7.8% interest for GPF

Chandigarh: The interest rate for the general provident fund (GPF), contributory provident fund and other such funds for the second quarter of 2017-18 (July 1 to September 30, 2017) will be 7.8 percent, said a spokesman of the Finance Department, Punjab. TNS

AAP names district heads

Chandigarh: The state unit of the Aam Aadmi Party today announced the names of its district presidents, corporation presidents and spokespersons. State co-president Aman Arora, who was given the responsibility of restructuring the state unit, released the list.Arora said the named were finalised after receiving feedback from all quarters from within the party, besides discussion and deliberations with state party leaders. Arora said the list carried the names of the 22 district presidents, six corporation presidents and 10 spokespersons. This list will be followed by a few more appointments soon. TNS

Missing girl’s body found

Jalandhar: Five days after the body of her classmate Manpreet Kaur was found from the Bist Doab Canal, Rupinderjit Kaur's body too was found floating near the Canal View Restaurant on Wednesday. Both girls were students of Sentinel Public School at Balachaur. Like Manpreet, she too had perhaps removed her socks and shoes. Their bags were found two days ago by the divers. The girls hailed from adjoining villages and had got down from the school van at Balachaur Adda on Friday last for going to tuition. TNS

Forest dept staff not paid wages

Fatehgarh Sahib: Daily wagers working with the Khamano range of the Forest Department in this district have not received their salary for the past four months. They said they were facing difficulty in buying ration and paying school fee of their children. Range officer Balwinder Singh said they were not receiving funds to clear the wage bill of the field workers and added that as soon as they receive the funds they would pay the wages of the workers. TNS

Fire in SBI branch in Ropar

Ropar: A fire broke out in a State Bank of India branch at Power Colony here on Wednesday. The bank authorities said the fire broke out due to short-circuit and some old documents were destroyed in the incident. It was around 8 am when the neighbouring shopkeepers in the market noticed smoke emanating from the bank building. They informed the bank officials and fire brigade. Following this a bank official, Safdar Ali Raja, reached the bank and lock of the building was broken and fire brigade controlled the fire. TNS

Smuggled liquor seized

Sangrur: The Amargarh police have confiscated 30 boxes of smuggled liquor and arrested one person in this regard. An excise department team intercepted a car near Salempur village. One of the accused, Narinder Singh, fled the spot, while another Manjinder Singh was nabbed. Later, the excise department team called the police. TNS