Jammu, Dec 27: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday laid the foundation stone to build 320 houses completely damaged during flash-floods and land-slides in Reasi District.

Funded entirely by High-range Rural Development Society (HRDS India) at an estimated cost of Rs 32 crore, the initiative will provide 320 affected families in Reasi with modern, prefabricated “Smart Houses” without any burden on the government exchequer.

Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor had laid the foundation stones for 1,869 houses for families affected due to Pakistani Shelling during Operation Sindoor and recent natural calamities in eight districts including Kishtwar, Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur, Ramban, Jammu, Kathua, and Samba.

The Lieutenant Governor praised Swami Atma Nambi, President HRDS-India and all the members of the NGO for their selfless contribution.

The Lieutenant Governor stated that, with the help of HRDS India, our vision is to ensure that no family affected due to natural calamity remains weak and disadvantaged.

“Houses for affected families are not just walls and roofs but they are embodiment of dreams and aspirations and foundation for quality living and personal growth for family members

I see this movement as a new revolution and a new model for the country where needy families are being taken care of without involving government money. It gives us a powerful Mantra that all should work together for the common good of the UT of J&K and its people,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The noble initiative features state-of-the-art, efficient, modern, resilient, and technologically advanced three-bedroom ‘Smart Houses’. These houses are slated for completion within just six months of foundation work and include dedicated facilities such as cowsheds to support rural livelihoods.

HRDS India will also provide extensive social security package for beneficiary families. This holistic support includes 15 years of free life insurance and annual health check-ups for all family members. To ensure long-term sustainability, HRDS India will also provide maintenance of the houses for the next five years.

The Lieutenant Governor reiterated that it has been his sincere effort that entire J&K UT achieves speedy and all-round development.

“In the past five years, we had integrated physical, social, and digital components to create best infrastructure while prioritizing a people-first approach to provide dynamism to the development of UT of Jammu Kashmir,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted numerous infrastructure projects initiated over the last few years aimed at enhancing connectivity and improving the ease of living of the people of Reasi District.

Addressing the long pending demands, the Lieutenant Governor assured that work on underground Sewerage System for Katra town will commence within the next six months. Master Plan for Katra is currently in its final stages and is slated for approval. Efforts are also being intensified for establishment of the Inter-modal Station, he said.

The Lieutenant Governor lauded the CEO of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the entire team for their dedicated service and effective response during rescue and relief operations.

He shared the series of key initiatives undertaken by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

“The construction of the Shankaracharya Temple in Katra, a Rs 30 crore project is designed to enhance the spiritual landscape while boosting local economic opportunities. This follows the Board’s successful completion of five temples in Reasi last year, with another five temples.

The Board has made the promotion of Sanskrit and Vedic education a top priority. This is highlighted by a Rs 1.5 crore funding grant to Kathua’s Chudamani Sanskrit Santhan Nyas and ongoing support for various Sanskrit and Ved Pathshallas and Gurukuls.

The Board’s Gurukul has achieved national distinction. The sustained efforts have also earned the Shrine Board numerous national level awards for environmental excellence.

The Board has procured Rs 22 crore worth of products from local Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Reasi and surrounding areas, with plans to scale this partnership to Rs 50 crore.

The Shrine Board remains dedicated to community service, undertaking the reconstruction of 15 schools damaged by recent floods and spending Rs 12 crore over the past seven years into the development of villages neighboring the Holy Shrine.

The construction of helipads at Katra and Shiv Khori, at Rs 27 crore, is in its final stages. These facilities, alongside the recently completed redevelopment of Shiv Khori, will soon be dedicated to the pilgrims to ensure a seamless pilgrimage experience. International Museum of the Goddess is also coming up in Katra,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted several pilgrim-centric measures taken by the Shrine Board. The insurance cover for pilgrims has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Furthermore, the Shrine Board continues to prioritize the health of devotees, spending approximately Rs 4 crore annually toward medical treatment of pilgrims, he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also underscored the Shrine Board’s commitment to the welfare of Baridar families.

Around 777 families received assistance for the marriage of their daughters. Under Kanjak Samriddhi Yojana, 565 young girls were provided with long-term financial security totaling Rs 9.49 crore. Under Girl Child Adoption Scheme, 154 girls from Baridar families benefited from an outlay of Rs 3.2 crore, he further said.

