Jammu, Mar 30: “Vande Mataram is our identity, strength, and vow. It is not just verses but a profound experience woven into our civilization’s fabric. Vande Mataram singing and related events revives memories of immortal martyrs, honors their sacrifices, and renews our commitment to India’s glory,” the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said this on Monday.

He called upon every section of society to share one dream: making India the world’s greatest nation.

“We must unite to realize it. When every citizen of J&K UT dedicates themselves to building a developed India, I believe that collective spirit will become an unstoppable force,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor was speaking at the closing ceremony of Special Phase marking the 150 years of Vande Mataram, at Abhinav Theatre, Jammu. The Special Phase organised from 23rd March to 30th March 2026 to commemorate Shaheedi Diwas and honor the great martyrs of the freedom struggle, whose immense sacrifices paved the way for India’s independence.

The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that the devotion and fervor in Jammu Kashmir towards Vande Matram, reflects how this Union Territory has shed painful chapters, embracing the ideals we have toiled for over the last five-six years.

“Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, Jammu Kashmir has been integrated into the national mainstream, setting new benchmarks in development and showcasing profound patriotism through pivotal events like Vande Mataram and Har Ghar Tiranga,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The nation witnessed Jammu Kashmir’s stellar contribution during the previous phases of Vande Mataram @150 years commemorative event. In the first phase (November 7-14, 2025), 9 of India’s top 10 performing districts were from UT, with Kishtwar at Number 1. In the second (January 19-26, 2026), 6 were from Jammu Kashmir, led by Poonch.

The Lieutenant Governor said the overwhelming participation of people of Jammu Kashmir in the previous two phases of Vande Mataram event and embrace of its values signal a transformative power for the future.

“I firmly believe a region’s greatest strength lies in its ability to envision its future. In Jammu Kashmir, I’m witnessing that potential flourish.

It’s vital to spread the message that true patriotism is the bedrock of peace and progress. It’s a sense of responsibility, a spirit of contribution, assuring us that we can better the world together,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor said that Vande Mataram symbolized the dream, goal, and resolve generations fought for and the special week-long phase offered moments to reflect at the confluence of history and aspiration, paying tribute to countless sacrifices that grant us today’s freedom, unity, and pride.

“Vande Mataram inspires us to honor our past, empower our present, and pledge a bright future. This was a UT-level introspection, reviving cultural roots through public participation and enlisting every citizen in nation-building,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor observed that the past decade brought global turmoil and crises from Ukraine to West Asia plagued most nations, yet, under the able leadership and guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister, India has emerged resilient, sustaining its position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.

“Prime Minister works tirelessly, round-the-clock, for the nation’s welfare. Let us draw strength from his resolve and stride shoulder-to-shoulder toward a strong, prosperous India,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also called upon the political parties, civil society members and all sections of society to join the fight against drug menace and transform Nasha Mukt campaign into People’s Movement in Jammu Kashmir.

Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor paid tribute to the great freedom fighters and visited a photo exhibition depicting their historic contributions.

The atmosphere was further enriched by the enthralling patriotic performances by the artists of J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages and students of Cluster University of Jammu.

Members of Legislative Assembly, Yudhvir Sethi, Vikram Randhawa and Arvind Gupta; Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretaries, Shaleen Kabra and Shailendra Kumar; Principal Secretary Culture, Brij Mohan Sharma; Commissioner Secretary, School Education, Ram Niwas Sharma, Vice Chancellors of various universities and senior officials were present.

Padma Shri Dr Jitendra Udhampuri; Padma Shri Dr SP Varma; prominent citizens from different walks of life and youth in large number also attended the closing ceremony organised by Culture department.

Jammu, Mar 30: Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday informed the state assembly that traffic enforcement agencies in the Union Territory have fully transitioned to a 100 per cent e-challaning system, with over 52,000 challans issued in 2025.

In a written reply to the National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Transport Satesh Sharma said, “The number of e-challans rose from 40,197 in 2024 to 52,543 in 2025. Similarly, vehicles seized increased sharply from 429 to 1,528 during the same period in Jammu and Kashmir.”

