To make the state clean, waste-free, and to ensure an environment-friendly atmosphere, Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma on Wednesday directed to start a special campaign in the cities and towns of the State. The directions were issued by the Chief Secretary during a meeting with Local Government officials, all Deputy Commissioners, Municipal Corporation Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners (Urban Development) and EOs  of Municipal Councils and Panchayats.  

Verma said that the piles of garbage in the cities should be removed, and it should now be managed immediately in an effective manner by making a comprehensive plan in this regard. Under this special campaign, arrangements should be made to dispose of the legacy wastage by taking new initiatives. He also asked the Deputy Commissioners to keep a constant review of the cleanliness drive. Apart from this, if there is a need for a place to set up a sewage treatment plant, in this regard the Deputy Commissioners should do the needful. Similarly, where the work of setting up the plant is going on, it should be speeded up. “The cleanliness of the surroundings is the responsibility of all of us and efforts should be accelerated to provide a clean environment to the residents of our city,” he said.

Himachal's economy will stabilise in six months: CM Sukhu

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh's economy will stabilise in six months after which additional arrears and dearness allowances would be disbursed, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has said.  "I will not allow the government treasury to be misused for political gains and emphasised that subsidies on electricity and water would be rationalised to ensure that only the needy gets desirable benefits," Sukhu said at an event in Solan. He was in Solan to unveil the new logo of the Jogindra Cooperative Bank to mark its 100 years. Giving insights into the state's financial management, CM Sukhu said that out of every Rs 100 spent by the present government in this fiscal year, Rs 25 is allocated to salaries, Rs 17 to pensions, Rs 11 to interest payments, Rs 9 to debt repayment, Rs 10 to grants for autonomous institutions and the remaining Rs 28 to capital expenditures and other activities.  He said the state has witnessed a reduction in the revenue deficit grant, which has decreased from Rs 10,000 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 3,000 crore by 2025-26.  Despite inheriting financial debt of RS 75,000 crore and outstanding liabilities of Rs 10,000 crore from the previous BJP government, the present Congress government provided a seven per cent dearness allowance (DA) to employees and plans to pay arrears to 28,000 pensioners over the age of 75 this year, the chief minister said.  Sukhu reassured that it would take about six more months to stabilise the state's economy, after which additional arrears and dearness allowances would be disbursed.

Bharat Bandh against SC’s reservation ruling fails to evoke response in Pb, Hry

Chandigarh: The pan-India shutdown on Wednesday to oppose the Supreme Court ruling on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) failed to evoke a response in Punjab and Haryana as life was not disrupted, except a few places in Punjab. Likewise, the situation was almost normal in Chandigarh. Banking services and operation of educational institutions and business establishments were normal, although heavy security was deployed in Punjab’s SC-dominated Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur districts that were vulnerable to disruption. Traffic across Punjab and Haryana was plying normally and there was no report of activists of political parties squatting on national highways and rail tracks. There was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in these two states. Emergency medical services were exempted from the blockade.

Photo identity card does not automatically grant right to vote; Name must be registered in Voter list: Hry CEO

Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal on Wednesday said that in a democratic system, every single vote carries great importance. Therefore, all voters should ensure their participation in the Assembly elections to be held on October 1. Voting is their right, and the opportunity to vote comes only after five years. Possessing a photo identity card does not automatically grant the right to vote; rather, one's name must be registered in the voter list, which is the key to participation in the voting process. He mentioned that voters whose names are registered in the voter list can cast their votes by showing any of the 12 types of ID documents, such as an Aadhaar card, driving license, passport, etc. Various apps have been developed to ensure that every voter can easily, quickly, and conveniently reach the polling station. Through these apps, voters, candidates, and other political parties will receive all types of information related to the election process, he added.

36 Pledging for Organ Donation & 35 Volunteering for Blood Donation

Chandigarh: ROTTO North (PGIMER), in collaboration with the University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS), Panjab University, and the Rotary Club Chandigarh Midtown, organized an Organ Donation Pledging Camp as part of their ongoing student engagement project, ‘Be the Change, Be an Organ Donor,’ at the Student Centre, Panjab University today. The awareness camp, held alongside a Voluntary Blood Donation Camp organized by the Department of Transfusion Medicine, PGIMER, witnessed enthusiastic participation. A total of 36 volunteers pledged their organs, while 35 volunteers donated blood, each contributing to the noble cause of saving lives, said PGIMER official in a statement.

Chandigarh BJP to start membership drive on Sep 1

Chandigarh: To strengthen its unit, the Chandigarh BJP will start its membership drive from September 1, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's launch of the membership campaign. In a statement, Chandigarh BJP spokesperson said, “The drive aims to strengthen the party at grassroots level and build on its status as the world's largest political party.”