CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, July 29:

          In a major intelligence-led operation amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of one of its operatives working under the directions of a Pakistan-based smuggler, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

          The arrested person has been identified as Bharatpreet Singh, a resident of village Marhi Megha in Tarn Taran. Police teams have recovered five sophisticated pistols —  two 9 MM, two .30 bore and one .32 bore— from his possession, besides, impounding his Splendor motorcycle being used for transporting the consignments.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested accused person along with his two other associates was acting upon the directions of Pakistan-based smuggler, who has been using drones to drop weapon consignments from across the border. The arrested accused was further supplying the arms to criminals and gangsters in Punjab with the intention to fuel criminal activities in the state, he said.

          Sharing operation details, the DGP said that teams of CI Amritsar received specific intelligence about retrieval of weapons consignments from Indo-Pak border area falling near village Daliri in Tarn Taran. Acting swiftly, police teams have intercepted suspect Bharatpreet Singh from village Ibban-village Mulechak road in Amritsar, when he was going to deliver the consignment to some party, and recovered illegal weapons from his possession, he added.

          Further investigations are underway to uncover the network’s backward and forward linkages.

          A case FIR No. 41 dated 28-07-2025 has been registered under sections 25, 25(1)(A) and 25(1)(B) of the Arms Act and section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station State Special Operation Cell, Amritsar.

Chandigarh, July 29:

Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Sardar Jasvir Singh Garhi returned home today after his 27-day visit to New Zealand. Sardar Garhi will hear public grievances at the Punjab Civil Secretariat, Sector 1, Chandigarh, on July 30, 2025.

During his New Zealand tour, Jasvir Singh Garhi visited several regions across the country.

He met members of the Punjabi community living in Auckland and Hamilton, and also held meetings with National Party Member of Parliament Cameron Brown and Senior Opposition Member of Parliament Phil Tifford, where he shared the issues faced by the Punjabi community.

Chandigarh, July 29

In a significant decision aimed at enhancing the healthcare and education sectors in Punjab, Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Tuesday that the Finance Department (FD) has officially approved the proposal from the Medical Education and Research Department to increase the retirement age for doctors and dental faculty governed by the Punjab Dental Education (Group-A) Service Rules, 2016, from 62 to 65 years.

Revealing this in a press communiqué issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema elaborated that this crucial approval would extend the retirement age of the Dental Teaching Faculty to 65 years, mirroring the policy already in place for the Medical Teaching Faculty at the Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals in Amritsar and Patiala. He emphasized that this decision was made to leverage the expertise and experience of this highly skilled faculty for a longer duration, thereby enhancing the overall performance and quality within the Medical Education and Research Department.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that this decision would extend the service period of 113 professionals, including 112 dental teaching faculty members and a Joint Director, thereby leveraging the expertise and experience of these medical faculty to further enhance the performance of the Medical Education and Research Department. “By retaining the services of this seasoned faculty, the Punjab government aims to harness their knowledge and skills to continually improve the dental healthcare system in the state, ultimately benefiting the students and patients who rely on these institutions,” he added.

Highlighting the state government’s commitment, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema affirmed that the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government remains steadfast in its dedication to delivering superior education and health services to the residents of Punjab. He said that this measure also underscored the government’s proactive approach to strengthening the healthcare infrastructure and ensuring a continued high standard of medical and dental education.

Chandigarh, July 29-

In a significant move to honour the legacy of Shaheed Udham Singh Ji and fulfil the long-standing demand of the Kamboj community, the Punjab Government has declared a gazetted holiday on July 31st to commemorate the martyrdom day of the legendary freedom fighter, stated Mr. Aman Arora, AAP State President and Cabinet Minister, Punjab.

While addressing the press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, on Tuesday, Mr. Aman Arora informed that the state government has also decided to name the Bhawanigarh-Sunam-Bhikhi-Kotshamir road as “Shaheed Udham Singh Marg”. The Punjab Government would organise a state-level function at Sunam, the birthplace of Shaheed Udham Singh, to commemorate the martyrdom day of the legendary Indian revolutionary freedom fighter. AAP National Convener Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann will officially name the road after Shaheed Udham Singh on July 31st during the function.

