Chandigarh, October 11:

As the 350th Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji approaches, Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains has made an impassioned plea to the Central Railways Ministry to substantially boost in rail services to the holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib to facilitate seamless travel for millions of devotees converging to pay homage to the 9th Guru and his devoted disciples Bhai Mati Das ji, Bhai Sati Das ji and Bhai Dayala ji’s  supreme sacrifice.

In a letter written to Railways Minister Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State (MoS) Sh. Ravneet Singh Bittu, Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains highlighted the anticipated arrival of over 1 crore devotees in Sri Anandpur Sahib for the 350th Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. S. Bains has demanded the doubling of Vande Bharat Express services from New Delhi between November 15 and 30, 2025. He also urged the operation of special pilgrim trains from major spiritual centres across country, including Takht Sri Patna Sahib, Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Nanded (Maharashtra), Sri Amritsar Sahib and other major cities, to facilitate seamless travel for devotees attending the grand events scheduled from November 22 to 25, 2025 at Sri Anandpur Sahib.

Highlighting the religious significance and sacred history of Sri Anandpur Sahib, the Education Minister noted that the city was founded by Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, served as the sanctuary where Kashmiri Pandits facing religious persecution, sought refuge and protection. From the very soil of Sri Anandpur Sahib the Guru Sahib embarked on his final journey to martyrdom in Delhi for the cause of humanity and freedom of conscience. Later, His sacred “Sees” was reverently brought back to Sri Anandpur Sahib by Bhai Jaita Ji (Baba Jiwan Singh Ji) and cremated here making this soil a living testimony to one of the most revered chapters in the world history.

“This holy land is a living testament to a sacrifice that defines the conscience of India. It is our sacred duty to ensure that every devotee wishing to pay obeisance during this historic anniversary can do so without any hardship,” stated S. Bains.

S. Harjot Singh Bains hailed the 350th Martyrdom Day of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji as a momentous occasion to honour the Guru’s unparalleled sacrifice for religious freedom and human dignity, while noting that one Vande Bharat Express currently connects Delhi to Amb Andaura via Sri Anandpur Sahib. He stressed the need to augment rail services for the Sangat on this historic occasion.

This initiative is not just about logistics, S. Bains added while stating,”By facilitating the journey of pilgrims to the feet of the Guru who gave his life for the rights of all faiths, we honour an act of supreme moral courage that continues to be the bedrock of our pluralistic nation.”

HANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, October 11:

          In an intelligence led operation amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border weapon smuggling module with links to Pakistan with the  arrest of its three operatives and recovered eight sophisticated pistols from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Mahesh alias Ashu Masih and Angrej Singh, both residents of village Marhi Megha in Tarn Taran; and Arshdeep Singh, a resident of Bhikhiwind in Tarn Taran. The recovered weapons include three 9MM pistols and five .30 bore pistols along with magazines. Apart from this, police team have also impounded their Hero Splendor Motorcycle, being used for transporting the consignments.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested accused persons were acting upon the directions of Pakistan-based arms smuggler, who has been using drones to drop the contrabands from across the border. The arrested accused were supplying the arms and ammunition to criminals and gangsters in Punjab with the intention to fuel criminal activities in the state, he said.

          Sharing operation details, he said that CI Amritsar had received a specific intelligence about the retrieval a huge consignment of illegal weapons from Indo-Pak border, which was delivered from across the border with the help of drones in the area of village Marhi Kamboke, PS Khalra, Distt. Tarn Taran. Acting swiftly, police team of CI Amritsar intercepted three suspects near village Bhoose in Amritsar Rural, and recovered the consignment of illegal weapons, which they were going to deliver to the next party in the area near Gharinda in Amritsar, he said.

          The DGP said that the arrested accused persons— Mahesh alias Ashu Masih and Angrej Singh— were also wanted in previous cases registered under Arms Act at Police Station SSOC Amritsar, in which 5 pistols were earlier recovered. Further investigation is underway to establish backward and forward linkages in this case to expose and dismantle the entire network, he added.

          In this regard, a case FIR No. 59 dated 11-10-2025 has been registered under sections 25, 25(1)(a) and 25(1)(b) of the Arms Act and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.

Chandigarh, October 11:

Punjab Public Works Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO today said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is giving top priority to strengthening public infrastructure for providing improved public services and for  ensuring that all ongoing projects are completed within stipulated timelines with high-quality standards and complete transparency in fund utilization.

The PWD Minister reviewed the progress of major building projects being undertaken by PWD for  various government departments across the state. The projects, amounting to Rs.2097.03 crore, are currently at different stages of construction, with Rs.915.55 crore already released to executing agencies, he added.

