Page 39 - Punjab

Punjab govt mulling to amend Police Act to regularise DGP: SAD leader

Bikram Majithia said AAP got was mulling to amend Police Act to regularize its 'puppet' DGP to enhance political vendetta against opponents

Bus overturns in Uttarakhand's Champawat, 25 pilgrims from Punjab injured

At least 25 pilgrims from Punjab were injured when a bus in which they were returning from the Reetha Sahib Gurudwara overturned in Uttarakhand's Champawat district, police said on Monday. The accident occurred on NH-9 near Dhaun on Sunday night when the bus carrying around 50 pilgrims was on its way to the Ropar district in Punjab. Local police and the State Disaster Response Force carried out a relief and rescue operation, they said. Seven of the injured are in critical condition and have been referred to the district hospital in Haldwani, the police added.

Punjab is ready to help Karnataka overcome rice shortage: AAP's Prithvi

When BJP and Congress are engaged in a war of words over the implementation of free rice scheme, Ktaka AAP unit stated that Punjab is ready to help in this regard

Gurbani telecast row: Here's why PTC MD announced a reward of Rs 1 crore

AAP-led Punjab government is set to change the Sikh Gurdwara Act,1925, to make broadcast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple free for all; opposition parties have fiercely opposed the move

Punjab to amend Sikh Gurdwara Act for free Gurbani telecast; faces backlash

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the state government will amend the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, to make telecast of Gurbani from the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar free for all

Union Minister Amit Shah to address rallies in Punjab, Haryana on Sunday

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah will address two rallies in Punjab's Gurdaspur and Haryana's Sirsa on Sunday as part of his party's public outreach to mark the completion of nine years of the Narendra Modi government. A BJP leader said Shah will highlight various achievements of the party-led government at the Centre. Tight security arrangements have been made for both the rallies. All necessary security arrangements for the rally in Gurdaspur have been made, a Punjab Police official said. For Shah's visit to Sirsa in Haryana, more than 30 senior police officers, including 15 IPS officers, will be overseeing the security, official sources said. "Adequate arrangements related to security have been made," Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Sirsa, Ajaib Singh said on Saturday. Haryana Director General of Police P K Agrawal, along with senior officers, has reviewed the security arrangements in Sirsa. About 130 people, including several farmer leaders

Punjab govt to modernise secondary healthcare institutions: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Friday announced the launch of a special project to modernise the state's secondary healthcare institutions at an estimated cost of over Rs 400 crore. Chairing a meeting here to review the healthcare sector, Mann said under the first phase of the project, district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals and community health centres (CHCs) in larger rural areas will be strengthened on priority, according to an official statement said. These facilities will be developed as ultra-modern healthcare facilities where people can avail quality treatment, the release added. Mann said 40 such facilities, including 23 district hospitals, have been identified for a facelift in the first phase. The chief minister stressed that the state government has already given a major boost to primary healthcare services by opening more than 500 'Aam Aadmi clinics' in the state, the statement added. These clinics are acting as a cornerstone in providing free-of-cost health

Prepared to provide uninterrupted electricity for paddy sowing: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the state government is fully prepared to provide uninterrupted power to farmers for paddy sowing. In a statement issued here, Mann said like the previous year, the state government has decided to commence sowing of paddy across the state in a phased manner. Sowing started from June 10 in some parts of the state. The remaining areas will be covered on June 16, 19 and 21, he said. Mann said the state has been divided into four zones to implement sowing mechanisms in an effective manner. In the first phase, transplantation in areas beyond the fence across the border started from June 10, the statement said. "From tomorrow, uninterrupted power will be ensured in the second phase to seven districts -- Ferozepur, Faridkot, Pathankot, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran," Mann said. In the third phase, paddy transplantation will be done from June 19 in Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Fazilka, Bathinda

BJP chief J P Nadda meets Amarinder Singh and his family in Mohali

BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday met former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his family at his residence in Mohali. Nadda was accompanied by party's national vice president Saudan Singh. "It was a pleasure to welcome @BJP4India President @JPNadda ji and Vice President @saudansinghbjp ji at my residence today, said the former Punjab chief minister, who is the member of the party's national executive. On this occasion, Amarinder's wife and MP Preneet Kaur, daughter Jai Inder Kaur and son Raninder Singh were also present. Last year, Amarinder had joined the BJP. Nadda later met Arjuna awardee and shooter Anjum Moudgil at her residence in Chandigarh. Besides Saudan Singh, Nadda was also accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Anil Jain, BJP Chandigarh president Arun Sood in Chandigarh. BJP president Nadda on Wednesday had addressed a rally in Punjab's Hoshiarpur as part of the BJP's 'Maha Jan Sampark' programme to mark the completion of nine-year of the Narendra Modi government at

BSF shoots down another Pak drone near International Border in Punjab

The Border Security Force (BSF) has shot down another Pakistani drone near the International Border in Punjab's Amritsar

'Junoon', 'Buniyaad' actor Mangal Dhillon passes away after battling cancer

Actor Mangal Dhillon, who is known for working in shows such as 'Junoon' and 'Buniyaad' has passed away. He was suffering from cancer and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Ludhiana.

