Srinagar:

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, has been officially recognised as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Crafts Council, an official spokesperson said here. The recognition would boost the handloom and handicraft sector, which will benefit tourism and infrastructure development, the spokesperson said.

“This prestigious honour underscores the city’s rich heritage and the exceptional skills of its artisans whose dedication and artistry have earned global acclaim,” the spokesperson said Sunday evening.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the recognition is a testament to the hard work and exceptional talent of artisans and it highlights the cultural richness of Srinagar.

“We are committed to supporting our artisans and ensuring that this accolade translates into tangible benefits for the community,” he said.

Mr Sinha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown steadfast support for Jammu and Kashmir’s handicraft and handloom sector.

The recognition as a ‘World Craft City’ will have a transformative impact on the handloom and handicraft sector, fostering growth, sustainability, and innovation.

With increased global recognition, Srinagar’s crafts will gain enhanced visibility on the international stage, opening up new markets and opportunities for artisans, the spokesperson said.

The sector is likely to attract greater investment and funding, aiding in infrastructure development and introducing modern techniques while preserving traditional methods, he said.

“Artisans will have access to advanced training programmes and workshops, further honing their skills and fostering innovation in their craft. The increase in demand for Srinagar’s unique crafts is expected to boost production, leading to job creation and improved livelihoods for artisans and their families,” he said.

Tourism in Srinagar is also set to benefit significantly from this recognition. The city is expected to draw more tourists interested in cultural and craft heritage, providing them with immersive experiences of the vibrant artisan communities, the spokesperson said.

He said the city’s cultural and craft heritage will attract tourists seeking authentic experiences, including visits to artisan workshops and cultural events showcasing Srinagar’s vibrant crafts.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the 10th International Yoga Day celebrations this morning from Jammu and Kashmir — an event that has received massive national and global attention in which the location plays no small part.

Here are top 10 points on this big story:

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the people of the Srinagar parliamentary constituency for the “encouraging turnout” of 38 per cent, which is more than double the 14.43 pc polling in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In the first general election in the valley after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, polling took place in 2,135 polling stations on Monday across the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency containing assembly segments of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Budgam and Shopian districts.

In his post on X, PM Modi said, “Would especially like to applaud the people of Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency for the encouraging turnout, significantly better than before. The abrogation of Article 370 has enabled the potential and aspirations of the people to find full expression. Happening at the grassroots level, it is great for the people of J&K, in particular the youth.”

Srinagar voter turnout of 38 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls is the highest in several decades. There are 24 candidates in the fray as compared to 12 in the 2019 general election.

The voter turnout in Srinagar was 14.43 per cent in 2019, 25.86 per cent in 2014, 25.55 per cent in 2009, 18.57 per cent in 2004, 11.93 per cent in 1999, 30.06 per cent in 1998, and 40.94 per cent in 1996.

According to the Election Commission, voters from Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, and Shopian showed up in record numbers to cast their votes in a show of faith and enthusiasm in the election process.

Chadoora, Ganderbal, Kangan, Khansahib and Shopian Assembly segments recorded more than 45 per cent voter turnout.

“Polling personnel, including security personnel, worked tirelessly to ensure that an atmosphere of calm, peace and festivities welcomed voters at the polling stations,” the ECI said.

“More than 8,000 polling staff were on duty to cater to the over 17.47 lakh strong electorate. Command-and-Control centres have been working round the clock in Srinagar as well as Jammu since March 16, the date of announcement of general elections to ensure free, fair and inducement-free elections,” it added.

The commission has enabled Kashmiri migrant voters residing at various relief camps in Delhi, Jammu and Udhampur to also have the option of voting in person at designated special polling stations or using postal ballot. 21 special polling stations were established at Jammu, one at Udhampur and four at Delhi.

In 2019, polling for the Lok Sabha was held for six seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, following the abrogation of Article 370, which resulted in the split of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, there is no longer a separate Lok Sabha constituency for Ladakh.

Voting for the Udhampur and Jammu seats was concluded on April 19 and 26 respectively while in Srinagar voting was done on May 13.
Baramulla seat will vote on May 20 while the Anantnag-Rajouri seat on May 25.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted searches at nine locations in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, in a case linked to terror activities.

The ongoing raids, initiated early Monday, are being conducted in collaboration with security forces at various sites associated with individuals linked to terrorism as part of a case registered by the agency in 2022.

Acting on specific information received regarding certain suspects residing in Srinagar, the anti-terror agency launched the searches.

The search operation was conducted almost a month after the NIA chargesheeted two accused in the Kokernag (Jammu and Kashmir) encounter case.

The suspects in the case are linked to The Resistant Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), sources said.

Both LeT and TRF are proscribed organisations and have been involved in the continuous instigation and motivation of Kashmiri youth to join the terror outfits in the name of ‘Jihad’.

The two outfits are operating on social media platforms like Twitter, Telegram and Youtube channels to promote their cause and lure unemployed youth to carry out terror activities.

LeT is the largest terrorist group formed in the early 1990s and is actively engaged in reviving the network in the Anantnag area.

It is working through various offshoots in the Jammu and Kashmir region.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar today to unveil development projects worth more than Rs 6,400 crore and address a public meeting, which his Bharatiya Janata Party expects will be the biggest political rally in the region since 2019 – when he was last in Kashmir.

The Prime Minister flew into Srinagar Thursday morning and then to Badamibagh Cantonment, the headquarters of the Army’s 15, or Chinar Corps, where he laid a wreath at the War Memorial and paid his tributes to fallen soldiers. He was then driven to Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium for the rally.

