Category Archives: Chandigarh

DAWN OF NEW ERA’ AS PUNJAB CHANGES OFFICES TIMINGS TO FACILITATE THE COMMON MAN

IEP Chandigarh, May 2 

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that ‘dawn of new era’ has taken place in the state with the unprecedented pro-people initiative of changing office hours which will save 350 Megawatts (MW) of power daily and around Rs 40-45 crore from May 2-to July 15. “Apart from facilitating the people, the landmark move will also help in enhancing the efficiency of the government employees, asserted the Chief Minister while interacting with the media persons here at the committee room in the Punjab Civil Secretariat I. The Chief Minister, who set the example by arriving in his office at 7:28 am, said that this decision has been taken after taking the consent of the majority of the stakeholders in a series of deliberations. He said that this decision will act as a catalyst in saving the people from scorching heat that is expected to be witnessed in the coming months. Bhagwant Mann said that though the tradition of setting watches in accordance with change of weather has been a routine feature in many western nations but in India this historic initiative has been taken for the first time. Dwelling more details, the Chief Minister said that it will enable a common man to do his work early in the morning without  taking leave from his work. Likewise, he said that this will also facilitate the employees as they will be able to attend the social functions after the office hours. Similarly, Bhagwant Mann said that the employees will also be able to spend more time with their children who will also come home at the same time. The Chief Minister said that this decision is likely to save 350 MW of power daily in government offices thereby curtailing the power expenditure of the government offices considerably. He said that as per statistics of the POWERCOM 1:30 pm to 4 pm is the peak hour of the power usage but as now the offices will be closed at 2 pm so it will help in cutting power usage. Bhagwant Mann said that on an average Rs 16- Rs 17 crore will be saved every month adding that from May 2- July 15, the state government is expected to save Rs 40- Rs 42 crore. The Chief Minister said that the new time table will also ensure that maximum sunlight is utilized in the government offices. He said that after July 15 the decision will be reviewed after taking feedback from all the stakeholders, especially the common man. Bhagwant Mann assured the people that the state government will take more such citizen centric decisions in the coming days too for which advance planning has already been done. The Chief Minister said that not only power but it will also help in managing the traffic movement efficiently. He said that many other states have been enquiring about this step and it is likely to be replicated in other states too. Bhagwant Mann envisioned that in big cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and others such steps can help in streamlining the traffic chaos thereby giving much needed respite to common man.  The Chief Minister categorically said that there is no dearth of power in the state as abundance of electricity is being generated to cater to needs of all the sectors whether it is agriculture, domestic or industry. Citing an example, he said that the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant at Ropar has coal for 35 days instead of earlier when the threat of darkness loomed large due to acute shortage of coal in the state. Quipping on statement of Haryana Power Minister for his baseless and irrational statement regarding power in state, Bhagwant Mann advised him to refrain from putting his nose in affairs of Punjab and focus on his own state. On the occasion Additional Chief Secretary to CM A Venuprasad, Special Principal Secretary to CM Ravi Bhagat and others were also present. 

