IEP Chandigarh, October 1

 Punjab Information and Public Relations Principal Secretary Mr Rahul Bhandari on Saturday laid emphasis on maximum utilisation of available resources, especially, social media, to inform people about various pro-people schemes being run by the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government.Chairing his maiden meeting with the department officials at Punjab Bhawan here, the Principal Secretary asked the concerned officials to work enthusiastically to inform people about the flagship and public welfare schemes launched by Punjab Government. Only through proper awareness, people will be able to derive maximum benefits of those schemes. He also stressed on the need to further strengthen the feedback mechanism.Emphasising on the important role social media can play in good governance, he said that social media has emerged as the main source of information and it could be used to sensitise people.He reviewed the working of various branches and sections of the department including Press Section, Social Media, Advertisement Branch, Clippings, Establishment, Right to Information (RTI), Production, Song and Drama etc.Principal Secretary Mr. Rahul Bhandari said that all the announcements made by the Chief Minister or other Ministers, the welfare schemes, pro-people initiatives and other government orders should be posted on the social media handles of the government at the earliest so that it could reach to the public timely.Joint Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister-cum-Additional Director PR Mr Sandeep Singh Garha apprised the Principal Secretary that all the information regarding the government announcements, orders and the welfare schemes is being disseminated to the public using different media platforms, besides ensuring social media coverage of the government achievements and initiatives.Additional Director Dr. Opinder Singh Lamba, Joint Directors Mr Randeep Singh Ahluwalia and Harjit Singh Grewal, Deputy Directors Mr. Ishwinder Singh Grewal, Ms Shikha Nehra and Mr. Manvinder Singh were among the other officials who attended the meeting. 

IEP Chandigarh, October 1

Gurpreet Singh of village Pilkhani (District Patiala) today became the first farmer in the State to receive payment for paddy pertaining to Kharif Season 2022-23. The farmer confirmed that the MSP amount has reached in his account.

Disclosing this today at Rajpura Mandi while commencing the paddy procurement as part of Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that Gurpreet Singh, hailing from Pilkhani Village in Patiala District, had brought 103.875 quintals and it was cleaned and purchased on the very first day of procurement i.e. 1st of October. He added that today, within 4 hours of purchase, the Department has transferred the farmer’s payment, amounting to Rs. 2.13 lakh (2,13, 982.50) directly into his bank account. The Minister said that lifting of the purchased paddy would also commence in Rajpura Mandi from today itself.

Kataruchak added that that all arrangements, for purchase of paddy in the Mandis, are in place. He said that the Punjab Government will leave no stone unturned in buying every grain that is offered for sale by the farmer.

IEP CHANDIGARH/JALANDHAR, October 1

As part of the ongoing war against anti-social elements launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police has arrested a third operative of ISI-backed terror module jointly handled by Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Pakistan-based Gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Harpreet Singh alias Har Sarpanch of village Jogewal in Ferozepur.

The development came eight days after the Counter Intelligence team led by AIG Counter Intelligence Jalandhar Navjot Singh Mahal had busted the module with the arrest of its two operatives identified as Baljit Singh Malhi and Gurbaksh Singh alias Gora Sandhu, both residents of Ferozepur. The police had also recovered one sophisticated AK-56 assault rifle along with two magazines, 90 live cartridges and two bullet shells from a location pinpointed by Gurbaksh Singh at his village.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following the disclosures of accused Baljit Malhi, the police team has managed to apprehend Harpreet Singh alias Har Sarpanch, who is considered to be the close aide of Italy-based gangster Harpreet Singh alias Happy Sanghera and was also in touch with Canada-based Gangster Lakhbir Landa. Notably, Baljit was also in touch with Happy Sanghera, and on his directions only, he had picked consignment of weapons from a pinpointed spot at Makhu-Lohian road near the sanctuary in village Sudan in July 2022.

During preliminary investigations, Harpreet Singh alias Har Sarpanch has confessed to have arranged a 10 days stay for Lakhbir Landa’s associate identified as Jagjit Singh alias Jotta of Mehta Road in Amritsar and his aide at an abandoned house in the Makhu area of Ferozepur, said the DGP, adding that Jotta has been facing four criminal cases and is currently lodged at Central Jail, Amritsar.

