Farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are reaping the benefits of a bumper paddy crop in the wake timely rains and the absence of a disease outbreak this year.

Farmers expressed their happiness over the crop returns.

"We sowed the paddy in May and will cut it now. The crop this year is very good in comparison to the previous year. Rains this year were adequate and the colour of the paddy is extremely good. People are busy cutting and making bundles of the crop," said Parvez Ahmed, a farmer.

Srinagar, Oct 8 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will flag off the first train connecting Srinagar to central Kashmir during his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

According to official sources, Dr. Singh will flag off the first train from Nowgam to Budgam.

Dr. Singh will board the Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train from Nowgam station as a symbolic gesture.

Srinagar, Oct 6 : Curfew continues in Kashmir valley for the second day on Monday.

Curfew was clamped all over the valley on Sunday to thwart a planned march by separatists to Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Monday.

Administration has made elaborate security arrangements particularly in and around Lal Chowk area. Barricades have been erected on the roads leading to Lal Chowk and heavy deployment of security forces has been made to ensure peace.

Srinagar, Oct 5: Kashmir valley remained peaceful during curfew since Sunday morning.

Srinagar, India - An indefinite curfew was clamped across India-administered Kashmir on Sunday, one day ahead of a planned protest march called by separatist leaders.

Yasin Malik, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, one of the main organizers of the march, was detained while other leaders have been put under house arrest.

The historic Lal Chowk in the heart of Jammu and Kashmir state capital Srinagar, where the marchers were to gather on Monday, has been barricaded with tin sheets and barbed wire.

All roads and lanes leading to the city centre were sealed.