The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Wednesday urged the Punjab government to establish a rehabilitation fund to support young boys and girls being deported from the United States. In a statement, NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal said lack of support and resources for these returnees could lead to severe social and economic challenges for the state. He warned the Punjab government that negligence in addressing this growing crisis would only create more problems for the state, exacerbating unemployment, mental health issues and potential involvement in illegal activities. This comes amid reports that a US military plane carrying 205 illegal immigrants hailing from Punjab and neighbouring states is likely to land at the Amritsar airport on Wednesday afternoon. "Many of these young individuals leave their homes with dreams of a better future but find themselves deported due to immigration challenges. They return with shattered hopes, financial distress, and ...
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Commission for Air Quality Management to hold a meeting with Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments on the proposed action plans to tackle the issue of stubble burning. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked CAQM to consult the states and come out with its own views on the issue and submit suggestions by March 17. Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Punjab government, submitted farmers need to be convinced that crop diversification was a viable option. "There is a minimum support price (MSP) that has to be given and minimum assured procurement. In paddy produce 100 per cent produce is assured that it will be picked up by the Food Corporation of India -- which undertakes paddy cultivation. For maize and others, that procurement policy is not there," he said. Punjab advocate general Gurminder Singh said the state government supported steps for eradicating stubble burning but other factors that added to pollutio
Kang pointed out the rising inflation and stagnant salaries for employees, while calling for a special package to support industries, crop diversification, and Punjab's farmers in the upcoming budget
According to the Delhi Police, the vehicle was standing near Punjab Bhavan on Delhi's Copernicus Marg with "Punjab Sarkar" written on it
Dikshit said that he has been raising the issue of vehicles from Punjab coming to Delhi with Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena
Delhi Police registered a case after a vehicle labelled "Punjab government" was on Wednesday intercepted with cash, liquor and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) pamphlets, an official said. The vehicle bearing a Punjab number plate was caught by the Flying Squad team in the New Delhi district, the official said. The Flying Squad attends to all Model Code of Conduct violations and all complaints related to liquor, arms and cash used for elections. The Punjab government dismissed claims that it owned the car intercepted in Delhi. The vehicle's number plate was forged and fake as it can be tracked to a different car not owned by the Punjab government, it said. The AAP, too, released a statement, saying the car seizure was a "planted stunt, ?poorly executed and utterly bogus". Delhi Police said officials have initiated legal proceedings in the matter, and a case is being registered at Tilak Marg police station. "Upon searching (the car), we discovered cash, multiple liquor bottles, and Aam Aadmi .
The Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) Thursday slammed the Punjab government for the arrest warrants issued against 25 farmers and insertion of an attempt to murder charge in the FIR in connection with the 2022 prime minister security breach matter in the state. Leaders of the farmers' body said they came to know about the insertion of Section 307 (attempt to murder charge) of the Indian Penal Code in the FIR after the bail plea of one of the protesting farmers was rejected by a court in Ferozepur. On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Punajb's Ferozepur after which he returned from the state without attending any event, including a rally. Later, the Supreme Court appointed a five-member committee, headed by former apex court judge Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach incident. Police had then lodged an FIR in the matter. Initially, police had registered an FIR against 150 unidentified people at ..
