CHANDIGARH, 9th January 2026:

Signalling an assertive push toward strengthening public healthcare, modernising higher education and delivering tangible relief to citizens, the Punjab Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday cleared a sweeping set of decisions, led by the approval of over 19 acres of land at Lehragaga for setting up a Medical College and Hospital.

The decisions, taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the Chief Minister, also include India’s first comprehensive Private Digital Open Universities Policy, 2026, extension of Amnesty Policy 2025 for plot allottees, rationalisation of GMADA property prices, approval for desilting of the Sutlej to fast-track infrastructure projects, and adjustment of staff of Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute in government departments, reflecting the government’s focus on healthcare expansion, education reform, infrastructure acceleration and pro-people governance.

*Medical college approved at Lehragaga*

Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting chaired by the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, the office the Chief Minister stated that the Cabinet gave approval to allot 19 acre four Kanals land, located at Baba Hira Singh Bhatthal Technical College, Lehragaga, on nominal lease rent to Janhit society for establishing a minority medical college by the Jain community. The admission of students and allocation of seats in the medical college to be established by the Jain community shall be regulated strictly in accordance with the guidelines / notifications issued by the State Government from time to time. The fee structure for all categories of seats shall also be determined and charged strictly in accordance with the guidelines / notifications issued by the Punjab  Government.

The Cabinet also decided that trust should start the functioning of hospitals at the earliest and within a period of five years from the date of execution / commencement of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The medical college would be established and operationalized with a hospital of not less than 220 beds and an intake capacity of 50 MBBS seats, and should be further expanded to a hospital of not less than 400 beds with an intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats within eight years of MOU.  The move is aimed at imparting quality education to the residents of the state on one hand and emerging the state as a hub of medical education on the other.

*Cabinet approves Punjab Private Digital Open Universities Policy, 2026*

In another  significant decision, the Cabinet also gave nod to the Punjab Private Digital Open Universities Policy, 2026 to regulate and promote private digital open universities offering online and open distance learning (ODL) programs thereby imparting quality higher education to the students of the state thereby opening new vistas of employment for them. The policy aligns with UGC Regulations, 2020, and introduces state-level standards for quality, accessibility, digital infrastructure, data governance, and learner protection. This pioneering policy will expand flexible, affordable higher education and position Punjab as a digital learning hub.

Through this India’s First Historic Reform in Higher Education, The Punjab government has introduced a new Digital Open University Policy. Under this policy, private institutions can establish fully digital universities in Punjab. This is India’s first such policy and so far, only Tripura has set up a digital university, but without a comprehensive policy, so Punjab becomes the first state to provide both a policy and a model in this area.

The policy is need of hour as Crores of students worldwide are learning from online platforms. Similarly, lakhs of students are passing tough exams like JEE, NEET, and UPSC by watching free online lectures. In India too, crores of youth are building careers by learning from online courses and AI apps but the existing university policy only allowed physical campuses.

This meant digital-first universities were not legally possible in India, as a result, students got formal degrees from colleges but learned key skills online thereby creating a huge gap between the two but the new policy bridges this gap. Now students can complete their entire degree from home on mobile or laptop and these degrees will be legally valid and compliant with AICTE/UGC standards. This will prove to be boon For students or professionals busy with life, family, or jobs as they will be able to Complete degrees without quitting jobs, Without changing cities and even Without going to classrooms

Thus a New Era of Lifelong Learning and Upskilling will be heralded thereby strengthening the culture of continuous learning in fields like IT, AI, Business, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Data Science. For setting up these Digital Universities atLeast 2.5 Acres of Land, digital content studios, control rooms, server rooms, and operations centers, State-of-the-Art Digital Infrastructure and others will be required. Likewise, every digital university must have Digital content creation studios, IT server rooms, Learning Management System (LMS) operations center, Digital examination control rooms, Tech-enabled call centers, 24×7 student support systems and a Minimum ₹20 Crore Corpus Fund. This will ensure that Only serious and capable institutions come forward for this adding that Separate bills will be introduced in the Punjab Assembly for every approved proposal,   ensuring each digital university is legally strong and transparent.

This policy is modeled on the world’s successful digital universities like Western Governors University (USA), University of Phoenix (USA), Walden University (USA), Open University Malaysia and others who have provided low-cost, modern, high-quality education to millions of students.

