Articles by Navneet Sharma
After Delhi debacle, future tense for AAP in Punjab
Though chief minister Bhagwant Mann drew impressive crowds, the AAP lost most of the dozen-odd seats having a sizable Punjabi population with big margins. The AAP had deployed its top state leaders, including ministers, MLAs and other leaders, to campaign in Delhi.

Published on Feb 09, 2025 09:04 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Prime Minister Internship Scheme: 41% of Punjab youth accepted corporate offers
A total of 4,920 candidates from Punjab and Haryana received 6,732 internship offers from partner companies

Published on Feb 06, 2025 09:20 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab to assess Unified Pension Scheme
A panel constituted to draft the standard operating procedure for the implementation of the OPS will study the new scheme notified by the Union govt last week

Published on Jan 31, 2025 05:16 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab GST mop-up surged in 3rd quarter after poor first half
The 5.97% year-on-year growth in GST mop-up in the first six months of 2024-25 was the slowest in four years, but the collection of ₹6,518.57 crore during the October-December quarter on account of better consumption and increased compliance more than made up for the shortfall

Updated on Jan 24, 2025 08:14 AM IST
Punjab’s capex up 40% in April-Nov but may still fall short of target
Punjab's AAP government increased capital expenditure to ₹3,700 crore in 2024-25, but still risks falling short of the ₹7,445 crore target.

Updated on Dec 17, 2024 08:54 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Pushing for its extension, Punjab among top beneficiaries of GST compensation
This amount constitutes approximately 6.9% of the total GST compensation of ₹6.64 lakh crore released by the central government to states during the period. Only four states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, in that order - received more goods and services tax compensation than Punjab, according to a written reply submitted by the finance ministry in Parliament recently.

Updated on Dec 06, 2024 10:50 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Attack on workers: NHAI writes to DGP, alleges police ‘inaction’
NHAI has urged Punjab police to act on recent assaults against laborers at a highway project, citing past inaction and safety concerns for workers.

Updated on Dec 02, 2024 07:54 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
PM SHRI: Centre sanctions funds to Punjab for upgrading 233 schools
The funds have been approved by the project approval board (PAB) of the Union ministry of education (MoE) to upgrade 233 government schools in the state.

Published on Nov 27, 2024 10:45 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
For AAP, Punjab bypoll victories comes as a much-needed midterm boost
The by-elections to four assembly seats were seen as a midterm litmus test for the AAP government in the state following its poor showing in the April-May parliamentary polls, where it won only three of the 13 Lok Sabha seats.

Updated on Nov 24, 2024 08:20 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
In Punjab bypoll battle, AAP wins three seats, Congress one
The AAP won the Chabbewal, Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak assembly seats, shaking off its dismal performance in the state in the April-May Lok Sabha elections

Updated on Nov 24, 2024 07:44 AM IST
Punjab: Aman Arora, a Hindu face, replaces Mann as AAP state president
Arora’s appointment is widely seen in political circles as effort by the AAP to attract Hindu voters, particularly in urban areas, while also countering the growing influence of the BJP in the state

Updated on Nov 23, 2024 08:24 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Aman Arora replaces Bhagwant Mann as Punjab AAP president
A prominent Hindu face of the AAP in Punjab, Arora’s appointment will not only help the party attract Hindu voters but also counter the BJP, which is making an aggressive push to expand its support base in the state after parting ways with the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Updated on Nov 22, 2024 03:28 PM IST
Dera Baba Nanak bypoll: Punjab CEO asks Haryana to enhance vigil on jailed gangster Bhagwanpuria
The action comes after Congress MP Randhawa alleged that the gangster was ‘threatening’ voters to influence byelections. In his letter, Punjab chief electoral officer Sibin C also emphasised the seriousness of the matter and requested immediate action, with a report to be sent to him for further information to the Election Commission of India.

Updated on Nov 12, 2024 05:56 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab to borrow more as debt burden mounts
Of the planned borrowing, ₹2,000 crore has already been taken in October, with the remaining ₹3,000 crore to be raised in November and December, as outlined in the indicative calendar the state government shared with the Reserve Bank of India

Updated on Nov 08, 2024 06:44 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab: Ahead of MC polls, Kejriwal, Mann review performance of civic bodies
Kejriwal and Mann held the review meetings in Delhi with the commissioners of various municipal corporations

Updated on Oct 29, 2024 05:58 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Procurement crisis becomes a political minefield for AAP
The paddy procurement crisis in Punjab is fast becoming a political minefield for the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ahead of crucial byelections to four assembly constituencies.

