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VB registers case against revenue Patwari for taking Rs 1,500 bribe

IEP Chandigarh February 1

          The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a corruption case against revenue Patwari Subash Chander, posted at revenue halqua Mulianwali, Fazilka district for accepting bribe of Rs the 1,500.

          Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said this case has been registered against the said accused on an online complaint lodged by Jagjit Singh, a resident of Fazilka on the Chief Minister anti corruption action line.

          He further added that the complainant has alleged in his complaint that the above said Patwari has been demanding bribe money of Rs 500 to issue copy of mutation of his land. He further alleged that the accused Patwari had already obtained Rs 1,500 as bribe from him to issue copies of Fard in this case. The complainant has also made recording of demand raised by the said Patwari to take bribes and submitted to the VB as an evidence.

          In this regard the VB range Ferozepur has investigated the complaint and found the allegations as true and correct. On the basis of this report, a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the said accused at VB police station Ferozepur range. Further investigation of this case was under progress, he added.

Balkar Singh conducts a review meeting on various projects in the presence of MLAs

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

          The Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, will complete various ongoing projects across the state on time. Punjab Local Government Minister Balkar Singh stated that the state government is committed to completing all projects on time.

          In the presence of MLAs from various constituencies and senior departmental officials, a review meeting was held at Municipal Bhawan today for Municipal Council/Nagar Panchayat Garhshankar, Garhdiwala, Hariana, Mukerian, Dasuya, Urmur Tanda, Talwara, Sham Chaurasi, Mahilpur, Nawanshahr, Banga, Rahon, and Balachaur. Cabinet Minister received detailed information about various development projects and discussed issues raised by the MLAs with departmental officials, urging prompt resolution.

          During the meeting, Minister for Local Government Balkar Singh discussed projects under various schemes, such as the Land availability of Sewerage treatment plants and water treatment plants. In addition of this, Tranche-3 AMRUT, and MDF/PIDB. After an in-depth discussion on ongoing development projects, officials were urged to ensure a high level of quality in the works.

          He emphasized that in case of any local-level problems in development works, the MLA of the concerned constituency should be informed, and issues should be resolved promptly in coordination with the district administration. Any delay in development projects will not be tolerated.

          Balkar Singh assured officials that the government has ample funds for development works. If a Municipal Council/Nagar Panchayat needs additional funds, they should contact their MLA, send a complete proposal with an action plan to the Head Office in Chandigarh. Officials were also instructed to share comprehensive information about development works with the MLA of their constituency for alignment with local needs.

          Highlighting the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government, Local Government Minister Balkar Singh emphasized the importance of working with sincerity and mutual cooperation to make the state “Rangla Punjab.”

          In attendance at the meeting were MLAs Karambir Singh Ghuman, Jasvir Singh Gill Raja, Dr Ravjot Singh, Malwinder Singh Jaggi,CEO of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board,  Deepti Uppal CEO of PMIDC, Uma Shankar Gupta Director of Local Government Department, Commissioner of Municipal Corporation Hoshiarpur, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development) Hoshiarpur, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Halka Incharge along with various Municipal Councils/Nagar Panchayats.

Punjab Government released Rs. 46.89 crore for honorarium of Anganwadi workers and helpers

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

          The Punjab government has released an amount of Rs. 46.89 crore for the payment of honorarium to Anganwadi workers and helpers.

          Divulging in this regard,  Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the state government will continue its efforts for the welfare of needy women and children of Punjab.

          The Cabinet Minister stated that an amount of Rs 46.89 crores has been released for the payment of honorarium to Anganwadi workers and helpers from November 2023 to January 2024 under the ICDS scheme. She said that under this scheme, services like supplementary nutrition, immunization, health check-up, referral services, nutrition and health education and pre-school are being provided to children aged 6 months to 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

          The Social Security Minister said that  Rs. 1.83 crore to Pathankot, Rs. 1.94 crore to Tarn Taran,  Rs. 1.61 croreto Sri Muktsar Sahib,  Rs. 1.54 crore to SBS Nagar,  Rs. 1.62 crore to Moga,  Rs. 1.64 crore to Mansa,  Rs. 3.70 crore to Patiala,  Rs. 36.96 lakh to Sangrur,  Rs. 1.63 crore to Kapurthala, Rs. 3.08 crore to Jalandhar, Rs. 4.01 crore to Hoshiarpur, Rs. 2.18 crore to Ferozepur, Rs. 1.71 crore to Fazilka, Rs. 1.32 crore to Fatehgarh Sahib, Rs. 97.32 lakh to Faridkot, Rs. 1.73 crore to Bathinda, Rs. 1.33 crore to Barnala, Rs. 3.31 crore to Amritsar,  Rs. 4.71 crore to Ludhiana,  Rs. 1.76 crore to Rupnagar, Rs. 1.22 crore to SAS Nagar and Rs. 3.58 crore to Gurdaspur have been allocated.

