Page 5 - Punjab Government

AAP's Ludhiana West MLA Gurpreet Gogi accidentally shoots himself, dead

The incident occurred around midnight, and the MLA was declared dead upon arrival at the DMC hospital, as per officials

Punjab govt rejects Centre's agricultural marketing policy blueprint

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

Punjab govt rejects Centre's draft policy on agricultural marketing

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marketing, asserting that it is an attempt to bring back the "contentious" provisions of the three farms laws repealed in 2021 after a year-long protest by farmers.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 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already said the Centre was trying to "bring back" the now-repealed farm laws, referring to the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.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

SC panel meets farmer leader Dallewal amid hunger strike, seeks medical aid

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

Punjab govt sacks DSP Sandhu for facilitating Lawrence Bishnoi interview

The government invoked Article 311 of the Constitution to dismiss the DSP who has been under suspension since October 25, 2024

Dallewal will take medical aid if Centre invites for talks: Punjab to SC

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

Farmers protest: SC defers hearing on shifting Dallewal to hospital

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

Punjab govt must persuade fasting farmer leader Dallewal by Dec 31: SC

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 demands greater financial support during pre-Budget meet with FM

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 .

Condition critical, say doctors as farmer Dallewal's fast enters Day 27

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 municipal polls: AAP wins Patiala; Congress ahead in Amritsar

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

Exclusive 'Judges Lounge' at Diljit Dosanjh's Chandigarh concert sparks row

Over 300 VIP passes were reportedly issued to Punjab and Haryana High Court judges, along with their family members, raising concerns over preferential treatment

BJP's Sachdeva questions Mann on party's promise of giving money to women

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

PSTET Answer Key 2024 out at official website, raise objections till Dec 15

The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) has announced the answer key for the Punjab State Teacher Eligibility Test (PSTET) 2024 through the official website at pstet.pseb.ac.in

Centre should resolve farmers' issues without delay: Punjab Speaker

Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Monday slammed the Centre, accusing it of being "indifferent" to the genuine demands of farmers and leaving them "high and dry on the roads". Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open channels of communication with the protesting farmers, Sandhwan stressed that the Centre must take decisive action and resolve the farmers' issues without dragging its feet. "It was a bitter pill for Punjab's farmers to swallow, being left high and dry on the roads, while the Union government remained indifferent," said Sandhwan in a statement. He said in other countries, including those in Europe, farmers can take their issues straight to their parliaments, whereas Indian farmers are given "the cold shoulder" when they raise valid concerns. The Speaker reminded the Centre that the country's farmers not only put food on the table for millions but also serve as the backbone of India's trade, industry, and economy by producing a variety of crops. He ca

Amritsar explosion caused due to 'tyre blast', not major incident: DSP

Earlier, on Wednesday, the news of tyre blast was reported as 'major bomb blast' incident, according to several media reports

Kejriwal condemns attack on Badal, lauds Punjab Police for averting tragedy

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday condemned the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal at Golden Temple in Amritsar and lauded the Punjab Police for averting a "very big" tragedy. Speaking in Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal also hit out at the BJP, saying "very big powers" are conspiring to defame Punjab and people of the state. "The Punjab Police not only averted the tragedy but also set an example of how to maintain law and order," the former Delhi chief minister said. He said that the issue of attack on Badal was raised by the BJP, but the party was silent over the "murders, rapes, shooting in Delhi" where police come under the Central government. A former terrorist opened fire at Badal from a close range while he was performing the duty of 'sewadar' outside the Golden Temple on Wednesday but missed as he was overpowered by a plainclothes policeman. The audacious attack was captured on cameras of mediapersons who had gathered outside the Sikh shrine to cover

Punjab CM condemns attack on Sukhbir Badal, praises cops for swift action

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly condemned the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was fired at while performing 'sewa' outside the Golden Temple on Wednesday morning, and directed police to investigate the incident. The chief minister also lauded the promptness of the Punjab Police in nabbing the attacker. The man missed Badal as he was overpowered by police. The audacious attack was captured on cameras of media persons who had gathered outside the Sikh shrine to cover the second day of Badal's penance for "mistakes" committed by the SAD government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017. "Punjab Police prevented a major incident from happening today. It is the result of the promptness of the Punjab Police that the conspiracy to defame Punjab and Punjabis has failed," Mann said in a post on X. "The police achieved great success by arresting the assailant on the spot with their promptness... I strongly condemn the attack on Sukhbir Badal ji. I have issued

SC directs President's secy to expedite Beant assassination convict's plea

The Supreme Court on Monday directed President Droupadi Murmu's secretary to place before her the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, for consideration. A bench of Justices B R Gavai, P K Mishra and K V Viswanathan requested the President to consider the plea within two weeks. "Inspite of the matter being specifically kept today none appeared for Union of India. The bench assembled only for this case," the bench said. "On the last date the matter was adjourned to enable the Union to take instructions from the office of the President as to by when will mercy plea be decided. Taking into consideration that the petitioner is on a death row, we direct the secretary to the President of India to place the matter before the President with a request to consider the same within two weeks from today," the bench said. The matter will now be heard on December 5. On September 25, the top

'Studio-like' set-up for gangster: HC slams Punjab Police in Bishnoi case

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for a new investigation into gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's 2023 interview with a private channel conducted during his time in Bathinda jail