All posts by admin

Punjab

Punjab Govt gives nod to equine activities during Maghi Mela

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH

In a good news for the horse owners and breeders, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government on Thursday gave the go-ahead to organise the annual Equine activities to be held from 9th to 16th January at Sri Muktsar Sahib during the upcoming Maghi Mela.

          Notably, following the spread of contagious and zoonotic Glanders disease and keeping in view the guidelines of National Action Plan  for Glanders (GOI), the state government had banned the equids movements and activities in May 2023.

          Divulging details, Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that there were reports of the spread of glanders disease among horses from districts including Amritsar, Bathinda, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur, the state government had put a ban on holding equine movements and activities.

          “Following zero positive cases of Glanders during the surveillance in districts Amritsar, Bathinda and Ludhiana, the state government has decided to lift the ban, allowing horse owners to participate during Maghi Mela,” he said, while adding that, however, horse owners from Hoshiarpur cannot participate in this fair as testing is still going on there.

          Mr Khudian said that interested horse owners will have to ensure a negative report of Glanders Testing of all the participating equids either from NRDDL Jalandhar or from NRCE Hisar or from a State-approved Diagnostic Labs and that should be not more than 30 days prior to the day of the event.

          All the owners of the participating equids will have to carry an “Undertaking” duly verified by the concerned Deputy Director Animal Husbandry of the participating district, he said, while adding that the submitted undertaking will be checked by the team of NRDDL, Jalandhar and Screening Committee, before the entry of equids to the mela sites.

Punjab

Punjab VB registers cases against two Sarpanchs, two Panchayat Secretaries for committing embezzlement in village development works

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh January 4-

          The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its anti-corruption campaign in the state, has registered cases against two sarpanches and two panchayat secretaries on charges of embezzlement of lakhs of rupees in village development works.

          Giving this information, a spokesperson of VB said during the investigation it has came to light that Sarabjit Singh, former sarpanch, of village Alal, district Sangrur and Naresh Kumar Singla, panchayat secretary (retd), have committed misappropriation of an amount of Rs. 2,00,927 in panchayat funds and other construction related material. Both the accused have been arrested under FIR number 01 dated 01-04-2024 under sections 409 and 120-B of the IPC and 13(1)-A and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act registered in the police station of Vigilance Bureau, Patiala range.

          In a separate case, during investigation, Jatinder Singh, Sarpanch of Village Chandu, District Sangrur and Gurmeet Singh, panchayat secretary have been found guilty of embezzlement of about Rs 74 lakh in the development works conducted in the said village from January 2019 to March 31, 2022. In this regard a FIR number 43, dated 13-12-2023, has been registered against both the accused under section 409 and 120-B of the IPC and 13(1)-A and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act in the Patiala range police station of the Vigilance Bureau. In this case Sarpanch Jatinder Singh has been arrested and further investigation into the case was under progress.

Punjab

Government committed to provide hassle free and transparent services to the residents under one roof

Leave a comment

IEP SAS Nagar (Mohali)/Chandigarh, January 4

          Following the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Maan to provide easy and transparent civic services to the residents of the state without any hassle, the state Government will complete construction of State of the Art ultra modern sub registrar office of Mohali.

          Divulging the details, Chief Secretary Mr Anurag Verma, who conducted surprise visit today, said that the residents who buy/sell any property will get all the services in this office on the same day under one roof and within 90 minutes the property buyer will get a copy of the registry upon completion of the entire registration process. He also conducted surprise visits to various offices such as the Tehsil Office, Farad Center, and RTA offices visited and directly interacted with the people to get feedback. He instructed the employees present in the offices that the Chief Minister has strictly instructed that those coming to work in the government offices should not face any problems and that the people should get transparent and timely services.

          Chief Secretary Mr. Verma also held a detailed meeting after visiting the newly constructed sub registrar office with the officials of the concerned departments and the officials of the district administration. Mr. Verma further said that a sub-registrar’s office equipped with modern facilities is being established to completely eliminate the hassle of the people and to save their time.

