Category Archives: Chandigarh

Chandigarh, Haryana

VIGILANCE BUREAU NABS CLASS IV EMPLOYEE FOR ACCEPTING BRIBE OF RS.10,000

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IEP Chandigarh, July 19       

   Amidst its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Wednesday nabbed Class IV employee Sukhdev Singh posted at Tehsil Office Patti in Tarn Taran district for accepting a bribe of Rs. 10,000.          The accused employee has been arrested on the complaint of Jagroop Singh Sandhu resident of village Margindpura in Tarn Taran district.          Revealing details here today, an official spokesperson of the VB said that the complainant had approached the VB and lodged a complaint that his grandfather had died on 12-08-2021 and he had applied for the post of Numberdar in December 2022 at the Office of Tehsildar Patti. He said that the accused employee sent the file to SDM, Patti for further action. He has demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000 in lieu of getting his file cleared from SDM office.          The spokesperson informed that after preliminary investigation of this complaint, a team of VB unit Tarn Taran laid a trap and arrested the accused employee for accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of official witness.          In this regard, a case under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused Class IV employee at Police Station VB, Amritsar Range. Further investigations in this case are under progress.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Haryana to contribute Rs 5 crores to Himachal CM relief fund as flood relief, announces CM

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IEP Chandigarh, July 19

Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal today announced to contribute  an amount of Rs. 5 crores to  Himachal CM relief fund as flood relief. He said that the state government is providing all possible help, both financially and medically for those who have been adversely affected due to heavy rainfall in the past.

        While addressing a press conference held here today, Sh. Manohar Lal said, “Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall received in most of the parts of Haryana as well as in the neighbouring States for three consecutive days i.e from July 8 to 10 that has triggered flood-like situation in the State, throwing normal life out of gear and causing unfortunate loss of lives, animals and extensive damage to properties and infrastructure.

Sharing the rainfall statistics, the Chief Minister said that from July 8 to 12, the state received 110 mm of rainfall, which is 387 percent of the normal of 28.4 mm. The normal rainfall in Yamunanagar was 32.8 mm, 32.9 mm in Kurukshetra, 53 mm in Panchkula and 58.5 mm in Ambala, while this time these four districts received 842, 814, 699 and 514 percent of normal rainfall respectively.

        “As a result, almost all rivers in Haryana namely Yamuna, Markanda, Tangari, Ghaggar, and Saraswati. Besides this, all drains have remained in full spate. There were breaches and overflows at many places leading to flooding of fields, roads and habitations causing loss of lives and damage to properties that necessitated immediate rescue and still ongoing relief and recovery efforts,” said  Sh. Manohar Lal. 

The Chief Minister further shared that 12 districts were declared flood-affected. Sharing the data regarding the same, he said that 1353 villages and 4 MC areas in 12 districts namely Ambala, Fatehabad, Faridabad, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Panchkula, Panipat, Palwal, Sonipat, Sirsa and Yamunanagar have been declared as flood affected in the State.

While refuting the allegations levied by the Opposition alleging that the flood situation in the state has caused due to increasing mining in the rivers, the Chief Minister said that such statements are illogical to make as flood and mining have no connection.

        He said that legal mining in riverbeds as per the mining plan can rather have the potential of increasing the water intake capacity of rivers and rather help in preventing floods in low-lying areas, as excess built-up of silt is removed in the mining process.

        Sh. Manohar Lal also suggested that excess slit should be removed by way of mining and otherwise from canals as well so that their water capacity in canal beds can also increase.

        He said that during the Flood Control Board meeting held in January, an amount of Rs. 930 crore has been already approved for tackling flood relief works.

The Chief Minister informed that the proposal to construct a dam 500 metres behind the Hathnikund Barrage is being taken up with the Himachal government.   He said that due to floods caused by excessive rains, there has been a loss of approximately Rs 500 crore as per the initial estimate in the state. Out of which about Rs 281 crore has been received from the Central Government as disaster relief amount. Apart from this, an additional amount will be demanded from the Central Government for flood relief.

