Heart of Punjab

April in Punjab has long been synonymous with abundance—a season when golden wheat fields translate into cash in hand, with rural households planning weddings, purchasing more land or property etc. This year, that familiar rhythm has faltered. Instead of celebrations,...

Heart of Punjab: Thousands of middle and upper-middle-class families have seen their savings locked in stalled or abandoned projects

Five drug deaths have devastated homes in the Jalandhar-Kapurthala region in the last four weeks

The tragic suicide of two brothers in Harinau village of Faridkot is not an isolated incident. Each such incident lays bare the widening cracks in the state’s farm economy. With wheat crop ready for harvest, another challenge is staring farmers...

Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s announcement in the affirmative to a query by Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu in Parliament recently urging the government to undertake restoration of damaged manuscripts and literature in the Golden Temple's Sikh...

Two murders at a police post near the border led to the arrest of Ranjit Singh, allegedly linked to ISI. He died three days later in a police 'encounter,' though eyewitnesses and a court question the official narrative, especially Ranjit's escape and subsequent death. This follows a rise in Punjab police encounters.

Human rights activist Navkiran Singh warns unchecked encounters are 'intoxicating' and dangerous in Punjab's history

Heart of Punjab: The NGT allowed the tender process to continue but restrained any actual desilting without its permission, effectively freezing physical activity on the ground

Social activists have demanded introduction of a domicile law to regulate 'influx' of migrants in Punjab

Industrialists seek govt help to challenge Bangladesh’s dominance

In a change of trend of an overwhelming desire to migrate to countries like Canada, the US, Australia and the UK, the number of Punjabis seeking passports has dipped by over 40 per cent since 2023, says data released by the Ministry of External Affairs

While thousands of devotees thronged the site during a “Shukrana Samagam” today, it is famous for holding one of the biggest langars in the region

Heart of Punjab: Social media accounts promoting gun culture and gangster swag are not new. But their recent proliferation into luring gullible youngsters into the world of crime, often recruiting them for crimes like murder and extortions, is worrying, say police officials

Muktsar's Maghi Mela, a religious event, is now intertwined with pre-election politics. AAP, SAD, and BJP are holding rallies, hoping to gain support. The Congress is taking a cautious approach, while other groups are also organizing events. The mela's political significance lies in its ability to influence public opinion, despite its core religious observance.

Several Akali Dal factions have formed and failed since 1920. SAD (Punarsurjit), led by Giani Harpreet Singh, recently collapsed after poor election performance. Other past revolts include those led by Gurcharan Singh Tohra and during disputes between prominent Akali leaders, all failing to seriously challenge the original SAD.

The BJP is strategically courting Punjab's Dalit voters, particularly the Ravidassia community, through meetings with religious leaders. This move, amplified by social media, aims to gain support ahead of the elections. This effort has put pressure on the AAP, which had previously made gestures to the community.

HEART OF PUNJAB

Punjab’s big cities are drowning in their own garbage, with mountains of legacy waste growing by the day. Ludhiana generates about 1,100 metric tonne (MT) waste every day, the highest among Punjab’s major municipal corporations. Jalandhar adds around 630 MT...

Extortion cases, which were earlier an exception, have become the new normal. Some cases are reported to the police, while others go unreported

21 plants found running illegally; NGT orders statewide audit

Amritsar, a holy city, struggles with severe waste management issues. Garbage piles up due to failed municipal services and broken promises from politicians, despite the upcoming Guru Teg Bahadur anniversary. While political leaders use the city's beauty for photo opportunities, neglect and corruption plague the area, contrasting sharply with volunteer efforts and historical reverence.

Supreme Court intervention and CAQM directives led to a significant decrease in Punjab's farm fires compared to previous years. Despite progress, concerns remain due to the upcoming harvest in the Malwa belt and farmers' resistance to alternatives and calls for cash incentives.

Punjab had the third-highest road fatalities in India in 2023. Despite claims of reduced highway deaths and black spot elimination, discrepancies exist in data reporting and analysis. The state lags in implementing the e-DAR system, leading to an underestimation of accident data and persistent road safety issues exacerbated by poor driving skills and a fake license scam.

Heart of Punjab: Centre needs to rework the disaster relief for Punjab

Punjab's political parties are fundraising for flood relief. AAP created the Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund, BJP is providing aid from central resources, the Shiromani Akali Dal is distributing cash and materials, while the Congress's relief efforts appear less coordinated. Each party aims to gain voter favor ahead of the 2027 elections.