The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The third edition of Khelo India Winter Games 2023 concluded on Tuesday while Jammu and Kashmir has topped the medal tally by bagging 76 medals including 26 Gold, 25 Silver and 25 Bronze.

According to the news agency KNO, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and Youth Affairs & Sports, Nisith Pramanik, who was the chief guest at the closing ceremony today, said that Khelo India 2023 concluded with great success and enthusiasm. “Nearly 2000 players across India participated.”

“This year Khelo India has made history by breaking all the previous records,” he said, adding that “many participants who took part in the games here in 2023 broke their own previous records by achieving new heights.”

“Next time, the government is planning to expand the venues for winter games in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said and congratulated the J&K Sports Council, Ministry of Sports, and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for organizing the event successfully.

Commissioner of Youth Services and Sports, Sarmad Hafeez, Secretary of J&K Sports Council Nuzhat Gull, and other officials from civil, army and police administration were present during the concluding ceremony of the event.

In the 2023 edition of the winter games, Jammu and Kashmir bagged a maximum number of medals including 26 Gold, 25 Silver, and 25 Bronze.

Maharashtra also bagged 13 Gold, 8 Silver, and 6 Bronze medals followed by Himachal Pradesh with 10 Gold, 14 Silver, and 7 Bronze, the officials said, adding that the army also won 10 Gold, 10 Silver, and 9 Bronze medals.

Likewise, Karnataka has bagged 5 Gold, 2 Silver, and 7 Bronze medals, Haryana got 8 Gold, 10 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals, Uttrakhand won 6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals and Delhi won 3 Gold, 3 Silver, and 6 Bronze medals. Similarly, Andhra Pradesh (old) remained unlucky to bag any medal while Andhra Pradesh (new) got just one Bronze.

Punjab got one Silver and two Bronze while Rajasthan got 6 Silver and 4 Bronze each. Pondicherry and ABVMI got one Bronze while ITBP got 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze medals. Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, and Lakshadweep could not bag either of the medals.

Earlier yesterday, the MoS had said that like Gulmarg, more J&K places are going to witness winter games from the next year.

Pertinently, Khelo India Winter Games 2023 featured over 1,500 athletes from across the nation, competing in 11 sports. Alpine skiing, curling, bobsleigh, skeleton, snowshoe, nordic skiing, snowboarding, ski mountaineering, ice skating, ice hockey and bandy were featured at the event.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The government on Friday ordered the transfer and posting of 15 officers, seven of them IAS, in the interest of administration with immediate effect.

According to an order, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, IAS (AGMUT:2005) Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Revenue Department, holding additional charge of Principal Resident Commissioner, J&K Government, New Delhi, has been transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.

The order states Dheeraj Gupta, IAS (AGMUT: 1993), Principal Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, holding additional charge of smart Cities and proposed new Jammu/Srinagar Metropolitan Regional Development, has been transferred and posted as Principal Secretary to the Government, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment.

"H. Rajesh Prasad, IAS (AGMUT:1995), Principal Secretary to the Government, Power Development Department, shall hold the charge of the post of Principal Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, in addition to his own duties, till further orders," reads the order.

It reads that Sanjeev Verma, IAS (AGMUT:2001), Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department.

"Sarmad Hafeez, IAS (AGMUT:2009), Secretary to the Government, Tourism Department, holding additional charge of Administrative Secretary, Youth Services and Sports Department, has been transferred and posted as Secretary to the Government, Youth Services and Sports Department, on a full-time basis," it added.

As per the order, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, IAS (AGMUT:2012), Special Secretary to the Government, Finance Department, holding additional charge of CEO, ERA & Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission, J&K, has been transferred and posted as Administrative Secretary, Culture Department, relieving Zubair Ahmad, JKAS, of the additional charge of the post. "He shall hold the charge of the post of Chief Executive Officer, Economic Reconstruction Agency, in addition to his own duties, till further orders."

It added that Dr. Piyush Singla, IAS (AGMUT:2012), Administrative Secretary, General Administration Department, has been transferred and posted as Administrative Secretary, Revenue Department.

"Rakesh Minhas, IAS (AGMUT:2016), awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been posted as Managing Director, SIDCO. He shall also hold the charge of the post of Managing Director, SICOP, in addition to his own duties, till further orders," the order said.

It further reads that Raman Kumar Kesar, JKAS, Managing Director, SIDCO, holding additional charge of Managing Director, SICOP, has been transferred and posted Secretary in the Power Development Department.

"Deepika Kumari Sharma, JKAS, Chief Operating Officer, Himayat, holding additional charge of Executive Director, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society, has been transferred and posted as Secretary in the Jal Shakti Department. She shall also hold the charge of the post of Executive Director, Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society, in addition to her own duties, till further orders," the order states.

It added that Dr. Ghulam Nabi Itoo, JKAS, Special Secretary to the Government, Jal Shakti Department, has been transferred and posted as Mission Director, Jal Jeevan Mission.

"Shabir Hussain Bhat, JKAS, Special Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department, has been transferred and posted as Director, Rural Development, Kashmir. Imam Din, JKAS, Director, Rural Development, Kashmir, has been transferred and posted as Managing Director, J&K Horticulture, Produce, Marketing and Processing Corporation," the order further said.

It reads Rajneesh Gupta, JKAS, Additional Secretary to the Government, Jal Shakti Department, has been transferred and posted as Chief Operating Officer, Himayat.

"Shafat Sultan, Managing Director, J&K Horticulture, Produce, Marketing and Processing Corporation, has been transferred and shall await further orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department for further posting. Amit Vermani, JKAS, Member, J&K Services Selection Board, has been transferred and posted as Additional Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department," it reads.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse