IEP Chandigarh, October 13

Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) will conduct e-auction of prime properties situated in Bathinda and Abohar cities. The e-auction will be held from 20th to 31st October, 2022.

          Sharing details, an official spokesperson of Housing & Urban Development Department said that Bathinda Development Authority is offering 26 residential plots, 24 SCO sites, one school site situated at Nirwana Estate, Bathinda having reserve price of Rs. 5.72 crore and one multiplex site situated at Urban Estate, phase-2, Bathinda having reserve price of Rs. 19.40 crore.

          The spokesperson said that possession of the auctioned sites shall be handed over to the successful bidders on payment of 25 % amount of total bid price. Bidders will have to make balance payment in installments at interest rate of 9.5% P.A. All details of these properties and terms & conditions are available on the auction portal www.puda.e-auctions.in.

          For participating in the e-auction, he informed, the intending bidders shall be required to sign up on the auction portal and obtain user ID and password. Bidders shall be required to deposit refundable/adjustable eligibility fee by way of Net Banking/Debit Card/Credit Card/RTGS/NEFT.

IEP Chandigarh, October 13

Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said that the state’s excise collection crossed ₹4000 crore mark within the initial six months of a financial year for the first time, registering total Excise revenue collections of Rs. 4280 Crore.

Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, the Finance Minister revealed that the Excise revenue collection during the current fiscal year registered an increase of 37.62 percent over last year’s figures for the same period. He said that during the year 2021 and 2022, the excise revenue collection from April 1 to October 12 was Rs 3110 crore and Rs 4280 crore respectively.  He said that the people of Punjab deserve congratulations for the fact that their government has recorded an increase of 1170 crore rupees in excise revenue during this period.

Slamming the previous state governments for not making adequate changes in the excise policy due to their collusion with the liquor mafia, the Finance Minister said that these governments facilitated the liquor mafia in the loot of more than 22,500 crore from the state exchequer if we assume only 7 per cent increase in excise collection every year for the last 15 years against the present growth of more than 37 percent. He said that the intentions of the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann were clear from the fact that it has set a target of Rs 9000 crore excise collection while the last government’s target was only Rs 6200 crore. Referring the unfortunate incident of Tarantarn, Cheema said that political-mafia nexus in liquor trade had not only caused loss to the state exchequer but also led to loss of a number of human lives.

The finance minister said that the lobby of the liquor mafia was trying to harass our officers through the Union government to break this policy. He said that the honest government of Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and following the revolutionary ideology of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal stand firmly with its officers to fail the pressure mounting tactics being used by the Center through its various agencies. He said that opposition parties in state were also questioning the Punjab government’s excise policy under the pressure of the liquor mafia. He challenged them to answer why there was no adequate increase in excise collection during their governments.

Dedicating the healthy Growth of 37 percent to the new Excise policy in his press statement, Cheema said that the Excise Policy 2022-23 has ushered a paradigm shift in the liquor trade in Punjab. “The main twin objectives of the Excise Policy are maximization of revenue and providing affordable quality liquor to citizens. The policy also strives to keep a stringent check over smuggling of liquor from the neighboring states through extensive enforcement and by incorporating new technological measures”, said the Finance Minister.

          Disclosing further, the Finance Minister said that the actual potential of liquor trade had been assessed by allotting the retail groups through a free, fair and transparent manner of e-tendering. He said that these vends had been made in groups of a general size of around 30 crores, and total of 6378 vends in 175 groups had been e-auctioned in the state.  

Highlighting the initiatives taken to ensure the availability of liquor at most competitive price in the state, Harpal Singh Cheema said that the duty regime has been further liberalized and Minimum Retail Sale Prices of Punjab Medium Liquor (PML), IMFL, IFL (BIO Brands), and Beer have been factored in the New Excise Policy. The Finance Minister said that the lower prices of liquor as compared to neighbouring states and increased enforcement has led to a huge decrease in the smuggling of liquor in Punjab. He said that due to the lowering of PML and IMFL prices consumers were now avoiding smuggled liquor or illicit liquor made from Lahan.

Cheema said that provisions for new Distillery license and Brewery license have been made in the policy to encourage capital investment besides increasing the employment capability in the state. He said that a new license for the production of malt spirit has been also introduced in the State. He said that POS machines shall be installed at every retail vend in the coming months to ensure that the customers should be provided an invoice for the purchase of liquor.

          Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government has made a series of efforts to increase the own revenue of the state to fulfill all the commitments and promises made to the people besides ushering in an era of development and prosperity. He said that the excise government has also tightening the noose against past defaulters.

IEP Chandigarh, October 13

Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said that the state’s excise collection crossed ₹4000 crore mark within the initial six months of a financial year for the first time, registering total Excise revenue collections of Rs. 4280 Crore.

Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, the Finance Minister revealed that the Excise revenue collection during the current fiscal year registered an increase of 37.62 percent over last year’s figures for the same period. He said that during the year 2021 and 2022, the excise revenue collection from April 1 to October 12 was Rs 3110 crore and Rs 4280 crore respectively.  He said that the people of Punjab deserve congratulations for the fact that their government has recorded an increase of 1170 crore rupees in excise revenue during this period.

