A senior assistant editor, Navneet Sharma leads the Punjab bureau for Hindustan Times. He writes on politics, public affairs, civil services and the energy sector.
Articles by Navneet Sharma
Pending RDF: Matter sub-judice, wait for SC decision, Punjab governor tells CM Bhagwant Mann
Governor Banwarilal Purohit has had frequent run-ins with Mann over the past year. Debt being a politically sensitive subject, Purohit’s query on details of the utilisation of debt raised by the state government is set to further rankle the ruling Aam Aadmi Party
Updated on Sep 23, 2023 01:07 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab Congress divided on tie-up with AAP
Of the seven Congress MPs, at least four have favoured the party’s alliance with the AAP in the state; Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and Congress Legislature Party leader Partap Singh Bajwa have been opposing the tie-up in Punjab
Published on Sep 19, 2023 12:53 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab eyes tapping into Pathankot, Hoshiarpur’s eco-tourism potential
Punjab government invites private sector to invest in theme parks, wellness resorts, hotels and other hospitality facilities
Published on Sep 09, 2023 12:52 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
No alliance with Cong in Lok Sabha polls in Punjab, says AAP minister
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring reiterated that the national leadership of the party has told the state unit to prepare for fighting all 13 Lok Sabha seats
Updated on Sep 07, 2023 12:35 AM IST
Punjab AAP minister rules out alliance with Congress in state
Cabinet minister Anmol Gagan Maan said the Aam Aadmi Party will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats under chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership without any seat-sharing
Updated on Sep 06, 2023 03:48 PM IST
Punjab Congress rules out any truck with AAP
The strong opposition of state unit leaders comes amid India bloc’s resolve at Mumbai meet to fight elections together
Updated on Sep 06, 2023 01:01 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
At ₹1,713 cr, Punjab’s GST collection sees a spike of 31%
In the first five-month (April-August) period, the GST revenues are 28.20% higher this year than the collection during the same period last year, rising to ₹8,524.17 crore from ₹6,648.49 crore
Updated on Sep 05, 2023 12:35 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
₹7,553-crore FDI in 4 yrs: Punjab at 12th spot, but behind Haryana
Punjab has received a cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) of ₹7,552.89 crore (US $ 1,013.60 million) in the last four years
Updated on Aug 30, 2023 01:09 AM IST
Punjab Governor threatens President's Rule in letter to CM Mann
The governor's actions have been criticized by the Aam Aadmi Party, which accused him of working like the BJP's spokesperson.
Updated on Aug 26, 2023 04:31 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab governor warns CM, asks him to reply to his letters else face the music
In a strongly worded letter, Banwarilal Purohit says he is pained to point out that there is reason to believe failure of the constitutional machinery in Punjab; adds though he is yet to decide on recommending President’s rule under Article 356 and initiating criminal proceedings under Section 124 of the IPC, he wants information sought in earlier letters besides steps taken to tackle drug issue
Updated on Aug 25, 2023 04:49 PM IST
Amendment to pension scheme for construction workers on cards
Labour dept proposes changes in welfare scheme for introducing 3 pension slabs depending on period of registration of workers with the board
Updated on Aug 24, 2023 12:51 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Samagra Shiksha scheme: Funds delayed, Punjab urges Centre to release its share
Union ministry of education approved a budget of ₹1,298 crore on April 27 for school education in Punjab under the Centrally-sponsored scheme
Updated on Aug 18, 2023 11:50 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
₹300 crore needed to repair flood-battered road infra in Punjab
The funds are required for the restoration of 1,760 roads and bridges that were damaged by the floods in Punjab to their original condition, according to the fund requirement submitted by the Public Works Department (Bridges and Roads) and Punjab Mandi Board to the state government along with a detailed damage assessment report
Updated on Aug 08, 2023 12:15 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Another letter bomb: Now, Punjab guv questions Mann govt’s home delivery of atta plan
Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit shot off a letter to chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday on the state government’s plan for doorstep delivery of wheat flour, seeking its reply to a letter sent last year by his office pointing out anomalies in the scheme
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 12:15 AM IST
Punjab to start serving mid-day meals to UKG students this month
Until now, only students of classes 1 to 8 were served cooked meals, pre-primary sections were provided raw food material in packets under ICDS programme
Updated on Aug 01, 2023 12:27 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab opts out of PM’s school upgrade scheme
The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab has opted out of the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year
