R E G I O N A L   B R I E F S

PUNJAB

Abohar
Jakhar demands probe into welfare scheme fraud: Congress Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar has demanded a CBI inquiry into a fraud believed to have been committed at Sutlej Gramin Bank, Bathinda. The bank is sponsored by Punjab & Sind Bank. Jakhar said after going through an inquiry report, he was convinced that there was blatant abuse of banking channels at this branch where third party cheques of different beneficiaries of social welfare schemes not having accounts with the bank were collected and paid in cash to the District Welfare Officer. The report was submitted to the bank management on February 16, but no action had been taken so far, he said.

Chandigarh
State to conduct performance audit: The Punjab government has decided to conduct internal performance audit of every rupee being spent by various departments, boards and corporations, local bodies, panchayats to ensure optimum utilisation of the government money. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today directed Principal Secretary to Chief Minister SK Sandhu to prepare a comprehensive proposal after consulting the Finance Department and other stake holders. He said the internal audit department should be headed by an administrative secretary rank officer and that the department would seek the services of expert international audit agencies.

Jalandhar
Purse snatched from woman: Two motorcycle-borne youths snatched a purse from a woman in Central Town here this evening. The victim, Parminder Kaur, said she was returning from a market on a rickshaw and when she reached near her house, two motorcycle-borne youths snatched her purse.

Ludhiana
New taxes opposed: During a meeting of the District Congress Committee Ludhiana (urban), on Sunday, district congress committee president Pawan Dewan alleged that the state government was extracting excessive money from people in the form of inordinate taxes and it was a huge burden on the people of the state.

Sangrur
Diesel hike: YAD to plan protest strategy: The Youth Akali Dal (YAD) will hold a meeting in Chandigarh on Monday to chalk out a programme to hold protests against the hike in diesel prices and curtailment in the subsidised supply of LPG cylinders by the Union Government. YAD senior vice-president Winnerjit Singh Goldy said the meeting would be presided over by YAD president Bikram Singh Majithia. Goldy also made a satirical remark at the joint protests being planned by the Congress and Sanjha Morcha against the fresh taxes implemented by the state government. He said the YAD will support Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh in case the latter staged a dharna in Delhi against the hike in diesel price and cap on subsidised LPG supply. 

HARYANA

Chandigarh
Website launched: A website of the Haryana Food and Drug Administration www.fdaharyana.org was launched by Navraj Sandhu, Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education here on Saturday. Sandhu directed the officers of the department to continue their drive against guthka and pan masalas containing nicotine and tobacco. 

Kurukshetra
Firearms seized: The police has arrested Avtar Singh of Dera Singara Singh Gumthalagarahu for allegedly possessing firearms. The police has also seized two .315 bore and one .12 bore country-made pistols and two cartridges from his possession. 

Reconstruction: The state government has decided to reconstruct the Kurukshetra-Yamunanagar road, said PWD Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala while interacting with members of the District Bar Association here. He said the state government had sanctioned Rs 9.5 crore for reconstruction of the road from Pipli to Kurukshetra University’s third gate. 

Golden jubilee: The Golden Jubilee Year of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) will be celebrated on its campus here till September 14, 2013. The authorities has planned a number of events, including technical, cultural, community services, seminars, conferences, workshops, symposiums, training programmes and refresher courses, for this year. 

Rewari
2 get life term: In the murder case of Lali Devi of Chanduwas village, Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Tewatia has sentenced Sunita Devi, wife of her elder son Sunil Kumar, and her younger son Anil Kumar to life imprisonment. Lali Devi was averse to give any share to her sons in her property. Sunita, along with Anil, hatched a conspiracy and killed her.

Sirsa
Protest held: Members of the Netrahin Jagriti Sangh, Haryana, held a demonstration here in support of a teacher of the local Helen Keller Institute, who was allegedly sacked by the authorities. Suresh Kumar has been demanding salary as per the government scales, while the authorities have expressed their inability to hike his salary.