BATHINDA
NFL gets new Director (Mktg): Capt. Pavan Kumar Kaul has taken over as Director (Marketing) of the National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) on February 7. Prior to this, he was functioning as the Executive Director, Container Corporation of India (CONCOR). He has also earlier been with the Shipping Corporation of India. A postgraduate in Public Administration and a diploma in managemen, he is one of the members of the Administrative Staff College of India, Institute of Rail Transport and CII National Export Committee.

CHANDIGARH
Young scientist award: Richa Puri has won the “Mekaster young scientist award” by the Panjab Academy of Sciences in the 14th Punjab Science Congress, 2011, held at the SLIET, Longowal. The award was given for her research paper “ Elastic liposomes-based topical gel formulation for skin targeting of 5 flourouracil”. Richa Puri is a senior research fellow of the CSIR and is doing PhD under the supervision of Dr Subheet Jain at Punjabi University, Patiala.

Noor’s death mourned: The state Finance Minister, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, on Thursday expressed grief over the death of Dr Sutinder Singh Noor, a noted writer and poet. In a condolence message, she said Punjab as well as the literary world had lost a distinguished writer and critic.

Early settlement of loans: The Minister for Welfare of Ex-Servicemen and NRI Affairs, Punjab, Capt Balbir Singh Bath, on Thursday assured ex-servicemen of the early settlement of their loans raised from the Punjab Financial Corporation under the SUMFAX Scheme launched in 1987. At a meeting with a delegation of the ex-servicemen, Captain Bath said he had already fixed a meeting with officers of the corporation on February 21 to expedite the pending loan issues with them.

Jalandhar
NRI Sabha to spread awareness: The NRI Sabha, Punjab, has decided to organise special camps for over crore NRIs settled in the US, Canada and European countries from April onwards to make them aware about their right to vote in India. The event will be held with the help of overseas units of the NRI Sabha. Sabha president Kamaljit Singh Hayre said that online registration of NRI voters would be done in addition to giving them information on how, when and where to utilise their right to vote. He said the exercise would also help them know the exact number of NRI voters. He has plans to tour all remaining European countries during August and September 2011. He said the overseas units have already been apprised of the programme and that they have started necessary preparations for the same.

Teenagers end life: A boy and girl in their teens reportedly jumped to death before a train in Bidhipur level-crossing late on Wednesday night. The GRP has sent the mutilated bodies to the local Civil Hospital morgue. The police has initiated inquest proceeding in this case.

Blood donation: Roots, an NGO working for creating awareness about nature preservation, will organise a blood donation camp on February 11 at 10 am in the hospital wing of Arya Samaj Mandir in Model Town here. K.K. Sharma, Chairman, Citizen Urban Bank, will be chief guest.

MANDI GOBINDGARH
5 students selected by bank: RIMT carried out a placement drive for MBA students. More than 55 students took the test. HDFC Bank visited the campus. The bank picked up five students. They were offered an annual pay package of Rs 2.2 lakh.

Phagwara
POs arrested: The police arrested two proclaimed offenders, identified as Harish Kumar of Phagwara and Sanjeev Kumar of Jalandhar.