India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
Srinagar, June 06: The chronic shortage of adequate parking spaces in Srinagar's principal commer-cial districts is causing mounting concern, with both traders and shoppers voicing frustration over its impact on business and daily life. As vehicle numbers continue to rise, bustling marketplaces such as Lal Chowk, Nowhatta, Khawaja Bazar, Goni Khan, Khanyar, Khayam, Bohrikadal, and Maharaja Bazar are struggling to accommodate visitors. The scarcity is discouraging potential customers, leading to a significant fall in footfall and revenues. Shopkeepers say the lack of structured parking is deterring consumers. "Each day, fewer people walk into our shops," said Mohammad Yaseen, a shopkeeper in Lal Chowk. "Customers avoid coming here because they don't want to deal with the parking chaos. They prefer areas with more accessible parking -- this is a huge blow to our earnings." Yousuf Sofi, a vendor at Maharaja Bazar, added, "Even if people find parking, they often have to walk long distances, which becomes inconvenient in winter or during rain. Instead, they opt for shopping centres with dedicated parking." Zahoor Ahmad, who owns a clothing store in Goni Khan, said: "With online shopping already cutting into our business, the parking issue adds to our woes. Even promotional offers don't work if cus-tomers can't get here easily." While limited roadside parking has been introduced under the Smart City initiative, traders argue it is insufficient. "The space simply doesn't meet the demand," said Tariq Ahmad, a footwear shop owner in Lal Chowk. "People circle the area for 15-20 minutes and eventu-ally leave. We lose at least 30 percent of our daily customers." Trade bodies are calling on the authorities to act. Aijaz Shahdar, President of the Kashmir Trade Alli-ance, remarked, "We have raised this issue repeatedly. The government must prioritise parking infra-structure if it wants to revive traditional markets." He emphasised the need for multi-level parking facilities, stating that "They are essential. These structures could accommodate hundreds of vehicles without occupying large ground areas." Manzoor Ahmad Kar, spokesman for the Goni Khan Traders Association, said proposals for parking zones had been made, but implementation was lacking. "We identified potential sites, but nothing materialised. This inaction is hurting us." Local residents are equally dismayed. "We spend too much time searching for parking, only to end up in no-parking zones and get fined," said Shamima Zargar of Zaina Kadal. When contacted, a senior Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) official admitted the issue was acute in Downtown areas. "We are working on identifying new parking zones, but space is extremely limited," he said, requesting anonymity. An official from Srinagar Development Authority (SDA) acknowledged the challenge but said there were no immediate plans for multi-level parking. Meanwhile, an officer from Srinagar Smart City Lim-ited (SSCL) said, "We are focusing on optimising existing parking areas and plan to develop new loca-tions shortly." For now, the parking dilemma continues to plague Srinagar's markets, leaving both businesses and consumers with few options and little hope for immediate relief.
Srinagar, Nov 27 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir's Road Transport Corporation (RTC), a crucial backbone of public transportation, has raised serious concerns over the barring of its buses from entering Srinagar city limits. The move has triggered alarm within the Corporation, with officials cautioning about significant disruptions to public transport services and daily commutes, alongside substantial financial losses for the RTC. The restriction, in effect since November 4 when the maiden session of the Assembly commenced, is causing a daily revenue loss of Rs. 4 lakh to the Corporation. In a lette ...Read More >
Nainital (Uttarakhand) [India], June 7 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 27 development projects of Nainital district worth about 126 crore 69 lakhs in a program organised at Lalkuan, Nainital on Saturday. These projects include schemes related to education, road, medical, irrigation, sewerage, urban development, beautification and destitute cow protection. During this, 9 schemes were inaugurated at a cost of 25.93 crores and foundation stone were laid for 18 schemes at a cost of 100.76 crores. The Chief Minister said in his ad ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Srinagar: Following the melancholic atmosphere after the Pahalgam terror attack, Kashmir Valley has opened up its arms and hearts to welcome the pilgrims who have decided to visit Baba Barfani at Shree Amarnath Cave in the upper reaches of Pahalgam hills. As the Yatra begins tomorrow, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level meeting with the senior officers and reviewed the final preparations for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary, Jal Shakti Department Shaleen Kabra; DGP Nalin Prabhat; Special Directo ...Read More >
Itanagar, Jun 7 (PTI) The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh improved on Saturday with water levels of most rivers receding, even as 33,000 people in 24 districts remained affected, officials said. Twelve people lost their lives and one person went missing in rain-related incidents, including landslides, after the monsoon set in, they said. In its daily report, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said 33,200 people in 215 villages remained affected due to floods and landslides in the state. The water levels of most major rivers and their tributaries were showing a receding trend o ...Read More >
