Page 29 - Punjab

Drug tablets being sold inside jails: Navjot Sidhu slams Bhagwant Mann

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has recently sought a status report from the Punjab and Haryana governments on the steps taken after the BSF gave a list of 75 individuals

Won't contest 2024 Lok Sabha polls, says Congress leader Navjot Sidhu

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu Saturday said he will not contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress leader, however, refrained from saying if his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu will contest the general elections. Sidhu, a former MP, had lost the 2022 assembly elections from Amritsar East seat. "Sidhu is not contesting Lok Sabha (polls)," the former Punjab Congress chief told reporters in Bhatinda. When asked if his wife was going to contest next year's elections, the former cricketer said only she could answer that question. Attacking the AAP government in Punjab over rising debt, law and order, Sidhu accused the Bhagwant Mann government of deviating from burning issues of the state. Sidhu said contractual workers have been holding 'dharnas' demanding the regularisation of their services while government employees are protesting seeking the implementation of the old pension scheme. More than a year has passed since the notification on the OPS has been issued, but the government h

514 drone sightings since 2022, 121 brought down, says Punjab IGP

He underlined how the state police were combining with the Border Security Force (BSF) to clamp down on drug trade and smuggling in the state

SAD chief seeks PM's intervention to ensure cotton procurement at MSP

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure that cotton should be procured at the minimum support price (MSP) in Punjab. In a statement here, the SAD president said it was shocking that instead of giving the MSP of Rs 6,920 a quintal for long-staple cotton, as was done earlier, the Cotton Corporation of India imposed a quality cut of Rs 150 and was giving the assured price of Rs 6,770 per quintal to farmers. Farmers in the Abohar belt were suffering because the CCI was procuring the produce in bits and spurts, he claimed. The procurement was stopped on November 30 and restarted on December 7 only, he said, adding that it again stopped on December 9. Badal said the repeated stoppage of procurement was forcing farmers to sell their crops to private players who were purchasing the produce in the price range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 5,200 per quintal. Farmers were forced to go in for distress sale as they could

Kejriwal, CM Mann launch scheme in Punjab to deliver services at doorstep

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched the "Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar" scheme, aimed at providing citizen-centric services to people at their doorstep, on Sunday. Under the scheme, people will get 43 services, including issuance of certificates of birth, marriage, death, income, residence, caste, rural area, border area, backward area, pension, payment of electricity bills and land demarcation. Addressing a gathering here after the launch of the scheme, Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal said it is a historic day not only for Punjab, but also for the country. "The work that is going to commence in Punjab is not less than any revolution. It is a revolutionary step," said Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Mann. "You do not need to go to offices. Your work will be done at your doorstep," he added. Kejriwal said as many as 43 government services will be delivered at the doorstep of people. He said to avail these services, people will h

In Punjab, road accidents caused more deaths in 2021, 2022: NCRB data

Road accidents in Punjab in 2021 and 2022 caused more deaths than injuries, according to the latest NCRB report. However, in neighbouring Haryana, while the number of fatalities were higher than in Punjab, road accidents caused more injuries than deaths, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data showed. Road accidents have generally caused more injuries than deaths. However, in a few states such as Punjab, these have led to a higher number of fatalities than injuries, the data shows. In Punjab in 2022, 6,122 road accidents caused 4,688 deaths and 3,372 injuries. The previous year, 6,097 road accidents caused 4,516 deaths and 3,034 injuries. In Haryana, 10,049 road accidents were reported in 2021. The figure rose marginally to 10,654 in 2022. In 2021, 4,983 people died in Haryana while the figure for 2022 was at 5,228. The accidents caused injuries to 7,972 and 8,353 people, respectively, in the two years. According to the report, accidents are indicators of bottlenecks and ot

BSF recovers made-in China drone near in Punjab's Ferozepur district

As per the information from the press note, the recovered drone is a Quadcopter (Model - DJI Mavic 3 Classic, made in China)

AAP has pushed Punjab into unprecedented crisis: BJP's Tarun Chugh

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday alleged the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government has plunged Punjab into an "unprecedented crisis" as he targeted the AAP government on economic and law and order fronts. In a statement, Chugh claimed that anti-national elements are having a free run in the border state, which is a matter of concern. "The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has plunged Punjab into an unprecedented crisis. Punjab under the AAP government has collapsed economically and... (there has been a) complete collapse of law and order," the BJP leader said. "The state has been bequeathed to gangsters who are running amok," Chugh said. "Moreover, anti-national elements are having a free play in the border state which is a very serious national concern," he said. The mining mafia, drug dealers and gangsters are having a good time, he charged. Chugh further claimed Punjab already has a debt of Rs 4 lakh crore and it is growing with every passing day. "Th

Punjab Guv Purohit reserves 3 Bills for President Murmu's consideration

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit has reserved three Bills, including the one which aims to replace him with the chief minister as the chancellor of state-run universities, for the consideration of the President. The Bills were passed by the state assembly during the June 19-20 session which the governor had earlier termed illegal. "The Hon'ble Governor, Punjab has reserved the following three bills for the consideration of the Hon'ble President of India as per article 200 of the Constitution of India," said a Raj Bhavan statement issued on Wednesday. The three bills, which will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu, are the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023. One more Bill -- the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023 -- was also passed during the June session. While the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill was aimed at ensuring a free-to-air telecast of .

Over 70 students fall ill after eating at Punjab school mess, two arrested

As many as 18 students of a government school in Punjab's Sangrur district were rushed to a hospital as they complained of stomach ache and vomiting after having a meal in the hostel mess, officials said on Saturday. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the food contractor has been arrested and an inquiry by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been ordered in the matter. Eighteen school students of the government meritorious school at Ghabdan were rushed to the civil hospital on Friday evening after they complained of stomach ache and vomiting, an official said. Officials suspect it is a case of food poisoning. Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal on Saturday said 18 students were brought to the civil hospital, of which 14 have been discharged. Four still remain admitted, Jorwal said while speaking to reporters in Sangrur. He further said 36 more students were brought to the civil hospital on Saturday and all of them were stable. They did not report any loose mot

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, ...

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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 ...