Borrowers owe Punjab government over Rs.26 bn

October 7th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday said the controversial issue of sharing of water between Haryana and Punjab should be sorted out through talks. The water sharing has been a thorny issue between both states with Haryana seeking completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal and Punjab opposing the move.

October 7th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Over 610,000 tonnes of paddy has been procured by public and private agencies in Punjab so far, food and supplies department officials said Wednesday. Nearly 94 percent of all paddy arrivals in the state has been procured by government agencies - five of the Punjab government as well as the central government's Food Corporation of India (FCI).

October 1st, 2009 CHANDIGARH - More paddy is arriving in grain markets in Haryana compared to neighbouring Punjab. Officials of the food and supplies department of Haryana said 161,345 tonnes of paddy had arrived in the state till Wednesday evening.

September 6th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Former Punjab chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar passed away here Sunday after prolonged illness. He was 86. Brar was admitted to the Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here for the last few days.

July 30th, 2009 New Federal Housing Administration loan assistanceWASHINGTON — Loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration will be eligible for payment reductions similar to the Obama administration's loan modification program, the government will announce Thursday. Effective Aug.

July 28th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Heavy rains lashed Chandigarh and neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana Tuesday, ending days of dry weather in the region. "There has been heavy rainfall in different parts of Punjab and Haryana.

July 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government Friday said it has fined private carrier Kingfisher Airlines Rs.26.46 crore for delay in remittance of tax deducted at source (TDS). Minister of State for Finance S.S.

July 3rd, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Jammu and Kashmir cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Paramdeep Singh Gill Friday took over as the new director general of Punjab Police. The Punjab government amended rules to bring Gill, a 1974-batch officer, on deputation from Jammu and Kashmir.

July 1st, 2009 Gov't foreclosure help will reach more homeownersWASHINGTON — The Obama administration is expanding a program to stave off foreclosure for borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth. Housing secretary Shaun Donovan says borrowers who owe up 25 percent more than their home's market value will qualify for government help refinancing their mortgages.

June 28th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - After Punjab last week banned use of air-conditioners in government offices, the Haryana government too Sunday imposed a similar ban across the state to tide over the power crisis the heat wave conditions have caused in the region. "With a view to economise the use of power, the Haryana government has decided to ban the use of air conditioners in its offices and that of boards and corporations, universities and local bodies situated in the state with immediate effect," an official spokesman said here Sunday.

June 26th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - The 2009-10 annual plan outlay for Punjab has been pegged at Rs.8,625 crore, an increase of 39 percent over last year. The details of the state's annual plan were finalised Friday in New Delhi at a meeting between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and senior officials.

June 11th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Punjab's Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh has resigned and he has been appointed as the state's chief information commissioner (CIC). Singh, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Punjab cadre, will join the state information commission after his resignation from IAS is accepted by the central government.

May 12th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Wheat procurement in Punjab and Haryana has achieved a historic record this season. Both states have jointly procured over 17.6 million tonnes of wheat so far.

January 27th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Academic activity was completely paralysed in colleges and universities across Punjab and Chandigarh Wednesday following a mass casual leave protest by teachers in the region. The Punjab Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation (PFUCTO) served a 10-day ultimatum to the Punjab government to notify the revised pay-scales for college and university teachers.

January 21st, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Over 10,000 teachers of various government and private colleges in Punjab and Chandigarh observed a strike for two hours Thursday to press for their pay hike demand. The teachers are demanding the Punjab government to implement the new by the University Grants Commission (UGC) pay scale approved by the government Dec 31 last year.