Chandigarh, September 13:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday announced to embark Mega Rehabilitation and Cleanliness Drive worth Rs 100 crore in Flood-Affected Areas across the state.

Interacting with the media persons, the Chief Minister said that as Floodwaters have now receded from many areas, but a large amount of silt and dirt still remains across villages and towns. He said that to restore normal life, it is essential to clean these areas for which the state government is launching a mega cleanliness drive in all 2,300 affected villages and wards. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that every village, the state government has constituted teams with JCB machines, tractor-trolleys, and labor adding that these teams will remove silt and debris from each village and carry out complete cleaning drive.

The Chief Minister apprehended that as several animals have also lost their lives so these teams will properly dispose off them, after which cleaning, fogging will be carried out in every village to ensure that the spread of diseases is checked. He said that the state government has allocated ₹100 crore for this entire campaign adding that out of this, ₹1 lakh is being released to every affected village as initial funds to start the work. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that any further requirements will also be covered from this fund adding that the state government will bear the full cost of cleaning.

Setting the deadline, the Chief Minister said that by September 24 all villages will be made silt and debris free by cleaning them and October 15 repair work at public places will be completed. Similarly he said that by October 22 the cleaning of ponds will be finished adding that The government has already made all the necessary arrangements. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann solicited the participation of NGOs, youth clubs, and other organizations in this noble cause Just as everyone had united and fought against this disaster together.

The Chief Minister said that Alongside, it is equally important to ensure that no disease spreads after the floods and that anyone with health-related problems immediately receives medical care. For this purpose, he said that the state government will set up medical camps in all 2,303 flood-affected villages adding that In 596 villages, where Aam Aadmi Clinics already exist, medical camps, facilities, and medicines will be available there. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in the remaining 1,707 villages, these medical camps will be set up at community spaces such as schools, dharamshalas, anganwadi centers, or panchayat buildings.

The Chief Minister said that each camp will be equipped with doctors, medical staff, and medical facilities. He said that the state government has arranged 550 ambulances for this special campaign so that people in affected villages face no delay or difficulty in receiving medical service. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as per reports so far, about 2.5 lakh animals across 713 villages have been affected by the floods and to prevent the spread of diseases among them, the government has launched a campaign to save them and support farmers.

The Chief Minister said that teams of Veterinary doctors’ have been deployed in all villages and a special campaign is being run for the cleaning and disinfection of animals and their shelters. He said that Debris and spoiled fodder from animal shelters will be removed and Farmers will be provided potassium permanganate to disinfect fodder and water. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that by September 30 vaccination of all affected animals will be completed to prevent the spread of diseases.

The Chief Minister said that at this time, any help for farmers is still insufficient, yet the government is determined to do its best. He said that in Punjab, procurement of crops will begin early this year, and arrangements have already been made in mandis to ensure that procurement begins in them from September 16. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the mandis that were hit by floods are being cleaned and being repaired on a war footing and by September 19 these flood-affected mandis will also be ready for procurement.

The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government is making every possible effort to support the flood-affected people. He expressed hope that unitedly Punjab will emerge stronger from this disaster adding he announced to once again dedicate himself to the cause of building a vibrant and flourishing Punjab. Taking BJP to cudgels, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the anti-Punjab face of BJP has been exposed as they did not help the state during tough time and that’s why they are now trying to divert attention with irrelevant talk.

The Chief Minister said that people of Punjab are asking them to clearly when and how much money the central government has given to state. He said that the answer to this question will clear everything but the BJP leaders are avoiding it because it will exposed their real face. He advised the BjP leaders to not play politics with Punjab during difficult times as Punjabis don’t  forget these things. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as far as the funds that actually came from the Centre are concerned and how much has been spent, the report is available and all can see it themselves.

Giving details, the Chief Minister said that the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) was established in the year 2010, and since then, a total of ₹5012 crore has been received in this fund. Out of this, he said that Rs 3820 crore has been spent over the years on relief efforts during natural disasters. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the picture is crystal clear but the BJP is exaggerating the issue just to mislead the people in this hour of crisis.

