Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, raised the issue of the severe economic crisis in Punjab during today’s session. He stated that the state is burdened with a debt of Rs 3.74 lakh crore, and it has become increasingly difficult to pay the interest installments on this debt. Seechewal emphasized that Punjab is facing several serious challenges that require urgent attention, such as the significant decline in the groundwater level. The issues of debt and the water crisis in Punjab were raised at the center just ahead of the state’s budget presentation tomorrow, wh

Narayan Singh Chaura has been granted bail by an Amritsar court in connection with the shooting case involving former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. Chaura had been in judicial custody for nearly four months. Chaura had attempted to shoot Sukhbir Singh Badal while he was performing religious duties at the gate of Sri Harmandir Sahib. While granting bail, the Amritsar court stated that the investigation into the case is nearly complete, and there is no compelling reason to keep the accused in jail any longer. The shooting incident occurred on December 3, and Chaura was arres

Amritpal Singh, MP from the Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha constituency in Punjab and leader of the ‘Waris Punjab De’ organization, may be transferred to Punjab from Dibrugarh Jail in Assam in April. His National Security Act (NSA) detention is set to end on April 22. In addition, Amritpal Singh's associate, Pappalpreet Singh, could be brought back after April 10. Another associate, Varinder Singh Fauji, is also expected to be brought to Amritsar by the Punjab Police by tonight. He will be presented in the Ajnala court tomorrow, where his remand will be sought. A case has been filed against all

The Ministry of External Affairs of India has denied political clearance for Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian to visit the United States. Khudian was scheduled for an official trip from March 29 to April 6, but he has confirmed that he did not receive clearance for the visit. The delegation accompanying him has also been denied clearance. This is not the first instance of a Punjab leader being denied political clearance for an official foreign visit. Previously, the Central government had withheld approval for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other ministers to travel abroad

The Narendra Modi-led government in India has announced a 24 percent hike in the salaries of Members of Parliament (MPs). According to a notification issued on Monday, the new salary for current MPs, including allowances, will be Rs 1.24 lakh per month, up from the previous Rs 1 lakh. This salary increase will be effective from April 1, 2023. In addition to this, the pension for former MPs has also been raised from Rs 25,000 to Rs 31,000. The last salary hike for MPs occurred in 2018, when then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley increased their salaries from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to create rules regarding the appointment, retirement, and scope of work for Jathedars following recent controversies. This announcement was made by SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami, who stated that a high-level committee would be formed to address these matters soon. Advocate Dhami further emphasized that the retirement of Jathedars serving at Takht Sahibs would be handled with respect. Efforts will also be made to honor the Singh Sahibs who have retired for their services. Dhami acknowledged that, given the current

Amid the heated issue of farmers being detained in Punjab, the Punjab government has informed the High Court that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is not in police custody and is free to go anywhere. The government clarified that Dallewal, leader of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha Non-Political, has been admitted to a private hospital in Patiala with his consent. Taking cognizance of the arguments made by the petitioner’s lawyers, a bench headed by Justice Manisha Batra directed the Punjab government to ensure necessary arrangements for Dallewal to reunite with his family members without any hin

Farmer leaders chose not to attend the meeting called by the Punjab government on Friday to discuss issues with farmers. Prior to the meeting with the state government, a session of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha was held, where all parties unanimously decided to skip the talks. The Punjab government had invited leaders from the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ugrahan for a meeting in Chandigarh, days after clearing protest sites at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Farmers claim that the Aam Aadmi Party used police force to open the borders in an attempt to appease traders and s

The Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana, which had been closed for 13 months due to the farmers' agitation, was reopened on Friday, allowing traffic to flow once again on the Delhi-Patiala highway. Haryana Police removed the cement barricades to facilitate the reopening. Earlier, on March 20, the Shambhu border between Ambala and Patiala was also reopened by Punjab Police. On March 19, both the Shambhu and Khanauri borders were cleared of farmers who had been protesting there for over a year, led by Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, to press their demands.