Saraf Singh Nag, Chairman, District Development Council Reasi; Baldev Raj Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP Jammu; Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Sarah Rizvi, DIG Udhampur-Reasi Range; Nidhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner Reasi; Vandana Pal, Associate Administrator, HRDS India, senior officers of civil and police administration and representatives of various social and political organisations attended the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Jammu, Dec 27: Expressing concern over the continuing dilution of the community’s cultural and linguistic ethos, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has stressed the need for sustained efforts to preserve the Kashmiri Pandit legacy and emphasised that preserving the community’s cultural, linguistic and civilisational ethos is essential for sustaining Kashmir’s composite culture, which remains incomplete without the Kashmiri Pandits.

The Minister said that the Modi government has taken decisive and sustained action against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir over the past eleven years, resulting in a significant decline in terror incidents, stone-pelting and targeted killings. He said this reflects strong political will, and marks a clear departure from earlier approaches that lacked firmness in dealing with terrorism.

Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking at a programme organised here to mark the death anniversary of Pandit Prem Nath Bhat, a noted lawyer and journalist who was killed by terrorists on 27 December, 1989. Paying tributes to Pandit Bhat, the Minister said his sacrifice symbolises the suffering endured by the Kashmiri Pandit community due to terrorism and targeted violence.

Dr Jitendra Singh said terrorism inflicted grave human suffering and severely disrupted the social harmony of Kashmir. He noted that for several years, the human rights of victims of terrorism, particularly Kashmiri Pandits, were overlooked due to a selective and inconsistent definition of terrorism. This, he said, aggravated the injustice faced by those who were forced to leave their homes and abandon their ancestral roots. He said the Kashmiri Pandit community has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and an inherent capacity to survive and thrive despite decades of displacement and adversity.

Highlighting Kashmir’s centuries-old composite and pluralistic culture, Dr Jitendra Singh said Kashmiri Pandits have been an inseparable part of the Valley’s civilisational fabric. Their contributions to education, literature, administration and social values provided a stabilising and rational influence that benefitted the entire society. He expressed concern over the continuing dilution of cultural and linguistic ethos and stressed the need for sustained efforts to preserve the Kashmiri Pandit legacy. The Minister emphasised that preserving the community’s cultural, linguistic and civilisational ethos is essential for sustaining Kashmir’s composite culture, which remains incomplete without the Kashmiri Pandits.

Dr Jitendra Singh assured that the government is sincere, trustworthy and fully committed to addressing the long-pending demands of the Kashmiri Pandit community. He said he would ensure that these demands are taken up and addressed to the maximum extent possible. He also suggested that the community undertake a structured exercise to compile demands already met by the government, and clearly identify the remaining issues. This consolidated representation, he said, could then be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs for consideration.

Dr Jitendra Singh further noted that the government’s approach aims not only at rehabilitation but also at preserving the cultural and social fabric of the Valley, ensuring that the Kashmiri Pandit community’s contributions are recognised and sustained for future generations.

Jammu, Dec 27: The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, graced the 11th Convocation Ceremony of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, today.

In his convocation address, the Lieutenant Governor spoke about the imperative of shifting from outdated, rote learning system to more modern and skill-based learning approaches to meet the demands of an evolving world.

“Our endeavour should be reduction in curriculum load and development of adaptable skills for future jobs.

Even if a single student of any higher education institution is unemployed or not setting up his or her enterprise, then it clearly means that the educational institution and its teachers have not done their work honestly,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor called upon the students to create new paths in life, give new direction to life, explore new aspects and suggest new ways for the prosperity of the nation.

“To achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047, every student, every educational institution will have to fulfil its responsibility because the future and its development will be based on the knowledge economy,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor gave five solutions to keep pace with technological change and the demands of the 21st-century workforces.

“Integrate artificial intelligence into teaching, learning and university operations and adopt new technological tools on a priority basis. Shift from rote learning to a lifelong, flexible and skill-focused learning model. Develop strong partnerships with industry and other institutions. The focus must be on experiential learning. Humanities students, in particular, need to understand that in a world dominated by artificial intelligence, the importance of things that machines cannot provide will increase. Focus should be on innovation, research, and social service, cutting-edge research and to offer solutions to local problems,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the responsibility of the teaching community to study and analyse the impact of rapid advancements in science, humanities, and technology on human civilization. He stressed that classroom methodologies must evolve to synchronize with these shifts, ensuring they drive both economic development and social progress.

