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.

Chandigarh, September 12:

In a significant development for Punjab’s agricultural sector, Mr. Baljinder Singh Dhillon today assumed the office as Chairman of Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation Ltd. in the presence of Mr. Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister and President of Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab.

Extending best wishes to Mr. Dhillon on taking over the office as chairman, Mr. Aman Arora expressed confidence that the Corporation under the leadership of Mr. Dhillon, will become a powerful engine for economic growth, creating new opportunities for youth and further strengthening the agriculture sector, the backbone of the Punjab. He exhorted  the Chairman to work zealously in achieving Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s vision for ‘Rangla Punjab’.

While expressing gratitude towards CM Mann and AAP National Convener Sh. Arvind Kejriwal, Mr. Baljinder Singh Dhillon outlined a visionary roadmap focused on farmer prosperity, sustainable practices and establishing Punjab as a leader in food processing sector across the country. He further said that their primary focus is to serve the “Annadaata” by bridging the gap between farm and fork, ensuring better remuneration for the state farmers through crop diversification, cutting-edge technology adoption and creating robust infrastructure for food processing.

MLA Samana Mr. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, MLA Patiala Mr. Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, MLA Shutrana Mr. Kulwant Singh Bazigar, Chairman Punjab Water Supply & Sewerage Board Dr. Sunny Singh Ahluwalia, Chairman Punjab State Farmers’ and Farm Workers’ Commission Dr. Sukhpal Singh and other senior govt officials were also present on the occasion.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Exhorting the officers and employees of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department to burn midnight oil in view of the upcoming Paddy procurement season, the Minister Incharge Lal Chand Kataruchak averred that considering the flood situation in the State, attention must be paid to ensure adequate medical facilities in the mandis falling in the flood ravaged areas.

The Minister was apprised during a review meeting at Anaj Bhawan with top brass of the department and video conferencing with the DFSCs that arrangements are being made for the procurement of 190 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) of Paddy while the target fixed by the Department of Food Production and Distribution, Government of India is 173.13 LMT.

The number of rice mills in the State stands at 5049 while the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has fixed at Rs. 2389 Per Quintal.

Furthermore, as part of its strenuous efforts to ensure ample storage space for storing of rice, the State Government is regularly taking up the issue with the FCI/Government of India for movement of atleast 10 LMT of wheat per month for the next 3 months. Also the Custom Milling Policy 2025 – 26 has been notified on September 8th, 2025 and the process of allotment of rice mills & linking of rice mills with mandis is underway.

It was also brought to the notice of the Minister that the Punjab Mandi Board has notified 1823 regular purchase centers for procuring of paddy in this season.

As far as the Cash Credit Limit (CCL) is concerned, the CCL to the tune of Rs. 49, 987 Crore is required. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted authorization of Rs. 15,018 crore for the month of September 2025. The balance limit would be granted in the last week of September.

Besides, the e-KYC of 1.30 Crore beneficiaries of free ration scheme has been completed. As regards the Gunny Bales, as many as 4.21 Lakh bales have been received by Punjab while 39000 are in transit from Kolkata. Apart from this, 60000 gunny bales from previous seasons are also available. Further, supply of 47500 Tarpaulins is also in the pipeline.

Among others present on the occasion included the Director Barinder Kumar Sharma, Additional Secretary PUNGRAIN Kamal Kumar Garg, Additional Director Dr. Anjuman Bhaskar & Ajayveer Singh Sarao and GM (Finance) Sarvesh Sharma.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is all set to procure every single grain of paddy from the mandis, stated Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Harchand Singh Barsat, while reviewing the arrangements made to ensure smooth and efficient procurement operations for the upcoming Kharif season commencing from September 16, 2025.

S. Barsat, along with Secretary Mandi Board Mr. Ramvir, held a high-level meeting with District Mandi Officers to review the preparedness of the Board.

Complying with the directions of Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, the Mandi Board Chairman directed officials to ensure all 1,822 mandis and procurement centres should be well-maintained and equipped to handle the paddy crop to ensure seamless experience for farmers, Arhtiyas, labourers and traders.

He asked the officials to ensure comprehensive arrangements including cleanliness, uninterrupted electricity supply, drinking water facilities, restroom access and shaded seating areas.

He also directed the officials to ensure adequate shaded areas and seating arrangements for laborers working in mandis, ensuring their comfort and well-being during the procurement process.