          Glancing at the unique aspects of the new office, Mr. Verma said that right from the preparation of the registry deed, purchase of stamp papers from the authorised centre of the Punjab Land Record Society, EKYC for identification, purchase and sale of the property. This whole process of taking high quality photographs including a witness of the deed and registration will be completed within 90 minutes with the facility of getting a color print of the registry under one roof. He said that different counters for writing the deed will be in this office. Apart from this, if someone wants to write the will himself or he wants to write the papers from home, then there will be an online counter for him.

          The Chief Secretary further said that due to the 2 percent discount in stamp duty for women, given the large number of women among the registrants, there will be special seating arrangements for women in the new office. Along with this, a waiting area and all basic facilities will be provided for common people to sit. The person taking his time slot for the registry will be able to come to the office by showing the appointment received on his mobile phone.

          Special Chief Secretary cum Finance Commissioner Revenue KAP Sinha said that given the upcoming challenges, facilities and staff should be deployed so that there is no problem despite the increase in the number of people coming to get registered.

          Prominent among others who were present at the occasion included Secretary PWD Priyank Bharti, Special Secretary Revenue Keshav Hingonia, Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain, Staff Officer T. Benith, SSP Dr Sandeep Garg, ADC (General) Viraj S Tidke, SDM Chandra Jyoti Singh, Chief Architect Madam Sapna, DRO Amandeep Chawla, Sub Registrar Birkaran Singh and Tehsildar Kuldeep Singh Dhillon.

Punjab

Eight cadets of MRSAFPI join services training academies including NDA

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

      In the last two weeks, eight cadets of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), SAS Nagar (Mohali) have joined the National Defence Academy (NDA), Cadet Training Wings (CTWs) for the Technical Entry Scheme (TES) and Air Force Academy (AFA). With the induction of these eight cadets, a total of 226 cadets of the Institute have joined different Service Training Academies since the inception of the MRSAFPI.

          Revealing this here today, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that as many as 147 alumni of this Institute have also been commissioned as officers in the Defence Services. With selection rate of 54.89%, the Institute has emerged as the most successful in the Country.

          He said that five cadets, who joined National Defence Academy (NDA) includes Tejinderapal Singh, Ashmit, Lakshya Kumar Sharma, Vishvas Mittal and Moksh Saini, while two cadets – Saksham Malik and Mehtab Singh Sidhu secured their seats in Cadet Training Wings (CTWs) under the Technical Entry Scheme (TES) and Gursher Singh Cheema joined Air Force Academy (AFA) after receiving their joining letters.

          Congratulating the cadets on joining the various academies to become defence officers, Mr. Aman Arora wished them the very best for training. Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has been honing the youth, who aspire to join the defence services.

          Director Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute Major General Ajay H. Chauhan, VSM (Retd.) exhorted the cadets to live up to their calling, be worthy sons of Punjab and true soldiers of the Nation. He also informed that the entrance examination for the new course (14th Course) is scheduled to be held on January 14, 2024 for which over 4100 candidates have applied, which is a record in itself.

Haryana

Foundation stone for AIIMS in Rewari will be laid soon: Minister

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

Haryana Public Health Engineering Minister Dr. Banwari Lal said that the foundation stone for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rewari will be laid soon. The state-of-the-art institute, estimated to cost Rs 1236 crore, will significantly bolster healthcare infrastructure in the region.

During a meeting with department officers here today, Dr. Banwari Lal and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. J P Dalal also discussed the procurement of computers and printers, a crucial step in modernizing the operations in the departments.

The meeting yielded significant progress on the ambitious Sanjha Dairy project, aimed at providing common space for animal husbandry in rural areas. Dr. Banwari Lal directed officials to expedite the rollout, initially piloting it in every district for wider impact.

He further commended the success of Sanjha Dairy, a cooperative initiative empowering women and youth. Recognizing its efficacy, the government plans to launch a similar program in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department.

Furthermore, Dr. Banwari Lal emphasized the importance of the oil mill soon to be set up in Rampur by HAFED. He stressed its potential benefit to local communities and urged expedited progress, with technical eligibility expected to be finalized within the week.

Following the meeting, the Public Health Engineering Minister dedicated time to addressing public concerns. He issued directives to officials regarding matters like laying a drinking water line in Mundsa village, Jhajjar district, ensuring uninterrupted supply for residents.

ACS, Mr. V Raja Shekhar Vundru, HAFED MD, Mr. J Ganesan, and MD Cooperative Bank were also present.

