Page 5 - Punjab

Centre 'conspiring' to stop free ration of 5.5 mn people in Punjab: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday charged the BJP-led Centre with "hatching a conspiracy" to stop free ration to 55 lakh people in the state, and asserted that he would not let people's rights be "snatched". In a written message addressed to the people of Punjab, he alleged that the Central government has issued an order that the free ration to 55 lakh people in the state will be stopped. This is the second time within a week that Mann accused the Centre of stopping the ration of people under the National Food Security Act. However, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi has already rejected Mann's allegations, accusing the Punjab government of trying to "spread lies". On Monday, Mann alleged the BJP government at the Centre has decided to stop free ration for 55 lakh people. "Your name is also on that list. Till now, 1.53 crore people were getting ration in Punjab, but the BJP government has decided to end this facility for 55 lakh people," Mann ...

2 killed, several injured as LPG tanker catches fire in Punjab's Hoshiarpur

Two people died and several others were injured when an LPG tanker caught fire late Friday night on the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road, officials said. The blaze spread rapidly and engulfed nearly 15 shops and four to five residential houses in the vicinity of the Mandiala Adda area, said police. The incident took place around 10 pm, they said. Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain and Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Kumar Malik rushed to the spot and supervised rescue operations. Jain said preliminary inquiry suggested that the tanker caught fire after colliding with another vehicle. She said fire tenders and ambulances were immediately mobilised to the spot. "The fire has largely been brought under control. A detailed assessment of the cause of the accident and the extent of damage will be made once the situation is fully stabilised," she added. Civil Surgeon Pawan Kumar said two persons were brought dead to the Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital while 18 to 20 injured were admitted. "Fi

SAEL Industries signs 880 MW solar power PPAs in Gujarat, Punjab

SAEL Industries has signed two power purchase agreements for a combined solar power capacity of 880 megawatt in Punjab and Gujarat. Of the total, 400 megawatt (MW) will be set up in Punjab and 480 MW in Gujarat, the company said in a statement. In Gujarat, SAEL, through its subsidiaries SAEL Solar P Sixteen Private Ltd and SAEL Solar P Seventeen Private Ltd, has signed a PPA with Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) for a total capacity of 480 MW AC of solar photovoltaic (PV) power projects. This includes 240 MW initially allocated and an additional 240 MW awarded under the greenshoe option. The solar project is expected to achieve scheduled commercial operation within 24 months from the PPA signing. GUVNL will procure the solar power at a tariff of Rs 2.56 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for 25 years. In Punjab, SAEL Solar P15 Private has signed a PPA with the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for a 400 MW AC solar photovoltaic power project. Under the terms of the agreem

ED searches Vuenow Infratech premises in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra

The search was conducted on Thursday in premises across Punjab, Haryana and Maharashtra states in connection with money laundering allegations related to the group, ED said in a X post

Cabinet approves 4 new semiconductor projects with ₹4,600 crore investment

Four semiconductor units in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, plus Lucknow Metro's Phase-1B, aim to create jobs, expand connectivity, and boost India's manufacturing base

Two killed, 3 injured in blast at oxygen cylinder plant in Punjab's Mohali

Two persons were killed and three injured in a blast in an oxygen cylinder plant in Punjab's Mohali district on Wednesday, officials said. The incident took place at the unit located in the industrial area in phase-9 in Mohali. Senior officials of police and civil administration, including the sub-divisional magistrate, reached the spot to take stock of the situation. An official said there are two casualties and three persons are severely injured. The injured have been rushed to the Civil Hospital in Mohali.

Punjab becomes first to empanel sign language experts under juvenile law

The announcement was made by Dr Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development. These experts will be deployed district-wise to provide support services to children in need

Punjab Vigilance Bureau raids Ranjit Singh Gill's house after he joins BJP

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Saturday raided the premises of former Akali leader and prominent realtor Ranjit Singh Gill here, a day after he joined the BJP. Several BJP leaders, including Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, condemned the action against Gill, accusing the AAP government of indulging in "political vendetta." Gill was inducted into the BJP by Saini at his official residence here on Friday night. Vigilance bureau sleuths raided Gill's residence in Chandigarh, his office in Mohali's Kharar and another location. The bureau said the searches were conducted in furtherance of investigations into the disproportionate assets case registered against Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia. While the Haryana chief minister accused the AAP government of trying to suppress the voice of people, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, "Jo karange so bharange" (What you sow, so shall you reap). A spokesperson of the bureau said searches were conducted at three premises linke

