Punjab

In a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann presiding, the Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday enhanced the ex-gratia grant to families of martyred soldiers from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore. The Cabinet also approved a 40% increase in rates of cash in lieu of land given to winners of distinguished services awards, which would lead to greater satisfaction for these awardees and motivate others for selfless service to the nation in the future, according to an official statement. The statement added that the Cabinet had approved ₹1,500 per acre as incentive to farmers for sowing paddy with the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technology. A sum of ₹450 crore has been earmarked to provide an incentive to farmers for the promotion of less water consumption and cost-effective DSR technology. The Cabinet also approved the s.upersession of the existing nominated Market Committees. The Cabinet agreed to amend Section 12 of the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 to appoint administrators for … [Read more...] about Punjab enhances ex-gratia for martyred soldiers to ₹1 crore

Protesting Punjab farmers on Wednesday said they will be meeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for redressal of their demands , including a bonus on wheat and beginning paddy sowing from June 10. Farmer leaders said the Mohali Deputy Dommissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police invited them for a meeting with the Chief Minister in Chandigarh. “The DC and SSP came to take us (for the meeting) and the message (for the meeting) is from CM sahab,” farmer leader Baldev Singh Sirsa said. Also Read G-7 likely to increase pressure on India to reverse wheat export ban “We are going for the meeting,” he added. Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) State president Jagjit Singh Dallewal said they will demand the redressal of various issues of the farmers in the meeting. However, he said the farmers’ protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border will continue. “We will reveal the outcome of the meeting later.” As many as 36 farmer leaders -- who were taken in a bus to the Punjab … [Read more...] about Bhagwant Mann to meet protesting farmers stopped from marching towards Chandigarh

India plans to use units of a Russian-purchased S-400 air defense system — which utilizes a mobile, surface-to-air missile system — to defend itself against potential threats posed by neighboring China as soon as June, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported on Wednesday. “In December India received its initial delivery of the Russian S-400 air defense system, and it intends to operate the system to defend against Pakistani and Chinese threats by June 2022,” U.S. Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier told members of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee during a recent U.S. Congressional hearing, as quoted by PTI. Berrier serves as the Director of the United States Defense Intelligence Agency, the nation’s highest-ranking military intelligence officer. Russia’s S-400 air defense system is considered the nation’s “most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system,” PTI noted in January while reporting on the U.S. government’s open disapproval of New Delhi’s decision to … [Read more...] about Top Pentagon Intel Officer Tells Congress: India Intends to Use Russian Missiles to Target China