Chandigarh, July 22:

Under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government’s commitment to eradicating child begging is producing visible results through the ongoing Jeevan Jyot Project 2.0. within just six days 137 children have been rescued from begging across the State. This was expressed by the Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur.

Sharing further details, the Minister said that 19 rescue operations were conducted across 16 districts today, during which 20 children engaged in begging were rescued.

Highlighting the growing success of the initiative, Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that the strong and systematic ground-level implementation of the campaign has led to a remarkable outcome – at several locations, no children were found begging during raids, clearly indicating the effectiveness of the rescue and rehabilitation strategy.

Out of the 20 rescued children, 13 were handed back to their families after due verification and counseling, while 7 children were referred to a child care institution in Patiala for proper protection and rehabilitation.

Dr. Baljit Kaur further added that no child was identified today requiring DNA testing or FIR, though the Child Welfare Committee in Patiala is continuing its investigation, and legal action will be initiated if necessary.

Issuing a stern warning to parents, the Minister said that those who are found forcing or allowing their children to beg will be declared unfit guardians and strict legal action will be taken against them.

In her appeal to the public and civil society organizations, Dr. Baljit Kaur urged citizens not to give alms to children, but instead immediately inform Child Helpline 1098 upon spotting any child begging, so that timely rescue and protection can be ensured.

CHANDIGARH, July 22:

          With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state completed 143 days, Punjab Police on Tuesday arrested 103 drug smugglers and recovered 544 grams heroin and Rs 11,860 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 22,987 in just 143 days.

          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 1300 police personnel, under the supervision of 88 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 422 locations across the state leading to the registration of 74 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 447 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 75 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, July 22:

In a major decision under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved several farmer-friendly amendments to the Land Pooling Policy-2025.

The most significant highlight of these amendments is that farmers will now receive an annual livelihood allowance of ₹1 lakh until their land is developed — a fivefold increase compared to the ₹20,000 given by previous governments.

The government has also assured long-term support by announcing a 10% annual increment in this ₹1 lakh amount. To ensure faster and more transparent processes, the government will now issue a Letter of Intent (LOI) to farmers within 21 days. For the convenience of farmers, the LOI can be sold or used to obtain loans. Furthermore, until development work actually begins, farmers can continue cultivating their land and will receive an additional ₹50,000 per year from the government.

Throughout the process, there will be no restrictions on the sale or purchase of land. Farmers will be free to buy, sell, or register their land at any time.

It is worth mentioning that to further streamline land acquisition by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authorities (PUDA) and other special development authorities, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved amendments to the Land Pooling Policy 2025.

These amendments aim to make the land collecting process by the Department of Housing and Urban Development more efficient, inclusive, and attractive. The Punjab Government had earlier introduced the Land Pooling Policy 2025 to involve landowners, promoters, and companies as stakeholders in urban development and to encourage participation in land pooling. To gather feedback for the policy, the state government conducted several meetings with sarpanches of various villages, representatives of different unions, and farmers.

Based on the suggestions received, amendments have now been incorporated into the policy to make it more progressive, rational, and development-oriented. As per the amended policy, landowners whose land is taken will be offered an alternative of 125 square yards of residential land and 25 square yards of commercial land per kanal of land. Additionally, the department will issue a Letter of Intent (LOI), enabling landowners to obtain bank loans.

Furthermore, upon issuing the LOI, the department will provide landowners with a lump sum of ₹50,000 as a subsistence allowance. After taking the possession landowners will be paid an annual payment of ₹1,00,000. This annual amount will increase at a rate of 10% per year, starting from the date of taking land until the developed plots are handed over to the respective parties.

It was also decided that no charges other than External Development Charges (EDC) will be levied in the case of land pooling involving 50 acres or more. Additionally, landowners surrendering commercial land will receive three times residential area in return. For example, if a farmer contributing one acre opts out of a 200-square-yard commercial plot, they will instead receive a 600-square-yard residential plot. In such a case, the farmer will be allotted a total of 1,600 square yards of residential land in the urban estate for each acre contributed.

Chandigarh/ Sri Anandpur Sahib, July 22

In a first-of-it’s-kind initiative, Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains, on Tuesday, held a “Dialogue with Teachers” at Virasat-e-Khalsa, Sri Anandpur Sahib to gather firsthand feedback from teachers to further enhance the quality and standards of education in the state government schools.

During the special dialogue with National and State Award-winning teachers, as well as educators trained from Singapore, Finland and Ahmedabad, S. Bains attentively noted their suggestions to further improve the standards of education and school infrastructure. MLA Advocate Dinesh Chadha was also present on the occasion.

