Page 35 - Punjab

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to inaugurate 76 Aam Aadmi Clinics on August 14

According to the information available, till now more than 3.5 million people have benefited from the Aam Aadmi Clinics

Drugmaker asked to stop production after non-standard quality samples: Govt

A Punjab-based drugmaker was asked to stop all manufacturing activities after samples collected from its premises, following an alert by the WHO, were found to be "not of standard quality", the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday. Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar, in a written reply in the Lower House of Parliament, said the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a medical product alert for a batch of India-made Guaifenesin syrup in the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Subsequent to the reports, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in coordination with State Drugs Authority, Punjab, conducted a joint investigation at M/s QP Pharmachem Ltd in Punjab. "Drug samples drawn from the manufacturing premises under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 for test and analysis were declared as 'not of standard quality'," the minister said. "Further, the State Licensing Authority has directed the firm to stop all manufacturing .

Two Pakistani drones recovered near IB in Punjab's Amritsar, Tarn Taran

Two Pakistani drones were recovered near the India-Pakistan International Border in two separate incidents in Punjab's Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, a BSF official said on Monday. At around 10 pm on Sunday near Rattan Khurd village in Amritsar, Border Security Force (BSF) troops heard the buzzing sound of an unmanned aerial vehicle entering from the Pakistan, the official said. "As per the laid down drill, troops endeavoured to intercept the drone, the official said. In a joint search operation, the BSF and the Punjab Police on Monday recovered the drone (hexacopter) with a battery from a field in Rattan Khurd, the official said. In another incident, BSF personnel heard the sound of a drone coming from Pakistan near Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district at around 3:30 am, following which they tried to intercept it. Later during a joint search, the BSF and the police recovered the drone (quadcopter) from a field in Rajoke, the official said.

Haryana receives 59% excess rainfall in July, Punjab 44%, says IMD

Haryana and Punjab, which were recently hit by floods in several parts, logged over 40 per cent excess rains in July, the Meteorological Department here said. While Haryana recorded 59 per cent excess rainfall, Punjab logged an excess of 44 per cent, it added. Union Territory Chandigarh, the common capital of both states, received 170 per cent excess rainfall in July, a MeT official told PTI. As against the normal of 273.2 mm for the period, Chandigarh received 738.7 mm of rainfall. In July, the city even recorded an all-time high of 302.2 mm in a span of 24 hours, the official said. According to the MeT official, Haryana witnessed 237.1 mm of rainfall in July, compared to its average of 149.1 mm -- an excess of 59 per cent. Over the same period, Punjab recorded 231.8 mm of rainfall, against the normal of 161.4 mm -- 44 per cent excess. None of the districts in Haryana saw deficit rain in July, while Panchkula and Yamunanagar were the wettest districts, the MeT data showed. Panc

Sidhu Moosewala's alleged killer Sachin Bishnoi extradited from Azerbaijan

Gangster Sachin Bishnoi, who was allegedly involved in the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, was extradited from Azerbaijan, officials of the Delhi Police said on Tuesday. Officers from the Delhi Police's Special Cell had travelled to the Azerbaijan capital Baku to monitor the progress in the case. Bishnoi alias Sachin Thapan successfully extradited from Baku, the officials said. Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29, 2022. Further details are awaited.

500 jobs for winners, 1,000 centres to boost sports culture in Punjab

Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer Monday said 500 jobs have been created for outstanding medal winners and 1,000 sports nurseries will be set up in the state. The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved the new sports policy, 2023, aimed to focus on training, incentives, robust infrastructure, and jobs for athletes. Addressing the media here, Hayer said 1,000 sports nurseries will be developed with a budget of Rs 250 crore to provide athletes with better coaching, sports equipment and refreshments. The minister said a provision has been created to offer the top 500 medal winners various job positions in the special cadre, including 40 deputy directors, 92 senior coaches, 138 coaches and 230 junior coaches. He said there are only 309 coaches in Punjab but their strength has now been increased to 2,360 under the new sports policy. Sharing further steps taken to boost the sports culture in the state, Hayer said residential sports facilities with 200 hostel rooms will be ...

