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PUNJAB

Chandigarh
Govt notifies medical fee hike: The Punjab Government has notified fee hike for medical colleges of the state, reliable sources said. Fee for admission to MBBS in the open category has been hiked by Rs 50,000 from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh. Students who secure admission in the management quota will have to pay Rs 6 lakh annually against the current charges of Rs 4 lakh. There is no change in the fee in dental colleges in the open quota. Those getting seats in the management quota will have to pay an annual fee of Rs 2 lakh against the existing Rs 1.50 lakh. The sources said the fee under the NRI quota too had been increased from $75,000 per annum to $1 lakh per annum.

Quota row: Rural docs hold meet: The Rural Medical Officers (RMOs) working in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats held an urgent meeting here on Wednesday. They condemned the move of the Health Department to deny the 60 per cent post graduation quota to RMOs. The doctors have also asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to intervene in the matter. More than 100 doctors have threatened to hold a dharna outside the Secretariat if the issue was not resolved.

Ropar
BBMB gives Rs 94 lakh for U'khand victims: The Bhakhra Beas Management Board (BBMB) on Wednesday donated Rs 94,30,401 to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund, meant for victims of Uttarakhand flash floods. AB Agrawal, BBMB chairman presented a cheque of Rs 94,30,401 to Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of State for Power. PK Sinha, Union secretary, Power, Ashok Thapar, BBMB member, and Ashok Rathi, Deputy Secretary, Coordination, BBMB, were also present on the occasion.

Sangrur
Road blocked in Malerkotla: A group of people blocked a road in Malerkotla yesterday. The protesters alleged the Malerkotla police had registered a "false" case against Sarfraz, a local resident, claiming they had seized intoxicating pills from his possession. Naib Tehsildar, Malerkotla, Darshan Singh, asked them to submit a written application.