Chandigarh, September 12:

Exhorting the officers and employees of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department to burn midnight oil in view of the upcoming Paddy procurement season, the Minister Incharge Lal Chand Kataruchak averred that considering the flood situation in the State, attention must be paid to ensure adequate medical facilities in the mandis falling in the flood ravaged areas.

The Minister was apprised during a review meeting at Anaj Bhawan with top brass of the department and video conferencing with the DFSCs that arrangements are being made for the procurement of 190 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) of Paddy while the target fixed by the Department of Food Production and Distribution, Government of India is 173.13 LMT.

The number of rice mills in the State stands at 5049 while the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has fixed at Rs. 2389 Per Quintal.

Furthermore, as part of its strenuous efforts to ensure ample storage space for storing of rice, the State Government is regularly taking up the issue with the FCI/Government of India for movement of atleast 10 LMT of wheat per month for the next 3 months. Also the Custom Milling Policy 2025 – 26 has been notified on September 8th, 2025 and the process of allotment of rice mills & linking of rice mills with mandis is underway.

It was also brought to the notice of the Minister that the Punjab Mandi Board has notified 1823 regular purchase centers for procuring of paddy in this season.

As far as the Cash Credit Limit (CCL) is concerned, the CCL to the tune of Rs. 49, 987 Crore is required. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted authorization of Rs. 15,018 crore for the month of September 2025. The balance limit would be granted in the last week of September.

Besides, the e-KYC of 1.30 Crore beneficiaries of free ration scheme has been completed. As regards the Gunny Bales, as many as 4.21 Lakh bales have been received by Punjab while 39000 are in transit from Kolkata. Apart from this, 60000 gunny bales from previous seasons are also available. Further, supply of 47500 Tarpaulins is also in the pipeline.

Among others present on the occasion included the Director Barinder Kumar Sharma, Additional Secretary PUNGRAIN Kamal Kumar Garg, Additional Director Dr. Anjuman Bhaskar & Ajayveer Singh Sarao and GM (Finance) Sarvesh Sharma.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is all set to procure every single grain of paddy from the mandis, stated Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Harchand Singh Barsat, while reviewing the arrangements made to ensure smooth and efficient procurement operations for the upcoming Kharif season commencing from September 16, 2025.

S. Barsat, along with Secretary Mandi Board Mr. Ramvir, held a high-level meeting with District Mandi Officers to review the preparedness of the Board.

Complying with the directions of Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, the Mandi Board Chairman directed officials to ensure all 1,822 mandis and procurement centres should be well-maintained and equipped to handle the paddy crop to ensure seamless experience for farmers, Arhtiyas, labourers and traders.

He asked the officials to ensure comprehensive arrangements including cleanliness, uninterrupted electricity supply, drinking water facilities, restroom access and shaded seating areas.

He also directed the officials to ensure adequate shaded areas and seating arrangements for laborers working in mandis, ensuring their comfort and well-being during the procurement process.

He instructed the District Mandi Officers and head office officials to personally visit mandis, conduct ground-level assessments and maintain continuous monitoring during the procurement season to address any issue and concerns immediately.

The Chairman also emphasised on creating a supportive and conducive environment for farmers to ensuring that they can sell their produce without any difficulty.

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Chairman launches jersey of Punjab Mandi Board Cricket team

Meanwhile, Punjab Mandi Board Chairman also launched the Board’s cricket team’s jersey for the second annual Employees Cricket League, organised by the Punjab Civil Secretariat Club. He also encouraged the Punjab Mandi Board cricket team, which previously stood runner-up in the All India State Agricultural Marketing Boards T-20 Cricket Tournament. The team presented the runner-up trophy to S. Barsat and Secretary Mr. Ramvir.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday said that the state government will ensure compensation to all the flood victims across the state within 45 days.

