Page 55 - Punjab

Upcoming G-20 summit will promote Punjab for business, says CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the G-20 summit, scheduled to be held in the holy city of Amritsar in March 2023, will promote the state as a preferred destination

'Old pension scheme to be restored in Punjab, will do same in Gujarat, HP'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday congratulated government employees in Punjab after the state cabinet gave its nod to the restoration of the old pension scheme and promised that the AAP would do so in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, if it is voted to power in the upcoming polls. The old pension scheme should be restored and implemented all over the country, he said, terming the new pension scheme unfair. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor's promise to the state government employees of the poll-bound Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh came after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced his government's decision to restore old pension scheme. "We had promised that we would implement the old pension scheme in Punjab. Today Bhagwant Mann fulfilled the promise. Congratulations to all the employees of Punjab, Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi. The old pension scheme should be restored and implemented all over the country, he said. "If the people of Himachal Pradesh a

Punjab govt decides to restore old pension scheme for its employees

The Punjab government on Friday took an in-principle decision to restore the old pension scheme for its employees. Giving a Diwali gift, the government has decided to implement the old pension scheme, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced after a meeting of the state cabinet here. "We have taken in-principle decision to this effect in the cabinet meeting. This will benefit lakhs of employees...We are bringing Punjab under the old pension scheme," he said. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that employees will be given the option to join the old pension scheme. Mann, a month ago, had said that his government is considering restoring the scheme for government employees. Restoration of the old pension scheme, which was discontinued in 2004, has been one of the major demands of state government employees. In August last year, Cheema, a senior Aam Aadmi Party leader, had promised to restore the old pension system if the party was voted to power in Punjab.

Farmers' protest near Punjab CM's house in Sangrur enters 12th day

A protest by farmers near Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's residence in Sangrur district over various demands, including compensation for crop damage due to rains and pest attack, entered the 12th day on Thursday. The protesters under the banner of Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) threatened to intensify their stir if the AAP government did not accept their demands. Farmers went on an indefinite protest on October 9 near Patiala Road over various demands, including compensation for crop damage due to rains and pest attacks, Rs 200 per quintal for managing paddy stubble, compensation for land acquisition, compensation to dairy farmers whose livestock died due to lumpy skin disease and MSP for crops like maize, moong and basmati. "We have started gheraoing one side of the road leading to the residence of the chief minister," said BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan. If the AAP government continues with its lax attitude" towards these demands, then the

Punjab rapped for failure to control stubble burning surge ahead of Diwali

On Monday and Tuesday, 1,045 events of stubble burning were reported as against 114 events during the same period in 2021

Punjab CM, Union minister inaugurate largest Bio energy project in Sangrur

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann along with Union petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday inaugurated the country's largest bio energy plant constructed at a cost of Rs 230 crore here. Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said this step will go a long way in wiping out the menace of paddy straw burning from the state. Germany-based Verbio Group's Indian subsidiary has set up the plant. This is the largest biofuel (biomethane/bio-CNG) production unit in India with 33 TPD (tonnes per day) capacity of compressed biogas, said Mann. The annual straw consumption in this unit will be 1.30 lakh tonnes, he said, adding that it will help in solving the problem of paddy straw burning. Set up over 20 acres of land, this unit will contribute to an annual reduction of 1.50 lakh metric tonnes of pollutants and 20,000 MT of fly ash currently produced due to paddy straw burning, said an official release quoting Mann. This unit will also give employment to 1,000 youth, he said,

Pakistan drone shot by BSF at Punjab border; third incident in 4 days

A Pakistani drone carrying suspected narcotics has been shot down by the Border Security Force along the International Border in Punjab's Amritsar, an official said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday around 8:30 pm in Chhana village of the district, a BSF spokesperson said. This is the third such incident in the past four days at the Punjab front. "Troops of 183rd battalion deployed at border heard buzzing sound of suspected flying object/drone entering from Pakistan into Indian territory in the area falling near Chhana village in Amritsar district," the spokesperson said. "As per drill, the troops tried to intercept the suspected flying object by firing. Bullet hit the drone due to which it fell down on the ground," the spokesperson said. A quad copter carrying about 2.5 kgs of suspected narcotics was later recovered from the incident area, he said. On October 16, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying drugs was similarly neutralised at this front. In the interven

Punjab leaders slam Kejriwal for comparing Sisodia, Jain with Bhagat Singh

Opposition parties in Punjab Monday slammed the ruling AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal for comparing party leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain with freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and demanded an unconditional apology from him. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring lashed out at Kejriwal for his Sunday comments and said it was for the first time in history that someone had invoked the great martyr's name for corruption. He asked why the Delhi chief minister was scared of investigations. While alleging that the BJP-led Centre of "misusing" probe agencies like the CBI, Warring claimed that the way the AAP government was "misusing" the Vigilance Bureau in Punjab, the matter will eventually go to court. "Just because you say Sisodia is like Bhagat Singh does not make him a martyr. Martyrdom is not achieved for corruption," the Punjab Congress chief said. Ridiculing the Aam Aadmi Party's procession as Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia headed towards the CBI ..

