Chandigarh, July 10:
The Governor of Punjab and Administrator, U.T. Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, today launched Van Mahotsav 2026 by participating in a series of plantation programmes at multiple locations across Chandigarh, reaffirming the Administration’s commitment to environmental conservation and increasing the city’s green cover. As part of the campaign, the Governor personally planted saplings at all seven locations, encouraging citizens to actively participate in protecting and preserving the environment.

The Administrator formally inaugurated the plantation drive at the Daddu Majra Dumping Ground, where he released the Department of Forests and Wildlife’s Greening Chandigarh Action Plan (GCAP) booklet. He also flagged off three vehicles under the ‘Van Vibhag Aapke Dwar’ initiative for distributing saplings of different plant species among citizens, besides flagging off 11 vehicles deployed under the National Clean Air Programme (N-CAP), including water sprinklers, jetting machines and other equipment for effective air quality management.

Addressing the public at Daddu Majra, the Administrator said that India’s cultural ethos has always regarded the Earth as Mother, making it the collective responsibility of every citizen to protect and nurture nature. He emphasized that trees are the foundation of life, providing oxygen, maintaining ecological balance and sustaining biodiversity, and urged every citizen to plant and nurture at least one tree.

Highlighting Chandigarh’s environmental initiatives, Shri Kataria termed the transformation of the Daddu Majra Dumping Ground into a green plantation zone as a remarkable example of scientific planning and sustained efforts. He said the project demonstrates how degraded land can be converted into a valuable green asset for future generations. Stressing that the success of plantation drives should be measured by the survival rate of trees rather than merely the number planted, he called for scientific plantation, regular monitoring and long-term maintenance.

The Administrator appreciated Mayor Sh. Saurabh Joshi and the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh for preparing a scientific plantation action plan and lauded the collective efforts of government departments, NSS volunteers, Resident Welfare Associations, voluntary organisations and citizens in making the Van Mahotsav campaign a success. He expressed confidence that Chandigarh’s environmental initiatives would inspire similar efforts across the country.

Later the Administrator, accompanied by his wife, Smt. Anita Kataria planted a Kalpvriksha (Adansonia digitata) sapling during a plantation drive at Lake Beat of Department of Forests and Wildlife.

Addressing the gathering, Mayor Shri Saurabh Joshi said the reclaimed Daddu Majra site has been transformed into a beautiful green landscape where residents can now breathe fresh, fragrant air instead of enduring the foul smell that once emanated from the towering mountain of garbage. Recalling the challenging conditions that existed earlier, he said the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh successfully completed the legacy waste remediation with the unwavering support of the Administrator, public representatives, local residents and all stakeholders. He expressed gratitude to the Administrator Shri Gulab Chand Kataria for his constant guidance, timely reviews and continuous support throughout the project.

The Mayor further said that the successful remediation of the legacy waste site marks the end of one of Chandigarh’s biggest environmental challenges. He informed that all major litigations and statutory hurdles related to the dumping ground have been resolved, paving the way for comprehensive ecological restoration and sustainable development of the reclaimed land. He added that the project reflects the Corporation’s commitment to scientific waste management and environmental conservation.

Home Secretary-cum-Secretary, Local Government, Shri Mandip Singh Brar, IAS, highlighted the Administrator’s sustained commitment to environmental conservation, noting that since Van Mahotsav 2025, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria has consistently emphasised not just plantation but also the survival and maintenance of saplings. He said this vision has strengthened Chandigarh’s efforts to enhance its green cover. Referring to the successful legacy waste remediation project, he said the city is now moving towards scientific waste management with the establishment of a Compressed Biogas (CBG) Plant by Indian Oil Corporation Limited for sustainable processing of municipal solid waste. He also appreciated the Municipal Corporation, technical agencies and local residents for their collective efforts in achieving this environmental milestone.

Earlier, Shri Saurabh Kumar, IFS, briefed the gathering about the Van Mahotsav programme and the plantation schedule planned across Chandigarh during this year’s campaign. He emphasized that extensive plantation drives with indigenous species will be undertaken to further strengthen the city’s green cover and ecological balance.

The Administrator also participated in plantation programmes at IRB Battalion, Sarangpur, organised by the Chandigarh Police, and at the nearby plantation site developed by the Engineering Department. He later participated in the plantation programme organised by the Department of School Education and planted a sapling at Government Model High School, Sector 25. Thereafter, at the Sukhna Choe Reserve Forest, Daria, Shri Kataria inaugurated a High-Tech Nursery and participated in a plantation drive organised by the Department of Forests and Wildlife.