Sharing more details, S. Harbhajan Singh ETO informed that a total of 211 buildings are being constructed under the supervision of the Public Works Department. The Higher Education Department leads with 35 projects worth Rs.477.13 crore, followed by Medical Works with 39 buildings amounting to Rs.565.87 crore and the Revenue Department with 32 structures worth Rs.237.76 crore. The Minister was also  informed that the planning & designing of these buildings was being done by Architectural Department

Sharing more details he informed that the department was executing 13  School Education projects valued at Rs.119.37 crore, while 11 buildings of the Department of Technical Education costing Rs.52.33 crore are under execution. Further PWD is also developing  Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department a project worth Rs.84.13 crore and Sports Department’s 16 building projects are being built with an allocation of Rs.110.66 crore.

Besides this, for providing better public services two projects worth Rs.83.92 crore of  the Home Affairs Administrative Department are in progress. Highlighting other initiatives, the PWD Minister mentioned that five projects  of Indra Kumar Gujral PTU costing Rs.56.82 crore, 12 SIPDA project works worth Rs.33.43 crore and other 45miscellaneous buildings works of  various departments totalling Rs.275.61 crore are in progress.

The PWD Minister directed officials to accelerate the pace of construction and ensure time-bound completion of all works under execution.

Chandigarh:

The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has taken suo moto notice in the suicide case of Haryana’s ADGP Y Puran Kumar in Chandigarh and has sought a report from the Director General of Police Chandigarh.

Giving information in this regard, Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Sardar Jasvir Singh Garhi said that this matter has come to his notice through the media, on which he has taken action, he has instructed the Director General of Police Chandigarh to submit a report regarding this matter and the action taken so far on the suicide note of the deceased officer and the complaint given by his wife Amneet Kaur, through an ADGP level officer, to the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission on 13 October 2025.

 Along with this, Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi will also visit the victim’s family’s house on Monday, October 13, 2025.

Chandigarh: Under the ongoing Seva Pakhwada initiative launched to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chandigarh organized a grand felicitation ceremony at the Party’s state headquarters, Kamlam, Sector 33, Chandigarh, to honour distinguished citizens of the city. State President Jatinder Pal Malhotra and Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla graced the occasion as the Chief Guests.

The event witnessed the presence of state office bearers, district functionaries, senior party workers, and numerous dignitaries.

During the ceremony, 50 distinguished personalities from Chandigarh were honoured for their remarkable contributions in various fields such as social service, education, sports, and healthcare.

Among those honoured were Dr. Sucheta Sachdev from the Department of Blood Transfusion, PGI Chandigarh, Dr. Simarjeet Kaur Gill, Head of the Department of Blood Transfusion, Sector 16 Hospital, Prof. Dr. Ravneet Kaur from the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Sector 32, Dr. Shikha Sharda, Dr. Nisha Singla, and from the field of education Mrs. Deepika, Mrs. Sukhbir Kaur, Riddhi Srivastava, Bhajanlal Manju, and Manpreet Kaur, who have all set exemplary standards through their dedication and service to society.

All the distinguished personalities were felicitated with shawls and certificates of appreciation by BJP Chandigarh.

Addressing the gathering, State President Jatinder Pal Malhotra said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not merely a political organization but a family committed to the spirit of service and nation-building. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s life stands as a symbol of dedication and public service, and the Seva Pakhwada reflects his vision of extending the message of service to every section of society.

Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla, in her address, said that honouring such individuals is truly inspiring, as they have contributed selflessly to the betterment of society through their respective fields. She emphasized that BJP has always placed service and social welfare at the forefront of its mission.

Seva Pakhwada Coordinator Sanjeev Kumar Rana and Special Guest Felicitation Coordinator Ravi Rawat expressed their gratitude to all attendees for making the event successful and stated that such initiatives spread positivity and inspire collective responsibility in society.

The event concluded with wishes for the long life and continued service of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the nation’s progress.

CHANDIGARH, October 11:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 224th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 325 locations on Saturday leading to the arrest of 94 drug smugglers after registration of 65 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 32,683 in 224 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 2.8 kg heroin, 2.9 kg ICE, 24.2 kg opium, 293 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 1.22 lakhs drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Over 120 Police teams, comprising over 1000 police personnel, under the supervision of 71 gazetted officers have conducted 325 raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 336 suspicious persons during the day-long operation.

          The state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 37 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, October 8, 2025 – Haryana Governor-cum-President of the Haryana State Council for Child Welfare Prof Ashim Kumar Ghosh on Wednesday said that children’s holistic well-being must be ensured by shaping their health, nutrition, education, protection and emotional development. Women’s empowerment and child welfare are deeply intertwined. When mothers are empowered, educated and safe, the welfare of children is also ensured, he said.

