Chandigarh, July 10:

Terming plantation of different varieties of the saplings as the deciding factor in maintaining ecological balance, the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak also called it the primary driving force behind the all out efforts of the State Government to expand forest cover.

While undertaking a whirlwind tour of the Nurseries at Ballowal Saunkhri and Village Fatehpur (Forest Range Kathgarh) in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar District, the Minister was apprised about the varied forms of saplings planted at both the nurseries as well as the efforts being made by the department to ensure their proper upkeep and the maintenance.

During his tour of the Ballowal Saunkhri nursery, Mr. Kataruchak was briefed about the distinctive varieties such as Khair, Sheesham, Falahi, Baans, Dekk, Holoptilia, Dheu trees which are found here and are cynosure of all the eyes lending a magical aura to the environment.

At Fatehpur Nursery, it was brought to the notice of the Minister that saplings of different varieties such as Peepal, Bahera, Bohar, Jacaranda, Mehndi, Neem, Pilkhan, Arjun, Hibiscus have been planted here. The Minister also planted a sapling of Peepal at the nursery and lauded the staff for their good work. He also encouraged the staff engaged in plantation work by giving them monetary rewards.

The Minister on the occasion said that the environment has also been accorded great significance in the sacred Gurbani. Hence, it is the combined duty of us all to do everything within our reach to ensure a clean and Green environment.

The Minister was also accompanied by the PCCF (HoFF) Dharminder Sharma, Chief Conservator of Forests (Hills) Nidhi Srivastava and Divisional Forest Officer (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar) Harbhajan Singh.

Chandigarh, July 10 :

 Power Minister Punjab Harbhajan Singh ETO today administered the oath of office to Er. Ravinder Singh Saini, who has been appointed by the Punjab Government as a Member of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) In a dignified ceremony held at Punjab Bhavan.

While briefing the media after the oath taking ceremony Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said that Er. Saini brings with him a wealth of experience and deep understanding of Punjab’s power sector, which will significantly strengthen the functioning of PSERC. He expressed confidence that with this appointment, the Commission now at full strengthwill be better equipped to ensure fair regulations, promote transparency, and safeguard the interests of consumers, utilities, and stakeholders. “Saini’s contribution to the power sector has been exemplary, and his inclusion in the Commission will certainly enhance its regulatory efficiency,” the Minister remarked.

Powe Minister further stated that the appointment reflects the Punjab Government’s commitment, under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, to empowering institutions and ensuring efficient governance in the power sector. With Saini’s vast technical knowledge and hands-on experience, the PSERC is expected to take more timely, consumer-centric decisions, aligning with the government’s vision of providing reliable and affordable electricity to the people of Punjab.

Adding, Harbhajan Singh ETO said with this appointment, the PSERC now has its full sanctioned strength of three members: Chairperson Viswajeet Khanna (Retd. IAS), Member Paramjeet Singh, and Member Er. Ravinder Singh Saini. The second member position had been lying vacant for some time, and Saini’s joining is expected to expedite regulatory processes and pending matters.

Er. Saini was appointed Director/Commercial, PSPCL in February 2023 and relinquished the charge in February 2025.

Sh. Ajoy Kumar Sinha IAS Principal Secretary Power, Er.Harjit Singh Director Generation, Er. Hira Lal Goyal Director Commercial, Er.Sanjeev Sood Director Technical PSTCL,Sh. S k Beri Director Finance and Sh. Vinod Kumar Bansal Director Finance PSTCL, Director Admin S.Jasbir Singh Sur Singh was present on the occasion.

Chandigarh, July 10:

In a significant move to harness the state’s natural energy potential, the Punjab Government is all set to install solar power plants with a combined capacity of 30 MW on the roofs of 390 government buildings across Punjab by March 2026, informed Mr. Aman Arora, Minister of New & Renewable Energy Sources, Punjab.

Mr. Aman Arora, along with Chairperson PEDA Dr. Sukhchain Gogi and Principal Secretary New & Renewable Energy Mr. Ajoy Kumar Sinha, reviewed ongoing projects being executed by the Punjab Energy Development Authority (PEDA).

Sharing the details, Mr. Aman Arora informed that the project worth Rs 150 crore is projected to yield annual savings of Rs 15 crore in electricity costs for various government departments. The tendering process has been completed, paving the way for implementation of the ambitious project, he added.

