Abohar
I-T staff observe strike: Responding to the call given by the Income Tax Employees Federation, the officers and other staff of the Income Tax office here observed strike on Thursday. Pawan Babbar and Ravikant Parihar, president and general secretary respectively of the local unit, criticised the Central government for not stopping outsourcing and demanded that Manesar (New Delhi)-based Central Processing Unit (CPU) must function as per the agreement reached with the Joint Council of Action (JCA).

Workers stage dharna: Resenting that supply of essential commodities to some of the fair price shop licensees in rural areas had been restored under political pressure as well as for other considerations even when they were allegedly caught red-handed selling wheat to flour mills on Abohar-Sriganganagar road and elsewhere, the Dehati Majdoor Sabha on Thursday organised a dharna at the office of the Food and Civil Supplies department here. While leading the dharna, Jagga Singh said there were complaints from consumers that most blue card holders were denied supply of commodities as per the schedule and some of the ration depot holders were charging Rs 40 from each consumer for getting new cards prepared.

Bathinda
More seats in engg college: The Bhai Maha Singh College of Engineering, Muktsar, has been allocated 60 seats each in B.Tech in nanotechnology, robotics and automobile engineering. The first two courses have been approved for the first time in India by the AICTE. Earlier, this college was the first to get M.Tech nanotechnology from AICTE. The college has also been allotted 18 seats each in M.Tech mechanical (production), robotics and mechatronics. This college has also been allotted 18 additional seats each in computer acience and engineering and nanotechnology for the second shift. The college has now approved intake of 786 seats in engineering and management in the first year itself which is the highest in any engineering college in Punjab, a press release issued by the college informed. — TNS

Fazilka
Man dies: A newly-wed labourer of village Khui Khera of this sub-division died under mysterious circumstances. As per the statement given by Kashmir Singh, his son Bittu (21), a resident of village Khui Khera was married to Shano, a resident of Nurpur Khera about one and a half years back. Bittu had gone to meet his sister-in-law (sister of his wife) along with his wife and other family member in the border village Karni Khera on Wednesday afternoon. Bittu left his  sister in-law's house. When he did not return even after five hours, the family members launched a search operation. His body was found lying under mysterious circumstances near village Hiranwali.

Jalandhar
Officers’ meet: The members of the Defence Officers Welfare Association would conduct its meeting at the local District Sainik Welfare Office on July 16. Association general secretary Lt-Col Kashmir Singh (retd) said issues pertaining to the judgment of the Supreme Court and Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding Fourth Pay Commission arrears would be discussed.