He also expressed his gratitude towards Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for honouring the legacy of Shaheed Udham Singh Ji, a great freedom fighter who avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in London. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Aman Arora also urged the Central Government to name the Patiala-Bhawanigarh road after Shaheed Udham Singh Ji. He further informed that this matter is also being taken up with Union Govt by CM Mann to pay fitting tribute to the great revolutionary.

Jalalabad MLA  Mr. Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy and Punjab State BC Commission Chairman Dr. Malkiat Singh Thind also expressed their sincere gratitude to Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for meeting the Kamboj community’s long-standing demands. They lauded Aman Arora’s relentless efforts in ensuring the fulfilment of these demands, honouring the martyrs’ sacrifices and bringing pride to Punjab and India.

CHANDIGARH, July 29:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 150th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 347 locations on Tuesday leading to the arrest of 72 drug smugglers after registration of 53 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 23,822 in 150 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 3.4 kg heroin from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          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.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 180 Police teams, comprising over 1100 police personnel, under the supervision of 74 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 362 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

          The Special DGP said that with 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 61 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, July 29:

Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government has completed the cleaning of the state’s drainage systems and strengthened embankments to tackle any kind of flood-like situation, stated Punjab Water Resources Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal while addressing media persons here at Punjab Bhawan today.

After reviewing the arrangements made by the Water Resources Department to deal with any potential floods during the high level meeting, Sh. Goyal informed the journalists that the state government has completed 1220 projects worth Rs.276 crore to tackle potential flood situations. These projects include river revetment work, installation of studs, strengthening operations and desilting/cleaning of drains. He said that additionally, 600 check dams have been constructed with 1104 and more check dams under construction. Besides this, 3905 soak pits are being created, over 53,400 bamboo saplings have been planted and 226 kilometers of vetiver grass has been cultivated.

The Cabinet Minister informed that out of the 850 drains, 601 drains required cleaning this year, which has been completed. He said that so far, 4766 kilometers of drains have been cleaned.

Sh. Goyal said that the department has completed drain desilting/cleaning work using departmental machinery, resulting in 65% cost savings compared to contractor work. He mentioned that the department currently possesses 15 machines, with 3 additional machines soon to be added to the departmental fleet.

The Water Resources Minister stated that departmental machinery is currently conducting desilting/cleaning operations at 110 locations across Sri Muktsar Sahib, Faridkot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ropar and Sri Anandpur Sahib.

He said that locations where embankments had breached during previous years have been specially reinforced and sand bags have been strategically placed at 94 vulnerable locations across the state as a precautionary measure.

He informed that Water Resources Department officials have been instructed to maintain continuous monitoring in their respective areas and submit daily reports to headquarters while ensuring they do not leave their headquarters.

The Water Resources Minister also directed officials of Local Government and Rural Development Departments and Deputy Commissioners to ensure cleaning of drains and channels passing through their jurisdictions and maintain continuous surveillance.

He informed that the department has implemented several strategic measures to handle emergency situations, including the procurement of 8.76 lakh sand bags strategically positioned at vulnerable locations. Of these, 3.24 lakh bags have been filled and kept ready. He stated that for rapid response during emergencies, the locations of sand bags have been uploaded onto the Geographic Information System (GIS). He mentioned that for the first time, the department has purchased 10,300 jumbo bags to enable quick breach filling.

Providing information about water levels in dams, the Cabinet Minister said that all major dams are within safe limits with no cause for concern. He said that Bhakra Dam currently stands at 1618.38 feet, which corresponds to the average requirement of the past 20 years. He explained that the Bhakra Dam, with a maximum capacity of 1680 feet, is currently 47 feet below the 2023 flood level. Similarly, Pong Dam, with a maximum capacity of 1390 feet, stands at 1346.15 feet, which is 30.78 feet lower than the 2023 flood level. He stated that Ranjit Sagar Dam, with a maximum capacity of 1731.55 feet, currently stands at 1664.72 feet, which is 5.49 feet below the 20-year average and 54 feet below the 2023 flood year level.

