Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

06 Aug

Lok Sabha Passes Bill Amending Payment Systems Act to Allow Service Charges on Digital Transactions

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaLok Sabha, MDR levy, Nirmala Sitharaman, Payment Systems Act, UPI charges

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing crucial amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. The statutory change authorises the Union government to permit commercial banks and payment service providers to levy service charges, including Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), on digital payments executed via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other notified electronic payment methods. Moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the legislation was passed by voice vote following a brief adjournment. The amendment directly alters Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007,…

06 Aug

Supreme Court Denies Interim Bail to Asaram, Permits Round-the-Clock Trained Caregiver

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAIIMS report, Asaram Bapu, interim bail, parole, Rajasthan High Court, Supreme Court

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to grant interim bail on medical grounds to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a minor at his Jodhpur ashram in 2013. A division bench comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice P.B. Varale kept his interim bail application pending while allowing him to engage a trained caretaker of his choice to provide 24-hour assistance inside prison. The order was passed after the apex court evaluated a health assessment report submitted by a medical board at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The…

06 Aug

Mohan Bhagwat Advocates Separate Legal Framework for Same-Sex Companionship, Opposes Altering Marriage Institution

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaIIMUN Mumbai, LGBTQ rights, Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Chief, same sex legal framework

Mumbai (Gurpreet Singh) — Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested that society and policymakers consider establishing a distinct legal and social framework to accommodate same-sex companions, while maintaining that the traditional institution of marriage should remain undisturbed. Speaking during an interactive session at the 15th anniversary event of the India International Model United Nations in Mumbai, Bhagwat addressed queries regarding the RSS's stance on LGBTQ+ rights, stating that individuals of diverse sexual orientations are an integral part of society and deserve legal recognition and social acceptance. Clarifying his position, Bhagwat differentiated between providing legal arrangements for cohabitation and redefining…

06 Aug

Punjab Outperforms Kerala to Secure Top Rank in NITI Aayog School Education Index, Says Minister Harjot Bains

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabHarjot Bains, Mission Samarth, NEET qualifiers, NITI Aayog, Punjab education, Sikhya Kranti

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Claiming a historic turnaround, Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday said the state has overtaken Kerala to rank No. 1 in the NITI Aayog School Education Quality Index 2026. While 8,000 schools had no boundary walls and 4 lakh children sat on the floor in 2022, today Punjab has 882 NEET qualifiers from government schools and has become the first state in the country to introduce Artificial Intelligence as a core subject from Classes I to XII. This is the revolution AAP led government promised. Participating in a discussion on an education-related resolution moved…

06 Aug

Arvind Kejriwal Alleges Meta Restricted His Instagram Account Under Central Government Pressure

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAAP leader, Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Politics, Instagram restricted, Meta India, Social Media

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal shared that Meta has restricted his Instagram account in India, and is also not providing any explanation even after continuous enquiries. Emphasising that the action reflects pressure from the Modi Government, he said Meta is suppressing voices raising issues such as the examination leaks and forceful imposition of E20-Blended Petrol, and that many others critical of the government have faced similar restrictions. The AAP Chief and former Delhi CM appealed to people whose accounts have also been restricted to contact him through direct messages or comments so that…

06 Aug

Punjab Sees Fresh Spell of Rain; IMD Issues Alert for Seven Districts, Power Demand Rises

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): A fresh round of monsoon showers swept across parts of Punjab on Thursday, with Jalandhar witnessing heavy rainfall while the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of intense showers at isolated locations in seven districts. The advisory remains in place for Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr), Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Patiala, and SAS Nagar (Mohali). The weather office has predicted partly cloudy conditions over Chandigarh, with intermittent light rain and thunderstorms likely during the day. Temperatures Rise Despite Rain Although rainfall has been reported from several areas, the state's daytime temperature has increased by 2.1 degrees Celsius,…

05 Aug

Over 2.91 Lakh Patients Receive Cashless Healthcare Treatment Worth Rs 1,044 Crore Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBalbir Singh, Bhagwant Mann, cashless treatment, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, Punjab Health

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The real measure of a healthcare scheme is not just the amount spent or the number of cases processed, it is whether people are able to get treatment when they need it most. Bhagwant Mann Government's Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) has now reached a significant milestone, with 2,91,417 beneficiaries receiving treatment support since 8 January 2026. As per recent data from the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana has provided healthcare services worth around ₹1,044 crore through cashless treatment facilities. Behind these numbers are families who were able to focus on recovery instead…

05 Aug

Punjab Cabinet Approves Fee Control Bill, Digital Universities, and Service Regularization Policy

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann, digital universities, fee regulation, outsourced employees, Punjab cabinet, Tarsika block

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday took a series of landmark decisions aimed at strengthening education, improving governance and public service delivery, and promoting inclusive development across the state. The Cabinet passed the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to regulate unnecessary and unreasonable fee hikes by private un-aided educational institutions, besides approving the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel Transition to Contractual Engagement Bill, 2026, establishment of three new Digital Open Universities and several other key policy initiatives. A decision to this effect was taken…

05 Aug

Malvinder Singh Kang Urges Nitin Gadkari to Declare Banga–Naina Devi Route as National Highway

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAnandpur Sahib, Banga, Garhshankar, Malvinder Singh Kang, National Highway, Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament from Sri Anandpur Sahib, Malvinder Singh Kang, on Wednesday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and strongly reiterated the long-pending demand to declare the Banga–Garhshankar–Sri Anandpur Sahib–Naina Devi Road as a National Highway. During the meeting, Kang discussed the strategic, religious and economic importance of the road and urged the Union Government to expedite the project. Kang said that the proposed National Highway is not merely a road infrastructure project but a lifeline for lakhs of people across the region. He pointed out that the…

05 Aug

Mann Government Delivered Over 68,000 Public Jobs and Massive Private Investment, Says Minister Aman Arora

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Putting the opposition on the back foot in the state legislative assembly, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development & Training and Industries & Commerce Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that the state has provided over 68000 Government Jobs and attracted investments worth ₹1,83,837 crore and generated 6,36,636 private sector jobs over the last four-and-a-half years. Winding up the discussion on a resolution on employment opportunities moved by MLA S. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal in the House, on Wednesday, Mr. Aman Arora told the House that the investment inflows had directly and indirectly created over 6.36 lakh jobs in the…