The Chief Minister said that instead of raising such irrrlevang issues, all of us should join hands to help the people of Punjab. He said that all the Punjabis need to come together and rebuild Punjab which has been devastated by the fury of floods. Bhagwant Singh Mann reiterated that the state government will not spare any stone unturned for this noble cause.

Chandigarh, September 13:

Punjab Government under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is working day and night to serve the flood affected persons.  The flood affected people need not to worry about anything as whatever loss they have suffered will be compensated by the Punjab Government. Cabinet Ministers and the entire administration are engaged in assisting the flood victims  and will continue to be engaged in the service of flood affected persons till the situation completely normalises.

Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur listened to the problems of flood affected people of about 20 villages including Ram Singh Bhaini of Fazilka district.  She added that compensation will also be given to uncultivated land of farmers and the work of ‘Girdawari’ is under progress.  She donated Rs 2 lakh to the CM relief fund.  She said that the repair work of roads has been started and transport facilities will be restored shortly.

Cabinet Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains informed that the building of Baba Gurditta Ji Gurdwara Kiratpur Sahib has also collapsed due to heavy rain and the service of laying concrete pillars around Gurdwara Baba Gurditta Ji has been started after Ardas.  He added that the area around it will be widened and a large parking facility will be provided there.  Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Harjot Singh Bains also visited flood affected villages of Nangal  area. Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today also visited Ghaggar river in Lehragaga, Sangrur.

A major cleanliness drive has been launched in 25 flood-affected villages of district Pathankot under the supervision of Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak. The name of  villages are Tas, Makhanpur, Barmal Jattan, Akhwana, Manjiri Jattan, Majiri Aryan, Sekhupur Manjiri, Manjiri Rajput, Paharipur, Farwal, Bamiyal, Bhagwal, Datyal, Jainpur, Jhark, Pamman, Kohlian, Anyal, Kilpur, Ghazibarwan, Charoli, Basau Barwan, Adam Barwan, Kansi Barwan and Khudaipur. In the cleanliness drive- streets were cleaned, spraying on stagnant water and fogging was also done. In this way, people were motivated towards cleanliness drive.

Chandigarh/Ludhiana, September 13:

Cabinet Minister for Power Sanjeev Arora today announced a comprehensive “make-over” to upgrade power lines across Punjab. Arora said that during various election meetings this had been the primary demand of the people.

Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has launched a special project to upgrade power lines in 13 major Municipal Corporations, covering 87 PSPCL subdivisions, to improve public safety, reduce outages, and enhance city aesthetics.

Key components of the project

1. Removal of non-electric wires from PSPCL poles: All dish cables, internet fibre and other non-PSPCL wiring will be cleared from PSPCL poles to enhance public safety and enable faster, more accurate visual inspection and fault detection.

2. Raising low-hanging electric wires and cables: Lines will be brought to safe heights to prevent accidents, particularly those involving large vehicles.

3. Replacement of multiple cable joints: Multiple joints will be removed and replaced with continuous new cable to reduce outages, voltage fluctuations and fire hazards.

4. Sealing of open meter boxes: Meter boxes will be securely closed and sealed to protect against weather, tampering and to improve overall public safety.

Scope and rollout

– Municipal Corporations covered: Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Phagwara, Mohali, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Abohar, Batala and Kapurthala.

– Total coverage: 87 PSPCL subdivisions across the 13 Municipal Corporations.

