Srinagar, Oct 25: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a high-level meeting to review the arrangements for the upcoming 2nd Edition of the Kashmir Marathon, being organized by the Tourism Department on November 2, 2025, in Srinagar.

The meeting besides Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism was attended by Secretary, Health; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; DIG, Traffic; MD, JKTDC; Director, Tourism, Kashmir; SSP, Traffic, Srinagar; Commissioner, SMC, and other senior officers of concerned departments.

The Chief Secretary described the marquee event as a valuable opportunity to promote tourism and sports culture in Jammu and Kashmir, noting that the inaugural edition had received overwhelming response and set new benchmarks for sporting events in the region.

He observed that participation from runners across the nation and abroad would further reinforce Kashmir’s image as a premier destination for leisure, adventure and sports tourism.

Emphasizing seamless coordination among all departments, Dulloo directed the concerned to ensure foolproof arrangements for visiting athletes and participants, covering aspects such as transportation, accommodation, medical care, security, sanitation, and event management.

The Chief Secretary urged the Traffic Department to take all necessary measures to secure the marathon routes on the day of the event. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive traffic management plan, including appropriate diversions and issuance of advance travel advisories to ensure the safety and convenience of commuters.

He underscored the need to provide a memorable experience to all participants that reflects Kashmir’s hospitality and growing capability in hosting large-scale international events.

During the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Ashish ChanderVerma informed that several renowned national and international athletes are expected to participate in this year’s edition.

He further noted that the event would also act as a platform to showcase local art, craft, and culture, with dedicated stalls promoting Handicrafts and Handloom products from Jammu and Kashmir.

Director, Tourism Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob, presented a detailed overview of the operational plan, covering aspects of participant registration, route management, volunteer deployment, and publicity campaigns.

He elaborated that the marathon will feature two main race categories the Full Marathon (42 km) and Half Marathon (21 km) are open to both men and women like the first edition of this game here.

The routes will traverse Srinagar’s most iconic and picturesque locations, including Dal Lake, Mughal Gardens, and Chinar-lined boulevards, offering runners an inspiring blend of athletic challenge and scenic beauty.

The meeting was apprised that the Full Marathon (42 km) will take participants through a captivating circuit showcasing the natural and cultural splendor of Srinagar, while the Half Marathon (21 km) will provide runners an equally enriching experience that combines endurance with the Valley’s breathtaking vistas.

Adding to the event’s grandeur, the Kashmir Marathon 2025 features an impressive prize pool, with substantial rewards for winners in both Full and Half Marathon categories.

For the Full Marathon, the overall category prizes include Rs25,00,000 for 1st place, Rs20,00,000 for 2nd, Rs18,00,000 for 3rd, Rs15,00,000 for 4th, and Rs12,00,000 for 5th place. In the respective age-group categories (18–35 years, 36–50 years, and 50+ veterans), cash prizes of Rs1,00,000, Rs75,000, and Rs50,000 will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions respectively.

For the Half Marathon, the overall category winners will recetionRs15,00,000, Rs12,00,000,eRs 9,00,000, Rs6,00,000, and Rs3,00,000 respectively for the top five positions, while age-group winners will receiveRs75,000, Rs50,000, and Rs25,000 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions respectively for both men and women participants.

With its generous rewards, stunning routes, and vibrant community participation, the Kashmir Marathon 2025 is poised to emerge as a flagship sporting event showcasing the region’s spirit, hospitality, and tourism potential.

Expressing optimism about the event, the Chief Secretary remarked that the Kashmir Marathon would not only promote fitness and sportsmanship among youth but also serve as a major tourism promotion event, attracting visitors from across the world to experience the Valley’s natural beauty and cultural richness.

Srinagar, Oct 25: National Conference president, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had approached them and offered a deal for the fourth seat in Rajya Sabha elections.

Speaking with reporters at Nawa-e-Subha, Farooq Abdullah said that there was no question of gifting 7 votes to the BJP.

“If that is the case then how was our candidate able to get 21 votes,” he said, adding that the party rejected BJP’s offer and decided to contest on the fourth seat as well.

He thanked all parties including the Congress, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), AIP and independents for supporting NC candidates in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Three NC candidates won Rajya Sabha elections while BJP secured one seat unexpectedly by defeating the NC candidate.—(KNO)

Bandipora, Oct 25: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs, Javid Ahmed Rana, on Saturday said that all talk of development in the Union Territory “exists only on paper,” asserting that no funds have been withheld for Jal Shakti schemes, but there is “simply no money available.”