          Dr. Baljit Kaur further added that while the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to the welfare of women and children of the state, it is also taking care of the demands and issues of Anganwadi workers and helpers.

Preliminary examination of HCS (Ex. Br) and Allied Services is scheduled for February 11

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

Haryana Chief Secretary Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal has directed officials to make adequate arrangements for the upcoming HCS (Ex. Br) and other Allied Services preliminary examination on 11th Feb, in which 87,091 aspirants are appearing. He stated that Coaching Centers and Photostat shops surrounding the examination centers should be closed during the examination to prevent any unfair means.

The Chief Secretary presided over the virtual meeting regarding the arrangements of the examination, with Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of six districts present.

Mr. Kaushal informed that about 11,184 aspirants are appearing in 39 examination centers set up in Ambala district, 21,312 candidates in 79 examination centers set up in Faridabad district, 18,456 candidates in 69 examination centers in Gurugram district, 14,664 candidates in 47 examination centers set up in Karnal district. Similarly, 10,584 candidates in 41 examination centers in Kurukshetra and 10,896 candidates will appear in 42 examination centers in Panchkula.

The Chief Secretary informed that the examination would be conducted in two shifts on Feb 11. The General Studies examination will be held in the morning session from 10 AM to 12 PM and CSAT examination will be held in the evening session from 3 to 5 pm. 317 examination centers have been set up in 6 districts including Panchkula, Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Karnal, and Kurukshetra, he added.

The Chief Secretary informed that one nodal officer and coordinators have been appointed in each district for conducting the preliminary examination. The Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district will be the overall in-charge for the examination and will also ensure arrangements for electricity, water, and ambulance services during emergency situations at the headquarters level in all the examination centers. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to impose Section-144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) around all centers in the respective districts to prevent gathering and curb cheating in the test.

The Chief Secretary said that the Deputy Commissioner will ensure fair and cheating-free conduct of the examination by appointing Duty Magistrates for 4-5 examination centers. Apart from this, flying squads have been appointed to strictly check cheating and other irregularities. He directed the officers to install CCTV cameras and ensure biometric attendance of every candidate at the examination centers. He asked the officers to strictly monitor strong rooms where the exam papers are kept. He asked them to make availability of HPSC question papers on time at the examination centers.

Haryana Public Service Commission Chairman Mr. Alok Verma, Additional Chief Secretary Industries and Commerce, Mr. Anand Mohan Sharan, Principal Secretary, Transport Department Mr. Navdeep Singh Virk, HPSC Member Mrs. Sonia Khullar, Secretary Mr. Mukesh Ahuja, and senior officers were present in the meeting.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Chief Electoral Officer Haryana holds meeting with representatives of political parties

IEP Chandigarh,  February 1

Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, Sh. Anurag Agarwal stated that in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the final publication of the voter list was done on January 22, 2024. This list has been uploaded on the department’s website.

Sh. Anurag Agarwal shared this information while chairing a meeting with representatives from recognized national and state political parties convened at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office today.

He appealed to the representatives of political parties to carefully study the voter list of their respective areas. If any ineligible person is included in the voter list, they should fill out the prescribed form to remove their name. Similarly, if a new name needs to be added to the list, the designated form should be filled out, said Sh. Anurag Agarwal.

He said that the Election Commission has issued a helpline number, 1950, where information can be obtained. Additionally, the Commission has developed some mobile applications, including Voter Helpline, ECI Suvidha, c-VIGIL, Voter Turnout, and Election Seizure Management System, to provide voters with all the necessary information from the comfort of their homes.

In the final published voter list in the state, a total of 1.97 crore voters have been registered, including 1.05 crore male and 92.50 lakh female voters. The state has also established a total of 19,812 polling stations.

Sh. Anurag Agarwal shared that the number of voters aged 100 years or more in the state is 11,479. During the revision of the voter list, a total of 5,25,615 people were registered as voters.

He urged all eligible individuals to first ensure their voter registration and then cast their votes at their respective polling stations.

Sh. Anurag Agarwal emphasized the importance of each voter exercising their right for the strength of democracy.

Representatives from various political parties, including Sh. Varinder Garg from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sh. Talwinder Singh and Sh. R.D. Saini from the Indian National Congress, Ms. Veenus Malik from the Aam Aadmi Party, and Sh. Ram Narayan Yadav from the Jananayak Janata Party, attended the meeting.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Smt. Hema Sharma, Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Apurv, and Sh. Rajkumar, along with other officers also present on this occasion.

Fiber Connectivity Initiative in Haryana’s Gram Panchayats: Accelerated Installation of BSNL Connections in Government Buildings

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal, disclosed that enhanced fiber connectivity from BSNL will be swiftly implemented in government buildings of all Gram Panchayats in the state by April 30. Highlighting the initiative’s revenue potential, he said that Panchayats could earn about Rs 15,000 to 25,000 per month with 100 connections.