– Pilot project: A pilot project will begin in the City West Ludhiana Subdivision on 25 feeders. PSPCL will supply all required materials; the labour component for the pilot (amounting to approximate ₹1.2 crore) will be outsourced to ensure rapid execution. The pilot project is scheduled for completion within two months. The Pilot project will cover some areas of Ludhiana West and North; MLA West Constituency covers areas including Aarti Chowk, Baba Balak Nath Road, Basant Road, Circuit House, College Road, CP Office, Dandi Swami Road, DC Office, Deewan Hospital Road, Dr. Hira Singh Road, Durga Mata Mandir, Dyal Nagar, Feroz Gandhi Market, Ferozepur Road, Friends Colony, Ghumar Mandi, Gobind Nagar, Green Field, Green Park, Guru Nanak Bhawan, Guru Nanak Stadium, HaibowalChowk, Hero Bakery Chowk, Jagjit Nagar, Jaswant Nagar, Kitchlu Nagar, Kochar Market, Krishna Nagar, Lekhi Road, Loomba Street, Mall Enclave, Mall Road, Malerkotla House, Malwa School Road, Maya Nagar, Mayor House, Maharaj Nagar, Model Gram, National Road, New Courts Complex, New Lajpat Nagar, New Prem Nagar, Nihal Chand Road, Officers Colony, PAU Road, Pakhowal Road, Park Street, Partap Colony, Patel Nagar, Police Lines, Prince Hostel, Rani Jhansi Road, Rajpura Pind, Rakh Bagh, Rose Enclave, Rose Garden, Saggu Chowk, Sangat Road, Sant Isher Nagar, Sant Nagar, Sargodha Colony, Sham Singh Road, Shakti Nagar, Shivdev Marg, Tagore Nagar, Udham Singh Nagar and Vishwamitter Street.

MLA North Constituency encompasses Damoria Bridge, New Kudanpuri, Shahi Mohalla, Guru Nanak Pura, Kudan Puri, Chander Nagar, Deep Nagar, New Deep Nagar, Vivek Nagar, Ram Nagar, Dushera Ground, Upkar Nagar, New Upkar Nagar, Bindraban Road, Women Cell, Satsang Road, Champa Street, United Street, Kailash Chowk, Rajinder Nagar, Akash Puri, Neem Chowk, Jandu Chowk, Park Lane Road, Shiv Mandir Chowk and Prem Nagar.

– Full rollout: Based on lessons learned from the pilot, the programme will be implemented in next phase across all 87 subdivisions, with a target completion date of June 2026.

Expected benefits

– Immediate reduction in accidents caused by low-hanging lines and entanglement with non-electric wiring.

– Faster fault detection and response, leading to fewer and shorter power outages.

– Reduced voltage fluctuations and fire risk through elimination of multiple cable joints.

– Improved protection of metering equipment and reduced tampering, enhancing consumer safety and reliability.

– Cleaner streetscapes and improved urban aesthetics.

Other present during the press conference along with Hon’ble Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora, were DC Himanshu Jain, Director Transmission Inderpal, Chief Engineer PSPCL Jagdev Singh Hans and other senior officials of PSPCL.

Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, September 13 :

Punjab State Legal Services Authority has successfully organized the 3rd National Lok Adalat on 13.09.2025 throughout the State of Punjab under the visionary leadership of  Mr. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Judge, Punjab & Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman of Punjab State Legal Services Authority.

Disclosing this here today Member Secretary Ms Navjot Kaur said that this mega event was organized under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority, with an aim to deliver speedy and amicable resolution of disputes to ensure access to justice for all, in line with article 39-A of constitution of India.

In line with its objective of delivering accessible justice to all, the Lok Adalat saw active participation from both litigants and legal professionals. Various types of cases, including civil, matrimonial, property, motor vehicle accidents, and other related matters, were resolved through conciliation and settlements, reducing the burden on the judiciary and providing relief to the parties involved.

In this Lok Adalat, total 447 Lok Adalat benches were constituted in all the Districts and Sub-divisions in which total 5.18 lac cases were taken up. Out of which, total 4.50 lac cases have been settled.

In this Lok Adalat, thousands of litigants across the State of Punjab got resolved their disputes. Several long pending mattes were amicably settled leading to decongestion of court dockets. The Courts witnessed an overwhelming response from Banking Institutions, Insurance Companies, Government Departments and the General Public. In this National Lok Adalat, the DLSA, Fazilka has settled 12 years old case of cheating and fraud involving payment of Rs.15,50,000/-. Special efforts were put in the Lok Adalat for interest of both the parties and ultimately, amicable settlement has been reached between the parties through this Lok Adalat.

