Chandigarh : The second day of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha session on Wednesday started with Akali Dal and BJP MLAs entering the House wearing black gowns and demanding a complete farm loan waiver for farmers.
They raised slogans demanding loan waiver while entering the House.

The House was adjourned for 30 minutes amid protests by Akali-BJP MLAs over the non-fulfilment of promise of debt waiver by the Congress government.
Former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal also stood in the Well of the House and protested.
Later, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Finance Minister Manpreet Badal announced in the Vidhan Sabha that the state would forego its share of GST on langar at the Golden Temple.

The Congress leaders, having cornered the Akali Dal on the issue, exhorted them to ask Harsimrat Kaur Badal to resign from the Union Cabinet for rejecting the state’s plea thrice.
The state had moved the resolution thrice in the GST council, which was rejected by FM Arun Jaitley, Manpreet said.
Manpreet presented a resolution saying the Centre should stop the levy of GST on langar at the Golden Temple.

The CM announced that the reports of the Narang Commission (that looked into the sand mining scam involving former minister Rana Gurjit Singh), Ranjit Singh Commission (that looked into the sacrilege incidents) and the Mehtab Singh Gill Commission (that is looking into the registration of fake FIRs) would be tabled in the House before the Budget Session got over.

Last week, during the plenary session of the Congress party, Rahul had hinted that veteran members of the party may have to make way for the younger generation
Following Rahul's speech, Goa Congress president Naik, who turns 72 on April 12 this year, today submitted his resignation

NEW DELHI : “Inspired” by Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the plenary session of the Congress earlier this week, where he called for the old guard in the party to make way for the young generation, the president of the Goa Congress Shantaram Naik, who would turn 72 on April 12 this year, today submitted his resignation to Rahul.
“Inspired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi's speech at the plenary session where he said that the younger generation should come forward to take leadership, I have resigned from the post of Goa Congress president,” Naik said.

Last week, during the plenary session of the Congress party, Rahul had hinted that veteran members of the party may have to make way for the younger generation. 

In a veiled reference, the party president said that party could only be changed by demolishing “the wall” between workers and leaders — calling it his “first job” at the top.

Although he “sugarcoated” the messages by saying he would “bring down the wall, not by anger but with love, and by showing respect to veterans”, the intent to phase out the old guard could not have escaped the veterans seated in the front rows.

The Gandhi scion said “the wall” manifested itself in organisational malaises like election nominations to “aspirants who parachute from above” and in denial of tickets to those who lacked financial muscle.
Seventy-one-year-old Naik was appointed as the head of Goa Congress on July 7, 2017.

Faridkot : The Punjab School Education Board on Tuesday cancelled the Mathematics question paper of Class XII after reports of its alleged leak.   
The education department in a letter told the invigilators not to distribute the given question papers among the students as new question papers would be provided to them. 
The exam was to be held on Tuesday from 2pm to 5pm.

Meanwhile, the students were told to sit in classes till a new paper is given to them.
The department has mailed a fresh question paper to all centers. 

Case details
The actual strength of students in government schools across the state was about 18 lakh against the registration of about 22 lakh students
The HC Bench observed discrepancy in enrolment on random checking carried out in a few schools in Rohtak, Hisar and Gurugram range
The discrepancy surfaced after feeding Aadhaar numbers and student IDs into the computer
An inquiry report will be forwarded to the state government for approval to register an FIR

Chandigarh : Less than two years after Haryana was directed to probe the siphoning off of funds in the name of non-existent four lakh students, the Special Investigating Team (SIT) has confirmed embezzlement. A report in the matter is being forwarded to the state government for approval to register an FIR.
Dismissing a bunch of six appeals in the guest teachers’ case in May 2016, the High Court had ordered investigation after the Bench was told that computerisation of data and verification process had brought out 4 lakh fake admissions.

The actual strength of students in government schools across the state was about 18 lakh against the registration of about 22 lakh students. The Bench was of the view that funds under welfare schemes were disbursed to even non-existent students.
As the case came up for resumed hearing on Friday, the final inquiry report in a sealed cover was produced before Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Harinder Singh Sidhu’s Bench. Referring to the report, the Bench observed discrepancy in enrolment on random checking carried out in a few schools in Rohtak, Hisar and Gurugram range. The discrepancy surfaced after feeding Aadhaar numbers and student IDs into the computer.

The Bench added the SIT was of the opinion that “large amount of funds” were allocated for school students. As such, embezzlement or misappropriation of funds was established. The SIT was also of the view that criminal offence had been committed, while mentioning provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. It also recommended registration of an FIR.

Re-sealing the document, the Bench took on record the state counsel’s submission that the report would be forwarded to the government for approval to register an FIR.
Before parting with the order, the Bench asked the state to specify the time required for completing the investigation and presenting the challan or the final investigation report.

The Bench also made it clear that a decision was required to be taken against changing SIT members with the change in their place of posting or assignment.
“An affidavit by the Additional Chief Secretary (Vigilance), Haryana, be filed in this regard,” the Bench asserted, while fixing the case for the second week of April.
The Bench, in its initial order, had asserted that action should be commensurate with the guilt proved “so that the same has deterrent effect for others”.

The Bench had added that generally officers or officials found guilty even of serious charges, including corruption, were often let off with minor punishment. The Bench also expressed hope that the state would be serious and set an example for future “so that none dares to even think of these kinds of designs of corruption”.

Chandigarh : The Haryana Government on Tuesday issued transfer and posting orders of five IAS officers with immediate effect.
TL Satyaprakash has been posted as Managing Director, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, and Managing Director, Haryana Financial Corporation, relieving Raja Sekhar Vundru of the said charge.
This change assumes significance in view of the growing difference of opinion between the Principal Secretary, Industries, and the outgoing MD, HSIIDC, who were not on the same page on a number of issues.

Satyaprakash will also look after the work of Director General and Secretary, Town and Country Planning Department, Director General and Secretary, Science and Technology, Director General, Haryana Governance Reforms Authority, Director General, Industrial Training and Employment and Secretary, Haryana Skill Development Industrial Training and Employment Department and OSD and Designated CEO, Kundli Manesar Palwal Authority.

Mohammed Shayin, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Faridabad, and Chief Executive Officer, Smart City, Faridabad, will also look after the work of Managing Director, Haryana Tourism Development Corporation, relieving Sameer Pal Srow of the said charge.

Vijay Singh, Secretary, Haryana Public Service Commission, will be the new Deputy Commissioner, Sonipat, and Principal and Director, Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, Sonipat, in place of KM Pandurang, who has been posted as Director General and Special Secretary, Town and Country Planning Department, in place of TL Satyaprakash.

Anita Yadav, Director and Special Secretary, Women and Child Development Department, and Managing Director, Women Development Corporation and Secretary, Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, has been posted as Additional Chief Executive Officer, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority, Gurugram, against a vacant post.