Govt's non-serious approach

19/08/2017
Notwithstanding the explicit directions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs about formulation of a roadmap to deal with the issue of illegal settlement of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Jammu and Samba districts, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government is handling the subject with complete non-seriousness and till date no strategy has been devised. Moreover, a Group of Ministers (GoM), which was specifically constituted to hold deliberations on the serious matter, has failed to come up with any sugge...

New vistas in India-US relationship

18/08/2017
The first shipment of American crude oil is likely to reach India in the last week of September, opening new vistas in the Indo-US ties. With this India, the world's third-largest oil importer, joins Asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China to buy American crude after production cuts by OPEC drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content. The first lot of two million barrels costs USD 100 million, but given the volume being contemplated by Indian...

Development of waterways

17/08/2017
Jammu and Kashmir has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers but the same has remained un-utilized till date. This is notwithstanding the fact that waterways, if properly developed, can serve for the transportation activities as well as recreational centres for the tourists visiting the State. Waterways development has been declared as priority sector by the Union Government due to its lower fare cost as compared to rail and road transport and from tourism promotion poin...

No package for Industrial units

15/08/2017
Many industrial units at Bari Brahmana, Samba and Kathua are planning to wind up their operations as the Central and the State Governments have maintained silence over the continuation of the incentives (Industrial package) to the Industry in the Jammu and Kashmir, after implementation of GST in the State. At SIDCO Complex, Samba, about 90 % of the units belonged to the investors from outside the State while in Bari Brahmaman Industrial area, their percentage was around30 to 35 %. In Kathua al...

Defunct Water Resources Authority

14/08/2017
The dilly-dallying approach of the Government invited sharp criticism from various quarters including from the High Court, which is laying thrust on preparation of first ever J&K State Water Policy and Plan. This exercise is also the exclusive domain of J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority. Government is all set to infuse new lease of life in this vital body, which is lying defunct during the past nearly two years, and senior serving IAS officer Parmod Jain and former IAS officers Sonali Ku...

Abolishing interview system

13/08/2017
State Government has finally made up its mind to abolish the practice of conducting interviews for recruitments to the non-gazetted posts in order to fast-track the selection process, which under prevailing system is not possible. A formal order in this regard is likely to be issued in near future so as to ensure that all the vacant posts referred to the recruiting agencies as on date are filled through the new mechanism.The landmark decision about abolition of interviews for recruitment to low...