Srinagar, Jan 17: The Jammu and Kashmir government is exploring the development of a cricket stadium capable of hosting national and international sporting events, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo said on Saturday.

Dulloo said the government was examining the feasibility of the project within Jammu and Kashmir’s fiscal capacity and was also considering involving professional sports bodies and the business community for the development and long-term maintenance of the facility.

“The government is assessing whether such a project can be undertaken independently or whether collaboration with professional bodies such as the BCCI and other sports associations would be more effective,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a two-day National Sports Conference.

He said the objective was not limited to creating new infrastructure but also ensuring its upkeep to national and international standards.

Responding to a query, Dulloo said cricket was not the only sport that hosted major events and that several other disciplines regularly held national and international competitions. “At present, we do not have a cricket stadium of that standard, but discussions are underway,” he said.

The chief secretary said the government aimed to address gaps in sports infrastructure, strengthen the coaching ecosystem, and create more opportunities for athletes in the Union Territory.

He said the National Sports Conference had been organised to seek inputs from eminent sportspersons on existing shortcomings and to carry out a detailed assessment of the sports sector.

“Based on this assessment, the government intends to formulate a comprehensive sports roadmap and implement it in a phased and systematic manner,” Dulloo said. (KNS)

Jammu, Jan 17: Jammu and Kashmir unit of BJP on Saturday held a meeting here to deliberate on the upcoming voting process for the election of party’s national president, a party spokesperson said.

The meeting, attended by national council members and state council members, took place at Trikuta Nagar party headquarters here and was part of the ongoing organisational elections being conducted across the country under the banner of “Sangathan Parv”, the spokesperson said.

The BJP on Friday released the schedule for the election of the party’s national president, saying nominations for the post will be filed on January 19, and the name of the new party chief will be announced the next day.

Addressing the gathering, JK BJP president Sat Sharma said the election of the national president is not a symbolic exercise but a well-defined, transparent, and participatory process in which party workers from the grassroots to the national level play an active role.

“The entire organisational election process has been carried out systematically, beginning from the primary membership drive, reflecting the party’s commitment to discipline, inclusiveness, and democratic values,” he said.

New Delhi, Jan 17: The Congress on Saturday accused the Modi government of indulging in “communalisation of education” following the withdrawal of permission for MBBS course at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) and demanded that the college be reopened.

Earlier this month, the National Medical Commission (NMC) revoked the Letter of Permission to J&K’s Katra-based college, citing non-compliance with minimum standards and extensive deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure.

The order followed an agitation by the Sangharsh Samiti, a recently-formed conglomerate of right-wing outfits backed by the BJP, demanding cancellation of admissions to the medical college and seeking reservation of seats exclusively for students professing faith in Mata Vaishno Devi.

Congress general secretary in-charge Jammu and Kashmir Syed Naseer Hussain accused the Modi government of indulging in “communalisation of education.”

“Admissions to students at the Vaishno Devi Medical College in Jammu-Kashmir were done based on NEET. The number of Muslim students in the final admission list was higher in the admission list; 42 out of 50 students were Muslim. This happened because the Muslim community has a larger population in that area. During counselling, most children chose colleges in their own region so they could stay close to home,” Hussain said at a press conference here along with J&K AICC Secretary Divvya Madernna.

The National Medical Commission cancelled the permission for this college altogether, he said.

“In such a situation, the question arises — wasn’t a proper inspection done before granting a license to this college? Weren’t all the rules followed before granting the license? Let us tell you that there are many such examples in Hindustan, where a large number of children from other communities also study in Muslim or Christian colleges,” Hussain said.

Posing questions to the government, Hussain asked why a sudden inspection was conducted at Vaishno Devi Medical College, who complained about it and whether action was taken against the college due to the pressure being issued in the public domain.

“Were the circumstances so serious that the entire medical college had to be shut down. Was no information taken about the examination system? In September 2025, permission was granted to the medical college for the MBBS course, so was no inspection related to infrastructure conducted before that?” he said.

The Congress leader also asked whether, just as the ED, the CBI, the IT and the ECI are being misused, the National Medical Commission is also being misused in the same way.

Raising the demands of the Congress, Hussain called for the reopening of the medical college after taking corrective measures.

Hussain and Maderna also raised the issue of a demolition in the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh.

A person named Abdul Naeem reportedly invested Rs. 20–22 lakh of his personal savings, purchased land, secured the required NOCs and licenses and established a school to educate children from nearby villages and tribal communities, they said.

“Despite this, rumours were spread branding the school a ‘madrasa’, even though only three Muslim families live in the village. Subsequently, the district administration used a bulldozer to demolish the school structure, allegedly without prior notice or a transparent investigation,” they alleged.

They called for rebuilding and permitting the reopening of the school demolished in Betul, Madhya Pradesh.

The Congress leaders also called for an investigation by a high-power committee in both these cases and to punish the guilty.

