IEP Chandigarh March 24

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Friday arrested an accused Charan Kaur of village Goure, district Kapurthala for misappropriating a grant of Rs. 45,000 in colluding with others out of total central grant of Rs. 13,50,000 received by Gram Panchayat Mehmedwal, district Kapurthala in the year 2012 which was sanctioned for the poor and homeless under Indira Awas Yojana. She was absconding for the last 4 years in this case.          It is worth mentioning that out of the total 132 accused involved in this case registered six years ago, 117 accused had already been arrested so far and the search for the remaining accused was under progress.          Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said out the total central grant of Rs 13,50,000 received by Gram Panchayat Mehmedwal in the year 2012 under the Indira Awas Yojana for the poor and homeless, the then ADC Development-cum-Chief Executive Officer Zila Parishad, Kapurthala Satish Chander Vashist in connivance with Asa Singh Sarpanch of village Mehmedwal and Kulwant Singh, Panchayat Secretary, had embezzled the grant through cheques by issuing them in the name of ineligible beneficiaries.             He informed that later on the recommendation of Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala, a five-member committee comprising various officials conducted a physical verification regarding utilisation of this grant, during which it was found that illegal payments to the tune of Rs. 1,80,00,000 were made to 411 ineligible beneficiaries of 31 villages in Kapurthala district during the year 2011-12.          In this regard, the VB had registered a case no. 01 dated 03-02-17 against 132 accused persons under sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC and section 13(1), 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at  Vigilance Bureau police station Jalandhar range.  In this case, the accused Charan Kaur, resident of village Goure, district Kapurthala was nominated on 04-02-2019 after investigation, who has been arrested today.          The spokesperson informed that the above said accused Charan Kaur, being an ineligible beneficiary had usurped the central grant of Rs. 45,000 in connivance  with Sukhwinder Singh, Sarpanch of village Goure and Kulwant Singh, Panchayats Secretary, through two checks on 14-03-2012.

IEP Chandigarh, March 24    

      Punjab Police on Friday released as many as 44 persons, who were taken into preventive arrest during the ongoing operation against those trying to disturb law and order in the state, from police custody. Chief Minister Punjab Bhagwant Mann has given clear instructions to not harass any innocent persons during the operation.                Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that  in the larger interest of the public and keeping in view that youngsters should not suffer, Punjab Police have decided to release those persons who have a minimum role or were just following Amritpal Singh on religious sentiments only. As many as 44 persons, who were under preventive arrest were handed over to their family members on Friday, with the promise of good conduct in future.          The development came a day after the announcement by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Sukhchain Singh Gill that Punjab Police might release 177 arrested persons from preventive custody.          Notably, a total of 207 persons have been arrested for disturbing peace and harmony in the state, of which, 30 have been found in substantive criminal activities, while, remaining were under preventive arrest. He had also assured that people involved in baptism and de-addiction will also not be bothered at all.          IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said that Police teams are doing thorough screening of remaining persons, who are under preventive arrest, and soon, they will also be released from the police custody if they were not found involved in any substantive criminal activities.            Meanwhile, the operation is being carried out on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with an aim to save the innocent youth of Punjab from playing into the hands of Anti-National Forces

IEP Chandigarh, March 24    

      Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan has encouraged the youth to increase their involvement in the democratic process.          Addressing the students of a private school of district Bathinda, who visited to see the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, S. Sandhwan said that it is need of the hour to encourage the youth in politics to stop the decline in the political sphere and only then the progress of the country can be ensured.          The Speaker said, for fulfilling this purpose, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann has also asked the members to ensure the visit to the assembly of the students of their respective constituencies. “When the students see the proceedings of the House, they will also develop an interest in politics”, said the Speaker.          During the visit, the students learned about the various proceedings of the Legislative Assembly such as bringing resolution and passing the bill. They were also made aware of how a bill is discussed before it is passed and a decision is taken whether the bill deserves to be passed or not.          School coordinator Ms. Harveer Kaur, teacher Mr. Varun Shukla, Ms. Navprince Kaur, Mr. Ratandeep Singh were also present.

IEP Chandigarh March 24    

       After the intervention of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission, Dr. Satnam Singh, Medical Officer Orthopedics was promoted as Assistant Professor Orthopedics by the Department of Medical Education and Research, Punjab.          Giving more information in this regard, Mrs. Paramjit Kaur, a non-governmental member of the commission, said that Dr. Satnam Singh, Medical Officer of the Department of Medical Education and Research, Punjab, had complained to the commission that he was not promoted according to the reservation policy.  In this regard, the commission asked the concerned department to take action on the basis of merit.          She further said that according to the instructions of the commission, Dr. Satnam Singh has been promoted as Assistant Professor Orthopedics by the concerned department.

IEP Chandigarh, March 24    

       Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that the state government is duty bound to make a progressive, peaceful and prosperous state by foiling the nefarious designs of anti-Punjab forces who want to make the state into Afghanistan.           In an emotive appeal to the people, the Chief Minister said that some people are trying to divide the state on sectarian lines for the sake of their own vested interests. He said that such self proclaimed leaders of religion have nothing to do with the state and its people adding that these leaders just want to disturb the peace and amity in the state. However, Bhagwant Mann said that such evil designs of these leaders inimical to Punjab and its people will not be allowed at any cost and they will be given a befitting answer.           The Chief Minister said that it is very easy to give the sermons of taking weapons to the sons of other families, but such preachers run away from these things when they face the harsh realities. He said that Punjabis should not sway away with the ideas of such self proclaimed preachers who have no emotional bonding with the state and its people. Bhagwant Mann said that the sole motive of these leaders was to disturb the hard earned peace of the state through their venomous ideas.           However, the Chief Minister categorically said that the state government is duty bound to maintain peace, amity and communal harmony in Punjab at all costs adding that youth of the state will not be allowed to become raw material for the hate factories being run in the name of religion. He said that today is the era of education and across the globe the people with knowledge and expertise are recognized due to which the state government is making strenuous efforts to promote education in Punjab. Bhagwant Mann said that they want to see books, laptops, jobs, medals and progress in the hands of youth but these leaders want to disarray the youth by asking them to take weapons in their hands.           The Chief Minister unequivocally said that they not only know how to form the government by winning the hearts of people but they also know how to run the government effectively. He said that these leaders are highly mistaken if they think that they can divide people on communal lines because the peace loving Punjabis will thwart any such attempt. Bhagwant Mann also thanked the people for reposing faith in him adding that he will uphold the faith of people by making Punjab a progressive, peaceful and prosperous state.