Over 1,700 Indians deported by US in 2025; most from Punjab, Haryana

The US government has deported 1,703 Indian nationals, including 141 women, so far in 2025, the government informed Parliament on Friday. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written response to another query, also told Lok Sabha that the number of Indian nationals deported from the US in the last five years (2020-2024) stood at 5,541. The number of Indian nationals deported from the UK in the last five years (2020-2024) is 311. In 2025 (till date), the number of Indians deported from the UK is 131, he said. "The actual numbers may vary for two reasons -- those illegal Indian immigrants in possession of valid travel documents are deported directly by the government of the UK. Further, the Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) issued to illegal Indian immigrants may not be fully utilised as the individuals may appeal against their deportation," the MoS said. DMK MP Kanimozhi, in a query to the Ministry of External Affairs, asked whether the government maintai

Punjab announces public holiday on July 31 on Udham Singh's martyrdom

Holiday on July 31: Punjab has declared a public holiday on July 31 to mark Udham Singh's martyrdom anniversary. The government has issued a notification declaring a shutdown in the state

Farmers to get ₹1 lakh per acre until land developed under pooling scheme

Farmers will initially receive Rs 50,000 per acre along with the letter of intent (LOI) within 21 days of applying for the land-pooling scheme, said Punjab Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Monday. He further said the amount of Rs 50,000 will be hiked to Rs 1 lakh per acre when the government takes over the possession of the land. Mundian also said there will be a 10 per cent hike per annum until the land development is complete. The housing and urban development minister held deliberations with the farmers of 164 villages regarding the land-pooling scheme here to get their feedback and address their concerns related to the scheme. Mundian said farmers who opt for the land-pooling scheme can continue farming on the land until the development work on the land starts. The minister said farmers will get the LOI within 21 days of applying for the scheme. The day the government takes possession of the land, the amount of Rs 1 lakh per acre per annum will be given and if the ..

World's oldest marathoner Fauja Singh cremated with state honours in Beas

World's oldest marathoner Fauja Singh, known by the nickname 'Turbaned Tornado', was cremated on Sunday with full state honours here in Beas, his native village. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and Minister Mohinder Bhagat attended the funeral. Fauja Singh's son Harvinder Singh lit the funeral pyre. Fauja Singh was 114 when he was hit by a SUV being driven by Canada-based Amritpal Singh Dhillon on July 14. He was crossing the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway when the incident occurred. Governor Kataria recalled how Fauja Singh walked with him during a Nasha Mukt yatra an anti-drug campaign last year. He said that after walking for 1 km, he asked him to stop but to his surprise, Fauja Singh insisted that they walk. Mourners started thronging Fauja Singh's house in Beas early in the day. His body was kept in a glass casket with his photograph beside it to allow the people to take a last look at the running legend. Later, his body was carried in a

NAPA seeks stricter checks on travel ads as Punjabis fall to trafficking

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has called for stringent scrutiny of foreign job advertisements by travel agents in Punjab, claiming people from the state were falling prey to human trafficking and deceptive migration schemes. Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director of the US-based NAPA, emphasised that every year, hundreds of young Punjabis, driven by the dream of a better future in Western nations, end up being exploited by unregulated agents. These agents often work through sophisticated networks and use flashy advertisements in newspapers, social media, and local TV channels to lure innocent people. "They are promised high-paying jobs abroad, but instead, many are abandoned in transit countries or forced into inhumane conditions. These agents charge anywhere between Rs 20 and 50 lakh, pushing families into lifelong debt," he said. He alleged that unscrupulous agents, operating not only from Punjab but also from metropolitan hubs like New Delhi and even foreign ...

