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Chandigarh

CABINET LED BY CM GIVES NOD TO AMEND PUNJAB VILLAGE COMMON LANDS (REGULATION) ACT TO CONFER RIGHTS OF COMMON VILLAGE LAND TO GRAM PANCHAYATS

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IEP Chandigarh, September 26

In a significant decision, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday gave nod to amend section 2(g) of Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act 1961 thereby giving the exclusive ownership of Jumla Mustarka Malkan Land (common village land) to gram panchayat. A decision to this was taken by the council of Ministers in its meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here at his official residence. Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s office said that with this amendment the Gram Panchayat will be the exclusive owner of the Jumla Mustarka Malkan Land (common village land). As per this amendement insertion in Section 2(g) has been made according to which land reserved for the common purposes of a village, under section 18 of the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948 (East Punjab Act 50 of 1948), the management and control whereof vests in the Gram Panchayat under section 23-A of the aforesaid Act. Lands entered in the column of ownership Ofrecord of rights as Jumla Malkan Wa Digar Haqdaran Arazi Hassab Rasad”, “Jumla Malkan” or “Mushtarka Malkan” shall be shamilat deh within the meaning of this section.  ROLLS OUT INCENTIVES PADDY STRAW BASED STANDALONE BIO-FUEL UNITS BY AMENDING INDUSTRIAL AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT POLICY, 2017 & DETAILED SCHEMES AND OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES 2018 FOR BIO- FUEL  PROJECTS In order to check the menace of paddy straw burning by its effective management, the Cabinet also approved the amendment in the Industrial and Business Development Policy, 2017 and Detailed Schemes and Operational Guidelines 2018 for Bio- Fuel projects by extending the incentives to the standalone Bio-Fuel units provided, they install Boilers based on Paddy Straw as fuel. In order to promote the production and supply of Ethanol for Ethanol Blended Petrol Program and to attract investments in the state for manufacturing of Bio-fuel, the Cabinet approved this amendment for the standalone Bio-Fuel units provided they install Boilers based on Paddy Straw as fuel. Since, the technology for use of Boilers based on Paddy Straw is still evolving, so in such cases where the units are not able to install Boilers based on Paddy Straw as Fuel, the quantum of incentive shall be reduced by 50%. GIVES GREEN SIGNAL TO AMENDMENTS IN TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES 2020 FOR PAVING WAY TO 5G NETWORK IN STATE The Cabinet also approved amendments in Telecom Infrastructure Guidelines 2020 in line with the Amendment in Rules 2021 of Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules 2016, for setting up of Over Ground Telecommunication Infrastructure including setting up of Small Cells on Street Furniture in the State of Punjab, and Guidelines Regularization Towers 2022. This will allow provision for usage of Street furniture for installation of new generation Small Cells to enable deployment of 5G/4G (Digital Infrastructure) roll out and for setting up Over the Ground Telecommunication thereby improving the means of communications and immensely benefitting the people of state. GIVES GO AHEAD FOR AMENDING PUNJAB GOODS AND SERVICES TAX ACT, 2017 The Cabinet also gave a go ahead to amend the Punjab Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 for enabling ease of doing business in the state and facilitating the taxpayers. This amendment will also help in streamlining provisions relating to refund and rationalizing those related to furnishing of return. This will also ensure levying of interest only on input tax credit wrongly availed and utilized.  NOD TO WITHDRAW PROPOSAL FOR SETTING UP BULK DRUG PARK AT BATHINDA The Cabinet also gave green signal to withdraw the proposal for setting up of Bulk Drug Park at Bathinda over the site of Thermal Plant, as this land can be judiciously utilized for citizen Centric Projects like Housing/ Modern Residential Complex/ Hotel/ Commercial projects and other projects like Plastic Park, Solar Power and others. Pertinently, the Punjab Government had submitted a proposal for setting up of Bulk Drug Park at Bathinda (at the site of Thermal Plant, Bathinda) in the month of October 2020 under the scheme of setting up of Bulk Drug Park in the Country. However, even after more than one and a half year the project is still hanging in the fire and waiting for the approval by Government of India (GoI). APPROVAL TO AMEND APPENDIX-D OF PUNJAB EXCISE AND TAXATION COMMISSIONER DEPARTMENT (GROUP-A) SERVICES, RULES, 2014 The Cabinet also gave nod to amend Appendix-D of Punjab Excise and Taxation Commissioner Department (Group-A) Services, Rules, 2014 by reducing the existing departmental exams from existing seven to five. GREEN SIGNAL TO ANNUAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT OF HOSPITALITY DEPARTMENT The Cabinet also gave its approval to the Annual Administrative Report of the Department of Hospitality, Punjab, Chandigarh for the year 2021-22.

