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The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) swept the zila parishad polls and was also leading in the majority of zones of panchayat samiti in Punjab, according to results declared so far on Thursday. Complete results are yet to be declared as counting of ballot papers is still underway, officials said. Polling was held on December 14 to elect members for 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis. In zila parishad, the results of 317 zones have been declared so far and of which, the AAP registered victory in 201 zones. The Congress was at the second spot with 60 zones, Shiromani Akali Dal at the third position with 39 zones, BJP 4, BSP 3 and Independents 10, as per the results. Out of 201 zones, the AAP won 22 zones in Hoshiarpur, 19 each in Amritsar and Patiala, 17 each in Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur and 15 in Sangrur. The Congress won 8 zones each in Gurdaspur and Ludhiana, 7 in Jalandhar and 6 each in Ferozepur and SBS Nagar, while SAD won 13 zones in Bathinda,
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday questioned the Delhi government's recent cloud seeding exercise, saying no rainfall was recorded despite claims of artificial rain and raising doubts over the feasibility of such experiments in the national capital. The Delhi government, in collaboration with IIT-Kanpur, conducted cloud seeding trials on Tuesday in some areas, including Burari, north Karol Bagh and Badli, after a gap of 53 years. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said in a statement that the initiative aimed to explore scientific solutions for reducing air pollution in the city. "Preliminary analysis indicates a reduction in particulate matter concentrations in the regions where the trials were conducted, even though weather conditions were not ideal for rainfall," he said. Addressing a press conference, AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "For the past few days, it was said that cloud seeding had been done in various areas of Delhi, but there was no rain ...
Union Minister B L Verma on Saturday claimed that farmers have "lost faith" in the AAP government in Punjab and want compensation for damages caused by the recent floods to be deposited into their accounts. On the Punjab government asking when the Centre will release the Rs 1,600 crore relief package, Verma said, "The state government does not need to worry... they will not be given (the money). We will give it to farmers." Verma, who was visiting flood-hit areas in Gurdaspur district, told reporters that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while visiting flood-hit Punjab, had announced a Rs 1,600 crore package in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already in the state's kitty. He said Modi had asked concerned officials to carry out an assessment of damages in a transparent manner. After the completion of the assessment, the Modi government will pay the compensation, Verma asserted. The minister, however, claimed that the farmers have "lost faith" in the state government, and they are sayin
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday inaugurated the national capital's first large-scale biogas plant at Nangli Dairy, calling it a "proud moment" and emphasising that the city needs several such facilities to process cattle dung and municipal waste. The 200-tonne-per-day (TPD) capacity plant, spread over 2.72 acres, will treat cattle dung and biodegradable waste into compressed biogas (CBG) and manure, officials said. "This plant will not only help in cleaning drains and reducing pollution in the Yamuna but also generate green energy and revenue. Delhi produces nearly 1,500 metric tonnes of cow dung daily and one plant is not enough. The city will need many more such units in the future," Gupta said. Attacking the previous AAP government, Gupta alleged that the project was delayed for years despite funds being sanctioned in 2018. "It took eight years to complete this project because the previous government kept blaming Modi ji instead of working. They indulged in politics
AAP leader Manish Sisodia on Sunday said farmers will be allowed to extract sand that has been deposited in their fields following the worst floods that struck Punjab, asserting that the accumulation of silt in agricultural fields was the biggest concern of growers for sowing the next crop. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to flood-hit Punjab on September 9, Sisodia demanded the release of "pending" Rs 60,000 crore by the central government. Addressing the media here, Sisodia said the party leaders, ministers, MLAs and even legislators from Delhi and party workers were engaged in providing relief material to the flood-hit people in the state. AAP's Punjab in-charge Sisodia said farmers have suffered massive loss because of crops being damaged due to the floods. "But now their biggest concern is about sowing the next Rabi crop as they are worried that sand which came along the river water has accumulated in their fields," Sisodia said. "At present, farmers' biggest con
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Saturday slammed Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for blaming illegal mining in rivers for flooding and alleged that the BJP leaders visit flood-hit areas for "photo-ops" instead of announcing financial aid for the state. Accusing the BJP of discriminating against Punjab, the ruling AAP said that the Union Minister did not announce "even a penny" in flood assistance despite the state government seeking payment of its "pending" Rs 60,000 crore from the central government. Chouhan had visited flood-ravaged areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala on Thursday. The Union Agriculture Minister had on Friday said he would submit a detailed report on the Punjab flood situation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minister attributed the flooding partly to weakened embankments along the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Ghaggar rivers, compromised by illegal mining activities. In a post on X, he said, "When Atal ji was the prime minister and Parkash Sing
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday dispatched trucks carrying relief materials from Delhi to flood-hit Punjab, with the party's state president Saurabh Bharadwaj leading the first consignment. Kejriwal, in a post on X, said, "AAP's Delhi state president Saurabh Bhardwaj is reaching Punjab with flood relief materials. From Delhi, every day, our leaders, MLAs, MPs, and common people will also go to Punjab with trucks carrying flood relief materials and provide their services there." "Many RWAs and businessmen are also contributing at their levels. People from across the country are extending their support to Punjab. The entire country stands with Punjab," he said. AAP's Punjab chief Manish Sisodia said party leaders and workers were coming forward "with open hearts" to help the flood-affected. "Today, Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj is reaching Punjab with relief materials," he posted on X. In a separate post, the party said, "The Punjab that has always helped everyone,
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches at premises linked to AAP leader and former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and others as part of a money laundering investigation, official sources said. Around a dozen locations in the national capital are being searched by the federal probe agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The investigation against Bharadwaj (45), former Delhi health minister, is understood to be linked to an Anti-Corruption Branch case into alleged corruption in health infrastructure projects by the previous AAP government. Further details are awaited.