Punjab is now building India’s most modern higher education ecosystem to directly benefit Punjab’s Students as it Lowers Cost of Education, Digital mode reduces infrastructure costs,More affordable fees and No hidden expenses. New skills like AI, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Business Skills, and Robotics will be part of the degree program and it will solve students’ biggest problem as earlier, they got degrees from one place and real learning from another. But now, both will be available in one place through digital universities which will Saves Time and Money for Lakhs of Youth as there will be No commuting, PG/hostel, stationery, or travel expenses. Punjab is leading the country as the state government believes that Education can no longer be confined to the four walls of classrooms.

Every top university in the world is moving toward AI and digital modes and for India to advance, Punjab must take this transformative step first. This policy will make Punjab India’s first digital higher education hub and Punjab will Show India the Future of Higher Education. This policy is Modern, Innovative, Technology-driven, Accessible, Employment-focused, World-class, Future-oriented and will open a new chapter in Punjab’s higher education.

*Amnesty Policy 2025 extended for plot allottees*

In a big relief to the allottees of plots, the Cabinet also gave approval to the extension in the Amnesty Policy 2025 for allotted/auctioned plots under various schemes of the Housing and Urban Development Department. This will allow the default allottees of the Special Development Authority to apply one more time under Amnesty Policy 2025 before the cutoff date March 31, 2026 and allow the Allottee to deposit the requisite amount within three months of its approval to the concerned Special Development Authority. The allottee who is interested to avail the benefit under this policy will have to submit an application before the cutoff date i.e. March 31, 2026.

*Green signal to rationalise GMADA property prices*

In another pro-people initiative, the Cabinet also gave green signal for reducing the prices of various properties of GMADA (Greater Mohali Area Development Authority) as per the report submitted by the independent evaluators. The government has amended the guidelines for e-auctions related to determining reserve prices for various residential, commercial plots, institutional/industrial sites and others. It has been decided that development authorities will appoint three independent valuers empaneled by nationalized banks / Income Tax Department to assess the rates of such sites.

For sites that have not sold in the previous two or more auctions, the average of the rates reported by these valuers will be considered as the criterion for determining the reserve price after approval from competent authority. The observations of the Committee have been considered for deciding the rates and these will be valid for one calendar year. However, for need based changes within the calendar year, approval shall be granted at the level of Minister in charge of the department of Housing and Urban Development.

*Approval for desilting of River Sutlej*

The Cabinet also gave approval to NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) or its agencies to carry out the desiltation in River Sutlej at the sites allotted by the Department of Water Resources at ₹3 per cubic feet i.e. the price at which desilting contract at Siswan Dam was executed. The approval comes with the further condition that the above said price shall be available to NHAI or its contractors/agencies only till June 30th, 2026 for providing simple earth to NHAI for construction of road projects namely Ludhiana to Ropar. Nod was also granted exemption from the provisions of Section 63 of the Punjab Transparency in Public Procurement Act 2019.

*Adjustment of staff of Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute*

The Cabinet also gave nod for adjustment of the staff members of Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology against the vacant posts available in the Department of Technical Education & Industrial Training and autonomous institutions under the department on deputation. The decision has been taken in the larger public interest to safeguard the interests of the employees.

Chandigarh, January 8, 2026

Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, has announced the admission schedule for its MBA (Sectoral) Programmes offered at the University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS) for the academic session 2026–27, formally opening the admission process.

The admission poster was released by PU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Renu Vig in the presence of Prof. Meenakshi Goyal, Director, Research & Development Cell, and Prof. Anupreet Kaur Mavi, Director, UIAMS. Those present on the occasion included Prof. Rajat Sandhir, Principal Investigator, Northern Region Science & Technology Cluster (PI-RAHI), Prof. Amarjit Naura, President, Panjab University Teachers’ Association, Dr. Mritunjay Kumar, Secretary, PUTA, Dr. Parveen Goyal, NSS Coordinator, Prof. Upasana Joshi, Dr. Amandeep Singh Marwaha, Training-cum-Placement Officer, UIAMS, Dr. Aman Khera, Dr. Arunachal Khosla, Dr. Rachita Sambyal, Dr. Harsh Tuli, Dr. Rakesh Mohindra, Librarian, UIAMS,   Sh. Honey Thakur, President, Panjab University Staff (Non-Teaching) Association,Sh. Varinder Kumar, Sh. Vipul Batra, Sh. Manjit Singh, Assistant Registrar, UIAMS, and Sh. Narinder Kumar, Superintendent, UIAMS.

