Chandigarh:

As world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar turned 70 on May 13, 2026, the Chandigarh chapter of The Art of Living celebrated the occasion with a spiritual and musical evening at Motiram Arya Senior Secondary School Auditorium, Sector-27, Chandigarh. It was a double celebration as The Art of Living has also completed 45 glorious years in service to humanity.
“What Art of Living for our country and society at large is exemplary. To be able to host an event of this importance is a privilege. We want more people to benefit from what Art of Living is so lovingly offering to the society,” said Rachna Mahajan, Director, Moti Ram Arya Sr. Sec. Model School.

The celebration featured a soulful Bhajan Sandhya by internationally renowned bhajan singer Himanshu Sharma, whose devotional performances have inspired audiences across the globe. The event witnessed participation of around 800 devotees, volunteers and citizens of trinity.

“We as a society need more such events where there is peace and positivity. Such occasions bring together people from all walks of life and inculcate the feeling of oneness. Art of Living is a space where everyone can feel a part of larger community and purpose. In my years of association with art of living, I’ve realized that coming together for a larger cause is not only self-satisfying but also brings a purpose to one’s life,” said Umesh Ghai Nominate Councillor & Ex Chairman Apex Body Punjab & Chandigarh.

Founded by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981, The Art of Living has positively impacted more than 80 million people across 182 countries through its initiatives in stress relief, mental well-being, education, environmental sustainability, river rejuvenation, women empowerment projects, prison rehabilitation, rural development and youth leadership.

“It was a privilege and an honour to host the inspiring programme on the occasion of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s birthday. The event witnessed an overwhelming response and created an atmosphere of positivity, peace, and spiritual upliftment. It served as a meaningful platform for spreading the message of compassion, mindfulness, and collective well-being,” said Dr.Seema Biji, Principal, Moti Ram Arya Sr. Sec. Model School.
As part of the celebration, several humanitarian and spiritual activities were organized throughout the day. A blood donation camp was conducted by The Art of Living volunteers at Rotary Blood Bank and Research Centre, Sector 37, Chandigarh, where more than 50 persons came forward to donate blood in the spirit of selfless service.
Additionally, a grand Sudarshan Homa and special puja were organized at the Temple of Knowledge, Sector 68, Mohali, where more than 200 participants attended the sacred ceremonies and prayed for peace, harmony and collective well-being. An open langar was also served.

The celebration symbolized Gurudev’s vision of creating a stress-free and violence-free society through inner peace, service and human values. The organizers invited people from all walks of life to join the celebrations and experience an evening filled with devotion, music, meditation, and community spirit.

Chandigarh:

रियाणा पीडब्ल्यूडी कॉन्ट्रैक्टर्स एसोसिएशन के चेयरमैन अशोक जैन ने बताया कि प्रदेश में सभी रोड वि व निर्माण कार्यों पर रेट बढ़ने के कारण लग गई है रोक ,जैन ने उदाहरण देते हुए कहा कि एनसीआर रीजन के करीब 2700 करोड़ रुपये के रोड री-कारपेटिंग कॉन्ट्रैक्ट दिए गए थे, जिनमें से लगभग 1200 करोड़ रुपये के कार्य पूरे किए जा चुके हैं।

उन्होंने कहा कि बाकी बचे करीब 1500 करोड़ रुपये के कार्य की लागत अब पेट्रोलियम उत्पादों और बिटूमिन की कीमतों में भारी बढ़ोतरी के कारण लगभग तिगुनी हो चुकी है। ऐसे में पुराने रेट पर काम करना ठेकेदारों के लिए संभव नहीं रह गया है।

अशोक जैन ने कहा कि एसोसिएशन आज संबंधित अधिकारियों के साथ बैठक करेगी और इसके बाद हरियाणा के मुख्यमंत्री से भी मुलाकात की जाएगी। यदि राज्य स्तर पर समाधान नहीं निकला तो एसोसिएशन अपनी मांगों को लेकर केंद्र सरकार के समक्ष भी जाएगी।

