Rs 5.87-cr penalties recovered under Punjab’s ‘Bill Liyao Inam Pao’ scheme
Chandigarh: Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday announced a significant crackdown on vendors issuing invalid bills under the 'Bill Liyao Inam Pao' scheme, with penalties totaling Rs 7.63 crore imposed and Rs 5.87 crore already recovered. Highlighting the scheme’s success, Cheema said that out of 1604 notices issued to vendors for billing discrepancies, 711 have been resolved leading to 123 new GST registrations, indicating improved tax compliance. Prizes worth Rs 1.37 crore have also been awarded to 2353 'Bill Liyao Inaam Pao' scheme winners to date.
Govt should arrange permanent housing for displaced families: MP Selja
Chandigarh: Senior Congress leader and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja on Friday alleged that the BJP Government has made the lives of Sirsa Ther displaced families miserable. These 730 displaced families have been temporarily settled in Housing Board flats, where they are deprived of basic amenities and are troubled by issues related to electricity, drinking water, and sewage. Selja said that she has written a letter to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, requesting permanent housing for the displaced families. The High Court has also ordered to provide permanent housing, not temporary, she added.
Punjab to release Rs 45-cr margin money to ration depot holders
Chandigarh: Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Friday said that to support depot holders, Rs 45 crore will be deposited in their bank accounts as margin money for the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Over the past year, Rs 61.45 crore in margin money or commission has already been disbursed under NFSA. Kataruchak emphasized the state’s commitment to depot holders’ welfare, highlighting initiatives like dedicated ePOS machines and upcoming Electronic Weighing Machines for efficient foodgrain distribution.
Govt claims tourism accessible in HP despite heavy rains
Shimla: A spokesperson from Himachal Pradesh's Tourism and Civil Aviation Department reassured on Friday that recent reports of extensive road blockages due to heavy rains and landslides are overstated. While some areas have been affected, most roads across the state remain open for tourists and the public. The government remains committed to ensuring safe travel and enjoyable holidays in popular destinations like Shimla, Manali, and Dharamshala, with ongoing efforts to clear any disruptions promptly, added the official.
PU reserves 25% supernumerary seats for international students**
Chandigarh: Panjab University, Chandigarh, has revised its seat reservation policy in line with UGC guidelines, replacing the previous five percent quota for Foreign National students with 25 percent supernumerary seats in all undergraduate and postgraduate courses (except BDS/MDS course or any other course governed by a regulatory body which does not allow additional seats) from the academic session 2024-25. These seats are exclusively for students holding foreign passports, aimed at enhancing international diversity and the university's global stature.
HP CM directs immediate restoration of landslide-hit area near DDU Hospital
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, after conducting an on-site inspection of the landslide-affected area near Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital Shimla on late Thursday night, directed the authorities to expedite restoration work and ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement in the area. He said that the circular road was the lifeline of Shimla city and adequate police personnel should be deployed to facilitate both local residents and tourists.
Punjab Police launches plantation drive to welcome monsoons
Chandigarh: A day after Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann gave a clarion call to enhance green cover in the State, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Friday planted a Bottle Palm sapling at Punjab Police Headquarters (PPHQ) to commence a state-level tree plantation drive under slogan “Aao Rukh Lagayiae, Dharti Maa nu Bachayiae”. Terming the initiative as an environment-friendly approach to fight global warming, DGP Yadav said that thousands of saplings of different species including Bottle Palm, Maulsari, Amaltas, Teak, Terminalia Arjuna, etc will be planted across all the Police Districts/Units under this plantation drive initiated by the Punjab Police. DGP also directed all the concerned authorities to ensure proper care of all the trees and plants they have planted in their concerned Districts/Units.
MCC organizes health camp for sanitation workers
Chandigarh: To support the health of its sanitation workers, the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh on Friday organized a comprehensive health camp under Safai Apnao Bimaari Bhagao campaign in collaboration with the TCI Foundation and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC) at Pink MRF Centre, Sector-25. The health camp aligns with SBM and MCC’s mission for the welfare of the Safaimitras. The health camp was open to all sanitation workers employed in collecting garbage from households and commercial areas, as well as those working at the MRFs for Solid Waste Management processing.
35 BLOs suspended in Gurugram for negligence in election work
Gurugram: Gurugram District Election Officer (DEO) and Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav has ordered the suspension of 35 booth-level officers (BLO) for negligence in special campaign being run to add and remove names from the voter list on Friday. This includes 22 BLOs of the Gurgaon Assembly, seven of Pataudi Assembly, four of Sohna Assembly, and two of the Badshahpur Assembly. Yadav said that as per the guidelines of Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, the BLOs had to complete the work of home-to-home verification according to their booth by July 4, but 35 BLOs related to the four assemblies have been negligent by not completing the election work on time.
