IEP Chandigarh, November 11

The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann took various measures and initiatives to curb stubble burning, these efforts have paid off as stubble burning cases have reduced by about 30 percent compared to last year. Chairing a high level meeting with the officials of the Agriculture, Science and Technology Environment, PEDA and deputy Commissioners, the Punjab Chief Secretary Mr. Vijay Kumar Janjua directed to encouraged and motivate the farmers as much as possible not to burn stubble. He also asked the deputy commissioners to honour the farmers who have contributed for this noble cause in curbing stubble burning.

          During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioners presented their view that every fire incident shown by the satellite system is not correct, whereas the fact is that the straw baling has been done on a large scale in the state and the farm where the small incidents of fire happened near the vats after baling were reported as full cases of fire incidents by the satellite system.

          During the meeting, the Chief Secretary issued directions to the Agriculture Department to ensure that the money for the subsidized machinery is sent into the accounts of beneficiaries by November 30. Along with this, the Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua issued instructions to the Department of Agriculture to prepare complete data plan about the types of machines as required at the block level for stubble management. Along with this, he said that Panchayats and Cooperative societies should be provided maximum machines for stubble management.

          Regarding the suggestions given by the Deputy Commissioners that large horsepower tractors are required to run the straw harvesting machines, on which the banks do not give loans, the Chief Secretary asked the concerned department to tie up with the banks to get loans for big horsepower tractors. In the meeting, it was also discussed that the industry is helping the state government and farmers for the straw management, therefore the issue should be raised with the center to provide balers on subsidy to the industries.

          Issuing strict directions on this occasion, the Chief Secretary said that action should be taken against the firms which did not repair the damaged machinery of the farmers during stubble handling. The guidelines were also issued to the Deputy Commissioners to take immediate steps to handle the straw collected for the use in the brick kilns as the use of straw in the brick kilns will start from May 1, 2023.

IEP Chandigarh, November 11

In view of the general elections in Himachal Pradesh on November 12 (Saturday), the Punjab government has issued order for special holiday to the voters of the Himachal Pradesh working in Punjab. A notification in this regard has been issued.

          As per official spokesperson, if any of the government officials/employees, who is working in Punjab government offices, boards/corporations and government educational institutions, and is a voter in Himachal Pradesh, he/she can avail special holiday on November 12, 2022 (Saturday) by presenting voter card to the concerned authority. This leave will not be deducted from his/her leave account.

          The spokesperson said that a paid holiday has been declared for all the persons, who are voters in Himachal Pradesh and working in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment in the state of Punjab under the sub section-1 of Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

IEP Chandigarh, November 11As part of the ongoing efforts to take education at par of the International level under the able guidance of Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann, Punjab School Education Department has constituted an International Education Affairs Cell (IEAC), said Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains here on Friday.The eight-member Cell constituted under the chairmanship of Director SCERT, Punjab comprises Assistant Director (Survey Data Processing) as Member Secretary and State Coordinator (SDP & NAS), SCERT Punjab as Member Coordinator, while,  Assistant Director (Academic, Quality and Training), SCERT Punjab, Officer or Finance Branch Incharge, SCERT Punjab, one DIET Principal and two DEO SE are members. The reporting officer of the IEAC will be the Principal Secretary/Secretary, School Education Punjab through Director General of School Education Punjab.          Education Minister S. Harjot Bains said that the main objective of formation of IEAC was to prepare/examine proposal for Professional Development of teachers, school heads and educational administrators working at different levels in the Department of School Education through Indian and Foreign Organizations Institutions and to identify candidates for that purpose in an objective and transparent manner.          S. Bains said that this cell would also help in building the capacity of teachers and send them on special visits to foreign countries to implement their improved policies in the Government Schools of Punjab. The International Education Affairs Cell will create a transparent system for the selection of officers and teachers, who can go on foreign tours for education purposes. The cell will prepare programs for capacity building of educational administrators, school heads and teachers of government schools working in various cadres and will also evaluate their capacity building through national-international visits.The Education Minister said that the selection of various national and international orientation programs by the department is to be done after applying on the portal being prepared, and after passing through the process of special written test and interview. In this process, if any teacher or official uses any kind of external or political influence, then departmental action will be taken against him/her and blacklist will also be made to deprive him/her of the selection of this process in the future.

IEP Chandigarh, November 11

In line with the commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government, effective implementation of various schemes related to economic empowerment of women is being ensured.          The Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur while sharing this information, said that the Punjab Government is working sincerely to economically strengthen the women of the state and would take all possible steps for the economic empowerment of women.          The Cabinet Minister also said that under the same objective, a workshop on ‘Economic Empowerment of Women’ was organized today at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (Magsipa).          The Cabinet Minister said that in this workshop, the processes and systems related to the smooth implementation of the ongoing schemes for the empowerment of women were discussed in detail.          About 35 representatives from diverse fields participated in this workshop, including the officers of Social Security Department, Health Department, Rural Development Department, Education Department, Labor Department, Social Justice Department, Agriculture Department, Universities apart from the Research Scholars, legal experts, members of self help groups, district and block level officers.          The Additional Secretary of Social Security Women and Child Development Department Vimmi Bhullar, Additional Director Lilly Chaudhary and senior officials of various departments were also present during this workshop.