Traffic enforcement agencies have shifted to a 100 per cent e-challaning system, he said.

According to the minister, driving licences suspended stood at 2,259 in 2024 and 1,641 in 2025, while the number of blacklisted vehicles increased from 6,340 to 10,439.

He said that registration certificates (RCs) cancelled rose from 1,040 in 2024 to 1,192 in 2025, while route permits cancelled increased from 173 to 300.

Sharma also said that to ensure the sale of standardised and BIS-marked helmets, the Legal Metrology Department inspected 218 sellers, booked 69 cases and seized 4,750 helmets, he informed.

He added that the intensified enforcement measures aim to improve road discipline and enhance overall traffic safety in Jammu and Kashmir.

To strengthen enforcement, he said a range of equipment has been procured, including 213 motorcycles, 19 mobile vehicle interceptors, 16 highway patrol vehicles, 685 body-worn cameras, 64 breath alcohol analysers and more than 1,600 traffic safety belts, among other items.

Jammu, Mar 30: Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said that road accidents in the Union Territory have shown a declining trend over the past three years, owing to the effective implementation of various road safety measures.

In a written reply to the question of National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar in the Assembly, the minister for transport, Satesh Sharma, said, “The number of road accidents has reduced from 6,120 in 2023 to 5,726 in 2024 and further to 5,287 in 2025”.

He said that due to the effective implementation of various road safety measures, including awareness campaigns, enforcement measures and better monitoring mechanisms, there has been a declining trend in the number of road accidents in the last three years.

He said that over 10,000 road safety awareness programmes were conducted in both 2024 and 2025, while health and eye check-ups of drivers and conductors increased from 374 in 2024 to 394 in 2025.

However, first aid and emergency response training dropped from 87 to 33 during the same period. Initiatives under Good Samaritan schemes and road accident victim support saw a rise from 1,379 to 1,495 cases, he added.

The minister further said that 6,271 school buses are registered in the UT, of which 4,545 were audited in 2025.

“During inspections, 472 buses were found defective, and 450 defects were rectified. Out of 141 driving training schools, 102 were inspected, 81 were found operational as per norms, while notices were issued to 21 institutions”, he added.

He said that the proper functioning of speed limiting devices (SLDs) is being ensured during vehicle fitness checks, while the road safety policy, initially notified in 2016, has been revised in 2025 in line with the national road safety policy and shared with all stakeholder departments for implementation.

To strengthen enforcement, the government said a range of equipment has been procured, including 213 motorcycles, 19 mobile vehicle interceptors, 16 highway patrol vehicles, 685 body-worn cameras, 64 breath alcohol analysers, and over 1,600 traffic safety belts, among other items, he said.

Satesh Sharma said that Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) have been installed in Jammu and Srinagar under the Smart City Mission, while a Rs 107.32 crore project has been proposed to extend similar systems across the rest of the UT.

Road safety audits have been made mandatory for all new road projects and are being conducted periodically on existing roads to address engineering defects.

The government also highlighted the implementation of the Road Accident Victim Fund (RAVF), under which compensation of Rs 1 lakh is provided in case of death, Rs 75,000 for permanent disability, Rs 50,000 for grievous injuries and Rs 10,000 for minor injuries.

Providing district-wise details, the minister said that a total of Rs 1,153.10 lakh has been released out of Rs 1,226.10 lakh received under the fund, with Rs 914.90 lakh utilised so far and a balance of Rs 73 lakh remaining.

Among districts, Jammu received Rs 204 lakh, followed by Doda with Rs 135 lakh and Kishtwar with Rs 134 lakh. Srinagar and Bandipora reported full utilisation of allocated funds, Sharma said.

The government reiterated that a multi-pronged approach involving enforcement, awareness, infrastructure upgrades and policy reforms is being pursued to further reduce road accidents in the Union Territory.

Jammu, Mar 30: Minister for Higher Education, Sakina Masood Ittoo on Monday said that the Government is examining a bill on private universities.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister said that a bill on private universities is under examination.

“When the bill is finalised, the government will come up with a policy. All representations for setting up universities would be examined on a case-to-case basis,” he said. —(KNO)