He instructed the District Mandi Officers and head office officials to personally visit mandis, conduct ground-level assessments and maintain continuous monitoring during the procurement season to address any issue and concerns immediately.

The Chairman also emphasised on creating a supportive and conducive environment for farmers to ensuring that they can sell their produce without any difficulty.

Box

Chairman launches jersey of Punjab Mandi Board Cricket team

Meanwhile, Punjab Mandi Board Chairman also launched the Board’s cricket team’s jersey for the second annual Employees Cricket League, organised by the Punjab Civil Secretariat Club. He also encouraged the Punjab Mandi Board cricket team, which previously stood runner-up in the All India State Agricultural Marketing Boards T-20 Cricket Tournament. The team presented the runner-up trophy to S. Barsat and Secretary Mr. Ramvir.

Chandigarh, September 12:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday said that the state government will ensure compensation to all the flood victims across the state within 45 days.

Chairing a high level meeting here at his official residence, the Chief Minister said that a few days ago, he had announced that his government will give the highest compensation in the country — ₹20,000 per acre — to farmers for crop damage. He said that as a matter of fact this is the highest compensation in the history of Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that under previous governments, it used to take years to actually receive the compensation and the people already distressed by crop loss, had to run around government offices for compensation.

However, the Chief Minister underlined that it is extremely important that compensation reaches everyone as quickly as possible adding that being a son of farmer he understands the agony of the food growers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that until every single farmer receives their compensation for the crop damage, he will not sleep peacefully.  Discussing the complete plan, he ordered that that special “Girdawari” (crop damage assessment) should start from tomorrow, (September 13) and the entire process will be completed within 45 days.

The Chief Minister said that, henceforth, the farmers will start receiving their compensation cheques in hand adding that officers from non-flooded areas will be deployed in flood-affected villages so that the assessment work can be completed quickly. He said that Officers will go village to village, inspect all fields, prepare their reports matter and no matter what the crop is — if there is damage, compensation will be given. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that after the report is made, farmers will be given one week to raise any objections, so that any error in the report can be rectified.

The Chief Minister said that the entire process will be completed within 45 days, and compensation cheques will be distributed to the farmers. He said that in the villages where the entire crop has been destroyed, this process will be completed in just one month, and cheques will be given earlier. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as compared to times when it used to take a whole year to disburse the compensation, it will now be completed in a month or a month and a half as an honest government is serving the people.

Similarly, the Chief Minister said that those houses which have been damaged will also be given compensated by the government. He said that those people whose entire house has collapsed will receive ₹1,20,000, and those with partial damage will get ₹40,000. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Earlier governments used to give only ₹6,800 for partial house damage, but now this amount has been increased to ₹40,000.

Similarly, the Chief Minister said that those people whose livestock were swept away or died in the floods will also be compensated. Citing the example, he said that if someone has lost a cow or buffalo, the government will give ₹37,500, if a goat died in the flood, ₹4,000 will be given and all other animals will also be compensated as per rules including bulls, horses, poultry, fisheries and others. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that compensation for house or livestock loss should start from September 15 and must also be completed within 45 days.

The Chief Minister said that the Officers should go village to village, assess damages, and prepare their reports adding that if anyone has an objection to the report, they will have one week to get it corrected. Overall, he said that the entire process will be completed within 45 days, and people will receive their compensation cheques in hand. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that This entire process will be monitored daily by him personally and if any officer is found doing anything wrong or not working as per the timeline, strict action will be taken.

The Chief Minister said that Some families have lost their loved ones in this flood adding that though we can’t bring them back, the government is trying its best to ensure no delay in compensation. So far, he said that 55 deaths have been confirmed, out of which cheques have been issued to 42 families adding that in this hour of crisis the state government stands with people. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh Mann also enquired about ground realities and  water inflow adding he asked the officials to daily monitor to plugging of the breaches.

The Chief Minister also enquired from the Deputy Commissioners, who joined the meeting virtually,  about the ground realities after the devastating floods, which were witnessed for first time in last four decades. He also directed them to clear the Mandis in their respective districts for procurement till September 16 for facilitating the farmers.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government will take up the issue of relaxing the norms to cover the house loss immediately with the Government of India. He also asked the officers to organise Medical Camps in every villages and conduct fogging too adding that private doctors should also be roped in for the philanthropic cause of serving the masses. Bhagwant Singh Mann also asked the health department to take water samples from flood affected areas so that supply of potable drinking water can be ensured in them.

