For Last Village Along LoC In Kashmir, A First This Independence Day
New Delhi: For the first time since Independence, the last village along the Line of Control in north Kashmir will be able to watch the Prime Minister's 15th August speech live from the Red Fort, Reports NDTV.
For the last 72 years, Keran village with 12,000 families had electricity only for three hours in the evening between 6 and 9 pm via a diesel generator set. This is the first time they will have electricity in the morning on Independence Day.
A power grid that reaches the village has not only provided them with electricity for 24 hours but also has rid the residents of noise and pollution.
"Since last one year we had put the work of electrification of this border area on mission mode and now we have accomplished our goal," Kupwara District Collector Anshul Garg told NDTV.
Electrification is not the only project that the local administration has taken up. Even roads are being improved.
Located on banks of river Kishan Ganga, Keran is cut off from Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district for almost six months every year because of its harsh winters.
"This year, BRO (Border Roads Organisation) has given a task to complete macadamised roads before winter sets in," Mr Garg, a young 2013-batch officer, said.
Kupwara shares a 170 km of the Line of Control with Pakistan and is known for its infiltration routes.
It has five assembly segments and 356 panchayats. "In all, elections in this region registers the highest turnout in voting," a senior officer of Jammu and Kashmir administration said.
According to the Home Ministry, not just the border district but the newly-designated union territory has seen a lot of development in the last one year.
The Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (JKIDFC) projects that have were languishing for a decade have been revived, the government claims.
According to the Home Ministry, 2,273 projects worth Rs 5,979 crore have been sanctioned out of which 506 projects have been completed and 963 would be completed by March 2021.
"The centre has released Rs 1,400 crore as 14th Finance Commissions grants which were withheld for more than three years," said Sheetal Nanda, Secretary (Rural Development- Jammu Kashmir).
According to her, Rs 65 crore has been sanctioned by centre under mid-day meal scheme. "Joint accounts have been set up now in names of village heads or sarpanches and heads of school to avoid any controversy," she said.
he Home Ministry says that sarpanches have also started making payments for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or MGNREGA scheme under which Rs 1,000 crore has been released by the centre.
The government has also sanctioned plans to construct 100 new panchayat offices and repair another 100, many of which were destroyed in the violence that erupted in the state following the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani.
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Fresh blow for Shakib Al Hasan, fails second bowling action test ahead of Champions Trophy
Dhaka, Jan 8: Shakib Al Hasan suffered a fresh setback ahead of of the Champions Trophy after failing a second test of his bowling action, keeping him suspended from rolling his arm over in both domestic and international cricket.
Shakib had earlier failed an independent assessment of his bowling action at Loughborough University, an ICC-accredited testing center in the UK. The result, which was reported on December 15, 2024, had already prevented him from bowling his left-arm spin in any format.
The all-rounder was reassessed at the Sri Ramachandra Centre for Sports Science in Chennai last month, but the results did not lead to any change in his status.
"Consequently, the player's existing suspension from bowling in international cricket following the initial independent assessment at the testing centre of Loughborough University in the UK, also remains in place," the BCB said in a statement on Saturday.
"A successful reassessment is required for the bowling suspension to be lifted."
Bangladesh will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against India in Dubai on February 20, with all participating teams required to announce their squads by January 12.
Shakib, who remains in contention for a spot in Bangladesh's Champions Trophy squad, has received support for inclusion from both captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and BCB president Faruque Ahmed.
“While Shakib is currently unable to bowl, he is eligible to continue playing as a batsman in all forms of domestic and international cricket,” the BCB said.
The 37-year-old, who has retired from Test and T20I cricket, was reported for a suspect bowling action during a one-off appearance for Surrey in the County Championship in September. On-field umpires Steve O'Shaughnessy and David Millns made the report.
BCB chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain called the entire episode "shocking." Shakib last appeared for Bangladesh in a two-match Test series against India last year, which Bangladesh lost 0-2.
The veteran all-rounder, who has 4609 runs and 246 wickets in 71 Tests, 7570 runs and 317 wickets in 247 ODIs, and 2551 runs and 149 wickets in 129 T20Is, has not returned to Bangladesh since deciding against playing his farewell Test against South Africa in Mirpur, due to political unrest in Dhaka.
He is currently based in the USA with his family.
