Briefly region

16 held for betting on T-20 final

Karnal:The Haryana Police arrested 16 people in the districts of Sirsa and Karnal for allegedly betting on the final of the T-20 World Cup,between Sri Lanka and West Indies. Police have recovered over Rs 59,000,33 mobile phones,television sets and other electronic equipment from the accused.

Haryana targets 5,700kg/hectare fish

Chandigarh:The state government has fixed a target of 5,700 kilograms of fish,per hectare,in the current financial year. “A target has been fixed as against fish production of 5,600 kgs per hectare during the last fiscal,” said Agriculture Minister Paramvir Singh.

6.21 lakh MT paddy in state mandis

Chandigarh:More than 6.21 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has arrived in mandis across Haryana during the current Kharif season. Of this,the maximum quantity of 2.13 lakh metric tonnes has arrived in Kurukshetra district,while Karnal received over 1.77 lakh metric tonnes and Kaithal 1.15 lakh metric tonnes of paddy.

42,000 free houses for Punjab EWS families

Chandigarh:The Punjab government will provide around 42,000 families from economically weaker sections with a free house within the next two years as Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday issued directions to hand over possession of the houses to the families by December 2014. Sukhbir said each sanctioned mega project,will have to earmark 6 per cent of the project area for EWS housing.

Notification for one year extension issued

Chandigarh:The Punjab government on Monday issued a notification providing its employees,retiring on or after 31 October,2012,an option for a one-year extension in service. As per the notification,the option will be applicable to all Group A,Group B,Group C and Group D employees.

‘Cong,Akalis playing with sensitive issues’

Chandigarh:Terming the assassination attempt on Lt Gen K S Brar as a worrisome incident,the Punjab CPM secretary Charan Singh Virdi on Monday accused both the Congress and the Akalis of playing with sensitive issues that could harm communal peace in Punjab.