The Chief Minister said that the state government will flag issue with GOI to declare Punjab as Severe Natural Disaster affected state so that the state will receive extra funds to cover the loss. He said that Electricity Supply has been restored and work on repair of Roads and other Infrastructure projects is going on. Meanwhile, Bhagwant Singh Mann asked them to work in a missionary mode to give a healing touch to the flood victims and the farmers.

Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha and Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Verma were also present during the meeting.

Chandigarh, September 12:

The Election Commission of India (ECI) organised a one-day Workshop for Media and Communication officers of the offices of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all 36 States and Union Territories at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today.

51 Media Nodal Officers (MNOs) and Social Media Nodal Officers (SMNOS) participated in the programme. Punajb Additional CEO Harish Nayar attended the workshop.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, addressed the participants in the inaugural session.

It was emphasised that in light of the growing threat of misinformation, it is imperative to clearly communicate that elections in India are conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution and to keep countering misleading information with facts.

Sessions were held to strengthen the communication ecosystem of CEO offices to disseminate timely factual information with the media and other stakeholders.

The Workshop had dedicated sessions on the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls from the perspective of media and social media. An expert session on the various tools, techniques and strategies to counter misinformation was also organised.

The Workshop marked the third such interaction. Orientation programmes were earlier held for the Media and Communication officers of the CEO offices at IIIDEM on April 9, 2025, and June 5, 2025, in New Delhi.

Chandigarh, September 12

In a unified and compassionate response to the recent floods, the Punjab government has mobilised a multi-ministerial effort to deliver swift relief, restore essential services, and ensure the welfare of affected citizens. On Friday, the Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, Education and Information & Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains, and Transport and Jails Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar led from the front by deploying mobile medical units, reinforcing critical infrastructure, and distributing financial aid and essential supplies across the hardest-hit regions.

DR. BALBIR SINGH FLAGGS OFF 15 NEW AMBULANCES FOR AJNALA

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh today flagged off 15 new ambulances from Government Medical College, Amritsar, to provide crucial, uninterrupted health services in the flood-affected areas of Ajnala. This deployment brings the total number of mobile medical units to 38. These units are staffed with dedicated teams conducting health check-ups and distributing free medicines to those in need.

Dr. Singh also visited eight-year-old Abhijot Singh, a kidney disease patient, at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, presenting his family with a cheque for Rs. 50,000. The Minister assured the family that the state government would cover all of Abhijot’s treatment costs and provide compensation for their flood-related losses. Later, Dr. Singh visited the village of Kot Gurbaksh in Ajnala and distributed cheques of Rs 50,000 to flood-affected families. He urged the public to dial helpline number 104 for immediate medical assistance.

HARJOT SINGH BAINS ANNOUNCES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BRIDGE WORTH RS. 1.40 CR AND EXTENSION OF CONCRETE RETAINING WALL AT BIBHOR SAHIB

Meanwhile, Education, and Information and Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains has spearheaded efforts to restore and strengthen vital infrastructure in his constituency. In a proactive measure to prevent future damage, Minister Bains ordered the extension of the concrete retaining wall at Bibhor Sahib by an additional 400 feet to mitigate the risk of debris falling from the hill and protect the foundations of nearby homes.

Minister Bains said that he is actively visiting villages throughout his constituency, adding that the entire road network has been reconnected, traffic routes are operating normally, and electricity and water supply lines have been fully restored. He also addressed a significant issue in Pighbari village, where a large ravine had blocked the path to residents’ homes. He pledged to strengthen the existing road and construct a new bridge at a cost of Rs. 1.40 crore to ensure a smooth flow of traffic for all residents.

LALJIT SINGH BHULLAR DISTRIBUTES ESSENTIAL RELIEF MATERIALS IN PATTI CONSTITUENCY

Transport and Jails Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar today distributed essential relief materials to flood-affected families in various villages along the Sutlej river in the Patti assembly constituency. The aid included ration, tarpaulins, household and kitchen items, as well as feed and chokers for animals. On this occasion, he also personally provided financial assistance to needy families. Minister Bhullar stated that the Chief Minister of Punjab has instructed all officers to begin a special girdawari from September 13 to assess damages. This process is to be completed within 45 days, after which compensation cheques will be handed over to farmers.