He said that accused Har Sarpanch also revealed that he was in close touch with Nachattar Singh alias Motti— already arrested by the Tarn Taran Police, and used to ferry his drug consignments on his blue-coloured BMW car. Pertinently, the BMW car was recently seized by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police.

Giving more details, AIG Navjot Singh Mahal said that the accused Har Sarpanch also used to collect money on behalf of Gangsters Lakhbir Landa and Happy Sanghera to further provide financial assistance and logistics support to their associates. Further investigations are on and more revelations by Har Sarpanch are expected soon, he added.

Pertinently, Canada-based Landa is considered to be the close aide of Pakistan-based wanted gangster Harvinder Singh alias Rinda, who had joined hands with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), and they have close ties with the ISI.  Landa had played a key role in conspiring the Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) terror attack at Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali and had also planted an IED beneath Sub-Inspector Dilbag Singh’s car in Amritsar.

Meanwhile, an FIR No. 29, dated 22.09.2022 had been registered under sections 10, 13, 18 and 20 of the UA(P) Act and section 25 of the Arms Act at SSOC Amritsar.

IEP Chandigarh, October 1

Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa on Saturday said that a state-level Swachh Bharat Diwas will be celebrated on October 2 at Hoshiarpur.

On this occasion, 23 panchayats of the state will be honoured with Rs 1 lakh each for proper maintenance of solid and liquid waste.

Likewise, three other panchayats will also be encouraged by giving cash price of Rs 10,000 to each panchayats. Apart from this, the best performing officers will also be honored. During this time, nukkad nataks, short films and other performances related to cleanliness will be the center of special attraction, the Minister further said.

Disclosing further, the Cabinet Minister said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is working diligently in supplying clean and potable water to the villages across the state. Similarly, the state has also lauded at the national level for the maintenance and management of solid and liquid waste in the villages.

He said that at present, clean water is being provided to all 8292 villages in 15 districts of the state including Hoshiarpur, Malerkotla, Faridkot, Jalandhar, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, SAS Nagar, Kapurthala, Mansa, Ludhiana, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Patiala and SB Nagar. These 15 districts will also be honoured during the function.

The Water Supply and Sanitation Minister further said that Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (Phase-II) has been launched in the state. Under this mission, proper arrangements for solid and liquid waste management would be made in all the villages of the state.

Jimpa said that efforts have been intensified to declare every village Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 2025.

Pertinently, from September 15 to October 2, myriad of activities under special campaign will be organised by the government to spread awareness on the subject of garbage cleaning and waste management in the villages.

Meanwhile, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Brahm Shanker Jimpa will be the chief guest while Deputy Speaker, Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Jai Krishan Singh Rori will be the special guest on the occasion.

IEP Chandigarh, October 1

 Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Mr. Chetan Singh Jauramajra today said that in order to promote normal deliveries instead of deliveries through Caesarean section, Punjab Health Department has set the ball rolling for setting up a new Midwifery Training Institute in Patiala.The Minister said that this  institute is being set up as per the Indian government’s “Guidelines on Midwifery Services in India” to prioritize investment in a dedicated cadre of professional midwives called  Nurse Practitioner in Midwifery (NPM). He said that this is one of the 16 Training institutes across India where training would be provided to Midwife Educators who, in turn, would develop the cadre of NPM. Punjab is third state after Maharashtra and UP to Start this National Midwifery Training Institute in government sector.The Minister said that Midwifery led care is a paradigm shift which can address many issues that our state faces in terms of MCH services. Punjab MMR has also increased in recent times due to covid-19 pandemic when all resources were diverted toward covid. MMR in Punjab currently stands at 114 as per the latest SRS data released in March 2022. Bringing midwifery practices to the centre stage will not only help to reduce the MMR but also improve the quality of care around childbirth and decongest higher levels of facilities.Disclosing more about this new initiative Health and Family Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra stated that one National Midwifery Training Institute (NMTI) has been commissioned at the Mata Kaushalya School of Nursing at Patiala. The institute is selected as one of the NMTIs because of its state-of-art training infrastructure, access to a functional Obstetric department at its parent hospital, attached high load clinical practice site, and its willingness to initiate a new course.It is envisioned that the National Midwifery Training Institute at Patiala will serve as model teaching institute and pedagogic resource centre for the midwifery training for several states.For the trainings of Midwifery Educators at this school of nursing, three International Midwifery Educators from New Zealand, England and Kenya have also been brought in by the State Government in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund, who will teach first batch of 30 for a 18 month course.It is pertinent to mention here that the first batch has already been started since September 21, 2022.Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr. Ravinderpal Kaur stated that this initiative will lead to a compassionate and respectful birth experience for a pregnant woman in government health facilities. Under this program a Midwifery led care unit (MCLU) will be established near the labour room of a health facility and first such unit in the state will come up at Mata Kaushalaya Hospital Patiala.NPM will provide skilled , maternal, reproductive and newborn child-related health care services in a respectful manner to accomplish the sustainable development goals for maternal and newborn.