Girdawari to assess flood damage in Punjab, Govt pegs loss at Rs 1,500 cr

The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday gave its nod for conducting a special 'girdawari' (field inspection) by August 15 to assess the damage caused by the recent floods even as the state government pegged the estimated loss at Rs 1,500 crore. The decision was taken by the council of ministers in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here, according to an official statement. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by a heavy downpour that left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of residential and agricultural land. After the cabinet meeting, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said the floods caused the estimated loss of worth Rs 1,500 crore to the state, though the exact amount was yet to be assessed. A total of 1,495 villages in 19 districts of Punjab were affected by the heavy rain and floods whit at least 44 people losing their lives and 22 sustaining injuries, said an official release. As many as 391 houses were fully damaged and 87

5 Khalistan Liberation Force operatives arrested by Punjab Police

The Punjab Police on Saturday said it has foiled a conspiracy by Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI to disturb peace in the state ahead of Independence Day with the arrest of five operatives of the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF). The arrests were made following a two-week operation, it said. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said inputs were received that some terrorist elements based abroad have formed a terror module by recruiting foot soldiers through criminals lodged in jails and are hatching a conspiracy to target minority leaders, police officials and other prominent people to disturb peace and harmony in the state. Based on these inputs, the State Special Operating Cell (SSOC) of SAS Nagar registered a case and started a special operation, he said. "Around a two-week-long operation, which involved meticulous intelligence gathering, technical analysis and swift action, led to the apprehension of five operatives of this terrorist module involved in the nefarious

Punjab approves revised process for wheat distribution to beneficiaries

The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved a revised mechanism for the distribution of packaged wheat flour or wheat at the doorsteps of beneficiaries by roping in fair price shop owners. The decision in this regard was taken by the council of ministers in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here, according to an official statement here. The distribution of 'atta' (wheat flour) or wheat shall be allowed in loose quantities, duly weighed, across the counter in ration depots (fair price shops) or in specially-sealed packets delivered at the doorstep of the beneficiary or the nearest motorable point, by the ration depot holder, said the statement. It will be a more dignified way of receiving packaged 'atta' as the beneficiary shall not be required to stand in long queues, especially in inclement weather conditions, it said. Last year, the AAP government's plans of starting home delivery of 'atta' was put on hold after the fair price shop owners moved the Punjab and Haryana

Punjab BJP delegation meets governor on flood issue, demands compensation

A delegation of the Punjab BJP on Thursday met Governor Banwarilal Purohit here on the flood issue, highlighting that the AAP government allegedly "failed" to take measures on time despite warnings of heavy rainfall to prevent losses suffered by farmers. The delegation was led by party's state unit chief Sunil Jakhar. "We have requested the governor that answers should be sought from this government so that people of Punjab come to know how because of negligence on part of the AAP dispensation, the heavy losses caused due to floods could have been prevented," Jakhar told reporters outside the Rah Bhavan after meeting the governor. Floods do cause losses, but more loss was suffered due to the "negligence" of the AAP government, he said, adding the government failed to handle the flood situation. Jakhar also alleged that the government failed to take necessary measures, including cleaning of drains and strengthening of embankments, that led to the flooding. In many areas, the danger

Punjabi Singer Surinder Shinda passes away at the age of 64

Punjabi Singer Surinder Shinda passed away on Wednesday at the age of 64. He took his last breath at DMC Hospital. His work includes Putt Jattan De, Badla Jatti Da, and Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da

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1,457 villages still affected by floods due to heavy rainfall in Punjab

A total of 1,457 villages in Punjab are still affected by floods caused by the recent heavy downpour in the state, officials said on Saturday. Currently, 19 districts Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Kapurthala, Patiala, Moga, Ludhiana, SAS Nagar, Jalandhar, Sangrur, SBS Nagar, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Mansa, Bathinda and Pathankot are flood-affected, they said. A total of 27,221 people were evacuated from waterlogged areas and taken to safer places in the state, the officials said, adding 170 relief camps are operational in which 4,909 flood-hit people are staying. According to a report by the revenue department, 40 people lost their lives due to the floods and 15 were injured. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by the recent heavy downpour that left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of residential and agricultural land. Though the floodwaters have receded in many areas of Punjab and Haryana, work on plugging brea