The Administrator also participated in a plantation programme at Sector 28-B organised by the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. He later planted a sapling at the Lily Garden (Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Garden) in Sector 9 as part of the Van Mahotsav celebrations.

Present during the occasion were Councillor (Daddu Majra) and Former Mayor Shri Kuldeep Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor of Punjab Shri Vivek Pratap Singh, Shri Amit Kumar, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Shri Saurabh Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, and other officers of the Chandigarh Administration.

Chandigarh, July 9: The Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, PGIMER, Chandigarh, in collaboration with the Chandigarh Chapter of the Indian Society for Study of Pain (ISSP), organized a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on the occasion of ISSP Foundation Day on the theme “Contemporary Pain Management: Challenges and Innovations.”

The programme was inaugurated by Prof. Sanjay Jain, Dean, PGIMER, as the Chief Guest, while Prof. Y. K. Batra, Past President of ISSP Chandigarh, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. In his inaugural address, Prof. Sanjay Jain underscored the importance of continuing medical education in strengthening quality healthcare, while Prof. Y. K. Batra encouraged clinicians to embrace recent advances in pain medicine and adopt patient-centred approaches.

Welcoming the delegates, Prof. Neerja Bharti, Organizing Secretary, emphasized the importance of continuous academic learning and multidisciplinary collaboration in advancing pain medicine and improving patient care. Prof. Sukanya Mitra, President ISSP Chandigarh,highlighted the growing burden of chronic pain and stressed the need for innovation, evidence-based practice, and capacity building among young healthcare professionals.

The scientific programme included an expert lecture by Prof. Deepak Thapa, video demonstrations of ultrasound-guided pain interventions and an interactive discussion on the management of challenging chronic pain patients.The programme concluded with a sonoanatomy quiz for postgraduate residents.

About 100 doctors from tricity participated in the program. The CME witnessed enthusiastic participation from faculty members, residents, and healthcare professionals from various specialties, reaffirming PGIMER’s commitment to excellence in education, research, and patient care. 

Chandigarh, July 10- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Friday released Rs. 1,582.14 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into the bank accounts of 50,20,442 eligible beneficiaries under 19 welfare schemes.  The disbursed amount covers a range of welfare initiatives for women, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, poor and other deserving families. These include the 9th instalment of the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana, social security pensions, the Dayalu Scheme, Har Ghar-Har Grihini Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, among other schemes.

The Chief Minister shared this while addressing a press conference here today at Haryana Niwas.

9th instalment of Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana released

The Chief Minister said that the 9th instalment of the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana has been released today. Under the scheme, Rs. 209.69 crore has been transferred into the bank accounts of 9.98 lakh women beneficiaries. With this instalment, a total of Rs. 1,832.69 crore has been disbursed through nine instalments so far.

He said that the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi App was launched on September 25 last year,  on the occasion of the 109th birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.

A budgetary provision of Rs. 6,500 crore has been made for the scheme in the current financial year.

 Social security pensions released to 34.83 lakh beneficiaries

The Chief Minister said that Rs. 1,121.39 crore has been directly transferred into the bank accounts of 34.83 lakh beneficiaries under 15 social security pension schemes. These include the Old Age Samman Allowance, Disability Allowance and other social security pension schemes.

He said that the State Government has brought about a systemic change by adopting the Proactive Model. Under this model, eligibility is automatically determined on the basis of the Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) database, enabling eligible citizens to receive pension benefits at home without visiting government offices or submitting applications.

The Chief Minister said that payments through the Direct Benefit Transfer mechanism reflect the Government’s unwavering commitment to transparency and good governance, while ensuring that financial assistance reaches every deserving beneficiary in a timely manner.

Financial assistance to 3,295 families under the Dayalu Scheme

The Chief Minister said that financial assistance amounting to Rs. 125.11 crore is being provided today to 3,295 families under the Dayalu Scheme. With today’s disbursement, financial assistance amounting to Rs. 2,925.49 crore has so far been released to 77,590 families under the scheme.

He further said that Dayalu Scheme-2 has been implemented in the State since September 11 last year to provide financial assistance in cases of accidental death, disability or injury caused by dog bites or attacks by stray animals such as cows, bulls, oxen, donkeys, dogs, nilgai and buffaloes.

Subsidy released under Har Ghar-Har Grihini Yojana

The Chief Minister said that a subsidy amounting to Rs. 18.97 crore for the month of May has been transferred into the bank accounts of 5.16 lakh women who got their LPG cylinders refilled.

