Zulfikar Majid

For nearly four decades, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been held up as one of most successful experiments in management of a major religious institution.

Jammu Kashmir: Home Secretary reviews Amarnath Yatra security plans in Srinagar as officials assess routes, deployment, intelligence sharing, camps, rescue systems and coordination among agencies before the annual pilgrimage begins amid heightened security measures across the Union Territory.

Kashmir: Thousands took part in International Yoga Day celebrations across the Valley, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha leading the main event in Srinagar. Mass yoga sessions were held at schools, public spaces and tourist destinations.

Government recruitment: A row over outsourced hiring in Jammu and Kashmir has reignited questions on transparency, merit and public sector jobs. With unemployment high and youth awaiting vacancies, the debate has intensified around fair hiring.

More than 8,500 pilgrims travelled from Jammu in organised convoys for the annual mela at Tulmulla, while thousands of others arrived independently from different parts of the country and abroad, officials said.

Kashmir produces around 75 per cent of India's apples and the horticulture sector supports nearly 3.5 million people directly and indirectly.

Jammu and Kashmir security: Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, agencies in Kashmir are drilling for drone intrusions, hostage crises, terror attacks, flash floods and landslides. Multi-layered surveillance, rescue teams and medical units are on alert.

Samples from affected orchards have been collected and sent for laboratory analysis, officials said.

According to the police complaint, the incident was preceded by the seizure of a vehicle linked to the Army by the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) in Kishtwar.

Environmental experts say protecting Kashmir's lakes, wetlands and glaciers is not only vital for preserving its unique ecology but also for safeguarding the river systems and water resources.