BJP should put an end to bulldozer culture and toxic politics, they said.

The Betul district administration has said it has demolished an illegal portion of a building for not completing formalities, rejecting reports that rumours of a madrasa or a school being operated from the structure prompted the action.

A team led by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ajit Maravi razed the building’s shed constructed with iron sheets in Dhaba village under Bhainsdehi tehsil last Tuesday.

In her remarks, Madernna said, “Sonia Gandhi ji brought the Right to Education Act during the UPA government, but the BJP government is coming with the Right to Demolish Education System. For BJP, education has become nothing more than an election slogan.”

The BJP government wants to systematically destroy the rationality and critical thinking of educated youth through a well-planned conspiracy, so that they can run the curriculum of their WhatsApp University, she alleged.

Srinagar, Jan 17: Ruling National Conference MLA Tanvir Sadiq has submitted a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, calling upon the Centre to review the decision to revoke the permission for MBBS course to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) revoked the Letter of Permission to the college, citing non-compliance with minimum standards and extensive deficiencies in faculty strength, clinical material and infrastructure.

According to sources, Sadiq’s Private Member’s resolution urged the House to call upon the Union government and the National Medical Commission to immediately review and reconsider the withdrawal of the Letter of Permission.

The NMC’s decision came amid protests by right-wing outfits against large number of non-Hindu candidates getting admitted to the MBBS course, and the controversy is likely to dominate the initial proceedings of the Budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly which is scheduled to meet next month. .

The resolution has sought a fair and transparent reassessment from the governing body and all necessary steps to restore the MBBS course at SMVD Institute of Medical Excellence in the larger public interest.

It has pointed out that SMVDIME was set up to cater to the healthcare and medical education requirements of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and was developed with substantial public funding and infrastructure support.

The resolution underscores that any regulatory shortcomings should have been addressed through corrective measures and reasonable opportunity for compliance.

Jammu, Jan 17: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday said that the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir, which suffered a major setback following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent adverse weather conditions, is gradually showing signs of recovery, with tourist arrivals picking up as conditions improve.

Dulloo said that a major project has been conceptualised to promote sustainable tourism in emerging destinations with the objective of reducing pressure on traditional hotspots across J&K, and its implementation is being carefully planned.

“If we look at tourism, the impact after the Pahalgam attack and subsequently the rise in incidents of heavy rains and floods caused significant losses in 2025. However, we are now gradually seeing a recovery. As weather conditions improve, tourist arrivals have started increasing again,” Dulloo said in a video interview here.

He said that while revival is underway, the government is reassessing its tourism strategy to prepare for rising visitor numbers and sustainable growth. “As tourism grows, we must also focus on how prepared we are to manage the increasing footfall. This calls for a reassessment of our tourism strategy and capacity,” he added.

The chief secretary stressed the need to develop new tourist destinations to reduce pressure on traditional hotspots that often exceed their carrying capacity during peak seasons. “By developing new destinations, tourist footfall will be distributed more evenly. This will generate employment for local communities, lead to infrastructure development, attract investment and help mitigate seasonal tourism peaks,” he said.

The tourism sector in Kashmir was severely impacted after last year’s April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians, including 25 tourists, were killed by terrorists.

Following the attack, around 50 tourist spots and resorts were closed for security reasons. Several destinations have recently been reopened, and more will be thrown open to tourists after the completion of security audits.

He said a major project has been conceptualised in this direction and its implementation is being carefully planned, including transportation and other infrastructure arrangements. “Our focus will remain on developing new tourist destinations to ensure sustainable growth of the tourism sector,” Dulloo said.

Referring to the SPREAD initiative, the chief secretary said it seeks to decongest overburdened tourist spots by developing eco-sensitive, year-round alternatives while balancing economy, ecology and equity.

He said that with support from the Department of Economic Affairs and implementation through the Economic Reconstruction Agency, the SPREAD project will focus on infrastructure development, waste management, ecological conservation and livelihood generation.

“Community engagement and private sector participation are central to this initiative, which envisions holistic development across both Jammu and Kashmir regions in line with global best practices,” he added.

Dulloo also underlined the need for a targeted strategy to convert the rising pilgrim footfall in Jammu into longer tourist stays. “A focused approach is required to promote the region’s wider leisure, heritage, adventure and spiritual attractions beyond the main pilgrimage routes,” he said.

He stressed proactive use of digital platforms and social media, including collaboration with influencers, to expand outreach and attract national and international tourists. “We need a comprehensive strategy to convert the massive influx of pilgrims into multi-day tourists by encouraging them to explore experiences beyond traditional pilgrimage circuits,” Dulloo said.

Highlighting J&K’s potential as a year-round tourism destination, he said that the introduction of adventure activities such as rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping, and water sports would transform the region into a tourism hub while creating significant employment opportunities for local youth.