उन्होंने सरकार से विशेष राहत पैकेज और कॉन्ट्रैक्ट रेट में संशोधन व एक साल समय सीमा की बढ़ोतरी की मांग करते हुए कहा कि समय रहते फैसला नहीं लिया गया तो सड़क निर्माण और री-कारपेटिंग के कार्य पूरी तरह प्रभावित हो सकते हैं।

Chandigarh

President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Rao Narendra Singh, accused the BJP government of playing with the future of Haryana’s youth and said that the Nayab Saini government’s “service formula” has now become completely clear — provide government jobs to people from outside Haryana, declare Haryanvi youth unqualified, and if the desired outcome is not achieved, simply leave the posts vacant.
He said that the BJP government’s recruitment policies have pushed lakhs of educated youth in Haryana towards disappointment, unemployment, and migration. Talented youth from the state are being forced to work abroad as laborers, while candidates from outside states are being given preference in government jobs within Haryana.
Rao Narendra Singh cited the recent Assistant Professor (College Cadre) Psychology recruitment as an example. He said that in the recruitment advertisement issued on August 2, 2024, there were a total of 85 posts, including 44 posts for the general category. However, when the results were declared, only 2 candidates in the general category were declared qualified, while all others were failed.
He further said that not a single candidate was found qualified for the 16 SC category posts. Similarly, no candidate was declared eligible for the 17 posts reserved under BCA and BCB categories, while even 5 EWS posts were left vacant. This situation clearly indicates that the government is deliberately keeping recruitments incomplete and doing injustice to the youth.
Rao Narendra Singh said that if recruitment records of the past several years are examined, discrimination against Haryana’s youth can be seen in almost every recruitment process.
Releasing detailed figures, he stated:
In the “Tower Utilities” Assistant Engineer recruitment, out of 214 general category posts, 185 were filled by candidates from outside Haryana.
In the recent Irrigation Department Assistant Engineer (Civil) recruitment, 28 out of 49 general category posts were given to outside candidates.
In the AMO recruitment held after nearly 10 years in the state, around 75% of the 394 selected candidates for 427 general category posts belonged to outside states.
In the Civil Judge recruitment, 60 out of 110 posts went to outside candidates.
In the Technical Education Department Professor recruitment, 106 out of 153 general category posts were secured by outside candidates.
In almost every HCS recruitment, more than 40% of selected candidates were from outside Haryana.
In the 2019 Electricity Department SDO recruitment for 80 posts, only 2 Haryanvi youths were selected, after which the recruitment had to be canceled due to public opposition.
Similarly, in the Assistant Professor (Political Science) recruitment, 11 out of 18 selected candidates belonged to outside states, while only 7 were from Haryana.
In the Agriculture Development Officer recruitment, 16 out of 23 general category posts were given to outside candidates, while only 7 Haryanvi youths were selected.
Rao Narendra Singh alleged that the BJP government has turned Haryana into a “state of paper leaks and recruitment scams.” He said that over the past 12 years, cases of paper leaks and irregularities have surfaced in recruitment examinations ranging from peons to judges. He added that Haryana’s name now surfacing in the NEET examination controversy is an extremely serious and worrying matter.
He said that the BJP government, which labels Haryana’s youth as “unqualified,” must first answer why candidates from outside states repeatedly end up being declared qualified. This is not merely an administrative failure, but a direct attack on the self-respect and rights of Haryana’s youth.
Rao Narendra Singh asserted that the Congress Party will continue to strongly fight for the employment, dignity, and rights of Haryana’s youth and will struggle at every level to protect the rights of Haryanvis in government jobs.

Chandigarh, May 12

Senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon on Tuesday appealed to the people of Chandigarh to actively support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Vocal for Local” campaign by promoting and purchasing indigenous products.
Reacting to the Prime Minister’s appeal in view of the prolonged West Asia crisis, Tandon said that strengthening local industries and encouraging Indian-made products is not only essential for economic self-reliance but also crucial for generating employment opportunities and empowering small traders, artisans, and entrepreneurs.