The incident occurred around midnight, and the MLA was declared dead upon arrival at the DMC hospital, as per officials
Further concerns were raised about the policy's focus on promoting direct purchase from farms by exporters and bulk buyers, which could bypass the established mandi system and commission agents
The Punjab government has formally rejected the Centre's draft policy on agricultural marketing, asserting that it is an attempt to bring back the "contentious" provisions of the three farms laws repealed in 2021 after a year-long protest by farmers. The state government noted that since agriculture marketing is a state subject, the government of India should not come up with any such policy and should leave it to the wisdom of the state to frame suitable policies on the subject as per their concerns and requirements. The Centre had last year shared the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing with the state government for its views on it. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already said the Centre was trying to "bring back" the now-repealed farm laws, referring to the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. The AAP-led Punjab government had termed the draft policy as an attempt to reintroduce the three central agricultural laws
After the Punjab government informed the Supreme Court about a scheduled meeting with septuagenarian farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, a SC-appointed panel met him at around 3.30 pm on Monday. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh was informed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Punjab government, that the protesting farmers had been persuaded to meet Justice (retd) Nawab Singh, who chairs the apex court-appointed committee. "Some of us have been able to persuade those people under protest to meet Justice (retd) Nawab Singh led committee today at 3 pm. We are hopeful that there will be a breakthrough. Kindly take it up after a couple of days," Sibal said. On hearing this, the bench said, "Let us hope and pray that better sense prevails on everyone." The apex court asked Sibal to prepare a brief note of the deliberations and posted the hearing on January 10. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said the committee would file a brief
The government invoked Article 311 of the Constitution to dismiss the DSP who has been under suspension since October 25, 2024
The top court gives Punjab government three more days to persuade farmer leader Dallewal, who is on hunger strike since November 26, to accept medical help
The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred its hearing till January 2 on compliance of its order by the Punjab government on shifting of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting for past 35 days over various demands, to hospital. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia listed the matter for further hearing on January 2 after Advocate General Gurminder Singh, appearing for the Punjab government, said that an application has been moved seeking three days more time for compliance of the court's December 20 order. Singh said that a team of negotiators are holdings talks with the protesting farmers at the protest site and efforts are being made to shift Dallewal to the nearby makeshift hospital on Punjab side of Khanauri border. The bench said it does not want to comment on the discussions with the protesting farmers and it only wants compliance of its earlier orders. It recorded the submissions of Singh and adjourned the hearing on the matter. Earlier
The Supreme Court on Saturday gave the Punjab government time till December 31 to persuade farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting for over a month, to shift to hospital. In an unprecedented hearing, a vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan pulled up the Punjab government for allowing the situation to escalate and not complying with its earlier directions to provide medical assistance to Dallewal. Expressing helplessness, the Punjab government said it is facing huge resistance from protesting farmers who have encircled Dallewal and are preventing him from being taken to hospital. Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the bench that a team of experts visited the protest site and tried to persuade Dallewal to shift to hospital and take medical help. "He (Dallewal) has refused any kind of medical aid, including (IV) drips, saying that it will undermine the cause of movement," he said. This infuriated the bench which blamed the Punjab governmen
Punjab has sought Rs 1,000 crore Central assistance to strengthen its police infrastructure and security efforts in the border districts, among a slew of other demands, at a pre-budget meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held in Jaisalmer, an official statement said on Sunday. Industrial incentives similar to those provided to Jammu and Kashmir and the neighbouring hill states were also sought to support the MSMEs in Punjab's border and sub-mountainous regions, a Punjab government statement said on Sunday. Quoting Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, the statement said the state has strongly raised the demand to restore NABARD's Short-Term Seasonal Agricultural Operations (ST-SAO) limit to Rs 3,041 crore, from the reduced limit of Rs 1,100 crore, for FY 2024-25. Cheema said this restoration is vital to prevent farmers from turning to moneylenders, aligning with the 'Sahakar se Samriddhi' principle. Several states raised this issue which was discussed at .
As Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast-unto-death entered its 27th day on Sunday, doctors termed his health condition "critical". Doctors attending to him at the Khanauri border protest site reiterated that Dallewal is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. Dallewal, 70, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops. A statement issued by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha said following the advice of doctors, the veteran farmer leader did not come on stage on Sunday. Due to the continuous hunger strike for 27 days, his immunity has become very weak, putting him at the risk of infection, the statement said. "His hands and feet were cold. Starvation is adversely affecting his nervous system, and vital organs like liver and kidneys," a doctor who examined Dall
Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party won the municipal elections in Patiala and was leading in Ludhiana and Jalandhar, while the Congress was ahead in Phagwara and Amritsar. Elections to five municipal corporations -- Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar and Phagwara -- and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab took place on Saturday. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to elect its mayor in Patiala as it won 43 out of 53 wards. The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won four wards each, while the Shiromani Akali Dal won two wards, as per the results declared on Saturday night. AAP was also leading in Ludhiana, where it won 42 out of 95 wards. Congress registered victory in 29 wards, followed by BJP in 19, Independents 3 and SAD 2, as per the results. AAP was also ahead in Jalandhar, winning 39 out of 85 wards, with Congress and BJP winning 24 and 19 wards, respectively. However, Congress was ahead in Amritsar and Phagwara. In Amritsar, Congress won 40 wards wh
Over 300 VIP passes were reportedly issued to Punjab and Haryana High Court judges, along with their family members, raising concerns over preferential treatment
In the letter, the BJP leader asked the Punjab CM whether the Punjab government is giving Rs 1000 to women as part of their 'five guarantees' as promised in the 2022 polls