Baramulla, Nov 15: Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Minga Sherpa chaired the District Level Review Committee (DLRC) meeting to review the performance of banks under the Annual Credit Plan (ACP) 2025–26 and to assess progress under various government-sponsored schemes.

During the meeting, sector-wise achievements were presented, covering Agriculture, MSME, Education, Housing, and Non-Priority sectors. The DC was informed that the district has achieved Rs 1430.11 crore under the Priority Sector and Rs 1,323.69 crore under the Non-Priority Sector as on 30 September 2025. Under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, 24,687 cards have been issued during the current financial year, with more than 1,05,118 active KCC accounts and an outstanding balance of Rs 913.66 crore, as per a press release.

The Deputy Commissioner issued several important directions to banks and line departments. He called for regular awareness camps at block and panchayat levels to educate farmers, youth, Self-Help Groups, and small entrepreneurs about various credit schemes including KCC, PMEGP, JKREGP, MISSION YUVA, PM Surya Ghar and other government initiatives. He also stressed early clearance of pending KCC applications to ensure 100% saturation at the district level.

The DC emphasised the need to narrow the gap between loan sanction and disbursement, particularly in Agriculture and MSME sectors. Banks and line departments were directed to strengthen coordination through joint camps, timely sharing of beneficiary lists, and close monitoring of scheme implementation to ensure timely support to the public.

Special attention was directed towards unemployed youth, women entrepreneurs, and SHGs, with instructions to prioritise their loan applications and provide them with necessary support for livelihood generation. The DC further directed banks to enhance their outreach in remote and far-flung areas to ensure equitable financial inclusion throughout the district.

The DC urged all institutions to work with greater commitment to achieve 100% targets under the Annual Credit Plan 2025–26. He highlighted the need for collective efforts to strengthen financial services and expand credit access to all eligible beneficiaries across Baramulla.

Budgam, Nov 15: A devastating road accident on the New Ring Road near Waterwani in central Kashmir’s Budgam district claimed several lives on Saturday, triggering widespread grief across the district. Officials said a Sumo vehicle carrying passengers from Mahwara was hit by a dumper on the stretch, causing fatal injuries to all several occupants of the passenger vehicle.

Preliminary reports indicated that the Sumo was on its way towards Budgam when the dumper coming from the opposite direction collided with it at high speed. The impact was severe and left the passenger vehicle completely mangled. Locals rushed to the location and, assisted by police teams, pulled the injured from the wreckage. Initial reports said that at least 5 passengers lost their lives, however, Aga Mujtaba- the brother of newly elected Legislature in a Tweet claimed that 10 persons died in the accident.

Authorities said the accident occurred on a section of the Ring Road known for heavy commercial traffic. Both the dumper and the Sumo suffered extensive damage in the mishap. More details awaited. [KNT]

Kupwara, Nov 15: Grief spread through this small Kupwara village on Saturday as residents gathered outside their homes and along the narrow lanes to mourn State Investigation Agency (SIA) Inspector of J&K Police, Asrar Ahmad, who was among nine people killed in the accidental blast at Nowgam Police Station on Friday night.

Muqam-e-Shahwali, a village in Kupwara located about 82 km from Srinagar and 7 km from the district headquarters, came to a standstill on Saturday as hundreds assembled for Inspector Asrar Ahmad’s last rites.

Many struggled to absorb the sudden loss of a man widely regarded as one of the most respected figures in the area.

People moved in groups, speaking in hushed voices, stopping occasionally to wipe their eyes. “There is a strange stillness here,” said Shabir Ahmad, a resident, while speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

“It feels as if the breath of this whole village has been taken away with Asrar Sahab,” Ahmad said, trying to steady his voice.

For many in this close-knit settlement, Inspector Asrar was not just a government officer; he was a son of the soil, someone who carried the warmth of the village into his uniform. “He never behaved like he was above us,” recalled Tariq Ahmad. “To us, he was a neighbour first. A friend. Someone who made you feel respected no matter who you were.”

A large crowd, including several government officials, attended the funeral, which drew hundreds of residents from the area.

Mothers stood at their doorsteps with trembling hands, and young boys who once looked up to him as a symbol of achievement watched silently.

Asrar was laid to rest in the presence of a large crowd, many of whom had grown up with him or known him since childhood.

Another villager, Shakir, remembered how the entire area celebrated when Asrar was selected for the police force in 2010. “We all thought he would rise to great heights. He had that spark,” he said. “No one imagined we would be preparing his grave this early.”

Locals described him as someone who was always the first to stand with the needy. Whether it was arranging medicines, helping with paperwork, or simply sitting with an elder for company, he was known for small acts that left deep marks. “He lived with such decency,” said an elderly resident. “If goodness had a face in our village, it was his.”

The grief in the Muqam-e-Shahwali neighbourhood was amplified by the sight of his father, retired headmaster Haji Habibullah Shah, walking behind his son’s coffin.

“A father waits all his life for his son to support him,” said Nazir Ahmad, a relative. “But today he carried his son on his shoulders. That image will haunt us forever.”

Inspector Asrar leaves behind his wife, three young children, his parents, siblings, and an entire village that repeatedly called him its “pride”.

Meanwhile, SSP Imtiyaz Hussain shared an old post Asrar had written in 2020, a poem in which he asked to be remembered for his smile, his good deeds and “only my best”. Reacting to it after the tragedy, Hussain wrote that Asrar had served with honour and lived with grace, adding that his memories would remain with colleagues and that he was “gone too soon”۔