Notably, the project will cover prominent buildings of 25 major departments, including Health & Family Welfare, Technical Education & Industrial Training, Transport, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Home Affairs & Justice, Medical Education & Research, Local Government and Water Resources, among others.

The Minister noted that Punjab has already registered impressive progress in renewable energy in past three years, with 1098 government buildings equipped with solar rooftops with collective capacity of 7.7MW, which demonstrates the state government’s commitment to a sustainable energy future.

Reaffirming the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s unwavering commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship and fiscal prudence, Mr. Aman Arora stated, “By harnessing renewable energy, the state aims to reduce its carbon footprint, mitigate climate change impacts and ensure a more sustainable future for its citizens. This initiative marks a substantial stride towards transforming Punjab into a cleaner, greener and more energy-efficient state.”

During the meeting, Mr. Aman Arora directed the department officials to explore ways and means to further increase the production of clean energy.

Chief Administrative Officer (CEO) PEDA Ms. Neelima, Director Mr. MP Singh and other senior officials were also present in the meeting.

Chandigarh, July 10 :

The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Thursday approved the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna — a first-of-its-kind scheme in the country to provide cashless medical treatment worth Rs 10 lakh to residents of the state.

A decision to this effect was taken during a meeting of the Council of Ministers held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister at his official residence.

Disclosing this today, a spokesperson from the Chief Minister’s Office said the scheme will be rolled out on October 2, providing significant relief to the people of Punjab. Under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, every family in the state will now be eligible for cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh. With this, Punjab has become the first state in India where every household is entitled to such comprehensive healthcare coverage.

The scheme will benefit the entire population of three crore residents and more than 550 private hospitals have been empaneled for the scheme so far and the number will be enhanced to 1000 in coming days. Previously, a family could avail of treatment only up to ₹5 lakh; this limit has now been enhanced to ₹10 lakh. By launching this initiative, Punjab has set a new benchmark for the rest of the country, becoming the first state to offer free healthcare, education, electricity, and bus travel to its citizens.

Following the principle of Sarbat da Bhala (welfare of all), as advocated by the great Gurus, the Punjab Government is taking inclusive steps to ensure the well-being of every section of society. Under this scheme, every citizen of Punjab — including government employees and pensioners — will be entitled to free healthcare, regardless of income level. Previously, only select families qualified for benefits under income-based criteria, but now the scheme covers all residents.

Health cards under the scheme will be issued at Seva Kendras or Common Service Centers (CSCs). Additionally, citizens can register online using their Aadhaar card or Voter ID to obtain a health card. Treatment under the scheme will be available at all government hospitals and empanelled private hospitals and no resident of Punjab will now have to forgo medical treatment due to financial constraints.

*Big relief to investors*

In view of difficulties faced by investors, the Cabinet has decided to implement the notification to collect CLU, EDC, LF and others from the projects developed under the popular act or mega project policy w.e.f. June 4,2025. In Punjab, these charges were implemented wide notification dated 04.06.2025, on all new real estate projects to be set up in the State and on new extensions to ongoing projects with effect from April 1, 2025. However, now the Cabinet has decided to implement this notification w.e.f. 04.06.2025 thereby stipulating that project submitted up to 04.06.2025 will be charged as per the previous policy and applications submitted after 04.06.2025 will be charged under the new rates which will be effective from 04.06.2025.

The Punjab Vidhan Sabha, on Thursday, paid tributes to departed souls including the deceased of Ahmedabad plane crash, who had passed away since the last session of the Assembly.

During the 9th (special) session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the House paid respects to the departed soul of MLA Tarn Taran Dr. Kashmir Singh Sohal, former Union Minister S. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Eminent Writer Dr. Rattan Singh Jaggi, Martyr Naik Sh. Surinder Singh, Martyr Lance Naik Sh. Baljeet Singh, Martyr Lance Naik Sh. Gurpreet Singh, Abohar businessman Sh. Sanjay Verma and the deceased of the recent plane crash at Ahmedabad.

A two-minute silence was observed in the memory of departed souls as a mark of respect during the obituary references.

CHANDIGARH, July 10:

          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 131 days, Punjab Police on Thursday arrested 129 drug smugglers and recovered 4.2 kg heroin, 509 grams opium and ₹23,370 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 21,356 in just 131 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 84 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 414 locations across the state leading to the registration of 92 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 456 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 86 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, July 10 :

In a significant step towards women empowerment, the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has decided to send 1,500 of the best-performing women Sarpanch/ Panchs to Nanded Sahib to pay obeisance.

