In Parliament: State revoked licences of 12 firms over pregabalin: Nadda
The Punjab Government has cancelled licences of 12 firms selling drug formulations containing pregabalin, said the Minister for Health and family Affairs Jagat Prakash Nadda in the Lok Sabha on Friday replying to a query by Congress Amritsar MP Gurjeet Aujla.
Pregabalin, a widely abused neurological drug, is generally used for the treatment of epilepsy and other psychiatric diseases. This drug is being used by youngsters during rave parties. The state Health Department had raided at least 72 locations last year in an attempt to check the sale of the drug.
Increase in girl enrolment
Punjab witnessed an increase of 9 per cent in the enrolment of girls at senior secondary schools between 2014 and 2024, said the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur in reply to a query posed by Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi.
The enrolment increased from 83.21 per cent in 2014-15 to 94.2 per cent in 2023-24 as per the District Information System for Education Report by the Ministry of Education.
Also, latest reports at the Health Management Information System (HMIS) of the Union Ministry of Health & Family welfare revealed that the sex ratio at birth increased from 892 to 924 in the state during the 10-year period.
Rail projects stuck
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnav told the Rajya Sabha that at least three important rail projects in Punjab were stuck because of land acquisition problems.
He said this replying to a question by Aam Aadmi Party MP Balbir Singh Seechewal. The projects stuck due to land acquisition issues are Ferozepur-Patti (26 km), Nangal Dam-Talwara New Line (84 km) and the chord line between Alal and Himtana bypassing Dhuri Junction (13 km).
The Ferozepur-Patti New line is an important project near the International Border with Pakistan and the land is supposed to be handed over free of cost for this project by the state government, the reply said.
No plans to modernise heavy industry: Minister
The Union Government has no plans to modernise the heavy industry in Punjab. Minister of State for Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma said this in response to a query by Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha.
Punjab