GOVERNMENT JOBS GIVEN TO MORE THAN 29000 YOUTH, MORE IN PIPELINE- ASSERTS CM

IEP Chandigarh, May 2

 Asserting that the state government has made the youth an equal partner in socio-economic growth of the state by giving them employment, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that the state government has so far given government jobs to more than 29,000 eligible youth. Addressing the gathering during a function to hand over job letters to 200 youth in departments of Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education and Cooperation, the Chief Minister said that they had given the guarantee of jobs to the youth which is being fulfilled now in right earnest. He said that it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that so far more than 29,000 jobs have been given to the youth. Bhagwant Mann said that the jobs have been given completely on the basis of merit adding that during the tenure of earlier governments the youth had to yearn long for such jobs.    The Chief Minister said that the state government is accomplishing the gigantic task of giving the jobs to youth in a phased manner. He said that transparency and merit are the two key pillars of this entire recruitment drive. Bhagwant Mann said that a foolproof mechanism has been adopted for the entire recruitment process due to which not even a single appointment out of more than 29000 has been challenged so far in the court. The Chief Minister said that the youth has given affirmative responsibility to the entire process of recruitment. Citing an example, he said that a youth was recruited as clerk in the beginning after which he got elevated to Assistant Lineman with his hard work and later as Sub Divisional Officer (SDO). Bhagwant Mann hoped that this momentum will continue in the coming days too for the welfare of the youth and holistic development of the state. The Chief Minister reiterated that this venue has witnessed a number of such events in which youth have got jobs in various government departments. He said that this reflects the commitment of the state government to ensure the well being of youth by opening new vistas of employment for them. Bhagwant Mann said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction for him that all the jobs have been given completely on the basis of merit. Congratulating the newly recruited employees of the state government for getting the job, the Chief Minister said that it is a momentous occasion for them as they have become an integral part of the state government family. He exhorted the youth to discharge their duty with utmost dedication, hard work and commitment thereby contributing immensely in the progress of the state and prosperity of its people. Bhagwant Mann said that these government officers must play a proactive role in mitigating the woes of the general public. Talking about the ‘Sarkar Tuhaade Dwaar’ scheme, the Chief Minister said that it is aimed at ensuring that the officers especially the Deputy Commissioners and Additional Deputy Commissioners maximize their field visits, especially in villages, and interact with the people by going to villages. He said that it is the need of the hour to facilitate the people in getting their day-to-day works done easily besides ensuring good governance to them. Bhagwant Mann said that this will help in better functioning of the offices along with better acquaintance with the ground realities. The Chief Minister said that in another path breaking initiative aimed at bridging the gap between common man and government, the state government has decided to ensure live streaming of sessions in Punjab assembly. He said that this path breaking is aimed at providing direct access to people for evaluating the performance of every political party in the august house. Bhagwant Mann said that more such initiatives will be taken to empower the common man and make them partners in development of the state. The Chief Minister also reiterated the commitment of the state government for up-scaling the infrastructure in government hospitals. He said that the state government is according top priority to this noble cause for the well being of the common man. Bhagwant Mann said that it is the need of the hour as the state government already has very capable staff but they are not able to impart quality health services due to lack of resources.   Earlier, Cabinet Minister Dr. Balbir Singh welcomed the dignitaries on the occasion

State Government is working for the welfare of every section of the society: Hry CM

IEP Chandigarh, May 1

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal said that during the tenure of last eight and a half years, the present state government has implemented public welfare schemes to serve maximum people of the state. These initiatives have provided direct benefits to the public besides curbing corruption across the state. The vision of the state government is to make every family prosperous and raise the living standard of economically weaker section of the society with the spirit of Antyodaya.The Chief Minister was addressing the villagers during the Jan Samwad programme organised at village Kharindwa in Kurukshetra district today.The Chief Minister said that the development works done by the present state government during the last eight and a half years are overshadowing the work done by the previous government for 10 years during their tenure. The state government has made outstanding efforts in implementing and providing good governance to the people by completing the incomplete development works and making comprehensive reforms in the system. Other development projects including new highways and small roads are being continuously promoted in the state. He said that the first duty of the state government is to serve the needy people. Today there is no such village in the country and the state, where there is no linking network of roads, electricity and other basic facilities. This has only been possibe under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, he added.The Chief Minister said that an amount of Rs. 74 lakh has been spent on street drains and an amount of Rs. 48 has been spent on chaupals in Kharindwa village. There is no shortage of funds for development works. He urged the villages to send the demands regarding development works through Gramin Gram Darshan Portal.The Chief Minister said that the state government has been putting concrete efforts to increase the income of every household. He claimed that 651 farmers of the village are getting income support of Rs. 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs. 2,000 each under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. Responding to the demand for the construction of a cow shed in village Kharindwa, he said that the residents of the village should form a society and construct a cow shed through the Gauseva Aayog. A grant amount will be provided as per the rules.2,685 families in Kurukshetra district gets benefit from Mukhya Mantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan YojanaThe Chief Minister said that there are seven lakh families in the state, whose annual income is less than Rs. 1 lakh, such families have been benefited by giving loans under the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana. In Kurukshetra district, 2,685 people have got the benefit under this scheme. He further said that Haryana Pond Authority has been formed to improve the condition of ponds in villages. The Chief Minister urged the Gram Panchayat to drain out the polluted water from the pond so that clean water will be filled soon.Talking to the villagers, the Chief Minister said that the state government has made Parivar Pehchan Patra to provide benefits of public welfare schemes to poor and needy people. Data of every family is available with the government, through which special plans are being made to provide quality education, health services, security and employment opportunities to the members of every family across the state.Ensuring the health care of every citizen, every needy family has been provided free health treatment facility up to Rs.5 lakh under the Ayushman Yojana, . In village Kharindwa, 687 eligible beneficiaries have availed benefits of the Ayushman Yojana. This initiative has saved about Rs. 78.68 lakh of the villagers.He said that on merit basis about 51 youths have got jobs in village Kharindwa. He redressed most of the grievances of the villagers and gave instructions to the concerned officials to redress the pending grievances at the earliest.MLA and Chairman Sugarfed, Sh. Ramkaran Kala, Political Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. Krishan Bedi, OSD to Chief Minister, Sh. Jawahar Yadav, Political Advisor, Sh. Bharat Bhushan Bharti and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Hry CM interacts with villagers during the Jan Samvad programme organized in the village Jhansa

