Kulgam : Minister for Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare, SakeenaItoo, Saturday  inaugurated new campus of 50 bedded Sub-District Hospital, Qaimoh and dedicated to the public in a ceremonial function.

MLA Devsar, PeerzadaFeroze Ahmad, Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Shahzad Alam, officers and officials of Health Department and locals were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister congratulated the people of Qaimoh and adjoining areas and reaffirmed the department’s commitment to upgrade the hospital with additional staff and enhanced facilities in a phased manner.

“The government is according special focus on upgrading the healthcare services across Jammu and Kashmir. All measures are being taken to strengthen the hospitals and health centres, including recruitment of staff and upgradation of both clinical and non-clinical facilities,” asserted SakeenaItoo.

Emphasizing added accountability and responsiveness to healthcare issues, she urged the hospital administration and staff to address the genuine public demands promptly and ensure delivery of good governance at the grassroots.

MLA Devsar  expressed gratitude to the government for dedicating the long-awaited hospital to the public. He termed it a major milestone for healthcare access in the area.

Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 1932.65 lakh by the R&B Division, Kulgam, the hospital is a modern ground-plus-3 storey building with a plinth area of 19,900 sft,total carpet area of  58,000 sft providing capacity of 50 beds IPD. The facility houses diverse and patient-friendly sections including spacious OPDs, IPDs, diagnostic laboratories, and dedicated areas for patients and hospital staff. The infrastructure has been designed to provide comprehensive healthcare services to the population of Qaimoh and surrounding areas.

With the operationalization of the Sub-District Hospital Qaimoh, the residents are expected to benefit from improved access to specialized treatment, emergency care, and diagnostic services closer to home.

Later, Minister laid foundation stone for road restoration and school construction projects including permanent restoration of road from Kounserbal to Nandimarg; road from Batpora to Chimmer and school building at Chimmer in the DH sub division.

A mega public outreach camp was also held at Chimmer village where SakeenaItoo listened to public on their development and welfare demands and suggestions for improved public service delivery. She assured action on the demands raised by the public.

While addressing the gathering, the Minister highlighted the ongoing government interventions and initiatives designed for public welfare in all sectors of governance, ranging from creating infrastructure of roads, school and higher education projects or extending better healthcare and social welfare services.

Various district and local officers and officials accompanied the Minister and provided  feedback on various development issues.

Joint entry wins citation and cash prize of ₹2.5 lakh

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 08: The Handicrafts and Handloom Department, Kashmir, has extended heartiest congratulations to two outstanding weavers, Manzoor Ahmad Hajam and Fayaz Ahmad Wani, from Kanihama, Budgam, who have been conferred with the prestigious National Handloom Award, in recognition for their contribution in the field of Kani weaving.

They were conferred with the National Award for their joint entry – Chand-Daar Kani Shawl – by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu, during a glittering function held at New Delhi, to commemorate the National Handloom Day.

In a press release issued here today, a spokesman of the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, stated that this honour is a fitting tribute to invaluable contribution of Manzoor Ahmad Hajam and Fayaz Ahmad Wani, who have distinguished themselves in the indigenous art of Kani weaving. “By winning such prestigious award, the master weavers have brought the Kani weaving technique on the forefront of the crafts sector, which will surely open up new vistas of business opportunities for the high value craft,” the spokesman added.

The award, which carries a citation and cash prize of ₹2.5 lakh, is for a rare form of Kani weaving technique guided by coded Talim scripts to ensure absolute precision, featuring nearly 20 distinct hues to recreate an antique masterpiece.

The spokesman further stated said their exquisite craftsmanship has not only kept our centuries-old tradition alive but has also earned global admiration. “They have become role models for thousands of weavers in Kashmir and the entire craft community celebrates this joyous moment with great pride,” he added.

The camp was organized through the collaborative efforts of Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children), Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), SKIMS Soura and office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kulgam under the aegis of the SAANS Campaign.

The camp was aimed at improving access to comprehensive healthcare services for the rural population by providing specialized consultations, screening, diagnosis, treatment, referral services and health education under one roof. It catered to both children and adults, with a special emphasis on preventive healthcare.

Addressing the gathering, SakeenaItoo appreciated the collaborative initiative and stressed the importance of shifting the healthcare focus from treatment to prevention. She highlighted the need to adopt healthier lifestyles to effectively combat the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and called for greater public awareness regarding disease prevention and early intervention.

