Page 28 - Punjab

ED raids 2 ex-Punjab ministers; seizes docs, mobile phones, electronics

"Incriminating" documents, mobile phones, and other electronic devices were seized by the ED after raids against two former Punjab forest ministers and Congress leaders Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Sangat Singh Giljian and others as part of an alleged forest scam-linked money laundering probe. The federal probe agency issued a statement on Friday, saying its investigation pertains to charges of "bribery" in the state forest department against the issuance of a permit for tree felling and for transfer/posting in the department, among some other allegations. The raids were conducted on November 30 in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi at the residential premises of Dharamsot, Giljian, their associates, forest officers and some private individuals, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said. Dharamsot (63), has been a five-time MLA and he was arrested earlier this year by the Punjab Vigilance bureau as part of a case linked to alleged possession of disproportionate assets. Giljian has been an MLA from

Punjab expecting bumper paddy yield despite kharif season marred by floods

Punjab is expecting a bumper output of paddy crop despite kharif season 2023-24 being marred by floods during July and August, officials said. The state, known as the food bowl of the country, is expecting paddy output to cross 205 lakh metric tonne with an average yield going up by more than four quintal per hectare as compared to last year. We are anticipating the paddy production to cross 205 lakh MT this year, said Punjab Agriculture department Director Jaswant Singh. The state had achieved 205 lakh MT output in 2022-23. It had achieved the highest output of 208 lakh MT in 2020-21. The latest crop cutting experiments conducted by the state agriculture department ensure the state's average yield at 69.39 quintal per hectare, which is 4.60 quintal more than the yield achieved last year. The increase in paddy yield comes despite the state seeing floods in July and August this year. The floods had wreaked havoc in many districts including Patiala, Sangrur, Rupnagar, Jalandhar, ...

LIVE: EC revises date of counting for Mizoram assembly elections to 4 Dec

Catch the latest news updates from across the globe

Punjab CM Mann hikes sugarcane price by Rs 11 per quintal to Rs 391

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday hiked the sugarcane price by Rs 11 per quintal, saying the new rate of Rs 391 a quintal is the highest in the country. However, farmers said the appreciation in cane price is "too meagre" and termed the state government's move as "betrayal". The price hike came days after the chief minister assured farmers of "good news" in the coming days. "With an increase of Rs 11, the new rate will be Rs 391 per quintal, which will be the highest in the country," Mann said in a post on social media platform X. According to an official statement issued later, Mann said in Punjab Rs 11 is considered as a 'shubh shagun' (good omen) so his government has given this gift to the farmers. Mann further said that he has fulfilled the promise he had made during his recent meeting with the farmers. Earlier, farmers held protests demanding an increase in sugarcane price from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal. After the CM's announcement, farmers' ...

Stubble burning down 27% in Punjab, 37% in Haryana compared to last year

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana has declined by 27 per cent and 37 per cent, respectively, as against last year, the Union Environment Ministry said on Thursday. From 83,002 fires in 2020, the count in Punjab dropped to 71,304 in 2021, 49,922 in 2022, and further to 36,663 in 2023. In comparison to 2022, there was a 27 per cent reduction in farm fires in 2023. The reduction was even higher, standing at 49 per cent and 56 per cent, respectively, when compared to 2021 and 2020. In 2020, the farm fire count in Haryana was 4,202 which increased to 6,987 in 2021, then reduced to 3,661 in 2022, and further decreased to 2,303 in 2023. This marks a 37 per cent reduction in 2023 compared to 2022, with reductions of 67 per cent compared to 2021 and 45 per cent compared to 2020. The ministry said four districts in Punjab saw over 50 per cent fewer fires in 2023 compared to 2022. Five districts showed improvements ranging from 27 per cent to 50 per cent. Three districts in Haryana rec

Punjab govt gets Rs 3,670 cr of GST compensation after it lodged new claim

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday informed the House that the state government has received Rs 3,670 crore of Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation from the Centre after it lodged a new claim of Rs 5,005 crore with it. After tabling the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the House on the first day of the two-day winter session of the assembly, Cheema said the state government lodged the new claim of GST compensation worth Rs 5,005 crore with the Centre. "Out of which Rs 3,670 crore has come to the state exchequer," Cheema informed the House. The FM also said the previous Congress government did not present the proper record before the Centre, after which the Government of India told the state government that an excess amount of Rs 3,900 crore of the GST compensation had been disbursed to Punjab. "I am sharing for the first time that they (the Centre) sought return of excess disbursement. Then we checked our records.

