The Punjab Assembly's Government Business Committee has raised serious concerns over the distribution of de-addiction medicines in jails. Reports reveal that inmates consumed 43.44 crore Buprenorphine tablets in the last four and a half years. The supply of these tablets in prisons has increased eight-fold since 2022. While Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh attributed the rise to the expansion of OOAT clinics, the committee questioned whether the government is merely replacing one addiction with another. The committee noted that the government lacks data on the actual number of individuals who have successfully recovered from addiction, raising doubts about the long-term effectiveness of the current de-addiction program. https://khalastv.com/the-government-was-exposed-in-the-assembly-on-the-issue-of-drug-addiction-listen-to-the-surprising-revelations/

On the occasion of National Handloom Day, PM Narendra Modi appealed to the youth of India to promote indigenous handicrafts. Through an Instagram video, he encouraged participation in the 'Get Ready With Me' (GRWM) social media trend using handloom products. He emphasized that supporting local weavers helps strengthen the livelihood of millions of poor families and contributes to the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' mission, recalling the significance of the 1905 Swadeshi Movement. https://www.rozanaspokesman.in/news/bihar/070826/pm-narendra-modi-handloom-day-news-in-punjabi.html

The United States is preparing to impose heavy tariffs on Indian goods, with a bill recently being moved or passed in this regard. This move is expected to significantly impact trade relations between the two countries, potentially making Indian exports more expensive in the U.S. market. The decision aims at addressing trade imbalances, posing a new challenge for Indian exporters. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/usa-imposed-heavy-tarrif-on-india-us-993878.html

Akali Dal Waris Punjab has announced its first candidate for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. During a press conference in Amritsar, acting president Tarsem Singh and MP Sarabjit Singh Khalsa named Satwant Singh, son of Shaheed Kehar Singh, as the candidate for the Bassi Pathana constituency. The party also appointed Sukhwinder Singh Agwan to its parliamentary board. The leadership emphasized their commitment to Panthic principles and honoring families who made sacrifices for the community, dismissing claims that such families were being sidelined. https://www.punjabitribuneonline.com/news/punjab/waris-punjab-announces-first-candidate/

Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has commented on the ongoing rumors regarding an alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Bittu stated that the final decision regarding any tie-up rests solely with the party high command. He discussed the current political landscape in Punjab and clarified his stance on the potential reconciliation of the former allies. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/punjab/ravneet-bittu-on-alliance-sad-bjp-alliance-sealed-ravneet-bittu-told-the-whole-story-993625.html

Chandigarh Police Operation Cell busted an international arms smuggling syndicate linked to foreign-based gangster Deepak Nandal. Four individuals, including three shooters from Haryana and a cross-border smuggler from Amritsar, were arrested. The prime accused, Nishan Singh, allegedly received weapons from Pakistan via drones. Police recovered one Zigana pistol, two Chinese-made PX3 pistols, and 19 live cartridges. The gang was planning a major shooting and extortion incident in Gurugram, which was successfully averted by the police. https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/zeephh/chandigarh/chandigarh-police-busts-international-and-interstate-arms-smuggling-gang/3286436

Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, the draft voter list will be released on August 13. Approximately 20.66 lakh voters have been excluded from this draft list due to various reasons: 9.5 lakh have permanently migrated, 5.75 lakh are deceased, and 1.20 lakh are duplicate entries. Voters can verify their status online via the ECI portal or offline through Booth Level Officers (BLO). If a name is missing, citizens can file claims or objections with the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). https://punjab.news18.com/news/punjab/punjab-sir-elections-after-5-months-draft-voter-list-will-come-tomorrow-how-to-check-if-your-name-is-there-or-not-know-994930.html

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema addressed a state-level seminar on Guru Ravidas Ji's teachings at Amity University, Mohali. He emphasized that Guru Ji's message of equality and social justice is timeless. Cheema announced that the Punjab government is establishing a state-of-the-art 'Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Study Centre' at Dera Ballan with an investment of ₹25 crore, for which ₹11 crore has already been spent on land purchase. He urged students and scholars to study the concept of 'Begampura' to build a discrimination-free society. https://sanjhisoch.com/%E0%A8%B8%E0%A9%8D%E0%A8%B0%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%97%E0%A9%81%E0%A8%B0%E0%A9%82-%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%B5%E0%A8%BF%E0%A8%A6%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%B8-%E0%A8%9C%E0%A9%80-%E0%A8%AE%E0%A8%B9%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%B0%E0%A8%BE-2/

Former Punjab Deputy CM and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was attacked with a sword outside a Gurdwara in Nanded, Maharashtra. The attacker, identified as Jaspal Singh dressed as a Nihang, was immediately detained by the police. Badal sustained a hand injury, and a female security inspector was also injured during the incident. Investigation is ongoing. https://punjab.news18.com/news/punjab/who-is-jaspal-singh-the-man-who-carried-out-a-life-threatening-attack-on-sukhbir-badal-outside-the-nanded-gurudwara-ak-995195.html

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, the first round of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list has been completed. A draft list will be released on August 13, revealing that approximately 20.66 lakh names have been removed. This includes 9.5 lakh people who moved out of Punjab, 5.74 lakh deceased individuals, 1.20 lakh duplicate entries, and 4.12 lakh untraceable voters. Affected citizens can verify their status on the Election Commission website or contact their local BLO/ERO to file claims or objections for reinstatement. https://punjab.news18.com/videos/punjab/punjab-sir-news18-punjab-994999.html