Ludhiana : 
Proving that education and attaining knowledge has no age limit, a mother and son duo here are jointly preparing to appear in the Class 10 Board examination.
The 44-year-old Rajni Bala had completed Class 9 in 1989, but due to an unfortunate family circumstance, she had to give up her education. Eventually, she was married and began her family life.
“My husband has been telling me for several years to complete my education. However, I had three children and had to educate them. Although I am working as a ward attendant in a civil hospital, I realised that it is important to pass Class 10 at least, in the present day. Therefore, I began preparing along with my son, who is also in Class 10. We go to school together and also study together,” Rajni told ANI.
While the initial days were awkward for Rajni, she said with the support of her husband, children and mother-in-law, she was able to overcome her initial inhibitions and work hard to achieve her goal.
“My mother-in-law, in spite of being uneducated herself, motivated me to take this decision. My husband has been very supportive; he wakes up early to teach me and my son. My daughters also help me study. Eventually, I would like to pursue my graduation,” she said.
Meanwhile, her husband, Raj Kumar Sathi, said it is important for one to complete their education in this day and age, irrespective of their age.
“I myself pursued my graduation after a gap of 17 years. I felt that if I could do it, so could my wife. We wake up early to study and she goes to school with my son. They also go for tuitions together, which has been very helpful to her,” he said.
Echoing a similar thought, Pawan Gaur, principal of Lajwanti Senior Secondary School here, where the mother-son duo are studying, said when individuals came back to complete their education after several years, it sent a very positive message to society at large.

Chandigarh : 
The billing data of Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), one of the two power discoms catering to nine Haryana districts, has been hacked.
Sources said the Automatic Meter Reading System (AMR) with the billing data of 4,000 industrial consumers was targeted shortly after March 21 midnight. The following morning, computer screens at the UHBVN head office in Panchkula flashed a message from hackers, demanding Rs 1 crore in Bitcoin from the state government to retrieve the data.
The UHBVN monitors billing in Panchkula, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Sonepat, Kaithal and Rohtak districts. A spokesman claimed the data had not been lost and the consumers would not be affected.
"A system study was carried out by experts. The database was found encrypted. The backup of the encrypted database was taken for further retrieval. The Nigam has already initiated steps to replace the system with a technologically advanced one which would be operational by the end of May, " he added. 
Last year, about 100 countries, including India, saw a cyber attack. "Cyber weapons” stolen from the US National Security Agency were used to lock computers and hold users’ files to ransom.

Chandigarh : The Aam Admi Party (AAP), led by Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira, on Wednesday cornered Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for not cutting down on its fleet of advisers and OSDs to lessen fiscal burden on the state exchequer.
The issue was raised when Parliamentary Affairs and Health Minister Brahm Mohindra moved the Salaries and Allowances of Deputy Ministers, Punjab (Amendment) Bill, the East Punjab Ministers’ Salaries, (Amendment) Bill, the Salary and Allowances of Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly (Amendment) Bill, by which now the income tax of Chief Minister, other ministers and Leader of Opposition would be paid by themselves from March onwards.
While supporting the move of the government that would save Rs 11.08 crore on account of their income tax, Khaira said the government should cut the army of advisers and OSDs.
BILLS PASSED:
Punjab Laws (Special Provisions for Regulation of Unauthorised Colonies) Bill to regularise 8,000 illegal colonies developed up to March 19, 2018. The government plans to mop up at least Rs 500-600 crore as fee and penalty by charging the colonies as well as the plots and houses within them.
Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2018, to replace the Punjab Police (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, to change the nomenclature of the supervisory level posts at zonal levels in the Punjab Police. It will allow posting of a DIG/IGP rank officers on supervisory posts in different zones.
It is aimed at establishing special operations group capable of countering and neutralising those indulging in crimes.
Punjab Transparency and Accountability in Delivery of Public Service Bill: It aims at providing all services to the citizens through online mode in a transparent and time-bound manner with effective use of digital technology. The new legislation will replace the existing Right to Service Act, 2011.
Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Punjab Amendment) Bill: It is aimed at prohibition of hookah/sheesha bars across the state.
Punjab Roads and Bridges Development Board (Amendment) Bill, 2018: It aims at providing for the payment of salary and other miscellaneous expenditure of the board from the Punjab Roads and Bridges Development Board Fund. The board shall be able to do so with the approval of the state government.
SC/BC Welfare Bill withdrawn
Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot came up with the amendment that would enable the government to reduce the strength of members of the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled castes from 10 to three. The Bill was withdrawn after SAD MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu and BJP MLA Som Parkash objected to it.
Inquiry ordered
In reply to a question on widespread farmer harassment due to use of “spurious” herbicides raised by Akali MLA Bikram Singh Majithia, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh announced a thorough probe into the sale and supply of spurious pesticides and herbicides to farmers, warning of strict action against those found guilty.
‘Biased’ Speaker
Akali MLA Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal alleged that the Speaker did not, fairly, give equal time to all members. “No work has been carried out in my constituency. Many civil works there show open corruption. We need a Vigilance inquiry. But I and many like me are not allowed any time in the House,” he said.
Showdown between Speaker, Channi
As soon as motion to reconstitute the elected committee of the Vidhan Sabha for 2018-219 was tabled, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi objected to under representation of the Dalit MLAs in all committees. He expressed displeasure at the Speaker over giving under-representation to the Dalit MLAs. Amid the war of words between the two, the motion to reconstitute the committee on public accounts, estimates, public undertaking and SC/BC Welfare of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Class were passed. 
Selective hunting of wild animals allowed
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh said following a notification dated March 15, SDMs have been empowered to allow licences to farmers to enable them to kill wild animals except swamp deer. This has been done to prevent crop loss in the foothills of the Shivaliks mainly due to wild boar and roz-antelope. Replying to a “Calling Attention Notice” on the menace of the wild animals by MLA Amarjit Singh Sandoa, the CM said Rs 8.16 crore was raised for barbed fencing in the last financial year.
CM fails to address query on cable mafia
Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday assured the House of a thorough prrobe into the alleged blackout of a private Punjabi TV channel by Fastway. However, he failed to address another MLA’s query on cable mafia. MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa earlier raised the issue of the reported blackout, which he termed as a blatant attack on the autonomy of media. However, MLA Kanwar Sandhu’s question on the delay in nailing the cable mafia by imposing entertainment tax was not replied by the CM. 
Rabi procurement arrangements reviewed
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday reviewed the arrangements for wheat procurement and directed the DGP to take effective steps to counter any attempt to obstruct the procurement process. Directing the civil and police administration to ensure smooth procurement of wheat during the Rabi season, he said nobody would be allowed to disrupt the movement of transport during the lifting process.

Lucknow : The newfound friendship between the two archrivals seems to have hit a rough patch after BSP’s Bhim Rao Ambedkar last week lost the Rajya Sabha poll to BJP despite the backing of SP and the Congress.

“I will take the benefit of age and experience and show a large heart when the time comes,” Yadav said on Tuesday during a discussion on the state budget in the Vidhan Parishad.

His didn’t name Mayawati but the remarks were seen as a response to the BSP leader’s statement that the 44-year-old lacked political experience. “Had Akhilesh Yadav been mature enough, he would have focused on the victory of the BSP candidate more than his own candidate,” she said at a press conference after the Rajya Sabha loss.

The defeat of Ambedkar was a setback especially after the two parties had managed to embarrass the ruling BJP by winning the prestigious Gorakhpur and Phulpur assembly bypolls.

The BJP was upset over the SP-BSP joining hands and was trying to drive a wedge between the two partners but the alliance was going to stay, Yadav said. The Phulpur and Gorakhpur outcomes reflected the general mood in the country, he said.

While calling for a grand alliance to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Mayawati on Monday asked party cadres to focus on the national election instead of bypolls, which virtually rules out a repeat of the SP-BSP tie-up in near future.

Speaking in the House, Yadav took on the state government over loan waiver, police encounters and other issues. Farmer suicides continued unchecked as the government had failed to fulfil its promise of writing off their debt. Twenty-seven farmers had killed themselves in Mahoba district alone, the SP leader said.

He was also dismissive of the recent investors’ meet, saying it was unlikely that the agreements that were signed would convert into real investment. “But I am happy that during the investors’ summit the Lucknow-Agra expressway that the SP government made was showcased as the country’s biggest road,” he said.

Yadav also raised concern over the spurt in gunfights involving police and criminals. Strengthening Dial 100 service, and not elimination of criminals, would instill a sense of security in people, he said, counting the police helpline among the biggest achievements of his government.

The campaign against exam cheats had led to the harassment of students and teachers, the former chief minister alleged. “Think of introducing open book exams using technology, many countries are doing this,” Yadav said.

Uttar Pradesh is notorious for mass copying and the Adityanath government installed CCTVs in a large of number of exam halls and tightened screening for recent school board examinations.

More than 500,000 students left the exams for Class 10 and 12 midway or in the first two days due to the crackdown, officials have said.

New Delhi :
M Rasik, a 71-year-old trader from Turkman Gate, says: “I work in a small handicrafts shop. If it shuts down, what will I eat? No government cares about the poor.”
M Rasik, a 71-year-old trader from Turkman Gate, says: “I work in a small handicrafts shop. If it shuts down, what will I eat? No government cares about the poor.” 

All major markets in New Delhi will remain closed on Wednesday to protest the ongoing sealing of commercial establishments on the directions of Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

Members of the associations of traders from across the city will congregate at Ramlila Ground in central Delhi to hold a protest rally on Wednesday, starting 11 am.

Joint commissioner of Delhi police (traffic) Garima Bhatnagar said, “We are expecting jam in morning hours here due to the rally at Ramlila Ground. We have made arrangements to manage the traffic and depending on the turnout more staff will be engaged,” she said. “But no traffic advisory has been issued because we are not expecting more than 7,000 people,”she said.

Traders from Connaught Place, Lajpat Nagar, South Extension, Defence Colony, Greater Kailash,Green Park, Khan Market, Sadar Bazar, Chawri Bazar, Kamla Nagar, Karol Bagh, Kashmiri Gate, Paharganj, Rajouri Garden, Rohini, Ashok Vihar, Pitampura, Shalimar Bagh, Model Town, Gandhi Nagar, Preet Vihar and Amar Colony have agreed to keep their shops shut, representatives of market associations said.

Vibha Sharma said : Traders Rally: Sonu Kohli, a shopkeeper from double storey market, Lajpat Nagar IV finding it hard to pay salary of 10 employees after sealing of her three garments shops 20 days back.

Markets that were not affected by the sealing drive have also confirmed their participation.

These include Sarojini Nagar and Chandni Chowk.

The shopkeepers, their employees and their families will join the traders at the rally in Ramlila Ground.

“Inclusion of family members in the rally will indicate how sealing of one shop affects the livelihood of about 20 families. In all, about 40 lakh people in Delhi are being affected by the sealing” said Paveen Khandelwal secretary-general, Confederatiuon of All India Traders.