Page 7 - Punjab

Amazon India expands infra in Punjab to meet festive season demand

Amazon India on Monday said it is gearing up to meet rising customer demand across high-growth categories, such as home, electronics, fashion and grocery, among others, ahead of Amazon Great Indian Festival (AGIF). The company has also expanded its operations network with a new fulfilment centre in Rajpura, Punjab, creating new job opportunities in the region, it said. According to the company, Punjab has over 46,000 sellers across categories, such as sports, apparel, beauty, and kitchen, selling their products on the online marketplace. This festive season, customers in Chandigarh are showing a marked preference for premium products across all categories. The home, kitchen and outdoors categories have emerged as a key growth driver for Amazon across Chandigarh and Punjab, the company said. These categories witnessed a double-digit growth in both regions, along with a 20 per cent rise in new customers across the state. Chandigarh saw a demand growth for dehumidifiers (105 per cent

Govt forms teams to assess flood damage in HP, J&K, Punjab and Uttarakhand

The government has constituted Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir to assess the damage caused by heavy rainfall, floods, flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides, officials said. The IMCTs would make on-the-spot assessment of the situation and relief works being carried out by the state governments. The Ministry of Home Affairs constituted the IMCTs on the direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, an official statement said. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government stands shoulder to shoulder with the states affected by natural calamities in mitigating the hardships faced by the people, it said. Early next week, the Central teams will visit the flood/landslide-affected districts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, which have been severely affected by heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and incidents of flash flood, cloudburst and landslide during the current monsoon ..

Punjab floods: CM Mann writes to PM Modi, seeks release of ₹60,000 cr

Highlighting Punjab's plight due to one of the worst flood disasters in decades, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to release Rs 60,000 crore of the "state's funds", which he claimed are "stuck" with the Centre. Mann also sought revision in the norms for funds available in the State Disaster Response Fund(SDRF), saying that his government wanted to pay at least Rs 50,000 per acre to affected farmers. Punjab is under the grip of massive floods, caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. In the letter to PM Modi, Mann stated that Punjab was currently grappling with one of the worst flood disasters in decades, impacting about 1,000 villages and lakhs of people. "Heavy monsoon rains, coupled with the release of waters from dams, have caused extensive flooding in seven districts, namely Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Amritsa

IAF rescues 46, air-drops 750 kg relief in Punjab's flood-hit areas

Superintendents of Police (SSPs) are actively engaged in coordinating rescue and relief efforts, according to official

Flood-hit Punjab: Rescue efforts intensify, boats evacuate stranded people

Rescue efforts by NDRF, Army, and other agencies are being intensified in Punjab, which is under the grip of massive floods following days of heavy rains. On Wednesday, Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh said boats have been deployed to rescue people stuck in flooded areas of the Ajnala area. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney visited the area to take stock of the flood-like situation because of the rising water level in the Ravi river. A swollen Ravi has inundated many villages near the India-Pakistan border in Pathankot. Several teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed in Sujanpur, Atepur and Baheri areas to evacuate people from flooded areas on Wednesday, officials said. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal urged people not to panic and asked them to call up a control room number for any support. He said the NDRF, the Army have been engaged in providing all support in the affected areas. Two relief camps ha

Espionage case: Court extends YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's custody till Sep 3

A Hisar court on Monday extended till September 3, the judicial custody of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested in May on suspicion of espionage. Melhotra appeared before judicial magistrate (first class) Sunil Kumar, who remanded her to judicial custody till September 3, her lawyer Kumar Mukesh said. Malhotra, who hails from Hisar and ran a YouTube channel "Travel with JO", was arrested by Hisar Police on May 16. She was arrested at the New Aggarsain Extension and booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). On June 9, a court rejected her regular bail plea. Police had then opposed the bail, arguing that the investigation in this case was still underway. Hisar Police previously said no evidence emerged to indicate Malhotra had access to any military or defence-related information, but claimed she was in contact with some people and was aware that they were Pakistani intelligence operatives. Police sources had previously said sh

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 ...