Situation created around Kashmiris across Indian mainland is now offsetting Delhi’s initiatives as well. Under the Himayat programme, the government contractors are identifying human resources, upgrading their skills and deploying them in the private sector across India. 
But their problem in getting rented accommodation is threatening the scheme. At least 25 per cent of the 1003 such youth have quit and returned home. It had added to the worries of Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh who believes the programme aimed at offering livelihoods to 100 thousand youth from J&K can not afford a 25% failure. What next?
LUCKNOW
Akhilesh Yadav, the youngest state chief minister in India has his Achilles heel somehow linked to J&K. He is sharing the same election symbol that Bhim Singh’s J&K Panthers Party has – the bicycle. Both the regional parties want to use the symbol in the forthcoming municipal polls in Delhi. Delhi State Election Commission is expected to use draw of lots between the two parties if they could not opt for out of commission settlement.
SHALIMAR
SKUAST researchers have cloned Pashmina goat, a domesticated high altitude animal that is the main source of income of the Changpa tribes in Ladakh. It is the source of Cashmere fleece that creates ring shawls. Named Noori, the goat was born on March 9 after seven scientists used the relatively new “handmade” cloning technique involving only a microscope. World Bank funded the project. Lead researcher Riaz Ahmad Shah was part of the team that cloned Garima, the first cloned buffalo at the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal in Haryana. The successful experiment will help in multiplication of elite animals of desired sex, stem cell technology for regenerative medicine.
HAZRATBAL
It was international in character. The 3-day conference that University of Kashmir hosted on 14th century Muslim missionary Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, had representation from various countries – Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan and other central and south Asian countries. There were academics from AMU, JNU, Jamia Hamdard and Jamia Milia Islamia. Wait for the mandatory publication of the speeches and papers that were presented to the conclave. Let Kashmir understand how a grand mix of academics, diplomats, officials and activists makes them wiser about the saint who is credited for Kashmir’s transition to Islam.
KATHUA
It did not go well with the chief minister. Last week when some of the young party activists led by Youth NC’s district president for Kathua Harpreet Singh Sethi celebrated Omar Abdullah’s 42nd birthday by feeding a 42 kgs cake to his picture and uploaded it on various websites, it was adversely reacted to by the man who was at the focus of the ‘celebration’. He reacted on twitter: “Honestly, I hate this whole feeding cake to a photograph sycophancy. I’d have been happy if they’d given it to an orphanage. #idiots.” The angry reaction triggered a lot of adverse comments.
GULMARG
Kashmir’s winter wonderland played host to a 3-day Gulmarg fusion festival last week. It was a cocktail of food, music and adventure. Conducted by a private player, the festival had a number of activities – snowboarding, skiing, zorbing as the musical potpourri showcased by 18 bands envisaged classical, folk, sufi, jazz, jams, collaborations, blues, rock, Indie bands and Fusion. Around two thousand visitors attended various events of the festival.
