R S PORA
The historic Railway Station at Ranbir Singh Pura, Jammu’s first rail gateway, is undergoing conservation and heritage-led redevelopment to preserve its pre-Partition transport legacy and promote heritage tourism. Approved under the Scheme for Revival, Restoration, Preservation, and Maintenance of Architecture and Heritage, the Rs 1.05 crore project is being executed by the Department of Archives, Archaeology, and Museums under the supervision of the district administration. The initiative focuses on restoring the original pre-1947 station building linked to the Jammu–Sialkot rail line, while retaining its colonial architectural character through façade, roofing, flooring and interior conservation. Encroachments have been removed to restore spatial integrity and access. The site will be redeveloped into a public heritage space featuring cobblestone pathways, Victorian-style lamp posts, landscaped areas, seating, and interpretive signage. Plans include archival displays and railway memorabilia narrating the station’s historical role in passenger movement, trade and social exchange.
Kashmir Police have registered about 1,000 NDPS cases and arrested nearly 1,400 people in a major crackdown on drug trafficking.
JAMMU
Jammu and Kashmir’s Under-14 boys’ cricket team selection for the 69th National School Games has triggered a discrimination controversy, echoing recent disputes over minority representation in a medical college and football squads. The row centres on the predominance of Kashmir Muslims, with 16 of the 19 players drawn from Kashmir and only three from Jammu, provoking sharp reactions from Jammu’s Right-wing ecosystem. Political leaders have framed the issue as one of regional imbalance, though observers note its deeper religious undertones. The critics have sidestepped the fact that the main team is dominated by Jammu, with Kashmir having only a symbolic presence. Following the outcry, the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports constituted a probe committee headed by former national cricketer Pankaj Sasan to examine the selection process. Officials have rejected allegations of age fraud, citing bone tests confirming eligibility, and attributed players’ physiques to topography. Veteran cricketers argue that Jammu traditionally dominates regional teams and that Kashmiri representation in cricket remains rare.
Farmers across Jammu and Kashmir are increasingly shifting to solar-powered irrigation, with 3,731 solar pumps installed so far.
KISHTWAR
While fresh snowfall delights tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, it has compounded hardships for residents in remote areas. In the village of Kishtwar district, an ill woman, Fatima Banu, was carried on a makeshift stretcher for nearly 5 km to a health centre due to the absence of road connectivity. The incident, captured on video and shared on social media, highlighted villagers’ frustration over unfulfilled political promises. Health officials said the woman, injured in a fall, was stable after reaching the facility. Villagers accused leaders of neglecting basic infrastructure, especially during harsh winters. Responding to the outcry, the Inderwal MLA acknowledged the demand as genuine and said the sanctioned road project would begin in March.
KASHMIR
Snow drought is emerging as a serious and recurrent challenge in Kashmir, driven by dry winters, reduced snowfall, shorter snow retention and increased winter rainfall due to rising temperatures. Unlike rainfall droughts, its impacts surface months later, weakening spring and early-summer river flows, drying hill streams and reducing discharge from springs that many rural communities depend on. Successive years of below-normal snow persistence indicate a systemic shift rather than isolated seasonal failures. The consequences extend beyond hydrology: prolonged dry winters disrupt soil-moisture recharge, stress apple orchards, saffron fields, forests and pastures, and undermine ecosystem stability during critical growth periods. Hydropower generation faces increasing uncertainty as seasonal inflows become erratic, while winter tourism suffers from shrinking and unpredictable snow-cover windows. Repeated snow-deficit seasons also heighten early-summer water stress, intensifying competition for limited resources and raising the risk of social and economic vulnerability.
JAMMU
In its first year of operations, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway recorded strong revenue growth and major connectivity gains despite weather-related disruptions. During 2025, it generated Rs 94 crore through non-fare contracts and recovered Rs 3.72 crore from ticket-checking drives. Freight movement expanded significantly, including transport of apples, cement, automobiles, foodgrains and cherries, strengthening regional logistics and farmer access to markets. Key infrastructure milestones included the commissioning of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link, Chenab and Anji bridges, and the introduction of Vande Bharat services, which improved passenger mobility and tourism. However, heavy rains and landslides temporarily disrupted services, with some trains still suspended. Overall, the division marked a transformative year for Kashmir’s rail connectivity and economic integration.