Chandigarh

Chief Minister extends warm greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on Shardiya Navratri

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IEP Chandigarh, September 26

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal today extended warm greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on Shardiya Navratri. He continued by saying that over these nine days, Goddess Durga is worshipped and revered across the whole nation.

        In a message issued here today, the Chief Minister said that may this holy festival bring happiness, prosperity and new enthusiasm in everyone’s life. He said that it is only with the blessings of ‘Mata’ that we get the strength and ability to move forward in life. He continued by stating that Navratri has long been revered as holy days in Indian tradition.

Chandigarh

Student of CCSHAU Akshay Mehta Received NSS National Award

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IEP Chandigarh, September 26

On the occasion of National Service Scheme Day, Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu awarded NSS National Award at New Delhi.  Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University student, Akshay Mehta, B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture 2017-21, NSS Volunteer achieved the NSS National Award for the year 2020-21. He has been awarded with a Medal, Certificate and a Cash Prize of Rs. 1 Lakh by Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

        The University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. B.R. Kamboj congratulated him on his achievement. Further, he told that Akshay has rendered commendable services in organizing Blood Donation Camps, Plantation & Cleanliness Drives, Awareness Rallies and made the farmers aware about different agriculture related schemes of the Government.

        Prof. B.R. Kamboj appealed the students to come forward & show their potential to achieve such type of awards of national pride. For this award, only 30 volunteers were selected from all over india and our student is one of them, he added.

        On the occasion, Dean College of Agriculture, Dr. S.K. Pahuja, Directorate of Students’ Welfare  Dr. Atul Dhingra, NSS Programme Officer Dr. C.S. Dagar and Media Advisor Dr. Sandeep Arya congratulated the awardee Akshay Mehta.

Dehradun

Committed to timely action, maximum punishment for the guilty: Uttarakhand CM

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IEP Dehradun September 26

Uttarakhand Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today reiterated that the government will ensure that all necessary actions in the Ankita Bhandari murder case are executed on time. Responding to media persons regarding the protests being held during the day by members of the public, the CM said, “I salute her father. His daughter was the victim of such a heinous crime and he has appealed to the people that they want to perform her last rites.”

The CM further said that the State government has taken a resolve to ensure timely and the strictest possible action against the guilty in this case. “It is natural for the people to be angry when such a crime takes place with a daughter of Uttarakhand. Such a crime cannot be tolerated in the State. We are committed to ensuring all necessary actions on time whether it be fast track or aiming to get the maximum punishment for the guilty.

None of those who are guilty in the case will be spared, whoever they be. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed and it has started its work,” he said. On the question of the Bhandari family being economically weak, the CM said that the State government will provide all necessary assistance to the bereaved family

Dehradun

Demand for abolition of revenue police system gathers momentum

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IEP DEHRADUN

The murder of Ankita Bhandari by a resort owner in Gangabhogpur area of Yamkeshwar in Pauri district has renewed the long standing demand for abolition of the old system of revenue police in Uttarakhand. In more than 60 per cent of the territory of the State the revenue Patwaris are also given police powers. Vidhan Sabha speaker Ritu Khanduri sent a letter to the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in which she requested that the system of revenue police should be abolished with immediate effect and police posts and stations should be set up in place of revenue police posts.

“ VS speaker writes letter to CM on the subject ” She said that the old practice of revenue police is still prevalent in many areas of the State. Khanduri said that in Ankita Bhandari could have lived had the normal police been functioning and the general public would not have been so much agitated as they are today.

