02072026-TTC-01.qxd 7/2/2026 12:49 AM Page 1 13 US, IRAN START TECHNICAL TALKS ON TRUCE WORLD /thetribunechd CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 10 NO. 181 | 22 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 ISHAN KISHAN BECOMES NO. 1 T20 BATTER SPORT thursday | 2 july 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Army starts rollout of 5 battle Centre slaps notice on Meta over WhatsApp’s groups on border with China newusernamefeature AMARNATH YATRA BEGINS IBGs tasked with responding and striking at targets within 24 hours Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service Pilgrims queue up for registration ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu. The 57-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in Anantnag is scheduled to begin on Thursday. INSIDE SC links road accident claims to last tax return New Delhi, July 1 The Army on Wednesday formally started raising five integrated battle groups (IBGs) along the front with China to boost combat readiness. The IBGs have been tasked with responding and striking at targets within 24 hours of getting orders. The concept upgrades the “Cold Start Doctrine”, a military strategy developed after Operation Parakram following the 2001 Parliament attack. Sources said each IBG New Army Chief Gen Dhiraj Seth salutes his father Lt Gen Krishna Mohan Seth (retd) at a ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI would be headed by a Major General-rank officer. Five such officers had been posted to take charge of the IBGs, marking the formal raising of the new outfit. With the gov- ernment sanction letter for the Mountain Strike Corps’ IBGs finalised on July 1, the raising, postings and administrative processes can now commence. The raising is likely to be completed by mid-2027. The IBGs will be stationed in two north-eastern states — Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh — that share a boundary with China. A Fire Support Group, that has longrange artillery guns and other fire power, will serve as the back-up for the IBGs. The Mountain Strike Corps continued on page 10 Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 1 The Centre on Wednesday issued a notice to Meta over the proposed rollout of its “usernames” feature on WhatsApp, asking the company to submit a report within three days, highly placed sources said. The company had been told to furnish a detailed explanation on the feature within three days and not to launch it until consultation on the matter was over, the sources said. The government had, earlier in the day, expressed concern over the feature, with the Cites concerns over risk of fraud, impersonation sources indicating that the issue was being monitored closely as it posed possible risks to digital security. The sources said social media platforms must ensure that their products were not misused for impersonation, scams or misinformation. Any misuse of the feature through usernames, edited messages, fake groups or impersonation could invite continued on page 10 Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 1 The Supreme Court on Wednesday laid down guidelines for courts to determine the annual income of deceased or injured claimants in motor accident compensation cases on the basis of their income tax returns (ITRs). A Bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice N Kotiswar Singh said for salaried individuals, only the ITR of the previous year will be sufficient for showcasing the annual income while for selfemployed persons the average income disclosed in ITRs for up to the previous three years should ordinarily serve as the reference point. Noting that there cannot be a rigid formula for computing FATALITIES ON RISE 1.38 lakh 2020 1.53 lakh 1.68 lakh 1.70 lakh 2021 2022 2023 1.77 lakh 2024 annual income under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Bench drew a clear distinction between salaried employees and self-employed persons for the purpose of assessing compensation based on their ITRs. Writing the judgment for the Bench, Justice Karol said, “In the considered view of this continued on page 10 Warringretainedas PCCchief,Channito headpollcampaign Mann govt launches ~1,000/month aid for women, says last poll promise met Foreign Secretary VB-GRAMGruraljob Vikram Misri gets plancomesintoforce The Viksit Bharatone-year extension Guarantee:for Rozgar and Ajee- NEW DELHI: Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service The Congress on Wednesday retained Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committe chief and Partap Singh Bajwa as Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. While former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has been appointed head of the Punjab Congress campaign committee, AICC joint treasurer Vijay Inder Singla has been made chief of the Punjab election management and coordination committee. Fatehgarh Sahib MP Amar Singh will steer the manifesto panel. INSIDE TO COST ~1,030 CR Tribune News Service Dhuri (Sangrur), July 1 With the Punjab Assembly elections only a few months away, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday rolled out the AAP government’s flagship “Mukh Mantri Maavan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna” in his Assembly constituency of Dhuri in Sangrur district, before a large gathering largely comprising women. Launching the scheme through a dedicated web portal, Mann announced the ■ The AAP govt has set aside CM Bhagwant Mann launches the scheme in Sangrur. RAJESH SACHAR direct transfer of three months’ Satkar Raashi into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries, with every woman receiving Rs 3,000 and women from the Scheduled Today’s issue is of 22 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. c m y b ~9,300 crore for the scheme in the 2026-27 Budget ■ Of the 1.01 cr women above the age of 18, around 52 lakh are expected to register for it ■ Officials say ~1,030 crore per month will be required to provide aid to eligible women Caste category receiving Rs 4,500. Senior AAP leaders, including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Punjab AAP in-charge Aman continued on page 10 NEW DELHI New Delhi, July 1 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has been granted a oneyear extension in tenure, just three months ahead of the BRICS Leaders’ Summit to be hosted by New Delhi in September this year. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension, stating that “the tenure of Vikram Misri has been extended beyond July 14, 2026, till July 14, 2027, or until further orders.” continued on page 10 vika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, came into force on Wednesday. The law guarantees 125 days of employment to rural households. INSIDE Pricesofcommercial LPGslashedby ~183 NEW DELHI: Prices of commercial LPG, used in hotels and restaurants, have been cut by ~183.50 per 19-kg cylinder. Commercial LPG now costs ~2,930 per 19-kg cylinder. This is the first reduction in commercial LPG rates this year. — TNS