Mr. Kaushal chaired a meeting in Chandigarh focused on Haryana Telecom Service. Deputy Commissioners from all districts participated via video conferencing.

Mr. Kaushal directed Deputy Commissioners to hold meetings with BSNL officials within a week. This collaborative effort aims to ensure 100% fiber connectivity in every village. BSNL connections are being extended to village schools, depot holders, common service centers, village secretariats, e-libraries, veterinary hospitals, health centers, police stations, etc. The initiative involves laying improved cable lines.

It was informed in the meeting that BSNL is providing fiber connections to Gram Panchayats as part of the government’s plan. Additionally, Gram Panchayats are becoming partners in telecom infrastructure provision. Under this scheme, a Panchayat establishing over 100 connections in its village will see a significant increase in its income, making this initiative a sustainable revenue source. As of now, 5,608 connections have been issued in 1,213 Gram.

Introduction of the e-Bhoomi portal has brought transparency in the land purchase: Hry CM

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that the state government is consistently working towards development. The role of ensuring the land availability is crucial for development projects. If a government department owns available land, the project can commence promptly. The land acquisition process has shifted from direct acquisition to transparent purchasing through the initiation of the e-Bhoomi portal.

He said that farmers can now submit their land details on the portal to sell it at the collector rate and market rate. Aggregators are encouraged landowners to participate in the buying and selling of land. They are given a commission of Rs. 2000 per acre, based on collector rates, which vary across different districts. If the collector rate is higher than the market rate, relevant authorities should be informed in writing.

The Chief Minister shared this information while chairing a  meeting with the over 100 registered aggregators invited for the land purchase process on the e-Bhoomi portal held at Haryana Niwas today.

During the meeting,  Sh. Manohar Lal shared that a minimum of 100 acres of land is required under the Padma scheme, while 10 to 15 acres are needed for colleges, hospitals, schools, etc. The aggregator will give a multi-dimensional option to the farmers while obtaining their consent and will enter information about the land on the e-Bhoomi portal based on the project’s requirements, forming groups of farmers if necessary.

He stated that there should not be a difference of 10 to 15 percent between the collector rate and the market rate.

He said that where land is available in government departments, the government will transfer it from one department to another and, if necessary, will also purchase it.

Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management and Consolidation Department, Sh. T.V.S.N. Prasad apprised the Chief Minister that the new collector rates will be issued soon so that farmers can get information about the latest collector rate and market rate of their land.

Sh. T.V.S.N. Prasad said that the aggregator should ensure that there is no hightension wire, court case, dispute over ownership, pathway, drain over the land purchased from the farmer.

The Revenue Department will investigate which district needs how much land for the development project, and accordingly, the aggregator will convince the landowner and occupant to give the land for the government.

Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and  Farmers’ Welfare Department, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal, Additional Chief Secretary Medical Education and  Research Department, Dr. Sumita Misra,  Additional Chief Secretary, Finance and Planning Departments, Sh. Anurag Rastogi,  Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department,  Sh. Anand Mohan Sharan, Additional Chief Secretary Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates Department, Sh. Arun Kumar Gupta, Director General,  Information, Public Relations, Language, and Culture Department, Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, Principal Secretary, Transport Department Sh. Navdeep Virk and other senior officials from various departments also remained present on this occasion.

Chief Minister launches Haryana Trust-Based Reading Mobile App

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal launched the Haryana Trust-Based Reading Mobile App today for the convenience of electricity consumers. This mobile app is based on the ‘Haryana Trust-Based Reading’ of Haryana DISCOMs.

Energy Minister Sh Ranjit Singh also present on this occasion while Urban Local Bodies Minister Dr. Kamal Gupta joined virtually.

The Chief Minister informed that this Haryana Trust-Based Reading Mobile App is being launched in the initial phase on a pilot basis in the districts of Panchkula, Karnal, Mahendragarh, and Hisar. This initiative is expected to benefit 10,70,000 power consumers. He said that electricity bills in the state are issued once every two months, causing financial difficulties for many consumers who prefer to receive monthly bills.  Fulfilling their demand, this app has been created to choose the option of monthly billing. Through this, consumers can select a bi-monthly or monthly bill.

The Chief Minister further shared that the state government has decided to empower electricity consumers by allowing them to generate their electricity bills. By using this app, consumers can change their billing schedule from bi-monthly to monthly and can generate their electricity bills online by entering the current reading of their meters. He added that consumers can also make payments for their bills through this mobile app.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sh V. Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary of Town and Country Planning Department Sh Arun Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department Sh Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Housing for All Department Sh Raja Shekhar Vundru, Additional Chief Secretary Energy Department Sh A.K. Singh, Chairman of Power Utilities Sh PK Das, Director General of Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department Sh Mandip Singh Brar, Managing Director of DHBVN Sh PC Meena, Director General of Housing for All Department Sh TL Satyaprakash, Director of Town and Country Planning Department, Sh Amit Khatri and other officers were also present on this occasion.

