Naya Jammu and Kashmir has defeated terror and has transformed from an underdeveloped and terrorism-hit region into one of the most vibrant places in the country.

After the abrogation of Article 370, a temporary provision in the Constitution, the government has taken numerous reformative and youth-centric steps to open endless opportunities for the socio-economic empowerment of the J-K people and the results are evident.

According to the official data, during the past year, more than 82,000 business units have been established in J-K. These ventures have provided direct employment opportunities to around 2.85 lakh youth.

Under 'Mission Youth' the government has extended handholding to 70,000 young boys and girls to become self-reliant.

Nearly 15000 development projects which were in limbo for the past 10 to 20 years have been completed during the past three years.

Summer and winter capitals of J-K i.e. Srinagar and Jammu which were rated poorly in the national and international surveys till 2019 have transformed into smart cities.

The Union Territory is at a cusp in its development trajectory. The helmsmen have broken fresh grounds to enable faster growth. From 2019 onwards J-K has witnessed accelerated progress and the region's potential has been explored fully.

Youth have emerged as the architects of 'Naya Jammu and Kashmir' as the region, which witnessed Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for three decades, is seeing a steady rise in young entrepreneurs. They are working with dedication to build a prosperous society.

The successful conduct of the 3-day G20 summit in Srinagar has opened up a new era of opportunities for Jammu and Kashmir.

The G20 participants applauded J-K's saga of development and promised to become the brand ambassadors of the Himalayan region.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir are cooperating with the government in every field and are contributing towards fulfilling the mission of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to build "Viksit Bharat" by 2047.

Recently J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the much-awaited tourist destination 'Jambu Zoo' at Nagrota. It was taken up under the 'Languishing Project.'

The 'Jambu Zoo' is the first full-fledged zoo in the Union Territory and has the potential to boost tourism in the region.

The zoo houses an impressive variety of wildlife species and is spread across 3,200 kanals of land. It's home to seventeen species, including leopards, deer, peacocks, and monkeys.

The 'Jambu Zoo' missed several deadlines, however, after August 5, 2019--when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J-K's special status and bifurcate it into two Union Territories--the work on the zoo was expedited.

The liberal funding provided by New Delhi led to J-K getting its first zoo. It has an open amusement theatre, a children's park, and a tranquil water body. Battery-operated cars and bicycles have been placed in the zoo to facilitate the movement of visitors.

'Jambu Zoo' being thrown open for people stands as a testament to the government's commitment to building 'Naya Jammu and Kashmir.'

As of date Jammu and Kashmir figures among the progressive regions of the country. It's no more infamous for grenade blasts, cross-firing and stone-pelting incidents.

Youngsters have become the torchbearers and are leading from the front. They have rejected Pakistan's propaganda by saying no to stone-pelting and guns.

The recruitment process in government departments has become transparent, and self-employment schemes have been thrown open for one and all. All the selections are based on merit. Young boys and girls who want to become entrepreneurs are being provided with financial assistance and other support.

Pertinently, till 2019 only such people could become entrepreneurs who inherited businesses from their families as setting up any venture was a privilege reserved for a selected class of people.
Loans were provided to only those entrepreneurs, who were recommended by politicians or other bigwigs. Common people were asked to complete a long list of formalities before any amount could be sanctioned in their favour.

Setting up any business unit in J-K till 2019 was a Herculean task and many youngsters used to give up their ideas and surrender.

The lack of avenues and resources led to J-K youth getting disillusioned. Pakistan and the separatists sponsored by it took full advantage of growing unemployment in the region. They lured the young boys by offering them petty amounts to pelt stones, enforcing shutdowns and finally taking up the guns.

After 2019 the scenario changed as the government provided a plethora of opportunities to youngsters. The process to set up any business unit was made simple. A single window clearance system was put in place to ensure that aspiring entrepreneurs could transform their ideas into reality.

The government encouraged start-up culture and acknowledged the ideas of the young innovators. During the past three years, the government has helped lakhs of J-K youth to stand on their own feet.

