Briefly Region

5 PTU colleges selected for World Bank grant

Jalandhar: Five engineering colleges of Punjab Technical University (PTU) have been selected to receive aid under a collaborative project between the Centre and the World Bank. The project titled ‘Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme’ will provide a Rs 10 crore assistance to each of the colleges to improve their infrastructure. The colleges that have been chosen are Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College in Ludhiana,SBS College of Engineering and Technology in Ferozepur,Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology,Bathinda,Beant College of Engineering and Technology,Gurdaspur and the Chandigarh Engineering College in Mohali.

Punjab announces subsidy for oilseeds

Chandigarh: In a bid to increase oilseed cultivation,the Punjab government will provide farmers,who grow these crops,subsidies for exhibition plots and agri-implements. State Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh Langah said 80 exhibition plots measuring five hectares each will be set up throughout the state and farmers will be provided subsidies worth Rs 2500 per hectare and Rs 12,500 for each exhibition plot of five hectares.

Breeding centre to save state bird

Chandigarh: The Punjab government will set up a breeding centre to save its state bird,the Baaz (Eastern Gosh Hawk) whose numbers are dwindling. Punjab forest minister Arunesh Shakir on Sunday said the government has pushed forward the proposal to increase the number of eastern gosh hawks by setting up a breeding centre in Chhatbir Zoo.

Scholarships to go online

Chandigarh: The Punjab government will provide online scholarships to eligible students for this academic year. Directions in this regard have been issued to all government aided and unaided colleges besides all universities of the state.

Special package for textile sector

Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Sunday announced a comprehensive package of incentives for the textile park that is being set up in Malwa region. Industry Minister Tikshan Sud said: “The main component of the package is 50 per cent exemption from market fee,rural development fund and infrastructure cess for 10 years or up to 50 per cent of fixed capital investment,whichever is earlier,that will be provided on purchase of cotton.”

Police training: MOU with New York College

Chandigarh: As part of its efforts to reform the state police,the Punjab government will soon sign a MoU with John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York to initiate a police training programme. A visiting delegation from the college had proposed a two-way interaction programme under which,five to 10 high-ranking officers from Punjab will get a week-long training in New York. A team of five officers,from the New York police,will visit Punjab in the first phase of the programme.

Raids at 115 plastic carry bag factories

Patiala: As many as 24 teams of the Punjab Pollution Control Board raided 145 plastic carry bag manufacturing units across the state on Sunday and found 115 units violating the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules-2011.

RMS Chail selected for national science meet

Shimla: An unique and educative science model titled ‘An Ideal Village’ prepared by Cadet Kopal Bhat of Class IX of Rashtriya Military School Chail under the guidance of Lalit Tyagi,has been selected in the ‘State Level Exhibition under Inspire Award Scheme’ for participation at the national level science exhibition to be held in New Delhi on August 14.