Tata Motors launches registered vehicle scrapping facility in Punjab

Leading automobile manufacturer Tata Motors has launched a registered vehicle scrapping facility (RVSF) in Punjab, which will be the company's fourth such unit. Named 'Re.Wi.Re Recycle with Respect,' the facility was unveiled in Morinda by Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, a company statement said here on Tuesday. The facility uses environmentally-friendly processes and has the capacity to disassemble 12,000 end-of-life vehicles safely and sustainably, each year. The RVSF is developed and operated by Tata Motors' partner Dada Trading Company and is equipped to scrap both passenger and commercial vehicles, regardless of their brand, aligning with the company's vision to promote eco-friendly initiatives. "This milestone follows the resounding success of Tata Motors' three previous RVSFs in Jaipur, Bhubaneshwar and Surat, further reinforcing its dedication to eco-friendly initiatives," it said. Shailesh Chandra

2-day Punjab Assembly session begins tomorrow, likely to be a stormy affair

The two-day Punjab Assembly session, which begins on Tuesday, is likely to be a stormy affair with the opposition parties trying to corner the AAP government over several issues, including law and order, illegal sand mining and the state's debt. During the session, the Bhagwant Mann government will table three Money Bills - the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023. Another Bill, the Punjab Canal and Drainage Bill, 2023, is also likely to be tabled in the House. The Bill aims to regulate and manage canals and drainage in the state. The session will start with obituary references on Tuesday, said officials. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit had summoned the two-day session of the state Assembly. The opposition parties have slammed the AAP government for holding the session for a short duration. When the last session ended abruptly, the

Previous govts 'looted' exchequer, we're spending on welfare: Kejriwal

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday slammed previous governments in Punjab for allegedly looting the state exchequer. He also called his party-led dispensations in Punjab and Delhi honest, saying, we have not come here to enjoy power" but to serve people. He further said his party, which he claimed did not have any money power, defeated several "big" political parties in Punjab and Delhi with "people's blessings". Kejriwal was addressing a gathering after the launch of the Punjab government's pilgrimage scheme 'Mukh Mantri Tirth Yatra Yojana' on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also present on this occasion. Kejriwal said, Today is a pious day. It is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. On this day, I am happy to note that Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojana for elderly people started in Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief said none of the governments facilitated people for 'tirth yatra' in the past 7

SKM's 3-day protest: Farm leaders to give memorandum to Punjab guv tomorrow

Farmer leaders will meet the Punjab governor on Tuesday in connection with their various demands as the three-day protest under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha continued for the second day on Monday. Scores of farmers gathered at the Mohali-Chandigarh border on Sunday to press the Centre to accept their various demands, including a legal guarantee of the minimum support price (MSP). Farmers are demanding the withdrawal of cases filed against them during the 2020-21 stir against the now-repealed farm laws, compensation and jobs for any one of the family members of farmers who died during the stir, debt waiver, and pension. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is an umbrella body of various farmer unions. Addressing the media here, farmer leader Harmeet Singh Kadian said their leaders will meet the governor on Tuesday. We will give our memorandum to the governor on Tuesday at 11 am, said Kadian. Farmer leaders further said the next course of action of the SKM will be decided on ...

CM Mann, Kejriwal launch free pilgrimage scheme for elderly in Punjab

On the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the Punjab government Monday launched the 'Mukhya Mantri Tirth Yatra Yojna' under which elderly people of the state would be sent on pilgrimage free of charge on trains and buses. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who attended the launch event along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, said the state government will bear the expenditure for the pilgrimage. "Today is a pious day. It is the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. On this day, I am happy to note that the Mukhya Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojana for elderly people started in Punjab." The first train carrying devotees left Amritsar for Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra. Around 300 pilgrims from Amritsar, 200 from Jalandhar and 500 from Dhuri were on this train, said Kejriwal, who is also the chief minister of Delhi. Under this scheme, people will be able to visit religious places such as Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Patna Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo, Mata Naina Devi temple, ...

7 officials suspended for security lapse during PM Modi's Punjab visit

Six more policemen have been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty in connection with a security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state in January 2022. These six were placed under suspension along with a Superintendent of Police rank officer, who was reported suspended earlier. Two Deputy Superintendent of Police rank officers, Parson Singh and Jagdish Kumar, Inspectors Jatinder Singh and Balwinder Singh, Sub-Inspector Jaswant Singh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Ramesh Kumar were the six policemen suspended, according to the November 22 order of the State's Home Department. SP Gurbinder Singh, who is at present posted as SP in Bathinda district, reported suspended on Saturday. According to the order, all seven policemen have been named in a charge sheet under section 8 of Punjab Civil Services rule (punishment and appeal) 1970. On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Modi's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after w

Bikanervala ties up with Montana group to expand in domestic, intl markets

Bikanervala on Friday said it has tied up with The Montana group from Punjab to further expand its footprint in domestic and international markets. This collaboration marks a milestone for further expansion and aims to reach out to a broader audience, the company said in a statement. It is a privilege to work with the iconic brand of India and the entire team will put best possible effort to make this brand a global leader in years to come, said Manoj Madhukar, CEO of The Montana Group. Bikanervala started its operations as a small sweet shop at Bikaner, in Rajasthan in 1905. Over the years, it has expanded its portfolio to include restaurants and snack businesses. Presently, Bikanervala is operating 175 sweet shop-cum-restaurant outlets in India as well as in international markets like the UAE, the US, Singapore, New Zealand, and Nepal, the company said. Suresh Kumar, CEO, Bikanervala, briefed the media about its current operation and further expansion plan both in domestic and .

