Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

02 May

Punjab Liquor Auction Slows: Only 8 of 25 Groups Allotted Despite Fee Cuts

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabPunjab News

Gurpreet Singh :- The allocation of liquor vends in Punjab has seen a sluggish response, with the Excise Department managing to allot only 8 out of 25 pending liquor groups so far, while 17 groups still remain unsold. In an effort to attract bidders, the department has further reduced the license fee by 3%, taking the total reduction to 13%, but the response from contractors continues to remain lukewarm. Officials indicated that the remaining groups will now be offered through a fresh round of e-tendering. Contractors, however, have expressed reluctance to participate, citing heavy financial losses incurred during the previous…

02 May

Air India to cut international flights till July amid fuel crisis, airspace restrictions

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAir India

Rajeev Sharma :- Tata Airlines Air India has announced reduction in international flights till July amid souring jet fuel prices and airspace restriction following Middle East crisis. Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson said that surge in jet fuel prices have made many routes unprofitable. In a message to staff, Wilson said the airline had already cut back some international services during April and May due to operational challenges caused by the conflict in the Middle East. “We have reduced some flying for April and May," Wilson said, adding that the “massive rise in jet fuel prices", combined…

02 May

Legal Trouble Mounts for MP Sandeep Pathak as Punjab Police File Two Cases

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPolitics, Punjab, TrendingSandeep Pathak

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Fresh legal challenges have emerged for Sandeep Pathak after Punjab Police registered two separate FIRs against him on charges described as non-bailable in nature. Officials confirmed that the cases have been filed in different districts of Punjab, and preliminary action is already underway. Sources indicate that authorities are examining the matter closely and an arrest could take place if required under the law. The move comes shortly after Pathak, along with a group of fellow parliamentarians, parted ways with the Aam Aadmi Party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The shift has sparked political debate and intensified…

02 May

NIA Court Convicts Two in Moga Khalistani Flag Case, Awards 5.5 Years Jail

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsEntertainment, Punjab, TrendingBig news, Flag Case, Khalistan, Moga, Punjab

Gurpreet Singh :- In a significant verdict, a special court of the National Investigation Agency in Mohali has convicted two individuals in connection with the controversial incident of hoisting a Khalistani flag at the district administrative complex in Moga. The court sentenced the accused, Inderjit Singh and Jaspal Singh, to five years and six months of rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of ₹16,000 each. The case dates back nearly five years, when an attempt was allegedly made to disturb public order by raising a Khalistani flag at the DC office complex. Following the incident, security agencies treated the…

02 May

Punished by School, 15-Year-Old Ends Life; Case Filed Against Management

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabGurdaspur, Punjab News, School, Student, suicide

Gurpreet Singh :- A tragic incident from Punjab’s Gurdaspur district has raised serious questions over school discipline practices after a 15-year-old student allegedly died by suicide following punishment at a private school in Dasuya. The deceased, identified as Navjot Singh from village Jhanda Lubana in block Kahnuwan, was reportedly penalized for a minor mistake on April 27 and made to stand in the sun for two consecutive periods. Distressed by the punishment, he allegedly consumed a poisonous substance after returning home. He was immediately rushed to a hospital, where he remained under treatment for several days but ultimately succumbed. The…

01 May

Punjab Government Wins Unanimous Confidence Vote as CM Mann Outlines Vision for 2027

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAAP Punjab, anti-defection, Bhagwant Mann, Confidence Motion, irrigation project, political victory, Punjab Assembly

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday turned the floor of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha into a decisive assertion of political authority, with his government winning the Confidence Motion unanimously and sending a clear message that attempts to destabilise the Punjab Government have failed. Declaring the mandate as a reflection of enduring public trust, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann declared that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s support base remains intact and will translate into an even bigger mandate in 2027, even as he underscored the party’s grassroots strength built “with blood and sweat” and its unwavering alignment…

01 May

Punjab’s Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna Provides Vital Support with 100,000 Free Dialysis Sessions

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabCashless, Dialysis, health, Healthcare, Kidney Care, Medicine, MMSY, Punjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): So far, around 1 lakh dialysis procedures, worth ₹16.5 crore, have been performed under the Bhagwant Mann Government's Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY). As chronic kidney disease rises across India, government-backed cashless dialysis programmes are emerging as a lifeline. Yet experts warn that survival is still being shaped more by access and affordability than by cure. Dhian Singh from Ludhiana visits the hospital twice a week. For someone who has been undergoing long-term dialysis, he often faces a range of persistent physical and metabolic symptoms, even with regular treatment. However, there is some relief when it comes…

01 May

AAP Leaders Condemn Opposition Conduct and Gas Price Hike Following Landmark Labour Day Session

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAAP Punjab, Aman Arora, Congress walkout, gas hike, Harpal Cheema, Labour Day, Punjab News

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Following the special Punjab Vidhan Sabha session held on Labour Day, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a strong political response to the BJP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), stating that their actions reflect an anti-worker, anti-poor and opportunistic approach, while the AAP government continues to prioritise pro-people policies. Senior AAP leader and Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema criticised the BJP-led Central Government over the ₹994 hike in commercial gas cylinder prices immediately after elections, stating, “₹994 hike in commercial gas cylinder prices is a direct assault on workers and small businesses.” He asserted…

01 May

Punjab Government Boosts Minimum Wages by 15 Percent in Landmark Labour Day Decision

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann, education reform, Labour Day, minimum wage, Punjab Assembly, sacrilege law, Shukrana Yatra, wage hike

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): On Labour Day, the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution approving a 15 percent increase in minimum wages after 13 years, extending the benefit to all registered workers in both government and private sectors. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann termed it a tribute to the working class. The Punjab CM flagged education as key to improving their conditions and highlighted the AAP-led government's transformational work. He also targeted the Congress over its walkout from the special session, and announced a Shukrana Yatra following the passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act 2026.…

01 May

Punjab Government Consolidates Power as CM Mann Wins Confidence Vote Amid Opposition Boycotts

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAAP Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, Chandigarh, Confidence Motion, Floor Test, Punjab government, Vidhan Sabha

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The AAP government in Punjab demonstrated its legislative strength on Friday by comfortably winning a confidence motion in the State Assembly. During the session held on May 1, 2026, 88 out of 94 party MLAs voted in favour of the current administration, reaffirming the party's command over the provincial house. The proceedings occurred without the presence of the main opposition parties, as the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Shiromani Akali Dal chose to stay away from the vote. Following the successful count, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced his intention to submit a formal record of the result…