Governor Prof Ashim Kumar Ghosh on Wednesday chaired a review meeting of the Haryana State Council for Child Welfare (HSCCW) at Raj Bhavan. The Governor’s Secretary Shri Dusmant Kumar Behera conducted the proceedings of the meeting while sharing his thoughts and inputs.

The Governor stated that robust monitoring, district coordination and transparent governance are essential to strengthen institutional systems. The Council also calls for greater involvement of communities, youth, NGOs and local administration in its outreach and preventive work. Furthermore, early interventions, especially for vulnerable children and those in need of care and protection must be prioritized, he said.

Governor Prof Ashim Kumar Ghosh noted that the Council has expanded its reach in recent years through programmes such as adoption, shelter homes, coaching and Bal Bhavans. It impacts the lives of a large number of children in Haryana every year. This is a responsibility we must shoulder with constant vigilance, innovation, and compassion, he said, urging officials to develop short-term action plans, strengthen training, closely monitor results and always keep the best interests of children as a guiding principle.

Haryana’s future depends on the health, well-being and education of children: Smt Mitra Ghosh

Smt Mitra Ghosh, Lady Governor and Vice President of the HSCCW stated that the Council has played a commendable role in ensuring the safety, education and overall well-being of children across the state. She urged the Council to reach out to the most vulnerable sections of society and uplift them. She urged the Council to work on a mission to ensure a brighter and more inclusive future for every child in the state. Haryana’s future depends on the health, well-being and education of its children, said Smt Ghosh.

The Council is successfully implementing programs not only for children but also for youth and women: Smt Suman Saini

Smt Suman Saini, Vice President of the Haryana State Council for Child Welfare, said that the Council is successfully implementing several meaningful and well-planned programmes not only for children but also for youth and women. In particular, the adoption process is being conducted in a highly systematic, transparent and compliant manner, she said.

Smt Saini said that the HSCCW is a government-recognized organization that facilitates the adoption of children both domestically and internationally. To date, the Council has adopted a total of 704 children including 528 within the country and 176 abroad.

She stated that the Council’s establishment of the Laghu Baal Bhavan in Narayangarh block of Ambala district is a commendable initiative.

Within a short period of time, approximately 600 children have enrolled in various training centers at this institution, a testament to the Council’s effective functioning. The Council will continue to strive for the holistic development of children and youth with the same commitment and dedication in the future, she said.

Earlier, Smt Sushma Gupta, General Secretary, HSCCW, delivered the welcome speech. Smt Saroj Bala, Treasurer, proposed the vote of thanks. The meeting was attended by senior officers of HSCCW including Child Welfare Officers and Divisional Welfare Officers, and of the Raj Bhavan.

Chandigarh, October 8: Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a conversation with reporters, spoke about the current state government’s failures, farmers’ problems, law and order, and the Congress’s organizational strategy. He sharply criticized the government on several issues, giving it a zero rating in the public interest.
Key Points:

1. Government Failure: Hooda described the current government as a complete failure in its one-year tenure. He said the government had neither taken any concrete steps for farmers nor done anything for the welfare of the poor. Describing law and order as completely poor, he said the government had not taken any public welfare decisions and development work had stalled.
2. Farmers’ Plight: Hooda stated that he is regularly visiting the state’s mandis, where farmers’ grain is spoiling. There are not even tarpaulins in the mandis, causing huge losses to farmers. He demanded that the Prime Minister provide compensation and a special package for the farmers’ losses.
3. BJP Factionalism: Targeting the BJP, Hooda said the BJP should address its own factionalism, before talking about the Congress. He called for strengthening the Congress organization and stated that district-level pradhans have been appointed, and that appointments will soon be made at the block level as well.
4. Comment on the Chief Minister’s Japan Visit: Hooda, on Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s Japan visit, said Haryana saw the highest investment during his government (until 2014). The BJP has ruined investment and development.
5. Statement on opponents: Hooda said the INLD-JJP cannot even save their deposits, and they continue to speak against the Congress at the behest of the BJP, without any basis.
6. Comment on the Prime Minister’s visit: Regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Haryana on October 17, Hooda said the central government did not provide any major projects to Haryana. Haryana did not receive any metro, rail, or other major projects under the BJP government.
7. Strengthening the Congress organization: Hooda said district, block, division, and booth level presidents will soon be appointed to strengthen the Congress organization.
8. Zero marks for the Haryana government: Assessing the government’s performance, Hooda said marks are given based on performance, and this government has not done any work in many areas such as farmers, women, employment, and security.
   Bhupinder Singh Hooda clarified that the Congress’s priority is to protect the interests of farmers, the poor, and the people of the state.