Congratulating the teachers for Punjab securing the top spot in the national education survey, Mr. Bains said the purpose of this initiative is to gather feedback from National and State Awardees, internationally trained educators, principals, headmasters, BPEOs (Block Primary Education Officers), center head teachers, nodal officers of various programs, and school campus managers on ongoing reforms and potential improvements in government schools.

He mentioned that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state government has launched the concepts of “School of Eminence,” “School of Happiness,” and “School of Brilliance” to uplift the education system and shape the future of students in government schools.

The Education Minister highlighted that arrangements have been made to train principals, headmasters, and teachers from government schools in leadership and management skills at international standards from institutions in Singapore, Finland, and IIM Ahmedabad.

Mr. Bains emphasized that the Education Department is like a family to him. He stated that this is the first time under the Aam Aadmi Party government that teachers are receiving training in internationally renowned institutions like Singapore, Finland, and Ahmedabad to modernize the education system.

He proudly mentioned that students from government schools witnessed the launch of Chandrayaan-3, and have excelled in exams like JEE Mains and JEE Advanced. He also noted the development of AstroTurf grounds, shooting ranges, swimming pools in government schools, and the creation of ultra-modern schools under the “School of Eminence” model, rivaling convent schools.

Thousands of schools have completed their boundary walls, and new laboratories and libraries have been established. Campus managers and security guards have been deployed in schools — all these measures were initiated based on teachers’ suggestions. He described “Dialogue with Teachers” as a unique platform where the administration listens to teachers’ valuable input rather than just speaking to them. Similar events held in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali), Fatehgarh Sahib, and Fazilka have proven to be very successful.

Mr. Bains stated that today, the true image of Punjab’s reformed education system is clearly visible in every government school. He congratulated teachers and school heads and encouraged them to work even harder.

Expressing confidence, the Education Minister said that Punjab’s education sector is going through a significant transformation due to the relentless efforts of its teachers, yielding excellent results for government schools and giving further impetus to government reforms. He declared that the Punjab government is strengthening the infrastructure of government schools and the state is surely emerging as a role model across the country. Mr. Bains asserted that no previous political party ever took such serious steps for educational reforms.

On this occasion, principals, teachers, award-winning educators, and those trained in Singapore, Finland, and Ahmedabad—who are now playing key roles in transforming Punjab’s education system—expressed their gratitude for being given such a platform by the Punjab government to share ideas for improvement.

MLA Advocate Dinesh Kumar Chadha of Rupnagar shed light on how the educational revolution has transformed the face of Punjab’s government schools. During the dialogue, teachers thanked the Education Minister for providing school uniforms, interactive panels, Wi-Fi, digital classrooms, libraries, timely textbooks, boundary walls, and all other essential facilities.

They also promised that in future competitive exams, government school students would achieve even greater success. Senior officials from the Education Department were also present on the occasion.

Chandigarh, July 22 – Under the directions of Health and Family Welfare Minister Arti Singh Rao, the weekly meeting of the State Task Force (STF) for Improving Sex Ratio in Haryana was held under the chairmanship of Director General Health Services (DGHS), Sh. Manish Bansal here today. The meeting focused on intensifying efforts to curb illegal abortions and further improve the state’s sex ratio under the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ campaign.

The meeting highlighted the recent success of government initiatives. In the preceding week (July 14 to 21, 2025) Haryana’s sex ratio improved to 917, up from 860 in the corresponding week last year. If calculated from January 1 to July 21, the state’s sex ratio registered a 2-point improvement at 904 this year, up from 902 in the corresponding period last year.

The DGHS emphasized the need for stringent enforcement against illegal abortions, instructing officials to take strict punitive measures, including revoking the licences of doctors found complicit. He said the state is implementing reverse tracking of all Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) and abortion cases beyond 12 weeks, particularly where women already have one or more daughters. So far, 690 reverse trackings have been completed across Haryana, with the highest number reported from Ambala. This has led to the registration of total 18 FIRs in suspected cases, with 13 more FIRs currently in process. Show-cause notices have been issued to several private hospitals and clinics suspected of malpractice, as well as to Medical Officers, ASHAs, ANMs, and SAHELIS associated with the concerned pregnant women.

DGHS (P) Sh. Kuldeep Singh held detailed discussions with all CMOs and senior health officials, instructing them to ensure that reverse tracking is completed within 24 hours of receiving information regarding abortion cases. He also sought MTP case data for the past three months from all CMOs and emphasized coordination with gynecologists at OPD centres to effectively track abortion cases. He added that police support should be sought in case of any law and order issues during enforcement actions.

