Author: Agencies

AHMEDABAD: Reliance Industries Limited Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, accompanied by his son Anant Ambani, offered prayers at the Shri Kashtbhanjandev Hanumanji Mandir in Salangpur, Gujarat, on Sunday. During the visit, Mukesh Ambani announced a donation of ₹5 crore to the temple, reiterating the Ambani family’s longstanding commitment to faith, philanthropy and community welfare. The Kashtbhanjan Hanumanji Mandir also shared a video of the visit, showing Mukesh Ambani and Anant Ambani offering prayers to Lord Hanuman. The Salangpur visit followed the Ambani family’s darshan at the Somnath Temple, marking their first spiritual engagements of 2026. Mukesh Ambani was accompanied…

JAMMU: For his outstanding service and exemplary contribution to Indian Railways, Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, will be conferred with the prestigious Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar (AVRSP) 2025 by the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The award is being presented in recognition of Singhal’s exceptional work during 2025, particularly for introducing unprecedented improvements and innovations in commercial operations and passenger services in the Jammu Division. Following the formation of the Jammu Division in 2025, Uchit Singhal assumed charge as Senior Divisional Commercial Manager on March 23, 2025. Under his dynamic leadership, the division witnessed remarkable enhancements in…

JAMMU: Amid the ongoing controversy over the allocation of MBBS seats at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), a crucial meeting of the Core Group of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti was held here on Monday. Leader of the Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and senior BJP leader, Sunil Sharma, appeared before the committee and presented the Bharatiya Janata Party’s official stand on the issue. He also responded to a series of sharp and pertinent questions raised by the members of the Sangharsh Samiti. Addressing the meeting, Sunil Sharma said the BJP is treating the…

KISHTWAR: Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Development, Manohar Lal, on Monday reviewed the progress of major hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district as part of his two-day visit to the Union Territory. The Minister visited the 1000 MW Pakal Dul, 624 MW Kiru and 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric projects. He was accompanied by Secretary (Power), Government of India, Pankaj Agarwal; CMD, NHPC Ltd, Bhupendra Gupta; Director (Projects), NHPC, Sanjay Singh; MD, CVPPL, Ramesh Mukhiya; ED-PMSG, NHPC, U K Nand; CEO, RHPCL, M K Kashyap, along with Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, SSP Kishtwar, ACR Kishtwar and heads…

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hameed Karra on Monday chaired a meeting of the newly appointed District Presidents of Jammu and Kashmir at the PCC Headquarters here, during which the prevailing political situation in the Union Territory was discussed. The meeting was attended by PCC Working President Raman Bhalla, In-charge Headquarters Ved Mahajan, former minister and DCC President Jammu Urban Yogesh Sawhney, along with District Presidents Neeraj Kundan (Jammu Rural), Mir Iqbal Ahmed (Baramulla), Pankaj Dogra (Kathua), Sumeet Magotra (Udhampur), Pyare Lal Shan (Kishtwar), Ashok Sharma (Rajouri), Farooq Ahmed Bhat (Anantnag), Shabnam Jan (Shopian), Umer…

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, PMO, Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh today  inaugurated the world’s second “National Environmental Standard Laboratory” and the world’s fifth “National Primary Standard Facility for Solar Cell Calibration” at the CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Addressing the 80th Foundation Day celebrations of CSIR–NPL here, the Minister said, while the “National Environmental Standard Laboratory” marks for India a major leap in Environmental Governance, the “National Primary Standard Facility” makes India a member of Elite Global League in Solar Metrology. Describing India’s premier scientific institutions as “monuments of 20th and 21st century…

NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. The meeting focused on key developmental initiatives and administrative matters concerning the Union Territory of Ladakh. The Lieutenant Governor briefed the Prime Minister on the progress of ongoing projects and issues related to governance and infrastructure development in the region. The Prime Minister reiterated the Centre’s commitment to the overall development and welfare of Ladakh.

JAMMU: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Sunday said the PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) platform has emerged as a key driver in expediting major development projects in Jammu and Kashmir, helping resolve long-pending issues and ensuring timely execution of big-ticket initiatives. Addressing a press briefing, the Chief Secretary highlighted the impact of PRAGATI@50, describing it as a technology-driven governance mechanism that has unlocked projects stalled for decades due to inter-departmental bottlenecks and procedural delays. The press conference was attended by Commissioner Secretary Information M. Raju, Director Information Nitish Rajora, Director PIB Jammu Neha Jalali, Joint Director Information Headquarters Zahoor…

NEW DELHI: Passengers will no longer be allowed to use power banks during flights, with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) reiterating that inflight usage of portable power banks is prohibited due to safety concerns, official sources said. While the restriction has been in place for some time, airlines have now begun making explicit announcements during boarding and inflight briefings to ensure compliance and prevent any mid-air safety risks. Power banks contain lithium-ion batteries, which can pose serious fire hazards if damaged, overheated or malfunctioning. Aviation safety experts warn that even a small battery fire inside an aircraft cabin can…

US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to India over its continued imports of Russian oil, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of his displeasure and stressing that Washington could respond swiftly with higher tariffs. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday (local time), Trump said it was important for India to remain mindful of US concerns on the issue. “PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,”…