Chandigarh, July 28

Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema today announced a significant step towards bolstering mental healthcare within the state’s correctional facilities. He said that approval has been granted to recruit 60 Psychologist Counselors for jails across Punjab.

In a statement issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasized the AAP led Punjab Government’s commitment to the well-being of inmates. “This initiative underscores our dedication to providing comprehensive support to individuals within the prison system, including crucial mental health services,” he added.

Revealing further, the Finance Minister Cheema said that the Jails Department will oversee the recruitment of these 60 Psychologist Counselors through a completely transparent outsourcing process. He said that this move is expected to enhance the psychological support available to inmates, addressing a vital aspect of their rehabilitation and overall well-being.

Chandigarh/Auckland, July 28:

Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi met with senior New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament Philip Stoner Tafford. Mr. Tafford is a former Union Minister of New Zealand.

During this meeting, Mr. Garhi discussed issues related to Punjabis in New Zealand with Mr. Tafford, in addition to this, the incidents of burning of Sikh and some other religious flags in New Zealand in the past were also discussed and he appealed to him to ask the New Zealand government to make people aware of other religions. Along with this, he requested Mr. Tafford to  motivate New Zealand companies to invest in Punjab.

S.  Gadri invited Mr. Philip Stoner Tafford to visit Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and other places in Punjab, which was accepted by Mr. Philp Tafford.

Khatkar Kalan (SBS Nagar), July 28 :

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday laid the foundation stone of the Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh Heritage Complex, which will be constructed at a cost of ₹51.70 crore as a humble tribute to Shaheed-e-Azam.

Paying heartfelt floral tributes to the legendary martyr, the Chief Minister said that Shaheed-e-Azam sacrificed his life to liberate India from the chains of foreign imperialism. Bhagwant Singh Mann stated that the project will be completed within nine months and will serve as a source of inspiration for future generations to serve the country selflessly. He added that this significant initiative aims to preserve and promote the unparalleled legacy of this great son of the soil.

The Chief Minister emphasized that the complex will not merely be a structural monument, but an unforgettable experience as visitors will witness glimpses of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s supreme sacrifice for the motherland, his intellectual depth, and his courageous spirit. He said that the monument will feature a Grand Thematic Gate, a 350-meter-long Heritage Street connecting the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Museum to his ancestral house narrating the life journey of Shaheed-e-Azam and India’s freedom struggle through sculptures, 2D/3D wall art, and mannequins, capturing the essence of colonial-era India. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it will also have a 30-meter-high Indian National Flag and a 700-seat fully air-conditioned auditorium will also be part of the complex.

The Chief Minister announced that a model of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s ancestral home in Lyallpur (now in Pakistan) will be constructed, along with a recreation of his ancestral village on the heritage street. Additionally, he said that the ancestral home at Khatkar Kalan will be restored and preserved and digital recreation of Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s courtroom trial will be developed to take visitors back in time and showcase his revolutionary fervor. Bhagwant Singh Mann further added that the existing library will be modernized and digitized to offer an immersive experience adding that other facilities at the complex will include a Tourist Facilitation Centre, cottages, horticultural landscaping, a musical fountain, and ample parking space.

The Chief Minister was accompanied Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh and others.

Chandigarh, July 28:

Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, stated that the Punjab Government’s flagship initiative Project JEEVANJYOT-2 is emerging as a beacon of hope for children forced into begging.

She informed that during 19 special raids conducted across the state today, a total of 6 children were rescued. With this, the cumulative number of children rescued under the campaign has reached 203 in just 12 days since the project’s launch.

Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that the impact of the project is clearly visible at the grassroots level, as the number of children being found in such circumstances is steadily decreasing, thanks to consistent field surveillance and action. “This indicates growing public awareness and weakening of the networks forcing children into begging,” she said.

Sharing district-wise details, the Minister informed that 1 child was rescued from Barnala, 3 from Malerkotla, and 2 from Sri Muktsar Sahib. Out of these, 4 children were handed over to their parents after proper verification of documents and counselling, while 2 children from Sri Muktsar Sahib were sent to shelter homes.

She added that a total of 105 children have been admitted to government-run child care institutions so far, where arrangements for education, food, and accommodation have been made to ensure their well-being and development.

Dr. Baljit Kaur further stated that DNA testing will be conducted wherever there is any suspicion regarding the identity or relationship between the child and accompanying individuals. She warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found forcing children into begging, underlining that such individuals will not be spared under any circumstances.

She reiterated that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab Government is committed to eradicating child begging from its roots. Rescued children are being integrated into various social welfare schemes and provided with quality education, shelter, and nutrition to help them become self-reliant and empowered citizens.

Dr. Baljit Kaur appealed to the people of Punjab not to give alms to children and to immediately report any instance of child begging to the Child Helpline number 1098. She said that no social evil can be eradicated without public support, and expressed confidence that this mission will become even more impactful in the coming days.