The Task Force took strong exception to negligence found in some districts and decided to chargesheet officers who failed to undertake reverse tracking. It mandated that all CMOs and PNDT officials carry out field raids extensively and ensure there is no laxity in implementation. Officials were also instructed to report any Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PIGT) conducted in their districts within five days of receiving such a request, to monitor and prevent any gender-based misuse.

Senior officers from various departments were present at the meeting to review progress and coordinate inter-departmental efforts.

Chandigarh, July 22 – Kurukshetra is set to become a major centre for spiritual tourism in Haryana. Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has approved the formation of a high-level monitoring committee for the construction of a Guru Ravidas Museum and Bhawan on 5 acres and a Sikh Museum on 3 acres at Umri in Kurukshetra.

Sharing information in this regard, Heritage and Tourism Minister, Dr. Arvind Sharma said that the Department of Archaeology and Museums, in collaboration with the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), will jointly oversee the development of both museums. The committee will be headed by the Principal Secretary, Heritage and Tourism Department and will include the Director, Archaeology and Museums, Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, OSD to Chief Minister, Dr. Prabhleen Singh, Deputy Director, Archaeology and Museum Department, Dr. Banani Bhattacharya, Executive Engineer, HSVP Ambala, subject experts, and Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department.

Dr. Arvind Sharma said that Haryana is set to establish the country’s first immersive spiritual and tourism site in Kurukshetra based on the inclusive and egalitarian teachings of Guru Ravidas. He said that a grand statue of Guru Ravidas will be installed in this museum, around which an open-air theater will be built for discourses, exhibitions and community programmes. A modern auditorium is also planned for cultural events, seminars, lectures, and community gatherings. It will also feature a serene and spiritually uplifting space for meditation, a Guru Ravidas Library and Research Centre, a Gurbani Hall, a museum, and digital galleries that promote universal messages of love, humility, and peace, he added.

He further said that, similarly the Sikh Museum will reflect the vision, teachings, and contributions of the Sikh Gurus. This museum will serve as a national and international cultural centre for celebrating Sikh heritage, promoting education, research, and tourism. Special emphasis will be given to key moments in Sikh history, the Guru periods, and their association with Haryana. Authentic and verified historical information from the time of Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh and beyond will be documented and presented with academic accuracy and cultural sensitivity. He said that traditional and contemporary mediums like murals, dioramas, digital art, holography, laser shows and interactive installations would be promoted to effectively narrate the historical stories to the visitors.

Chandigarh, July 22-  The Haryana Government has initiated preparations for the upcoming Kharif procurement season 2025-26. Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Sh. Rajesh Nagar, shared that the Central Government has fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif crops such as paddy, jowar, bajra, maize, arhar (tur), moong, urad, groundnut, soybean, sesame, and niger seeds (black sesame) for the 2025-26 season.

He said that the state government has already opened procurement centers and mandis for the purchase of these crops, 246 for paddy, 22 for jowar, 92 for bajra, 19 for maize, 22 for arhar, 38 for moong, 10 for urad, 7 for groundnut, 7 for soybean, 27 for sesame, and 2 for niger seeds/black sesame.

The Minister of State added that the Central Government has fixed the following Minimum Support Prices (per quintal) for the crops, Rs. 2369 for Paddy (Common), Rs. 2389 for Paddy (Grade A), Rs. 3699 Jowar (Hybrid), Rs. 3749 for Jowar (Maldandi), Rs. 2775 for Bajra, Rs. 2400 for Maize, Rs. 8000 for Arhar (Tur), Rs. 8768 for Moong, Rs. 7800 for Urad, Rs. 7263 for Groundnut, Rs. 5328 for Soybean, Rs. 9846 for Sesame, and Rs. 9537 for Niger Seeds / Black Sesame.

Chandigarh, July 22 – Haryana Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi has issued a directive to all Administrative Secretaries in the state, urging them to take immediate and proactive steps in support of the nationwide ‘Mediation For the Nation’ campaign.

This 90-day drive, running from July to September 2025, has been launched jointly by the National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) and the Supreme Court’s Mediation and Conciliation Project Committee (MCPC). The objective of the campaign is to reduce the pendency of cases in Taluka Courts, District Courts, and High Courts across the country through timely and effective mediation.

As part of this initiative, a high-level meeting was convened recently by the Mediation and Conciliation Committee of the Punjab & Haryana High Court. The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Punjab, the Home Secretary of UT Chandigarh, the Advocates General of both states, and the Standing Counsel of UT Chandigarh. Several key decisions were taken during the meeting to streamline the identification and referral of appropriate cases for mediation.