Delhi records 635 new dengue infections in first half of October: Report

Of the 1,572 dengue cases recorded this year, as many as 693 were reported in September alone

Bengal farmer earns 3 times less than Punjab counterpart: NABARD report

A recent report titled "Farmers' Welfare: An analysis across states of India," by the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD) has pointed out that West Bengal's farming sector is lagging behind other states on two crucial counts.

Punjab, Haryana chief ministers meet over Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday met with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue

Main accused in RPG attack at Mohali's intelligence HQ arrested from Mumbai

Punjab Police's Counter Intelligence, in a joint operation with a central agency and Maharashtra ATS, apprehended Charat Singh, the main accused in Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack case

700 stubble fires in Punjab this year so far: State Agriculture Minister

As many as 700 incidents of stubble burning reported in Punjab so far this year, said the state's Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Wednesday

Kotkapura firing: Punjab Police SIT questions SAD's Parkash Singh Badal

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Punjab Police probing the 2015 Kotkapura police firing case has been questioning former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at his residence here, sources said on Wednesday. The SIT is led by Additional Director General of Police L K Yadav. Badal was the chief minister of Punjab when the police firing took place in 2015. On September 14, the SIT had had questioned Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal in connection with the case. The incidents relate to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of the Guru Granth Sahib, handwritten sacrilegious posters, and pages of the holy book being torn at Bargari in Faridkot seven years ago. These incidents had triggered protests during which two people were killed at Behbal Kalan and few injured at Kotkapura in police firing. The Akali Dal had earlier accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of doing politics over the case in order to divert people's attention from its "failures".

Bhupender Yadav holds meeting on air pollution with NCR states, Punjab

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav held a virtual meeting with the Environment Ministers of Delhi, NCR states, and Punjab to manage the issue of air pollution in NCR

Haryana CM Khattar to meet Bhagwant Mann on Oct 14 over SYL canal issue

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will meet to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue on October 14. The discussion between the two chief ministers has been scheduled after the Supreme Court had recently nudged them to meet and try to find an amicable solution. We will definitely try to find a way to resolve the issue, Khattar told reporters here on Tuesday. Last month, he had said water from the SYL was crucial for Haryana. "On one hand, we are not getting this water, while on the other, Delhi is demanding more water from us. Fixing a deadline to resolve this issue at the earliest has become very essential," he had said. In Punjab, opposition parties had recently asked Mann to stand up for the state's cause over the issue. Water sharing from the SYL canal has been a bone of contention between the two states for several decades. Punjab has been demanding a reassessment of the Ravi-Beas river waters' volume while Haryana

Punjab Police busts five terror modules, arrests 17 terrorists in 10 days

Punjab Police has busted five terrorist modules in the state and also arrested 17 terrorists in the last 10 days, according to the police on Monday

Punjab transport dept sees 45% jump in revenue during 2022-23 fiscal

The Punjab transport department on Monday said its revenue in the first six months of this fiscal is 45 per cent more than that of the corresponding period of the last financial year. In a statement issued here, Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said the three wings of the department -- State Transport Commissioner, Pepsu Road Transport Corporation and Punjab Roadways -- earned Rs 1,957.64 crore from April to September in this fiscal. This is 45.07 per cent higher than the same period of the previous financial year, he said. Revenue of Rs 1,349.43 crore was collected in the corresponding period of the last fiscal. He said the increase in revenue was witnessed because of the concerted efforts of the Bhagwant Mann government to crackdown against tax evaders and operators plying buses without permits.

Punjab farmers shifting to sustainable ways of getting rid of crop residue

A handful of farmers in Punjab have started disposing crop residue -- which is usually burnt and causes air pollution -- in a sustainable manner, either by using it as natural fertiliser or selling it for fuel production. These farmers have not only reduced consumption of fertilisers by mixing crop residue in the soil but have also begun to monetise the practice by managing the stubble of other growers. Bhupinder Singh (59), who cultivates 30 acres of land in Badarpur, the last village of Mohali district, has not been burning paddy stubble since 2018. Instead, he mixes it with soil using an MB plough, a tillage equipment. "After which the land is ready for sowing the next crop wheat." He says that after it is buried, stubble residue gets decomposed within a week. "With the absorption of stubble in soil, the consumption of fertiliser has dropped. Earlier, we used to use potash for wheat crop which we no longer do," he says. "Farmers do not want to burn stubble. When a grower find

Punjab Guv takes exception as Mann skips Murmu's reception; AAP hits back

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit took exception to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann skipping the reception held for President Droupadi Murmu during her maiden visit to Chandigarh on Saturday. While welcoming Murmu at the Raj Bhavan, the governor noted Mann's absence from the event. Purohit said he had invited Mann for the civic reception. "He (Mann) had even accepted it. He may have some compulsions," the governor said. According to Purohit, Mann instead sent a representative. "No matter how occupied one is, I feel it is important to fulfill one's constitutional responsibility," he asserted. Cabinet minister Aman Arora, who attend the event, reacted sharply to Purohit's statements and said it was unfortunate that the governor raised a "political issue" from the Raj Bhavan stage. In a statement, Arora said Mann had a pre-confirmed event and had hence deputed him instead to receive and welcome the President. Arora said five other cabinet ministers and all senior bureaucrats attended