Page 6 - Punjab

Lift 15-20% coal need via rail-ship-rail mode: PowerMin to Punjab utility

The power ministry has asked the Punjab power utility PSPCL to start lifting 15-20 of its domestic coal requirement through rail-ship-rail mode, while highlighting that the transport of dry fuel would be cheaper than the import of coal. The ministry in a letter to Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) stated that the transport of fossil fuel using the rail-ship-rail (RSR) mode is though costlier than all rail route, it is cheaper than importing coal. "The matter was further discussed in the meeting....chaired by secretary power with states/gencos in which PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd) also participated...It was decided to operationalise the RSR plan from January, 2023 onward by NTPC and all the state Gencos having TPPs in Northern and Western part of the country," the power ministry said in a letter to PSPCL. Central and state gencos were also advised to plan to cover 15-20 per cent of their total domestic coal requirements using RSR mode. The ministry asked PSPCL

AAP has pushed back Punjab into age of darkness: Sukhbir Singh Badal

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday accused the AAP government in Punjab of pushing the state back into the "age of darkness by bankrupting" its power utility and refusing to give incentives to the industrial sector. Addressing a press conference here, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government had not generated a single unit of power during its tenure. "It is simultaneously not paying subsidy due to PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited) which is bankrupting the power utility," he said. Noting that part of the power needs of the state were being served by two thermal plants in Rajpura and Talwandi Sabo, he said, "These thermal plants supply power to the state at Rs 2.80 per unit. The shortfall in demand is being filled by purchasing power at Rs 8 to 10 per unit." "The situation would get worse in the summer. This will threaten paddy crop besides dealing a crippling blow to the industrial sector," Badal said. The SAD leader clai

Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab cabinet nod to scheme to train teachers abroad

The Punjab Cabinet on Friday gave its nod to the implementation of a scheme for training of teachers abroad. Under this scheme, the Department of School Education will send a batch of 36 principals to the Principals Academy in Singapore and 30 principals to the National Institute of Education, an autonomous institute of the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in FY 2022-23, according to an official statement. "The training will expose them to state-of-the-art teaching practices, leadership skills, creation of teaching-learning materials and audio-visual technology," it said. "It will be helpful to obtain objectives of education in the post-pandemic world, essentials of strategic management, shaping school culture, building teachers' professional capital, curriculum leadership, mentoring, and lesson observation skills, innovation in teaching and learning and effective communication," the statement added. The Cabinet met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant

BSF troops shoot down Pak UAV along Punjab border, contraband recovered

A Pakistani drone entering into India from along the International Border in Punjab has been shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) troops on Friday, a senior officer said. The unmanned aerial vehicle was downed around 2:30 am near border post Rear Kakkar in the Amritsar sector of the state. The drone has been recovered this morning between the border fence and zero line. A packet containing suspected contraband has also been recovered with it, a BSF spokesperson said. Further search for possible drone droppings is underway in the area, he said.

Punjab govt giving major push to food processing sector: CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has said that the state government is giving a major push to the food processing sector, which will create job opportunities for youth on one hand and immensely benefit farmers as well. "The state government is giving a major push to the food processing sector in Punjab ..," Mann said. The Chief Minister also said that the state government will soon set up 20 dedicated Rural Industrial Hubs across the state. He said that these hubs will be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to facilitate industrialists in setting up their units. These hubs will boost industrial development. Mann assured fulsome support and cooperation to the industrialists opting for setting up their units in these hubs adding that the state government is fully committed to accelerate industrial development in Punjab. Punjab is organising the 5th 'Progressive Punjab Investors Summit' on February 23 and 24 in Mohali. As a run up to the Summit, a mini-conclave was org

Cold weather prevails as minimum temperatures drop in Punjab, Haryana

Cold weather conditions prevailed in most places of Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday as minimum temperatures dropped by a few notches. Parts of south Punjab, south, south-western and north Haryana were enveloped in fog. Ferozepur in Punjab recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius, Amritsar 5.3 degrees Celsius and Pathankot 6.4 degrees Celsius according to the meteorological department. Piercing chill prevailed in Gurdaspur, Faridkot and Patiala, which recorded minimum temperatures of 5.5 degrees Celsius, 5.4 degrees Celsius and 7.8 degrees Celsius respectively. Ludhiana's minimum temperature settled at 9 degrees Celsius. In Haryana, Sirsa reeled under severe chill, recording a low of 5.4 degrees Celsius. Karnal recorded a minimum temperature of 7.2 degrees Celsius while Hisar registered a low of 7.9 degrees Celsius. Bhiwani's minimum temperature settled at 8.7 degrees Celsius while in Ambala it was 9.4 degrees Celsius. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states