In cash-strapped Punjab, CM Mann sits tight on OPS, focuses on freebies

The latest spanner is that the Central government has slashed the state's borrowing limit from Rs 39,000 crore to Rs 21,000 crore

Punjab govt to set up Road Safety Force to avert accident: CM Mann

Expressing concern over the fatalities due to road accidents in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said a Road Safety Force will be formed in the Punjab Police to avert accident. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a Regional Driving Training centre here, the chief minister said that on a daily basis around 14 people die in road accidents in Punjab. Mann said the force will be entrusted with the task of checking rash driving, and streamlining vehicular movement on roads and others to prevent road accidents. This move will reduce the burden on cops deployed in police stations, Mann said in an official statement. He further informed that the Regional Driving Training Centre is equipped with hi-tech technology and it will give major relief to people who want to get heavy vehicle licences, thereby saving their time, money and energy. Mann said the state government is making all-out efforts to remove the blind spots on the roads to avert any casualties. The

Punjab to construct high-security digital jail near Ludhiana: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced the construction of a high-security digital jail over 50 acres of land near Ludhiana

Punjab's excise dept recovers 17,000 kg 'lahan', 320 litres illicit liquor

Punjab government recovered 17,000 kg of 'lahan', used in making illicit liquor, during searches carried out in the last two days in Dasuya area of Hoshiarpur district, an official statement said here on Friday. The excise department also seized 320 litres of illicit liquor and equipment used in the distillation of moonshine, it said. The statement, quoting an official spokesperson of the department, said the teams of excise enforcement, excise officers, and police personnel were deputed to conduct the checking of illicit distillation in Dasuya along the bank of Beas river. A police dog squad, specially trained to detect 'lahan' was also put into service, he said. He said the teams covered an area of about 7 km on foot as well as boats in a well-coordinated operation and Terkiana, Kethana, Badaiyan, Dhanoa, Saidpur, and Bhikhowal villages in Dasuya were extensively mapped and searched. During the searches, it was discovered that the bootleggers had designed a camouflaged modus ...

Record use of Rs 800 cr for rural infra projects by NABARD: Punjab FM

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said the state has "drastically" improved its performance, registering a record utilisation of Rs 800 crore funds in FY23 for the rural infrastructure development projects assisted by NABARD. He was chairing a meeting to review the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) assisted projects, a state government release said. The minister lauded the role of the finance department and NABARD in smooth implementation enabling high utilisation for the ongoing projects. He also thanked NABARD for sanctioning new projects worth Rs 919 crore, the highest so far for Punjab. The minister urged the NABARD team to enhance the allocation of the state to Rs 1,500 crore for new projects in 2023-24 for improving the rural infrastructure. Cheema also focused on the need to give priority to all the sectors for funding projects this year, including roads and bridges, irrigation, drinking water and sanitation, and renewal energ

Punjab to give legal aid to 700 students facing deportation from Canada

Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal Thursday said the state government will provide free legal assistance to around 700 Indian students who are facing deportation from Canada. The Indian students, mostly from Punjab, are facing deportation after the authorities in Canada found admission offer letters to educational institutions to be fake. The matter came to light in March when these students applied for permanent residency in Canada. In a statement, Dhaliwal said most of these students belong to Punjab and they will be assisted by lawyers who are experts in immigration laws in Canada. Besides, Dhaliwal has also written to all MPs of Punjab origin in Canada to solve the issue of these students so that the future of the children can be secured. On Tuesday, Dhaliwal had sought intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in the matter. Presiding over a meeting with civil and police officers associated with the NRI department here, Dhaliwal issued instruction

Sukhbir appeals to leaders who left SAD to rejoin, says ready to apologise

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal Thursday appealed to all leaders who had left his party in the last few years to rejoin, saying he was ready to apologise if he was at fault. He made the statement after welcoming two Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) members who had supported the candidature of Bibi Jagir Kaur in November last year for the post of president of the apex gurdwara body into the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). He welcomed the two SGPC members Harpal Singh Jalla from Payal and Amrik Singh Janaitpur from Ambala to the party fold, according to a party release here. Badal said another 10 to 15 SGPC members who had supported Bibi Jagir Kaur would rejoin the SAD in the coming days. The SAD chief also appealed to all leaders who had left the party during the last few years to rejoin the mother party. "If I am at fault anywhere I apologise for the same but we must all unite to defeat the forces who want to weaken the 'Panth', " he asserted. Many party leaders, includin

Punjab gov pitches for surgical strikes as he slams Pak for pushing drugs

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday said surgical strikes should be conducted against Pakistan to teach it a lesson as he accused the neighbouring country of pushing drugs into the Indian territory. Purohit also praised the Punjab government over the issue of drug seizure and tackling drones that are being used to send narcotics from across the border. The governor was on a two-day visit to the border districts of the state. He said the next generation must be stopped from becoming addicts at any cost and added that if Pakistan is playing mischief with India, "one or two surgical strikes should be conducted against it". Purohit expressed satisfaction over the coordination among central agencies, such as the Border Security Force (BSF), Army and Intelligence Bureau, and the Punjab Police. Addressing the media here, the governor came down heavily on Pakistan for launching a "hidden war" against India, saying it is doing so as it could not engage in a direct fight against

Health ministry unveils food safety index, Kerala secures top ranking

Among the larger states, Kerala secured the top ranking, followed by Punjab and Tamil Nadu Among the smaller states, Goa emerged as the leader on food safety index