Chairing a high level meeting here at his official residence, the Chief Minister said that a few days ago, he had announced that his government will give the highest compensation in the country — ₹20,000 per acre — to farmers for crop damage. He said that as a matter of fact this is the highest compensation in the history of Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that under previous governments, it used to take years to actually receive the compensation and the people already distressed by crop loss, had to run around government offices for compensation.

However, the Chief Minister underlined that it is extremely important that compensation reaches everyone as quickly as possible adding that being a son of farmer he understands the agony of the food growers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that until every single farmer receives their compensation for the crop damage, he will not sleep peacefully.  Discussing the complete plan, he ordered that that special “Girdawari” (crop damage assessment) should start from tomorrow, (September 13) and the entire process will be completed within 45 days.

The Chief Minister said that, henceforth, the farmers will start receiving their compensation cheques in hand adding that officers from non-flooded areas will be deployed in flood-affected villages so that the assessment work can be completed quickly. He said that Officers will go village to village, inspect all fields, prepare their reports matter and no matter what the crop is — if there is damage, compensation will be given. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that after the report is made, farmers will be given one week to raise any objections, so that any error in the report can be rectified.

The Chief Minister said that the entire process will be completed within 45 days, and compensation cheques will be distributed to the farmers. He said that in the villages where the entire crop has been destroyed, this process will be completed in just one month, and cheques will be given earlier. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as compared to times when it used to take a whole year to disburse the compensation, it will now be completed in a month or a month and a half as an honest government is serving the people.

Similarly, the Chief Minister said that those houses which have been damaged will also be given compensated by the government. He said that those people whose entire house has collapsed will receive ₹1,20,000, and those with partial damage will get ₹40,000. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Earlier governments used to give only ₹6,800 for partial house damage, but now this amount has been increased to ₹40,000.

Similarly, the Chief Minister said that those people whose livestock were swept away or died in the floods will also be compensated. Citing the example, he said that if someone has lost a cow or buffalo, the government will give ₹37,500, if a goat died in the flood, ₹4,000 will be given and all other animals will also be compensated as per rules including bulls, horses, poultry, fisheries and others. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that compensation for house or livestock loss should start from September 15 and must also be completed within 45 days.

The Chief Minister said that the Officers should go village to village, assess damages, and prepare their reports adding that if anyone has an objection to the report, they will have one week to get it corrected. Overall, he said that the entire process will be completed within 45 days, and people will receive their compensation cheques in hand. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that This entire process will be monitored daily by him personally and if any officer is found doing anything wrong or not working as per the timeline, strict action will be taken.

The Chief Minister said that Some families have lost their loved ones in this flood adding that though we can’t bring them back, the government is trying its best to ensure no delay in compensation. So far, he said that 55 deaths have been confirmed, out of which cheques have been issued to 42 families adding that in this hour of crisis the state government stands with people. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh Mann also enquired about ground realities and  water inflow adding he asked the officials to daily monitor to plugging of the breaches.

The Chief Minister also enquired from the Deputy Commissioners, who joined the meeting virtually,  about the ground realities after the devastating floods, which were witnessed for first time in last four decades. He also directed them to clear the Mandis in their respective districts for procurement till September 16 for facilitating the farmers.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government will take up the issue of relaxing the norms to cover the house loss immediately with the Government of India. He also asked the officers to organise Medical Camps in every villages and conduct fogging too adding that private doctors should also be roped in for the philanthropic cause of serving the masses. Bhagwant Singh Mann also asked the health department to take water samples from flood affected areas so that supply of potable drinking water can be ensured in them.

The Chief Minister said that the state government will flag issue with GOI to declare Punjab as Severe Natural Disaster affected state so that the state will receive extra funds to cover the loss. He said that Electricity Supply has been restored and work on repair of Roads and other Infrastructure projects is going on. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh Mann asked them to work in a missionary mode to give a healing touch to the flood victims and the farmers.

Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha and Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Verma were also present during the meeting.

Chandigarh, September 12:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) organised a one-day Workshop for Media and Communication officers of the offices of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all 36 States and Union Territories at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today.