ED raids Punjab de-addiction centres in 'illegal' drugs sale case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided multiple locations in Punjab apart from some in Mumbai as part of a money laundering investigation linked to "illegal" sale of drugs by private de-addiction centres in the northern state, official sources said. The federal probe agency's investigation stems from various FIRs filed by Punjab Police against a doctor named Amit Bansal, a pharmaceutical company, a drugs inspector and some others. Bansal runs 22 drugs de-addiction centres across Punjab, the sources said. The raids are being conducted in Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Barnala in Punjab and in Mumbai, Maharashtra, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. Sources said private de-addiction centres like the ones run by Bansal have been entrusted by the Punjab government to provide BNX (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) medicine to patients, enrolled in their facilities, so that they can be weaned away from narcotics. It was found that these medicines meant for ...

Over 22,000 narcotic smugglers held in Punjab's anti drug campaign

Over 22,000 narcotic smugglers have been arrested so far under a state-level campaign against drugs, officials said on Friday. Under the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' (war against drugs) campaign, Punjab Police on Thursday arrested 113 drug smugglers and recovered 1.5 kg heroin, 5 kg opium, and 31,237 intoxicant pills from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested in 138 days of the campaign has reached 22,377. Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla stated that over 180 police teams, comprising more than 1,300 police personnel, under the supervision of 93 gazetted officers, conducted raids at as many as 433 locations across the state on Thursday. The operation led to the registration of 81 FIRs across the state, Shukla said, adding police teams also checked as many as 483 suspicious persons in the exercise. The state government has also constituted a five-member cabinet subcommittee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against ...

Fauja Singh hit-and-run case: NRI driver arrested, SUV seized in Punjab

Fauja Singh (114) was hit by an SUV on Jalandhar highway; NRI driver Amritpal Singh Dhillon arrested, SUV seized; FIR filed under rash driving and culpable homicide sections

Anti-sacrilege bill will deter future desecration of scriptures: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said the Anti-sacrilege Bill will ensure that no such heinous crime takes place in the future by making provision of the sternest punishment against culprits. Mann stated this while participating in a debate on the 'Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill 2025' on the concluding day of the Special Session of the Punjab Assembly here. The House on Tuesday decided to refer the Bill, which was introduced on Monday, to a Select Committee of the Assembly for seeking views of all stakeholders. Mann said the Guru Granth Sahib is the living Guru, who is highly revered by one and all across the globe. He said the 'Guru Granth Sahib' is a lighthouse of peace and tranquility for the entire mankind, and the Punjab government is "fully alive" to the deep emotional hurt caused by the incidents of sacrilege against the holy 'granths' in the past. He said it is unfortunate that some forces had even gone to an extent of committing

Who was Fauja Singh, the 'Turbaned Tornado' who ran a full marathon at 100?

Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, died at age 114 after being hit by a vehicle in Jalandhar. He was the first centenarian to complete a full marathon

Mann's remark on PM's visits insults constitutional dignity: Haryana CM

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has criticised his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann for his recent remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign visits. Terming them "inappropriate" and an affront to democratic values and dignity of constitutional positions, Saini asked Mann to seek an apology from the nation. The Punjab chief minister had on Thursday criticised Modi for celebrating an honour from a foreign country with just 10,000 population while neglecting the pressing issues of his own nation with 140 crore people. Mann has faced flak from several BJP leaders for the comment. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also expressed strong disapproval, calling the remarks "irresponsible". Without naming Mann, the MEA said that the Government of India "disassociates" itself from the "unwarranted" comments made by a "high state authority" that undermined India's ties with friendly countries. However, Mann raked up the issue again on Friday, this time in the state .

Nuh violence: Have right to worship, says accused; moves Punjab, Haryana HC

Cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi, an accused in the 2023 Nuh violence case, Friday said he has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking permission to take part in a religious procession on July 14, the first Monday of the holy month of Sawan. Bajrangi, who formed the Gau Raksha Bajrang Force, has a long association with controversies. Violence erupted in Nuh in July 2023 during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad procession after it was attacked by a mob. Five people, including two home guards, were killed and many were injured in the clashes. In Gurugram, a naib imam was killed at a mosque amid a series of incidents of arson. This year, Bajrangi submitted an application to the administration to allow him to take part in the Brij Mandal Yatra, but his request is pending. "I have sought permission to go to Nuh for the yatra and have filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. I have the right to worship," said Bittu Bajrangi. Authorities are on high alert for the traditional yat