The Cabinet Minister stressed that controlled water levels will significantly benefit irrigation as more agricultural areas are being brought under canal irrigation systems.

Chandigarh, July 29:

With the firm resolve that no child in Punjab should live on the streets, beg for survival, or suffer exploitation, the Punjab Government under Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann has rescued a total of 208 children from begging under the ongoing campaign Project JEEVANJYOT-2.

In the latest statewide action involving 20 special checks and raids, 5 more children were rescued and provided relief.

Sharing this information, Dr. Baljit Kaur, Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development, stated that “JEEVANJYOT aims to lift children from the streets into the system of education and protection.”

Dr. Kaur informed that today, special operations were conducted in Barnala, Bathinda, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Hoshiarpur, and Jalandhar. Additional checks were carried out in Kapurthala, Mansa, Malerkotla, Moga, Patiala, Rupnagar, Sangrur, SAS Nagar, SBS Nagar, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Tarn Taran.

One child each was rescued from Fatehgarh Sahib, Patiala, Rupnagar, Sangrur, and Sri Muktsar Sahib.

The Minister further informed that in 3 cases, after counseling and documentation verification, the children were reunited with their parents under strict warning that such exploitation must not happen again. Two other children have been safely placed in child care institutions.

Dr. Kaur reiterated that any parent found repeating such behaviour would face strict legal action.

No case requiring DNA testing was reported in today’s rescue operations. She praised the prompt and sensitive action of the district Child Protection Teams and District Child Welfare Committees.

Dr. Baljit Kaur made an earnest appeal to the public to actively support the government’s efforts to build a child begging-free and ‘Rangla Punjab’.

“If you see a child begging anywhere, immediately inform Child Helpline 1098 or the local administration,” she urged.

Chandigarh, July 29:

Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is consistently working for the welfare of ex-servicemen and their families. Taking a step forward in this direction, Defence Services Welfare Minister Mohinder Bhagat has directed officiers to accelerate the construction work of war memorials across the state.

Presiding over a review meeting with senior officers of Defence Services Welfare Department at Punjab Civil Secretariat, Mohinder Bhagat said that the Punjab Government is committed to improving the living standard of ex-servicemen and their dependents. He emphasized that all welfare schemes being run for the benefit of ex-servicemen and their families must be implemented effectively.

During the meeting, Director of the Department, Brig. Bhupinder Singh Dhillon (Retd.), presented a comprehensive report on the department’s activities over the last three months. He briefed the Minister about various ongoing schemes related to financial assistance, educational benefits, medical aid and infrastructure development for ex-servicemen.

Bhagat instructed the officers to prioritize all matters related to ex-servicemen. He also directed to ensure wide publicity and awareness campaigns about government schemes so that all eligible beneficiaries can avail the full benefits.

The Minister further directed that renovation and maintenance work of Sainik Rest Houses across the state be completed on time. He assured that there would be no shortage of funds for development works and warned that any negligence on the part of officials would be strictly handled.

Chandigarh /New Delhi, July 29,

Punjab’s education minister S.Harjot Singh Bains, voiced strong dissent, stating that the centre government is overstepping its bounds and encroaching on states’ rights through new education policy.

Punjab Education Minister S. Bains was here to attend the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam organised by Union Ministry of Education at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was the chief guest of this national level event. The Punjab Education Minister stated that as education being a concurrent subject between the Centre and the states, the Central Government is overpowering its authority through its new education policy.

The Minister highlighted that despite Punjabi being one of the 22 scheduled languages under the Constitution and being widely spoken and studied in several states other than Punjab, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had initially included it as an optional subject alongside languages like Thai, German and Mandarin. He said that it was only after Punjab government registered strong protests that Punjabi was included as a main subject. He said that the center had claimed that the NEP would promote the regional languages but contrary to these claims the center placed the regional languages under the category of optional subjects which is undermining the status of regional languages.

The Minister said that Punjab government has already announced to frame its own education policy and it will be formed soon. He further said that the state will not tolerate any steps of the centre  that undermine Punjab, Punjabbiyat and punjabi language under the guise of the NEP. He stated that Punjab has already announced its new education policy and is working sincerely towards the holistic development of education in the state.

