Punjab proposes cess on diesel, petrol

Chandigarh, March 22 With a full thrust on the investment of private capital and engaging of the private sector in the delivery of public services in all social sectors, the Punjab Finance Minister, Mr Surinder Singla, today presented his first Budget imposing the only new tax in the form of a levy chargeable at Re 1 per litre on diesel and 50 paise per litre on petrol to mop up Rs 100 crore. Mr Surinder Singla, Finance Minister of Punjab, on his way to present the Budget at Punjab Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Pradeep Tewari

How it will hit common man
Editorial: Thrust on diversification
Punjab page: Singla spares luxuries, moots cess on diesel

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Services hit as 1 million bankmen strike work
New Delhi, March 22
Banking services across the country were severely crippled today as over one million workers struck work protesting against mergers and acquisitions and allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) up to 74 per cent.
In video (28k, 56k)
Ludhiana page: Strike paralyses banking services
Chandigarh page: Complete strike observed in public sector banks

Special Editorial “Some bare truths” THE President of the Republic is known for being respectful and polite to Members of Parliament and as such he has often to keep his thoughts to himself. But on Monday he decided to break out of the constraints of his office and chose to come out with what he himself described as “some bare truths”.

528 fishermen, 36 youths freed
Wagah, March 22
Emotions ran high when 528 Indian fishermen and 36 youths, mostly Punjabis, crossed over to India here today. While the relatives of the youths were present, no relative of fishermen could arrive here to receive them.

In video: Pakistan arrests Indian fishermen. (28k, 56k) The fishermen released from Pakistan jail cross over to India on Tuesday. — Photo by Rajiv Sharma

Four buried alive near Manali, one in Jammu
Manali, March 22

Four persons were killed when a boulder came crashing down a hillside across the Beas bridge near Manali early this morning. A view of the site where a boulder came crashing down on a kiosk, killing four persons, near Manali in the wee hours of Tuesday.—  Photo by M.C. Thakur

Hooda rejects Punjab’s offer for talks on SYL
Chandigarh, March 22
The water distribution pattern in Haryana is set to change. While replying to the debate on the Governor’s Address delivered in the Assembly earlier in the day, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda reiterated that his government would ensure the equitable distribution of water among various regions of the state.