Haryana

Public Works Department to acquire approximately 5,000 acres of land through the e-bhoomi portal

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

Haryana Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Dushyant Chautala today conducted a thorough review of the initiatives undertaken by the Public Works Department to acquire approximately 5,000 acres of land through the e-bhoomi portal. The purpose is to facilitate afforestation in 10 districts across the state. Additionally, he issued directives to expedite the resolution of pending matters with the Forest Department, specifically addressing an approximately 88-foot-long stretch on Shershah Suri Road between Pataudi and Rewari.

In his capacity as the head of Public Works Department, the Deputy Chief Minister chaired a meeting with officers from both the Public Works and Forest Departments here today. During the meeting, Mr. Dushyant Chautala was briefed by departmental officers about the necessity to cut down some trees for road widening and other Public Works Department projects. However, in order to ensure continuity in these initiatives, approximately 600 acres of land are currently required. The Deputy Chief Minister said that by planting trees on this land, the Public Works Department could seamlessly proceed with its projects.

In consideration of future departmental needs, Mr. Dushyant Chautala proposed the collection of a 500-acre land bank through the e-Bhoomi portal in 10 districts bordering South Haryana. This initiative aims to enable afforestation, and the resulting land can be handed over to the Forest Department.

The Minister reiterated the challenge faced by the Public Works Department when obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Forest Department for cutting trees in the construction or widening of new roads. Delays in obtaining such certificates often lead to project delays. To address this, Mr. Dushyant Chautala emphasized the importance of the Public Works Department proactively planting trees on its land designated for future projects.

Present at the meeting include Additional Chief Secretary, Public Works Department, Mr. Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest, and Wildlife Department, Mr. Vineet Garg, OSD to the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Kamlesh Bhadu, and other senior officers.

Punjab

Punjab Govt signs MoU with Kuantum Papers for boosting water conservation efforts

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

          In a bid to bolster water conservation and management efforts, the Punjab Government today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kuantum Papers Ltd. The agreement, signed between the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab and the Hoshiarpur-based paper company, took place in the presence of S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra Minister for Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab.

          Highlighting the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government to preserving natural resources, the Cabinet Minister said that this groundbreaking partnership with a private sector entity is the first of its kind. This collaboration will facilitate the company’s support and financing for the state’s water conservation and management initiatives.

          S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra remarked that this unique initiative will bolster the private sector’s involvement in the state’s water conservation for the first time.

          While welcoming the partnership, the Cabinet Minister stated, “it will significantly boost the government’s water conservation programs and lay the groundwork for future public-private collaborations.”

          The Soil and Water Conservation Minister outlined that under this MoU, the company will provide funding for both new and ongoing projects related to water resource conservation and management through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds or specifically allocated funds. The initiatives earmarked for funding include the construction of check dams, implementation of efficient irrigation systems, utilization of treated water etc.

          Notably, established in 1979-80, Kuantum Papers Ltd is one of the major paper manufacturing unit based in Village Sailakhurd, District Hoshiarpur. Mr. Drishinder Singh Sandhawalia, the company’s Director, expressed interest in forging a long-term partnership with the Punjab Government, pledging to invest in various government-led water conservation initiatives.

          At the event, Mr. KAP Sinha, Special Chief Secretary, Soil & Water Conservation asked the department to devise more innovative and efficient techniques for water conservation in the agriculture sector.

          S. Mohinder Singh Saini, Chief Conservator of Soils, Punjab extended gratitude to the company representatives for collaborating with the state government in the vital mission to preserve the state’s water resources.

          It is worth mentioning that state is facing a precarious ground water situation with almost 80% of its area under over-exploited category and if immediate remedial steps are not taken, the day is not far when we run out of this precious natural resource.

Punjab

Punjab CM to unfurl flag in Ludhiana

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

          The State level Republic Day Celebration would be held at Patiala where the Governor of Punjab Mr. Banwari Lal Purohit would unfurl the National Flag and take the salute from march past on January 26th 2024. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann would unfurl the flag at Ludhiana. Mr. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha would unfurl the flag at Bathinda where as Mr. Jai Kishan Rauri, Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha would unfurl the flag at Gurdaspur.

