2 days’ conference on “Emerging Technologies” concludes

JAMMU: A two day capacity building program, focusing on “Emerging Technologies” successfully concluded here today.

The conference was held under the guidance of Minister for Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports, ARI and Trainings, Satish Sharma.

The Minister, while speaking on the occasion, emphasised the importance of embracing emerging technologies to drive forward the region’s development and enhance the quality of public service delivery. He highlighted the critical role of technology in modern governance, stating, “As we progress into advanced digital era, it is essential that our officers are equipped with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of emerging technologies for the benefit of our citizens.”

He reiterated the commitment of Jammu and Kashmir government towards technological empowerment and capacity building. “This training is just one of many steps we are taking to ensure that our workforce is prepared for the digital transformation that is unfolding across the globe,” he added.

Commissioner Secretary, IT Department, Saurabh Bhagat, asserted that IT Department will further step up efforts to conduct more such training programs in future to herald a new era of digital advancement in J&K. He appreciated the contribution of Deputy Secretary, IT Department, who was the nodal officer of this program.

The event was organized as a collaborative effort between the Information Technology Department of Jammu and Kashmir and the Wadhwani Group (a not-for-profit tech organisation operating at the convergence of technology and governance).  It was first of its kind capacity building initiative of IT department that aimed to equip senior government officers with knowledge and insights into the latest advancements in technology, strengthening their capacity to effectively utilize these innovations in governance and administration.

The event saw the participation of over 65 senior JKAS officers from various government departments who underwent a comprehensive training program on the implications, applications and future trends of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, and IoT, among others.

The conference featured keynote addresses, interactive workshops and hands-on sessions, led by Prakash Kumar, CEO Wadhwani Group.

This initiative is expected to foster a more technology-driven, efficient and future ready administration in Jammu and Kashmir, aligning with the government’s vision to embrace digital solutions for prosperous and inclusive future.

Asks districts to work on livelihood generating activities, work spaces for SHGs

JAMMU: Secretary Rural Development Department and Panchayati Raj (RDD &PR), Mohammad Aijaz Asad, today conducted a comprehensive review of the draft Annual Action Plan (AAP) and Labour Budget (LB) for MGNREGA for the fiscal 2025-26, focusing on 10 districts of Kashmir division.

Secretary in RDD & PR Department, Rachna Sharma; DG Rural Sanitation, Anoo Malhotra; Mission Director JKRLM, Shubhra Sharma; Director Panchayati Raj, Sham Lal; Director Finance, Umar Khan; Director, RDD Kashmir, Shabir Hussain Bhat; Chief Executive Officer, IWMP, Rajnish Kumar; Additional Secretary RD&PR, Waseem Raja; Superintending Engineer REW Kashmir, Aamir Ali;  Director Social Audit, Shafia Naqshbandi; Assistant Commissioner(s) Development and Executive Engineers of Kashmir division attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the Secretary emphasized the importance of realistic and achievable plans. He urged upon the officials to adopt a “people-centric” approach to planning, emphasising that communities should be actively involved in planning and execution of projects.

The meeting also addressed several areas including geo-tagging, use of the National MGNREGA Management System (NMMS), timely wage payments, implementation of the Area Officer app, compensation status, identification of Amrit Sarovar sites for Phase II and ensuring that PMAY beneficiaries receive the mandated 95 days of work until their houses are completed.

The Secretary laid emphasis on Category B works and stressed that every PMAY-G beneficiary must be guaranteed 95 days of labor support under MGNREGA. He also instructed the district authorities to complete the PMAY-G survey by March 31st, ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries are included.

The Secretary emphasised the need to utilise MGNREGA funds for repairing and maintaining Panchayat Ghars, ensuring they function effectively as community hubs. He mentioned about establishment of Community Sanitary Complexes (CSCs) along highways to improve sanitation services for rural communities, ensuring better hygiene and accessibility.

The Secretary asked the districts to prioritise livelihood activities, such as constructing orchard footpaths, desilting water bodies and planting fruit bearing trees to boost rural productivity. He asked them to prioritise low maintenance, cost effective and high revenue generating activities.