IEP Chandigarh, May 1

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal while interacting with the villagers during the Jan Samvad programme organized today in village Jhansa, Kurukshetra district said that for the past eight and half years the present state government while following the motto of Haryana Ek-Haryanvi Ek and upholding the spirit of Antyodaya has not only launched several public welfare schemes but has also ensured its meticulous implementation at the grassroot levels. Minister of State for Printing and Stationary, S. Sandeep Singh welcomed the Chief Minister.“Haryana Ek-Haryanvi Ek is not just a slogan for me, it is my resolution. Also, compared to the previous government, our government’s tenure will always have an upper hand in terms of both development works and providing state-of-the-art health facilities to the citizens,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.He said that with the opening of medical colleges in every district, the present health system has been further strengthened.“Our government has ensured direct benefits to the actual beneficiaries, apart from ensuring infrastructural development and reach of public welfare schemes to the beneficiaries at their doorsteps,” said the Chief Minister.He said that development works worth Rs. 1 core has been done in Jhansa village recently. He directed the officers concerned to appoint a radiographer along with ensuring the availability of health equipment in the village Primary Health Centre to be procured at an amount of Rs 8 lakh.From 750 MBBS seats now the number has increased to 1850 todaySh. Manohar Lal said that in the year 2014, there were only 750 MBBS seats in Haryana, which has increased to 1850 today. He said that the members of the previous governments always make bogus claims in front of the public regarding development works done by them, while the reality is that till the year 2014, there were only 750 MBBS seats in the state, however during the present government’s tenure, this number has increased to 1850. Also, with the opening of new medical colleges in all the districts, about 3000 MBBS seats will be available for health services across the state, informed Sh. Manohar Lal.The Chief Minister said that the government is focusing on rural development and development works are being done in a transparent manner through e-tendering. He said that work has been done to complete the development works that have been left by previous governments.The Chief Minister informed that in Jhansa village with a population of about 1840 families, so far Ayushman cards have been made for 3452 people and till date 411 people have availed free treatment facilities worth Rs 71 lakh under the CHIRAYU Yojana.        He further informed that under the Parivar Pehchan Patra, new ration cards are automatically being made for those having an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh.“Jobs are being provided on a merit basis and so far 62 youths have got government jobs in Jhansa in a transparent manner without paying a single penny to anyone. Pension is being made automatically. Under the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana, 2685 people in village Jhansa have been provided self-employment,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.Minister of State for Printing and Stationary, S. Sandeep Singh, MLA, Sh. Ram Karan Kala, OSD to Chief Minister, Sh. Jawahar Yadav, Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Sh. Bharat Bhushan Bharti and other dignitaries also remained present on this occasion.