The Chief Minister said that around 6629 persons have been evacuated. 41 relief camps have been organised. Around 1774 persons are currently housed in these camps. Food and other civil supplies arrangements have been made for the public residing in marooned areas. Army, Airforce, NDRF and SDRF, Civil Society organisations, and NGOs have assisted tirelessly, the district administrations in search, rescue and relief operations.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Officers should ensure to inspect schools once a week: Haryana Minister

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IEP Chandigarh, July 19

Haryana School Education Minister, Sh. Kanwar Pal while directing the officers said that all the officers should ensure to inspect the schools once a week. He added that where there are deficiencies in government schools, they should be rectified immediately.        The School Education Minister was addressing the meeting with DEOs, DEEOs, BEOs of all the districts through video conferencing today.        Sh. Kanwar Pal directed the DEO, DEEO, BEO that if any teacher is found not present in the school, then that teacher should be marked absent. If any teacher is found absent during checking/inspection, disciplinary action should be taken against that teacher. A list of 10 officers has been issued in each district to inspect schools.        Sh. Kanwar Pal said that the teachers should talk to the parents of the children over the phone, having low attendance or facing any issues in studies. He added that this exercise will help the parents to stay updated regarding their child’s performance.        Directing the officers, the School Education Minister said that the children should be given assignments on tablets. Along with this, teachers should also make 100 percent use of tablets.Sh. Kanwar Pal said that in the districts of the state where the schools are doing very well, the principals of other schools should go and visit such schools. He added that success stories of the school and students should be shared on social media so that good practices of one school can be adopted by other schools as well. Director of Secondary Education Department, Sh. Anshaj Singh, Director, Elementary Education, Haryana, Sh.  Ashok Kumar Garg and other officers of the department were also present in the meeting.  

Chandigarh

NABARD has also played an important role in emerging Haryana as the leading state in several domains – Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister

IEP Chandigarh, July 19

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. J.P. Dalal said that National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been instrumental in strengthening the rural infrastructure of the country. With the cooperation of NABARD, Haryana has emerged as the leading state in several domains. NABARD has stepped up as a key supporter of the animal husbandry sector, offering self-employment opportunities to the youth residing in rural areas.

        Sh. J.P. Dalal was speaking as the Chief Guest at the 42nd Foundation Day of NABARD at the NABARD Regional Office here today.

        Sh. J.P. Dalal commended NABARD for its contribution in preparing the State Focus Paper and for its efforts in computerizing Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS). He mentioned that when Haryana separated from Punjab and became an independent state in 1966, there were concerns regarding the payment of salaries to employees. However, with the support of NABARD, the farmers and employers of Haryana have propelled the state to a position of leadership in various fields, while NABARD has provided capital for rural infrastructure development.

        Sh. Dalal highlighted that approximately 7 to 8 lakh acres of land in Haryana are alkaline, and 2 lakh acres are saline, rendering about 10 percent of the land unsuitable for cultivation. However, this land can be utilized for activities like fishing and shrimp farming. Haryana alone exports shrimp worth around Rs 100 crore. He further emphasized that by collaborating, the Haryana government and NABARD can together steer the rural economy towards a new direction.

        Sh. JP Dalal said that NABARD should also come forward to form organic farmer producer groups on the same lines as NABARD is providing financial assistance to self-help groups.The demand for organic agricultural products in Gurugram and Delhi is more . The state government is exploring possibilities of setting up organic market in NCR. He expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, as due to his efforts United Nations has declared 2023 as Millets Year. Southern Haryana produces a great amount of  Millets  and the government purchases it at a minimum support price of Rs 2500 per quintal. NABARD stepped up to help farmers transition from the wheat and paddy crop cycles to other crops.

        He said that the Haryana Government is providing financial assistance at the rate of Rs. 7,000 per acre to the farmers for growing other crops in place of paddy. Similarly, farmers who sow paddy using DSR technology are also being given financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre. He called upon the officers of NABARD to come forward to support the farmers with an open mind and work as Team India to realize Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and strengthening the rural economy.

        He stated that, the Haryana Government is setting up an International Fruit and Vegetable Market at Gannaur which will cost around Rs 10 lakh. The annual turnover of this market is estimated to be 30 to 40 thousand crore rupees. Which will also  generate employment opportunities at the local level and NABARD will also cooperate in this project too.

        Country now has a strong administration working under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, and that the world has acknowledged this permanent leadership. NABARD should take advantage of the present scenario and contribute to the country’s prosperity, he added.

        Giving details of the activities undertaken by NABARD, Chief General Manager, NABARD Regional Office Smt. Deepa Guha, said that NABARD has provided Rs.13,000 crore as loan to the State of Haryana this year, out of which Rs.1200 crore has been provided for rural infrastructure, Rs.4,700 crore for long-term loan and Rs.6,800 crore for crop loan. She informed that NABARD has approved computerization of 710 PACS out of 730 PACS in the state. Rs. 4.85 crore has been sanctioned for 661 PACS. The process from PACS to NABARD is being done online. 28 states have adopted NABARD rules, Haryana being one of them. Now PACS has been designed to function as multi-purpose institutions, with plans to run more than 25 business activities such as dairy, fisheries, setting up of warehouses, LPG, petrol, green energy distribution agency, banking correspondents, CSCs, etc.

        NABARD has granted authorization certificate for Joint Liability Group (JLG) to District Central Co-operative Bank, Jind, Rewari and Sarv Haryana Gramin Bank, Rohtak. Under this, 4 women can be given a loan of up to Rs 2 lakh. So far, loans up to Rs 1 lakh are given to self-help groups.

        Chairman HARCO Bank, Sh. Hukam Singh Bhati, Chief General Manager NABARD Punjab Sh. B. Raghunath, General Manager SLBC, Haryana Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Chairman Sarv Haryana Gramin Bank Sh. Pranay  Mohanty and other officers of NABARD and DCCB.Chairman, Sh. Harkam Singh Bhati, Chairman, HARCO Bank and Sh. B Raghu, Chief General Manager, NABARD Punjab remained  present on the occasion.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Flood declared for the first time in the history of Haryana, will compensate for the loss of all affected areas: Hry Dy CM

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IEP Chandigarh, July 19

The Haryana government has declared flood for the first time in the history of the state. According to an official  released information on Wednesday evening, a total of 1,354 places have been flooded in 12 districts of the state. Deputy Chief Minister, Sh. Dushyant Chautala, who holds the portfolio of Revenue and Disaster Management Department, informed that flood control, relief and rescue, rehabilitation and damage compensation works are being carried out at war footing at all these places.        Deputy CM said that 12 districts of the state Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Palwal and Faridabad have been flooded. A list of flood-affected areas has been issued in all these districts, according to which Ambala has been flooded at 315 places, Kurukshetra at 298 places and Yamuna Nagar at 221 places. Apart from these, floods have caused damage at 128 places in Kaithal district, 94 places in Fatehabad and 84 places in Panchkula. Furthermore, 66 places in Karnal district, 54 in Faridabad, 32 in Palwal, 25 in Sonipat, 23 in Sirsa and 14 in Panipat have been declared flood affected areas.        Sh. Chautala said that on the basis of information received at the district level, the state government, taking an important decision, has formally declared flood for the first time in the history of the state.He said that due to heavy rains from July 8 to 12 and excessive rain water from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, have caused extensive damage to government and private properties in the state. He said that the Public Works Department has started repairing the roads damaged by the flood as soon as possible and more than Rs. 230 crore will be spent on repairing the damaged roads at about 150 places.        Repair of roads, canals, drains and buildings of other departments damaged in floods will also be done on a war footing. Apart from these, compensation of Rs. 15,000 per acre for completely damaged crops will be sent to the farmers’ accounts soon. Along with this, the loss of livestock will also be compensated and those whose houses have been damaged due to floods will also be given proper compensation as per the rules.        The Deputy Chief Minister said that in the last week he personally visited the flood-affected rural and urban areas of Panchkula, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Palwal and Faridabad districts. He said that the life of the common people has been badly affected by the flood water and livelihood, transportation, food and potable drinking water problems have arisen for many people. The state government is making strenuous efforts to expedite the relief and rehabilitation work, he added.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Punjab Government releases Rs. 183 cr. under post matric scholarship Scheme: Dr. Baljit Kaur