He also highlighted the importance of convergence in all allied works. He emphasized convergence with the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) to boost agriculture and allied sectors. He directed the officials to create professional workspaces for Self Help Groups (SHGs) in every panchayat, focusing on employment opportunities and boosting product sales.

The Secretary stressed on making panchayats self-reliant by generating revenue through sustainable initiatives. He also called for utilisation of convergence strategies to build marriage halls and community facilitation centres, enhancing social infrastructure in rural areas. He called for identifying and allocating land for dumping sites, incorporating these into development plans to ensure proper waste management.

The Secretary also called for retrofitting of single-pit Individual Household Latrines (IHHLs) to double pits under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G). He recommended promotion of fruit-bearing trees to enhance rural economic activity.

He emphasized the urgent need to prioritise identification and preparation of Amrit Sarovar sites for Phase II, issuing clear instructions to ensure that the groundwork is completed without any delay.

Additional Secretary RD&PR, Waseem Raja, provided a detailed presentation on the Annual Action Plan (AAP) for MGNREGA 2025-26, prepared with due consultation of the stakeholders highlighting key focus areas and challenges.

Earlier, the Secretary had conducted a thorough review of the Annual Action Plan (AAP) for ten districts in the Jammu division.

‘Khetscore’ to determine credit worthiness of each farm

JAMMU,: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, while taking stock of progress registered under different credit linked schemes of the Agriculture Production Department (APD) remarked that agriculture sector in J&K has an additional credit potential of around Rs 3000 crore if tapped optimally by the financial institutions here.

Besides Principal Secretary, APD and MD, J&K Bank, the meeting was attended by MD, HADP/JKCIP; DG, Budget; Deputy Commissioners; HoDs of APD; Convenor, UTLBC; representatives from BISAG-N and other concerned officers while outstation officers participated virtually.

The Chief Secretary impressed upon the Deputy Commissioners and the concerned department to be in close coordination with J&K Bank in order to enhance the approval and disbursement rate of the applications. He said that there is still greater potential of growth in this sector as the banks could tap additional Rs 3000 crore business by laying more focus on it. He advised the financial institutions to tap this potential for there is lesser NPA rate as well.

He maintained that almost half of the applications received by the department on the portal should be credit linked as the products are highly attractive guaranteeing the interest subvention and moratorium period that is not available anywhere else.

Dulloo enjoined upon the Bank to designate some of their best human resources to look after the progress on these schemes to improve their uptake and increase their number proportionate to the total number of applicants registered on the official portal. He also reviewed scheme-wise progress and pendency in each district and enquired from respective DCs about the reasons of poor performance, if found anywhere. He took note of the applications pending from last more than 100 days and directed the banks to clear the backlog without any further delay .

He also laid emphasis on creation of awareness among the public besides handholding them by helping in generating successful DPRs thereby increasing the rate of approval of their applications. He asked for assisting people to have fair idea about the schemes, credit and benefits available for them based upon their areas of interest.

The Chief Secretary also sought suggestions from the Department , DCs and the Bank officers about the measures needed to be taken to improve the overall performance of these schemes for these are in vogue now for the 2nd year. He asked them to further improve the progress in high density plantation, distribution of smart cards under KCC, KCC term loans, PM Kisan, AIF, AHIDF, PMFBY and other similar schemes.

On the occasion, Principal Secretary, APD, Shailendra Kumar, informed the meeting that the Department targets coverage of 13 lakh farmers under KCC scheme which currently hovers at around 10.82 lakh active customers. He also revealed that the Department in coordination with the banks is in a process of streamlining the credit availing facility for farmers by developing an IT solution named ‘Khetscore’ to determine the credit worthiness of each farm. He made out that the same would be done based upon historical data, external risk assessment and taking of geographical factors into account.

MD, HADP, Rahul Yadav, informed the meeting about other measures being taken by the Department to improve the uptake of these schemes by the farmers. He also threw light on the overall progress of these schemes over the past few months.

The MD also enumerated certain measures including launching of IT tools like credit scheme advisor, DPR generating portal and Grievance redressal portal with banks for real time registration and tracking of credit related grievances by the banks and administration on the directions of the Chief Secretary.

