EROs Asked to Join VC Meeting to Assess Progress of 2026 Roll Update
Srinagar, Apr 29: The State Election Commission, Jammu & Kashmir, has convened a review meeting to assess the procedures and progress related to the Revision of Panchayat Electoral Roll-2026.
As per an official notice, the meeting will be held on May 4, 2026 (Monday) at 03:00 PM onwards through video conference from the Meeting Hall at Darul Intikhab, M.A. Road, Srinagar.
All Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) of the districts have been directed to attend the meeting at the scheduled time through virtual mode. The link for the video conference will be shared separately.
The meeting has been called on the directions of the State Election Commissioner to review the ongoing process and ensure timely completion of the electoral roll revision exercise. (KNC)
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Finance Department has issued a clarification regarding admissibility of Additional Quantum of Pension or Family Pension in cases where a pensioner is drawing both service pension and family pension.
The department said the age-linked benefit is personal to the pensioner and cannot be granted on more than one pension for the same individual.
As per the clarification, where a J&K Government pensioner is also receiving J&K family pension of a spouse, the additional quantum will be allowed only on the higher of the two pensions.
In cases involving pension or family pension from Government-owned autonomous bodies, PSUs, corporations or statutory bodies, the benefit will similarly be granted on the higher pension only.
However, where a person is drawing J&K Government pension along with Central Government or Defence pension, the additional quantum may be allowed separately under the respective rules of both Governments.
The order will apply prospectively and no recovery or adjustment will be made in respect of payments already released earlier.
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Finance Department has directed all Administrative Departments to expedite installation of pre-paid smart electricity meters in Government offices, Corporations, PSUs, local bodies, universities and residential quarters owned by the Government.
Jammu, Apr 29: Chief minister Omar Abdullah’s visit to inaugurate development projects and address a public gathering in Kathua district’s Bani area was cancelled on Wednesday due to inclement weather conditions.
“Due to bad weather and rain, the Chief Minister’s programme had to be cancelled, which has left us quite disappointed. The people are also very disheartened,” Bani MLA Dr Rameshwar Singh told reporters.
He said the chief minister, along with Education and Health Minister Sakina Itoo, was scheduled to visit Bani-Lohimalar, where many people had gathered with high expectations.
“All of us, along with the entire public of the area, had high hopes for this programme. Many people were very enthusiastic about the chief minister’s visit,” Singh said.
He said many people turned up at the venue despite heavy rain.
The MLA said the chief minister was scheduled to interact with locals, address a public gathering, lay the foundation stones of several projects, and inaugurate others.
He, however, said the cancellation was unavoidable. “This is nature, and there is little we can do about it,” he said.
Singh said the visit would be rescheduled soon.
“In the coming time, another visit of the chief minister to Bani-Lohimalar will be scheduled very soon. We will speak to the chief minister and invite him and Madam Sakina Itoo again shortly,” he said.
Singh said the chief minister was keen to attend and waited till around 1:30 pm for the weather to improve. “However, no clearance was received by then, and finally the visit had to be cancelled,” he said.
JAMMU, Apr 29: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday reviewed the security situation and preparedness for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra at a meeting here, official sources said.
The security review was held ahead of the annual ‘Darbar Move’, with the secretariat scheduled to close in the winter capital Jammu on April 30 and reopen in Srinagar on May 4.
The meeting, chaired by Sinha, was attended by senior Army, police, security, intelligence and administrative officials, including Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, sources privy to the matter said.
It focused on law and order management and coordinated security arrangements, they said.
The overall security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir was reviewed, with particular emphasis on ensuring the safe and smooth conduct of the annual Amarnath Yatra, a major pilgrimage that draws thousands of devotees every year.
According to sources, deliberations were also held on maintaining a high degree of alertness, enhancing coordination among security forces and strengthening security measures across the Union territory.
The L-G also reviewed the ongoing 100-day-long ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyan’ and stressed the need for intensified action against narcotics along with sustained awareness initiatives, officials said.
Jammu, Apr 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered transfer, posting and assignment of additional charge of posts of Superintending Engineers in the Jal Shakti Department.
ISLAMABAD, Apr 29: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the US-Iran war has dealt a serious blow to Pakistan’s economic progress made over the past two years, as he asserted that his government will continue its efforts to help ease tensions between the two warring sides and restore peace in West Asia.
Noting that fuel prices in the global markets had risen sharply since the war started in February, he said, “Our weekly pre-war oil bill was around USD 300 million, and today it is up to USD 800 million”.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting here, Shehbaz said a task force is monitoring the situation daily, Geo TV reported.
He said collective efforts are needed to tackle the challenges.
Apprising the Cabinet about the progress made in the US-Iran talks and Pakistan’s efforts to ease tensions in the region, Shehbaz said Islamabad made sincere efforts to promote regional stability.
He said that talks between Iran and the US started in Islamabad on April 11 and continued for 21 hours, adding that a ceasefire between the two sides is currently holding.
“Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan with his team for the second phase of the negotiations. Important meetings were held with them,” he said while talking about Araghchi’s whirlwind visits to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow over the weekend.
“Before the Iranian foreign minister visited Russia, I spoke with him on the phone, in which he assured me that all his meetings in Oman were held with sincerity of intent, and after consultation with his leadership…he will give a positive response soon,” the prime minister added.