Srinagar- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday lauded the role of National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets during Operation Sindoor, calling their contributions a shining example of selfless service and commitment to the nation. Speaking at the Special National Integration Camp at Chinar Auditorium, Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, the LG said the cadets "rose to the occasion during difficult times," referring to their active participation in relief efforts during Operation Sindoor. "Beyond their selfless service in relief camps across border districts, they also proactively organized blo ...Read More >
VISAKHAPATNAM: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar inaugurated Andhra Pradesh's first Super ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code) compliant building at Sagar Nagar in Visakhapatnam on Friday. Terming it a landmark in sustainable infrastructure, he emphasised the government's commitment to energy efficiency and green design in public facilities. The facility will serve as a national-level training hub for power sector staff. He urged power utilities to expedite 20 lakh rooftop solar connections, targeting 10,000 in each Assembly segment. He reaffirmed nine-hour uninterrupted power for agri ...Read More >
SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited the Nunwan and Chandanwari base camps, on Sunday and reviewed the arrangements for the holy pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji, which is scheduled to begin from July 03. At Nunwan Base camp, the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated a foot overbridge for smooth movement of pilgrims. The new facility will ensure efficient security checks and reduce the waiting time for devotees. The Lieutenant Governor interacted with the administrative and security officials deputed for the holy Yatra, and took stock of the security arrangements and preparations of sta ...Read More >
Kolkata: A two-member National Commission for Women team on Sunday visited the south Kolkata law college where a student was allegedly gang-raped last week.The team, accompanied by a videographer, was initially denied entry and asked to produce a formal order. After an hour-long discussion at the college entrance, the team, led by Archana Majumdar, was allowed in under two conditions -- no access to the crime scene and no videography permitted.The visit lasted 10 minutes. "We were denied access to the crime scene and other floors. I will include this in my report," said Majumdar, who was the f ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing from all angles, including sabotage, in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 274 people on board and on the ground last month, Minister of State (MoS) For Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. Mohol said the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that has been recovered is in AAIB's custody and will not be outside the country for a thorough assessment. The MoS was speaking at the Pune chapter of the Emerging Business Conclave. "It (plane crash) was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investig ...Read More >
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said the state govt was consistently working to provide better resources to the doctors and quality healthcare services to the citizens.He mentioned that medical colleges were being established in every district.While there were only six medical colleges in 2014, the number has now increased to 15, and nine new colleges are under construction. As a result, MBBS seats in the state increased from 700 in 2014 to 2,185, at present. The state govt aims to increase the MBBS seats to over 3,400 by 2029, said Saini.The CM was addressing a ...Read More >
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 28 (ANI): Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid tribute to philanthropist and businessman Bhamashah on his birth anniversary and conferred the Bhamashah Samman to leading traders and businesspersons from across the state who have significantly contributed to Uttar Pradesh's economy by consistently paying high revenue taxes. Speaking on the occasion, he underscored the importance of recognising the business community's role and said, "... Not only in Lucknow but in all districts of the nation, businessmen paying high GST should be facilitated on this day. Bu ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha said on Sunday that time has finally come when the families of victims of terrorists and terror ecosystem in the union territory will get the much-awaited justice. Addressing a large number of family members of terror victims in Anantnag town on Sunday, the L-G said: "Jammu and Kashmir administration especially the security forces have created a peaceful atmosphere so that the victims of terror ecosystem can share their pain and get the much awaited justice. I am here to tell you today that finally your wait for ju ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that nearly five lakh homeless individuals in Jammu and Kashmir will soon receive housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. With Chief Minister Omar Abdullah present, Chouhan highlighted the near completion of existing allotments and plans for verification of newly identified beneficiaries. SRINAGAR: With chief minister Omar Abdullah sitting next to him, Union minister for agriculture and rural development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Katra, Jun 6 (PTI) As the valley delves into jubilation over freshly launched rail connectivity, traders in adjacent Jammu were a bit subdued, apprehending a loss of business because of the travellers bypassing them wholesale straight to Kashmir. As a result, traders' outfits in the district have urged the government to think about the economic impact and address it. "We congratulate the prime minister on this historic step. It will provide Kashmir with all-weather connectivity. But it will inevitably affect business in Jammu. The government must look into this aspect," Jammu Traders' Associ ...Read More >
Nainital (Uttarakhand) [India], June 7 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 27 development projects of Nainital district worth about 126 crore 69 lakhs in a program organised at Lalkuan, Nainital on Saturday. These projects include schemes related to education, road, medical, irrigation, sewerage, urban development, beautification and destitute cow protection. During this, 9 schemes were inaugurated at a cost of 25.93 crores and foundation stone were laid for 18 schemes at a cost of 100.76 crores. The Chief Minister said in his ad ...Read More >
KATHUA: Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha inaugurated the Kathua Waterfront and dedicated the landmark urban rejuvenation project to the people of Kathua. In his address, the Lieutenant Governor congratulated the District Administration Kathua for providing a unique public space that will foster community interaction and cultural activities in the beautiful and historical city of Kathua. He said, the 1200-meter stretch along Kathua Canal in the heart of the city will shape urban landscape, economy, and social fabric and enhance the city's identity and livability. "Kathua Waterfront blend ...Read More >
Digha: A day after Rath Yatra, the festive fervour continues in Digha as the seaside town is now gearing up to host Ulta Rath or the return journey of the deities from the 'Masir Bari' or the old Jagannath temple. On July 5 -- the Ulta Rath day -- hotels are hoping for fresh tourist influx. Though the deities are currently in Masir Bari, a large queue of devotees visited the newly-constructed Jagannath temple on Saturday. They offered prayers to the stone idol permanently installed there. It is the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra that have taken the chairot rides. Bipradash Cha ...Read More >
Jammu, Jun 30 (PTI) Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, the token distribution centre for offline registration of the pilgrims was operationalised here on Monday, even as the authorities successfully conducted a dry run of the arrangements along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, officials said. The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath will commence from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km-long Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district -- on July 3. The first batch of pilgrims will leave f ...Read More >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, July 1: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today directed for identifying the Government employees who were part of the terror ecosystem in the past and they are likely to face the axe. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Chairinga a high-level meeting here, the LG directed for identifying those elements from the terror ecosystem who were involved in killing of common Kashmiris and are currently working in Government Departments. The Government for the last few years terminated around 100 employees for terror links and with the fresh directions from the LG several more are ...Read More >
Srinagar: The Shia community in Kashmir on Friday took out a Muharram procession on the traditional route in the city to mark the eighth day of mourning, officials said. The procession was taken out in a peaceful manner with authorities making adequate security arrangements. This is the third consecutive year that the administration has allowed the Muharram procession to be taken out on the traditional route through the heart of the city. The procession began from Guru Bazar locality in the city and passed through the designated route via Jehangir Chowk and Maulana Azad Road and culminated ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
Srinagar, June 27: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha interacted with National Cadet Corps (NCC) Cadets at the Special National Integration Camp, today at Badami Bagh Cantonment here. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO In his address, Sinha commended the NCC Directorate, J&K and Ladakh, Headquarters 15 Corps and Headquarters 31 Sub Area for organising Special National Integration Camp to provide an opportunity to expose youth from various parts of the country to the rich culture and traditions of J&K and present inspiring example of unity in diversity. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp "N ...Read More >
Haridwar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sakshi Maharaj on Sunday demanded that hotel, dhaba and eatery owners on the Kanwar Yatra routes should display their names and identities on boards outside their business establishments. The owners, who hide their identities under fake names, on the Kanwar Yatra routes should not be spared, he told reporters here. "Tampering with faith of the Hindu devotees during the Kanwar Yatra will not be tolerated," said the Unnao MP. The food shops on the Kanwar Yatra routes should have a board outside with the names of their owners clearly written on them, h ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jul 2 (PTI) Local authorities gave a warm welcome to the first batch of Amarnath yatra pilgrims at several places in Kashmir, as hundreds of them turned up at in the valley Wednesday. The first batch of 5,892 yatris was flagged off from the yatra base camp in Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Upon their arrival in the Kashmir valley, the pilgrims' convoys received a rousing welcome from the administration, and the locals, in Kulgam, Anantnag, and Srinagar districts, officials said. The pilgrims reached the valley through the Navyug tunnel in Qazigund area ...Read More >
Jammu, Jun 27 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir administration has made arrangements to house over 50,000 pilgrims in various lodgement centres across the Jammu region for their comfortable pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the South Kashmir Himalayas beginning July 3, officials said. The 38-day-long Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to start on July 3 from the twin routes -- the traditional 48-kilometre Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district -- leading to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine. The first batch of pil ...Read More >