“Classroom and our teachings must equip students to build better lives, foster inclusive development and create more enlightened society,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor lauded Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University for its distinguished contributions to India’s educational landscape and its steadfast commitment to public welfare.

He also extended his felicitations to the women students for their exceptional academic achievements and for setting new benchmarks of excellence.

The Lieutenant Governor entrusted upon Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University to provide scientific solutions for the challenges being faced by the UT of Jammu Kashmir.

In light of recent devastating natural calamities, the Lieutenant Governor urged the university to prioritize research into advanced early-warning systems for cloudbursts, landslides, and floods. He further emphasized the importance of sustainable infrastructure, and called for dedicated research on the recycling and reuse of road and construction materials.

The Lieutenant Governor asked the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University to redesign the courses for Dogri and Vedic studies to make these subjects more engaging and contemporary to attract more students. He also directed for formulating a comprehensive strategy for the swift completion of the languishing indoor stadium.

The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the pivotal role of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in the relief and rehabilitation of families affected by recent natural calamities. He praised the Board’s ongoing commitment to cultural preservation through its support to institutions dedicated to Sanskrit and Vedic education.

He informed that the Shrine Board has procured products worth Rs 22 crore from local Self-Help Groups in Reasi and adjoining areas. The Lieutenant Governor stated that he has directed the CEO of the Shrine Board to maximize procurement from local residents to support their livelihoods.

The Lieutenant Governor further informed that the Shrine Board has undertaken the construction of the Shankaracharya Temple along with five other temples in the district, while an International Museum of the Goddess is set to be established in Katra.

“The construction of helipads at Katra and Shiv Khori is entering its final phase. I am hopeful that the devotees will be able to avail heli-services from Katra to the Shiv Khori Shrine during the upcoming Maha Shivratri”, the Lieutenant Governor said.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated ‘High-End Computing AI and Deep Learning Lab’ and ‘Accommodation for Married Scholars’.

During the convocation, 821 degrees were awarded including 228 Masters, 26 Doctorates, and 567 Undergraduate degrees. Medals were also conferred to 25 (07 Male and 18 Female) meritorious students. A total of 10 students (04 Male and 06 Female) received Infosys Foundation Prize for Excellence, while Certificate of Distinction were awarded to 11 students.

Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University presented the University report on the occasion.

Prof. T.G Sitharam, former Chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE); Dr. Ashok Bhan and Gunjan Rana, Members, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Shantmanu, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, Vice Chancellors of various universities, Heads of Departments, faculty and students attended the convocation ceremony.

Saraf Singh Nag, Chairman, District Development Council Reasi; Baldev Raj Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP Jammu; Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Nidhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner Reasi and senior officials were also present.

Jammu, Dec 27: Dozens of protesters on Saturday gathered outside Lok Bhavan here and set ablaze an effigy of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, demanding revocation of the MBBS admission list of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi.

Raising slogans such as “LG go back”, the protest was organised by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, a recently-formed conglomeration of various right-wing organizations.

JK BJP’s women activists and several trade leaders including president of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries Arun Gupta also joined the protest.

The protest led to the blocking of the main road outside Lok Bhavan, resulting in traffic snarls on adjoining roads and causing hardship to commuters for more than one-and-a-half hours.

Police personnel were deployed in strength outside the Lok Bhavan to maintain law and order and regulate traffic, and a tough time to push back protesters who tried to move inside the complex.

“We will continue our protest till the resolution of our genuine demands which are related to our faith. We are not against students of any particular religion, we just want the seats in the medical college to be reserved for Hindu students alone,” Samiti convener Colonel Sukhvir Singh Mankotia told reporters.

He said they have staged the protest outside the Lok Bhavan because Lt Governor is the chairman of the shrine board and it is his responsibility to ensure that the religious sentiments of any community should not be hurt.

Mankotia said the government should close the medical college if there is any problem in reserving the seats for the Hindu students.

The controversy began after admissions for the inaugural MBBS batch of 50 students were completed through the NEET merit list last month. This batch includes 42 Muslim candidates, mostly from Kashmir, seven Hindu students from Jammu and one Sikh candidate.

The protests were started by right-wing Hindu groups which later led to the formation of the Sangarsh Samiti and its leaders have already held talks with Lt Governor and leaders of the central government including Union health minister.