CHANDIGARH, July 28:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 149th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 381 locations on Monday leading to the arrest of 80 drug smugglers after registration of 57 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 23,726 in 149 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 255 grams heroin, 1218 intoxicant tablets/pills/injections and Rs 10,760 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          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.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 180 Police teams, comprising over 1100 police personnel, under the supervision of 83 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 427 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

          The Special DGP said that with 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 41 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, July 28:

In a significant initiative by the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to provide advanced vocational training to the youth, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today between Government Polytechnic College Amritsar and IIT Rupnagar.

As part of this MoU, an AI-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS) Lab will be established at Government Polytechnic College Amritsar. The event was presided over by Punjab Public Works and Power Minister, S. Harbhajan Singh ETO.

Addressing the gathering, Cabinet Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO stated that the Punjab Government is fully committed to strengthening the infrastructure of technical education and equipping the youth with future-ready skills.

The new CPS Lab will provide research support, technical assistance, and hands-on training to students and faculty in emerging technologies. It will also play a vital role in promoting research, innovation, and technical training, as well as in developing industry-oriented, skill-based education modules.

The MoU was signed by S. Davinder Singh Bhatti, Principal of Government Polytechnic College Amritsar, and senior officials from IIT Rupnagar.

The occasion was attended by top officials from IIT Rupnagar, Nominee Director and Principal Kamaldeep Kaur, representatives from the Skilling and Startup Team of the Punjab Communications Department, officials from the Department of Technical Education, and faculty members of Government Polytechnic College Amritsar including Kashmiri Lal, Dr. Harpreet Singh Soch, Satish Kumar, Sumitarbir Singh, Navneet Kaur, Prabhjit Kaur, Surinder Singh, Harpreet Kaur (GPC Bhikhiwind), and Jasbir Singh (GPC Batala).

Chandigarh, July 28:

Punjab’s war against drugs takes a significant turn as the state government is all set to roll out a pioneering drug prevention curriculum for students of Classes IX to XII in all government schools as part of the 3rd phase of the ongoing “Yudh Nashian Virudh” drive, announced S. Harjot Singh Bains, Minister of School Education, Punjab.

While addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan on Monday evening, S. Harjot Singh Bains informed that Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann will launch the statewide drug prevention curriculum on August 1 at Arniwala in Fazilka district.

Sharing the details about the curriculum, he further stated that this pioneering program, created by the Nobel Laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee-led organisation J-PAL South Asia, will empower around eight lakh students in Classes IX to XII with prevention-focused skills to combat substance abuse. The curriculum will consist of 35-minute sessions, held every fortnight for 27 weeks, and will feature a mix of engaging content, including documentaries, quizzes, posters, and interactive activities. These sessions will focus on key areas such as myth-busting, refusal strategies, and resisting peer pressure, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions.

S. Bains said that the drugs prevention program will have a wide reach, covering 3,658 schools and engaging over 6,500 trained teachers to empower approximately eight lakh students from Classes IX to XII. This comprehensive program will ensure a significant impact on Punjab’s education system, equipping students with essential skills to say no to substance abuse.

This initiative is grounded in evidence, developed with leading behavioural scientists, and evaluated through randomised trials conducted in 78 government schools in Amritsar and Tarn Taran during FY 2024–25. These trials covered 9,600 students and, evaluated by J-PAL South Asia, yielded significant results. The trials demonstrated a marked improvement in addiction risk awareness, with 90% of students recognising the high risk of addiction from trying ‘chitta’ even once, compared to 69% in the control group. Additionally, the trial successfully debunked myths about addiction, with the belief that addiction can be overcome by willpower alone dropping from 50% to 20%.

Punjab’s drug crisis is a result of decades of systemic neglect and patronisation of previous regimes, pointed out S. Harjot Singh Bains while stating, “Punjab becomes the first state in India to implement a statewide, evidence-based drug prevention curriculum, while recognising that the battle against drugs begins from the classroom, not in police stations.”

Meanwhile, the Education Minister shared the details about the “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign launched in March this year. He said that the state government has taken stringent actions, including putting over 23,000 drug peddlers behind bars, seizing their properties, and confiscating over 1000-KGs of heroin. These efforts demonstrate the government’s dedication to tackling the drug menace and securing a brighter future for Punjab’s youth.

Khatkar Kalan (SBS Nagar), July 28:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday handed over the cheque worth Rs 1 crore to the family members of ASI Dhanwant Singh who had attained martyrdom during the call of duty.

The Chief Minister handed over the cheque to the distressed family of martyr ASI Dhanwant Singh as a mark of respect for his services for the country. He said ASI Dhanwant Singh had attained martyrdom on January 18, 2025 while performing his duty at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this humble initiative of the state government is in recognition of the immense contribution of this son of soil towards maintaining law and order in the state.

Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to help the families of the soldiers who sacrifice their life at the altar of the motherland, the Chief Minister said that it is the bounden duty of the Punjab government. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that financial assistance to families of these heroes is in consonance with the commitment of the state government to ensure the well being of the soldiers and their families. He expressed hope that this healing touch of the state will go a long way in helping the aggrieved family on one hand and securing their future on the other adding that it will also encourage the youth to join the Armed forces and Punjab Police to serve their motherland.