On the occasion, the Minister formally launched the M-Health Application for Tracking Children with Pneumonia, a digital platform developed by Bal Raksha Bharat under the SAANS Initiative to strengthen monitoring and ensure timely management of childhood pneumonia.

The event was attended by senior officials from the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, SKIMS Soura. Sub-Divisional Magistrate D.H. Pora, Assistant Commissioner Development (ACD) Kulgam, Chief Medical Officer, district officers, health functionaries and representatives of Bal Raksha Bharat also accompanied the Minister.

The health camp witnessed enthusiastic participation from children, women and elderly residents. Medical specialists deputed by SKIMS Soura and the Chief Medical Officer, Kulgam, provided expert consultations and treatment in Endocrinology, Pediatrics& Neonatology, General Medicine, General Surgery, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology. Bal Raksha Bharat also played a vital role in community mobilization, beneficiary facilitation, coordination with health authorities and creating awareness on child health, pneumonia prevention, routine immunization, nutrition, breastfeeding, hand hygiene and timely healthcare-seeking behaviour.

Later, the Minister laid the foundation stone for construction of a new building at Primary School Drangbal, to be executed by PWD (R&B) at an allotted cost of Rs.27.44 lakh.

The Minister also laid the foundation stone for construction of additional classrooms at Middle School Jaibal, at the allotted cost of Rs.19.80 lakh to strengthen the educational infrastructure and provide a better learning environment for students.

During her visit, the Minister met several public delegations who apprised her of various developmental and public welfare issues concerning their respective areas.

The Minister gave a patient hearing to the delegations and assured them that their genuine concerns would be addressed on priority through the concerned departments.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner State Taxes, J&K, P.K. Bhat; Additional Commissioner State Taxes, Kashmir, Parveez Ahmad Raina; Additional Commissioner TPAR, Kishori Lal; Deputy Commissioners of State Taxes Department and State Taxes Officers representing all Circles of the Kashmir Division.

During the meeting, the ACS conducted a detailed circle-wise performance evaluation, scrutinizing key parameters including Input Tax Credit (ITC) verification, return filing compliance (GSTR-3B and GSTR-1), recovery of pending tax arrears, scrutiny of returns and enforcement operations across Kashmir Division.

Reiterating the core policy directives outlined in the recently held review meeting in Jammu, Shailendra Kumar emphasized that the State Taxes Department must adopt a dual strategy focused on augmenting revenue collection while ensuring a business-friendly environment.

He said that the tax administration must pivot towards a facilitator-first model, instructing the officers to guide the taxpayers and simplify compliance processes. “Facilitation, guidance and tax education must be the cornerstone of our operations. While evasion and deliberate non-compliance will be met with firm enforcement actions under the GST framework, taxpayers making genuine efforts to comply must be supported without undue hindrance or harassment,” maintained the ACS.

Commissioner State Taxes assured that the department is committed to achieve its targets through enhanced capacity building, automated discrepancy tracking and transparent taxpayer outreach programs across both Jammu and Kashmir divisions.

Srinagar :  Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, SakeenaItoo launched the Cambridge Phonics & Handwriting Programme at a function held here Tuesday, reaffirming the Government’s commitment towards strengthening foundational literacy and improving the quality of early childhood education across Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister underscored the importance of laying a strong educational foundation during the formative years of a child’s life. “Quality early childhood education plays a vital role in nurturing confidence, creativity and lifelong learning among students”, she said.

SakeenaItoo observed that the introduction of innovative and globally recognised learning programmes will significantly enhance language proficiency, reading abilities and handwriting skills among young learners. “These kind of  initiatives complement the Government’s ongoing efforts to modernise the education system and ensure holistic development of children”, she observed.

The Minister reiterated that the Government remains committed to improving educational standards by promoting contemporary teaching methodologies, strengthening foundational learning and creating an enabling environment where every child has access to quality education. She called upon educators and institutions to adopt learner-centric approaches that inspire curiosity, critical thinking and academic excellence.

MLA Hazratbal, Salman Ali Sagar; eminent educationists, teachers, school administrators, parents and other distinguished guests, attended the launch ceremony. The participants appreciated the introduction of the Cambridge Phonics & Handwriting Programme and expressed confidence that the initiative would contribute significantly towards improving foundational literacy and learning outcomes among school children across Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore; Project Director, National Highways Authority (NHAI), Chief Engineers of the Roads & Buildings (R&B) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments, besides other senior officers.

