Author: Yusara Askari

PMKVY-trained Kashmiri youth prepare masks, PPEs for earning livelihood
5Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

PMKVY-trained Kashmiri youth prepare masks, PPEs for earning livelihood

After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 last year, a lot of significant development has taken place in the valley, one of them is Kashmiri youths’ contribution towards Covid-19 fight.According to reports, youth trained under Pradhan Mantri Kushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) are preparing masks and PPEs at a local institute in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district.The institute which is an undertaking of 'She Hope Society for Women Entrepreneurs', train youth in tailoring so that they can earn their living without being dependent.However, this is not the only centre which is contributing to the fight against COVID-19 in Kashmir. There are many such institutes which are proving to be a helping hand in the battle against the virus.Uzafia Jan, a programme manager, said t
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Kashmir’s Farhana Bhat makes mark in Bollywood, bags 2 more projects
5Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Kashmir’s Farhana Bhat makes mark in Bollywood, bags 2 more projects

Farhana Bhat never wanted to be an actor and therefore, she never thought she would be working with the big shots of the Bollywood industry, but in 2018, she bagged an Imtiaz Ali film ‘Laila Majnu’ and now she has in her kitty two more big Bollywood projects.Farhana, who lives in the Chanpora area of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), studied at a local school and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Government College for Women, Srinagar.“I didn’t want to be an actor, but by God’s grace, I landed in this field and got along with the flow. I have always been passionate about journalism and always wanted to become a journalist. I am also working on becoming a broadcast journalist or a news anchor. I will also go for an internship with a national TV
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J&K: Ganderbal’s Govt Degree College gets massive upgrade
5Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Ganderbal’s Govt Degree College gets massive upgrade

The Jammu and Kashmir government has said that they have now begun at full speed the construction for several new facilities at the Government Degree College located in the Union Territories’ Ganderbal district.According to the Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal, Shafqat Iqbal, the ongoing construction includes many new projects like an auditorium, new classrooms, an additional modern library, a conference hall, a cultural hall and a debate hall."To boost the education sector in the Ganderbal district, construction has begun in full swing with the support and help of funds issued by the Central government. Earlier, we used to face a lot of problems with funding. But for the last year, ever since our state received the status of the Union Territory, development work has been fast-tracked," he
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Statehood only after ‘rectifying blunders’ of previous governments: BJP
5Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Statehood only after ‘rectifying blunders’ of previous governments: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the current ruling political party of India has made it clear that the decision to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) would be taken only “after rectifying the historic blunders committed by successive state governments by abusing Article 370 and 35-A”.“After the abrogation of both Articles, our main focus is to establish a system with accountability and transparency as successive regimes in J&K have brazenly abused these Articles to bulldoze democratic institutions and deprive marginalized sections of their constitutional rights,” J&K president of the BJP, Ravinder Raina said in a statement.Raina said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had committed that statehood to J&K would be restored after the normaliza
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Decision to abrogate Article 370 was taken under extreme circumstances: LG Murmu
4Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Decision to abrogate Article 370 was taken under extreme circumstances: LG Murmu

Ahead of the first-year-anniversary of Article 370’s abrogation from Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu has revealed that decision to abrogate Article 370 was taken under extreme circumstances.Murmu also said that Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has witnessed tremendous development in the last year. "Some people are seeing electricity for the first time in 70 years," he said.Murmu, 60, an IAS officer of the 1985 batch, worked as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's additional principal secretary during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister. He became the administrative head of Kashmir and Jammu provinces after the Central government, on August 5, 2019, abrogated special status of the erstwhile state and also announced its bifurcation into two Union Territories (UT) - Ladakh,
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SFT India organizes protest to mark CCP’s founding anniversary
2Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

SFT India organizes protest to mark CCP’s founding anniversary

Students for Free Tibet (SFT) India organized a protest in Dharamshala, a city in India’s Himachal Pradesh state, on the occasion of the 99th founding anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), saying that although this is a day of celebration for China, it is a sad day for Tibet.“Today we are here to protest against the Chinese Communist Party, specially the government itself, because 23rd of July marks the 99th anniversary of CPC Communist Party of China,” SFT Director, Rinzin said."Usually this is a day of celebration for the Chinese but as a Tibetan this is a sad moment for us because the very foundation of CPC is based on bloodshed and dictatorship that's why we are here to protest. We did a banner action, we unfurled 30/50 feet banner which reads "Down with China, Tibet Indepe
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New High-Tech Poly Houses Constructed In J-K to Boost Vegetable Cultivation
2Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

New High-Tech Poly Houses Constructed In J-K to Boost Vegetable Cultivation

The Jammu and Kashmir government has constructed new high-tech poly-houses at a cost of Rs 10 lakh to boost vegetable cultivation in the valley."These high-tech poly-houses have been installed under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) scheme sponsored by the Central government, with latest features like humidity control, a fogger system, temperature controller and heating system for harsh winters," said Zahoor Ahmad, Agricultural Assistant of the Kitchen garden scheme.He added that the previous poly-house only covered an area of 12 to 14 square feet while the new one covers over 2000 square feet."The new high-tech poly-house covers an area of 2000 square feet and has the latest agricultural equipment. This system can give us a much higher yield at a better quality. We do not need to d...
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Kashmiri youth shines in entertainment industry, launches his own music label
2Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

Kashmiri youth shines in entertainment industry, launches his own music label

Rarely do we get to see ordinary people from Kashmir making it big in the entertainment industry, but a youth from Srinagar, Danish Kak, has made quite a name for himself as an actor, model and now, producing his music albums.Danish started his career with modelling. He has worked with renowned music labels -- T-series and Zee Music and has also launched his own music label, Yellow Sky Music.Kak said after completing preliminary education in his hometown, he went to Delhi to study media studies and later to Mumbai, in 2010, to pursue his dream of becoming a director. However, fate had something else in store for the aspiring filmmaker."During my college days, I directed several short movies and did some certification courses. Some people said that I look good and nudged me to give a shot a...
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## Widening chasm between ISI and separatists leaves Kashmiris wounded ##
31Jul By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

## Widening chasm between ISI and separatists leaves Kashmiris wounded ##

The recent developments within Pakistan’s notorious spy agency or Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with regard to Kashmir policy, especially its approach to the Separatist camp, has instilled fear within the leaders. Separatist leaders from both parts of Kashmir are clueless as to why their mentors are taking a different course to the earlier stated policy and have apparently left them in a lurch. This has made them rethink if it was prudent to heavily depend upon Pakistan for some kind of save as they were answerable to the Kashmiris, whom they claim they represent.The results for the past three decades have been dismal as it has led them nowhere except death and destruction. After using them during three decades long militancy, the Pakistan Generals have made them realize that they were
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Kashmiri Pandits slam demand for restoration of J&K’s special status
31Jul By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia, Opinion

Kashmiri Pandits slam demand for restoration of J&K’s special status

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits of India have slammed the demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and statehood, raised by an organization called Reconciliation, Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrant Kashmiris, saying that the demand gives a false impression that Kashmiri Pandits are against the abrogation of Article 370.The Kashmiri Pandits have claimed that the organization, headed by Satish Mahaldar, did not represent displaced Kashmiri Pandits and was backed by Hurriyat Conference, a group of Kashmiri separatist parties.On July 27, Satish Mahaldar had said that a state has never been downgraded and this is not done in a democracy. Mahaldar had demanded the restoration of the statehood and special status provided to Jammu and Kashmir under the original Article 370.Res...
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