“People were deceived without being asked. The state was broken into pieces and made into a Union Territory, something unprecedented in the world’s history,” Rana said while addressing a public gathering in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, accompanied by MLA Gurez, Nazir Gurezi, Congresd MLA from Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat and Sonawari constituency MLA, Hilal Akbar Lone.

He said that despite tall claims made since Jammu and Kashmir’s reorganisation, progress on the ground remains negligible.

“If there has been any development in Kashmir in the past five or six years, it is only on paper,” he said, adding that the Jal Shakti Department, which handles water supply schemes, is struggling due to fund shortages.

During their speeches, Gurezi and Lone, requested the funds for contractors and stalled Jal Shakti, which in undergoing probe, be released for ease of public, especially in tribal areas.

“It is said that we have stopped payments, but the truth is, we don’t have money at all,” the minister said, clarifying that funds under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) come from the Government of India and delays have affected project completion.

Rana, however, commended the department’s officials and contractors for keeping work going despite the crisis.

“I congratulate the Jal Shakti Department and the contractors who have shown immense courage and dedication to keep the system running without payments,” he said.

“When I took over, the contractor liability was ₹400 crore. Today, it stands at ₹1,100 crore,” Rana said, adding that around 3,200 schemes are operational and 1,700 have been completed under the mission across Jammu and Kashmir despite financial hurdles.

The minister said he recently met the Union Minister in Delhi and sought immediate release of funds to clear pending dues and complete the remaining 10–15 per cent of unfinished works.

“Wherever certification under Har Ghar Jal is received, we will ensure all pending payments are cleared,” Rana said, adding that he has also requested the Chief Secretary to provide the UT’s share to help complete the remaining schemes.

Srinagar, Oct 25: Peoples Conference Chairman and MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday accused the National Conference (NC) of “killing merit” through its handling of reservations and alleged that Kashmiri candidates are being deliberately left out of government job opportunities.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Lone, who is also MLA from Handwara, said his party will soon launch a “full-fledged campaign” against the ongoing reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir.

“This government is out to kill merit. Open merit has been buried. We are going to start a ground-level registration drive against this policy,” Lone said, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), warning that the system “is pushing Kashmir towards a major disaster.”

He said his party will take to the streets if needed. “We will go door to door. If hunger strikes or mass protests are required, we will not hesitate. Enough is enough,” he added.

Lone also launched a strong attack on the National Conference, accusing it of being “hand in glove” with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the recent Rajya Sabha elections.

“These two or three extra votes had no room for that candidate number four,” Lone said. “Even if there had been no cross-voting, that candidate would still have lost. All the cross-voting was done by the National Conference. They did it themselves.”

He claimed seven NC members “directly gifted their votes to the BJP.” “It was a fixed match,” Lone said. “This is the same party that accused others of being with the BJP. And today, they are sitting in BJP’s lap.”

Lone said the NC’s actions have exposed its claims of being an opposition force. “Our people must open their eyes and see how they were deceived. Even if BJP is not in power directly, their preferred party is ruling now,” he said.

Criticising NC vice president Omar Abdullah, Lone said the Congress was deliberately denied a winnable Rajya Sabha seat. “They offered Congress a losing seat, number four. Omar Abdullah was asking, ‘Why don’t they contest for number four?’ They wanted it this way,” he said.

Lone argued that the Congress, as a national party, should have been given priority. “A national party carries a different weight on the national stage. Regional parties do not,” he said.

He further accused the NC’s past Rajya Sabha members of failing to deliver in Delhi. “None of them brought anything substantial back. They only went there to get small personal favors,” Lone said.

Calling the NC’s political approach “submissive before Delhi,” Lone said, “For seventy years, this has been the story. They go to Delhi saying ‘beat us but let us weep.’ They ask Delhi to tighten the stick while pretending to resist here.”

On the abrogation of Article 370, Lone alleged that “midnight meetings” between Delhi and NC leaders before August 5, 2019, were full of “betrayal after betrayal.”

He urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to “wake up” and recognize what he described as “a long-standing political deception.”

“The BJP ensures the victory of its own candidates through these same people. They abuse BJP during elections to fool voters, but they are working together behind the scenes,” Lone said

The Peoples Conference chief said he was “grateful to Allah” for staying away from what he termed “this entire corrupt process.” “I thank Almighty Allah that I abstained from voting, otherwise today all fingers would have been pointed at me,” he said—(KNO)