Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

04 Aug

Punjab Pays Among Highest Pay Scales in Country, Addressing Inherited ₹14,191 Crore Arrears Liability: Harpal Singh Cheema

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Emphasising that Punjab already pays some of the highest government pay scales in the country, surpassing the Central Government in several categories, Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday said the State Government has inherited a ₹14,191 crore liability in employee pay commission arrears due to the policies of the previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments. He said the AAP-led Punjab Government has already cleared over ₹6,000 crore under a High Court-approved liquidation plan and remains committed to paying all constitutionally and legally valid dues while examining the recent High Court judgment and the available legal…

04 Aug

Monsoon Regains Strength in Punjab; Rainfall Continues in Chandigarh, IMD Sounds Alert for Nine Districts

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Fresh monsoon showers brought relief to parts of Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Tuesday, with rainfall reported in Chandigarh and Mohali, while dense cloud cover prevailed over districts such as Jalandhar. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms in several parts of the state, placing nine districts under a weather alert. The recent spell of rain has led to a 1.1-degree Celsius drop in the state's average maximum temperature, easing humid conditions that had persisted over the past few days. Officials have also confirmed that the water levels in…

04 Aug

On World Lung Cancer Day, Bhagwant Mann Govt Reaffirms Commitment to Free Cancer Care & Prevention

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsBusiness

CHANDIGARH (Gurpreet Singh): On World Lung Cancer Day, the Bhagwant Mann Government has underlined a simple but important message: no one should lose a battle against lung cancer because they cannot afford treatment. Through the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY), the state is not only paying for life-saving care but also investing in preventing the disease before it begins. The numbers show that commitment is translating into real support. So far, 708 lung cancer patients have received completely cashless treatment under the scheme, with claims worth ₹3.43 crore. For hundreds of families, that has meant focusing on recovery instead of…

04 Aug

Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak Urges Centre’s Immediate Intervention in Canada’s Post-Graduation Work Permit Crisis

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak urged the Central Government to intervene immediately in the post-graduation work permit crisis being faced by Indian students, particularly Punjabi students, in Canada. He appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to engage with the Canadian government at the diplomatic level and protect the affected Indian students from deportation. The Minister said that the students who enrolled at Portage College in Brampton in 2024 have completed their two-year post-graduation program. However, after the change of government in Canada, the authorities there have arbitrarily altered the rules and withheld the students' work permits.…

03 Aug

700-Gram Premature Baby Saved After 50 Days of Specialised NICU Treatment in Nawanshahr Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBalbir Singh, Health Scheme, Nawanshahr, NICU Care, Premature Baby

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Bhagwant Mann Government’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) has helped save the life of a baby girl born nearly three months early in Nawanshahr. Born at just 27 weeks’ gestation and weighing only 700 grams, the baby received 50 days of specialised treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of an empanelled private hospital. The entire treatment, costing nearly ₹3 lakh, was provided completely cashless under the scheme. Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the case shows how the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is ensuring that every family can access quality…

03 Aug

Punjab Reaffirms Commitment to Free Cancer Care as 708 Patients Receive Treatment Under State Health Scheme

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBalbir Singh, Cancer Prevention, cashless treatment, Health Scheme, Lung Cancer, Punjab Health

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): On World Lung Cancer Day, the Bhagwant Mann Government has underlined a simple but important message: no one should lose a battle against lung cancer because they cannot afford treatment. Through the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY), the state is not only paying for life-saving care but also investing in preventing the disease before it begins. The numbers show that commitment is translating into real support. So far, 708 lung cancer patients have received completely cashless treatment under the scheme, with claims worth ₹3.43 crore. For hundreds of families, that has meant focusing on recovery instead of…

03 Aug

Arvind Kejriwal Announces March to Prime Minister’s Residence Over E20 Petrol Rollout

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAAP protest, Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Politics, E20 petrol, Fuel policy

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced that he will lead a march to the Prime Minister's residence on Tuesday to submit a public petition against forceful imposition of E20-Blended petrol fuel. He shared he will leave the AAP headquarters at 12 noon with 100 people to personally hand over a petition signed by around 2.5 lakh people, seeking a meeting with the Prime Minister over problems with ethanol blended fuel. Addressing a press conference, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, "People across the country are deeply troubled by E20-Blended Petrol, yet…

03 Aug

Arvind Kejriwal Urges Delhi Government to Extend Women’s Scheme Benefits Without Conditions

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAAP, Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, Maawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, Women Welfare

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday called out the BJP Government in Delhi for imposing restrictive conditions under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana to limit the number of women eligible for its benefits. Comparing the scheme with Punjab's Maawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, he said the AAP Government in Punjab had imposed no such conditions, while the Rekha Gupta Government had made a 10 year residency requirement and approval from an MP or MLA mandatory for applicants. The AAP Chief pointed out that if the BJP Government's intentions were genuine, it would have extended…

03 Aug

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Passes Censure Motion Against Centre Over Repeated Paper Leaks as Congress Walks Out

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Standing firmly with Gen Z and raising its voice against what it termed as atrocities on the country’s youth, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday passed a Censure Motion by voice vote against repeated paper leaks across the country. Winding up the debate on the motion and later addressing the media, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said repeated paper leaks under the BJP-led Union Government had shattered the aspirations of crores of students, while those seeking justice were met with tear gas shells, pellet guns and police action instead of accountability. The Chief Minister announced that the…

03 Aug

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Erupts Over Alleged Pharmacy Exam Paper Leak as Congress Stages Walkout; AAP Challenges For A Debate

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAAP government, Congress walkout, Harjot Bains, Paper Leak, Punjab Assembly, Vidhan Sabha

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The opening day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha's Monsoon Session witnessed high political drama on Monday as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition Congress legislators clashed over an alleged pharmacy examination paper leak. The stormy confrontation triggered intense slogan-shouting inside the House, culminating in a protest walkout by opposition members. The controversy erupted during Question Hour when Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised the issue and demanded the immediate resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. Drawing parallels to national controversies surrounding competitive entrance exams, Bajwa alleged that multiple examination paper leak…