3 granted Cabinet-rank status in Punjab

Chandigarh: The government on Tuesday granted a Cabinet-rank status to three vice-chairmen of the Economic Policy and Planning Board. They are Rajinder Gupta of Trident Industries, Amrit Sagar Mittal of Sonalika Group and Sunil Gupta, former director of Canara Bank. TNS

3 held with contraband

Mansa: The local police on Tuesdsay arrested three persons and seized 10 gm of heroin and 3 kg of poppy husk along with a motorcycle from them. Sukhcharan Singh, a native of Haryana, was held with three-kg poppy husk. Cops seized 10-gm heroin from Pradeep and Karamjit, both residents of Jhwarke village. TNS

Water recharging pits

Barnala: To control groundwater depletion, the Education Department is constructing water recharging pits at 249 schools and has planted 2.64 lakh saplings. Deputy Commissioner Dr Harish Nayar said, “Groundwater will be recharged with the help of these pits.” TNS

Rana seeks special package

Chandigarh: Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give a special package to the state to save it from bankruptcy. He said he hoped that Punjab would not be disappointed this time as had happened in Ferozepur. TNS

Name Bathinda AIIMS after ninth Guru, says MP

Bathinda: Local Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday requested the Union Health Ministry to name Bathinda’s AIIMS in honour of ‘Hind ki Chadar’ Guru Tegh Bahadur. Harsimrat met Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on this issue in New Delhi.