IEP Chandigarh/ Sunam Udham Singh Wala, October 1

Information & Public Relations, New & Renewable Energy Sources and Housing & Urban Development Minister Mr. Aman Arora, on Saturday, formally inaugurated the paddy procurement in Sangrur district from the new grain market of Sunam Udham Singh Wala.

On this occasion, the Cabinet Minister said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was committed to provide every required facility in the grain markets to the farmers. He assured the farmers that they will not be facing any problem in the markets during the current paddy season. He also kick started the bidding of paddy crop brought by farmer Sukhjinder Singh, a resident of Model Town, following which the crop was purchased on the spot.

While addressing a gathering of farmers and commission agents, the cabinet minister said that flying squads have been deployed to monitor the arrival of paddy in the markets and on the entry points of the district to prevent any kind of bogus or illegal procurement during the season. Mr Arora said that the Punjab government was committed to ensure hassle-free procurement and lifting of paddy grain.

He said that the district administration officials have given clear guidelines to remain active regarding paddy procurement activities including lifting, availability of gunny bags, transportation, labor, electricity, potable water and toilet facility.

The cabinet minister said that all grain markets were being monitored by sub-divisional magistrates and all the government procurement agencies have been ordered to strictly follow the instructions of the government.

On this occasion, president Arhtiya Association Amrik Singh Dhaliwal, Mukesh Juneja, SDM Jaspreet Singh, DFSC Narinder Singh, Madan Gopal, Tarsem Tolawalia, Harmesh Nagra, Sethi Kularan, Manpreet Bansal along with a large number of farmers, arhtiyas, palledars were also present.

IEP Chandigarh, October 1

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal while chairing a high-level meeting of the Administrative Secretaries, Divisional and Deputy Commissioner held here in the late evening said that farmers should be encouraged to register their crop damage on the e-Fasal Kshatipoorti portal so that they can get timely compensation of the same. Deputy Chief Minister, Sh. Dushyant Chautala also remained present during the meeting.

“The State Government is committed towards ensuring complete transparency in the verification and compensation for crop loss. Therefore I urge the farmers’ brothers to individually update their crop loss information on this portal so that they do not face any kind of delay or trouble in getting compensation,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.

While directing the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the farmers should upload their data within three days, the Chief Minister said that once any farmer updates the information about his crop loss, then the concerned Patwari, Kanungo should ensure verification of the data uploaded by the farmer within seven days. Besides this, the Tehsildars should also start the verification of the same at their own level so that the farmers can get fair compensation for their loss, said Sh. Manohar Lal.

Ensure timely drainage of water from waterlogged areas

While directing the Deputy Commissioners to ensure timely drainage of water from waterlogged areas, the Chief Minister said that every Deputy Commissioner should work on a war footing to resolve the water logging problems. Proper cleaning of drains should be done to avoid flood-like situations created due to untimely heavy rains, said the Chief Minister.

Ensure timely redressal of complaints received on CM window, Chief Minister

The Chief Minister said that timely redressal of complaints received on the CM window should be ensured so that the complainants do not have to make several rounds of the offices for the redressal of their grievances.

He further directed that the Deputy Commissioner should clear all the pendency of the applicants related to arms license. Verification of the applications should also be ensured in a time-bound manner, added Sh. Manohar Lal.

Chief Secretary, Sh. Sanjeev Kaushal, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. D.S Dhesi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. V. Umashankar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Amit Agrawal and Deputy Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. K. Makarand Pandurang also remained present in the meeting.