as sub-divisional magistrates, and look after law and order, general administration and development work in the area assigned to them.
At the Centre, the IAS officers play a key role in formulation and implementation of policies related to a particular area for instance, finance, commerce, etc. During formulation of a policy and decision making, IAS officers serving at different levels i.e. joint secretary, deputy secretary give their valuable inputs. The policy takes its final shape through a final decision the minister concerned or the cabinet, depending on the seriousness of the situation.
With the roles and responsibilities of an IAS officer, aspirants might have understood that Civil Services is opted not for attractive salary or perks though the pay scale of an IAS officer is lucrative.
The life of an IAS officer is indeed hectic yet an interesting one! They are the ones who have the real power to bring about the necessary change in society and help the underprivileged get their rights in a real sense.
(The author is a regular columnist and can be mailed at m.hanief@gmail.com)
Social media are very useful for us . In today’s era, the use of social media has become a necessary activity. Billions of people around the world use social media to share information but we can’t say that it is only boon, but it has disadvantages as well. First of all let us look at the advantages of the social media.
Social media have changed the lives of modern society. People talk and chat with other people through this . It has the potential for employment opportunities for the unemployed . We can make many friends on it who live far away from us. People can express their talent on social media sites, they can get money for their talent. If any student gets stuck in any question, they can use the YouTube or educational apps to solve their doubt. Self study has become easy for . If We have no time to buy things from shops . we can use social media sites ( shopping apps ) and can order online from home. If we want to taste different types of food, we can also order them, wherever want to order. We can pay from our social media platforms . We can play online games with our friends.
Now let’s look at some disadvantages of the social media. Today, people are addicted to social media. They utilise it for entertainment. They are becoming lazy day by day. People have lose connections with the real friends and family members. Sometimes social media can provide us fake news. Some people cleverly steal other’s information to blackmail them. Sometime students don’t get the actual answers of their question from social media platforms. Shopping from online shops can prove disastrous. Kids have got addicted to the online games
Social media have both pros and cons. However, it is up to us to use social media in the best possible manner. Proper guidance is necessary in this regard. In the pursuit of benefits, we must not lose the sight of the disastrous sides of the social media.
Narrative of Kashmir has taken different shapes in the lives of people across India and it still stands as a very interesting topic of discussion among many stakeholders. While Kashmir has always been in the news for political paradigm shifts, killings, stone pelting etc but surprisingly representing the other side has been neglected too nicely which might have led to relevance and cohesion. There is more to Kashmir than Apples, Walnuts & Mountains. A place where sufi’s had curated mystic verses, where lal-ded/laleshwari saw shiv, where writers found poetry and where singers found songs in the breeze.
Kashmir has been always discussed through the lens of authorities and vested interests. When we talk about the modern day Kashmir narrative we forget to mention how women have equally played a role in shaping it. It’s very important to understand what type of information has been produced to build the Kashmir narrative and by whom?
This article is an attempt to represent a fresh perspective from an inverted lens of women in kashmir.
Kashmiri women have been rarely discussed in the media and amongst the political agenda and not much work has been carried out to make the discourse more gender neutral. It is personally very important for me to help people locate the place of women in ongoing Kashmir dynamics.
Women are as important as men for carrying forward the cradle of civilization. The women of Kashmir despite long decades of Turmoil have not let that be a roadblock and shine in every field of life. The propaganda voices in the past tried to paint Kashmiri women and their life a certain way which was far from truth. Kashmiri women didn’t even leave the place to pursue higher education let alone for jobs. But the truth has changed for the better, be it in the Silicon city of Country Bengaluru or the heart of country Delhi, Kashmiri women can be seen in every sphere of life contributing to national progress and building their careers.. They are not shying away when it comes to the more daring sectors like Media and aviation. Nowadays you can see Kashmiri women flying the planes in the country, contributing to academics, working in public policy, leading newsrooms and changing the scenario of male dominated journalism in kashmir.
Talking of entrepreneurship, four lakh women in over 48,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (UMEED) have revolutionised women entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.
There are also lists of schemes being implemented for women empowerment like:
Awareness Generation Projects for Rural and Poor Women (generating awareness among women regarding various issues like education, female foeticide etc) Condensed Course of Education for Adult Women (providing women above the age of 15 who did not have the opportunity to gain formal education a condensed general education along with vocational and skill development trainings in order to integrate them with the workforce),
Family Counselling Centres, Scheme for Working Women Hostels,
Swayamsidha Scheme (a Self Help Group based programme with an emphasis on convergence activities aimed at ensuring that the members of such groups avail all relevant schemes in an integrated and holistic manner),
Umeed (a Government of India flagship project to empower women in Kashmir), Sher-i-Kashmir Employment and Welfare Programme, Educational Loans, Micro Credit Loans etc. A plethora of government schemes are making an impact both in the education and employment scenario. For example, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana has resulted in the skill development and employment of a number of Kashmiri youth, especially women.
