2.5 Kilograms of Heroin, 23 Kilograms of Charas, seized in 9 months in Hry

Chandigarh:  In the first nine months of this year, Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) registered 315 FIRs against drug smugglers and succeeded in putting 454 drug smugglers behind bars. HSNCB chief additional Director General of Police OP Singh said that the bureau has intensified its operations against drug traffickers, resulting in significant seizures and the apprehension of drug smugglers. Ambala district leads with 39 FIRs and 59 smuggler arrests, while Gurugram district has registered 33 FIRs and detained 35 accused. Kurukshetra has filed 27 FIRs, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Hisar, Karnal have filed 26 each, and Rohtak has filed 24 FIRs. Ambala unit has succeeded in arresting 59 accused, Kurukshetra 51, Hisar 48, Karnal 47, Gurugram 35, and Fatehabad and Faridabad 34-34 accused. During the raids, about 2.5 kg heroin, 23 kg charas, 1370 kg ganja, 41 kg opium, and 1228 kg opium poppy straw have been seized. Till the month of September this year, all the units have seized 4 grams of cocaine, 20 thousand pills, 3964 capsules, 3365 bottles, and 119 drug injections. Specifically for the month of September, Ambala has registered 9 FIRs, Hisar 9, Rohtak and Sirsa 5 each for NDPS cases involving commercial quantities. During the same period, Hisar has arrested 24 individuals, Ambala 13, Faridabad 12, Karnal 10, and Rohtak 8 in cases of commercial drug quantity, he added.

Jauramajra pays tributes to martyr Pardeep Singh

Chandigarh: Punjab Defence Services Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra on Wednesday paid tributes to the martyr Sepoy Pardeep Singh, who sacrificed his life during the terrorist attack in Anantnag of Jammu and Kashmir. During the bhog ceremony of the martyr in his ancestral village Ballamgarh under Samana constituency, Jauramajra, while paying homage on behalf of Chief Minister, said that the entire nation will always be indebted to the unparalleled sacrifice of the martyr. He said that the Punjab Government will spend Rs 99 lakh on various works in the village in the martyr’s memory. The martyr's widow Seema Rani will be appointed as assistant professor at the public college and this appointment has been made, he said, adding that the Chief Minister also handed over Rs one crore cheque to the family as a tribute to the unparalleled sacrifice made by the martyr.

35 cadets of AFPI clear NDA exam, achieving a 76.08% pass percentage

Chandigarh: Adding yet another feather in the cap of Maharaja Ranjit Singh-Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), SAS Nagar (Mohali), as many as 35 cadets of the Institute have cleared the National Defence Academy (NDA)-2 written examination conducted by the UPSC. Notably, 46 cadets of the 12th Course of the institute appeared in the exam, of which, 35 (76.08 per cent) passed the entrance examination for the NDA — the highest percentage achieved by the Institute since its inception. Notably, 19 cadets out of 26 of the previous 11th Course also cleared the examination. These cadets would now be trained for the Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview in the Institute.

Punjab School Edu Dept conducts teachers’ training on Business Blasters Prog

Chandigarh: Punjab School Education Department conducted a comprehensive two-day teachers' training program on ‘Business Blasters Program, wherein approximately 7,000 teachers from 2,000 schools across 23 districts of the state participated. The training program covered various aspects, including problem-solving, teamwork, negotiation, innovation, and other entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, special sessions focused on motivation, teamwork, and real-world situations. The training segments included orientation, curriculum exposure, role-play, and clarifying roles and responsibilities. Spokesperson said that the Business Blasters is a flagship program under ‘Punjab Young Entrepreneurs Program Scheme’, aimed at instilling entrepreneurial mindsets among 11th-grade students in 2,000 Government Senior Secondary Schools across Punjab.
 
PSPCL, PSTCL provide 4151 jobs since April 2022

Chandigarh: Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Wednesday said that 4,151 new recruitments have been made by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL) since April 2022. “PSPCL and PSTCL have issued appointment letters to a total of 4,087 eligible candidates from April 2022 to September 2023 with an aim to provide better services to their valued consumers,” said the Minister, adding that in continuation of this, the Chief Minister handed over appointment letters to 51 electrical cadre and 13 civil cadre assistant engineers during a function held on September 23. The Minister said that all the recruitments were done through a transparent and fair process.

US-based firm Escalon Services invites NGO to unveil office

Chandigarh: Escalon, a US-based Financial Services KPO (Knowledge Process Outsourcing) organization with operations and personnel in the US, India, Norway, and Israel, has expanded its operations in the tricity by opening an expansive office in Mohali’s Sector 67. With this, Mohali - the region’s fast-emerging industrial and IT hub – has got a further boost. It is notable that Escalon was founded by an alumnus of Punjab Engineering College (PEC).
 
CM betrayed Punjabis by not releasing compensation to flood-hit farmers till now: Sukhbir

Ferozepur: SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had betrayed Punjabis by not releasing compensation to flood-hit farmers till now. He also maintained that the sharp increase in the drug menace in Punjab was due to the shelter being provided to the drug mafia by AAP legislators. Sukhbir, addressing a party dharna on the twin issues of the failure of the AAP government to provide compensation to flood hit farmers and the increase in the drug menace, said: “AAP Government is directly responsible for turning large parts of this constituency into a lake in July and is now running away from its responsibility to compensate farmers for the destruction caused to their paddy crop”.

Himachal Governor visits Batseri village and Mastrang Post of ITBP

Shimla: Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla along with Lady Governor Janaki Shukla visited Batseri, the green village of Kalpa sub-division on the last day of his three-day visit to Kinnaur district on Wednesday.
The Governor paid obeisance at the Vishnu Narayan temple in the village and also visited the exhibition organized by Mahila Mandals and other voluntary organizations. "I am happy that the local residents were deeply connected with their culture and customs and have preserved it for ages. ''I have been informed that those living outside the district, on getting retired, make sure to come back to their original roots, to contribute to the development of their region,'' said Shukla.  The Governor said that he visited the 'first villages' under the vibrant village programme during his three days sojourn to the district. Similarly, various Union Ministers have also been directed by the Prime Minister to visit these villages and monitor the development being undertaken. It is the responsibility of every Union Minister to ensure that the benefits of the vibrant village programme reach the people.

Himachal govt likely to eliminate condition of minimum enrollment in recruitment of drawing and PE teachers: CM
 
Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that the State Government was contemplating eliminating the longstanding condition of having a minimum of 100 students in government middle schools of the State for the recruitment of drawing teachers and physical education teachers. The previous BJP Government imposed the condition of enrollment of a minimum of 100 students for appointment of these teachers in the Government Middle Schools on 19th November 2018, a statement said.  Sukhu said that at present, Government middle schools are required to maintain a minimum enrollment of 100 students to appoint drawing teachers and physical education teachers. However, the present government is now dedicated to prioritizing the youth's interests and ensuring that every student receives a comprehensive education. The CM said that the Education Department has been directed to swiftly begin the process of eliminating the same. This proposed change is aimed at expanding educational opportunities and strengthening the teaching workforce throughout the state, he added.