The Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has termed the murderous attack on retired Lt. General K.S. Brar in London, last week as unfortunate and tragic and has condemned it. He said he does not want to say that which agency had attacked the General. Indian government is bound to take action against the attackers but it is too early to ask for extraditing them to India as the British Government is investigating the case.

Gen. Brar had led the ‘Operation Bluestar’ in 1984 to flush out pro-Khalistan militants from the Golden Temple.

When asked to comment on the construction of a memorial inside the premises of Sri Harmandir Sahib in the memory of extremists killed in the operation, the Home Minister said that the Nation and the state had suffered a lot during terrorism in the past.

AIR Correspondent reports that this was the first visit of Suhsil Kumar Shinde to Punjab after assuming the charge of the Home Minister. He visited Attari-Wagah Joint Check post and reviewed the security situation during a meeting with Border Security Force. He also visited Integrated Check Post to review the problems being faced by traders from both the sides and assured to solve the same soon.

On the issue of crossing over of Chinese troops into Indian territory in Leh-Ladakh sector, the Home Minister, said that Chinese tried to infiltrate into our territory at some places in the past but Indian forces are alert to not to allow them to do so.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday urged the Centre to place adequate funds at disposal of the states. This is to ensure all round urban development through the Local Government Institutions.

Addressing the 105th National Executive Committee Meeting of the All India Council of Mayors (AICM) at Bathinda he pleaded for liberal grant of funds by Centre. He said states alone cannot execute development works in the urban sector due to paucity of funds. Chief Minister asked the Mayors to frame such policies under which lower and middle class could get houses on affordable prices to solve the problem of mushrooming of slums.

In Himachal Pradesh, flash flood in Beas river triggered by cloud burst has claimed one life and damaged property worth crores of rupees in Manali. The incident occurred at about 10 last night near Palchaan and Bahang villages of Dhundhi area of Solangnala. Twenty metre stretch of Manali-Leh National Highway was washed away. An army bridge, four vehicles of Border Roads Organisation and a private hydro-electricity project were damaged. Labourers sleeping in temporary camps on the bank of river were taken to safer places by jawans. According to Deputy Commissioner of Kullu Amitabh Awasthi, a valley bridge will be constructed within three days to restore vehicular traffic between Manali and Lahaul Spiti. He said, District Administration and Border Roads Organisation are trying to restore the traffic movement on the road. Flood water has also damaged roads at several places near Koltha on Chandigarh­- Manali highway forcing diversion of traffic between Kullu and Manali traffic via left bank

Nation is paying tributes to Saheed Udham Singh on his 73rd martyrdom day today. He was hanged on July 31st 1940 in London for assassination of Michael O’Dyer who had ordered massacre of Jallian Wala Bagh, Amriitsar on April 13,1919.Udham Singh described the assassination as an avenge of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

In Punjab, a state level function is being organised in Sunam town of Sangrur district ,the birthplace of Shaheed.

In Punjab, Patiala police, unearthed a sensational case of smuggling of Chinese made pistols by a Ferozepur based arms dealer and has recovered 18 Mausers of worth about 1.75 crore rupees which he had already sold to customers across the state on higher price. 300 live cartridges have also been recovered.

Patiala Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), has told AIR Jalandhar correspondent that this seems to be the biggest recovery of such Mauser pistols after the black days of terrorism in Punjab.

To promote singing talent amongst Punjabis, Jalandhar Doordarshan (JDD) is launching musical reality show named ‘Sur Sartaj’ on the occasion of 12 anniversary of DD Punjabi on August 7 at its studios in Jalandhar. This is the first ever reality show in the history of DD Punjabi.

To reduce morbidity and mortality due to road accidents, the World Health Organisation sponsored Road Safety has started giving positive results in Jalandhar City of Punjab. Jalandhar is among the two cities in the country where this project is presently running as a pliot project for the last two years. The other city is Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.

Jalandhar Police says that there is tremendous decrease in the deaths due to accidents. AIR Correspondent reports there were 290 deaths in 258 fatal accidents in the year 2009. With the implementation of the project the number of deaths has decreased to 80 in 2011.

Besides saving human lives, the project has also generated huge revenue of over 2 crore 56 lakh rupees for the city police by fining more than 2 lakh 22 thousand traffic rule offenders. 

This project has been initiated by United Nations in collaboration with several international agencies and is being implemented in 10 different countries including India.