Hry CM approves Rs 2 crore for village development works

IEP Chandigarh, May 1

Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal while interacting with the villagers during the Jan Samvad programme organized today in village Jhansa, Kurukshetra district said that for the past eight and half years the present state government while following the motto of Haryana Ek-Haryanvi Ek and upholding the spirit of Antyodaya has not only launched several public welfare schemes but has also ensured its meticulous implementation at the grassroot levels. Minister of State for Printing and Stationary, S. Sandeep Singh welcomed the Chief Minister.

“Haryana Ek-Haryanvi Ek is not just a slogan for me, it is my resolution. Also, compared to the previous government, our government’s tenure will always have an upper hand in terms of both development works and providing state-of-the-art health facilities to the citizens,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.

He said that with the opening of medical colleges in every district, the present health system has been further strengthened.

“Our government has ensured direct benefits to the actual beneficiaries, apart from ensuring infrastructural development and reach of public welfare schemes to the beneficiaries at their doorsteps,” said the Chief Minister.

He said that development works worth Rs. 1 core has been done in Jhansa village recently. He directed the officers concerned to appoint a radiographer along with ensuring the availability of health equipment in the village Primary Health Centre to be procured at an amount of Rs 8 lakh.

From 750 MBBS seats now the number has increased to 1850 today

Sh. Manohar Lal said that in the year 2014, there were only 750 MBBS seats in Haryana, which has increased to 1850 today. He said that the members of the previous governments always make bogus claims in front of the public regarding development works done by them, while the reality is that till the year 2014, there were only 750 MBBS seats in the state, however during the present government’s tenure, this number has increased to 1850. Also, with the opening of new medical colleges in all the districts, about 3000 MBBS seats will be available for health services across the state, informed Sh. Manohar Lal.

The Chief Minister said that the government is focusing on rural development and development works are being done in a transparent manner through e-tendering. He said that work has been done to complete the development works that have been left by previous governments.

The Chief Minister informed that in Jhansa village with a population of about 1840 families, so far Ayushman cards have been made for 3452 people and till date 411 people have availed free treatment facilities worth Rs 71 lakh under the CHIRAYU Yojana.

        He further informed that under the Parivar Pehchan Patra, new ration cards are automatically being made for those having an annual income of less than Rs 1.80 lakh.

“Jobs are being provided on a merit basis and so far 62 youths have got government jobs in Jhansa in a transparent manner without paying a single penny to anyone. Pension is being made automatically. Under the Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana, 2685 people in village Jhansa have been provided self-employment,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.

Minister of State for Printing and Stationary, S. Sandeep Singh, MLA, Sh. Ram Karan Kala, OSD to Chief Minister, Sh. Jawahar Yadav, Political Advisor to Chief Minister, Sh. Bharat Bhushan Bharti and other dignitaries also remained present on this occasion.

Haryana proposes to set up Haryana Biodiversity Knowledge  Center

IEP Chandigarh, May 1

Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal has prepared a State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2030 for biodiversity conservation and management, which aims to balance the conservation of biodiversity with sustainable development and the well-being of local communities.         While presiding over the first meeting of the Haryana State Biodiversity Board, the Chief Secretary, Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal said that under this action plan prepared by the Wildlife Institute of India, it has been proposed to set up a Haryana Bio-diversity Knowledge Centre which will serve as a think tank and innovation of technologies.The Chief Secretary said that before implementing this action plan, a sub-committee would be constituted to monitor, precisely study and collect the data on biodiversity.  The Committee will include experts in this field besides members from the finance department.Mr. Kaushal said that a Tiger was spotted recently in the Kalesar National Park. Therefore, the officials should explore the possibility of establishing a tiger park.  He further asked the Forests and Wildlife officials to collect information on the areas of the state where the population of Nilgai and other wild animals has increased. A committee will prepare its report and submit it within a month. The next meeting of the board will be held in June.According to the action plan, work will be done by various departments to save species like cow, buffalo, monkey, nilgai and other wildlife etc. Apart from this, work will also be carried out for the management of cultivable land, underground water, supply of clean drinking water etc. in sufficient quantity to the population living in high rising buildings.Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Mr. Sudhir Rajpal, ACS, Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Mr. Vineet Garg, ACS, Development and Panchayats, Mr. Anil Malik, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Haryana Forest Corporation, Mr. Vivek Saxena and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