Former Delhi minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to alleged corruption in the augmentation of some sewage treatment plants by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), official sources said. Jain, 60, reached the federal probe agency's office here around 11:15 am and his statement is being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The investigation pertains to allegations of corruption in the augmentation of some sewage treatment plants by DJB. The ED had conducted searches in this case in July last year. The money laundering probe stems from an FIR of the Delhi government anti-corruption branch (ACB) against a company named Euroteck Environmental Pvt Ltd. and others alleging a scam in the DJB in the name of augmentation and upgradation of 10 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) at Pappankala, Nilothi, Najafgarh, Keshopur, Coronation Pillar, Narela, Rohini and ...
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday embarked on a three-day visit to Gujarat following the party's bypoll victory in the Visavadar Assembly constituency, amid efforts by AAP to expand its organisational footprint in the western state. According to a statement from AAP, Kejriwal will be in Ahmedabad from July 1 to 3 to attend organisational meetings and galvanise support for the party's newly launched 'Gujarat Jodo' membership campaign, which begins in Ahmedabad on July 2 and will be expanded statewide. I am going to Gujarat today to meet the workers after the victory in Visavadar, Kejriwal posted on X before leaving for Ahmedabad. The campaign marks a renewed push by the party to establish a deeper grassroots presence in Gujarat, where the BJP has maintained a dominant political hold for over two decades. Kejriwal also lauded his party's performance in the recent bypolls held in Gujarat and Punjab, where it retained one seat each. There will be a big
The Delhi government will soon introduce a new liquor policy with a high-level committee reviewing the policies of different states and preparing a proposal by June 30, officials said. The objective is to provide quality liquor to the people and to make the system of liquor sale and distribution transparent, modern and accountable, said an official statement. The government will also ensure that no aspect of the policy adversely affects vulnerable sections of society and that the safety and health of the weaker sections are not compromised, it added. A high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Dharmendra Kumar is drafting this policy, and it is reviewing the excise policies of several other states for the same. The policy will include points on scientific testing of liquor quality, digitalisation of the sales system, prevention of illegal sales and ensuring transparency in the licensing process, the press note said. Learning from past mistakes, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said
Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Friday appeared before the Anti-Corruption Branch for questioning in connection with an alleged graft case in the construction of classrooms in government schools. Jain was summoned by the Delhi government's ACB for questioning. Before leaving for the ACB office, Jain had asserted that the previous AAP government in the national capital worked towards improving the city's education, while the current BJP government was only doing politics. Speaking to PTI Videos ahead of his questioning, Jain said the BJP was trying to divert attention from key issues. "First, tell me, where did the word scam come from? They (BJP) do not want to work and are aiding private schools in increasing fees," Jain said. "Manish Sisodia (former education minister) did excellent work in schools. He has been summoned. I have been summoned. These are all tactics to divert attention. "They (BJP) used to say that dogs are roaming in the streets, but we will clean the ro
The Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod to waive loans amounting Rs 68 crore taken by over 4,000 Dalit families from the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said. At a cabinet meeting chaired by Mann in Chandigarh, it was decided that debt accrued till March 31, 2020 will be waived. Addressing the media after the meeting, the chief minister said the state government will waive the debt incurred due to loans taken by Dalit families from the corporation for various purposes, including for opening shops, dairy farming, etc. The decision will benefit 4,727 beneficiaries, he said. Mann said Finance Minister Harpal Sigh Cheema in his budget speech this March had promised to waive the debt. With the cabinet approval, the promise will now be fulfilled, he said. Cheema, who was also at the media briefing, said the debt would include the principal amount and any interest on it, including penal interest. It is a big relief for the