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Sehajdhari issue to be taken up with Centre
Chandigarh, March 19
The Punjab Council of Ministers at its meeting here today decided to convey to the Union Government that the right to vote to the “sehajdhari Sikhs” in the SGPC elections should be kept intact.

Punjab gets ready for wheat procurement
Chandigarh, March 19
With less than a fortnight to go for the official agencies to enter grain markets in Punjab to start procuring wheat, the Union Government is still to announce the minimum support price for the crop.

Bridge urban-rural divide: Hari Jaisingh
Ludhiana, March 19
The print and electronic media in the country is at a critical juncture today and it is time for the media to reorient itself with a view to reflecting popular feelings, besides exposing social evils. This was stated by Mr Hari Jaisingh, Editor of The Tribune, while delivering a keynote address at a regional workshop on “Media and human development with focus on agriculture” at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) here today.

Amarinder for PPCC working president
Chandigarh, March 19
The president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, Capt Amarinder Singh, has requested the party high command to appoint a working president of the PPCC.

Mann’s grandfather ‘honoured’ Gen Dyer
Amritsar, March 19
The SGPC chief, Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, has opened a new front against Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, member of Parliament and president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), today. He said General Dyer, who was responsible for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919, was honoured by paternal grandfather of Mr Mann, a close relative of Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister, at Golden Temple.

Liquor likely to be costlier
Amritsar, March 19
The Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and country liquor is likely to be costlier during the coming financial year as the auction of liquor vends of Amritsar and Gurdaspur has registered a phenomenal increase in revenue. The Excise Department, fetched a revenue of Rs 164 crore from the auction. The Chief Secretary, Mr Y.S. Ratra, has been personally monitoring the auction.

Simultaneous poll to panchayati raj bodies
Chandigarh, March 19
The Punjab Government has decided to hold elections to village panchayats, block samitis and zila parishads simultaneously.

Police questions VC’s ex-PA
Patiala, March 19
The local police picked up Ms Kiran Sharma, who had joined Punjabi University along with Vice-Chancellor Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia as his personal assistant when he had taken charge, last evening for questioning and let her off after two hours.

Notice to Punjab in VC case

Consumer Protection Day a fiasco
Bathinda, March 19
A meeting convened by the district administration to observe Consumer Protection Day yesterday became a mere formality as representatives of various departments were not present to answer the queries of consumers invited for the meeting.

Court orders police protection for two
Chandigarh, March 19
The Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday directed Patiala’s Senior Superintendent of Police to give “adequate protection” to two Barnala residents — Karnail Singh and Harjeet Singh — reportedly rescued by CBI’s investigating officer from alleged illegal detention.

Scrap Punjab Medical Council, says IMA
Jalandhar, March 19
The Punjab unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought the scrapping of the Punjab Medical Council, constituted by former Punjab Health Minister Manoranjan Kalia allegedly by taking “his own men” in the last month of the SAD-BJP rule in the state in contravention of the Section 5 of the Punjab Medical Registration Act 1916.

Bank recruitment on ‘fake’ caste certificates
Amritsar, March 19
More than 200 recruitment are alleged to have been made by a bank by submitting fake caste certificates.

OBCs’ plea to implement Mandal report
Bathinda, March 19
The OBC Welfare Association has urged the Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission report as was promised by the Congress during the election campaign. Meanwhile it said the SAD was defeated in the Assembly elections because it had ignored the interests of the OBCs.

Dowry death: residents want in-laws arrested
Bathinda, March 19
The OBC Welfare Association has urged the Haryana police to arrest the in-laws of Manju Bala Sain, a city girl, who was allegedly killed for bringing inadequate dowry.

Plan to set up religious board

5 killed in mishaps

OSD honoured

Expert defends growing of BT cotton
Bathinda, March 19
Dr Kirpal Singh Aulakh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), while hinting that a lobby was opposing the cultivation of BT+ cotton in the country, yesterday said when the same could not cause any harm in the USA where it was being cultivated then, how it could harm in India.

ADMINISTRATION

Varsity study to help formulate fiscal policies
Amritsar, March 19
To facilitate the government in formulating its economic policies, Guru Nanak Dev University has decided to undertake a study and prepare a report on the economy of the state. Ten teachers of the Department of Punjab School of Economics have been engaged for the purpose. The university has sanctioned adequate grant from its own resources for the purpose.

PSEB to set up grievances cells
Patiala, March 19
The PSEB has decided to set up grievances cells at the circle, divisional and subdivisional levels to expeditiously redress grievances of consumers regarding wrong or inflated bills.

EDUCATION

Medical colleges to get autonomy
Amritsar, March 19
Health and Family Welfare and Medical Research and Education Minister Ramesh Chander Dogra today said medical colleges in the state would be granted autonomy.

Tech festival results
Malout, March 19
Students of various engineering institutes participated in Tech Fiesta 2002, which concluded at the local Malout Institute of Management and Technology on Sunday. The results of various events held during the festival are as follows.

Students demand grace marks