Providing details, the Chief Minister said the initiative is being undertaken to commemorate the 350th martyrdom day of the ninth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib. He said that the state government will bear the entire cost of boarding and lodging for these women Sarpanch/ Panchs. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Special trains will be arranged to facilitate their visit to the sacred site, where they will also receive training in Maharashtra.

The Chief Minister emphasized that Nanded Sahib holds immense spiritual importance for every Punjabi, and many aspire to visit it at least once in their lifetime. He added that these women Sarpanch/ Panch exemplify the spirit of women empowerment, and the government wants to honor their contributions by enabling them to undertake this pilgrimage. Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed hope that these Sarpanch/ Panchs would pray for peace, progress, and prosperity for the state and its people adding that the government is finalizing all necessary modalities to ensure the smooth execution of this initiative.

The Chief Minister further stated that the previous Congress government had agreed to deploy CISF personnel to protect dams across Punjab. However, he announced that the current government would introduce a resolution in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Friday to reverse this decision. Bhagwant Singh Mann asserted that the Punjab Police is fully capable of safeguarding the state’s interests, noting, “If Punjabis can guard the nation’s borders, they can certainly protect their own dams.”

In a sharp political jab, the Chief Minister advised Sunil Jakhar to focus on saving his party and position rather than commenting on other issues. He remarked that the former Congress leader, now in the BJP, is rattled by the saffron party’s recent defeat in the Ludhiana by-election. Bhagwant Singh Mann criticized such leaders for frequently switching allegiances and showing little concern for the people of Punjab.

Highlighting reforms in the state police, the Chief Minister noted that efforts are underway to enhance manpower and resources in the Punjab Police, which hasn’t seen a manpower increase in years. He said the government is committed to strengthening the force’s efficiency and upholding its proud legacy. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is the bounden duty of the government in the larger interest of state and its people.

The Chief Minister also declared that the government would expose the “dubious character” of opposition leaders, including those from the Congress, during the upcoming Vidhan Sabha session. He accused leaders like Jakhar and Bajwa of raising baseless issues adding that they were least bothered about state during their days in power. Speaking on drug-related issues, Bhagwant Singh Mann blamed the Akali regime for fostering the drug trade, noting that the kingpin of the ‘Chitta’ (synthetic drugs) racket is currently lodged in Nabha jail adding that those responsible would face legal consequences for their actions.

The Chief Minister also criticized certain Kisan Unions, alleging that they no longer represent genuine farmer interests and have instead become self-serving entities. He reiterated the state’s commitment to curbing illegal colonies through its proposed land pooling policy. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the self proclaimed farmer leaders are trying to mislead people on this issue.

Finally, taking aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that while the PM finds time to tour foreign countries, he fails to address the concerns of 140 crore Indians. He criticized Modi for celebrating foreign honors from countries with populations as small as 10,000 while neglecting the nation’s pressing issues. “This reflects the sorry state of affairs in the country,” Bhagwant Singh Mann said.

Chandigarh, July 10 – Haryana Health Minister, Kumari Arti Singh Rao, today formally inaugurated the newly renovated administrative building of Maharaja Agrasen Medical College in Agroha. On this occasion, she also announced a grant of Rs.21 lakh for various development works in the college. President, Maharaja Agrasen Medical Education and Scientific Research Society and MLA, Hisar Smt. Savitri Jindal, former MP General D.P. Vats, Senior Vice Chairman, Sh. Madhusudan Agrawal was also present.

During the ceremony, Kumari Arti Rao appreciated the college administration for upgrading the building with modern amenities and advanced technology. She said that this new facility will help streamline academic and administrative functions, creating a better environment for students, faculty, and staff.

After the inauguration, the Health Minister also chaired a meeting of the Executive Council of the Maharaja Agrasen Medical College Society. Key discussions focused on the development of the college, enhancing academic excellence, and strengthening the healthcare infrastructure.

She said that Maharaja Agrasen Medical College stands as a vital institution for both medical education and healthcare services in the state.  Our goal is to ensure that this college not only imparts high-quality medical education but also provides the people of Haryana with reliable and accessible healthcare, she added.

Smt.Savitri Jindal highlighted the Maharaja Agrasen Medical Education and Scientific Research society’s goals and future plans. She shared how the society, in collaboration with the Haryana Government, is dedicated to excellence in medical education and research, while ensuring quality health services reach the community.

Professors , faculty members, officers from the Health Department, and others also remained present.