The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Apni Party president and former Finance Minister Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari on Monday questioned the functioning and direction of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, raising concerns over its lending pattern, recruitment policy, Board representation and reports of a possible relocation of its headquarters.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Bukhari said credit growth in Kashmir was considerably lower than the growth recorded by the bank outside Jammu and Kashmir.

He put the credit growth in Kashmir at around 9 per cent against nearly 20 per cent elsewhere, and questioned whether the bank was increasingly directing its lending activity away from its traditional market in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bukhari said the issue was significant as the Government of Jammu and Kashmir remains the bank’s largest shareholder, with around 52 per cent stake.

Drawing on his experience as former Finance Minister, he also questioned the rationale behind lower lending in Jammu and Kashmir when, according to him, non-performing assets were higher outside the region.

He said the government should examine the bank’s lending pattern and ensure that it continues to play a meaningful role in supporting businesses and economic activity within Jammu and Kashmir.

Bukhari also raised concerns over an alleged proposal to change the recruitment pattern for positions outside Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that in the past, recruitment to branches operating outside the region largely provided employment opportunities to candidates from Jammu and Kashmir, except where recruitment of local candidates was necessary because of language requirements.

He warned that any significant change in the practice could reduce employment opportunities for young people from Jammu and Kashmir.

The Apni Party chief further questioned the present composition of the J&K Bank Board, alleging that representation from Jammu and Kashmir had become inadequate compared with the number of directors from outside the region.

He sought an explanation from the government over the alleged changes, particularly in view of its substantial ownership in the bank.

Bukhari also raised concerns over reports that the headquarters of J&K Bank could be shifted from Srinagar.

He said any such move would have implications beyond the administrative functioning of the bank and could affect its institutional connection with Jammu and Kashmir.

Bukhari held the Jammu and Kashmir Government responsible for what he described as the situation surrounding the bank and called for immediate clarification on the issues.

He said the government should make its position clear on the bank’s lending strategy, recruitment practices, Board representation and the reported headquarters proposal rather than allowing uncertainty to persist.

SRINAGAR — MBBS and BDS interns held peaceful protests across Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) in Jammu and Kashmir and at SKIMS Bemina on Monday, demanding revision of their long-pending internship stipend.

The protests were organised as part of a collective campaign by medical interns seeking a monthly stipend of ₹30,000 and implementation of recommendations pending before the authorities.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesting interns raised concerns over what they described as years of neglect of their stipend-related demands, calling for fair and dignified remuneration in view of the clinical duties and services performed by interns during their training.

The protests were reported from GMCs across Jammu and Kashmir as well as SKIMS Bemina, with interns maintaining that the demand was not confined to a single institution.

Among the messages displayed during the demonstrations was a call for implementation of pending Finance Committee recommendations, along with demands for "equal work, equal pay" and revision of the internship stipend.

The interns said they were serving patients and contributing to healthcare delivery while receiving what they described as inadequate remuneration. They maintained that the stipend issue had remained unresolved for years despite repeated representations, and urged authorities to address the matter without further delay.

The protesting interns also appealed to the administration to ensure a fair and uniform stipend structure across medical institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. The demonstrations remained peaceful.

Responding to the protest, Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo said the demand of MBBS interns for an increase in their monthly stipend was genuine, and that the government had already initiated the process for considering the hike.

Talking to reporters, Itoo said the government had met representatives of the interns and subsequently processed their demand.

"We have met them. After meeting them, we have processed their file. The file has been sent to the Finance Department for the financial implications. It is under process," the Health Minister said.

Itoo said the government was working on the demand and urged the interns not to resort to a strike while the proposal was being examined.

"There is no need for them to go on strike," she said, maintaining that the government was considering their demand.

The Health Minister described the demand for an increase in the stipend as genuine, while indicating that a final decision would have financial implications for the government and therefore required examination by the Finance Department.

SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on Sunday imposed a complete ban on the sale, storage and distribution of 10 ghee batches found adulterated with foreign vegetable fat, terming them "sub-standard, unsafe, and misbranded" for public consumption.

The action, taken under Section 30 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, came after the Notified Food Analyst at the National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad, and the Food Testing Laboratory, Kashmir, confirmed quality violations in samples collected from nine districts across the Union Territory.

Banned batches

Among the banned products are the brands Dairy Mohan, Apna Dairy Milk, Milk Bite, Nandni, Shahi Taj, Daawat Fresh, Nand Krishna, Vandu, Dairy Milk, and Mohan Dairy, with the FDA identifying specific batch numbers for each.

The affected batches include Dairy Mohan Desi Ghee (Batch No. 05), Apna Dairy Milk Desi Ghee (Batch No. DM-06), Milk Bite Cow Ghee (Batch No. 137), Nandni Desi Ghee (Batch No. ND-28), Shahi Taj Desi Ghee (Batch No. 134), Daawat Fresh (Batch No. VT09), Nand Krishna Cow Ghee (Batch No. PC-05-26), Vandu Cow Ghee (Batch No. D143), Dairy Milk Desi Ghee (Batch No. OM12), and Mohan Dairy Ghee (Batch No. 06).

Laboratory findings

Laboratory analysis revealed the presence of beta-sitosterol — a marker for vegetable oil adulteration — along with positive Baudouin test results, abnormal fatty-acid profiles, and significant deviations from prescribed physicochemical parameters, officials said.

The samples were originally collected from Anantnag, Shangus, Larnoo, Bijbehara, Samba, Kathua, Jammu, Tral, and Pampore.

Enforcement measures

The FDA has directed all Food Business Operators (FBOs), wholesalers, distributors and retailers to immediately halt sales and ensure the complete withdrawal of these batches from the market. Affected businesses have been given 48 hours to declare their remaining stock to the concerned Designated Officer.

Enforcement agencies have been placed on high alert to monitor compliance and prevent further circulation of the prohibited products.

"Ghee is required to be derived exclusively from milk or milk products. Any added matter not exclusively derived from milk fat is not permitted for sale under the applicable food safety standards," the FDA said in its prohibitory order.

The ban is effective immediately across Jammu and Kashmir. The FDA has urged consumers to exercise caution, verify brand names, batch numbers and packing dates while purchasing ghee, and to report any availability of the banned batches to the nearest food safety authority.

In an official statement, the FDA clarified that the prohibitory measure is precautionary and does not curtail the statutory right of the concerned FBOs to seek re-analysis through an FSSAI-notified Referral Laboratory.

The action comes amid growing concerns over food adulteration in the region.