Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

02 Jun

‘0003’ Fetches Rs 37.63 Lakh in Chandigarh Fancy Number Auction

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia, PunjabChandigarh, Fancy Number Plates

Vehicle registration auction generates over Rs 4 crore; ‘0001’ settles for second-highest bid Gurpreet Singh :- The craze for fancy vehicle registration numbers continues to soar in Chandigarh, with bidders shelling out hefty sums to secure premium numbers. In the latest auction conducted by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA), the registration number CH-01-DE-0003 emerged as the highest-priced number, attracting a winning bid of Rs 37.63 lakh. Interestingly, the highly sought-after ‘0001’ number, which traditionally commands the highest bids, finished second this time with a bid of Rs 23.55 lakh, well below the amount paid for ‘0003’. The online auction…

02 Jun

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains Orders Probe into Amritsar Student Suicide, Abetment Case Registered Against School Management

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsEntertainment, Punjab, TrendingAmritsar, Harjot Singh Bains, Punjab News, Student, Suicide Case

Gurpreet Singh :- Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has taken a strong stance in the case of a Class XII student who allegedly died by suicide following alleged harassment by a private school in Amritsar. Acting on the matter, authorities have registered a case of abetment to suicide against members of the school management and initiated a detailed investigation. The minister said the government was treating the incident with utmost seriousness and assured that a fair and impartial probe would be conducted. He added that strict legal action would be taken against anyone found responsible. The role of the…

02 Jun

Fake Call Centre Busted in Panchkula; 21 Detained, Cash and Equipment Seized

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia

Gurpreet Singh :- In a major crackdown on suspected cyber fraud operations, the Cyber Crime Police raided an office operating under the name "Alpha Event Company" in Sector 2, Panchkula, late on Sunday night and detained 21 persons from the premises. Among those taken into custody were four alleged key operators — Navdeep, Akshay Tikku, Raza and Ankur Kapoor — while the remaining 17 individuals, including four women, were found working at the facility. Police said all those detained are being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation. During the raid, officials seized 19 desktop computers, three laptops, Rs 11.30…

02 Jun

Punjab women to receive monthly financial assistance from July 1, says CM Mann

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsEntertainment, Punjab, TrendingCm bhagwant maan

Gurpreet Singh :- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that eligible women in the state will begin receiving financial assistance under the “Mawan Dhiyaan Satkar Yojana” from July 1, with the amount to be transferred directly into their bank accounts. Speaking during a television programme in Chandigarh, Mann said the government had completed most of the groundwork required for the implementation of the scheme and that the remaining formalities would be finalised shortly. He described the initiative as a major welfare measure aimed at providing financial support to women across the state. The Chief Minister said women beneficiaries would…

02 Jun

Punjab Cabinet Approves Election Department Rule Changes Ahead of Assembly Polls

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab cabinet

CHANDIGARH (Gurpreet Singh): The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday took a key step to strengthen the state’s election machinery ahead of the forthcoming Punjab Legislative Assembly elections by approving an amendment to the Service Rules of the Election Department. The decision removes long-pending administrative bottlenecks, facilitates the smooth and hassle-free Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and paves the way for filling crucial vacancies to ensure adequate manpower for election-related work. The Cabinet also approved the Annual Administrative Report of the Department of Water Resources for 2025-26. The decisions were taken during a…

02 Jun

Punjab Launches ‘Bright Minds Punjab 2026’, AI to Be Introduced in Government Schools from Class 6

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingBright Minds Punjab 2026

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): In a significant push to reward academic excellence, Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains, along with Aam Aadmi Party Punjab Affairs Incharge Mr. Manish Sisodia, on Monday launched ‘Bright Minds Punjab 2026’ programme at Virasat-e-Khalsa, Sri Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district. Over 600 students from Rupnagar district who scored more than 85% in Class 12 board examinations were felicitated at the inaugural event with certificates of achievement. The programme will be extended to all districts across the state, S. Bains informed. Addressing students and teachers, Bains announced that Artificial Intelligence will be introduced as a subject…

02 Jun

HPCL Commits Fresh Investments in Punjab’s Refinery, Biofuel and Biogas Sectors

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingHPCL

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab’s emergence as a preferred investment destination received another major endorsement on Monday as Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann secured significant investment commitments from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), with the energy major announcing plans to expand its footprint in the state through investments in refinery, biofuel and biogas sectors. During a meeting with HPCL Chairman Vikas Kaushal, the Chief Minister highlighted Punjab’s robust infrastructure, strategic location, investor-friendly policies and transparent governance framework, which have helped position the state as North India’s most attractive investment hub. The meeting also saw HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL) announce further expansion…

02 Jun

Punjab Police Intensifies Statewide Security Measures, DGP Orders Enhanced Patrolling and Vehicle Checks

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPunjab, Punjab News, Punjab Police

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): In a major push to ensure a safe and secure environment across the state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Monday directed all field units to strengthen police presence and police patrolling through strategic nakas, mobile patrols, vehicle checking and effective area domination for enhancing public confidence and ensuring secure environment. The DGP was chairing a state-level Law and Order review meeting in virtual mode with senior Special DGPs/Additional DGPs/IGPs/DIG rank officers deputed as Supervisory Officers for Districts/Commissionerates, Range IGP/DIGs, all Commissioners of Police…

01 Jun

Haryana Enhances Police Response with 312 Emergency Vehicles Flagged Off by CM Nayab Singh Saini

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsHaryanaEmergency Response Vehicles, Haryana Police, Nayab Singh Saini, Public Safety

Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): In a major move to strengthen public safety and boost the state’s emergency response infrastructure, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini flagged off 312 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) during an event at Laser Valley Park in Gurugram on Monday. The new fleet includes 310 motorcycles and two Honda Elevate SUVs, provided by the Honda India Foundation under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative at an estimated cost of ₹5 crore. The Chief Minister emphasized that these resources will play a vital role in ensuring swift assistance to citizens during emergencies and upgrading the state's patrolling network. The…

01 Jun

Punjab Outpaces National Average with 14.59% GST Growth in May 2026

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabHarpal Singh Cheema, Punjab GST, Revenue growth

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Reaffirming Punjab’s path of strong fiscal performance, Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Monday that the state has recorded a robust growth of 14.59 percent in Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections during May 2026. Finance Minister Cheema said, "The Gross GST Collection for the month reached ₹2,400.52 crore, marking a significant increase of ₹305.71 crore compared to the ₹2,094.81 crore collected during May 2025". The Finance Minister emphasised that this impressive surge reflects sustained economic activity, improved tax compliance, and the effective execution of enforcement measures by the Excise and Taxation…