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IEP Chandigarh, July 18      

    Punjab Government released Rs 183 crore in the  SNA account of scheme Under Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for Shedule Cast Students.          Divulging in this regard, Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the post matric scholarship scheme for SC the amount was released under the scheme only till 2016-17. She said that due to non-disbursement of scholarship amount from the year 2017-18 to 2019-20 by the central government, many students had to face difficulties.          Dr. Baljit Kaur further said that considering the problems faced by the students, the state government has decided to release 40%  of the fees of private and government-aided institutions for the years  2017-18 to 2019-2020.          Cabinet Minister stated that according to the guidelines of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, about 1900 institutions were audited by the Finance Department and after conducting the audit, 40% is being paid to these institutions after deducting the objectionable amount.          She mentioned that the reports regarding the payments of some institutions are ready, but as the institutions have not uploaded the undertaking as per the instructions issued by the department, the payment is being delayed. Therefore, the Minister appealed to all organizations to upload the undertaking on the Dr. Ambedkar portal according to the instructions issued by the department, so that the payment can be made to these institutions accordingly.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Punjab Government takes concrete steps for basic facilities at Anganwadi Centres in state: Dr Baljit Kaur

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IEP Chandigarh, July 18     

     The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is taking concrete steps to provide basic facilities at Anganwadi Centres in the state, ensuring the all-round development of children.          Highlighting various schemes and programs of Anganwadi Centers, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit kaur, stated that the state government is continuously working to enhance the infrastructure of Anganwadi centres. She mentioned that Anganwadi centres offer services such as supplementary nutrition, vaccination, health education, health and nutrition education, referral services, and non-formal pre-school education for children aged 3-6 years, as well as for children up to 6 years of age, pregnant women, and lactating women.          Cabinet minister mentioned that the department is collaborating with the Rural Development Department to renovate one thousand buildings of Anganwadi Centres, and with the Water Supply and Sanitation Department for the construction of toilets in these centres.          She said to the District Program Officers and Child Development Project Officers to make special efforts to seek assistance from competent individuals and organizations in acquiring buildings for Anganwadi Centres, providing wall paintings, children’s furniture, toys, swings, and necessary equipment for pre-school education.          Cabinet Minister appealed to the general public, welfare organizations, Panchayats, and NRI’s to contribute towards providing necessary items and facilities in the Anganwadi Centres across the state, there by ensuring the holistic development of children.          Mrs. Madhvi Kataria, Director of the Social Security, Women and Child Development Department, stated that the department officials will select the best-performing Anganwadi Centres at the district level by August 7, 2023. Three Anganwadi Centres from the top-performing district will be chosen, and the Anganwadi workers, helpers, supervisors, and CDPO’s will be honored on August 15. The district program officers are instructed to submit their reports by August 10. Additionally, the entire staff of 10 Anganwadi centres at the state level will honored on August 15 through a live event on Facebook. 

Chandigarh

PUNJAB MINISTER GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN BRAINSTORMS WITH DELEGATES OF CROATIA & SRI LANKA TO MAKE AGRICULTURE SECTOR PROFITABLE

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IEP Chandigarh, July 18    

      In order to make the agriculture sector profitable and boost farmers’ income in the state, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr Gurmeet Singh Khudian held deliberations with a delegates of Croatia and Sri Lanka, who were on a visit to Punjab.          Welcoming the delegates, Mr Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that farmers of Punjab are very hardworking and their tireless efforts has brought the title “Food Bowl of the Country” to the state but now, the state needs support of technologies, research and industry to further strengthen the agriculture economy.          Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government is striving hard to bring diversification in the agriculture sector to wean away farmers from the vicious cycle of two crops. The state has also been making concerted efforts to preserve and increase exports of perishable fruits and vegetables, besides ensuring marketing of these staples.          He also asked Markfed officials to prepare and issue a list of units which helps in preservation and export of perishable fruits and vegetables.          Inviting the delegation for knowledge sharing and investment in the agriculture sector of the state, Mr Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that Punjab is eager to work with Croatia and Sri Lanka to boost prosperity of farmers.          Showing keen interest in working with Punjab, President of Indo Croatian Chamber of Commerce Mr Mayank Jagwani, Vice President Ms Shweta, Mr Nikola Percic and Sri Lankan deligate Mr Jaya Kumar said that there is a huge demand of Basmati Rice, Honey and Turmeric in their countries. Croatia’s delegation said that a business delegation will visit Punjab in the month of November this year to explore the modalities for cooperation in the agriculture sector.          Farmers, who came from Africa, also shared their experiences and said that cultivation of Avocado could be very fruitful for Punjab farmers. Progressive farmer Harman Thind said that some farmers have already started cultivating Avocados in the state and there is no major difficulty in marketing of the fruit.          Vice Chancellor PAU Dr Satbir Singh Gosal said that they will research on developing nurseries of Apple and other fruits being imported from Croatia.          Special Chief Secretary Agriculture Mr KAP Sinha, Secretary Mr Arshdeep Thind, Former AMD Markfed Mr Bal Mukand Sharma and other officials were also present in the meeting.