Slamming the previous state governments for not making adequate changes in the excise policy due to their collusion with the liquor mafia, the Finance Minister said that these governments facilitated the liquor mafia in the loot of more than 22,500 crore from the state exchequer if we assume only 7 per cent increase in excise collection every year for the last 15 years against the present growth of more than 37 percent. He said that the intentions of the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann were clear from the fact that it has set a target of Rs 9000 crore excise collection while the last government’s target was only Rs 6200 crore. Referring the unfortunate incident of Tarantarn, Cheema said that political-mafia nexus in liquor trade had not only caused loss to the state exchequer but also led to loss of a number of human lives.

The finance minister said that the lobby of the liquor mafia was trying to harass our officers through the Union government to break this policy. He said that the honest government of Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and following the revolutionary ideology of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal stand firmly with its officers to fail the pressure mounting tactics being used by the Center through its various agencies. He said that opposition parties in state were also questioning the Punjab government’s excise policy under the pressure of the liquor mafia. He challenged them to answer why there was no adequate increase in excise collection during their governments.

Dedicating the healthy Growth of 37 percent to the new Excise policy in his press statement, Cheema said that the Excise Policy 2022-23 has ushered a paradigm shift in the liquor trade in Punjab. “The main twin objectives of the Excise Policy are maximization of revenue and providing affordable quality liquor to citizens. The policy also strives to keep a stringent check over smuggling of liquor from the neighboring states through extensive enforcement and by incorporating new technological measures”, said the Finance Minister.

          Disclosing further, the Finance Minister said that the actual potential of liquor trade had been assessed by allotting the retail groups through a free, fair and transparent manner of e-tendering. He said that these vends had been made in groups of a general size of around 30 crores, and total of 6378 vends in 175 groups had been e-auctioned in the state.  

Highlighting the initiatives taken to ensure the availability of liquor at most competitive price in the state, Harpal Singh Cheema said that the duty regime has been further liberalized and Minimum Retail Sale Prices of Punjab Medium Liquor (PML), IMFL, IFL (BIO Brands), and Beer have been factored in the New Excise Policy. The Finance Minister said that the lower prices of liquor as compared to neighbouring states and increased enforcement has led to a huge decrease in the smuggling of liquor in Punjab. He said that due to the lowering of PML and IMFL prices consumers were now avoiding smuggled liquor or illicit liquor made from Lahan.

Cheema said that provisions for new Distillery license and Brewery license have been made in the policy to encourage capital investment besides increasing the employment capability in the state. He said that a new license for the production of malt spirit has been also introduced in the State. He said that POS machines shall be installed at every retail vend in the coming months to ensure that the customers should be provided an invoice for the purchase of liquor.

          Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government has made a series of efforts to increase the own revenue of the state to fulfill all the commitments and promises made to the people besides ushering in an era of development and prosperity. He said that the excise government has also tightening the noose against past defaulters.

IEP Chandigarh, October 13

On the orders of Minister for Social Security, Punjab Dr. Baljit Kaur the department conducted verification of pensioners drawing various kind of pensions from the state exchequer. Among those verified 90248 pensioners were found deceased. Now the district level officers have been directed to submit the undistributed amount into treasury by 21st October, stated Dr.Baljit Kaur in a press statement issued her today.

Please set that a department give pensions to elderly, widows, dependent children and the disabled. Describing the news published in some newspapers regarding the survey as unfounded, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that on 4 August 2022, she had a meeting with the districts’ officials of the department.

During the meeting, she had instructed all the district officials to identify deceased beneficiaries for the financial assistance scheme for old age pension, widow and dependent women, dependent children and destitute. It should be ensured that pension is not transferred to the account of any deceased beneficiary. So she directed that a survey of existing beneficiaries of old age pension and other financial assistance schemes should be conducted.

By taking action as per the orders and getting back the amount lying in their accounts by identifying the deceased beneficiaries, the financial loss of the government will be prevented and other needy people will be helped with this amounts, she added.

IEP Chandigarh, October 13

In a bid to get first hand information about the ground realities of Government Schools and to know ongoing quality education activities, a high-level delegation of Maharashtrian Education Department today visited various schools across Punjab.

          On the direction of Education Minister of Maharashtra Deepak Kesarkar, this delegation led by Secretary School Education and Sports Department of Maharashtra Ranjit Singh Deol visited Government Primary School Nariangarh Jhunghian, Government Model Senior Secondary School Phase 3B1 and Meritorious School Mohali.

          Meanwhile, Secretary-cum-DGSE Punjab Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal coordinated the visit and provide requisite information about the procedures and achievements of the government schools of the state.