Updated on Oct 26, 2024 08:04 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab: SAD turncoat, MP’s doctor son among AAP candidates for bypolls
Dimpy Dhillon, Ishank, Gurdeep Randhawa and Harinder Dhaliwal fielded from Gidderbaha, Chabbewal, Dera Baba Nanak and Barnala

Updated on Oct 21, 2024 07:26 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab: At ₹18,303 crore in first half of year, revenue deficit a concern for government
The deficit is 79% of the ₹23,198-crore gap estimated for the entire financial year of 2024-25. According to the fiscal indicators released on Wednesday, the state’s revenue receipts amount to ₹41,709 crore and the revenue expenditure stand at ₹60,011 crore by the end of the first six months.

Updated on Oct 18, 2024 09:00 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab’s GST growth slows down to 4-year low at 5.97%
Sluggish growth in GST collection has become latest concern for state govt, which is grappling with mounting debt burden

Updated on Oct 17, 2024 06:34 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
3.70 lakh schoolkids in Punjab missed out on free mid-day meals last year
This was revealed in a performance review of the PM Poshan scheme done by the project approval board (PAB) of the Union ministry of education four months ago

Updated on Oct 02, 2024 09:22 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
233 Punjab schools selected for upgrade under PM SHRI
Jointly financed by the central and state govts on a 60:40 funding ratio, the scheme seeks to upgrade 14,500 schools across India in over 5 years

Updated on Sep 26, 2024 05:32 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
PM-Economic Advisory Council paper: Haryana surpasses Punjab in GDP share, per capita income
Punjab’s GDP share grew during the 1960s, mainly due to the Green Revolution, but then plateaued at around 4.3% until 1990-91, shows report.

Published on Sep 18, 2024 07:49 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab: Revenue receipts up 10%; deficit, subsidy key challenges
It’s ₹34,983 crore for the April-August period, up from ₹31,840 crore of last year’s corresponding period.

Updated on Sep 17, 2024 05:54 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Year on, Punjab govt yet to start ex gratia scheme for ‘physical casualty’ cases in armed forces
Soldiers’ deaths due to natural causes, illness, accident, suicide, or murder due to family disputes, whether in operational or non-operational areas, are classified as ‘physical casualties.’

Updated on Sep 14, 2024 09:20 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab’s NPS payment short by ₹122.5 crore: CAG
Report shows ₹183.37 crore interest has been incurred by the state government due delay in release of payment.

Published on Sep 11, 2024 10:28 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
80% spike in pension bill in 4 yrs piles up state’s fiscal woes
The Punjab government, which is facing increasing pressure to implement its decision to revert to the old pension scheme (OPS), has seen an 80% jump in its expenditure on pension and other retirement benefits in four years.

Updated on Sep 06, 2024 05:40 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Bishnoi’s interview: LoP Bajwa calls for JPC-like House panel for probe
Bajwa also demanded that an all-party delegation be formed to meet the representatives of farmer unions who have been sitting on protest in Chandigarh and nearby areas to discuss their demands,

Updated on Sep 04, 2024 05:14 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Gurdaspur Sainik School to see the light of day soon
The new school, delayed by a logjam between the Union ministry of defence and the Punjab government over pending paperwork for the Sainik School in Kapurthala, appears set to see finally progress as both sides have now agreed to the terms and conditions of their memorandum of agreement (MoA) for the existing school.

Updated on Aug 30, 2024 09:28 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
CSR spending trebles, Punjab still lags behind
Punjab, which saw its corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds treble in the last five years, lags far behind other major states when it comes to benefitting from the corporate charity.

Updated on Aug 23, 2024 05:46 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
NHAI delayed land acquisition: Punjab CM Mann in reply to Gadkari
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann further pointed out that there were several cases in which possession of land was given to NHAI, but the NHAI contractors took a long time to mobilise their machinery and start the work

Updated on Aug 14, 2024 08:46 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh