Regional Journal

Rajya Sabha MPs to go smart

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After receiving a 24 per cent pay hike in March, Rajya Sabha MPs have more good news coming in. Henceforth, they will be allowed to buy all ranges of smart products, including TVs, displays, speakers and even wearables. Permission has also been granted to buy bluetooth headsets, airpods, laptop bags and cooling pads. For each of these purchases, MPs can claim reimbursements under the new rules notified by the House Secretariat. The idea behind the move is to improve the working efficiency of MPs.

Aroras in spotlight

AAP and the Congress are relying heavily on leaders from the Arora community for the June 19 Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll. While AAP has fielded industrialist Sanjeev Arora, its Punjab unit president Aman Arora is campaigning for him vigorously. The Congress has brought in its former minister Sunder Sham Arora to campaign for Bharat Bhushan Ashu. Incidentally, AAP MLA from neighbouring Jalandhar West Assembly segment Raman Arora was recently booked by the Vigilance Bureau in a corruption case.

In driver’s seat, literally!

With not many farmers in Punjab opting for the direct seeding of rice (DSR) technique this season, politicians and bureaucrats have taken the matter into their own hands, literally. Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Muktsar MLA Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar, and Moga Deputy Commissioner Sagar Setia were recently seen driving tractors in the fields to promote the water-saving method. The message was clear: if farmers do not come to DSR, the DSR team will come right to their doorsteps!

Stray solution to cattle menace

Regular VIP visits can help get rid of growing stray cattle menace. Sound strange, but a recent visit of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to Nabha and Patiala had the Punjab Police and other departments on toes. The officials were in top gear to ensure that the stray cattle did not halt the VIP cavalcade. “We only heaved a sigh of relief after the visit got over, only to be told that the CM is again expected in two days, and therefore the cattle need to be kept away from. Where and how, was something that was left to our wisdom”, quipped a senior official.

Missing tractor trolleys

AAP leaders carrying out ‘Nasha Mukti Yatra’ and ‘Sikhya Kranti Yatra’, in Patiala, especially in rural areas, are being confronted with tough questions by farmer leaders. One of the questions that is making them uneasy is about the tractor trolleys that went missing during the eviction of the Shambhu and Khanauri Morcha. Recently, farmers shamed Chetan Singh Jouramajra on the issue. Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh found himself in a spot when the farmers heckled him during his visit at Baran village.

A day with DC, SSP

Students who secured top positions in Class 10 and 12 recently got an opportunity to spend a day with the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner and the SSP. Both officials provided the students insights into the functioning of the civil and police administration, as well as their duties, and answered their questions. Each student was honoured with an inspirational book and a token of appreciation. Later, the students also met CM Bhagwant Singh Mann at a guest house.

‘Bomb’ that wasn’t

On the night of May 7, soon after the skirmishes between India and Pakistan broke out, a “bomb” was found at Pandher village in Gurdaspur. Army officials were quick to rush to the village that is barely a stone’s throw from the Tibri Cantonment. Fearing that panic could spread in the area, they claimed it was just a bomb. Later, a senior officer confirmed that it was actually a missile aimed at the cantonment. One can only imagine the destruction the missile could have caused, had it hit the intended target where thousands of troops were housed.

Shah’s time constraints

Home Minister Amit Shah was a notable absentee from two major functions this week. On May 27, he was to attend a function on Veer Savarkar's birth anniversary in Mumbai, but he returned to Delhi midway. Sources attributed his sudden departure to inclement weather and the Padma awards ceremony. On May 31, he was to address a seminar on 60 years of Deendayal Upadhyaya's integral humanism lectures, he skipped that event too. A case of too many engagements leading to time constraints!

Contributed by Aditi Tandon, Rajmeet Singh, Archit Watts, Aman Sood, Sukhmeet Bhasin, Mohit Khanna, Ravi Dhaliwal & Animesh Singh