12052026-TTB-01.qxd 5/12/2026 12:11 AM Page 1 c m y b 13 TRUMP REJECTS IRAN’S PEACE PROPOSAL WORLD /thetribunechd CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 130 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 DELHI tuesday | 12 may 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com NITI calls for 2-yr construction ban Barred, Vinesh shows up at takes on WFI as West Asia crisis drains economy Gonda event,hatched to stop comeback Olympian says conspiracy Revamp of Central Secretariat buildings ‘deferred’ Oppn slams govt for pushing burden of its ‘failures’ onto ordinary citizens THE TRIBUNE SPECIAL Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 11 Faced with spiralling construction costs and rising imports due to the ongoing West Asia crisis, government think tank NITI Aayog is learnt to have advised the Centre to halt all major construction works across the country for two years, including the demolition and reconstruction of the Nirman Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan and Shastri Bhavan ministerial complexes. The recommendation, according to highly placed sources, was made by NITI Aayog to the Union ministries concerned, pointing out that owing to cost escalation, rising imports and supply chain disruptions affecting the availability of raw material, all largescale construction activity should be paused for two years. The suggested duration for suspension of construction and demolition work indicates the gravity of the situation arising from the Iran war. Incidentally, the recommendation was made prior to the appointment of NITI Aayog’s new Vice-Chairman Ashok Lahiri and an entirely new team of full-time members. The think tank’s recommendation came just days before PM Modi, on May 10, appealed to continued on page 8 Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 11 A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to adopt austerity measures, conserve fuel and cut avoidable expenditure amid the economic uncertainty triggered by the West Asia conflict, Opposition parties on Monday accused the Centre of pushing the burden of its “economic failures” onto ordinary people. The BJP however, defend, ed Modi saying his appeal for continued on page 8 PM Narendra Modi at the Somnath Temple during the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav, marking 75 years of the inauguration of the restored temple. ANI Cut use of foreign goods, opt for online school classes: PM continues his austerity push Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 11 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated his appeal to citizens, saying that they must ease the burden on domestic resources amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. Urging people to cut the use of foreign goods and every product which demands payment in terms of foreign exchange, the PM said, “If the Covid pandemic was the biggest crisis of this century, the situation created by the war in West Asia is one of the continued on page 8 edit: economic turbulence BENGAL CLEARS BORDER FENCING MOVE BACK PAGE Crisis call rattles markets, Sensex tumbles 1,300 pts New Delhi, May 11 Stock markets fell for the third day running on Monday, with the benchmark Sensex tumbling 1,313 points amid rising crude oil prices after the US and Iran failed to reach a peace deal to end the war in West Asia. Also, PM Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity measures amplified investor concerns around forex reserves, fuel costs and consumption outlook. INSIDE RUPEE DOWN 79 PAISE, HITS NEW LOW OF 95.28 INSIDE Vinayak Padmadeo Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 11 A defiant Vinesh Phogat took the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) head-on as she showed up at the National Open Ranking tournament venue at Nandini Nagar in UP’s Gonda on Monday despite the federation declaring her ineligible till June 26 due to the mandatory sixmonth notice period for athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules. Even as the Olympian said she had replied to a show-cause notice issued by the WFI, the continued on page 9 CHAMBA: Six persons, including five tourists from Gujarat and a Himachal driver, were killed while four others sustained serious injuries after the vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near Kakira in the Chowari subdivision of Chamba district in the early hours of Monday. INSIDE Faridkot girl tops PSEB Class X exams MOHALI: Vinesh Phogat at the venue of the ranking tournament in Gonda. PTI ❝ SHOULD I TAKE SANYAS, ASKS WRESTLER What do you expect me to do? Shall I take sanyas and accept defeat? So that their conspiracy succeeds? Vinesh Phogat Harleen Sharma of Saraswati Senior Secondary School, Jaito, Faridkot, scored 99.38 per cent to top the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) matriculation exams. As many as 2,54,744 candidates of 2,69,505 cleared the Class X exams with an overall pass percentage of 94.52. INSIDE Pb civic polls on May 26, HP to make chitta test to set stage for ’27 battle must for all govt jobs Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 11 The elections to 105 local bodies in Punjab, including eight Municipal Corporations, will be held on May 26. These elections, being held just months before the Vidhan Sabha polls, are expected to set the political tone for all parties in the fray as these are being seen as a precursor to the 2027 Assembly elections. As many as 36.72 lakh voters — 18.98 lakh male, 17.73 lakh female and 226 others — will Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Delhi Tribune. c m y b 5 from Gujarat killed in Chamba accident participate in the polls, where all political parties will vie to woo urban voters. Elections are being held in 2,019 wards across eight municipal corporations, 76 municipal councils and 21 nagar panchayats. As many as 3,977 polling stations will be set up and around 36,000 personnel will be deputed for the elections, besides 35,500 police personnel for security purposes. The State Election Commission will also depute IAS and PCS officers in each district as election continued on page 8 Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, May 11 Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday that as part of its crackdown against the drug menace, the state government would make it mandatory for every candidate to undergo a drug test before recruitment in any government job. Addressing a press conference here after chairing a meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), Sukhu said the state govern- Also needed for admission to professional colleges ment would make the drug test mandatory not just for recruitment in all government departments but also for students seeking admission to professional colleges. “The state government will launch the second phase of the anti-chitta awareness campaign from June 1 to August 20 in all government schools and colleges across the state,” he said. continued on page 8
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).
