Page 21 - Punjab

Prez returns Bill to make Punjab CM chancellor of state universities

A Punjab bill that seeks to replace the state governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities has been returned by the President without giving her assent, official sources said on Wednesday. Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and three others bills were passed by the Punjab Assembly in the two-day session in June last year but the governor had called the session "patently illegal." Later in November last year, the Supreme Court held that the June 19-20 session was constitutionally valid and had directed the Punjab governor to decide on the Bills passed by the legislative assembly session. The Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was for replacing the governor with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities. However, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit reserved this bill along with two others -- the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023 -- for the consideration of th

Alphacorp to invest Rs 350 crore in luxury housing project in Gurugram

Realty firm Alphacorp will invest Rs 350 crore to develop a luxury housing project in Gurugram as part of its expansion plan amid strong consumer demand. Without divulging the name of the partner, Alphacorp said it has tied up with an entity that owns two land parcels of nearly 2.4 acre each, located in Sector 15, Part 2, Gurugram. "We will develop a total of 200 apartments on these two land parcels," said Santosh Agarwal, Executive Director and CFO of Alphacorp. On one parcel of 2.38 acre, the company has launched luxury high-rise project 'Alphacorp SKY1' comprising 100 units. The price is Rs 5 crore per unit. The project on the second plot will also be launched in the next 2-3 months. When asked about the project cost, Agarwal said the total investment is estimated at Rs 350 crore excluding land cost. He said the investment will be funded through internal accruals and bank loans, if necessary. "Gurugram, regarded as the Millennium City, exemplifies rapid infrastructure growth a

Rebel Akali leaders launch campaign aimed at strengthening outfit

Rebel Akali leaders on Monday launched a 'Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar' aimed to "strengthen and uplift" the 103-year-old outfit while asserting that the party's present situation under the current leadership indicates that its "existence was in danger". A section of the senior party leaders last month had revolted against SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, demanding that he should step down as the party chief following its debacle in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. Among the prominent leaders who raised a banner of revolt included former MP Chandumajra, former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala, former ministers Sikandar Singh Maluka, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Surjit Singh Rakhra, and party leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur. The rebel Akali leaders on Monday appointed former MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala as the platform's convener. "We are going to start 'Shiromani Akali Dal Sudhar Lehar'. We request all Punjabis and ...

Punjab BJP to hold rural outreach, leaders to speak with stakeholders

The BJP will hold a rural outreach under which its leaders and workers will go to villages in Punjab and hold dialogue with various stakeholders, including farmers on various issues. Punjab is a sensitive border state with typical problems and needs to be addressed with the same spirit, state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Friday said. Stressing that dialogue is the way forward for effective resolution of all issues being faced by Punjab, Jakhar said the farmers, agricultural scientists and economists must be taken on board to evolve a consensual resolution. Jakhar was speaking to the media this evening after presiding over a day-long meeting of state BJP's extended executive committee meeting here. He said it was felt during the meeting that a false narrative has been built, a myth has been created to project the BJP against farmers. To break that myth, that lies and that perception, which has been built, dialogue at all levels is needed, said Jakhar. The BJP has been working for all

Radical preacher Amritpal's brother held by Jalandhar police in drug case

Radical Sikh preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh's brother Harpreet Singh has been apprehended by Jalandhar police in a drug case, a senior police official said on Friday. Harpreet Singh was nabbed along with another accomplice, identified as Lovepreet Singh alias Luv, by Jalandhar Rural police on Thursday evening, the official said. Four grams of ICE (methamphetamine) drug was recovered from him during checking of the car in which the duo was travelling, he said. The official said that Harpreet Singh is aged between 30-35 and "was into some dispatching work in transport". Both Harpreet Singh and Lovepreet Singh hail from Amritsar, he added. Amritpal Singh is currently lodged in a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh district for offences under the National Security Act (NSA). Recently, he was flown to Delhi on a four-day custody parole for taking oath as a Lok Sabha member. Having fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent, Amritpal Singh won from the Khadoor Sahib se

BSF intercepts 125 drones from Pakistan in 2024, seizes drugs and weapons

The Border Security Force has intercepted 125 drones this year along Punjab's border with Pakistan, marking a notable rise from 22 drones intercepted in 2022 and 107 in 2023