Later, the Chief Secretary had live demonstration of these developing applications as given by the BISAG-N. He asked them to converge all the Agriculture related tools and apps on a single platform which would give access to them with ease and comfort.

He also released a number of publications depicting the progress and success stories of HADP and other programmes to revolutionise Agriculture sector besides increasing the farmers income manifold across the UT of J&K.

Advocates recognition, celebration of contributions of womenfolk

JAMMU,: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo, today emphasized the importance of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of womenfolk in various fields across Jammu and Kashmir.

The Minister made these remarks while chairing a meeting held at the Civil Secretariat here to review the preparations for forthcoming International Women’s Day being held on 8th March.

Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sanjeev Verma; Commissioner Secretary, Culture department, K Ramesh Kumar; Director Social Welfare Kashmir, Mohammad Akbar Wani; Director Social Welfare Jammu, Rupesh Kumar; Director School Education Jammu; Director Colleges J&K; Director Health Services Jammu, Director Health Services Kashmir; Mission Directors of ICDS, ICPS and Mission Shakti besides other concerned officers attended the meeting, either in person or virtually.

The Minister stressed on the need to highlight contributions of women in various fields for awareness of common masses, particularly the female fraternity. “We must not only acknowledge the incredible contributions of women in every field but also ensure they have opportunities and support to excel further in their goals and dreams” Sakeena maintained.

She asked the officers to promote initiatives that empower women folk and create awareness among them about various initiatives of the government for their empowerment. “Every woman should know about the schemes and support systems available to them to help her achieve her ambitions and purposes of life”, Sakeena stated.

The Minister called upon the social welfare, education and health departments to work in coordination and organize this day collectively. She asked them to organize awareness programs and felicitations of women achievers in their respective districts. She also asked them to constitute teams in their respective districts for better coordination and smooth conduct of the programme.

While speaking on the significance of Women’s Day, Sakeena reiterated the government for gender equality and called for collective efforts to create a more inclusive society. She encouraged participation from all sections of society to celebrate the strength and resilience of women.

During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare informed the Minister about the preparations being put in place by the department for the International Women’s Day scheduled to be held on 8th March across Jammu and Kashmir.

JAMMU: Agriculture Department today accorded a warm and heartfelt farewell to Prem Singh, Divisional Seed Certification Officer (DSCO) Jammu, who retired after more than 30 years of dedicated service. The farewell ceremony brought together staff and officers, who expressed their deep appreciation and gratitude for Prem Singh’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of the farming community.

The gathering, imbued with warmth and camaraderie, was graced by the Director of Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare, Jammu, Arvinder Singh Reen, along with Joint Director Agriculture (Extension/SLUB) Jammu, Satish Sharma, Deputy Director (Central), Dr. Ashwani Sharma, and other officers, who collectively wished Prem Singh a fulfilling and prosperous post-retirement life.

JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today accorded an affectionate farewell to Syed Mohammad Shafi, the longest serving employee of Chief Secretary Office.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Secretary lauded Shafi’s unwavering dedication, calling him an upright official known for his punctuality and ever smiling demeanour. He remarked that officials like Shafi leave a lasting impression and are fondly remembered by other colleagues. He extended his best wishes for Shafi’s health, happiness, and success post retirement life.

Several officers and colleagues also expressed their appreciation for Shafi’s long and distinguished service.

Among those who spoke and conveyed their best wishes to the retiree were Special Secretary in CS Office, K.S. Chib, Deputy Secretary, Rakesh Sharma, Under Secretaries, Mohit Raina, Saba Noor, Gaurav Gupta and other staff members from the Chief Secretary’s personal section.

The farewell gathering was marked by gratitude and fond memories, reflecting the deep respect and affection Shafi has earned over the years. His other colleagues also reminisced about the affectionate moments they had spent together.

