Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir [Images] during his day-long visit to the Valley.

Antony held meetings with senior army and state government officials.

He also inaugurated the silver jubilee celebrations of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering and Winter Sports at the tourist resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from Srinagar [Images].

He also attended the executive council and the general body meetings of the institute.

Set up in October 1983, JIMWS imparts theoretical and practical training in mountaineering and rock climbing techniques. It also encourages and imparts training in winter sports.

The defence ministry had earlier increased the ex-gratia amount to the victims of devastating fire in the army's biggest ammunition depot at Khundru in Anantnag, district of south Kashmir from Rs 10 crore to Rs 26.75 crore.

Twenty people were killed and hundreds wounded when the ammunition depot caught fire on August 11, 2007. The blaze triggered a series of explosions in the area.

Hundreds of people were rendered homeless in Khundru and adjoining villages due to the devastating fire and the explosions.

Concerned over the loss of means of livelihood and property due to the fire, the defence ministry had released Rs 10 crore as an interim assistance to the Jammu and Kashmir government on August 28.

The defence ministry expressed the hope that the Jammu and Kashmir government would take urgent measures in disbursing the relief amount to the affected people.