IEP Chandigarh, January 24

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the State, as directed by the Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, nabbed a junior engineer (JE) Manjit Singh red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 2000.

          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said the accused JE Manjit Singh, posted at PSPCL sub-station Sarna, Pathankot district has been arrested on the complaint of Rajiv Singh, resident of village Jamalpur, Pathankot district.

Giving details he informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the above said JE was demanding a bribe of Rs. 2,000 in lieu of shifting electricity wires running over his agricultural fields.

          The spokesperson said after verifying this complaint, a VB team laid a trap and the accused JE was caught red handed while taking a bribe money of Rs. 2,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

          He informed that a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at VB police station, Amritsar and further investigation was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh, January 24

Punjab Science and Technology Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Tuesday lauded the efforts of Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) for launching Country’s first-of-its-kind State level Science, Technology Innovation (STI) Data Portal. The Data Portal was developed by PSCST with the support of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Meet Hayer said that the Bhagwant Mann led state government is fully committed to encourage the usage of novel technological initiatives in the core sector of Science and Technology to boost research. He further said that the Portal provides end-to-end holistic information regarding STI Ecosystem of the State on a single platform. The Portal also provides access to information on the vast resources existing in the State in terms of infrastructure, facilities, equipment, research expertise, incubation & acceleration spaces, technologies available with various institutions/organizations etc. which could be used by students, innovators and industry within and outside the State.

The portal was launched by Dr. Debapriya Dutta, Adviser, Department of Science, Technology & Environment, Government of India virtually during State Science and Technology Councils’ Conclave in India International Science Festival, organized by GoI.

Dr. Dutta applauded the efforts of PSCST for making Punjab the first State to develop the Portal. He informed that PSCST has emerged as a Model S&T Council and hence was entrusted with the responsibility to develop the State STI Data framework as well as the Portal. He further shared that it will now be emulated by other states in the country.

Dr. Jatinder Kaur Arora, Executive Director, PSCST made a brief presentation about key features of Data Portal. She informed that the initiative was taken up with the foresight to map and strengthen STI Ecosystem of Punjab.  The Model STI Data Architecture Framework has been developed to provide information on about 50 STI indicators, for which, all relevant stakeholders from the state viz. Research Institutions, Scientific Organizations, Universities, Development Departments etc. have been taken on board.

Dr. Rashmi Sharma, Scientist F, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India shared that the DST, GoI envisions to strengthen this initiative by supporting setting up STI Data Centres in Punjab as well as in few other States which will be taking lead in emulating the model developed by Punjab.

Dr. Dapinder Bakshi, Joint Director, PSCST informed that the Portal has been developed in collaboration with Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research, Pune and CDAC Mohali.

The Launch Event was attended physically/virtually by heads of various Universities and Institutions from the State as well as those of Science and Technology Councils across the country.

IEP Mumbai/ Chandigarh, January 24-

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday visited the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and showcased the state as the most preferred investment destination across the country.

The Chief Minister, while interacting with the media persons after performing the Bell Ringing ceremony here at the BSE, showcased Punjab as a land of opportunities and invited the companies to invest in the state. He said that entrepreneurs will be immensely benefited by investing in the state, which is rapidly emerging as the industrial hub of the country. Bhagwant Mann said that Punjab has complete communal harmony, peace and amity, which are mainly responsible for overall development and prosperity in the state.

The Chief Minister urged the industrialists to make optimum use of this congenial atmosphere backed by excellent infrastructure, power, skilled human resources and best industrial and work culture to spread their business. Extending a red carpet welcome to the industrialists, he said that the state government was always open for new ideas and innovations to boost up the industrial growth in Punjab. Bhagwant Mann said that the day is not far away when Punjab will emerge as the industrial hub of the country.

Inviting the captains of industry to visit the state in the Invest Punjab Summit slated to be held next month at SAS Nagar, the Chief Minister said that the Invest Punjab Summit being organized on February 23-24 will prove to be a milestone in giving a major fillip to industrial growth of the state. He said that the state government has already finalized the arrangements for this mega event. Bhagwant Mann said that the main motive behind giving fillip to industrialization in the state is to reverse the trend of brain drain in the state by opening new vistas of employment for the youth.

On the occasion Chief Executive Officer of the BSE Sundararaman R felicitated the Chief Minister.