In one of 8-year-old case, District Legal Services Authority, SAS Nagar has decided matter which was preferred by a decree holder namely Sheela claiming the award amount which was passed on 13.01.2017. The matter has been compromised between the parties and amount has been released in favour of the decree holder. Finally, a long pending litigation has come to an end. Apart from this, other districts have also decided the long pending matters in this National Lok Adalat.

On this occasion, Mr. Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Executive Chairman, Punjab State Legal Services Authority praised that despite the recent floods in the State, the Judicial Officers, District Legal Services Authorities and the volunteers across the State of Punjab have put stupendous efforts to make this mega event successful. 

Punjab State Legal Services Authority also expressed its deep gratitude to the Hon’ble High Court of Punjab and Haryana, all District Legal Services Authorities, the judiciary of the State, Bar Members, Police Authorities and Civil Administration for their support and cooperation.

Chandigarh, September 13:

Punjab Education and Information & Public Relations Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains, today urged the Union Government for immediate and substantial support to mitigate the recurring flood devastation in the state, specifically calling for the channelization of the Sarsa and Swan rivers.

In a video message, S. Harjot Singh Bains warmly welcomed Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Information & Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan, who came to visit the flood-ravaged areas of the Rupnagar district today, while demanding a permanent solution of the recurring flood problem by the channelising of the Sarsa and Swan rivers, a critical project to prevent future catastrophes. He sought the Union Minister’s proactive support in securing the necessary approvals and funding from the Central Government for this vital infrastructure.

Mr. Bains urged Punjab’s BJP leaders to ensure the Union Minister witnesses the true scale of destruction firsthand. “I appeal to them to take Dr. Murugan not just to the main sites, but to villages Khera Kalmot, Bellas, and other severely affected areas, where the poor have lost their meagre belongings. Let him see the reality beyond the formal briefings,” he stated in a video message.

S. Bains also criticized the relief measures, declaring the Rs 1600 crore relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “grossly inadequate” against damages amounting to thousands of crores. He highlighted that the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) norms render the compensation a “mockery of the suffering.”

“The compensation of Rs 6,500 for a partially damaged pucca house and Rs 2,500 for destroyed household essentials is an insult. Can a home be rebuilt with this sum? Is this what our nation offers to those who feed it?” S. Bains questioned. He further challenged the Union Minister to accompany him to the fields of Hariwal and Chandpur Bella to ask farmers if the Rs 6,800 per acre compensation even covers the diesel cost required to clear their ruined crops.

Invoking Punjab’s historic contribution to the nation, S. Harjot Singh Bains said, “Punjab has always been at the forefront of safeguarding and feeding the country. We do not seek charity; we seek our rightful due. I request the Union Minister to see the true picture and report the genuine plight of our people with urgency to the Prime Minister.”

Chandigarh, September 13:

With the Special Girdawari across the state for assessing losses caused by the recent floods commencing today, Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian, on Saturday, directed all concerned officials to carry out the exercise in a transparent, time-bound and result-oriented manner so that no affected family is left out from receiving rightful compensation.

S. Hardeep Singh Mundian said this crucial drive has been launched in line with the directions of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, who has assured that every flood victim in Punjab will receive compensation within 45 days. He stressed that the entire exercise must be executed with utmost integrity and accountability, adding that compensation is not a favour but the right of the affected people.

The Revenue Minister made it clear that any negligence or deliberate delay on the part of officials will invite strict disciplinary action. He assured that the entire process will be personally monitored on a daily basis by the state government to ensure fairness and efficiency.

The Cabinet Minister further directed that revenue officials from non-affected areas be deployed in flood-hit villages to ensure timely completion of the assessment.