SJVN bags procurement contract for 1,200 MW solar power from Punjab

State-owned SJVN Ltd on Saturday said it has bagged a contract from Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) for the development and procurement of 1,200 MW of solar power entailing an investment of Rs 7,000 crore. "SJVN Green Energy Ltd (SGEL; a wholly owned subsidiary of SJVN) will develop 1000 MW (solar) project anywhere in the country and balance 200 MW in the state of Punjab," a company statement said. SJVN has received the Letter of Intent (LOI) from the PSPCL for the procurement of 1,200 MW of solar power. The PSPCL will be procuring 1,000 MW energy produced anywhere in India at a tariff of Rs 2.53 per unit, while 200 MW energy produced in Punjab will be procured at a tariff of Rs 2.75 per unit, it stated. Development of these projects involves an investment of around Rs 7,000 crore, which will be on Build Own and Operate (BOO) basis, it stated. The project shall be commissioned in a period of 18 months from the date of signing of power purchase agreement (PPA) and is ...

Punjab to open training centres to impart coaching to UPSC aspirants: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said his government will soon open eight modern training centres to impart coaching to aspirants of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. Chairing a meeting here, Mann expressed concerns over the declining ratio of candidates from the state in the central services, especially in the exams conducted by the UPSC, according to an official statement. Despite having enormous talent, youngsters of the state are not being able to crack these exams firstly due to their inclination towards going abroad and secondly, in the dearth of quality coaching in the state, he noted. Mann said his government is committed to reverse this trend. The proposed centres will provide quality training free of cost so that candidates from the state can become officers of the IAS, IPS, IRS and other services and serve the country, he said. The chief minister said the state has a glorious legacy of producing ace bureaucrats who have made huge ...

Punjab health dept provides medical assistance to flood-affected people

According to officials, 1441 villages have been affected by the flood till 8 am on July 21. A total of 155 relief camps are running in the state in which 4560 people are staying

Advisory issued in Gurdaspur after water released in Punjab's Ujh river

The district administration in Punjab's Gurdaspur on Wednesday issued an advisory, asking people living near the Ravi river to remain vigilant after 2.60 lakh cusecs water was released in Ujh river. The Ujh river in Jammu, after crossing Pathankot, merges into Ravi river in Makora Patan in Gurdaspur district. Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said 2.60 lakh cusecs water was released in Ujh river due to heavy rains in hilly areas. The administration has also evacuated people living near low-lying areas and on the banks of Ravi river, he said, adding a holiday was also declared in some schools. Aggarwal said the district administration is fully prepared to deal with any situation. Any information about flood-like situation can be given on the toll-free number 1800-180-1852 of the control room of the district administration, he said. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by the recent heavy downpour that has left normal life paralysed and flooded vast t

Over Rs 27 cr released for repair of flood-affected govt schools in Punjab

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains Monday released a grant of Rs 27.77 crore to repair the flood-hit government schools in the state. Each school will receive an amount ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000, said an official release. Mann said Rs 20 crore has been allocated for primary schools and Rs 7.77 crore for secondary schools. With this amount, school heads and management committees will undertake maintenance, cleanliness, painting and other necessary repairs in the schools. A special survey is being conducted regarding damages caused by floods in government schools of the state, which will help in allocating funds according to the needs of the affected schools for their renovation and maintenance, he said. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by heavy downpour last week that has left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of residential and agricultural land. Though the floodwaters have receded in many areas of Punjab and Haryana, authoritie

Fire breaks out at plastic factory in Punjab's Ludhiana, no casualty

On receiving information, around six to seven fire tenders rushed to the spot and the situation was brought under control, officials said

Rain fury: At least 55 killed in Punjab, Haryana; relief work underway

Floodwaters have started receding from several places in Punjab and Haryana, battered by heavy downpour earlier this week, even as relief works were underway in flood-hit areas of both states on Saturday. With 14 districts in Punjab and 13 in Haryana hit by the recent downpour, at least 55 people have died in rain-related incidents in both states. A total of 29 people died in rain-related incidents in Punjab while the death toll in Haryana stands at 26, according to official data. Over 25,000 people have been evacuated to safe places from waterlogged localities in various flood-hit districts of Punjab and more than 5,300 in Haryana. The flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana's Yamunanagar was 53,370 cusecs at 6 pm and 54,619 cusecs at 8 pm. Meanwhile, two breaches occurred along the Ghaggar river in Punjab's Mansa district on Saturday, following which many villages bordering Haryana stare at a flood threat. The first breach occurred in an embankment near the Chandpura dam