During the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner reviewed the status of land acquisition, compensation disbursement, handover of acquired land, removal of trees falling along the project alignment, demolition of private and government structures, court-related references, utility shifting, and other issues hindering the progress of the project.

Stressing the need for accurate documentation and timely resolution of pending issues, Anshul Garg directed the concerned officers to compile comprehensive details regarding acquired land, land already handed over to the executing agency, and pending court references by Friday. He also instructed the officers to conduct a joint site inspection on Saturday to assess the ground situation and evaluate issues affecting the project’s execution.

To facilitate smooth progress, the Divisional Commissioner directed the concerned departments to expedite the process of removing trees falling within the project alignment in accordance with the prescribed procedures while considering transplantation wherever possible and ensuring compensatory afforestation in other cases.

Regarding private structures located on state land, he instructed NHAI team to follow the executing agency’s compensation norms and ensure prompt resolution of the issue. In the case of government structures, he directed that the buildings be handed over to the executing agency on an Equal Value Infrastructure (EVI) basis.

Addressing the issue related to the commissioning of the new PHE pipeline, the Divisional Commissioner directed the Chief Engineer, PHE, to facilitate its connection with the existing water supply network without disrupting essential services, thereby ensuring that the work progress on the project.

Reiterating the importance of timely completion of the Srinagar Ring Road Phase project, Anshul Garg emphasized close coordination among all stakeholder departments to remove impediments and accelerate the pace of work.

During the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner conducted a district-wise review of the progress achieved under each initiative and emphasized the need for timely completion of all pending tasks. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the prescribed targets are achieved within the stipulated timelines through close monitoring and coordinated efforts.

Reviewing the status of compassionate appointment cases, the Divisional Commissioner instructed the DCs to expedite the disposal of all pending cases in accordance with the established norms and procedures.

The Divisional Commissioner also directed the Deputy Commissioners to furnish details of encroachments on public land and public spaces by religious structures within the next two days to facilitate further action.

To prevent the dissemination of misinformation and fake news on social media platforms, the Divisional Commissioner instructed all Deputy Commissioners to ensure strict adherence by media channels & users to the advisories issued by the Information Department and take punitive action incase of noncompliance.

 Kathua :Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary Friday visited Bhagthali Industrial Estate in Kathua district to inspect the progress of infrastructure development and flood protection works being executed in the area.

During the inspection, the Deputy Chief Minister took serious note of the delay in execution of development works worth around ₹60 crore being undertaken by IRCON, including creation of industrial infrastructure, civic amenities and flood protection measures.

Expressing concern over the delay, he directed the concerned authorities to issue notices to the executing agency for failing to adhere to the original completion timelines fixed for 2025. He also called for third-party scrutiny of the works executed so far and fixed October 2026 as the deadline for completion of all pending works.

The Deputy Chief Minister also visited M/s Kanadhari Beverages, M/s Chiripal Poly Films Limited at Bhagthali Industrial Estate. He  reviewed their operations and interacted with the management of the industrial units to obtain feedback on infrastructure, industrial facilitation and other issues.

Reviewing the local employment scenario, the Deputy Chief Minister called upon the industrial units to provide greater employment opportunities to local youth through skill development and placement camps. He stressed the need to involve local elected representatives while identifying skilled and unskilled manpower requirements so that employment opportunities reach deserving candidates in the area.

Later, Surinder Choudhary chaired a comprehensive review meeting on the functioning of industrial estates and progress of various development and restoration works in the district.

During the meeting, it was informed that 14 industrial estates are being established across Kathua district.

Reviewing the status of roads damaged due to recent rains and floods, the Deputy Chief Minister was informed that out of 48 affected PWD roads, temporary connectivity has been restored on 46 roads, including the Old Kathua-Samba Road. He directed the Executive Engineers to ensure restoration of connectivity on all remaining roads without delay and submit proposals for permanent restoration on priority.

While reviewing the restoration works under the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, it was informed that 11 out of 15 restoration works have been completed while work on the remaining projects is in progress.

The Deputy Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner Kathua to regularly review the functioning of industrial estates and submit a comprehensive report to the Government highlighting issues requiring intervention for improving industrial infrastructure and investor facilitation. He emphasized close coordination among the industrial associations and other stakeholders for effective resolution of issues.

He further instructed the officers of the Pollution Control Committee, Mining and Forest Departments to ensure strict enforcement of all statutory regulations.

Regarding the issue of mining, Surinder Choudhary observed that the course of the River Ravi requires scientific correction by undertaking regulated lifting of material from identified pockets to streamline the natural flow of the river and minimise the risk of erosion during heavy rains and floods.

He also directed the Joint Director, Labour Department, to ensure effective implementation of labour welfare measures and strict compliance with labour laws and labour codes by industrial units.

Reviewing the implementation of Mission YUVA, the Deputy Chief Minister called for extensive awareness programmes in schools and colleges to motivate the students towards skill development aligned with industrial requirements. He also directed the Polytechnic institutions to conduct outreach programmes in remote areas to identify and nurture local talent.

Srinagar : Minister for School Education, Higher Education and Social Welfare, Sakeena Masood Itoo, Thursday reaffirmed the, assuring that all genuine issues and long-pending concerns of teachers would be examined sympathetically and addressed on priority.

The Minister made these remarks while addressing a one-day Teachers’ Convention organised by the Jammu & Kashmir Teachers Joint Action Committee (JKTJAC) at Teachers’ Bhawan Bemina here Thursday.

Addressing the gathering, SakeenaItoo paid rich tributes to the invaluable contribution of teachers towards nation-building and societal progress. She said that teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future of society by nurturing generations of students and instilling values, knowledge and character among them.

“The future of our nation rests in the hands of teachers, whose dedication and commitment have enabled countless students to excel in different fields and contribute meaningfully to society,” the Minister said.

SakeenaItoo further highlighted that the  School Education department has undertaken series of administrative reforms to strengthen human resource management, improve field administration and address long-pending service matters in a time-bound manner. She added that department has initiated the placement of eligible PG Masters/PG Teachers as In-charge Lecturers to address faculty shortages in Higher Secondary Schools.

The Minister also said that in a major administrative achievement, updated final seniority lists for 31 out of 36 disciplines, covering 20,281 PG Masters/PG Teachers, have been issued after several years and the final seniority list of 3,509 Headmasters has also been notified.

“Department has further strengthened educational administration by placing 136 Senior Lecturers as In-charge Principals, 22 Principals as In-charge Chief Education Officers and 1,083 Masters as In-charge Headmasters”, she said.

“To fill vacant teaching positions, 594 Lecturer posts in 27 subjects were referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, which has recommended 537 candidates in 26 subjects”.

Expressing concern over issues confronting the teaching fraternity, the Minister observed that teachers who have devoted decades of their lives to imparting quality education deserve due recognition and fair consideration of their genuine concerns. She said the Government is fully aware of the challenges being faced by teachers and is committed to resolving them in a transparent and time-bound manner.

Referring to concerns raised regarding various service-related matters, SakeenaItoo said that all genuine demands placed before the Government would be examined with empathy and seriousness. She reiterated that the School Education Department remains committed to protecting the interests of teachers while further strengthening the education sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Minister gave a patient hearing to the issues projected during the convention and assured the participants that the Government would continue engaging with all stakeholders to ensure that genuine concerns of teachers are addressed in the larger interest of strengthening the education system across Jammu and Kashmir.

On the occasion, SakeenaItoo also handed over appointment orders as well as promotion orders to various candidates and officials respectively.

The convention was attended by Special Secretary, School Education Department, Ghulam Rasool Mir; Director School Education Kashmir, Naseer Ahmad Wani;  Chief Education Officer Srinagar, senior officers of the School Education department as well as representatives of the teaching fraternity from across Jammu and Kashmir.

During the visit, the Minister met the injured pilgrims undergoing treatment and interacted with them individually to enquire about their well-being and recovery. She also spoke to their attendants and assured them of the Government’s full support.

The Minister reviewed the treatment being provided to the injured pilgrims and held a detailed interaction with the doctors and senior officers of the hospital regarding their medical condition and progress.

Emphasising that the health and well-being of the pilgrims is the Government’s foremost priority, SakeenaItoo directed the hospital administration to ensure that all the injured receive the best possible medical care, specialised treatment and every required facility for their speedy recovery.

“The Government is committed to providing the highest standard of healthcare to every injured pilgrim. There should be no compromise in treatment, and all necessary medical assistance and support must be extended to them,” the Minister said.

She also instructed the hospital authorities to closely monitor the condition of each patient and ensure round-the-clock availability of specialist doctors, medicines and other essential healthcare services.

Director SKIMS, Dr. Ashraf Ganie informed the Minister that all injured pilgrims are under constant medical supervision and are being provided comprehensive treatment by teams of specialists.