He further shared that under the scheme, eligible women are being provided an LPG cylinder every month at Rs. 500.

The Chief Minister said that with today’s release, a total of Rs. 320.97 crore has so far been transferred into the bank accounts of 14.43 lakh eligible women under the scheme.

Financial assistance released under PMAY-Gramin

The Chief Minister said that Rs. 107 crore has been released for house construction into the bank accounts of 20,165 eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).

He said that financial assistance amounting to Rs. 827.22 crore has so far been provided under the scheme. A total of 76,466 houses have been sanctioned under PMAY-Gramin in the State. Of these, 41,260 houses have already been completed, while construction of 35,206 houses is currently underway.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sh. Arun Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates Department, Sh. Anurag Agrawal, Director General, Housing for All Department, Sh. J. Ganesan, Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department Sh. K.Makarand Pandurang, Media Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Praveen Attreya and others remained present during the press conference.

Chandigarh, July 10- The Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communication (DITECH), Citizen Resources Information Department (CRID), Government of Haryana, in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, successfully organised the State Consultative Workshop on “Strengthening Cyber Security Frameworks for State Data” at Hyatt Centric, Chandigarh.

The workshop was chaired by Director, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communication (DITECH), Sh. Samwartak Singh Khangwal, who underscored the importance of building a resilient, collaborative and future-ready cyber security ecosystem to safeguard Government digital infrastructure and citizen data.

This workshop traces directly to a call given by the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi at the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries, for structured, ministry-led dialogue between the Union and the States on matters of shared governance concern. The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, has initiated a nationwide consultative process following the Prime Minister’s call for regular dialogue between the Union and the States on key governance issues. 

With the aim of strengthening cyber security and enabling digital governance in the State,  Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, in the Budget Speech 2026-27, has already proposed to establish the Haryana Digital Kavach, which will ensure 24×7 threat intelligence, incident response, mandatory security standards, and regular security audits for all departments.

Today’s discussions during the state consultative workshop help shape Haryana’s recommendations and contribute to the national framework on cyber security.

The workshop brought together senior officers from State Government Departments, Boards and Corporations, along with experts from MeitY, National e-Governance Division (NeGD), SEMT, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), National Informatics Centre (NIC), Haryana Police, the Power Department and leading cyber security professionals from the private sector. The event served as a common platform for deliberations on emerging cyber threats, cyber resilience, data governance and strengthening institutional cyber security across the State.

Sh. Samwartak Singh Khangwal, emphasised that cyber security must become an integral component of governance and service delivery. He called for stronger inter-departmental coordination, adoption of emerging technologies, continuous capacity building, and proactive cyber resilience measures to ensure secure, trusted and citizen-centric digital governance in Haryana.

The inaugural session commenced with a welcome address by DITECH/CRID, followed by a presentation from MeitY on the National Cyber Security Framework and Government cyber security directives. The session emphasized that protecting Government information assets and citizen data is a shared responsibility of all departments and requires coordinated governance across the State administration.

The technical sessions covered a broad spectrum of contemporary cyber security themes. Expert presentations included National Cyber Security Frameworks and Directives, Cyber Security in the Power Sector, Cyber Crime Prevention and Response, Haryana Digital Kavach, Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Framework, Cyber Security Standards and Compliance, National Cyber Threat Landscape and CERT-In Advisory Framework, and Artificial Intelligence and Secure Web & IT Infrastructure.

A major highlight of the workshop was the interactive breakout sessions, where participants deliberated on six strategic themes: Risk-based Assessments and Security Monitoring, State Data Centre (SDC) and SWAN Security, Security Operations Centre (SOC) and State CSIRT, Legacy Modernisation, Secure-by-Design and Zero Trust Architecture, Data Classification and implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, Appointment of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), Capacity Building, Skilling and Cyber Security Awareness.

The breakout sessions witnessed active participation from officers representing various Government departments, who shared their existing cyber security practices, implementation challenges, best practices and innovative approaches. The discussions generated practical recommendations aimed at strengthening cyber resilience, improving cyber governance, enhancing institutional preparedness and promoting uniform adoption of cyber security standards across the State.

During the plenary session, each thematic group presented its findings, highlighting current maturity levels, key challenges, priority recommendations, and areas requiring support from national agencies, including MeitY, CERT-In, NeGD, and NIC. The recommendations emerging from the workshop are expected to contribute significantly towards strengthening Haryana’s cyber security framework while also providing valuable inputs for the evolving National Cyber Security Framework.

