Central team to visit Punjab to reassess crop-loss

Badal said there was no proposal for constituting a new district reorganisation committee in Punjab, though there were some demands for merger of certain areas from one district to another. He also ruled out setting up new tehsils as carving out of new districts or tehsils would not serve any useful purpose, he maintained.

Answering a question, the chief minister said he had directed the chief secretary to set up a high-powered committee comprising senior IAS officers assisted by financial experts to go into the affairs of Red Cross funds as he had received several complaints about alleged irregularities and misuse of the funds during the last three to four years.

Earlier, a deputation of advocates of Muktsar pleaded with chief minister for merger of Abohar with the district of Muktsar by carving them out from Ferozepur district. However, he said it was a serious matter and no early decision could be taken at this stage as it would create new problems.

Scheme for women: As a focus of national effort towards economic independence to women in Punjab, Badal today launched a novel programme of making available, “work opportunities at home” for housewives at Aulakh village in Muktsar district.

The CM launched opening of 30 such sewing centres and 70 mahila kendras and gave 500 sewing machines besides giving cheques worth Rs 20,000 each to 60 women beneficiares for starting different vocations like dairy farming and carpet-making and grant of Rs 25,000 each to all mahilla mandal kendras for various activities leading to their social well-being.