'Dreaming of Khalsa Raj not crime': Amritpal disowns mother's statement

Radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh has distanced himself from his mother's statement in which she had said that her son was not a Khalistani supporter, according to a statement issued by the Khadoor Sahib MP. "When I came to know about the statement made by 'Mata ji' (mother) yesterday, I felt hurt. Though I believe that 'Mata ji' made this statement unknowingly, even then such a statement should never come from my family or anyone who supports me," read the statement issued by Singh through his team on Saturday night. "Dreaming of 'Khalsa Raj' is not a crime but a matter of pride. Lakhs of Sikhs sacrificed their lives to fulfil this dream and we cannot think of stepping aside from this path. "I have said many times from stages that if ever I had to choose between 'Panth' and family then I will always choose the 'Panth'," said the statement issued under the title 'official statement by Bhai Amritpal Singh'. Singh's mother Balwinder Kaur on Friday, when he took oath as a member of

Punjab & Sind Bank plans to open 100 branches, as many ATMs this fiscal

State-owned Punjab & Sind Bank plans to open 100 branches across the country in the current financial year as part of the strategy to expand its reach. During the year, the bank also plans to add 100 new ATMs to its network. "With the addition of 100 branches, the total number of branches would reach 1,665 by the end of 2024-25, and similarly, the number of ATMs would touch 1,135," Punjab & Sind Bank Managing Director Swarup Kumar Saha told PTI. The bank will continue to focus on branch expansion, and new branches would come up in areas other than the northern region, he said. Besides, he said, the bank also proposes to expand its reach through the Banking Correspondent (BC) channel. The bank plans to more than double its BC network during the current fiscal, he said, adding, that the bank is trying to expand this network to 4,000 by the end of the current financial year against 1,700 at present. The bank is working on customising more products and processes to improve ...

People widely supported Amritpal Singh, govt must release him: SGPC chief

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Saturday batted for the release of jailed Waris Punjab De activist and Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh, "considering the huge support people have given to him". The Khalistani sympathiser, who won the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat in Punjab as an Independent while being lodged in a jail in Assam's Dibrugarh district under the National Security Act, was sworn in as MP on Friday. Asked about Amritpal Singh after the SGPC chief inaugurated a laboratory at Miri-Piri hospital in Haryana's Kurukshetra, Dhami said, "People have given huge support to him. The governments should consider this, respect it and he (Amritpal) should be released." The apex Sikh body chief pointed out that Singh won from the Khadoor Sahib constituency by a margin of around two lakh votes. Singh, who styled himself after slain Khalistani militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, was arrested in Punjab's Moga last year after he and his supporters barged i

Not Khalistani supporter, should be released immediately: Amritpal's mother

The mother of jailed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who took oath as a member of Parliament on Friday, said her son is not a Khalistani supporter and demanded that he be released immediately so that he can work on the issues on which he fought the elections. Meanwhile, celebrations broke out in Singh's native village Jallupur Khera in Amritsar and the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency where people distributed sweets after he was administered oath. Singh and Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who were granted parole to take oath as members of the Lok Sabha, were sworn in as MPs amid heavy security in and around the Parliament complex. They took oath in the chamber of the Lok Sabha speaker after completing formalities. They were brought to the Parliament complex by security personnel this morning. Singh is lodged in a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh district for offences under the National Security Act. He was flown from Assam to Delhi on a four-day custody parole, for ..

Amritpal Singh to be taken to New Delhi for oath-taking as MP today

An eight-member team of the Punjab Police would escort jailed 'Waris Punjab De' activist Amritpal Singh to New Delhi for his swearing-in as an MP, an official said. Singh, who has won the Lok Sabha polls from the Khadoor Sahib constituency in Punjab, has been granted four-day parole for the swearing-in. The police team, led by a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-rank official, arrived here on Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to escort Singh, lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, to New Delhi in a special flight amid tight security for the swearing-in on Friday. Singh's lawyer Rajdev Singh Khalsa said he would be taken to Delhi aboard a "military aircraft" for the swearing-in. Singh's parole orders are stringent, prohibiting him or his relatives from making any public statements during his visit to New Delhi. Moreover, any form of media coverage, including videography or circulation of statements, is strictly prohibited. In addition, Singh has been instructed not to engage in a

SBI announces 11 new initiatives to mitigate risks in agri loan portfolio

The country's largest lender SBI on Thursday announced 11 new initiatives -- including enhancement of its digital banking features and opening of 35 new Agricultural Centralised Processing Cells -- to mitigate risks in its agricultural loan portfolio. On the occasion of the 69th Foundation Day, State Bank of India announced these initiatives to widen the bank's accessibility to address the banking needs of its potential customers, the lender said in a statement. SBI has enhanced its digital payment experience, with the introduction of two exciting features like tap-and-pay on the BHIM SBI PAY app and end-to-end digital loans against mutual funds on the YONO app, it added. The bank has also announced an initiative, which is a fully digital end-to-end journey for SBI Surya Ghar Loan, it said, adding that the users can opt for credit to install solar rooftops under the central government's PM Surya Ghar Scheme, offering loans for up to 10 KW capacity. The entire process will be manage