The workshop concluded with a collective commitment from all participating departments to further strengthen cyber security governance through enhanced collaboration, knowledge sharing, adoption of best practices and continuous capacity building. The Government of Haryana reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with national agencies and all stakeholders to build a secure, resilient and citizen-centric digital ecosystem, ensuring the protection of the government information infrastructure and citizen data across the State.

Director IT, Sh. Samwartak Singh Khangwal, Superintendent of Police, Cyber Haryana, Sh. Mayank Gupta, Head, SeMT & Chief Technology Officer, Sh. Nitin Bansal, Chief Engineer (P&M-cum-IT), HVPNL, Sh. Ravi Sher Singh, Practice Head, Digital Infrastructure & Cyber Security, Sh. Samrat Kishor,  among other senior Officers from Central and State Governments, remained present during the workshop.

Chandigarh, July 10- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the Centre and the Haryana Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has ensured that the benefits of welfare schemes reach every eligible person standing at the last mile without any discrimination, guided by the principles of transparency, good governance and Antyodaya. Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini was addressing media persons here today.

He said every welfare initiative of the government is aimed at making the lives of the poor, farmers, youth, women, senior citizens and other deprived sections of society easier, more dignified and self-reliant.

Drawing a sharp contrast with the previous Congress governments, the Chief Minister said that while the Congress spent decades making promises in the name of the poor, farmers, youth and senior citizens, the present government has ensured that the intended beneficiaries actually receive the benefits of welfare schemes.

He said that the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have consistently sought to mislead people through election-time promises and false assurances, whereas the double-engine government remains firmly committed to translating every promise made to the people into reality.

Eligible Beneficiaries No Longer Have to Run from Office to Office

The Chief Minister said that during the Congress regime, senior citizens had to spend years making repeated visits to government offices to secure old-age pension benefits. They were compelled to seek recommendations and endure numerous hardships before receiving government assistance. In contrast, under Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s guarantee, government assistance is now being transferred directly into the bank accounts of every eligible beneficiary, he said.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that for the first time since Independence, a system has been established under which eligible beneficiaries receive government assistance without having to seek favours from anyone or make repeated rounds of government offices.

Prime Minister Modi’s Welfare Policies Have Transformed the Lives of the Poor

The Chief Minister said the Congress raised the slogan of Garibi Hatao for years, but instead of improving the condition of the poor, it pushed them further into poverty.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that while the Congress abandoned the poor after making lofty promises, Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s welfare-centric governance has restored dignity, security and hope to those who had remained neglected for decades.

He said the transformation visible in the lives of the poor today is the outcome of the Prime Minister’s welfare-oriented policies and his compassionate and sensitive leadership.

The Chief Minister further said that the Congress had promised 100-square-yard residential plots to the poor, but neither were the plots allotted nor were the promised benefits delivered.

He said the Congress’ politics has remained confined to false assurances and election-time promises. People have now seen through the Congress and no longer believe its false promises, he added.

The Chief Minister said Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has empowered the poor through a wide range of welfare initiatives aimed at ensuring a life of dignity for every deserving citizen. Whether it is providing permanent houses to the underprivileged, free foodgrains, healthcare security under the Ayushman Bharat scheme or direct financial assistance through bank transfers, every initiative, he said, is designed to enable the poor and the needy to live with dignity and self-respect.

AAP Made Grand Promises in Punjab but Failed to Deliver- Chief Minister

Referring to the Punjab Government, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said people in the neighbouring state were sold lofty promises that never translated into action. Commitments made to farmers regarding procurement of their crops and assurances of employment for the youth, he said, were aimed merely at securing votes and remained unfulfilled after the party assumed office.

He said that false promises were made in pursuit of political power, leaving people disillusioned after the elections.

 Merit has Replaced ‘Parchi’ and ‘Kharchi’ in Haryana’s Recruitment System

Drawing a comparison with Haryana, the Chief Minister said the State Government has institutionalised a transparent recruitment system under which government jobs are being provided purely on the basis of merit, without parchi  kharchi.

He said that during the past one-and-a-half years, the Haryana Government has provided government employment to more than 50,000   youth through a completely transparent recruitment process. Haryana today offers employment opportunities on the basis of talent and merit. This has significantly strengthened the confidence of young people in the fairness of the recruitment system,  said the Chief Minister.

Youth Need Opportunities, Not Mere Political Announcements

Referring to the menace of drug abuse in Punjab, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the Congress had pushed the state into the grip of drug addiction and that the Aam Aadmi Party has also failed to effectively tackle the challenge after coming to power.