R-Day: Punjab Regiment best marching contingent; Uttarakhand's tableau best

Punjab Regiment was adjudged as the best marching contingent, and Uttarakhand bagged the top prize for best tableau

26,074 govt jobs given in just 10 months: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said his government has given 26,074 jobs to the youth since coming to power 10 months ago. Addressing a gathering here at the local Municipal Bhawan during a function to hand over appointment letters to 188 Junior Engineers, the chief minister said that "the state is witnessing a new revolution where the youth are being empowered with government jobs." As many as 26,074 jobs have been given in the last 10 months based on merit with a completely transparent recruitment process, he said, adding this is just the beginning as more jobs will be given in coming days, he said. Mann said that while the other parties made promises to the people in the run-up of the polls in the state last year, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had guaranteed to deliver those promises. "One by one all these guarantees are being fulfilled," he said. AAP came to power in the state in March last year. He further said that the state government also fulfilled the guarantee of

Groundwater charges set to be levied on non-exempted users in Punjab

Charges for extracting ground water in Punjab will be levied on all non-exempted users, including the industry, starting next month, with the state water regulation and development authority notifying directions in this regard. The new directions, however, do not cover groundwater use for agriculture, drinking and domestic purposes, said an official statement here, adding that the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority (PWRDA) has notified Punjab Groundwater Extraction and Conservation Directions, 2023. The directions also exempt government water supply schemes, military and central paramilitary establishments, urban local bodies, panchayati raj institutions, cantonment boards, improvement trusts, area development authorities and places of worship, it further said. The exemption has also been provided to all users who extract groundwater less than 300 cubic metres per month, it added. All non-exempted users shall have to submit an application to the authority for seeking

Myopic mindset: Punjab CM Mann slams centre for excluding state's tableau

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday slammed the BJP-led Union government for deliberately excluding his state's tableau from the Republic Day parade, saying it reflects the myopic mindset of those in power at the Centre. This discrimination with Punjab is totally unwarranted and undesirable, Mann said while addressing a gathering here after unfurling the national flag during a function to mark 74th Republic Day at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sports stadium. He further said the celebration of any national day without showcasing the contribution of Punjab is unimaginable. Today at the national parade which is taking place in Delhi, Punjab's tableau is not there. Why Punjab's tableau was not there, he asked. It is the result of bad intention, he said while targeting the BJP. It reflects the myopic mindset of those in power at the Centre, he alleged. Earlier, on Wednesday Mann had hit out at the BJP-led Centre for not including the State's tableau for the Republic Day parade

Aam Aadmi clinics in Punjab are political gimmickry: BJP's Tarun Chugh

Chugh claimed that the entire state "knows that the health dispensaries and mini hospitals are being converted into Aam Aadmi clinics for political reasons"

Imran slams EC, says will challenge Punjab caretaker CM's appointment in SC

Pakistan's ex-premier Imran Khan has said he will challenge in the Supreme Court the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, describing him an "enemy" of his party and slamming the election commission for reducing the country to a "Banana Republic". Naqvi was sworn in as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab on Sunday night, hours after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) unanimously decided to appoint him to the post. His appointment came after the ruling party and the opposition in the province failed to reach consensus on a name for the post. Naqvi, who was one of the two candidates suggested by ex-Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, is the owner of a media house and said to be very close to PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari.

Cold weather prevails in Punjab, Haryana with min temp of 5.3 degrees C

Cold weather conditions prevailed in many parts of Punjab and Haryana on Monday, with Rupnagar reeling at a low of 5.3 degrees Celsius. While Rupnagar was the coldest place in Punjab, among other places in the state, Patiala also experienced a cold night at 6.8 deg C. Ludhiana's minimum temperature was at 8.2 deg C, according to the Meteorological Department's weather report. Amritsar recorded a low of 7.6 deg C, Pathankot's minimum temperature was recorded at 7.3 deg C while Bathinda also experienced a cold night at 6.6 deg C. In Haryana, biting cold prevailed in Jhajjar, which recorded a low of 5.3 deg C. Ambala registered a low of 7.6 deg C while Kurukshetra recorded a low of 7.7 deg C. Karnal recorded a low of 7 deg C. Bhiwani and Sirsa recorded respective minimum temperatures of 8.7 deg C and 9 deg C, respectively. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a low of 6.7 deg C.