From a strife-torn region, J-K has turned into a business hub with local youth becoming the role models and inspiration for their successors.

Srinagar and Jammu cities which were ranked poorly in national and international surveys till 2019, during the past three years have transformed into beautiful and vibrant cities in the country.During the past three years, the Centre has approved over 276 projects under the "Smart City Mission" in Jammu and Srinagar.

These projects have strengthened the urban infrastructure, and improved city services, and public aesthetics. Both cities have become more eco-friendly and clean.

The transformation of Jammu and Srinagar cities from highly congested and underdeveloped urban areas to 'Smart Cities' has brought these places to par with the developed cities in the country.

Both Jammu and Srinagar are heritage cities but the former rulers didn't pay much attention towards developing these cities.

The works that have taken place during the past three years have proven beyond doubt that both these cities were mismanaged.

In the past three years, urban governance has improved. The latent creativity and vitality of the historical cities have been unlocked.

Both the cities blessed with natural and cultural heritage have become socio-economically vibrant cities in a short span of time. Surveys don't rate these cities poorly anymore. (ANI)

We all know that 24 hours day and night. After the tiredness of the whole day, we sleep at night, waiting for a new dawn. But think once, where the sun does not set, how will the new dawn come? Or where there is no night, when the people will sleep to remove the tiredness of the day? Do you think there is a place? Not unreal, there are places on earth where the sun never sets. After a long sleep where people do not see the dawn.

In today's discussion, we will know some places in the world, where the sun does not set even at night!

Norway: Norway is called the land of the shining sun. The country's geographical location makes it different from other countries in the world. From May until the end of July, the sun does not set in the Norwegian sky. As a result, Norwegian people do not see the night for two and a half months! Another specialty of the country is that the sun can be seen on the horizon even at night from the port of Hammerfest, Norway, as it is located in the Arctic region.

Nunavut, Canada: The Canadian territory of Nunavut is located 2 degrees above the Arctic Circle. The sun does not set here for about two months of the year. Not only that, the sun cannot be seen for 30 consecutive days in this place during winter. That is, the people here live under the shadow of the sun for two months on the one hand, in the same way they have to live in a long night for a month.

Iceland: Iceland is famous for its absence of snakes and mosquitoes. After Great Britain, Iceland is the largest island in Europe. The sun can be seen in this island even at night in June.

Barrow, Alaska: The sun is visible in the night sky from late May to late July (summer) in this area of Alaska. There is the reverse side of the coin! Not only does the sun never set, there are continuous nights here from early November to early December. That's why this place is also known as 'Polar Nights'.

Finland: Finland is called the land of thousand lakes and islands. The sun does not set for 73 consecutive days during summer in this European country. Similarly, the sun does not appear here for 32 consecutive days in winter. Because of this strange natural disparity, most people in that country believe that people sleep more in winter and less in summer.

Sweden: We all know that 365 days make up a year. But Sweden's year ends in one day! Because half of the year is day here, the other half is night. Even pulled again! So taking the day and night as the sun, it can be said that the year in Sweden is spent in one day! And people here spend half of the year in the dark and the other half in the light.

Diplomatic relations between India and Canada are on the verge of ending over the death of Indian pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Both countries have expelled each other's diplomats.

In this situation, the New York Times report claimed that the United States had provided information to Canada about the killing of Nijjar. Through that information, Canada found India's link in Nijjar's murder.

The New York Times report, quoting an official from the 'Five Eyes Partners', an alliance of intelligence agencies from the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, claimed that US intelligence provided information to Canada immediately after the assassination. However, at that time the US was not aware of the possibility of India's involvement in the killings.

Meanwhile, Trudeau claimed on Saturday that Canada had sent information to New Delhi about the killing of Nijjar a few weeks ago. However, India said that Canada could not provide India with any evidence against the information.

On the other hand, Canadian intelligence claimed that Nijjar was a cleric. In response, New Delhi said Nijjar was not a religious guru, but a murderer.