He said the “Vocal for Local” movement has emerged as a powerful initiative towards building an self-reliant India and reducing dependence on foreign goods. Tandon emphasized that every citizen can contribute to nation-building by consciously choosing local products in their daily lives.
It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Modi has appealed for national austerity measures, specifically urging citizens to curb petrol/diesel usage, limit foreign travel, and reduce gold purchases. These measures aim to conserve foreign exchange reserves amid intense economic pressure from the West Asia conflict. 
The BJP leader further stated that supporting local businesses would help boost the Indian economy at a time when global economic uncertainties continue to affect markets worldwide. He urged youth, traders, industry bodies, and consumers to become ambassadors of the campaign and spread awareness about the importance of buying Indian products.
Tandon added that Prime Minister Modi’s vision has consistently focused on strengthening grassroots economic growth and promoting India’s traditional industries, startups, and MSMEs. He said the campaign is not merely an economic initiative but also a matter of national pride and collective responsibility.

Chandigarh:
With the objective of promoting energy conservation and operational efficiency in the industrial sector, Aadiushmaa Engineers Pvt. Ltd., in collaboration with Ingersoll Rand and Johnson Controls (York Chillers), organized a special Customer Connect Program in Chandigarh. The event brought together representatives from various industrial organizations and technical experts to discuss modern energy-saving solutions and sustainable industrial practices.

Leading industrial groups including Leader Mankind, Tirupati Group, Zeon Life Sciences, Ruchira Paper Mills, and Mediforce Healthcare participated in the program along with several other industry representatives.

Addressing the gathering, Manoj Kumar Jain, Director of Aadiushmaa Engineers Pvt. Ltd., emphasized that “saving energy is equal to generating energy,” underlining the importance of efficient resource utilization in today’s industrial environment.

During the session, the Territory Leaders from Ingersoll Rand and Johnson Controls shared insights on advanced machine technologies, compressor energy-saving opportunities, and chiller energy conservation solutions. The speakers highlighted the role of efficient compressed air systems, optimized chiller performance, preventive maintenance, and advanced monitoring technologies in reducing energy consumption and operational costs in industrial plants.

The program also featured interactive discussions on real-time energy-saving challenges faced by industries. Participants exchanged ideas, shared plant-specific concerns, and explored customized solutions to improve efficiency and productivity.

According to the organizers, the event proved to be a valuable platform for technical exchange, strengthening industry partnerships, and encouraging sustainable industrial growth through energy-efficient practices.

Chandigarh, May 11 – The Haryana Government has initiated a comprehensive state-wide preparedness exercise aimed at strengthening emergency response mechanisms across all departments and districts.

Financial Commissioner Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Dr. Sumita Misra has issued detailed directives to senior officers across Haryana for the effective implementation of the Haryana State Disaster Response Manual under the Incident Response System (IRS).

The initiative is being seen as a significant administrative reform designed to ensure quicker, more coordinated and efficient response during disasters and emergencies.

The Incident Response System, constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, has already been notified at both State and District levels in Haryana. The framework provides a structured mechanism for command, coordination and resource management during emergencies.

Dr Misra informed that the IRS framework clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of every stakeholder, enabling departments to function in a synchronized manner during situations such as floods, heatwaves, industrial accidents and other emergencies.

The Haryana State Disaster Response Manual has been prepared in line with the guidelines of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, and serves as a comprehensive operational guide for officers involved in disaster management across the State.

As Incident Commander at the State level, Dr. Sumita Misra has written to Administrative Secretaries of 24 key stakeholder departments, directing them to ensure that designated officers are fully acquainted with their responsibilities.

The departments include Home, Environment & Forest, Transport, Civil Aviation, Finance, Police, Irrigation, Agriculture, School Education, Health, Energy, Urban Local Bodies, Fire & Emergency Services, Public Health Engineering and Women & Child Development, among others.

