USBRL: 18-coach trial run conducted on Katra-Budgam track

Anantnag, Jan 19 (KNO): An 18-coach trial run was conducted on the Katra-Budgam track of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, officials said on Sunday.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that an 18-coach rake departed from Katra at 8 am and is heading to Budgam for the trial run.

He said that top railway officials are also monitoring the trial run.

The USBRL project has been completed, and the final phase of train operations is underway, he added—(KNO)

Over 50 doctor, paramedic posts vacant in Ganderbal Medical Block

‘Around two dozen doctors working at single place for last 6-10 years’; locals demand inquiry into alleged policy violations

Srinagar, Jan 18: Over 50 critical posts, including doctors and paramedics, remain vacant in the Ganderbal Medical Block, with District Hospital Ganderbal bearing the brunt of these shortages.

The unfilled positions include Consultant Surgeon, Consultant Pediatrician, Medical Officers, Anesthesia Assistants, X-ray Technicians, Pharmacists, Blood Bank Technicians and support staff such as cleaners and drivers, according to an RTI reply accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

Despite recruitment efforts, the block has only managed to appoint 8 doctors and 3 paramedics since 2019. Meanwhile, 9 doctors and paramedics have retired over the past five years.

Several staff members, including pharmacists and assistants, have been attached to offices outside the medical block, which has further strained resources. Two ambulances at Primary Health Centers (PHC) in Shuhama, Chundina, and Tulmulla are non-functional.

Locals have raised concerns about doctors stationed at the same location for over 6-10 years, despite the government’s claims of adhering to a strict transfer policy. Eleven Medical Officers have reportedly not been transferred for more than three years, and nine doctors posted between 2014-2017 continue to work at District Hospital Ganderbal without relocation.

Residents questioned why many employees are attached to other departments if the government claims strict enforcement of transfer and posting policies. They called for an investigation into the alleged violations and accountability for the officials involved.

The report highlights that no sanctioned posts for gynaecologists exist within the block, except at the District Hospital, leaving no access to specialized care in rural areas.

While construction projects for healthcare infrastructure are underway, progress is slow. For instance, the construction of AAM SC Pandach was completed in 2024; the new building for NTPHC Nunner remains incomplete due to funding shortages, with only 70% of the work finished; and the work on AAM SC Theeru started in 2024, is ongoing.

Under the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) scheme, 1,830 patients benefitted in 2023-24, while under Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), free transportation was provided to 42 patients, and 2,028 ANC patients availed free diagnostics—(KNO)

In JK, 119 schools function with ‘zero student enrolment’

238 teachers posted in schools with zero enrolment, ‘Over 4400 schools have been already closed’

Srinagar, Jan 18 (KNO): Despite closing of hundreds of public schools owing to low or zero student enrolment, at least 119 government-run-schools are still functioning with zero student enrolment—thus raising a question on functioning of the department.

The updated official figures reveal that in Jammu and Kashmir 119 schools were functioning in the region with no student enrolled in the institution.

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), at least 238 teachers were posted or deployed in the schools wherein no student was enrolled.

The official data further states that Jammu and Kashmir was facing the Pupil Teacher Ratio of 1:16 against the prescribed norms of 1:30.

It also states that on an average at least seven teachers were posted or deployed in schools of Jammu and Kashmir.

Despite repeated attempts, Project Director Jammu and Kashmir Samagra Shiksha was not available to comment on the issue.

In 2024, KNO first broke the news of closure of over 4400 government run schools owing to ‘zero or extremely low’ enrollment of students.

In July-2024, the news agency reported that there were a total of 23,117 government run schools in Jammu and Kashmir out of which 4394 have been deleted from the UDISE data.

An official had said that the count of overall public schools in Jammu and Kashmir reduced because “There were some government schools that were having zero or extremely low students enrollment. Those schools were merged with the nearby public schools.”

The official figures previously had revealed that the primary schools category of government schools was hit badly wherein the count of overall public schools in Jammu and Kashmir reduced by nearly 30 percent.

According to the official figures a total of 12,977 government primary schools were functioning in Jammu and Kashmir. However, after the merger, only 8966 primary schools are functional.

Similarly, 392 government middle schools, three high schools and one higher secondary were deleted from the UDISE Plus list.

Stating the statistics of private and other schools, the official figures had previously revealed that there were a total of 5688 such educational institutes out of which only 5555 schools were functional as of now.

Overall, Jammu and Kashmir used to have 28,805 government and private schools. However, as per the official figures, the count had reduced to 24,279 schools.

Previously, the School Education Department had said that it had identified more than 1200 such government schools that were having low enrollment of students.

It had said that such schools would likely be merged in accordance to the catchment and feasibility of the students.

In April-2022, School Education Department had said that it was all set to merge 720 government-run-schools of Jammu and Kashmir having an inadequate student enrollment—(KNO)