Srinagar, Jan 22: Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and Information Technology and Law & Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad Wednesday said Government will setup every required infrastructure for development and export of IT products from J&K UT.

He said this after inaugurating the incubation facility at Srinagar Technology Parks of India Srinagar.

Advisor to Lt Governor Farooq Khan, DG STPI Dr Omkar Rai, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary, CEO Mission Youth Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah, Director STPI Srinagar Asim Ahmed Khan was also present on the occasion.

 

“The incubation facility will provide opportunities to IT entrepreneurs by providing plug-n-play and other digital infrastructure along with regulatory support to develop and export IT products from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Later the Minister had a tour of the STPI complex where officials informed him about the various facilities provided by the center for software entrepreneurs of J&K.

He also interacted with young entrepreneurs and IT experts of some software companies who are using the space and other facilities of the STPI for development and export of their softwares for the outside market.

The additional facility of about 24,000 sqft will meet the growing demand of IT/ITES MSMEs of the region.

The officials informed the Minister that J&K has three STP units; employing around 140 resources are registered with STPI.  They added that for financial year of 2019-20, estimated exports from these units are expected to be around Rs 6.76 crore.

The Minister directed the officials to facilitate young software developers and encourage them to become successful software development entrepreneurs.

On the occasion, DG STPI informed the Minister that MEITY and STPI are in the process of getting various collaborating partners onboard to setup centers of excellence in the areas of Agritech, Horticulture under IOT domain.

To establish these COEs, STPI is working with Higher Education Department of J&K for allocation of space at University of Jammu and SP College Srinagar.

Later, the Union Minister also visited National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology Srinagar.

Advisor to Lt Governor, Farooq Khan, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University, Prof. Talat Ahmed, DG NIELIT & Joint Secretary (MeitY) Dr Jaideep Kumar Mishra, DG STPI Dr Omkar Rai, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary, CEO Mission Youth Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah, Director STPI Srinagar Asim Ahmed Khan and other officials were present on the occasion.

On the occasion, the Union Minister inaugurated two separate hostel buildings for boys and girls besides an IT lab with a capacity of 40 seats.

He interacted with students and faculty and asked them about the facilities in the institute and scope for improvement.

The Minister was informed about the ongoing course Cyber Shiksha – a skill development initiative for women in cyber security. The officials informed the Minister that out of a batch of 22 girls, 12 have got placed in different companies.

The Minister asked the officials to train and place the Kashmiri youth in different job-oriented courses including artificial intelligence, Block chain etc.

He said that he will personally monitor the training and placement of Kashmir students in different software courses.

Srinagar, Jan 16: Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday released five politicians including three former legislators after keeping them in preventive detention for more than five months following abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Officials said the five mainstream politicians were released from preventive detention this afternoon.

The leaders who were released include Altaf Kaloo (ex-MLA National Conference), Showkat Ganaie (ex-MLC National Conference) and Nizamuddin Bhat (ex-MLC PDP).

 

Former mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation Salman Sagar (National Conference) and Mukhtar Bandh (PDP) were also released.

New Delhi, Jan 15: Army chief Gen M M Naravane on Wednesday hailed the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 as a “historic step” and said the move has disrupted plans of the “western neighbour and its proxies”.

The armed forces have “zero tolerance against terrorism”, he said at the 72nd Army Day function in the Cariappa Parade Ground here.

We have many options to counter those who promote terrorism and we will not hesitate to use them,” he said.

 

On August 5 last year, the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370 that gave special powers to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories.

The Army chief said, “Abrogation of Article 370 is a historic step. It will prove to be important in integrating Jammu and Kashmir in the national mainstream. This decision has disrupted the plans of our western neighbour and its proxies”.

Gen Naravane said the country had to face some security challenges last year.

“Not only it countered proxy war but other situations. Whether it is LoC (Line of Control) or LAC (Line of Actual Control), we have ensured security with activeness and strength,” he said, adding the situation at northern borders (China border) is relatively peaceful.

The Army chief said the situation along the LoC is linked with situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Today, we remember those who have made ultimate sacrifice for the country. It will keep inspiring the coming generations,” he said.

Mentioning his visit to Siachen last week, he said he was extremely happy to see all the ranks brimming with confidence at the post.

“In last few days, some of our soldiers achieved martyrdom due to avalanche. We will always remember their sacrifice,” he noted.

Dhanush and K-Vajra gun systems were showcased for the first time in the Army parade.