Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

24 Jul

Punjab Allocates Over Rs 20 Crore for Free Cancer Care Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabCancer Treatment, Health Scheme, Medical Aid, Punjab Healthcare, State Governance

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Spends ₹20.22 Crore on Cancer Treatment for 8,069 Patients Under Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana. Adults aged 36–60 form over half of beneficiaries; June records highest monthly treatment load. A cancer diagnosis is frightening enough. For many families, the fear becomes heavier when the next question is not only “Can the disease be treated?” but also “Can we afford the treatment?” That is the gap the Bhagwant Mann Government’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is attempting to address. According to figures shared by the State Health Agency (SHA), Punjab, 8,069 cancer patients received cashless treatment under the scheme…

24 Jul

STUDENTS’ FUTURE AT RISK: WHEN A PEACEFUL MOVEMENT TURNS INTO A POLITICAL BATTLEFIELD

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia

STUDENTS NEED JUSTICE, NOT CHAOS: DON’T LET POLITICS DESTROY THEIR FUTURE Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): India’s students are the backbone of the nation’s future. Their concerns about examination irregularities, transparency, and employment opportunities deserve serious attention and a fair response from authorities. When young people spend years preparing for competitive exams, any question about fairness in the system naturally creates frustration and anger. However, a peaceful student movement can lose its purpose when it becomes a platform for confrontation, violence, or political battles. The moment a protest moves away from dialogue and enters the space of lawlessness, the biggest damage is…

24 Jul

Ravneet Singh Bittu Resigns From Union Cabinet Following Completion of Rajya Sabha Term

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabCouncil Ministers, Rajya Sabha, Ravneet Bittu, Resignation, Union Minister

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Ravneet Singh Bittu from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect, acting on the recommendation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi under Clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution. An official government communique confirmed the departure of the leader, who served as the Minister of State in the Ministries of Railways and Food Processing Industries. The official step follows the conclusion of Bittu’s term as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament representing Rajasthan in June. Inducted into the central ministry in June 2024, the three-time former Lok…

24 Jul

US Imposes 10 Per Cent Tariff on Indian Imports Following Forced Labour Investigation

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia, World Newsforced labour, Indian exports, Jamieson Greer, Section 301, US tariffs

Washington DC/New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The United States has imposed a 10 per cent tariff on imports from India and more than a dozen other nations following a months-long Section 301 investigation into forced labour practices. New Delhi secured the lower 10 per cent rate—placing it alongside regional peers such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh—after initial proposals by Washington suggested a steeper 12.5 per cent levy. The new duties replace the temporary 10 per cent global tariff that expired this week and apply to 60 countries accounting for over 99 per cent of American imports. US Trade Representative Jamieson…

24 Jul

PM Modi Assures Strict Legislation as CJP Escalates Nationwide Protests Over NEET Leak

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAbhijeet Dipke, CJP Protest, Dharmendra Pradhan, Fast track courts, Narendra Modi, NEET paper leak

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a late-night video message addressing the growing public outcry over examination irregularities, promising swift legislative action and the establishment of fast-track courts to prosecute those responsible for paper leaks. Acknowledging that paper leaks affect millions of students and their families, the Prime Minister revealed that a draft bill providing for stringent punishment has been prepared and will be discussed during the upcoming Cabinet meeting before being introduced in Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session. The Prime Minister’s address highlighted recent government measures, noting that law enforcement agencies have arrested key culprits…

24 Jul

CJP Holds Firm on Jantar Mantar Protest as Sonam Wangchuk Concludes Hunger Strike

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has reiterated its resolve to maintain a continuous sit-in at Jantar Mantar, demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The party's statement arrived shortly after activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his 26-day fast following high-level deliberations with Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh. In a public message on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke expressed immense relief at Wangchuk concluding his strike, lauding the activist for placing his life on the line to elevate student concerns into a national dialogue. Dipke highlighted that Wangchuk's commitment successfully rallied widespread…

23 Jul

Centre Replaces Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi Amid Ongoing NEET Examination Protests

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaHigher Education Secretary, Naresh Pal Gangwar, NEET exam row, Vineet Joshi transferred

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Central Government has executed a major senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle within the Ministry of Education, transferring Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi amid sustained public and political protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. According to an official order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, 1994-batch IAS officer Naresh Pal Gangwar has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, stepping into the role as administrative scrutiny over national competitive tests continues to intensify across the country. Vineet Joshi, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Manipur cadre who previously headed…

23 Jul

Delhi High Court Establishes Special Fast-Track Court at Rouse Avenue for NEET Paper Leak Cases

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAnu Grover Baliga, Delhi High Court, fast-track court, Rouse Avenue court

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Delhi High Court has notified the creation of a specialized fast-track court at the Rouse Avenue Court Complex to exclusively adjudicate criminal cases involving examination paper leaks and fraudulent practices in public tests. In an official administrative notification, the High Court designated Judicial Officer Anu Grover Baliga as the Special Judge to preside over the newly established court, transferring her from her previous assignment as the Judge-in-Charge of the Mediation Centre at Tis Hazari Courts. The newly formed judicial body will hear offences falling under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, along…

23 Jul

BJP Veteran Murli Manohar Joshi Urges Empathy Toward Protesting Students and Urges Against Use of Force

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Union Education Minister Murli Manohar Joshi urged the government to handle the ongoing student demonstrations in New Delhi with empathy rather than viewing the agitation as a routine law and order problem. In a statement posted on social media, the 92-year-old leader marked the first instance of a senior ruling party figure speaking publicly against the police handling of the demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar. Joshi emphasized that the concerns raised by students regarding the national examination system and paper leaks are…

23 Jul

Social Activist Anna Hazare Holds Silent Protest in Support of Demonstrating Students

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAnna Hazare, student protest

Ahilyanagar (Gurpreet Singh): Veteran social activist Anna Hazare held a two-hour silent demonstration at Wadia Park in Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, expressing solidarity with students protesting in Delhi over examination issues and national testing concerns. During the demonstration at the Gandhi Memorial, Hazare became visibly emotional while reflecting on the challenges faced by young citizens engaged in the nationwide agitation. He urged the central government to initiate constructive dialogue with student representatives to address their grievances and secure their academic future. In a formal letter dispatched to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hazare described recent clashes between law enforcement and protesting youth in…