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Punjab waives pending electricity bills of 55 lakh defaulters

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Amid the turmoil within the ruling Congress party and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday announced to waive pending electricity bills of 55 lakh defaulters, covering 80 per cent of the total consumers.

It will put a burden of Rs 1,200 crore on the state exchequer.

Channi told the media after the Cabinet meeting that it decided to waive pending electricity bills of all defaulters having connection up to 2 KW.

“It is a major relief for the common man,” the Chief Minister, who reiterated the government won’t indulge in corruption nor let anyone do it.

The decision will benefit consumers in rural and urban areas.

But the Chief Minister clarified that the arrears could be of one month or as old as 10 years, all outstanding will be cleared by the government.

“The policy will apply only to the previous electricity bills that are pending. From now onwards, the consumers would be liable for the outstanding,” he added.

Channi said committees at tehsil level would be formed to handle old bill waiver cases and verify the beneficiaries.

The Chief Minister announced a mechanism soon to end sand mafia by bringing a new policy on mining.

On the resignation of state Congress chief Navjot Sidhu, Channi said he had talked to him. “I have invited him to talk so that we can resolve the issue.”

He said that as sought by the party high command, the government is appointing a dedicated team of public prosecutors and lawyers to handle sensitive cases like sacrilege.

National News

Western Railway Extends Bandra–Ajmer Special Train Services For Festive Season

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For the convenience of passengers and with a view to meet the travel demand, especially during the festive season, Western Railway has extended the trips of Special Train on Special Fare between Bandra Terminus & Ajmer on existing timings, halts & composition.

Train No. 09622/09621 Bandra Terminus – Ajmer (Weekly) Special [18 Trips]

Train No. 09622 Bandra Terminus – Ajmer Special departs from Bandra Terminus every Monday at 09:35 hrs and reaches Ajmer at 08.50 hours the next day. The trips of this train have been extended from 06th October to 1st December, 2025. Similarly, Train No. 09621 Ajmer – Bandra Terminus Special departs from Ajmer every Sunday at 06.35 hrs and arrives at Bandra Terminus at 04.15 hours the next day. The trips of this train have been extended from 05th October to 30th November, 2025.

En route, this train will halt at Borivali, Vapi, Valsad, Surat, Vadodara, Ratlam, Vikramgarh Alot, Bhawani Mandi, Ramganj Mandi, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Jaipur, and Kishangarh station in both directions.

This train comprises AC 2-Tier, AC 3-Tier, AC 3-Tier (Economy), Sleeper Class, and General Second Class coaches.

The booking for the extended trips of Train No. 09622 will open from 04.09.2025 at all PRS Counters and on the IRCTC website. For detailed information regarding timings of halts and composition, passengers may please visit  www.enquiry.indianrail.gov.in.

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Abu Azmi Urges Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis To Declare Sept 8 As Holiday For Eid Milad-un-Nabi

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Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi has appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to declare an official holiday on September 8 for Eid Milad-un-Nabi, after the Muslim community decided to shift its main procession to that day.

Traditionally, Eid Milad-un-Nabi, which commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad, is observed on September 5 this year, with processions taking place a day later on September 6. However, since Ganesh Visarjan is also scheduled for the same day, the All India Khilafat Committee, which organises the main procession in Byculla, postponed the event to September 8 to avoid logistical clashes and ensure smooth conduct of both festivals.

In a post on X, Azmi explained that the decision to reschedule the procession was taken in the interest of maintaining communal harmony and public order. “This year, Ganesh Visarjan is on September 6, which coincides with the Eid Milad procession. To strengthen Hindu-Muslim unity and to ensure peace, the Muslim community has decided to celebrate the procession on September 8. However, the government has not yet declared it as a public holiday. I request the Chief Minister to issue an official GR and announce September 8 as a holiday to respect the sentiments of the Muslim community,” Azmi wrote.

This year’s celebration carries added significance as it marks the 1,500th birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. Sarfaraz Arzu, chairman of the All India Khilafat Committee, said the decision was taken after careful deliberation. “For the third consecutive year, Eid-e-Milad and Ganesh immersions are falling on the same day. Like in previous years, we have decided to postpone the rally to avoid inconvenience. We hope the government recognises this and declares a holiday on September 8,” he said.

Along with Azmi, Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh has also written to Chief Minister Fadnavis urging for a government holiday on the day. Similar requests have been sent to Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

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Virat Kohli Breaks Silence 91 Days After Bengaluru Stampede With Emotional Note, Says ‘Together We Will Move Forward With Care’

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Virat Kohli penned down an emotional note for RCB fans and people who lost their lives in the Bengaluru Stampede on June 4th. Royal Challengers Bengaluru shared message on their social media handle in which Kohli said, “Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your loss is part of our story now. Together, we will move forward with care, respect and responsibility.”

11 people were dead and 47 others were injured in the stampede near the city’s M. Chinnaswamy cricket stadium, where the players were parading the trophy for fans. Kohli’s statement on the incident is a part of the team’s ‘RCB CARES’ initiative to ensure better crowd management in the future to avoid untoward incidents such as the June 4 stampede.

Recently, RCB made their first social media post 84 days after the tragic stampede incident in Bengaluru. In a post shared on Thursday, the franchise says they have launched RCB Cares in response to the tragedy that unfolded a day after the franchise won their maiden IPL title.

Here’s the full statement,” Dear 12th Man Army, this is our heartfelt letter to you. It’s been close to three months since we last posted here.The Silence wasn’t Absence. It was Grief.”

“This space was once filled with energy, memories and moments that you enjoyed the most.. But June 4th changed everything.That day broke our hearts, and the silence since then has been our way of holding space.” The franchise announced a financial compensation of ₹25 lakh to families of stampede victims

Meanwhile, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has been deemed ‘unsafe’ to host large-scale gatherings, as part of the findings of the report submitted by the Commission to the Karnataka Government. ESPN Cricinfo reported that the venue’s design and structure are ‘unsuitable and unsafe’ for mass gatherings.

As a result, the venue was also ticked off as one of the hosts of the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup. It has been replaced by the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

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