          The delegation comprising State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Maharashtra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad, Mumbai Kailas Pagare, OSD of Education Minister Maharashtra Sushant Khandekar Dr. Siddhesh Wadkar, Joint Director, SCERT, Maharashtra, Pune Ramakant Kathmore and Director Education, Maharashtra state, Pune Mahesh Palkar. During their visit the delegation got information about the school infrastructure, free education for children, free uniform, pre-primary, smart classrooms, best practices for teaching and learning. They also visited science laboratories and libraries. The delegation also gathered information about Scholarships for children under various scholarship schemes, Mid-day meal program, Playgrounds, Supplementary study materials, Admissions of students, Grading of schools, various mobile apps using for students and other activities related to teaching. They also saw attractive and colorful teaching aids prepared by the teachers for inclusive teaching.

          After the visit,the delegation also called upon Principal Secretary School Education Punjab Jaspreet Talwar. Mrs. Talwar informed about the organizational structure of the Punjab School Education Department, teacher training programs, teacher recruitments, smart school policy, online teacher transfer policy, sports policy and other important aspects of department, which brought revolution in this vast and ever learning field. Actions being taken by the State Educational Research and Training Council Punjab were also discussed in length and breadth during the meeting.

          Informing the Maharashtrian delegation about the future goals of the Punjab government, Mrs. Talwar said that process to set up  100 schools of eminence is underway and a budget of 200 crore rupees has been allocated for this porpose. Apart from this, another funds of Rs. 30 crore have been earmarked in the budget to provide international level training to school heads and teachers.

          Special Secretary School Education Gauri Prashar Joshi, Director SCERT Punjab Dr.  Maninder Singh Sarkaria, Deputy State Project Director Manoj Kumar, Deputy State Project Director Gurjit Singh, Secretary Punjab School Education Board Kiranjit Singh Tiwana and others were present during the visit.

IEP Chandigarh October 12

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against the corruption in the state, has registered a disproportionate assets case  against Girish Verma, Executive Officer (EO), earlier posted at Nagar Council, Zirakpur, SAS Nagar for amassing huge wealth than the disclosed sources of his income by misusing his official position. In this case Girish Verma, now posted as EO Bhihiwind, Amritsar, has been arrested and would be produced before the competent court tomorrow.

          Disclosing this here today, the spokesperson of the VB said during the investigation the Bureau has found 10 different properties which had been purchased by the EO in his own name besides his wife Sangeeta Verma and son Vikas Verma. Apart from this, he had invested Rs 01 crore 32 lakh in two developer firms in the name of his son.

          He said the VB would also probe the role of other persons who had transferred huge amounts of money into the accounts of family members of Girish Verma. In addition to this, during further investigation the Bureau would find more undisclosed moveable/immoveable properties amassed by the accused besides his links with the higher public servants and businessmen so as to probe the investments, if any, made by the accused during his postings at various places, he added.

          Revealing more details he informed that the VB has fixed a check period to investigate the moveable and immoveable properties of the above said accused from 01-04-2008 to 31-03-2021 and it has come to light that this officer has received an income of Rs. 7,95,76,097 from all known sources of his come and spent Rs. 15,11,15,448 during this period. Thereby It was found that he spent more than Rs 7,15,39,352 which is 89.90 percent of its income and accumulated wealth through corruption. On the basis of this probe the VB has registered a case under section 13 (1) (b), 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station, SAS Nagar.

          Giving the details of named/benami properties created by the suspect are as follows:

1.  A showroom number 136, Sector 14, Urban Estate Panchkula has been purchased by the suspect.

2.  House No. 432, Sector 12, Urban Estate Panchkula has been purchased by the suspect.

3.  The suspect has made a statement to purchase Plot No. 21, WWRW Society Block-B at village Kansal in the name of his wife Smt. Sangeeta Verma.

4.  House No. B-4, 2047/1, Chaura Bazar at Ludhiana had been purchased by the suspect in the name of his wife Sangeeta Verma along with other persons.

5.  A commercial plot No. 14 having area of 150 square yards has been purchased at Dhakoli in the name of his wife Sangeeta Verma by the suspect.

6.  The suspect has purchased 19 kanal 16 marla land at village Khudal Kalan in the name of his wife Sangeeta Verma.

7.  Showroom No. 25, Ground Floor, at Sushma Imperial Zirakpur was booked by the suspect’s wife Sangeeta Verma for Rs. 51 lakhs.

8.  Showroom No. 26, Ground Floor, at Sushma Imperial at Zirakpur was booked for Rs 51 lakh by his son Vikas Verma for Rs 49 lakh.

9.  The suspect has purchased a commercial plot No. 16 having area of 142.50 sq. yards in U.S. Estate at Dhakoli in the name of his son Vikas Verma.

10.  The suspect has purchased a commercial plot No. 17, having area of 142.50 sq. yards in U.S. estate at Dhakoli in the name of his son Vikas Verma.

11.  An investment of Rs 56 lakh has been made in Balaji Infra Buildltech firm by the suspect’s son Vikas Verma.

12.  Rs 76 lakh has been invested by the suspect’s son Vikas Verma in Balaji Developer Kharar.