Addressing the gathering, Prof. Renu Vig spoke on the importance of sectoral MBA programmes in meeting evolving industry requirements and preparing management graduates with professional competence and ethical orientation. She also referred to the role of research, industry interface, interdisciplinary learning and social engagement in management education.

Eligible candidates can apply online through the MET website at https://met.puchd.ac.in/. The last date for submission of online applications is March 28, 2026. The MBA (Sectoral) Entrance Test (MET-2026) will be conducted on April 12, 2026.

The MBA (Sectoral) Programmes at UIAMS are aimed at developing industry-ready and socially responsible management professionals capable of contributing effectively to organisations and society.

Chandigarh, January 8:

As part of its ongoing efforts towards campus security and digital transformation, Panjab University today rolled out Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based unique Smart Identity Cards for its employees, including teaching staff, non-teaching staff, daily wagers and retirees.

The first RFID-based Smart Identity Card was presented to PU Vice Chancellor Prof Renu Vig and Registrar Prof Y.P. Verma by Committee Chairperson Prof Sonal Chawla, Prof A.S. Naura, PUTA President, Dr Parveen Goyal, NSS Coordinator, Dr Anuj Sharma, Chairperson, DCSA, and Honey Thakur, PUSA President.

The initiative aims to ensure authorised access to the Panjab University campus by authenticating bona fide employees and preventing unauthorised entry. The RFID cards have been designed to strengthen security while supporting the university’s broader modernisation agenda.

Speaking on the occasion, PU Vice Chancellor Prof Renu Vig stressed the need to extend RFID-based Smart Cards to PU students, beginning with pilot projects in university hostels. She appreciated and lauded the efforts of the Smart Card Committee members.

Registrar Prof Y.P. Verma said the RFID-based Smart Identity Cards would help establish a robust and reliable system of employee authentication and enhance campus security.

The RFID Smart Identity Cards feature encrypted personal data and photographs encoded into an official QR code and RFID tag using intelligent applications. The encoded data is unalterable, and any attempt to generate counterfeit cards renders the code unreadable. On scanning, only verified and correct information is displayed.

The cards operate on advanced security algorithms and comply with ISO/IEC 14443 standards. They communicate with RFID readers through a secure three-pass authentication process before any data exchange takes place. The system links RFID-tagged data with the university’s employee database through multiple identification layers and decoding modules.

Chairperson of the committee Prof Sonal Chawla said that once all cards are issued, they will be mapped and integrated with boom barriers at university gates through RFID technology. She added that the project would later be extended to students by linking RFID Smart Identity Cards with mess cards, library cards and other services through a single digital interface.

Mohali, 8 January 2026 : Dyson, the global technology company, has announced the opening of its first Dyson Store in Mohali. Located in the upcoming premium space, at the HLP Galleria Mohali, this new store marks Dyson India’s 34th store in the country and second store in the state of Punjab. The new Dyson Store is an interactive space where consumers can experience Dyson’s problem-solving technologies with demonstrations by Dyson experts. This store launch is part of Dyson’s commitment to bringing the latest technologies closer to consumers with personalized experiences so they can truly understand the Dyson difference across home, beauty, and audio categories.

The new Dyson store is designed to be a destination where people can test the advanced performance of Dyson vacuums on a variety of floor types and fine debris, simulating real-life cleaning challenges. Live air quality visualizations illustrate Dyson’s commitment to healthier homes, while interactive digital displays illuminate the science behind each product. At dedicated Dyson styling stations, consumers can enjoy complimentary, expert styling sessions featuring Dyson’s cutting-edge beauty technologies including the new Dyson Airstrait™ straightener, Dyson Airwrap i.d.™ multi-styler and dryer and Supersonic Nural™ hair dryer. Trained stylists offer bespoke consultations, tailored for every hair type and styling preference, reimagining the traditional beauty consultation as a moment of discovery.

Chandigarh, January 8. The State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau, Palwal Sub-Centre, carried out a major operation today and arrested Ganesh Kumar, an Assistant Lineman (A.L.M.) of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), while accepting a bribe of ₹7,500. A case has been registered against the accused under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, and legal proceedings have begun.

