Chandigarh, August 27:

The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has summoned the Director Social Justice and Empowerment , taking suo moto notice of the news regarding Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Careers and Courses, Mohali.

Giving information in this regard, the Chairman of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission said that it has come to his notice through the newspaper that the Punjab Government’s Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Careers and Courses, Mohali located in Mohali is in a dilapidated  position, for which the Commission has taken suo moto notice and has asked the Director Social Justice and Empowerment to appear in person on September 2, 2025.

CHANDIGARH, August 27:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 179th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 333 locations on Wednesday leading to the arrest of 99 drug smugglers after registration of 68 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 27,409 in 179 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 985 grams heroin, 21 kg poppy husk, 1625 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 9850 drug money 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 100 Police teams, comprising over 900 police personnel, under the supervision of 64 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 364 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 54 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, August 26, 2025: In a significant move, the Haryana Human Rights
Commission has taken a stern stance against arbitrary rejections and delays in the Deen
Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana (Dayalu) caused by clerical
errors.
While adjudicating Complaint No. 519/8/2025, the Commission observed that a claim under
the scheme was rejected solely because of a mismatch in the deceased’s age recorded in the
death certificate and the Family ID. The Commission ruled that such rejections are arbitrary
and defeat the very purpose of the welfare scheme.
The complainant had stated that the variation in age was a minor clerical mistake that had
since been corrected. Despite submitting a revised death certificate, authorities failed to
reopen and reconsider the claim.
The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana is designed to provide
financial assistance to families of deceased earning members from economically weaker
sections, as per the verified Family ID. Denying benefits even after correction of official
records, the Commission said, undermines the scheme’s objective and reflects administrative
apathy.
Justice Lalit Batra, Chairperson of the Commission, observed in his order:
“Denying any eligible person the benefits of welfare schemes due to clerical errors amounts
to a violation of basic human dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. As an organ of the
State, authorities are duty-bound to ensure timely delivery of welfare benefits, particularly to
the economically weaker sections.”
The Commission directed that the Chief Executive Officer of the Haryana Family Security
Trust, the Deputy Commissioner of Jind, and the Administrative Officer of the Trust submit
detailed reports explaining why the case was not reopened despite submission of corrected
documents. The reports were also required to outline the provisions for review and measures
to prevent such lapses in future.
Subsequently, reports received from the authorities confirmed that the complainant’s claim
has now been reopened, revised documents uploaded, and the case is under process.
However, Justice Batra expressed concern that earlier rejection letters merely cited
discrepancies without guiding the applicant on corrective measures. He emphasized the need
for reasoned (speaking) orders that clearly state the grounds for rejection and provide the
applicant with options for rectification.

Dr. Puneet Arora, Protocol, Information & Public Relations Officer, informed that The
Commission strongly recommended the following systemic reforms:
 Reopen claims upon submission of corrected documents without subjecting applicants
to a fresh process.
 Establish a clear correction mechanism, allowing applicants to reactivate claims
through a simple application and revised documents.
 Set up district-level grievance redressal cells comprising representatives from the
Social Welfare Department and the Birth & Death Registrar.
 Ensure that grievance cells record complaints, provide guidance, and deliver time-
bound solutions.
 Launch public awareness campaigns and display scheme-related information at key
public locations.
Justice Batra concluded: “Clerical errors cannot become a ground to deprive eligible
beneficiaries of welfare rights. Transparency and reasoned orders are the backbone of
welfare governance.”

Chandigarh, August 24 – Under the Haryana Uday Programme, a Youth Marathon was organized on Sunday in Dabwali, Sirsa. Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini flagged off the marathon. A large number of residents from the area, especially the youth, participated enthusiastically in the marathon. The Chief Minister himself also ran during the marathon to encourage the youth.

The programme began early morning at 5 AM with a half marathon. Later, 10 km and 5 km marathons were held, where the excitement of the youth was clearly visible.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister said that drugs are a deep-rooted evil which not only weakens the very foundation of society but also destroy our future. Therefore, to root out drugs, the Central and Haryana governments have made the anti-drug campaign a public movement. Just as Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi launched the ambitious Fit India Movement, Haryana has also launched unique initiatives like Raahgiri, Cyclothon, Marathon and Dhakad to strike hard against the drug problem.

He said Haryana Uday is the biggest outreach programme so far. To strengthen the mental and physical health of youth, 2,482 programmes have already been organized across the state, with participation of over 16.5 lakh people. To eliminate drugs from the roots, strict action is being taken against big drug suppliers through district, range and state-level Anti-Narcotics Cells. The Chief Minister added that the state government has also launched several programmes to help youth caught in drug addiction. Currently, 162 de-addiction centres are operating in the state. De-addiction wards have also been set up in government medical colleges, and de-addiction centres are functioning in district hospitals of 13 districts. As a result of these efforts, 3,350 villages and 876 wards of towns have been declared drug-free.