Another batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims departs from Srinagar base camp

The annual yatra, which lasts for 45 days, is a major concern for the government amid the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir

Jailed radical preacher Amritpal likely to take oath as LS member on Jul 5

Jailed radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who recently won the Khadoor Sahib parliamentary seat in Punjab, is likely to take oath as Lok Sabha member on Friday. The chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, who is currently lodged in Assam's Dibrugarh jail along with nine associates under the National Security Act, has been granted a four-day parole to enable him to take oath, officials in Amritsar said. Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa, an Independent MP from Faridkot, said Amritpal Singh is likely to take oath as MP on July 5. "I went to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at his residence in Delhi on Wednesday. He said the oath will be administered on July 5," Khalsa told PTI over phone. He also said that clearances and permissions from various quarters to enable Amritpal Singh to take oath have come. "I understand that he will be flown in from the prison for taking oath, which will be in the private chamber of the Speaker," he said. Khalsa said the sole purpose of his meeting the Speaker o

Long-duration paddy use prevalent in Punjab despite concerns: Report

Farmers in Punjab's districts with the highest stubble-burning incidents continue to cultivate the long-duration and water-intensive paddy variety Pusa 44, according to a new survey released on Tuesday. The survey, conducted by researchers from the Delhi-based independent think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), also found that nearly half of Punjab farmers using in-situ crop residue management (CRM) machines still burn some loose paddy straw to ensure the machines' efficient operation and for pest control. The CEEW report highlighted that 36 per cent of the 1,478 farmers surveyed in 11 districts of Punjab grew Pusa 44 in Kharif 2022 due to its high yield. The selected districts -- Amritsar, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilka, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur, and SBS Nagar -- accounted for about 58 per cent of the Kharif fires reported in Punjab in 2022. High-and medium-burn districts, such as Sangrur and Ludhiana, have the highest ...

Punjab limits retailers to 1,000 cases of IMFL monthly, manufacturers panic

Punjab's Indian Made Foreign Liquor market typically moves around one million cases, retailers can now only purchase 1,000 cases per month

ACs, coolers shoot up India's power usage by 9% to 152.38 bn units in Jun

India's power consumption rose by nearly 9 per cent to 152.38 billion units (BU) in June compared to the year-ago period mainly due to scorching heat which forced excessive use of cooling appliances like air conditioners and desert coolers. In June 2023, the power consumption stood at 140.27 BU, according to official data. The highest supply in a day (peak power demand met) also rose to 245.41 GW in June 2024 against 223.29 GW in the year-ago month. The peak power demand was recorded at 224.10 GW in June 2023. The peak power demand touched an all-time high of 250.20GW in May this year. The previous all-time high peak power demand of 243.27 GW was recorded in September 2023. Earlier this year, the power ministry projected a peak power demand of 235 GW during daytime and 225 GW during evening hours for May and 240 GW during daytime and 235 GW during evening hours for June 2024. The ministry also estimated that peak power demand may hit 260 GW this summer. Experts said the scorching

Chandigarh allows shops to operate round-the-clock on all 365 days

The Chandigarh administration has allowed shops and commercial establishments registered with the labour department to now open round-the-clock, a move aimed to promote ease of doing business. "The female employees will not be allowed to work after 8 pm, but in case they are (willing) then their written consent in this regard shall be taken and adequate safety and security arrangements of such employees shall be made during working hours," according to a recent order issued by the administration here. According to the order dated June 25, all the shops and commercial establishments which are registered under Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1958 (as applicable to the Union Territory of Chandigarh), in Chandigarh are permitted to keep open on all 365 days and operate 24 hours. According to an official statement, the move is to promote ease of doing business. It is also to simplify labour laws and regulations regarding opening and closing timings and operations on all da

Canadian MP slams parliament's tribute to Nijjar amid extremism concerns

Chandra Arya, MP for Nepean, voiced discontent with his own government's stance. He referenced a Globe and Mail investigation revealing Canadian authorities' concerns about Nijjar's ties to extremism

PSPCL meets record power demand of 16,078 MW, says Punjab Power Minister

The Punjab Power Minister, who was addressing a meeting said that there are 13,340 11 kV feeders across the state out of which 6,954 feeders provide Agricultural supply