Updated on Jul 26, 2023 11:00 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab guv Purohit calls special assembly session ‘patently illegal’
Banwarilal Purohit, Punjab governor, has written a letter to chief minister Bhagwant Mann, stating that calling the special session of the state assembly on June 19 and 20 was “patently illegal”
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 01:34 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab governor- CM tussle keeps government on edge
Mann and Purohit’s relationship took a nosedive in Sept 2022 over a special session of assembly called by government for a trust vote
Updated on Jul 23, 2023 12:51 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Letter bomb again: Punjab governor Purohit questions legality of two-day assembly session
Banwarilal Purohit, Punjab governor, wrote to chief minister Bhagwant Mann stating that according to legal advice received by him the two-day assembly session held last month was in “breach of law and procedure”
Updated on Jul 18, 2023 01:12 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Mukhtar Ansari row: Punjab govt issues recovery notice to ex-CM Capt Amarinder Singh, Randhawa
The jails department issued the notice to Amarinder and Randhawa asking them to show cause within 15 days why the amount spent on engaging a senior advocate of the Supreme Court to oppose the transfer of Ansari from Punjab to Uttar Pradesh where he was an accused in several cases, should not be recovered from them
Updated on Jul 04, 2023 01:29 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab: Two-time MLA Budh Ram named state AAP working president
With eye on 2024 general election, Batala MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kasli, Urmar legislator Jasvir Singh Raja Gill, Muktsar MLA Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar and Khanna MLA Tarunpreet Singh Sond have been named as state Aam Aadmi Party vice-presidents, while Jagroop Singh Sekhwan, who actively campaigned for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha byelection, has been made the state unit general secretary
Updated on Jun 12, 2023 03:17 PM IST
Sexual misconduct charges: Remove minister Kataruchak from Punjab cabinet, Governor Purohit tells CM Mann
Governor Purohit tells Punjab CM Mann that minister Kataruchak has no right to stay in the cabinet and he should be eased out immediately
Updated on Jun 02, 2023 01:30 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab cabinet expansion today, Minister Nijjar quits; MLAs Gurmeet Khudian, Balkar Singh set to be inducted
The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab will expand its cabinet on Wednesday by inducting two party MLAs as ministers even as local bodies minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar tendered his resignation.
Updated on May 31, 2023 01:33 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab gets ₹1,298 cr for school education, Centre flags dropout spike
Samagra Shiksha Scheme: The Centre has flagged the increase in the school dropout rate and teacher vacancies at the secondary level in the state
Updated on May 23, 2023 12:50 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Jalandhar bypolls: Breach of bastion a blow for Congress
The loss in the crucial byelection to the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency is a huge setback for the Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections
Updated on May 13, 2023 10:13 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll: Big boost for AAP ahead of 2024 LS polls
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party proved its mettle in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll on Saturday by routing the Congress in its Dalit bastion for the first time in 24 years
Updated on May 13, 2023 08:53 PM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
2022-23 fiscal: Punjab: Salary, subsidy bill was 8% more than budget estimates
Punjab saw its expenditure on salaries, pensions and subsidies exceed the budget estimates by 8% during the financial year 2022-23, while revenue receipts fell short of the target.
Updated on May 11, 2023 10:39 PM IST
Jalandhar bypoll: Stakes high, Congress puts up united face
The entire state leadership of the Congress has united behind party candidate Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary, the wife of sitting MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary whose death necessitated the bypoll, in its effort to retain the reserved seat
Updated on May 05, 2023 01:23 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
Bill Leyao, Inaam Pao: To boost tax revenue, Punjab govt to give ‘lucky’ consumers rewards up to ₹50k
The Punjab government is gearing up to roll out a new scheme, ‘Bill Leyao, Inaam Pao’ (Bring a bill, Get a reward), under which ‘lucky customers’ can receive rewards up to ₹50,000 by submitting receipts of their purchases to the taxation department.
Updated on May 01, 2023 09:55 PM IST
Punjab govt ups spending limit of depts, says focus on priority areas
The Punjab government, which presented the ₹1.96 lakh-crore budget on March 10, has decided to stagger the expenditure over the year, allowing the departments to spend up to 50% of their budgetary allocation in the first six months of this financial year and the balance in the remaining period, two officials aware of the development said
Updated on Apr 26, 2023 02:01 AM IST
Navneet Sharma, Chandigarh