On this occasion, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini also administered the pledge of Drug-Free Haryana to the public. More than 35 Sarpanches from the area also participated in the marathon and honoured the Chief Minister with a turban. During the programme, famous singers MD (popularly known as Desi Rock Star) and Subhash Fauji gave powerful performances to spread awareness among the youth about the evils of drugs. KL Theatre presented a play on the theme “Nasha Ek Abhishaap”. School children too performed captivating cultural programmes.

Half Marathon Results

In the men’s half marathon, Mohit Kumar secured first position, completing the race in 1 hour, 10 minutes, and 39 seconds. Jaswant stood second with 1 hour, 12 minutes, 50 seconds, while Ram Swaroop came third with 1 hour, 18 minutes, 37 seconds.

In the women’s half marathon, Tamshi Singh stood first, finishing in 1 hour, 29 minutes, 43 seconds. Jaspreet came second with 2 hours, 14 minutes, 28 seconds, while Rajvinder secured third place with 2 hours, 18 minutes.

10 km Race Results

In the men’s 10 km race, Mohan stood first with 31 minutes, 17 seconds, followed by Bittu at 31 minutes, 26 seconds. Sandeep came third with 33 minutes, 11 seconds.

In the women’s 10 km race, Neeta Rani came first with 36 minutes, 37 seconds, Anita stood second with 39 minutes, 21 seconds, and Savita third with 40 minutes, 29 seconds.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister honoured the winners with cash prizes.

Chandigarh, August 24 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, taking a jibe at the opposition, said it has no concrete issues today. Those who are questioning law and order know very well that during their rule, the system had completely collapsed. At that time, if any incident happened with a woman, not even an FIR was registered. In contrast, during the present government, the police are working swiftly. If anyone commits a crime, the police ensure that he is put behind bars.

The Chief Minister was interacting with the media after attending the marathon held in Dabwali, Sirsa, on Sunday.

He said the Monsoon Session of the Haryana Assembly will continue till August 27, during which various Bills will be introduced and legislative business business be carried out. The opposition has also given attention-drawing motions, to which the government will respond.

Replying to a question related to the Bill introduced in Parliament, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the effort of the Central Government is to bring transparency in society and to build people’s trust in political parties and leaders. Otherwise, the situation used to be such that people would win elections even from inside the jail. This is the reason the Central Government has brought this Bill so that transparency and public trust in democracy can be further strengthened.

Answering a question related to bringing Ghaggar river water into the Kharif channel of Kaluana, the Chief Minister said whether it is the work of remodelling canals or delivering water, the government is working speedily in this direction. There were some difficulties regarding water from Punjab, about which the Central Government was also informed. So far, the Central Government has held two meetings on the issue. Certainly, some solution will be found, he added.

Chandigarh, August 24 – Continuous efforts are being made by the administration to transform Panchkula into a cleaner, well-organized and smarter city. In this direction, Chief Executive Officer of Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) Sh. K. Makarand Pandurang, along with the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation and officers of PMDA, MCP, HSVP, and Traffic Police, inspected all major roads, intersections, and prominent parks of the city.

During the inspection, Sh. Pandurang laid special emphasis on road and lane cleaning, trimming of bushes along the roads, identification and removal of traffic bottlenecks, and tree plantation in green belts and parks. He directed the MCP to ensure proper and regular cleaning of roads and to identify suitable locations for garbage collection so that neither the public nor traffic is inconvenienced.

While inspecting herbal parks, the CEO instructed the construction of additional toilets and renovation of existing ones. He issued strict orders to the contract agency to complete all allotted civil works within the stipulated time frame and with high quality standards.

On the demand of the Traffic Police, the CEO also approved the installation of two sensor-based traffic lights on the dividing road of Sector-20 and 21.

Directions to develop Panchkula parks as per international standards

The CEO visited Tau Devi Lal Park and inspected the roads of Sector 3/21, 20/21, 24/25, 25/26, 26/27, 27/28, and Sector 23. He also visited the multi-specialist park being developed with HSVP. Expressing displeasure over the slow progress of work, he directed the Chief Engineer of HSVP to complete the park at the earliest. He also instructed the Chief Engineer to immediately repair the damaged “Mastic Asphalt” on the bridge near the Golf Club so that the public does not face any inconvenience. In addition, he ordered the proper functioning of music systems and lighting arrangements in all parks.

Inspecting the Cactus Garden of Panchkula, Sh. Pandurang directed officials to develop it as per international standards. During the inspection of Town Park, he instructed the development of a water body for boating for children and the installation of an attractive musical fountain. He also directed that the Bonsai Garden and Meditation Garden should be modernized with the advice of expert agencies.

