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JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today emphasised the significance of reducing compliance burdens and enhancing Ease of Doing Business (EODB) in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Chief Secretary, while reviewing the steps to be taken in this regard, exhorted upon the departments to streamline the processes and services making them readily available. This must be the primary task of all the departments to make the region more attractive to the investors and citizens alike, he added.
ACS, Jal Shakti Department; Principal Secretary, Home; Principal Secretary, PDD; Commissioner Secretary, H&UDD; Commissioner Secretary, I&C; Secretary, RDD; Director I&C, Jammu besides other concerned officers besides other concerned officers attended the meeting.
On the occasion, the Chief Secretary urged the concerned to ensure digitisation of records, creation of a land bank, formulation of relevant bye laws for each of the authorities responsible for different purposes in a mission mode. He also asked for creation of Master Plans focusing the systematic development of our urban Centres that is in sync with future needs and sustainable in nature.
Dulloo enquired about the identified areas and the relevant government departments responsible for implementation of the same. He enjoined upon them to take up their task as a time-bound exercise with its implementation regularly monitored at the highest level.
Commissioner Secretary, I&C Department, Vikramjit Singh, informed that a bundle of 23 key priority areas had been identified to drive economic growth, improve regulatory efficiency and promote ease of doing business as per the guidelines. He revealed that these reforms focus on urban development, labor laws, environmental clearances and industrial facilitation. He also provided an in-depth analysis of these priorities and their implications to be obtained on ground.
Regarding flexible zoning framework, it was given out that the Housing and Urban Development and the Revenue Departments had to implement a flexible zoning system, allowing mixed-use of land for developments to enhance urban planning.
To streamline land use conversions, it was added that a comprehensive digital system will be developed for document submission and approval. It was also revealed that the Public Works and the Rural Development Departments (RDD) will revise minimum road width requirements for rural industries to improve the infrastructure accessibility.
The meeting was further informed that an integrated GIS database will be created for industrial land in the UT, linked with the India Industrial Land Bank (IILB). This will improve the land availability and bring in transparency in its judicious use and allotment for different purposes.
The meeting also discussed amendments to building regulations for reducing land loss in industrial and commercial plots, facilitating better utilization of space. Other significant priority areas discussed in the meeting included gender-inclusive labour reforms that will remove prohibitions on women working in hazardous industries and permit night-time employment across sectors.
Similarly the reforms involved third-party certification for environmental compliance enhancing transparency in environmental regulations. Simplification and streamlined licensing process, fast-tracking of utility approvals like that of electricity and water connections, including groundwater usage is part of these reforms in the UT.
Other reform measures under EoDB constitutes reclassification of non-polluting industries, third-party fire inspections, state-level legal reforms similar to Jan Vishwas Act, third-party inspections for businesses along with Single Window System for all state-level services linked to the National Single Window System (NSWS), ensuring seamless approvals and easy services for the citizenry across all districts of the UT.
JAMMU: The grand inauguration of the annual cultural and academic festival 'Udaan 2025' was held today, April 1, 2025, at Central University of Jammu. This prestigious event is organized to promote creativity, cultural diversity, and academic excellence.
The inaugural ceremony commenced with the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sanjeev Jain, lighting the ceremonial lamp and making the first brush stroke on a large canvas. This symbolic act reflects the creative and innovation-driven vision of 'Udaan 2025'. Over the course of the festival, this canvas will be filled with art, colors, and ideas, representing this year's central theme encouraging young talents and inspiring them towards innovation.
This annual festival provides a common platform for students, faculty members, and alumni to participate in cultural performances, exhibitions, workshops, and discussion sessions. The objective of 'Udaan 2025' is to offer students an opportunity to express their creativity and intellectual abilities, allowing them to challenge the boundaries of thought and imagination.
In his inaugural speech, Prof. Sanjeev Jain highlighted the continuous growth of 'Udaan' and its significance. He stated, "'Udaan' is not just an event; it is a celebration of innovation, education, and collaboration. This platform enables our students to showcase their talents and contribute to the global discourse through creativity and knowledge."
The inauguration ceremony was attended by faculty members, students, and esteemed guests. On this occasion, a mesmerizing musical performance was presented by 'Raju Ji and Team' from the Bharatiya Lok Sangeet Sansthan, Janipur, adding a rich cultural essence to the event.
The first day of 'Udaan 2025' witnessed captivating performances in art, music, and dance, along with discussions on various educational and cultural topics. This event will serve as a crucial step in establishing Central University of Jammu as a leading center for creativity, education, and cultural exchange.
SRINAGAR: In a landmark move towards gender-inclusive mobility, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today flagged off the Zero-Ticket Travel Initiative (free bus service) for women of Jammu and Kashmir from the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC). The initiative, fulfilling a key budget announcement, ensures free travel for women in all Smart City e-buses and J&K Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) buses across the Union Territory.
Before the official flag-off, the Chief Minister also inaugurated Zero-Ticket Travel for schoolgirls, underscoring the government’s commitment to accessible and safe transportation for young students. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah highlighted that this initiative is more than just a welfare measure—it is a bold step towards women’s empowerment and inclusive development.
“Starting today, women across Jammu and Kashmir will travel free of cost in all Smart City and SRTC buses. This isn’t just about affordability; it’s about accessibility, safety, and creating an environment where women feel empowered to travel freely. Our vision is to make J&K a model of inclusive growth where no woman is held back due to mobility constraints,” he said.
The Chief Minister also referred to his Budget Speech, in which he had announced free ridership for women in government transport, including Smart City e-buses. “During the budget, we made a special announcement for women that our RTC buses and Smart City e-buses would be free to use after 1st April. Today, we started the service with the hope that it will be easier for them to travel, whether it is for education, shopping, work or sightseeing,” Omar Abdullah said.
“We hope that they will be able to travel all over Jammu and Kashmir in a safe environment,” he remarked. The scheme, which was first announced on March 7 during the Chief Minister’s Budget Speech, is part of a broader series of pro-women and pro-poor initiatives aimed at fostering social and economic empowerment.
Accompanying the Chief Minister at the launch event were Minister for Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo, Minister for Transport Satish Sharma, Advisor to CM Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Zadibal Tanveer Sadiq, along with senior government officials, including Commissioner Secretary Housing & Urban Development, Transport Commissioner J&K, Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (who is also CEO Srinagar Smart City Limited), Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and Managing Director State Road Transport Corporation.
JAMMU: Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha attended the Odisha Day ‘Utkala Dibasa’ celebration, today. Officials, Students, Faculty members from various educational institutions and the people of Odisha living in J&K UT were the special invitees for the commemorative event hosted by Jammu Kashmir Raj Bhawan at Jammu. While addressing the guests, the Lieutenant Governor extended his felicitations and best wishes on the occasion of ‘Utkala Dibasa’.
“Odisha's rich cultural heritage, ancient monuments, literature, visual, performing arts and rich tapestry of traditions are contributing to the vibrant, unique and diverse culture of our country. I pray for good health, well-being and prosperity of the people of this blessed land,” the Lieutenant Governor said. He paid tributes to the great luminaries from Odisha and spoke on the contributions of various communities of the state to the country’s folk, literature, handicrafts, customs and traditions.
“Odisha boasts rich literary tradition, incredibly diverse cuisine, architectural heritage, handloom and handicrafts, sacred festivals like Rath Yatra and it has also contributed three distinct schools of dance to the rich culture of India. The state is writing a new saga of progress. The people are contributing enthusiastically in this development journey. I am confident that Odisha will play a leading role in the journey towards developed India,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
UDHAMPUR: A one-day orientation programme to train resource persons for conducting Information, Education and Communication Campaign against drug abuse was organized today by the District Administration Udhampur here under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Saloni Rai. The IEC campaign forms part of the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction initiated under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
The event witnessed the participation of District Social Welfare Officer Kanika Gupta, all Block Development Officers and officials from other stakeholder departments. Additional Deputy Commissioner Prem Singh was the chief guest, while Assistant Commissioner Development, Dr. Ranjeet Singh Kotwal presided over the programme.
At the outset, ACD Dr. Ranjeet Singh Kotwal, who is also the Nodal Officer for the IEC campaign, delivered a detailed PowerPoint presentation, highlighting the importance of equipping resource persons with proper training and knowledge for effective implementation.
Addressing the participants, the ADC emphasized the necessity of a coordinated, multi-departmental effort to implement the IEC campaign at the grassroots level. He urged resource persons to ensure the successful execution of the campaign across the district. Resource persons were sensitized on the importance of executing the campaign in mission mode by conducting awareness drives, drug-free pledge ceremonies and organizing events at the Block and Panchayat levels to promote drug abuse prevention across all Panchayats in the district.
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