In 2021, Kashmir University had 94 gold medalists, of which 77% were girls. Similarly, during the Islamic University of Science and Technology convocation, most gold medalists were women.
In 2022, two women from kashmir were awarded with Nari Shakti Puraskar, but again the discussion around this topic will be very less.
The point i am trying to make here can be experimented by everybody, for eg; if we try to search on google or ask anybody what is the position of women in kashmir dynamics?
you’ll mostly see them painted as victims of violence and their resilience. Though i don’t doubt their resilience for a split second but we also need to acknowledge that resilience does not only work in violent situations, it exists in excelling at professions too.
So this makes us ponder upon the fact that it is part of the narrative that they are represented in only one way or is the Kashmiri society non accepting of the fact that young women can choose for themselves and break the shackles of victimhood.
Though not much has been done for the kashmiri women living outside, the central government needs to ensure that they are provided with proper incentives and platforms so that they find a clear path to work in other parts of the country. Kashmiri women should be given more options to choose from in order for their decisions to be unaffected by state boundaries. The major fact which has been neglected is that the more kashmiri women are empowered, the more kashmiri society will empower because they have the potential to equally contribute.
Tehmeena Rizvi
The author is a Public Policy Professional from J&K, Currently working in New Delhi. Her areas of work include gender, inclusion, conflict and development.
The recent bloodbath in Dhangri Area of Rajouri District is a matter of great worry. Terror and extremist elements have been able to commit a heinous crime against humanity. The killing of Hindu civilians which included even children have saddened the hearts of every sane human in Jammu and Kashmir.
A large crowd gathered in Dhangri village on Tuesday, 3 January 2022 morning to attend the last rites of the six civilians killed in the terror attack in Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday on New year 2023 eve .
In the massacre, Four civilians, including a father-son duo, were gunned down by terrorists who barged into their homes in Dhangri village on Sunday night.
The carnage did not stop here. Hours later an improvised explosive device (IED) went off around 9 am on Monday at the house of one of the victims. The blast killed two minors and injured 12.
Following both the attacks, on Monday evening, the Medical Superintendent of GMC Association, Rajouri said, “Six people are dead and 12 are under treatment in Rajouri in three Government Medical Colleges, Jammu.
National Conference top lesder and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the killings.
Deeply shocked as more details emerge of this targeted attack in Rajouri district of Jammu. I unequivocally condemn this heinous attack & send my condolences to the families of the deceased. I hope those injured in this attack will make a swift & complete recovery. #RajouriAttack,” Omar Abdullah tweeted.
Civil society is also pained by Dhangri Bloodbath.
J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu Wednesday boycotted work in all courts and held a protest demonstration against the brutal killing of innocent people in Rajouri recently by the terrorists.
On the otherhand, Fifteen companies of CRPF comprising 1,500 personnel have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir’s twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch to secure minority areas in the region, officials said.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina on January 03 went to Dangri village to pay his last respect to the deceased of the terror attack. Speaking with ANI, Ravinder Raina said, “The burning pyres of people is the murder of humanity. Those who committed this crime will be punished by our Army and Police. God will also never forgive these murders. Which kind of bravery is to kill women and children? These cowardly Pakistani terrorists are not worth fighting with the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police.” Earlier, on the morning of January 03, locals of Dangri village in Rajouri of Jammu and Kashmir gathered for the last rites.
The Dhangri Bloodbath has raised fears in Jammu and Kashmir, and pained every human.
Textile sector is key component of global and Indian economy.
India’s textiles sector is one of the oldest industries in the Indian economy, dating back to several centuries. The industry is extremely varied, with hand-spun and hand-woven textiles sectors at one end of the spectrum, with the capital-intensive sophisticated mills sector at the other end. The fundamental strength of the textile industry in India is its strong production base of a wide range of fibre/yarns from natural fibres like cotton, jute, silk and wool, to synthetic/man-made fibres like polyester, viscose, nylon and acrylic.
As a matter of fact, The textile sector is one of the critical sectors of the Indian economy, accounting for more than two per cent of the total GDP and more than 12 per cent of the manufacturing sector gross domestic product (GDP). The sector is also the second largest provider of employment in India, after agriculture. It provides employment to an estimated 45 million people directly and to another 60 million indirectly through allied activities. Not only is the textile sector highly labour intensive, it also employs unskilled and semi-skilled labour force and is also an important source of employment for women.
But since sometimes the textile sector in India has been facing challenges. Domestic production has turned sluggish in recent months. While exports have suffered owing to preferential tariff treatment towards countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, cheap imports from China and some other countries in certain segments are hurting the domestic industry.
The government is committed to increasing textile exports from India, from the current USD 44.4 billion to USD 100 billion in the next five years. This will require addressing the challenges faced by the sector to ensure an efficient and dynamic textile sector.