Punjab's cotton, maize yield to dip by 11-13% by 2050 due to climate change

Climate change is predicted to reduce maize and cotton yield in Punjab by 13 per cent and 11 per cent by 2050, according to a new study conducted by agriculture economists and scientists at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Punjab accounts for around 12 per cent of the total cereals produced in the country. The study published in the Mausam journal of the India Meteorological Department earlier this month used rainfall and temperature data collected between 1986 and 2020 to project the impact of climate change on five major crops -- rice, maize, cotton, wheat, and potato -- in the agrarian state. The researchers collected climate data from five weather observatories of Punjab Agricultural University, ie Ludhiana, Patiala, Faridkot, Bathinda, and SBS Nagar. The researchers -- agricultural economist Sunny Kumar, scientist Baljinder Kaur Sidana and PhD scholar Smily Thakur -- said that long-term changes in climatic variables show that the rise in temperature is driving most of the

Punjab police deepens crackdown on buying, selling synthetic kite strings

The Punjab Police is cracking down on the sale of banned 'Chinese manjha' following a spate of unfortunate incidents during kite flying competitions in the state that left people especially children grievously injured. A few days back, a four-year-old boy received more than 100 stitches on his face after 'China dor', as it is popularly known in Punjab, got entangled around his neck and caused deep cuts near Samrala, in Ludhiana district. It happened as the kid rolled down the window pane of the car he was travelling in and stuck his head out to see kites being flown. He had to be hospitalised in Ludhiana. An Amritsar-based activist, Kirpal Singh Pali, who is among the prominent voices against "China dor" or "Chinese manjha", claimed it is supplied to the state from Noida and then distributed from Ludhiana and Jalandhar. In Amritsar, a 28-year-old man suffered a deep cut around his neck four days ago because of Chinese string and had to get 20 stitches. The kite string got entangled

Punjab's ex-FM Manpreet Singh Badal joins BJP soon after quitting Congress

Earlier in his resignation letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Badal said he was "disillusioned" by the party

After protest, Punjab CM Mann orders closure of liquor factory in Ferozepur

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday ordered the immediate closure of a distillery and ethanol plant in Ferozepur after a months-long agitation against the unit by local villagers

Ensure resumption of flights at Adampur airport by March end: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday asked officials to ensure the resumption of domestic flights at Adampur (Jalandhar) airport by March end. Chairing a review meeting of the Civil Aviation Department here, he said the state government is committed to restart flights at the airport by March end to facilitate the people, according to an official release. Mann said besides saving time, money and energy of the people especially the NRIs, the airport will also give a further boost to the economic development of the region in general and Jalandhar city in particular. It will also boost medical tourism and industrial development, he added. The chief minister also directed the officers to complete the ongoing work of construction of the civil air terminal at Halwara in Ludhiana within three months. He said the government has already released Rs 50 crore for the early completion of work at the civil air terminal. Mann said the timely completion of the project is the need of t

Congress MP Santokh Chaudhary dies during Bharat Jodo Yatra, march halted

Congress' Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary died on Saturday after suffering a cardiac arrest during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, following which the march was halted. He was 76. The two-time MP was taking part in the Rahul Gandhi-led march in Phillaur in Jalandhar where he fainted, said senior party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, who was also marching in the yatra. He said Chaudhary was rushed to a hospital in Phagwara in an ambulance. The yatra was halted following Chaudhary's death and it is learnt that Gandhi has gone to the hospital. Earlier in the morning, the yatra resumed from Ladhowal in Ludhiana as part of its Punjab leg. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed grief over the death of the Congress MP. "I am deeply saddened at the untimely death of Congress Member of Parliament from Jalandhar, Santokh Singh Chaudhary," he said in a tweet in Punjabi. Former Congress leader Amarinder Singh also condoled Chaudhary's death. "Extremely saddened to hear about the sudden demi

Delhi cold wave: IMD predicts fresh spell of very dense fog in Delhi

The India Metrological Department (IMD) has predicted a fresh spell of dense to very dense fog during the night and morning hours in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and UP from Jan 14 to 17