UT to hold Run for Unity on October 31
Chandigarh: A ‘Run for Unity’ will be organised on October 31 to celebrate National Unity Day (Rashtriya Ekta Diwas) in the City Beautiful. The UT Administration will organise the ‘Run for Unity’ at 7.30 am from Sukhna lake to Rock Garden. Home Secretary, Anil Kumar said, the ‘Run for Unity’ symbolises the expression of solidarity and unity amongst the citizens of this country with varied cultural and traditional background. Chandigarh being a cosmopolitan city truly reflects the unity in cultural diversity and surely the people and youngsters will join the run in the morning of October 31, which is also Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.
BJP asks Punjab govt to reduce bus fare
ludhiana: Punjab BJP on Wednesday minced no words to say that the Badal Government was not reducing the bus fare as “Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal desire to increase profitability of bus companies owned by him”. Asking the SAD-BJP led State Government to practise what they preach — Raj Nahi Sewa (no rule, but service), senior BJP leader Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal asked the Punjab Government to reduce bus fares immediately as the Centre had slashed diesel prices by `3.37 per litre. Grewal’s demand came a day after when the State Transport Minister clarified that any change in diesel prices would be made only in the next quarter, starting from January 1 as per the formula fixed by the state government. Grewal asked the Government to reduce the burden on the pockets of over 8.5 lakh passengers traveling everyday on Government-owned buses. “In addition to Government buses, an estimated five lakh commuters ply on buses owned by Sukhbir Badal and other private players,” he said.
Explain dealings with criminals, SAD asks Bajwa
Chandigarh: The ruling SAD on Wednesday asked Punjab Congress president Partap Bajwa to explain his dealings with criminals. The party also asked Bajwa to disclose why he used hardened criminals to brow beat his opponents in the party during the Congress national vice-president, Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the city. “The cat is out of the bag and it is now a proven fact that Bajwa routinely hobnobs with criminals and even uses them to settle political scores,” alleged SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal while speaking about recent revelations that a gangster of notorious Paras gang, Pala Brar, was especially summoned by the Congress president to the Punjab Congress Bhawan during Rahul Gandhi’s visit. “Does anyone allow this kind of access, including that to the stage during such an important function, to a mere son of a former neighbor as Bajwa is claimingIJ” the SAD leader asked.
Start Unified Service Delivery hubs, Sukhbir to CS
Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday asked Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal to start citizen centric services through Unified Service Delivery Centres in rural areas by mid 2015 so that rural population could get hassle free needful services in minutes. While finalising the draft outlined and internal setup of the centres, Badal asked the Chief Secretary to ensure the functioning of these centres as per the deadline to provide citizen centric services in a minimum time. He directed the officers present in the meeting that Punjab had fixed deadline to initiate this project with existing services in rural areas, which should be completed in positive manner. He said that all formalities in this regard should be completed within a month besides concluding construction of these 1,750 rural service centres by coming May. The Deputy CM asked the Chief Secretary to identify sites on outer roads of villages. He said that all concerned departments would work in tandem with Chief Secretary for early completion of this project.