JAMMU KASHMIR
Under Mission YUVA, banks have disbursed Rs 594 crore to 10329 entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir. Since its launch, the programme has recorded 1,59,327 registrations and received 65,353 applications. After scrutiny, 44,857 proposals were approved, with banks sanctioning loans worth Rs 756.28 crore. Of this, 77 per cent has already been disbursed. The average project cost stands at rs 6.59 lakh, reflecting a focus on small-scale enterprises. The mission is based on a baseline survey of over 24 lakh households that identified 5.5 lakh potential entrepreneurs, highlighting gaps in access to credit, training and institutional support. Mission YUVA targets individuals aged 18–59 and seeks to facilitate 1.37 lakh enterprises and generate about 4.25 lakh jobs over five years. It operates through four components: enterprise creation, MSME expansion, support to existing businesses and promotion of innovative ventures, along with training, market linkage and monitoring mechanisms across districts.
KASHMIR
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have intensified action against the use of Virtual Private Networks following prohibitory orders imposed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Police have registered at least two FIRs and initiated preventive proceedings against dozens of users across several districts, including Budgam, Shopian, Ganderbal, Kulgam and Pulwama. Around 1,100 individuals have been identified for using VPN services since the ban was enforced in late December. Many users have been bound down under preventive sections of the law, while others were warned after verification. The administration has cited security concerns, potential misuse of encrypted platforms and risks to law and order as grounds for the ban, which has been extended beyond initially notified districts.
ODISHA
Sujata Agarwal of Jharsuguda has successfully cultivated high-grade Mogra saffron at home despite having no prior experience or exposure to Kashmir, where the crop traditionally grows. After researching saffron cultivation, she created controlled sub-zero conditions by installing air conditioners in a 100-square-foot room. Using seeds sourced from Kashmir and specialised soil, she began container-based cultivation in 2023 after investing Rs 8–9 lakh. The project yielded 750 grams of saffron in October 2025, valued at about Rs 7.5 lakh, with subsequent profits from repeated cycles. Sujata now plans multiple annual harvests targeting two kilograms in 2026. She markets saffron and by-products online and offline under her brand, Bloom in Hydra, reaching domestic and international buyers while generating local employment.
PALGAR
Palghar police arrested a 25-year-old Kashmiri man for allegedly playing an anti-national song at high volume inside a salon in Naigaon. The song was deemed to threaten national unity and public order. A case was registered after police verified the content on his mobile phone.
DELHI
The Children in India 2025 report presents a mixed picture of child health in Jammu and Kashmir. While immunisation coverage is strong and breastfeeding indicators are improving, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread. Over one-fourth of children under five are stunted, one-fifth wasted or underweight, alongside a rising burden of childhood overweight. Anaemia affects more than half of young children and persists into adolescence, compounded by high deficiencies of vitamin D, zinc and iron. Emerging metabolic risks, high triglycerides, pre-diabetes and hypertension are evident among older children. The findings highlight the need for an integrated nutrition, adolescent health and preventive care strategy.
LADAKH
Ladakh has witnessed key administrative changes with new appointments to the top police and civil administration posts. The Ministry of Home Affairs has appointed Mukesh Singh, a 1996-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer, as the new Director General of Police of Ladakh following his repatriation from central deputation. Singh was earlier serving as Additional Director General of Police, Jammu. The incumbent DGP, Shiv Darshan Singh Jamwal, a 1995-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer, has been transferred and posted as Director General of Police, Arunachal Pradesh. Separately, senior IAS officer Ashish Kundra, a 1996-batch AGMUT cadre officer, has assumed charge as the Chief Secretary of Ladakh, succeeding Pawan Kotwal, who retired from service.
SRINAGAR
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested a woman drug peddler who had been absconding for three years in connection with an NDPS case. The accused, Tamana Ashraf of Batamaloo, Srinagar, was wanted for trafficking over seven kilograms of charas, allegedly sent to Mumbai through courier services. She had evaded arrest by moving across different states after the case was registered in 2023. Following sustained intelligence-led operations, the ANTF apprehended her from her residence in Batamaloo on January 1, 2026.
DELHI
The Supreme Court has stayed the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) elections after taking serious note of allegations of fraud, back-dating of orders, and manipulation of electoral rolls against a BCCI sub-committee. Hearing petitions filed by 19 affiliated cricket clubs, the Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta held that the charges, if true, undermine the foundations of free and fair elections. The Court directed that election results, if any, shall not be declared and issued notice to respondents. The elections, supervised by former CEC AK Jyoti, were earlier ordered to be completed under the Supreme Court-approved JKCA Constitution.