CM digitally transfer Rs. 84.01 crores directly into the bank accounts of 2180 DAYALU beneficiaries

IEP Chandigarh February 1

With the aim to provide social and financial security to Antyodaya families, Haryana  Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal today digitally disbursed Rs. 84.01 crores directly into the bank accounts of 2180 beneficiaries under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana (DAYALU).

Highlighting the DAYALU Scheme as a pioneering initiative nationwide, the Chief Minister said that the current government had already disbursed financial aid of Rs 82.12 crore to 2,145 beneficiaries. With today’s disbursement, the total amount provided under the scheme has reached Rs 166.13 crore, benefiting 4,325 individuals thus far. Energy Minister Sh Ranjit Singh also present on this occasion while Urban Local Bodies Minister Dr. Kamal Gupta joined virtually.

The Chief Minister said that in the event of the death or disability of a family member in an accident, the family is burdened with many difficulties, especially financial. Acknowledging the concerns of such families, the state government has implemented the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana (DAYALU) under which financial assistance will be provided on the death or permanent disability of a member of a family above the age of 6 years and upto the age of 60 years having an annual income less than Rs 1.80 lakh. The scheme will provide assistance based on the age of the individual at the time of death or permanent disability.

He said that under this scheme, the assistance offered is Rs.1 lakh above 6 years and upto 12 years, Rs.2 lakh above 12 years and upto 18 years, Rs.3 lakh above 18 years and upto 25 years, Rs. 5 lakh above 25 years and upto 45 years and financial assistance of Rs. 3 lakh will be given above the age of 45 and upto 60 years. This benefit will also include the financial aid received under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana for the age group of 18 to 40 years.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sh V. Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary of Town and Country Planning Department Sh Arun Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department Sh Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Housing for All Department Sh Raja Shekhar Vundru, Additional Chief Secretary Energy Department Sh A.K. Singh, Chairman of Power Utilities Sh PK Das, Director General of Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department Sh Mandip Singh Brar, Managing Director of DHBVN Sh PC Meena, Director General of Housing for All Department Sh TL Satyaprakash, Director of Town and Country Planning Department, Sh Amit Khatri and other officers were also present on this occasion.

Chief Minister launches Mukhyamantri Shehri Awas Yojana Registration Portal

IEP Chandigarh, February 1

Haryana Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal today launched the portal for implementation of the Haryana Urban Built Plan Reform Policy for those seeking houses under the ‘Mukhyamantri Shehri Awas Yojana.’ This initiative will offer plots at concessional rates to eligible individuals, furthering the government’s commitment to affordable housing for all.

To secure a plot under the scheme, the portal will be live starting from today that is February 1, 2024. Eligible applicants can register on the Housing for All website to initiate the process of availing of benefits under the ‘Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana’. During the initial phase, 10,542 plots will be allocated to eligible individuals across 14 cities. This allocation process is expected to conclude within approximately 15 days.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to prioritize the allocation of plots to applicants from nomadic castes, widows, and Scheduled Castes during the allotment process. Additionally, he urged swift action to ensure that applicants who have applied for flats receive their allocations promptly.

Chief Minister Sh Manohar Lal in view of the positive impact of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’ initiated by Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi with the objective of providing a house to every family, ‘Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana’ was launched by the Haryana Government in September 2023. This initiative targets urban families without homes and with an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh. Approximately 2.90 lakh families have applied for housing under this scheme, with about 1.51 lakh applying for plots and 1.38 lakh for flats.

Housing opportunities will be available in these cities

During the application process on the ‘Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana’ Registration Portal, applicants will be required to submit a booking amount of Rs 10,000. In the initial phase of plot booking on the portal, applications can be submitted for 14 cities, namely Charkhi Dadri, Gohana, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Fatehabad, Jagadhri, Safidon, Pinjore, Rohtak, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Karnal, Palwal, and Julana.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sh V. Umashankar, Additional Chief Secretary of Town and Country Planning Department Sh Arun Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of Finance Department Sh Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Housing for All Department Sh Raja Shekhar Vundru, Additional Chief Secretary Energy Department Sh A.K. Singh, Chairman of Power Utilities Sh PK Das, Director General of Information, Public Relations, Language and Culture Department Sh Mandip Singh Brar, Managing Director of DHBVN Sh PC Meena, Director General of Housing for All Department Sh TL Satyaprakash, Director of Town and Country Planning Department, Sh Amit Khatri and other officers were also present on this occasion.