Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

13 Jun

Vande Bharat to Link Amritsar and Katra from June 16, Opening a New Chapter for Pilgrims and Border Region Travelers

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingAmritsar, Katra, Punjab, Vande Bharat

Amritsar (Gurpreet Singh): A new travel corridor connecting Punjab and the holy town of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra is set to become operational with the launch of the Amritsar–Katra Vande Bharat Express on June 16. The premium train service is expected to make religious tourism faster while improving connectivity for several districts located along the India-Pakistan border. The revised operational plan issued by the Railways introduces a new route through Batala, Chheena, Gurdaspur and Pathankot City before entering Jammu and Kashmir. The change has been welcomed by residents of these regions, who will now have direct access to one…

13 Jun

Bhagwant Singh Mann Certain To Make Comeback As Punjab Chief Minister In 2027: Arvind Kejriwal

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPolitics, Punjab, TrendingBhagwant Mann, Punjab, Punjab News

BATHINDA / CHANDIGARH (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal credited the AAP’s sweeping victory in the Bathinda Municipal Corporation elections to the Bhagwant Mann Government’s four years of honest governance and pro-people work, asserting that the massive public turnout and enthusiastic response during a mega roadshow reflected Punjab’s growing trust in the Government. Thanking the people of Bathinda for the resounding mandate, the AAP Supremo said the verdict had reaffirmed public faith in CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s clean and corruption-free administration, adding that while every previous Chief Minister in Punjab had faced corruption-related questions, not a…

13 Jun

Punjab Gets Weather Respite as Temperatures Plunge; Storms Leave Trail of Damage Across State

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): After weeks of intense summer heat, Punjab has witnessed a dramatic change in weather, with widespread rainfall and strong winds bringing down temperatures significantly across the state. While the cooler conditions have provided much-needed relief, the accompanying storms have also caused loss of life and extensive damage to power infrastructure. According to weather officials, the state's maximum temperature has fallen by more than five degrees Celsius over the past two days and now remains well below the seasonal average. Faridkot recorded the highest daytime temperature at 36.7 degrees Celsius, indicating a sharp break from the recent heatwave…

12 Jun

US Asked India to Buy Russian Oil in 2022 to Stabilize Markets, Says EAM S Jaishankar

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaforeign policy, global energy market, India US relations, Russian oil, S Jaishankar

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar revealed that the United States specifically requested India to purchase Russian oil in 2022 to assist in stabilizing global energy markets. Speaking during a panel discussion at the Kultaranta Talks alongside Finland Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and UAE Assistant Foreign Minister Lana Nusseibeh, Jaishankar asserted that New Delhi's energy decisions have consistently been guided by cost and market availability rather than ideology or sanctimony. He noted that prior to the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, India had never been a significant buyer of Russian crude oil. Reflecting on the fluctuating global…

12 Jun

Centre Mulling Policy for West Asian Students with Cancelled Board Exams, Supreme Court Defers Hearing

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaCBSE results, Higher education, security situation, student policy, Supreme Court, West Asia

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Central Government on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it is actively considering a comprehensive policy to accommodate private candidates from West Asia whose Class 12 board results remain unannounced following the cancellation of exams by the Central Board of Secondary Education due to regional security concerns. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench comprising Justice AG Masih and Justice Vijay Bisnoi that the government is evaluating a broader policy framework to assist similarly situated students caught in the administrative limbo. Following the submission, the top court deferred the hearing on the matter to June…

12 Jun

Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains Issues Strict June 30 Deadline to Make Ludhiana Pothole and Manhole Free

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabHarjot Singh Bains, Ludhiana civic infrastructure, Mission Clean Punjab, Monsoon Preparedness

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Setting June 30 as the deadline to make Ludhiana “manhole-free and pothole-free”, Punjab Local Government Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains on Friday directed all municipal officials to report on the ground daily from 7 am to 8 am under “Mission Clean Punjab” launched by Chief Minister S Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government. During an early-morning surprise inspection of Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) areas, S. Harjot Singh Bains took a serious note of stagnant rainwater and garbage along National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) roads passing through the city. “If the NHAI does not clean the road,…

12 Jun

Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains Announces Major Urban Infrastructure Push Across Tricity’s Peripheral Towns

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabHarjot Singh Bains, Punjab development, Tricity infrastructure, urban mobility

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): In a major initiative to strengthen urban infrastructure and improve civic amenities across the Tricity’s peripheral towns, Punjab Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday announced a series of time-bound development projects for Municipal Councils Kharar, Derabassi, Zirakpur, Nayagaon, Banur, Kurali and Gharuan. Reviewing the progress of ongoing works with Executive Officers here at Municipal Bhawan, the Local Government Minister also directed officials to ensure strict adherence to timelines and ordered weekly reviews of all projects. After the review meeting, Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that more than 250 kilometres of roads are currently…

12 Jun

Easy Jamabandi Portal Digitalizes Punjab Land Records to Eradicate Tehsil Corruption

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabcorruption, digital portal, Easy Jamabandi, governance, Punjab land records

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker, S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, today highlighted that the Puniab government has already launched the historic ‘Easy Registry’ and 'Easy Jamabandi Portal' to bring seamless public delivery systems directly to the citizens and eliminate the need of middleman in the state's tehsils. He made an active appeal to educated youth, government officials, Panchayat members, Sarpanchs, and other public representatives to raise awareness about this crucial initiative and motivate people to utilize these digital services to weed out corruption. Speaker Sandhwan stressed that nearly 40 lakh citizens in Punjab previously had to make multiple…

12 Jun

At NITI Aayog, CM Bhagwant Mann Seeks Special Category Status and Border Development Package for Punjab

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPolitics, Punjab, TrendingBhagwant Mann, Punjab, Punjab News

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday strongly raised Punjab’s long-pending concerns before the NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog Governing Council, seeking a special package for the revitalisation of border areas and demanding that Punjab be accorded Special Category Status (SCS) with 90:10 funding under all Centrally Sponsored Schemes on the lines of hill states, North Eastern states and Jammu & Kashmir. Addressing the meeting, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann highlighted the extraordinary security, economic and social challenges faced by Punjab as a frontline border state and asserted that the state’s aspirations are fully…

12 Jun

Chandigarh Police Unveils Diamond Jubilee Logo, Marks 60 Years of Dedicated Service

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingChandigarh

Chandigarh (Naval Kishore): Chandigarh Police officially launched its Diamond Jubilee celebrations by unveiling a commemorative logo on Thursday, marking six decades of dedicated service to the citizens of Chandigarh. The event marks the beginning of a year-long series of programmes celebrating the force’s achievements and reaffirming its commitment to public safety and community engagement. The commemorative logo was unveiled by Sagar Preet Hooda, Director General of Police (DGP), UT Chandigarh, who described the occasion as a historic milestone in the journey of Chandigarh Police. Addressing officers and dignitaries, Hooda reflected on the force’s transformation over the last 60 years into…