She said that in today’s time when victim can file zero FIR from any part of the country and register his or her complaint one is pained to observe that revenue police personnel which lack modern arms and no training to deal with criminals are operating in an area which is only 15 kilometres away from the Rishikesh city.

Khanduri requested that police stations and posts should be set up in the areas which are under the jurisdiction of the revenue police so that the repetition of such incidents is prevented.

Dehradun

Adequate evidence collected, demolition of resort not destroying evidence: DGP

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IEP DEHRADUN

Following allegations being leveled by some media outlets and citizens on social media about the government conspiring to destroy evidence of Ankita Bhandari’s murder by demolishing the resort she was working in, the police have clarified that the necessary evidence has already been collected. DGP  Ashok Kumar said that the police have already collected necessary evidence from the resort. “We have the evidence we need. The demolition of the resort resulting in destruction of evidence is very unlikely,” he said. The police have clarified that they had already collected all forensic and electronic evidence from the resort before its demolition was started. Noted advocate Atul Pundir said that the collection of evidence depends on the origin of offence. “From what is known so far, the crime occurred near the canal. Plus, these days electronic evidence is also crucial and useful. Google location too can provide usable information,” he said

Dehradun

CM Dhami takes swift decisions, ensures necessary action

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IEP DEHRADUN

By taking a series of swift actions in less than 24 hours in the backdoor appointments in Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha and Ankita Bhandari murder case the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has tried to give a clear message on governance to the people of the State. On Friday the Assembly speaker Ritu Khanduri sent a proposal to the State government that 228 backdoor appointments in the Vidhan Sabha secretariat should be cancelled.

 Acting promptly on the proposal the CM immediately accepted the proposal. He congratulated the speaker for the prompt inquiry in the case. Within hours of taking this decision, Dhami on late Friday night ordered demolition of the resort owned by Pulkit Arya, the son of the BJP leader Vinod Arya. Pulkit is the prime accused in the murder of Ankita Bhandari.

On Saturday Dhami ordered the removal of Ankit Arya from the post of deputy chairman of the Uttarakhand Other Backward Caste Commission. Ankit is the brother of Pulkit Arya. Acting on the suggestion of CM the president of the Uttarakhand BJP, Mahendra Bhatt removed Vinod Arya and his son Ankit Arya from the BJP. It is pertinent to mention here that on the backdoor appointments in the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha, Dhami had requested the speaker to get the case investigated and cancel the appointments if found illegal.

 This stand of CM assumed significance in the wake of the allegations that relatives and acquaintances of the senior BJP leader and RSS functionaries figure in the list of 72 appointments done during the tenure of the Speaker Prem Chand Agarwal. Incidentally Agarwal who holds the Finance, parliamentary affairs and urban development portfolios has been consistently claiming that all the appointments done by him were legal. In the Ankita Bhandari case, CM acted as per the public aspirations and ordered the demolition of Vananatra, the illegal resort of Pulkit Arya.

 On the orders of the CM, the bulldozer of the Pauri administration demolished the resort of the accused in murder of Ankita Bhandari. The prompt decisions taken by CM taken one after another show that Dhami wants to give a clear message that the policy of Zero tolerance on corruption adopted by him would continue and he would compromise on governance. These steps are also being viewed as an attempt to salvage the image of his government which has taken a beating in recent times due recruitment scams and the charges of improper handling of law and order situation.

Dehradun

Uttarakhand CM orders SIT probe in Ankita Bhandari murder case

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IEP DEHRADUN

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) P Renuka Devi in the Ankita Bhandari murder case which will investigate every aspect of the case. Dhami has also directed officials to check all the tourist resorts in the State. Interacting with media persons at his residence.

The CM said no one, whosoever he may be, would be spared if guilty. He said that the government would make an effort to ensure that the case is heard in a fast track court. Expressing deep anguish at the murder of Bhandari, the CM said that it is very sad and added that the government has taken every necessary action promptly. He said that the Patwari who showed laxity in the case has been suspended, the resort has been demolished and the culprits are behind the bars.