This is Mr Modi’s second visit to J&K in three weeks; he addressed a rally in Jammu on February 20.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches and dedicates to the nation 53 projects worth Rs 6,400 crores at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium. pic.twitter.com/5Mfe2kRdGw

— ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2024

Crucially, this will be his first visit to the Kashmir Valley since the contentious scrapping of Article 370 and split the former state into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Mr Modi’s visit also comes with a general election on the horizon and the Supreme Court’s deadline to his government – to hold an Assembly election by September 30. A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was ruling on pleas challenging the government’s scrapping of Article 370.

READ | In Historic J&K Ruling, Supreme Court Sets Election Deadline

The BJP has made no secret of its plan to make scrapping of Article 370 central to its election agenda, both in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, as well as across the country.

In the 2019 election, the BJP and the National Conference of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah split J&K’s six Lok Sabha seats; the Srinagar seat was won by Mr Abdullah.

The BJP has never won this seat, which has been a bastion for the National Conference since the first election in 1967. Only the Congress (1996) and ex-Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples’ Democratic Party (2014) have managed wins in the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

The BJP claims two lakh people, including thousands of government employees who have been told attendance is mandatory, are expected at the Prime Minister’s rally.

Security For PM Visit

Prep for the Prime Minister’s visit involve the biggest security exercise in recent years, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel deployed across the city. Areas around Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium – the venue – have been turned into a security fortress; drones have been deployed and extensive CCTV camera networks have been set up as part of surveillance measures.

Foot-patrolling by security forces is taking place in a two-km radius around the venue.

Officials, however, have claimed there is minimal disruption to daily life. Srinagar Police sources told news agency PTI “people are being allowed to move about and there are no restrictions anywhere”.

Srinagar Traffic Diversions

There are some traffic changes, police said.

Traffic from Jehangir Chowk to Rambagh, and from Rajbagh to LD Hospital (and the Tulsi Bagh route) has been restricted from till 7 pm. There are also restrictions – on civilian traffic movement – on the Jahangir Chowk-Solina-Ram Bagh stretch.

Similarly, civilian traffic movement on the Raj Bagh-LD Hospital-Tulsi Bagh route, and on Gupkar Road to the All India Radio office is also restricted.

PM’s Feb 20 Visit

On his last visit to J&K the Prime Minister launched multiple development projects – including those for education, railway, aviation and transport – worth over Rs 32,000 crore.

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Srinagar:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Srinagar today is expected to be the biggest political rally in Kashmir since the scrapping of Article 370 five years ago. Thus would be his first rally in Kashmir since 2019. The arrangements indicate that the authorities are expecting such a huge crowd that Bakshi stadium, the venue, may not be large enough.

The preparations involve the biggest security exercise in recent times. Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across Srinagar. The areas around Bakshi stadium have turned into security fortress.

Sources said more than 1,100 buses have been pressed into service to transport people to the stadium. Around 100 buses have been requisitioned from a leading school in Srinagar.

The rally has a role in the BJP’s larger narrative ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The party has already made scrapping of Article 370 central to its election agenda by setting a target of 370 Lok Sabha seats.

The BJP claims two lakh people will be attending and the massive participation will be an endorsement of PM Modi’s development agenda and scrapping of Article 370.

“There is development, industrial growth. People are getting jobs. Ccorruption has ended in Kashmir. People of Jammu and Kashmir will be coming to listen to PM Modi for breaking the shackles of Article 370. Two lakh people will attend the rally,” said Tarun Chug, national general secretary of BJP.

People from different districts from Jammu region and far off places in the Valley have already reached Srinagar. Massive arrangements have been made for their accommodation and food.

Antecedents of all participants have been verified by security agencies. Even journalists covering the rally had to undergo scrutiny and passes were issued only after security verifications.

Traffic advisory has been issued as several roads in Srinagar were closed for normal traffic. Many schools have been closed ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit. Kashmir University has postponed all the exams scheduled for March 7

Though Bakshi stadium has an official seating capacity of 20,000, more people can be accommodated on the ground.

Thousands of government employees have been asked to attend and arrangements have been made to get them to the venue. A large number of self-help groups have also been roped in to join the mega event.

Big screens are being installed in various districts to live stream the event.

PM Modi is expected to announce several projects related to tourism and agriculture. He would also inaugurate an integrated development project for Kashmir’s revered Hazratbal Shrine.

This is PM Modi’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir in less than three weeks. On February 20, the Prime Minister addressed a rally in Jammu.

PM Modi’s rally is seen as an attempt by the BJP to gain foothold in Kashmir Valley, where it has never won a seat for assembly or parliament.

The party is hoping that inclusion of the pahari community in the Scheduled Tribe list may help them to strengthen foothold in the Valley and Muslim-dominated regions of Jammu. Several pahari leaders have already joined the BJP.

New Delhi:

Vande Bharat services are expected to be introduced in Srinagar within this financial year after the Jammu-Srinagar line becomes functional, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here on Thursday.

He said the semi-high speed train will also serve the people of Tripura once the railway line to the northeastern state gets electrified.

The government plans to roll out 75 Vande Bharat trains by March next year and is also keen to run sleeper versions of the trains on long-distance routes as an alternative to Rajdhani Express trains.

“Once the Jammu to Srinagar railway line is completed very soon Vande Bharat will also be run on that,” Vaishnaw told PTI.

He said the Jammu-Srinagar railway line is expected to start within this financial year.

This train has been designed in a unique way so that they run very smoothly in those temperatures and altitude, Vaishnaw said.

According to a survey, Vande Bharat express trains have been popular amongst the youth and senior citizens alike for comfort and speed.

“In Tripura, the railway line will get electrified shortly, then we will be able to provide Vande Bharat services to Tripura,” Vaishnaw said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken personal interest in the development of the northeastern region and Jammu and Kashmir where railway services were being expanded in a big way.