Kulgam, Aug 08: The Rural Development Department has suspended the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Devsar, Kulgam, for allegedly signing blank work authorities under MGNREGA in violation of established guidelines and government conduct rules.”

According to an official order, MGNREGA guidelines mandate that work authorities must be issued only prior to the commencement of works by the Gram Panchayat. However, it has been reported that BDO Devsar bypassed these procedures by signing blank work authorities, raising serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and potential financial irregularities.

“In view of the above and pending enquiry, Mr. Arif Ayaz Dar, BDO Devsar with additional charge of Block Kund is placed under suspension with immediate effect,” the order reads. He will remain attached to the office of the Assistant Commissioner Development, Kulgam.

In the interim, BDO Behibagh and BDO D.H. Pora have been directed to take charge of Block Devsar and Block Kund respectively.

The Assistant Commissioner Development, Kulgam, has been assigned to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter and submit a report along with his comments to the Directorate within ten days.

The department has taken a serious view of the matter, citing violation of conduct rules applicable to government servants and potential loss to the public exchequer. (KNC)

Kupwara, Aug 7: The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Thursday organised a signature campaign in Kupwara demanding that Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara be upgraded to either a District Hospital or granted the status of a Super Specialty Hospital.

Senior party leaders including AIP spokesperson Firdous Ahmad Baba, along with several other prominent figures participated in the campaign.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the programme, Firdous Baba said that the district headquarter Kupwara was without a district hospital, causing immense hardships for the people coming from remote areas like Keran, Karnah, Budnamal, Jumagund, Machil, Kumkadi and other areas.

He said that the current District Hospital was located in Handwara tehsil, leaving people of Kupwara without proper healthcare facilities. “Since Government Medical College (GMC) has now been established at Handwara so it was pre-requisite for authorities to upgrade the status of SDH Kupwara to District Hospital.

Former Block Medical Officer (BMO), and senior AIP leader Dr Firdous, also lent support to the initiative, stressing the urgent need for better healthcare infrastructure in the region.

Srinagar, Aug 7: National Conference General Secretary Haji Ali Muhammad Sagar Thursday urged the divisional administration to make comprehensive arrangements for the ongoing Ayam-e-Urs and the forthcoming Urs Mubarak of Hazrat Mehboobul Aalam Sheikh Hamza Maqdoomi (RA) at the revered Maqdoom Sahib Shrine in Srinagar and Tujjar Sharief, Sopore.

In a statement issued today, Sagar emphasized the significance of the Urs in the religious and spiritual calendar of the Valley and highlighted the large number of devotees who throng the shrine during the auspicious days.

The party’s Chief Spokesperson, Tanvir Sadiq, also echoed the sentiments expressed by Sagar, underscoring the importance of honoring the spiritual heritage of Kashmir and ensuring that all necessary civic and logistical arrangements are in place well ahead of time.

Jammu, Aug 07: Jammu Airport has seen a significant surge in air traffic, with a total of 1.61 million passengers travelling through the airport during the year 2024-25.

The data was revealed in response to a question raised by Jugal Kishore, a Member of Parliament, in the Lok Sabha.

The response was provided by Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. He said scheduled Indian operators have connected Jammu to several major cities, including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Srinagar, and Leh. These routes saw a total of 188 weekly aircraft movements, which include both arrivals and departures.

The increase in air travel has been a major boost for both local and tourist traffic, enhancing Jammu’s connectivity to various parts of the country, the minister said.

The government said that air connectivity is expected to play a crucial role in supporting its economic growth, tourism, and overall infrastructure development.

“The rise in the number of weekly aircraft movements indicates a strong demand for travel from Jammu, and the continued expansion of these routes will likely contribute to even higher passenger traffic in the coming years,” the minister said. KNO)

Srinagar, Aug 07: The Supreme Court of India is set to hear the Jammu and Kashmir statehood case (Zahoor Ahmad Bhat & Anr vs Union of India) on August 14, sources confirmed on Thursday.

Earlier, the plea was scheduled to be heard on August 8; however, sources have confirmed that the case will now be taken up on August 14. “the Supreme Court will hear the J&K statehood case (Zahoor Ahmad Bhat & Anr vs UOI) on 14.08.2025.” they said.

As per a report by the Hindustan Times, on August 5 (Tuesday), the application was mentioned by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the two applicants — academic Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and social activist Khurshaid Ahmad Malik — who had, in October 2024, approached the top court seeking restoration of statehood within a specific time frame, preferably within two months.

Appearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R. Gavai, the senior advocate stated that the matter was listed on the List of Business for August 8 and requested that it not be deleted. The CJI allowed the request by passing a short order: “Not to be deleted,” the report said.