S. Mundian informed that total 2167 Patwaris have been deputed across the flood-affected areas of the state for conducting the Special Girdawari. The district-wise deployment includes Amritsar (196), Barnala (115), Bathinda (21), Faridkot (15), Fazilka (110), Ferozepur (113), Gurdaspur (343), Hoshiarpur (291), Jalandhar (84), Kapurthala (149), Ludhiana (60), Malerkotla (7), Mansa (95), Moga (29), Pathankot (88), Patiala (141), Rupnagar (92), Sangrur (107), SAS Nagar (15), Sri Muktsar Sahib (25) and Tarn Taran (71).

Teams will move village to village, conduct field inspections and prepare reports on crop damage, house losses and livestock deaths, he added.

“Farmers and residents will also be given an opportunity to raise objections, if any, within a week, so that corrections can be incorporated without delay,” said the Cabinet Minister, while reiterating the Chief Minister’s announcement that Punjab government has finalised the highest-ever compensation in the state’s history. Farmers will receive Rs.20,000 per acre for crop loss, families whose houses have collapsed will be given Rs.1,20,000 and those with partially damaged houses will get Rs.40,000. Likewise, livestock losses will also be compensated as per approved norms, including Rs.37,500 for cows or buffaloes and Rs.4,000 for goats.

He said that as per the latest flood report, the total crop area affected across Punjab is around 1,98,525 hectares, with major losses reported in Gurdaspur (40,169 hectares), Patiala (17,690 hectares), Tarn Taran (12,828 hectares), Fazilka (25,182 hectares), Ferozepur (17,257 hectares), Kapurthala (17,574 hectares), Sangrur (6,560 hectares), Hoshiarpur (8,322 hectares), Amritsar (27,154 hectares), Jalandhar (4,800 hectares), Rupnagar (1,135 hectares), Ludhiana (189 hectares), Bathinda (586.79 hectares), SAS Nagar (2,000 hectares), SBS Nagar (188 hectares), Pathankot (2442 hectares), Mansa (12207.38 hectares) and Moga (2240 hectares).

He said that as per the latest flood report, with one more death reported in district Moga within last 24 hours, the total death toll reached 56 human lives across the state till date.

He further said that the Mann government is committed to deliver cheques in hand to the affected people within 45 days. In villages where the entire crop has been destroyed, the process will be completed in just one month to provide immediate relief. Compensation for houses and livestock loss will start from September 15 and will also be completed within the stipulated timeline.

CHANDIGARH, September 13:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 196th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 383 locations on Saturday leading to the arrest of 99 drug smugglers after registration of 77 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 29,387 in 196 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 2.5 kg heroin, 1.2 kg opium, 5 kg ganja, 65 kg poppy husk, 1108 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 6770 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Over 150 Police teams, comprising over 1200 police personnel, under the supervision of 76 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 418 suspicious persons during the day-long operation.

          The state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 51 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh/ Nangal, September 13

Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains conducted a special tour of flood-affected areas in the Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency on Saturday late evening, vowing to provide full compensation to all affected residents.

The ministers condemned the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) for politicizing the tragedy and called on the Union Government to release outstanding dues to the state.

During the visit, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema met with local residents and assured them that the Punjab Government would compensate for all damages to homes, livestock, and crops. “We will ensure that every loss is compensated,” said Cheema while adding, “The Punjab Chief Minister is serious about this issue, and the state government is fully committed to providing relief.”

Finance Minister Cheema also criticized the BJP, accusing them of doing politics on dead bodies during a difficult time. He challenged the Union Government to make its figures public regarding the 12000 crore of SDRF, while adding that the Punjab government has already released its own data.

Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who has been actively involved in relief efforts for several weeks, detailed the ongoing work. He highlighted the damage to roads, bridges, and temporary embankments, explaining that the government is focused on temporary repairs while planning for long-term reconstruction.

“We are committed to providing all possible help for the repair and construction of bridges, roads, and embankments,” said Bains while adding that the Punjab Government is also providing essential relief materials, including furniture and medical services, to affected families.

The ministers inspected several severely damaged areas, including Singhpur Plasi, Shiv Singh Bela, Harsa Bela, Bibhor Sahib, Pinghwari-Khingri, and the Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Nangal. They traveled by tractor-trolley to reach some of the most remote villages, where they met with local residents and offered their full support.