51 Media Nodal Officers (MNOs) and Social Media Nodal Officers (SMNOS) participated in the programme. Punajb Additional CEO Harish Nayar attended the workshop.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, addressed the participants in the inaugural session.

It was emphasised that in light of the growing threat of misinformation, it is imperative to clearly communicate that elections in India are conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution and to keep countering misleading information with facts.

Sessions were held to strengthen the communication ecosystem of CEO offices to disseminate timely factual information with the media and other stakeholders.

The Workshop had dedicated sessions on the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls from the perspective of media and social media. An expert session on the various tools, techniques and strategies to counter misinformation was also organised.

The Workshop marked the third such interaction. Orientation programmes were earlier held for the Media and Communication officers of the CEO offices at IIIDEM on April 9, 2025, and June 5, 2025, in New Delhi.

Chandigarh, September 12

In a unified and compassionate response to the recent floods, the Punjab government has mobilised a multi-ministerial effort to deliver swift relief, restore essential services, and ensure the welfare of affected citizens. On Friday, the Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, Education and Information & Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains, and Transport and Jails Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar led from the front by deploying mobile medical units, reinforcing critical infrastructure, and distributing financial aid and essential supplies across the hardest-hit regions.

DR. BALBIR SINGH FLAGGS OFF 15 NEW AMBULANCES FOR AJNALA

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh today flagged off 15 new ambulances from Government Medical College, Amritsar, to provide crucial, uninterrupted health services in the flood-affected areas of Ajnala. This deployment brings the total number of mobile medical units to 38. These units are staffed with dedicated teams conducting health check-ups and distributing free medicines to those in need.

Dr. Singh also visited eight-year-old Abhijot Singh, a kidney disease patient, at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, presenting his family with a cheque for Rs. 50,000. The Minister assured the family that the state government would cover all of Abhijot’s treatment costs and provide compensation for their flood-related losses. Later, Dr. Singh visited the village of Kot Gurbaksh in Ajnala and distributed cheques of Rs 50,000 to flood-affected families. He urged the public to dial helpline number 104 for immediate medical assistance.

HARJOT SINGH BAINS ANNOUNCES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BRIDGE WORTH RS. 1.40 CR AND EXTENSION OF CONCRETE RETAINING WALL AT BIBHOR SAHIB

Meanwhile, Education, and Information and Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains has spearheaded efforts to restore and strengthen vital infrastructure in his constituency. In a proactive measure to prevent future damage, Minister Bains ordered the extension of the concrete retaining wall at Bibhor Sahib by an additional 400 feet to mitigate the risk of debris falling from the hill and protect the foundations of nearby homes.

Minister Bains said that he is actively visiting villages throughout his constituency, adding that the entire road network has been reconnected, traffic routes are operating normally, and electricity and water supply lines have been fully restored. He also addressed a significant issue in Pighbari village, where a large ravine had blocked the path to residents’ homes. He pledged to strengthen the existing road and construct a new bridge at a cost of Rs. 1.40 crore to ensure a smooth flow of traffic for all residents.

LALJIT SINGH BHULLAR DISTRIBUTES ESSENTIAL RELIEF MATERIALS IN PATTI CONSTITUENCY

Transport and Jails Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar today distributed essential relief materials to flood-affected families in various villages along the Sutlej river in the Patti assembly constituency. The aid included ration, tarpaulins, household and kitchen items, as well as feed and chokers for animals. On this occasion, he also personally provided financial assistance to needy families. Minister Bhullar stated that the Chief Minister of Punjab has instructed all officers to begin a special girdawari from September 13 to assess damages. This process is to be completed within 45 days, after which compensation cheques will be handed over to farmers.

Chandigarh, September 12:

With rainfall subsiding and water levels in rivers receding, Punjab has started witnessing significant relief from flood havoc. The latest flood report confirms no additional loss of life and no further crop area reported damaged during the last 24 hours.