The CEO further instructed officers to visit their allotted parks daily and regularly submit progress reports so that constant monitoring of quality and pace of works can be ensured.

Chandigarh, Aug 24 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that the opposition had misled the public by holding the Constitution on their heads and claiming that if Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister for the third time, he would abolish the Constitution. The Constitution has not ended, but the people have certainly ended Congress from the country. He added that the opposition today has no issues left, and in such a situation, the Congress is spreading lies. The people of the country have completely rejected the Congress.

He further said that after losing the elections, Congress first put the blame on EVMs, whereas the electronic voting system is fully transparent and votes go only to the candidate chosen by the voter.

The Chief Minister was addressing the gathering during a programme in village Patak Mazra, Kurukshetra today. He assured the villagers that all their demands would be forwarded to the concerned departments for resolution. He also announced a grant of Rs 21 lakh for Panchayat development works in the village.

He said that some opposition members are deliberately trying to create controversies in the Assembly, but the government is ready to discuss every issue in detail. He said that in the last 11 years, Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi has taken the country forward through rapid and inclusive development, which has earned India recognition and respect across the world. Just last week, the Prime Minister dedicated two projects worth Rs 2,000 crore for Haryana, which will accelerate the pace of development and provide people with better connectivity facilities, he added.

Highlighting the Sankalps made during the elections, the Chief Minister said that the government had announced 217 commitments in its Sankalp Patra. Out of these, 41 Sankalps have already been fulfilled, and by the end of this year, 90 more will be completed.

Sh Nayab Singh Saini pointed out that when the government was working to provide jobs to the youth without any recommendation or expenditure, opposition members approached the Election Commission and the courts to stall the recruitment results. Despite these hurdles, before assuming office as Chief Minister, the very first promise I fulfilled was to ensure that the selected youth received their appointments. He said that to ensure no citizen has to bear the financial burden of kidney dialysis, the state government has made dialysis facilities completely free in all government hospitals, medical colleges, and medical universities.

Shri Nayab Singh Saini said that for years, families living in houses built on Panchayat land had to live under the constant fear of court cases. The state government has now given ownership rights to such families by registering their houses at the collector rate of 2004. He said that the government had promised to purchase farmers’ crops at Minimum Support Price (MSP). Fulfilling this commitment, a notification has been issued and Haryana has become the first state in the country where all crops are being procured at MSP. Similarly, vegetable growers are also being supported under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.

The Chief Minister informed that recently, 5,000 landless families have been allotted 100-square-yard plots each, and applications are being invited for the second phase. Members of the Prajapati community, who were unable to pursue business for a long time, have been provided land in villages along with eligiblity certificates. Highlighting the state government’s achievements, he  said that while villages used to get only four hours of power supply with frequent cuts during the Congress regime, today the government is working to ensure 24-hour electricity in villages.

He also said that recruitment for constable posts in the state police will be conducted soon. The process is being planned, and all recruitments will be carried out in a completely transparent manner. He encouraged the youth to work hard to take advantage of these opportunities. Villagers extended a warm welcome to the Chief Minister on his arrival.

Chandigarh:

On the occasion of the 40th National Eye donation fortnight being observed at the PGIMER, Chandigarh from 25.8.2022 to 8.9.20222, we are pleased to organize a Media Conference to disseminate awareness to the general public and to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of cornea.

At present, more than 1.3 million people are corneal blind in India and the current annual transplant number in the country varies from 25000- 30000. In PGIMER, around 2000 patients are waiting for their corneal transplantation but the hospital gets only around 500 corneas every year.

 Prof. Surinder S. Pandav, Head, Deptt. of Ophthalmolog*y and senior faculty from Deptt. of Ophthalmology will engage with the  media.

Following the media interaction, the fortnight will be officially inaugurated at 5:00 PM in the Director’s Office.

With this backdrop, you are very cordially invited to join us for the Media Interaction as per the following details and disseminate the relevant information for public good through your esteemed publications/channels.

Bathinda: A road safety awareness campaign was organized at Arya Model Senior Secondary School, AP International School and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Bathinda today by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. Over 2100 school students & school staff participants led by trained road safety instructors took part in the campaign.

Designed to be as dynamic as the youth it engaged, the campaign featured interactive learning through games, quizzes, sessions on two-wheeler safety, traffic rules and responsible road behaviour. From trying on helmets and the right way to understanding blind spots, all the participants got a hands-on taste of what it means to ride safe and stay alert. The message was simple and clear-Safety begins with a mindset change.

Chandigarh: Over 2100 school students & staff participated in Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India road safety awareness campaign at Bathinda three schools. The campaign featured interactive learning through games, quizzes, sessions on two-wheeler safety, traffic rules and responsible road behaviour. From trying on helmets and the right way to understanding blind spots, all the participants got a hands-on taste of what it means to ride safe and stay alert.