Release dues, demand Rice millers

Chandigarh: The Punjab Rice Millers Association has asked the government to clear their dues to bail the economically battered industry. Tarsem Saini, president of the association, said while they had worked overtime to ensure that rice was delivered on time when foodgrain was needed to feed the poor, the government was not releasing their dues. "We had to pay extra to the labour and our byproducts have no takers. The government must release our dues for gunny bags, pending from 2006-07 to 2013-14. We have demanded that the recovery rate of rice from paddy be lowered this year," he said. TNS

Guest faculty to get maternity leave

Chandigarh: The state government has decided to grant maternity leave to guest faculty working in government colleges, fulfilling their long-pending demand. Higher Education Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa announced this here on Tuesday. The decision would benefit more than 1,000 lecturers working in government colleges of the state. "Now, the guest faculty lecturers will be entitled to maximum of 180 days of maternity leave as per the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961," he said. TNS

Sweets shop owner turns veggie trader

Bathinda: After the sale of sweets went down amid the outbreak of Covid, a local sweet shop owner has now resorted to selling vegetables and fruit to cover his losses. Bobby, owner of Amantran Sweets, said: “I have been running my sweets shop for the past 10-12 years, it is only now due to the Covid-19 crisis that my business has taken a hit. Since the demand for sweets has gone down drastically, I decided to sell vegetables and fruit, as I have to sustain my family, pay salaries of my employees, and take care of rent also.” TNS