SC order worth reading by Punjab Guv, Delhi L-G: AAP on ruling on governors

With the Supreme Court making it clear that governors cannot keep bills pending indefinitely without any action, AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Friday said the Punjab Governor and Delhi LG need to read the apex order that made it clear that "unelected heads of state" cannot "misuse" their powers. The Supreme Court has directed Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to decide on the Bills passed by the state legislative assembly during its "constitutionally valid" session held on June 19 and 20, saying the governor's power cannot be used to "thwart the normal course of lawmaking". The top court, in its November 10 judgement which was uploaded on Thursday night, decided on the plea of the AAP government in Punjab which alleged the governor was not granting his assent to four bills which were passed by the assembly. Purohit is locked in a running feud with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. In a post on X, Chadha said, "The Hon'ble Supreme Court h

Punjab govt calls protesting farmer leaders for meeting with CM Mann

The Punjab government has called farmer union leaders for a meeting here on Friday with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as highway blockade in Jalandhar by the farmers who are demanding an increase in sugarcane prices entered the fourth day. Farmers are staging a 'dharna' in the middle of the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the highway which has also affected traffic between Jalandhar and Delhi. On Thursday, the farmers also blocked a section of the railway track near Dhanowali village in Jalandhar, which affected the train movement too, but on Friday they decided to lift the blockade from the rail track after receiving a call of meeting with the chief minister. However, the road blockade continues. The farmers, who are demanding an increase in the prices of sugarcane from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal, have put up a tent in the middle of the road and are spending the night on the highway. They are also demanding the resumption of sugar mills' operations for the crushing of .

Cop killed, 6 injured in firing to take control of Kapurthala gurudwara

A Punjab Police constable was killed and six others were injured in an exchange of gunfire between two Nihang factions trying to take control of the Gurdwara Sri Akal Bunga Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi

14 places in Punjab, Haryana raided over attacks on Indian Consulate in US

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out raids at 14 locations in Punjab and Haryana in connection with its probe into attacks on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in the US earlier this year, an official spokesperson said. The spokesperson said these places located in north India were raided to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the attacks on March 19 and July 2, involving criminal trespass, vandalism, damage to public property and attempts to cause hurt to the consulate officials and set the building on fire through acts of arson. The locations raided by the NIA were spread across the districts of Moga, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Mohali and Patiala in Punjab and Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar in Haryana. The crackdown led to the seizure of digital data containing information related to the accused persons, along with other incriminating documents, the spokesperson said. The NIA has been probing the case with the aim to identify and prosecute the

Don't turn people against you by blocking roads: CM Mann tells farmers

A day after farmers blocked a stretch of the national highway in Jalandhar, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday asked the farm unions not to turn people against themselves by blocking roads. Farmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the Jalandhar-New Delhi National Highway near Dhanowali village for an indefinite period on Tuesday, seeking a hike in sugarcane prices. Mann said if the farmers do not shun the practice of blocking roads every time their demands are not met, a day will come when people will stop sympathising with them. "My request to the farmer unions is not to turn common people against you by blocking roads for every issue. For holding talks with the government, there is Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh, the Secretariat, the office of the agriculture minister and my office and residence but not the roads. If this attitude remains, then the day is not far when you will not find people for 'dharnas'... understand

'Targeted killing plan averted': 3 linked to Pak-based terror module held

Punjab Police on Wednesday claimed to have averted planned targeted killings in the state with the arrest of three members linked to an ISI-controlled Pakistan-based terror module. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said three .30 bore pistols and five .32 bore pistols were recovered along with nine magazines and 30 live cartridges from their possession. Those arrested have been identified as Rajbhupinder Singh alias Bhinda of village Dikh in Bathinda, Raman Kumar of village Guru Harsahai in Fazilka and Jagjit Singh of Dhilwa Kalan in Kotkapura. Yadav said following reliable inputs, police teams from the Counter Intelligence, Bathinda put up a checkpost near the bridge at village Gobindpura in Bathinda and arrested the trio. Preliminary investigations have found that the arrested trio were in contact with some persons currently lodged in Sangrur Jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he added. Assistant Inspector General, Counter Intelligence, Avneet Kaur Sidhu

Centre, Punjab govt negligent in stubble management: Farmers leaders

Farmer leaders in Punjab on Wednesday accused the Centre and the state government of not making proper arrangements for stubble management and said it is vehicular and industrial pollution which affects the air quality in Delhi and not farm fire. They also said the governments should guarantee minimum support price on alternative crops such as maize and pulses to wean away growers from the water-guzzling paddy crop, which is not even native to Punjab. Their remarks came a day after the Supreme Court, while hearing a matter related to stubble burning, observed farmers are being made "villains" and that they have not been heard. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia had also suggested why should there be any purchase under the minimum support price (MSP) system from farmers who indulge in crop residue burning, irrespective of the fact that citizens and children were affected due to pollution. Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh ...