Gurpreet Singh Nibber is an Assistant Editor with the Punjab bureau. He covers politics, agriculture, power sector, environment, Sikh religious affairs and the Punjabi diaspora.
Articles by Gurpreet Singh Nibber
Nearly 1/3 of paddy lifted so far from Punjab mandis, says minister
Punjab food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said over 3,120 mill owners have already applied for allotment of paddy, 2,522 have been allotted stocks and at least 1,550 rice mills have already executed agreements with state agencies for storage and milling of paddy.
Updated on Oct 24, 2024 09:12 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
No let-up in protests as paddy piles up in mandis
Only 22% of the arrivals (35.73 LMT) have been cleared from the procurement centres leaving little space for fresh arrivals
Updated on Oct 23, 2024 10:00 AM IST
Delhi: Bad air days are here with an uptick in farm fires
Delhi's air quality worsened late Sunday, with AQI surpassing 300 due to farm fires in Punjab and Haryana, forecasted to remain 'very poor' through Wednesday.
Updated on Oct 21, 2024 01:51 AM IST
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann invites protesting farmers for talks today
Will take a call on meeting CM only if our supporters who are in custody of Punjab and UT police are released, say farm leaders
Updated on Oct 19, 2024 08:44 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab: Rice millers hesitant to shell PR126 variety
Punjab's PR126 paddy variety faces skepticism from rice millers over low out-turn ratios and potential hybrid mixing, hindering its adoption despite support.
Updated on Oct 17, 2024 08:28 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab paddy procurement: Amid bumper yield, tardy lifting a concern
This year the paddy was sown in 32 lakh hectares as compared to 31 lakh hectares in 2023 and the total produce is expected to be about 230 lakh tonnes as compared to 212 lakh tonnes in 2023.
Updated on Oct 16, 2024 07:52 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
SAD to approach Takht over delay in announcing Sukhbir’s punishment
As per the decision, an 11-member delegation led by working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar will approach the Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh.
Updated on Oct 14, 2024 05:30 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab staring at severe DAP shortage amid unstable supply
The state has a supply of 2.12 lakh tonne against the rabi sowing season’s requirement of 5.5 lakh tonne DAP, a key fertiliser used to provide growing crops with the requisite levels of nitrogen and phosphorus.
Updated on Oct 13, 2024 05:04 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
SAD core committee meet: Party to draw up strategy for panchayat, SGPC polls
According to the party, the committee will discuss “irregularities” in panchayat elections, the crisis of procurement of paddy and the current political situation in the state as well as the country.
Updated on Oct 12, 2024 08:06 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Basmati arrival up in mandis, prices down
Exporters’ association says traders have last year’s stock that they couldn’t export due to minimum export price of $950 imposed by the Centre
Updated on Oct 07, 2024 10:50 PM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab: New paddy cultivation method saves 25% water
The trials of seeding of rice on beds (SRB), a method said to conserving more than 25% of water in paddy cultivation, has shown “encouraging” results as paddy cultivated with this method has given yield on a par with paddy cultivated with puddling or direct seeded rice (DSR) method
Updated on Oct 07, 2024 08:32 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Amid boycott by arhtiyas, labourers, 730-tonne paddy procured on Day 1
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann announces ₹1-per-quintal hike in labour charge; 1,000-tonne paddy arrived in state mandis on the first day.
Updated on Oct 02, 2024 09:20 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber/Vishal Joshi, Chandigarh/bathinda
Punjab appoints 8,000 nodal officers to check farm fires
According to agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, 79 SDMs, 108 tehsildars, 108 DSPs, 1,140 cluster officers and additional staff have been mobilised to combat stubble burning during the harvesting season.
Updated on Oct 02, 2024 09:06 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
No talks with farm unions but panel to submit action plan in SC
Farmer unions at the Punjab-Haryana border refuse talks with a Supreme Court panel, which will proceed to submit agenda points before the October 14 hearing.
Updated on Oct 01, 2024 08:54 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Just 5 days to go for procurement to kick off, bumper paddy yield may spell more trouble for Punjab
In the wake of space shortage, the state supplies department has proposed to store the paddy with the rice millers, to which the millers have objected
Updated on Sep 26, 2024 08:00 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
As farm fires erupt, Punjab struggles to distribute stubble mgmt machines
Crossing the deadline by almost a month, the Punjab government is still distributing the subsidised machines for in-situ and ex-situ management of paddy stubble. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), in February, had asked the government to complete the distribution by August
Updated on Sep 25, 2024 07:40 AM IST
Punjab: AAP eyes image boost with course correction
The latest reshuffle, fourth in 30 months, in the Punjab cabinet is seen as Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party’s strategic effort to give party an image makeover and inject fresh blood into governance that has come under increasing Opposition scrutiny.
Updated on Sep 24, 2024 06:08 AM IST
Punjab: Arhtiyas, labourers to strike work from October 1 over fee hike
The Anaj Mandi Mazdoor Union has about 9 to 10 lakh labourers who work in 1,836 mandis of the state. The union has said that the charges for unloading, weighing and cleaning given to labourers have been too less for the past many years and demanded a one-time increase of 25%.
Updated on Sep 23, 2024 06:00 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Farm fires start early this year
Most cases of the setting ablaze of crop residue have been reported from farms where basmati paddy was planted, officials said
Published on Sep 21, 2024 10:08 AM IST
Farm bodies sceptical of agriculture policy’s viability
Punjab farmers are skeptical about the new agriculture policy's implementation, seeking clarity on support prices and funding amid a debt crisis.
Updated on Sep 18, 2024 07:51 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
HSGMC support crucial for parties on at least 30 seats
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee is set to discuss shortly on supporting a party in the upcoming assembly polls.
Updated on Sep 17, 2024 06:56 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
No survey since 2016, govt clueless about number of unauthorised colonies in Punjab
As per the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Bill, passed in the vidhan sabha last week, the government has done away with the practice of seeking no objection certificate (NOC) for the registration of plots up to 500 square yards in the unauthorised colonies in the state.
Published on Sep 14, 2024 10:11 PM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab: Banks reluctant to extend Mandi Board loan for its rural roads repair project
Punjab's agricultural board opts for a loan from NABARD at 8.3% interest to repair rural roads, facing a fiscal crisis and pending funds of ₹5,850 crore.
Updated on Sep 11, 2024 10:57 PM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab: Basmati growers’ body calls for minimum export price waiver as int’l sales plummet
Indian exporters have been struggling to sell their produce in the international market due to the high MEP of $950 a tonne, the association said.
Updated on Sep 09, 2024 06:42 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Nod to prosecute Ram Rahim in Bargari sacrilege case soon: Punjab CM
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s statement, during the third and concluding day of the Vidhan Sabha session, comes amid mounting pressure from the Opposition which has targeted the chief minister, who holds the charge of the home department, for “delaying prosecution nod for almost two years”.
Updated on Sep 05, 2024 09:18 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Punjab passes Bill to register dwellings sans NOC in unauthorised colonies
As per the Bill, the owners will no longer need a no objection certificate (NOC) for the registration of up to 500 square yards of plots.
Updated on Sep 04, 2024 05:32 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Bajwa, Pargat seek govt sanction to prosecute Gurmeet Ram Rahim
Partap Singh Bajwa accuses the Punjab government of delaying prosecution in the sacrilege case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. He calls for longer assembly sessions to address key issues, including law and order, drug addiction, and farmers' concerns.
Updated on Sep 03, 2024 06:38 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
No role in controversial decisions, SAD ex-ministers-turned-rebels to inform Takht
After turning rebellious subsequent to the party’s poor show in the parliament elections, a section of Akali leaders had approached the Akal Takht on July 1 and they had in writing distanced themselves from party’s decisions.
Updated on Sep 02, 2024 05:38 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Cash-strapped Punjab Mandi Board looks to raise ₹2k cr for repairing rural roads
Mandi Board is responsible for the upkeep of rural roads totalling 65,000km in length and 1,872 mandis.
Updated on Aug 30, 2024 09:22 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh
Sukhbir names Balwinder Singh Bhundar as Shiromani Akali Dal working president
Sukhbir Singh Badal appoints Balwinder Singh Bhundar as Shiromani Akali Dal's working president amid speculation of his own resignation, ahead of key Sikh clergy meeting.
Updated on Aug 30, 2024 07:58 AM IST
Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Chandigarh