The move is expected to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and institutional readiness across the State administration. In another important direction, Dr. Misra has also written to all 23 Deputy Commissioners of Haryana, who function as Responsible Officers under the IRS framework at the district level. The Deputy Commissioners have been asked to ensure that all designated officers understand their assigned responsibilities and that regular training programmes and mock drills are conducted to maintain operational readiness.

Officers have also been instructed to strengthen district-level disaster response capabilities to ensure prompt action and better coordination during emergencies. The initiative aims to minimize loss of life, livelihood, infrastructure and property through better preparedness and quicker administrative response.  The State Government believes that a well-trained and clearly defined response system will significantly improve Haryana’s ability to tackle future emergencies in an organized and efficient manner.

Dr. Misra further informed that the State Government, in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India, is conducting a State-level Mock Exercise on a flood disaster scenario on 14 May 2026 across 13 flood-prone districts of Haryana, namely Gurugram, Ambala, Faridabad, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Panipat, Palwal, Sirsa, Sonipat, and Yamunanagar. An Orientation and Coordination Conference was successfully conducted on 06 May 2026. On 12 May 2026, a Table Top Exercise will discuss various response scenarios in detail, along with strategies to ensure success during the upcoming mock drill.

With all major departments and districts now aligned under a unified disaster response framework, Haryana is positioning itself as one of the leading states in institutional disaster preparedness and coordinated emergency management.

Chandigarh, May 11 — In a significant move aimed at connecting youth with emerging technologies and the rapidly expanding space sector, the Haryana Government has directed universities, colleges and educational institutions across the state to ensure participation of students and faculty members in the “India Space Lab: Summer Internship & Technical Training Programme-2026.”

Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi  has written an  official communication in this regard to all Administrative Secretaries of Haryana.

He has asked departments to widely disseminate information about the programme through official websites and institutional channels to maximize participation from students, researchers and faculty members.

Training in Advanced Space and Emerging Technologies

According to the programme details shared by India Space Lab, New Delhi, participants will receive online technical training in advanced fields such as Drone Technology, CanSat and CubeSat (student satellite systems), Rocketry, Remote Sensing using GIS, and Disaster Management. The internship is designed to provide industry-oriented exposure and practical understanding of emerging technologies linked to the space ecosystem.

The programme is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as research scholars from recognized institutions in India and abroad. Participants will work closely with different verticals and divisions related to space science and technology. Upon successful completion, candidates will receive internship completion certificates.

More Than 2,300 Seats Across Two Batches

The internship programme has been divided into two batches. Registration for the first batch was scheduled till April 27, while registration for the second batch will remain open till June 10. The first batch will run from May 1 to June 15, while the second batch will be conducted from June 17 to July 4.

A total of 2,315 seats have been allocated for the programme, including 1,270 seats in the first batch and 1,045 seats in the second batch. The registration fee has been fixed at Rs 950, while no separate training or internship fee will be charged. However, the programme does not include any stipend provision.

Linked to India’s Space Reforms and ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ Vision

In its communication, India Space Lab highlighted that the initiative aligns with the Government of India’s broader push towards strengthening space education, innovation and technical research under the “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision. The organisation also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on India’s growing space capabilities and the increasing need to prepare youth for future technologies.

The letter further stated that following the success of programmes such as India Space Week and National Space Day, the Summer Internship & Technical Training Programme-2026 has been launched to encourage greater participation of students in space science and advanced technical learning.

Boost for Skill Development and Employment Opportunities

Education and technology experts believe that such initiatives can play a major role in equipping students with practical skills in sectors expected to drive future employment and innovation. Fields such as drones, satellite systems, GIS mapping and disaster management are witnessing rapid growth globally, creating new opportunities for skilled professionals and technology-driven startups.

Officials said the initiative could help Haryana students gain early exposure to cutting-edge technologies and strengthen their competitiveness in India’s evolving science and technology landscape.