The Minister highlighted that students from government schools in Punjab are excelling at the national level in various fields of education and competitive exams, bringing pride to the state.

S. Bains said that during this event, there was no discussion on the tragic accident that occurred due to the collapse of a school building in Rajasthan and even a two-minute silence was not observed on the death of innocent children, which is very unfortunate. He said that in this conference, important issues like issues related to mid-day meal and increasing the salaries of workers, no increase in the funds for school uniform for a very long time were not discussed, whereas in Punjab, different school uniforms are required for summer and winter. He said that in this conference, new methods of education, block chain, artificial intelligence (AI), digital learning and other issues were not even touched.

Mahima Singh Wala (Ludhiana), July 29:

While announcing the revival of traditional rural sports in Punjab that were fading due to legal restrictions, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stated today that the state government will remove all legal hurdles to promote and preserve the state’s glorious sports heritage.

Addressing the gathering in a function organised by Sports lovers to felicitate  a massive gathering of traditional sports lovers, the Chief Minister said that bullock cart races are not just a source of entertainment but represent the glorious cultural heritage of rural Punjab. He said such races have been held in Punjab since ancient times and served as a living connection to our traditions and cultural identity. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru, also practiced farming with bullocks during his time in Kartarpur Sahib.

The Chief Minister said that the ban on bullock cart races not only disheartened lovers of traditional sports, but also dealt a blow to our heritage. He further added that there had been growing demand from Punjabis to bring a new law so that these traditional games can be revived. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that on July 11, 2025, the historic ‘Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2025’ was passed unanimously in the Punjab Assembly.

The Chief Minister  envisioned that  this law will not only help in preserving indigenous animal breeds in Punjab but also pave the way for resuming bullock cart races. He said that the law now awaits the consent of the President of India, after which the races can be officially conducted again. Speaking about the new legislation, Bhagwant Singh Mann explained that its primary objective is to ensure safety measures for animals participating in sports, including veterinary supervision, safety standards, registration and documentation, and penalties for violations—so that no cruelty is inflicted upon voiceless animals.

The CM also announced that the government will explore possibilities of reviving pigeon flying competitions as well. Referring to the sports festival held at Kila Raipur village, he said that the games which began in 1933 are popularly known as “Mini Olympics” or “Rural Olympics”. Bhagwant Singh Mann said these games have received international recognition, having been covered by BBC, Discovery Channel, and others adding that even Presidents of India have attended these games in the past.

Thanking the public for their overwhelming support in the government’s war against drugs, the Chief Minister emphasized that drug abuse is not limited to one house or district, but affects the entire state. He said many young people in Punjab have fallen prey to drugs adding those who laid the pyres  of youth  are the real enemies of society and they will not be spared at any cost. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that those affluent leaders who were behind the genocide of youth have already been put behind the bars adding that the campaign to demolish the houses of drug smugglers with bulldozers will continue in coming days too.

The Chief Minister questioned Captain Amarinder Singh for showing concern over the human rights of the kingpin of the entire drug trade currently lodged in Nabha jail, asking why such concern was never shown for the people of Punjab. He implied that this has exposed the real face of these leaders who have spread and patronised drug trade across the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Captain’s nephew started drug trade in Akali regime when he was Minister and it bloomed with the former Congress leader, now in BJP became the Chief Minister.

Talking about irrigation, the Chief Minister shared that when he assumed office, only 21% of agricultural land across state was irrigated using canal water, but today that figure has increased to 63%. He said that due to the government’s effective efforts, for the first time in history, canal and river water is reaching the tail-end villages of the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab government is duty bound to save the water of the state and no stone is being left unturned for it.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that uninterrupted electricity is being provided for paddy cultivation, and for the first time, due to surplus water availability, farmers are switching off their tube wells. He  stated that Punjab Government has made history by purchasing the privately-owned Govindwal Power Plant adding that this is the first time a government has bought a private power plant, reversing the past trend where governments sold public assets to their cronies at throwaway prices. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as per its duty, the state government has renamed the plant after the third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das Ji.

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and Hardeep Singh Mundian and other dignitaries.