Data reveales that in the year 2009, there were 290 deaths in 258 fatal accidents and about the same numbers of people were injured in more than 150 non-fatal accidents in the city. That means on an average basis 24 human beings were killed in road accidents every month. Whereas, after the implementation of the project in 2010, the number of deaths has come down to 185 and further decreased to 80 in 2011 and about 45 till date in this year. Besides saving human lives, the project has also generated huge revenue of more than rupees 2 crore 56 lakh for the city police by challaning more than 2 lakh 22 thousand traffic offenders. State Nodal Officer of the Project, Dr Ashok Nayyar said that the project is moving in the right direction

Union Rural Development Minister Mr. Jai Ram Ramesh has promised that whole country will become 'clean ' by 2022. Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh today he said that Sikkim is the first state which has got the status of a nirmal state and Kerala will be second such state by next year.Minister discussed drinking water facilities and sanitation programme today in Chandigarh with the representatives of Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. He said that for total sanitation besides providing toilets there is also a need to change the mindset of people to stop open defacation. Minister said that with total sanitation health problems will be solved.

Mr. Jairam Ramesh said that Punjab is the only state where Uranium content has been found in the underground water while its causes are not yet known and Centre Government is providing assistance to the state to tackle this problem. Minister announced that a labortary will be set up in Mohali near Chandigarh to suggest mesures to treat Uranium contaminated water in Malwa region of Punjab. This labortary will start functioning with in 6 to 8 months and Centre Government will provide rupees 4 crore for this labortary. Minister promised that centre will provide all possible assistance to punjab with the help of scientists of Bhaba Atomic Research Centre. It may be mentioned that recently Uranium was found in half of the 2400 water samples filled in Punjab.

Punjab Assembly in a resolution appealed to both Indian and Pakistan government to release all those persons who have completed their jail term.

The resolution was moved by the Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and passed by the assembly unanimously.

It also thanked Indian and Pakistan governments for release of Surjeet Singh after 30 years of imprisonment in Pakistan. The Chief Minister said that release of prisoners from the jails of the two countries will help in improving the relation between the two nations.

Chief Minister also appealed the central government to take steps for the release of Sarabjit Singh from Pakistani jail. Punjab Chief Minister promised help to the family of Surjeet Singh, who had been released yesterday.

Finance Minister of Punjab, Parminder Singh Dhindsa presented a 5 lakh7 thousand 6 hundred and 48 crore rupee budget for year 2012-13 in the State Assembly today with a revenue deficit of 3 thousand one hundred 29 crore rupees. It shows likely total receipts as 5,6, 605 crore rupees and the closing balance by the end of the year as minus 53 crore 97 lakh rupees. Agriculture and allied sectors remained the preferred sectors with an increase of 52 percent allocation. Budget estimate show that outstanding loan of 8,7,518 crore rupees would be there by the end of this financial year. Punjab Finance Minister proposed 10 percent cut in government expenditure as an austerity measure. Sufficient amount has been proposed for the margin money of central sponsored scheme. Finance Minister has kept sufficient amount for the development of six border districts of the state.

he Punjab Government has decided to abolish octroi on Petrol and Diesel in the state. This decision was taken in a cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal at Chandigarh last evening. A spokesman of the state government said that the decisoin will provide relief to the people.

At present one percent octroi was charged on petrol and two percent on diesel. The spokesman also said that Octroi was also adversely affecting the sale of products in the urban areas, which are adjacent to the other states. Cabinet also gave nod to amend municipal acts in this regard and to issue ordinance.
OCTORI: local tax collected on various articles brought into a district for consumption.

The percentage of Punjabis joining defence forces in officer’s rank is two per cent. This is although not good but satisfactory keeping in view the present trend of entering into private sector for heafty pay package.

Disclosing this, the Pricipal Secreatry, Defence Welfare, Punjab, Mr. C. Roul told AIR in Jalandhar that after the implementation of the sixth pay commission, the trend has reversed and youngsters have again started opting to join defence forces for a better future. 

On the issue of less contribution from Punjab in National Defence Academy, Roul said the department is creating awareness amongst students to join forces for a respectful career. The department is also providing free coaching for prospective candidates at Jalandhar and Mohali.

The Punjab Government has banned the manufacture, import and use of pesticides which are very injurious to health.

Responding to National Huma Rights Commission's directions, the state government has also withdrawn registration of some such pesticides in addition to restricting use of some dangerous pesticides.

The state government has also made arrangements for educating farmers on judicious use of pesticides and their healthcare. Our correspondent reports that these actions have been taken by state government in response to commission's suo motu cognizance of a media report.

The report said that the disease of cancer among farmers in the Malwa region of Punjab is caused by the excessive use of pesticides.