According to India, Nijjar became the head of the Gurdwara by scaring his brother Raghbir.

Hindustan Times reported that pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead inside the Gurdwara on June 18. Hardeep was shot more than 20 times.

According to reports, Nijjar lived in the Punjabi-dominated Sari region of British Columbia, Canada. Hardeep was behind the Khalistani protests in front of the Indian High Commission in Vancouver, Canada in the past few years.

The Russian government has allowed the country's banks and financial institutions to transact in Russian currency.

This information was reported on the official Facebook page of the Russian Embassy in Bangladesh on Saturday (September 23).

According to the information given on the Facebook page, Russia has allowed 30 other countries to trade in ruble currency except Bangladesh. The countries are - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Algeria and Bahrain.

Also included are Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Qatar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman and Pakistan.

Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Vietnam are also allowed to trade in ruble. However, Argentina, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico and Moldova have been excluded from the list.

Recently, before Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Dhaka, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said that the discussions on commercial transactions in the country's single currency have been going on for quite some time.

The Sinister Shadow of Nijjar

At 46, Nijjar wasn’t just a member of the local Sikh community; he was a terror mastermind with deep roots in Khalistani extremism. A fugitive from India, Nijjar had been prominently linked to multiple terrorist organizations. As the chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), his hands were stained with the plotting of the Hindu priest’s assassination. He also associated himself with the Sikhs For Justice, another notorious extremist group, orchestrating anti-India activities. His social media pages? A veritable library of sedition, hatred, and attempts to ignite communal discord.

Nijjar’s terror lineage is not just a smattering of isolated events; it’s a chronology of grave acts of violence that have left an indelible mark. The 2007 bomb blast at Shingar cinema in Ludhiana? Orchestrated by him. The cold-blooded assassination of Rashtriya Singh Sangat’s President, Rulda Singh, in 2009? His doing. A conspiracy to eliminate Hindu priest Kamaldeep Sharma in Jalandhar, the explosion at the Satya Narayan temple in Patiala in 2010, and the plotting of the assassination of spiritual leader Piara Singh Bhaniara – all bore the unmistakable touch of Nijjar’s terror designs. Even as recently as 2015-16, he directed Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal to target Shiv Sena leaders.

And the global community took note: on 01 July 2020, a red corner notice was issued against him, designating him as an ‘Individual terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). This was not merely a rogue individual but a calculated menace with a track record to match.

Canada’s Troublesome Liaison

For years, Nijjar had spun a web of lies to evade Canadian immigration authorities. Portraying himself as a victim of police torture, he used fabricated letters and even staged a sham marriage to stake his claim to residency in Canada. Although his stories were often rejected, he still managed to operate under the Canadian radar, even identifying himself as a citizen.

Prime Minister Trudeau’s acknowledgment of Nijjar as a Canadian citizen in his recent statements, therefore, stands as an unsettling testament to Canada’s potential complicity in sheltering extremists. While Canada has a proud tradition of supporting human rights and providing refuge to those in need, harbouring individuals with clear extremist ideologies is a different ball game.

Embracing such individuals doesn’t just imperil Canada’s national security. It sends out a stark message to the global community: that Canada might be becoming a safe haven for those with extremist views. In trying to appease a select few, Trudeau risks compromising Canada’s standing on the global stage. The lack of support from G7 allies, evident by their refusal to issue joint statements against India, underscores this sentiment.

Safeguarding Canada’s National Integrity

It is an age-old principle that harbouring a snake can endanger the one providing shelter. With Nijjar’s extensive violent background and the current geopolitical scenario, Trudeau’s allegations against India without substantial evidence run the risk of painting Canada in a precarious light.

Canada, known for its majestic landscapes, multicultural ethos, and global diplomacy, should remain a beacon of hope, not a refuge for extremism. It’s high time the Canadian leadership differentiates between genuine asylum seekers and those with sinister motives. After all, the safety and reputation of a nation should never be traded for political appeasement.