He added that the father and brother (Vinod Arya and Ankit Arya) of the prime accused Pulkit have been removed from the BJP and Ankit Arya has been removed from the position of vice chairman of the Uttarakhand OBC commission. Making an appeal to the people, Dhami said that they should not cast doubt on the intent of the government and police. The CM said that he has asked the administration to check all the resorts constructed on government or forest land. He said that the action would be taken against the illegal resorts in the State.

Dehradun

Uttarakhand Speaker updates Guv on Vidhan Sabha appointments decision

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IEP DEHRADUN

A day after taking an unprecedented decision of removing 228 ad hoc workers of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha, the speaker Ritu Khanduri met the governor Lieutenant General ( Retd) Gurmit Singh at Raj Bhawan.

In the meeting she apprised the governor about the report submitted to her by the expert committee and its findings.

The governor praised the expert committee for completing its investigation before the stipulated time period and expressed satisfaction on the decision taken by the Speaker Khanduri. He suggested that necessary steps should be taken for improving the system and work culture in Vidhan Sabha. Acting on the recommendations of the expert committee constituted by her to investigate backdoor appointments in Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha, Khanduri had decided to cancel 228 appointments in the Vidhan Sabha.

 The committee in its report said that no selection committee was set up for making the ad hoc appointments, no advertisement was issued, and no competitive examinations were held to select the candidates. It found all the appointments illegal and recommended that 150 appointments done in the year 2016, six in the year 2020 and 72 done in the year 2021 should be cancelled. Incidentally these appointments were done by former speakers Govind Singh Kunjwal and Prem Chand Agarwal.

Chandigarh

29 Senior Level Officials trained by Indian experts on Health policy in a Ministry of External Affairs Program organized by PGIMER, Chandigarh

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IEP CHANDIGARH

“This is the first program of its kind to be offered in India, where participants can learn about a variety of cultures, nations, and experiences in addition to public health policy and management.” stated- Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh during the closing ceremony of 3 Public Health Policy and Management Program being hosted by Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGMER, Chandigarh. While thanking ITEC, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Government of India for starting such a wonderful programme at PGIMER, Dr Lal distributed the certificates and honoured few participants for various contests held during the programDr. Sonu Goel, the program’s director and professor in Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER said that senior policymakers from 13 countries Algeria, Iraq, Maldives, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Bangladesh, and Tajikistan-met at PGIMER to share specific public health challenges in their respective countries and discussed on solutions. Over 900 people from 80 countries have built their capacity through similar programmes in last 6 years, he said. He continued by saying that such initiatives strengthen international collaborations and mutually beneficial to countries which share similar public health problems.The program’s Guest of Honour, Mr. Kumar Dhawan, Deputy Director of Administration at PGIMER, revealed that he had previously participated in prior ITEC programs and believed it would assist foster international and inter-institutional partnerships. The participants are learning how to develop and implement effective public health policies through the lens of management and leadership, and Dr. Rakesh Kapoor, Professor and Head Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, said during the event.The entire course was a special synthesis of approaches, including formal lectures, group discussions, the stimulation of fresh ideas, critical analysis, exercises for problem-solving. case studies, and management games that encouraged learning while having fun. Through ROTTO (Regional Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization), the delegates were shown PGIMER’s best practices as well as Chandigarh’s smart city concept through the Municipal Corporation’s Integrated Command Center. Additionally, a networking event featuring a cultural night, unique laughter yoga, and bhangra was organized. On the basis of the program’s lessons, participants also created an Action Plan for their nation or institution, which will be monitored by the program’s administrators for the next three months. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs will honour the finest nation reportImportant dignitaries who took part during the program included Prof. Sanjiv Kumar, Former Executive Director, National Health System Resource Centre (NHSRC) New Delhi, Prof. Rakesh Sehgal, Dean Academics, PGIMER, Dr. A K Aggarwal, Head, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Prof. Mona Gupta, Advisor, Health policy, NHSRC, Prof. Pankaj Bhardwaj, Academic Head and Vice Dean, AIIMS) and Program Director also participated during the program.