Finance Minister Cheema also pointed out that the Union Government owes Punjab approximately Rs. 60,000 crore in GST and RDF arrears. He urged the Union Government to release this amount, along with an additional Rs. 20,000 crore in interim relief, adding that the meagre amount provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not be enough to heal the state’s wounds.

Both ministers emphasized the need to channelize rivers in the region to prevent future flooding.

The Ministers said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has ordered a special survey of damaged crops, and officials are already on the ground to assess the full extent of the damage. They further added that the medical and veterinary teams are also working in the affected villages to provide health services, and the government has committed to covering the treatment costs for patients with serious illnesses.

Chandigarh, September 12:

In a noteworthy gesture of compassion, Punjab Revenue Officers Association handed over a cheque of Rs.10 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for providing assistance to the flood-affected families in the state.

The contribution was presented to Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian at his office here at Punjab Civil Secretariat by the office-bearers Tehsildar Sukcharan Singh Channi, Tehsildar Harminder Singh Gholia, Naib Tehsildar Harjot Singh, Naib Tehsildar Pawan Kumar on behalf of their association.

Lauding their humanitarian initiative, the Revenue Minister said that the Association has set an inspiring example of social responsibility by extending a helping hand to those in distress. He said that such collective contributions will ensure crucial relief and rehabilitation measures for the affected people of Punjab.

Prominent amongst others who were present included Punjab State Small Scale Industries Chairman Sh. Neel Garg and S. Balwinder Singh, Private Secretary to the Revenue Minister.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur today strongly advocated major reforms during the consultative process for the Viksit Bharat 2047 Roadmap. She said these recommendations reflect the progressive vision and strong commitment of the Punjab Government towards social justice and inclusive development.

Commending the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Dr. Baljit Kaur said the State Government is setting new benchmarks for the country in education, social justice and child welfare. She added that Punjab’s recommendations will help shape nationwide reforms for a better and more equitable future.

Expressing gratitude to Union Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment & Minorities Dr. Barinder Kumar and ministers from other states for allowing Punjab to present its views, Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that the concept of ‘One Nation, One Scholarship’ must be strengthened through a pan-India online portal to ensure students do not face delays in verification while seeking admissions in other states.

She further recommended increasing awareness about Post-Matric Scholarship schemes and adopting a uniform income criterion to ensure no deserving child is deprived of education. Specifically, she urged the Centre to raise the income ceiling for SC Post-Matric Scholarships from the current ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh, enabling more students to benefit.

Highlighting the need to revamp and upgrade the Adarsh Gram Yojana, Dr. Baljit Kaur proposed increasing the allocation under the scheme from ₹20 lakh to ₹1 crore per village to ensure comprehensive and impactful development of model villages, particularly benefitting Punjab’s large Scheduled Caste population.

Raising concern over honour killings, the Minister urged the Government of India to enact a stringent national law to curb discrimination and violence against inter-caste marriages. She also demanded an increase in the financial assistance provided under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, raising compensation for cases of murder and rape from ₹8.5 lakh to a higher amount and enhancing relief under other categories as well.

Dr. Baljit Kaur called for promoting modern livelihood projects such as nursing and elderly care training instead of conventional tailoring and beauty courses, to create sustainable employment opportunities for youth.

Sharing Punjab’s remarkable achievement in eradicating child begging, Dr. Baljit Kaur said over 700 children have been rescued under various Acts and Supreme Court guidelines, with DNA tests conducted to identify exploiters, and the rescued children rehabilitated into schools. “Today, you will not find a child begging on the streets of Punjab – this model must be replicated across all states,” she asserted.

Dr. Baljit Kaur also urged that hostels for SC/BC students should not carry caste-based labels, as this could lead to discrimination. Instead, a neutral environment must be created for students’ holistic development. She further recommended that the successful Punjab model for eradicating child begging be adopted nationally.

“Through these suggestions, Punjab has once again demonstrated its resolve to lead the nation in social justice, education, and child welfare,” Dr. Baljit Kaur concluded.