He said governments must focus on creating opportunities for young people and securing their future through decisive action, adding that announcements alone cannot bring about meaningfulchange.

Direct Benefit Transfer Reflects Government’s Commitment to Transparent Governance

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism introduced by the double-engine government stands as a testimony to its commitment to transparency and good governance.

Today, government assistance is being transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries without the involvement of any middlemen, he said.

The government’s resolve is to ensure that assistance reaches every deserving person on time and that every commitment made to the people is fulfilled with complete honesty and sincerity, the Chief Minister added.

Referring to a recent programme he attended in Punjab, Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said people there were surprised when they learnt about the houses provided to poor and eligible families in Haryana and the wide range of welfare schemes being implemented by the State Government.

He said many people acknowledged that while their own government had confined itself to making promises, the Haryana Government had translated its commitments into action and ensured that the benefits reached the people.

Modi-Led Governments Present Their Report Card Before the People

The Chief Minister said that wherever governments led by Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi is in office, they regularly present a report card of their performance before the people. The public is informed about the work undertaken by the government and the commitments it has fulfilled, he said.

In contrast, he said that the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party treat election manifestos merely as instruments to mislead the electorate. They simply repackage old promises with a fresh coat of paint before every election, while having little to show by way of achievements, he said.

India Has Witnessed a New Era of Development and Good Governance Under Prime Minister Modi, says CM

The Chief Minister said the Congress remained in power for several decades but failed to take the country forward at the desired pace. Despite ruling the nation for such a long period, he said, the party could not transform India’s trajectory of development.

In contrast, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, India has, over the past 12 years, carved out a new identity in the fields of development, good governance and global stature, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.

He said India’s achievements are now being acknowledged not only across the country but around the world, reflecting the transformative changes witnessed under the present leadership.

The Chief Minister further said that the Congress has steadily lost the trust of the people in several states, including Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. He added that India’s global standing has continued to rise under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and that the country’s voice today carries greater weight and influence on the world stage than ever before.

Prime Minister’s Upcoming Haryana Visit Expected to Further Accelerate the State’s Development

Replying to a question regarding the Prime Minister’s proposed visit to Haryana on July 17, the Chief Minister  said that every visit by the Prime Minister to the state has brought major development projects and new opportunities for Haryana.

Expressing confidence over the forthcoming visit, he said it would further accelerate the pace of development in the state and provide fresh momentum to several key initiatives.

Government Working on a War Footing to Prevent Waterlogging During the Monsoon

Replying to another question, the Chief Minister said the State Government is working extensively to address the problem of waterlogging during the monsoon season.

He said borewells are being constructed to ensure better rainwater management, while the drainage infrastructure is being strengthened across the state so that incidents of waterlogging can be effectively prevented. The Government is working with complete seriousness to ensure that people do not face any inconvenience during the rainy season, he said.

Chandigarh, July 10

Haryana Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare Minister, Rao Narbir Singh, today announced a significant initiative for the welfare of former personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). He said Haryana is the first state in the country to extend various benefits to former CAPF personnel on par with ex-servicemen from the Armed Forces. He reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of CAPF veterans and their families.

Taking another major step in this direction, the Department of Sainik and Ardh Sainik Welfare, Haryana (Panchkula) has launched the online registration facility for former CAPF personnel on its official website.

The Minister said that all former personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Assam Rifles, and other CAPF organisations, along with their family members, can now register online through the department’s website.

He further said that the families of martyrs from the former CAPF fraternity, who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation, will be able to directly avail themselves of the various welfare schemes being implemented by the Haryana Government.

Rao Narbir Singh also said that registered former CAPF personnel and their eligible family members will receive a CAPF Personnel Identity Card through the department. In addition, if former personnel of the BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, Assam Rifles, or other CAPF organisations have any discrepancies in their service records or long-pending service-related issues, these can now be addressed through this registration process.

The Minister said the Government’s objective is to ensure that every individual who has contributed to the nation’s border security and internal security receives the support and recognition they deserve.

He appealed to all former CAPF personnel and their family members to complete their registration on the department’s website at the earliest and take full advantage of the welfare schemes offered by the State Government.

Rao Narbir Singh also directed departmental officers to undertake extensive awareness campaigns so that former CAPF personnel and their families living across every part of Haryana are informed about this initiative, ensuring that no eligible beneficiary is deprived of the available benefits.

Eligible beneficiaries can register online through the department’s official website: www.sainikwelfareharyana.gov.in.