Giving further information, Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian said that encouragingly, people sheltering in relief camps are steadily moving back to their homes, resulting in the number of operational camps dropping from 111 on September 11 to 100 on September 12. He said there is a noticeable decrease of 460 inmates in the relief camps, pointing to gradual restoration of normalcy as families return to their homes.

He said that the cumulative figure of evacuated persons has reached 23,340 so far. Presently, 4125 people remain in government-run relief camps as against 4585 a day earlier. He said that with no more affected crop area reported as per district reports, the affected crop area has been assessed at 192380 hectares till date, with no fresh area reported damaged during the last 24 hours.

The Cabinet Minister said that one missing person has been reported from Jalandhar, while three persons are still reported missing from Pathankot.

He said that further villages have been reported affected, raising the total to 2319 villages across 22 districts, while the overall population affected stands at 3,89,036.

S. Hardeep Singh Mundian said that rescue and relief operations continue under the supervision of district administrations, supported by NDRF, SDRF, Army and BSF.

As water further recedes, actual loss of livestock and infrastructure will be ascertained in coming days, he added.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Punjab Information and Public Relations Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains today expressed deep grief over the demise of Sh. Sant Ram Vashisht (92), father of Resident Editor of Jag Bani newspaper Mr. Randeep Vashisht and Dainik Bhaskar newspaper’s senior journalist Mr. Sandeep Vashisht. He passed away today early morning after prolonged illness and was cremated at cremation ground of village Burmajra in Rupnagar district.

Extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, S. Harjot Singh Bains said Sh. Sant Ram Vashisht was a noble soul remembered for his simplicity, integrity and commitment towards community welfare. He said that the values and legacy left behind by Sh. Vashisht will continue to inspire his family and all those who knew him closely.

The IPRM prayed to the Almighty to give strength to the family to endure this irreparable loss during this difficult time and grant eternal peace to the departed soul.

Sh. Vashisht is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter.

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, September 12:

          In an intelligence-led operation amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe, secure and drug free state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling module linked to Pakistan with arrest of its five operatives and recovered six sophisticated pistols, 1 kg heroin and ₹6 lakh drug money from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Jaskaran Singh of village Bhittewad in Amritsar, Amritpal Singh of village Rangarh in Amritsar, Gurwinder Singh of Boparai in Amritsar, Amandeep Singh of Boparai in Amritsar and Harkeerat Singh of village Mansoora in Ludhiana. The recovered weapons includes two 9MM Glock Pistols along with magazines, two .30 bore Px5 Pistols along with magazines and two .30 bore Star Mark Pistols along with magazines.

          Police teams have also impounded their Swift Car, Honda Amaze Car and Splendor motorcycle, which were 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 smugglers, who have been using drones to drop the consignments of illegal weapons and narcotics from across the border. The arrested accused were further supplying the arms to criminals and gangsters in Punjab with the intention to fuel criminal activities in the state, he said.

          Sharing operation details, the DGP said that CI Amritsar teams had received a reliable input that a Pak-based smuggler had delivered two separate consignments— weapons and drugs— through drones and which were retrieved by the arrested persons.

 Further information revealed that both the consignments were to be further delivered to unknown persons, he said, while adding that acting upon the information a police party launched an intelligence based operation and intercepted these five suspects, when they were waiting to deliver the consignments.

He said that one of the arrested accused turned out to be the hawala operator identified as Harkeerat— from whom Rs 6 lakh was recovered, and further supposed to route the illicit money to Pakistan via hawala channels.

 Further investigation is underway to uncover the network’s backward and forward linkages, he added.

          A case FIR No. 49 dated 12-09-2025 has been registered under sections 21, 25, 27-A and 29 of the NDPS Act and section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.

CHANDIGARH, September 12:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 195th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 404 locations on Friday leading to the arrest of 95 drug smugglers after registration of 79 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 29,288 in 195 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 5.4 kg heroin, 1 kg opium, 1657 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 5160 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 150 Police teams, comprising over 1100 police personnel, under the supervision of 72 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 423 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 47 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.