The Director of the Mediation and Conciliation Centre of the Punjab & Haryana High Court will provide concerned departments with a list of pending cases, particularly those related to land acquisition and service matters. Departments whose matters are pending before the High Court have been instructed to review this list and identify cases with a high potential for resolution through mediation. Additionally, matters involving the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), especially under the HUID category, will also be considered for mediation. All departments have been directed to study the Haryana Government’s Litigation Policy and consult with the Advocate General to identify cases that can be effectively resolved through alternative dispute resolution. Departments have been instructed to submit the final vetted list of mediation-worthy cases to the Director, Mediation and Conciliation Centre by July 25, 2025.

These lists must also be shared with the Chief Secretary’s Office and the Administration of Justice Department for further necessary action. To ensure timely coordination and compliance, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Administration of Justice Department has been assigned the responsibility to oversee departmental progress. The Director of the Mediation and Conciliation Centre has also been requested to initiate all required follow-up actions.

Chandigarh, July 22- Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister,  Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, has  strongly dismissed reports regarding fertilizer shortage in the state, asserting that there is no shortage of essential fertilizers like Urea and DAP during the Kharif 2025 season.

Responding to a media report that claimed shortage of fertilizers, the Minister termed the report misleading and clarified that the state government, with support from the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has ensured timely and adequate supply of fertilizers to farmers. He further said that the figures mentioned in the report pertain to the Rabi season, whereas the current allocation of DAP is meant for the Kharif season.

The Agriculture Minister informed that as per official records, Haryana requires a total of 10.07 lakh metric tonnes of Urea for the Kharif 2025 season. From April 1 to July 19, the estimated demand was 5.91 lakh metric tonnes. During this period, the central government supplied 8.54 lakh metric tonnes of Urea, out of which 7.5 lakh metric tonnes have already been sold to farmers. Currently, 1.04 lakh metric tonnes of Urea are in stock across the state, and an additional 16,307 metric tonnes will arrive soon, making the total available quantity approximately 1.20 lakh metric tonnes.

Regarding DAP, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana further clarified the state requires 2.83 lakh metric tonnes during the Kharif season. Between April 1 and July 19, the demand was 1.37 lakh metric tonnes. So far, 1.46 lakh metric tonnes of DAP have been supplied, of which 1.10 lakh metric tonnes have been sold. At present, 36,000 metric tonnes are in stock, and 5,467 metric tonnes will be arriving soon, bringing the total available DAP to around 41,000 metric tonnes.

Strict Action Against Black Marketing and Hoarding

Sh. Shyam Singh Rana stated that the government has intensified monitoring and enforcement actions to curb black marketing, hoarding, adulteration, and illegal tagging of fertilizers. As of now, 1,974 inspections have been conducted across the state. These actions have resulted in the registration of 8 FIRs, suspension of licenses of 26 dealers, cancellation of 1 license, and issuance of 96 show-cause notices.

Minister calls for Responsible Purchase by Farmers

The Agriculture Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to providing quality fertilizers to farmers in a timely manner and at fair prices. He said that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure a transparent and regulated fertilizer distribution system. He also appealed to farmers to purchase fertilizers only as per their requirement for the current Kharif season and avoid stockpiling for the upcoming Rabi season, as this could create an artificial shortage for others.

Sh. Shyam Singh Rana reiterated that there is no shortage of fertilizers in any district, and supplies are being made as per demand. With the current stock and robust monitoring systems in place, the state is fully prepared for the remainder of the Kharif season.

Chandigarh, July 22 – Haryana is set to receive ₹150 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme 2025–26 to strengthen road safety infrastructure and enforcement mechanisms across the state. A high-level review meeting was chaired today by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi to strategize the state’s action plan for accessing and effectively utilizing these central funds.

The ₹150 crore incentive will be linked to five key milestones: Installation of electronic enforcement devices at identified locations, integration of these devices with Traffic Control Rooms (TCRs), generation of e-challans through electronic systems, efficient disposal of e-challans, and a measurable reduction in fatalities on State Highways and Major District Roads.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed the Transport Department to prepare a comprehensive project proposal for submission to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India. He emphasized that the proposal should focus on promoting road safety through stricter compliance with traffic regulations, enhanced digital enforcement, and improved public awareness campaigns.

Sh. Rastogi also underscored the importance of strong inter-departmental coordination, particularly among the Transport, Police, Urban Local Bodies, and Public Works Departments, to ensure timely and effective execution of the identified milestones. Senior officials from various departments participated in the meeting and discussed the way forward for this important safety initiative.