IEP Chandigarh, January 24

With an aim to provide quality education to the students of the government schools of Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government on Tuesday approved an amount of ₹4.53 crores for the construction of new educational blocks of science and commerce groups in 15 senior secondary schools of the state.Divulging details, Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that strengthening education infrastructure and imparting quality education is topmost priority for the Punjab Government.S. Bains said that new science groups have been started in 12 Government Senior Secondary Schools of the state, including Government Senior Secondary School Ghuda of District Bathinda and Girls’ School Mandi Kalan, Government Senior Secondary School Kundal of District Fazilka and Government Senior Secondary School Dharmpura of District Jalandhar. Government senior Secondary School Lasara,  Government  Girls Senior Secondary School Breta, Jhunir, Khaila Kalan  and Karandi all from District Mansa ,  Government Senior Secondary School Karamgarh-Shatrana, District Patiala, Government Girls Senior Secondary School Munak District Sangrur   and  Government Senior Secondary School District Tarn Taran . A total of Rs 3.96 crore or Rs 33 lakh each school grant has been approved for the construction of science blocks in these schools.He said that, similarly, an amount of Rs 19.15 lakh per school, a total of Rs 57.45 lakh, has been sanctioned for the construction of commerce blocks for Government Senior Secondary Girls School Bhador District Barnala,  Government Senior Secondary School Kallar Khera District Fazila and  Government Senior Secondary School Karamgarh-Shutrana District Patiala. Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains said that he is constantly striving for the improvement of government schools with an aim to develop such an education system in Punjab that no children should be left deprived of education.

IEP Chandigarh, January 24

Punjab Information and Public Relations Minister Mr Aman Arora on Tuesday has expressed deep grief over the tragic death of Mr. Iqbal Khan, Reporter of Azad Soch newspaper from Bhawanigarh in Sangrur district. He was badly injured in a road accident yesterday and succumbed to injuries today in a hospital at Patiala.

Mr. Khan (46) is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

Expressing his heartfelt sympathies with bereaved family, relatives and friends in this hour of grief, Mr. Aman Arora prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and fortitude to the family to bear this irreparable loss.

Meanwhile, Principal Secretary Information and Public Relations Mr. Rahul Bhandari and Director Sonali Giri also expressed deep sorrow over the tragic demise of Mr. Iqbal Khan.

IEP Chandigarh, January 24

In the presence of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Social Justice, Empowered and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, Mr. Kanwardeep Singh today assumed charge as the Chairman, State Child Rights Protection Commission at Forest Department, SAS Nagar.           Speaking on this occasion, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised to the people at the time of  elections that the honest, fair and forward-thinking leaders would be encouraged in Punjab and the appointment of an honest leader, Mr. Kanwardeep Singh, as the Chairman of the State Child Rights Protection Commission is also a part of this thinking.  Mr. Kanwardeep Singh would act as a bridge between the government and institutions for effectively implementation of child-friendly policies.  Congratulating Mr. Kanwardeep Singh, Dr.  Baljit Kaur assured her every support   in the implementation of  various government schemes to ensure the welfare of children.Kanwardeep Singh while thanking  Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior leadership for showing faith in him and said that he will fulfill to the best of his abilities and responsibilities assigned to him.  Pertinently, Jalandhar based Kanwardeep Singh is also an entrepreneur and a social worker.

IEP Chandigarh, January 24

Punjab Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, while reviewing the Shahpur Kandhi Dam project, on Tuesday directed the officials to complete project within the stipulated time.

Meet Hayer said that after completion of this prestigious project, the problem of floods and wasted water will be eradicated. The capacity of canal water available to the farmers of the state for irrigation will also increase and there will be additional electricity generation.

He said that this project will prove to be a milestone for the progress of the state, so no delay in its work will be tolerated. He asked the concerned officials to speed up the work.

Meet Hayer said that with this project costing Rs 2715 crore, Punjab would supply water to another 5000 acres of agriculture area and 206 MW of electricity will also be generated. UBD canal will get constant water supply. Apart from this, four power generation units will run continuously at Ranjit Sagar Dam.

Earlier, Principal Secretary Water Resources Krishna Kumar expounded about the project through PPT. The meeting was attended by Chief Engineer Dam Sher Singh, Superintendent Engineer Dam Circle Gurpinder Singh, General Manager Soma P. Venkesh and Senior manager Rajasekhar.

IEP Chandigarh, January 24   

       Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is continuously striving to provide basic facilities, clean and pollution free environment to the people of the state. Working in this direction, development works are being conducted across the state.Giving more information in this regard, Local Government Minister Dr.Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that the Punjab government has decided to spend approximately Rs 6.41 crore for the cleaning of sewerage lines in Amritsar city.He said that about Rs 1.82 crore will be spent for cleaning the main sewer lines and branches of sewer lines in the southern and central constituencies of Amritsar city with Super Sucker machines. Similarly, in the eastern constituency of Amritsar city, the main sewer lines will be cleaned with Super Sucker machine. Rs 1.18 crore will be spent on it.Minister said that apart from this, the main sewerage lines and branch sewer lines will also be cleaned with super sucker machines in the western and northern constituencies of Amritsar city. Rs 1.84 crores and Rs 1.57 crores will be spent on these works respectively.He said that super sucker machines will be provided by the department for cleaning sewerage lines in Amritsar city. He further said that the local government department has already started the office process for cleaning the sewerage of Amritsar city.Cabinet Minister said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is making every possible effort to provide a clean and pollution-free environment to the people of the state so that the people of the state can be kept protected from serious diseases caused by dirt and pollution.He has instructed the officers of the department to ensure transparency and quality in the work of the department because it is the dream of the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to provide corruption free administration to the people of the state.