According to the Bureau, the complaint stated that under the Haryana Government’s Ghar-Ghar Bijli Yojana, the work of installing electricity poles, cables, and meters was being executed in Village Mandouri, and the responsibility of the process was assigned to lineman Ganesh Kumar. The complainant’s house is located about 300 meters away from the main road. When the complainant requested the installation of the electricity pole and connection, the lineman allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹10,000.

Under compulsion, the complainant had paid ₹2,500 to the accused on December 22, 2025. However, even after taking the money, neither the electricity pole nor the meter was installed. The accused continued to demand the remaining ₹7,500 from the complainant. After verification of the complaint, the SV & ACB team from the Palwal Sub-Centre laid a planned trap today and apprehended the accused red-handed while accepting the bribe in Village Mandouri.

Superintendent of Police, Vigilance Bureau Faridabad Range, Anil Yadav, stated that the recovered amount and other important evidence have been seized. He added that the investigation is ongoing and strict action will continue under the state government’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption.

Chandigarh:

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, in association with Tech Mahindra Smart, today organized a training workshop on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and basic medical care for Pink Material Recovery Facility (MRF) employees at Sector 25, Chandigarh.

The workshop was inaugurated by Medical Officer of Health Dr. Inderdeep Kaur, in the presence of concerned officers and staff. The main objective of the programme was to create awareness and provide practical, hands-on training on life-saving techniques, particularly CPR for children and young individuals, along with essential basic first-aid measures.

During the session, participants were imparted practical training and live demonstrations on emergency response, early identification of medical distress, and immediate care that can be administered before professional medical help arrives. The importance of timely and correct intervention in emergency situations was strongly emphasized.

Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, lauded the initiative and stated that such capacity-building programmes are extremely important for frontline and field staff. He emphasized that timely and appropriate response during medical emergencies can save precious lives, and training in CPR and basic first aid equips employees with the confidence and skills to act effectively during critical situations.

The Commissioner further stated that MCC is committed to strengthening public health preparedness and promoting preventive healthcare through meaningful collaborations with reputed organizations like Tech Mahindra Smart. He appreciated the efforts of Tech Mahindra Smart and the Health Department for organizing this practical and impactful training programme and expressed hope that similar workshops would be conducted regularly to build a safer, more responsive, and health-conscious workforce across the city.

The initiative was well received by the Pink MRF employees, who actively participated in the workshop and appreciated the informative and practical approach adopted by the trainers. Such programmes play a vital role in enhancing safety awareness and emergency preparedness among sanitation and waste management workers.

Tech Mahindra Smart was commended for organizing this meaningful initiative, which aligns with the broader goal of promoting public health awareness and strengthening emergency response capabilities within the community.

Chandigarh:

In a continued effort to create public awareness and curb the menace of littering in public places, the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh has intensified its enforcement drive against violators of solid waste management norms. During the last seven days, MCC has issued challans to 16 residents for littering in public places across different parts of the city by following clues from waste.

Acting on the strict directions of the MC Commissioner, Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, sanitary inspectors conducted random inspections at various locations to identify and nab violators indulging in illegal dumping of waste.

 During these inspections, the teams recovered slips, documents, and other proofs of identity from the dumped waste, which helped in tracing the offenders and issuing challans as per rules.

The challans were issued at multiple locations including H. No. 8 and 13, Sector 8-A; H. No. 736, Sector 8-B; H. No. 631, Sector 11; H. No. 232, 290, 397, 1365, 2040, 2046 and SCF No. 21, Sector 15; H. No. 516, 545 and 578, Sector 16; H. No. 1681, Sector 18; H. No. 2738-C, Sector 37, Chandigarh.

MC Commissioner Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, reiterated that maintaining cleanliness is a collective responsibility and warned that MCC will adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards littering and illegal dumping of waste. He emphasized that strict action will continue to be taken against violators under the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Rules to ensure a clean, healthy, and hygienic city.

The Municipal Corporation has appealed to citizens to cooperate with civic authorities, adopt responsible waste disposal practices, and contribute actively towards making Chandigarh a cleaner and greener city.

