Briefly State

Badal approves 873 posts of college lecturers
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday gave in-principle approval to the higher education department for initiating a procedure to revive 873 vacant posts of college lecturers to fill these posts on the priority. Presiding over a high-level meeting of vice-chancellors and principals of government colleges,the chief minister asked the principal secretary,higher education,to complete the recruitment of college cadre lecturers in a time-bound manner. The CM also constituted different committees to chalk out the modalities to upgrade infrastructure in colleges and undertake recruitment process of college lecturers in a fair and transparent manner.

BJP wants two more districts in Punjab
Chandigarh: The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP),the alliance partner of Shiromani Akali Dal in the state government,has demanded that two more districts should be carved out in the state from Gurdaspur and Ferozepur,“which are too big”. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday,Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma and Local Bodies and Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia said: “The party is of the view that a district should be carved out of Ferozepur,which is very big in length and the people of Fazilka and Abohar have a tough time reach the district headquarter to get their official work done. The same way,Pathankot,which is now part of Gurdaspur district,should be made a separate district as people who live on the Punjab border near Himachal take a full day to come to the district headquarter.” The two leaders later met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and put forward the party demand.

Narinder Sharma is SAD joint secy
Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukbir Singh Badal has appointed Narinder Sharma,chairman of the District Planning Committee,Mohali,as joint secretary of the party.

Canadian MP seeks review of NRI ‘blacklist’
Patiala: Indian-origin Canadian MP Sukh Dhaliwal on Wednesday called for a review of the Centre’s ‘blacklist of Sikhs’,on which many were innocent and had no case pending against them. Dhaliwal,who was here on a private visit,said he would urge the prime minister to seek an amendment in the ‘blacklist’. Urging for closer business ties between India and Canada,Dhaliwal lamented that NRIs did not get quick justice in India and thus were hesitant in further improving business ties with the country. He added that he would meet Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal,besides DGP P S Gill and seek early redressal of grievances of NRIs in Punjab. He said the Government of Canada was working on reducing human trafficking,especially from Punjab.

HC summons home secy
Chandigarh: Peeved over the inability of a law officer of Punjab to give satisfactory response as demanded by it,the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the head of Home Guards organisation and the Home Secretary,Punjab,to remain present in the court on January 6. The two has been directed to assist the court in a regular case,which came up for resumed hearing on Wednesday. The case pertains to non-regularisation of home guards despite seats lying vacant. On Wednesday,the law officer failed to respond to queries raised by a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Augustine George Masih.