Barnala’s Sukhpreet Singh wins gold medal in Junior Federation Cup

IEP Chandigarh, May 1    

      Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer has congratulated Athlete Sukhpreet Singh who won the gold medal in the boys’ triple jump event in the Junior Federation Cup.          Sukhpreet Singh who belongs to Pandher village of Barnala district, won the gold medal in the Junior Federation Cup at Thiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) with a triple jump of 15.76 mtr. Apart from becoming the Junior National Champion, Sukhpreet Singh also qualified for the Junior Asian Athletics Championship to be held in South Korea next month.          Meet Hayer congratulated Sukhpreet Singh on this achievement and wished him good luck for future competitions. He attributed this proud achievement to the hard work of the Athlete and his coaches and parents.          The Sports Minister further said that it is a matter of pride for Barnala district that Sukhpreet Singh has shined after the achievement of Akshdeep Singh and Damneet Singh during a short period in Athletics. 

Punjab government to spend Rs 2.53 cr on beautification of Nagar Panchayat Bhai Rupa at Bathinda: Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar

IEP Chandigarh, May 1     

     Local Government Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar announced today that the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, will spend Rs 2.53 crore on the beautification of Nagar Panchayat Bhai Rupa in Bathinda. The project aims to rejuvenate and enhance the overall aesthetics of the area.          Giving more information, Local Government Minister Dr Inderbir Singh said that, As part of the project, the government will be undertaking the rejuvenation of several ponds in the area. The pond near Dera khooh wala will be rejuvenated at a cost of Rs 54.71 lakh, while the pond near Viswkarma mandir will be rejuvenated at a cost of Rs 51.99 lakh. The pond near Gurdwara mansrover will be rejuvenated at a cost of Rs 32.59 lakh, while the pond at kale bagh road (UPPB-12) will be rejuvenated at a cost of Rs 47.32 lakh. The Namdhari pond (UPPB-09) will also be rejuvenated at a cost of Rs 63.31 lakh.          In addition to the rejuvenation of ponds, the government will also be constructing two in situ (screening cum grit chamber) in ward no -2 and ward no -5 at a cost of Rs 1.67 lakh each.          Dr Nijjar further added that the beautification project will not only enhance the overall appearance of the area but also provide a more pleasant and enjoyable environment for residents and visitors alike. The project is expected to commence shortly, and the government aims to complete the work as soon as possible.

Drink adequate water during dry season: Dr Geeta Joshi

IEP Chandigarh

Dr Geeta Joshi, an Ayurveda Expert said that staying hydrated is very important. This is because your body will give out more water through sweat because your body system works faster during a season like this.

Dr Geeta Joshi, an Ayurveda Expert

To stay hydrated, you can always carry a bottle of water with you to work or school. Drink lots of liquids to replace the fluids you lose from sweating. Do not wait until you feel like you need a drink. Thirst is not a reliable sign that your body needs fluids. When you exercise, you should take small sips of liquid rather than large drinks. Water is the best drink to replace lost fluids. Water with salt added can be used if you sweat a lot, Dr Joshi added.

VIGILANCE BUREAU ARRESTS FOREST GUARD FOR TAKING BRIBE RS 10,000

IEP Chandigarh April 28

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its anti-corruption campaign, has arrested Forest Guard, Amarjit Kaur, posted at Wadhaghar forest beet, Moga district and resident of Bagha Purana, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said this case has been registered against the above said woman employee on a complaint lodged by Gurmit Singh of village Mangewala, Moga district.Giving details he added that the complainant had alleged that the above said Forest official had demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 each as a bribe for not to impose heavy fines in lieu of laying water pipes in the forest land against him and his neighbour. The complainant further alleged that the deal has been struck at Rs 10,000 each. He further added that the complainant has recorded the entire conversation on his mobile in this regard.The spokesperson further added that the VB unit of Ferozepur range has investigated the allegations levelled in the complaint and laid a trap in which the accused Forest lady has been arrested while she was taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. In this regard a corruption case at VB police station Ferozepur against the above mentioned employee has been registered. The accused lady would be produced in the competent court tomorrow at Ferozepur. Further investigation in this case was under progress, he informed.