LG pays tributes to renowned scientist Sir C.V. Raman; emphasizes on promotion of advancements in Science & Technology, Knowledge Exchange and to foster Creativity, Innovation for a Sustainable Future

Scientists, Technologists and Entrepreneurs will power the journey of Viksit Bharat: LG Sinha

Lieutenant Governor urges all the Universities of J&K UT to set up Artificial Intelligence Labs for cutting-edge research and innovation

AI Lab will be a separate entity within Science & Technology Department through multidisciplinary collaboration with industry, researchers, educators and technologists: LG Sinha

We cannot imagine a future without AI. It will have profound impact on every aspect of our lives and that’s why it is critical to enable our youth to develop their AI knowledge, reskilling and upskilling of workforce to keep up with AI trends and to make J&K UT more competitive: LG

In the near future, AI will be most needed by health and emergency services workers, industry managers, and social and business leaders: LG Sinha

It will be the responsibility of all AI labs of Universities to conduct workshops and weekly training modules for them so that our entire workforce in J&K becomes AI literate and leaders from various sectors are also better equipped to make the right decision: LG

AI Labs in the Universities will directly coordinate with local industries for integration of new discoveries and innovation of AI into businesses. The research will also focus on current status of AI use and ways to enhance its adoption to boost productivity and profit: LG

Lieutenant Governor inaugurates Synthetic Athletic Track Surface at Kashmir University campus

SRINAGAR,: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today addressed the ‘National Science Day’ seminar at University of Kashmir.

The Lieutenant Governor extended his greetings on the occasion and paid tributes to renowned scientist Sir C.V. Raman. This year, the theme for National Science Day is “Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat”.

In his keynote address, the Lieutenant Governor emphasized on promotion of advancements in Science & Technology, knowledge exchange and to foster creativity, innovation for a sustainable future.

Speaking on the unprecedented technological advancement taking place globally, the Lieutenant Governor urged all the Universities of J&K UT to set up Artificial Intelligence Labs for cutting-edge research and innovation.

 He said, the AI Lab will be a separate entity within the Science & Technology Department through multidisciplinary collaboration with industry, researchers, educators and technologists.

“We cannot imagine a future without AI. It will have a profound impact on every aspect of our lives and that’s why it is critical to enable our youth to develop their AI knowledge, reskilling and upskilling of workforce to keep up with AI trends and to make J&K UT more competitive.

AI Labs in the Universities will directly coordinate with local industries for integration of new discoveries and innovation of AI into businesses. The research will also focus on the current status of AI use and ways to enhance its adoption to boost productivity and profit,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

He further asked the Universities to adopt a flexible approach towards AI and offer short-term courses keeping in mind the rapid advancement of AI and according to the industry trends.

The Lieutenant Governor said, “Scientists, Technologists and Entrepreneurs will power the journey of Viksit Bharat. They will drive India’s scientific and technological progress and provide a strong foundation to the innovation ecosystem of Jammu Kashmir.

In the near future, AI will be most needed by health and emergency services workers, industry managers, and social and business leaders. It will be the responsibility of all AI labs of Universities to conduct workshops and weekly training modules for them so that our entire workforce in J&K becomes AI literate and leaders from various sectors are also better equipped to make the right decision”.

The Lieutenant Governor called upon the students and the faculty members to collectively work on integrated action, through a five-year plan, to use the power of new technology like AI in the development of Jammu Kashmir. 

Along with path-breaking discoveries, our focus should also be on such innovations that provide solutions to the challenges of different sectors at the local level. We also have to pay special attention to the fact that technology like AI should be according to ethical standards and be free from any kind of bias, he added.

The Lieutenant Governor also lauded the valuable contribution of Kashmir University in scientific innovation and education sector.

Prof. Ajit Kembhavi, Emeritus Professor, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and Prof. Anil Bharadwaj, Director Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, who joined through virtually, spoke on Astronomy for Citizen and progress of Space Science in India, respectively.

The seminar was organised by the Department of Physics, University of Kashmir, in collaboration with Vigyan Bharati, New Delhi commemorating the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’ made by Sir C.V. Raman.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated Synthetic Athletic Track Surface at Kashmir University campus.

Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Sh Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner/Secretary, Science & Technology Department; Dr. Som Dev Bharadwaj, Organizing Secretary, Vigyan Bharati; scientists, faculty members and youth in large number were present.