BEAUTY OF NATURE: A view of clouds hovering over Bathinda city on Saturday. — Tribune photo by Kulbir Beera

Unemployment
Badal seeks industry’s help
Chandigarh, June 30
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said the government is keen to set up a textile park in the state, which has great potential for the development of textile industry. He said this during an interaction with a delegation of industrialists, led by S.P. Oswal, here today.

To oppose further mediation efforts
Panel plans dharnas at houses of CMs
Amritsar, June 30
The Khalsa Action Committee has decided to stage dharnas in front of the official residences of Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana Parkash Singh Badal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, respectively, on July 9 in protest against their dilly-dallying attitude to registering more cases against Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for allegedly indulging in blasphemous acts.

Chahal seeks regular bail
Chandigarh, June 30
Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, the high-profile media adviser to former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, today filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking regular bail in the case of attempt to murder (also known as land-grab case) registered against him by the Ludhiana police on June 10.

Master plan to be prepared for 40 cities
Chandigarh, June 30
Urban areas of Punjab are all set for accelerated planned development. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal yesterday ordered the preparation of master plans and detailed project reports (DPRs) for 40 major towns of the state for their inclusion in the centrally sponsored Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns.

Stamp Duty
Govt incurs losses in crore
Moga, June 30
The government has been incurring losses to the tune of crores of rupees due to the evasion of stamp duty by land mafia in collusion with staff in the revenue department. The land mafia, in collusion with officials of the revenue department, shows land being sold for residential usage as agricultural land in sale deeds.

State’s share in armed forces to be enhanced: Minister

Jalandhar, June 30 The Punjab government is not only planning to enhance the state’s share in the armed forces, in light of the shortage of about 18,000 officers in the Indian Army, but is also going to write to the Centre to make the salary package of officers and jawans attractive and restructure it on the lines of the Western countries. Capt Kanwaljit Singh addresses a press conference in Jalandhar on Saturday. — Photo by S.S. Chopra

POLITICS

Singla reallocates work to Cong office-bearers
Abohar, June 30
Punjab Youth Congress president Vijay Inder Singla reallocated work to state office-bearers under instructions from national president Ashok Tanwar. Most of the districts will now have two in charges. Efforts have been made to accommodate the sons of senior Congress leaders irrespective of their personal affiliation with varying factions.

COMMUNITY

‘IT return forms incomplete’
Ferozepur, June 30
Members of the Taxation Bar Association raised objections over the new forms issued by the Income Tax Department. Secretary of the association Anupam Gupta said the forms were incomplete and not easy to fill. He stated that in form 2 there was no column for loss due to self-occupied house.

Shopkeepers seek power
Pathankot, June 30
Shopkeepers of Kohlian village in Narot Jaimal Singh block situated on the Ujj river, 25 km from here, have been without electricity even after 60 years of Independence. They have not been provided with commercial power connections by the Punjab State Electricity Board.

IMA to honour Dr Sandhu Chandigarh, June 30 The Indian Medical Association has decided to honour noted cancer superspecialist Dr Devinder Singh Sandhu, who has been awarded fellowship by world’s leading cancer institute Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York. He will be honoured on the Doctor’s Day tomorrow in Patiala. Dr Sandhu is being honoured for performing Punjab’s first ever bone marrow transplant at DMC, Ludhiana, in 2006.

Dr Devinder Singh Sandhu

Team to study Pak rural system
Amritsar, June 30
India is the largest democracy in the world with the distinction of having an effective panchayati raj system in place. However, there is still a need to carry out research on similar systems being practised in other countries.

SGPC delegation to visit Pak
Amritsar, June 30
Taking serious note of media reports regarding the renovation of Sikh shrines in Pakistan using Muslim architecture, the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee have decided to send a five-member delegation.

CM condoles Verma’s death
Chandigarh, June 30
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today expressed grief over the sudden demise of Sahib Singh Verma.

Bedi OSD to chief secy
Chandigarh, June 30
D.M.S. Bedi has been appointed officer on special duty to the chief secretary of Punjab. He has been associated with various social organisations and is the general secretary of the Vir Deva Foundation, Chandigarh.