Chandigarh, January 8 – In a major administrative push to ease public hardship and strengthen citizen-centric governance, the Haryana Government has launched a time-bound statewide campaign ‘Jalsa-E-Aam’ to clear all pending mutation cases, while simultaneously accelerating Agristack implementation, digital revenue reforms, improve disposal of land partition cases, inter-State boundary demarcation and comprehensive cold-wave preparedness.

The measures were reviewed and announced by the Financial Commissioner Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, during a high-level meeting with Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing here today.

The Jalsa-E-Aam campaign will be conducted on Saturdays — January 10, 17, 24 and 31 — to ensure time-bound disposal of mutation cases. Dr. Misra directed that the campaign be given wide publicity to ensure maximum public participation. The State is currently processing 1,89,635 mutation applications across 143 tehsils and 7,104 villages. Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to prioritise 50,794 cases pending for more than ten days, with Faridabad, Palwal and Ambala accounting for the special focus. To further ease public inconvenience, the State is moving towards auto-mutation, for which the existing backlog must be cleared on priority.

Stressing the need to address long-pending land partition cases, Dr. Misra ordered strict enforcement of the substituted Section 111A of the Punjab Land Revenue Act, which provides for quick disposal. To accelerate disposal, each Assistant Collector (Second Grade) has been mandated to dispose of a minimum of 12 partition cases per month, while Tehsildars with lighter workloads have been assigned a target of 20 cases per month.

To ensure accountability, Dr. Misra instructed the establishment of a three-tier monitoring mechanism, with monthly reviews at the district, divisional and State levels. She also directed the introduction of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism, under which retired Revenue Officers will be engaged on a contractual basis to conduct village-level camps for consensus-based settlements. An honorarium of Rs. 10,000 per successfully resolved case, to be shared equally by the contesting parties, has been approved to encourage amicable resolutions. DCs were directed to empanel retired revenue offices to conduct ADR camps in villages with a higher number of pending revenue cases.

*Digital Transformation Gains*

Reviewing progress in digital revenue administration, Dr. Misra said Haryana has digitised over 60 lakh land records. Since the launch of the paperless registration system, 83,379 property deeds have been registered through paperless registration mode. Of 1,17,931 deeds processed, 90,711 have been approved, reflecting an approval rate of 76.9 percent. She directed that registration cases reverted more than twice should be automatically escalated to senior officers for timely resolution.

*Tatima Digitisation Nears Completion*

As of January 5, 2026, 60.43 lakh Tatima records have been completed across 6,351 geo-referenced villages. Mahendragarh has achieved 99.7 percent completion, while Bhiwani and Jind have completed 3.82 lakh and 4.28 lakh records, respectively. Remaining districts have been directed to complete the work by January 31, 2026.

*Agristack Rollout and Compliance Measures*

Under Agristack, data buckets have been created for over 98 lakh farmers, with 5.12 lakh enrolments completed so far. Dr. Misra directed that PPP-ID and Aadhaar seeding for landowners be carried out simultaneously at Agristack camps and completed within one month. Priority will be given to PM-Kisan beneficiaries, who will be mobilised through SMS alerts sent by the Agriculture Department.

She further directed that Agriculture, Revenue and CRID officials work together on a common platform during field-level camps to ensure seamless Aadhaar-PPP seeding and updating of revenue records. Dr. Misra also emphasised expeditious disposal of pending disciplinary proceedings and strict adherence to court-mandated timelines in arbitration cases under the National Highways Act.

*Inter-State Boundary Demarcation*

On the Haryana–Uttar Pradesh border, 535 out of 1,221 boundary pillars have been erected so far. Sonipat leads with 74.6 percent completion, followed by Palwal and Karnal. The remaining work has been directed to be completed by February 18, 2026.

*Cold Wave Preparedness and Public Advisory*

Dr. Misra said the State has implemented a Cold Wave Action Plan in line with India Meteorological Department guidelines. District-level emergency response teams equipped with medical supplies and warm clothing have been activated and will respond within 24 hours.

She appealed to citizens to check on vulnerable neighbours, particularly elderly persons living alone, pregnant women and families with young children. Community centres, gram panchayats and resident welfare associations have been urged to organise awareness camps on recognising early signs of hypothermia and frostbite. Citizens can report anyone in distress due to extreme cold by dialling the emergency helpline 112, she added.