          Disclosing the Schedule of all Cabinet Ministers, a spokesperson of the Punjab Government said that Mr. Harpal Singh Cheema would unfurl the flag at Jalandhar, Mr. Aman Arora at Amritsar, Dr. Baljit Kaur at Fazilka, Mr. Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer at Ferozepur, Mr. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal at Malerkotla, Dr. Balbir Singh at Sri Muktsar Sahib, Mr. Bram Shanker Jimpa at Mansa, Mr. Lal Chand at Faridkot, Mr. Laljit Singh Bhullar at Sangrur, Mr. Harjot Singh Bains at Shahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Mr. Harbhajan Singh at Roopnagar, Mr. Chetan Singh Jauramajra at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Ms. Anmol Gagan Maan at Tarn Taran, Mr. Balkar Singh at Moga and Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khuddian would unfurl the flag at Pathankot.

Punjab

Punjab witnesses net 16.52 pc growth in GST and 10.4 pc growth in Excise up to December in current FY: Harpal Singh Cheema

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

          Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise, and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday said that the state has witnessed a net 16.52 percent growth rate in revenue from Goods and Services Tax (GST) and a 10.4 percent increase in revenue from Excise up to December in the current fiscal year (FY) as compared to FY 2022-23.

          Disclosing this in a press release issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the net GST collection up to December in FY 2023-24 was Rs. 15523.74 crore against the net GST collection of Rs. 13322.59 crore during the same period in the FY 2022-23. Thus, the net increase in GST collection amounts to Rs. 2201.15 crore, he added.

          Adding further, the Finance Minister said that the revenue from Excise up to December in FY 2022-23 was Rs. 6050.7 crore, whereas, for the current fiscal year it rose to Rs. 6679.84 crore registering an increase of Rs. 629.14 crore.

          Revealing the figures of state’s own tax revenue, Harpal Singh Cheema said that Punjab achieved a growth rate of 14.15 percent in total revenue from VAT, CST, GST, PSDT, and Excise up to December during the current fiscal year as compared to FY 2022-23. He said that revenue from VAT, CST, and PSDT reflects a growth rate of 12 percent, 26.8 percent, and 5.24 percent respectively. He said that the state’s total own tax revenue during the last 9 months was Rs 27931. 16 crore against Rs 24468.14 crore collected during the same period in the year 2022.

          Reiterating the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Governtment’s commitment to push state into a higher orbit of growth and prosperity, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the state had witnessed impressive growth in its own tax revenue during FY 2022-23 due to the major reforms adopted by the state government, and in the FY 2023-24 many more reforms are being adopted to maintain the growth chart while extending every help to the honest taxpayers and tightening the noose around the tax evaders and illegal liquor trade.

Punjab

Punjab to get three bio-fertilizer testing labs soon

Leave a comment

IEP Chandigarh

          In order to ensure the delivery of quality agri-inputs in the state as desired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Government is all set to establish three bio-fertilizer testing laboratories in three districts including Gurdaspur, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Bathinda, said Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian here on Wednesday.

          Mr. Khudian along with Special Chief Secretary Development Mr. KAP Sinha, was chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the Chief Agriculture Officers and other officials to further improve the efficiency of the department.

          He asked the Director Agriculture to ensure submission of weekly progress report of field officers and initiate an action against the underperforming district officials, who have failed to accomplish given targets of sampling & testing of seeds, fertilizers and insecticides.

          Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh apprised Mr. Khudian that five teams of flying squad, set up on December 13, 2023 to ensure supply of quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides for Rabi season, took 134 samples while checking 110 retail/wholesale shops. These teams have stopped sales of 28 dealers and have also lodged an FIR at Nangal.

          The Cabinet Minister was informed that wheat crop has been sown over 35 lakh hectares and minor attack of Pink Stem Borer is under-control. Agriculture Department has formed pest surveillance teams to monitor the attack of any pest on the wheat crop.

          While reviewing the status of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme, Mr. Khudian exhorted state farmers to complete their e-kyc to take optimum benefits of the scheme.

          Reiterating the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for the welfare of the state farmers, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister asked the Chief Agriculture Officers to implement the government’s welfare programs for farmers, besides, ensuring technical guidance and assistance to farmers for cultivation of crops.

          Secretary Punjab Mandi Board Ms. Amrit Kaur Gill and other senior officials of the department were also present in the meeting.