The Punjab Assembly has passed the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Bill 2026, aimed at ending the decades-old outsourcing system. This historic move by CM Bhagwant Mann's government will benefit around 28,000 Group C and D employees by bringing them under direct government contract. The bill ensures benefits like PF, Gratuity, ESI, maternity leave, and casual leaves, while eliminating the 15-22% commission previously taken by private contractors. https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zeephh/punjab/punjab-state-outsourced-personnel-bill-2026-28000-employees-benefit/3285913

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal has challenged Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to an open debate on issues like paper leaks, law and order, and unemployment. During a student interaction program in Bathinda, Badal criticized the state government for passing bills without discussion in the assembly, alleging they were meant only for money-making. He also mentioned his recent meeting with PM Modi, where he discussed Punjab's corruption and governance issues. https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zeephh/trending-news/sukhbir-badal-challenges-bhagwant-mann-kejriwal-open-debate/3285855

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's Choco province on Monday morning, with tremors felt as far as Ecuador. The epicenter was located in Palmar, about 400 km west of Bogota. The earthquake caused significant damage to buildings in the provincial capital Quibdo and left several people injured. Residents fled their homes and offices in panic as the quake hit around 7 AM local time. Authorities are currently assessing the full extent of the damage. https://www.rozanaspokesman.in/news/world/100826/74-magnitude-earthquake-hits-colombias-choc-province.html

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann visited Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar to lay the foundation stone of the Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Study Centre. He announced a budget of ₹100 crore for the 650th Birth Anniversary of Guru Ravidas Ji and highlighted the center's role in studying the Bhakti movement pioneer's teachings. Mann also praised Sant Niranjan Dass Ji for his Padma Shri award and mentioned that 882 government school students have cleared the NEET exam under his administration's educational reforms. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/cm-bhagwant-mann-dera-ballan-jalandhar-994092.html

Chaos erupted in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha as the session began, with Congress MLAs staging a sharp protest. The opposition leaders raised slogans against the government, leading to significant disruptions in the assembly proceedings. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/punjab-vidhan-sabha-993462.html

The Mandi Minor canal breached again shortly after repairs, flooding nearly 600 acres of paddy crops and entering residential colonies. The recurring breaches during the paddy season have caused significant financial loss to farmers and led to a drinking water crisis in villages like Rarh, Chauke, and Walianwali. While farmers are struggling with irrigation issues, the Canal Department's Executive Engineer, Atinder Singh Sidhu, claimed to be unaware of the fresh breach. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/punjab/there-was-another-break-in-mandi-minor/

The 'Akali Dal Waris Punjab De' organization has announced its first candidate for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Satwant Singh, son of Kehar Singh (convicted in the 1984 Indira Gandhi assassination case), has been fielded from the Bassi Pathana constituency. The announcement was made by acting president Tarsem Singh in Amritsar, in the presence of MP Sarbjeet Singh Khalsa, signaling the party's intent to leverage panthic family backgrounds for the upcoming polls. https://www.rozanaspokesman.in/news/punjab/110826/waris-punjab-de-organization-announces-first-candidate-for-assem.html

In Amritsar's New Model Town, a shocking incident occurred where a man allegedly attacked his own sister with an iron rod over a property dispute. The victim, Navdeep Kaur, who had traveled from Mumbai, sustained severe injuries including a fractured leg. The entire incident was captured on CCTV, showing two men assaulting the woman outside her home. The victim's elder brother alleged that the younger brother wanted to seize the entire family property. Local police at Chheharta station are investigating the case based on the footage and medical reports. https://punjab.news18.com/news/amritsar/amritsar-woman-attacked-by-brother-with-iron-rod-cctv-video-surfaces-local18-992987.html

In Zirakpur, residents are facing a shortage of small denomination currency notes in banks, while the same notes are reportedly being sold at a premium in the market. New notes of 10 and 20 rupees are in high demand due to the wedding season and religious events. People have raised concerns over how these notes are available in the market when banks claim to have no supply. Locals are demanding an investigation into the supply chain and the illegal additional charges being levied for currency bundles. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/chandigarh/small-notes-have-run-out-in-banks-they-are-being-sold-at-high-prices-in-the-market/

Pathankot police have intensified security measures ahead of Independence Day, conducting rigorous vehicle checks from 6 AM to 9 PM daily. Under the directions of the SSP, special checkpoints have been established across the district to prevent any untoward incidents. Sub-Inspector Vishal Singh confirmed that strict action will be taken against illegal activities. The public is urged to remain vigilant, report suspicious behavior, and avoid spreading unverified rumors on social media. https://punjab.news18.com/news/pathankot/pathankot-police-intensify-security-ahead-of-independence-day-vehicle-checking-alert-punjab-local18-994362.html