He expressed hope that the conflict would end soon.
Pakistan plans to host a second round of talks between the United States and Iran.
The Iranian minister made two brief visits to Pakistan within 48 hours over the weekend, meeting with Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Shehbaz to discuss the regional situation.
Shehbaz also praised Field Marshal Munir and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for trying “their best to restore peace in the region”.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
Last week, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region. (PTI)
JAMMU, Apr 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has approved an 18 percent hike in fares for various categories of commercial passenger vehicles across the Union Territory, issuing a fresh notification in this regard.
The Transport Department, in a notification issued from Civil Secretariat, has directed the Transport Commissioner, J&K to fix the revised maximum chargeable fares for different categories of vehicles, including stage carriage buses, taxis, maxi cabs and auto-rickshaws.
The notification states that the revised fare structure will be applicable over and above the rates notified earlier vide SRO-97 dated March 19, 2021, covering big buses, mini buses, contract carriage taxis such as Sumo, Bolero, Tempo Traveller, as well as medium and premium segment tourist vehicles including Scorpio, Xylo, Innova and Fortuner.
It further specifies that auto-rickshaws and Tata Magic vehicles operating as stage carriages will also witness an 18 percent increase in fares under the revised structure.
Meanwhile, the government has separately fixed fares for electric vehicles, stating that e-rickshaws will charge ₹15 per kilometre, while e-autos will charge ₹25 for the first kilometre and ₹20 for each subsequent kilometre.
The order has been issued by the Transport Department under powers conferred by Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, partially modifying the earlier notification, and will come into effect as per the directions of the competent authority.
NEW DELHI, Apr , 29: India has significantly expanded its Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network since 2014, increasing from 14 operational units to 50, marking over 250% rise. These additions, covering over 87% of the country, improve forecasting for cyclones, heavy rain, and thunderstorms under the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with 50 more planned under Mission Mausam.
This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh speaking to the media after inaugurating a Selfie Point, depicting Weather Radar, at the entrance gate of India Meteorological Department (IMD) headquarters, at Lodhi Road, here. The event was held in the presence of the Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. M. Ravichandran, and Director General of Meteorology, IMD, Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, along with senior officials and scientists.
The Minister said, this transformation has been made possible due to the high priority accorded to the sector by the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to greater accuracy, accessibility and public trust in forecasts.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that India’s meteorological services have undergone a remarkable transformation over the last decade. From a time when weather forecasts were often met with scepticism, the system today provides highly reliable and precise predictions used by a wide spectrum of users, from farmers and homemakers to pilots and event planners. He said that people now routinely check weather updates on their mobile phones before stepping out, reflecting the growing trust and reach of IMD services.
Referring to advancements in forecasting, he highlighted the introduction of ‘Nowcast’ services, which provide highly localised and accurate forecasts for the next three hours. He said that such real-time information is crucial for disaster preparedness, urban planning and day-to-day decision-making. He added that India’s forecasting capability has reached a stage where it can provide detailed inputs on rainfall intensity, type of precipitation, possibility of hailstorms, and even the size of raindrops.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also spoke about the role of Doppler Weather Radar technology in strengthening India’s weather monitoring system. These radars use the Doppler effect to track the movement and velocity of weather systems, enabling accurate and timely forecasts. The modern radars deployed by IMD are equipped with dual-polarization technology, allowing precise identification of precipitation types such as rain, hail and drizzle, improved rainfall estimation, and better detection of severe weather events while minimizing false signals.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the expanding radar network enables continuous monitoring of the atmosphere over large distances and supports early warnings for cyclones, thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events. It also plays a critical role in aviation safety, agricultural planning and disaster risk reduction.
Highlighting the broader impact, the Minister said that India’s forecasting capabilities are also benefiting neighbouring countries, reflecting the country’s commitment to global cooperation and shared resilience.
The Minister also referred to the government’s focused initiatives such as Mission Mausam, aimed at strengthening weather and climate services, and the ongoing expansion of radar infrastructure, including installations in vulnerable regions like Jammu & Kashmir following recent extreme weather events.
The Selfie Point inaugurated today showcases a legacy weather radar system, providing visitors with a tangible connection to the evolution of meteorological technology in India. It has been set up to create greater public awareness about weather science and to encourage citizens to engage with IMD’s services through platforms such as mobile applications, SMS alerts and social media.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that such initiatives will help bridge the gap between scientific advancements and public awareness, enabling citizens to better understand and utilise weather information in their daily lives.
Jammu, Apr 29: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered a stop-gap arrangement in the Accounts (Gazetted) Service, placing 57 Assistant Accounts Officers as Incharge Accounts Officers in their own pay and grade.
As per Government Order No. 169-F of 2026 dated April 29, issued by the Finance Department, the arrangement has been made with charge allowance as admissible under rules for a period of six months or till the posts are filled on a regular basis through the DPC/PSC, whichever is earlier.
The move has been taken in the interest of administration to ensure smooth functioning of the department and to address vacancies in the Accounts (Gazetted) Service.
The order further states that the arrangement is purely temporary and will not confer any preferential right upon the officers for regular promotion as Accounts Officers.
It also mentioned that the placements shall be subject to the outcome of any writ petitions pending before competent courts or tribunals.
The order has been issued by Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Finance Department, Shailendra Kumar (IAS), with immediate effect. (KNC)