Chandigarh, Punjab

IPR Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra visits flood-affected villages to assess post-flood damage, assures all possible assistance

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IEP Chandigarh, July 18

          Punjab Information and Public Relations Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Tuesday, undertook a visit to the flood-hit villages of the Samana constituency. The Minister’s visit of village Wazidpur, Jahlan, Bishanpur Chhanna, Kourjiwala, Kalayan, Uchcha Gaon, Inderpura, Dharamkot, Kheri Mania, Dughat and Dadhera etc, was aimed to assess the extent of damage caused by the recent floods, particularly to the crops and other infrastructures in the region.

          S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, accompanied by a team of district officials, personally inspected the affected areas and interacted with the locals to gain firsthand insights into the challenges they are facing due to the devastating floods. The floods have caused significant damage to standing crops, livestock and homes, leaving the people in distress.

          During his visit, S. Jauramajra empathized with the affected villagers and assured them of the Punjab Government’s full support in their time of need. He informed that he has conveyed their concerns to the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann, urging him to expedite the relief and rehabilitation efforts.

          Addressing the media, S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra stated, “the floods have caused immense distress to people in the area. Our government under the able leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann is committed to assisting the affected people in every possible way. We will ensure that the impact of this natural disaster is mitigated and the affected families are provided with necessary relief and assistance at the earliest.”

          The Cabinet Minister S. Jauramajra also highlighted that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann has directed the immediate commencement of a Special Girdawari to accurately assess the extent of crop loss and other damages caused by the floodwaters. He said that Special Girdawari will help the government to formulate effective relief measures and disburse aid to the affected farmers and residents promptly.

          While sharing the future strategy for flood prevention, the Cabinet Minister said, the Jhambo drain in the region, which was blocked due to falling trees and other debris would be cleaned properly, and besides widening the drain, its embankments would be strengthened and new pipes would be laid where the need arrises. He said that the natural flow of water has been blocked at many places due to the closure of the siphons built in the past, and by restoring these barriers, new siphons will also be built on the roads as per requirement so that the natural flow of water could be ensured.

          He said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led government is fully dedicated to the welfare of its people and committed to providing all necessary support and resources to help the flood-affected area recover and rebuild.

          The Information and Public Relations Minister also urged the people to remain courageous during this difficult time and assured them that the government is working tirelessly to bring normalcy back to their lives.

          The minister was accompanied by Gurdev Singh Tiwana, Balkar Singh Gajjumajra, SDM Dr. Ismat Vijay Singh, Naib Tehsildar Pawandip Singh and other officials.

Chandigarh

Punjab Sports Minister congratulates Kanika Ahuja on being selected for the Indian Cricket team

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IEP Chandigarh, July 18      

    Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer on Tuesday congratulated Cricketer Kanika Ahuja for being selected for the Indian women’s cricket team and wished her a good performance in the upcoming Asian Games.          Meeting Kanika Ahuja at his office at the Punjab Civil Secretariat here today, Meet Hayer congratulated her on being selected for the first time in the Indian cricket team. The 20-year-old Kanika, who hails from Patiala, has previously excelled for India A, Punjab in domestic cricket and Bangalore in the WPL.          Meet Hayer said that for the past few years, the women players of Punjab have been performing very well in cricket. After Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, and Tania Bhatia, now Kanika has brought glory to the name of Punjab by securing a place in the Indian team. The State Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is making continuous efforts to make Punjab the leading state of the country in sports.          Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Kanika Ahuja have been included in the Indian team selected for the Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China in September-October. Harleen Deol is the stand by player. The Sports Minister extended his best wishes for a good performance in the Asian Games. Punjab has a large number of players in the Indian sports team in the Asian Games. The medal winners will be honoured with cash prizes by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.          While conversing with Kanika Ahuja, Meet Hayer discussed her beginnings in the sport and also the schedule of practice. On this occasion, Kanika’s coach Kamal Sandhu and the Director of Cricket Hub Academy Harjot Bajwa were also present where Kanika started her cricket career by starting practice.