Chandigarh/Gurdaspur,
9th September,2025.Punjab Governor and Administrator UT Chandigarh Shri Gulab Chand Kataria welcomes Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on his arrival in Punjab

Punjab Governor and Administrator UT Chandigarh Shri Gulab Chand Kataria today welcomed Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi when he conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Punjab to take stock of the situation. Later, the Prime Minister held a review meeting in Gurdaspur to assess the status of relief and rehabilitation measures.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister announced special financial assistance of ₹1600 crore for Punjab. This amount will be in addition to the ₹12,000 crore already available in the State Disaster Relief Fund. The Prime Minister also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. He also assured that the Central Government will provide all possible help to the affected families, farmers, students and orphans.

Shri Gulab Chand Kataria expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this sensitive and farsighted decision and said that the Central and State Governments together will leave no stone unturned to provide relief to the affected families and compensate for the losses suffered.

Chandigarh : In an effort to promote awareness about the latest technologies and innovations in the field of construction, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Architects, the Fire and Security Association of India, the Ministry of MSME, Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited, and the Network of People for Construction, is organizing the 11th four-day “Ins & Out” Exhibition at Parade Ground, Sector 17, Chandigarh, from September 12 to 15.

Chair, Chandigarh Chapter, PHDCCI, SH. M S Vij shared that the exhibition will feature more than 150 business stalls, showcasing modern building materials and innovative construction solutions.

The event will be inaugurated on September 12 by Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dy. Secretary General Naveen Seth and PHD Chandigarh Chapter Chair Madhusudan Vij and Co-chair Suvrat Khanna will also mark their special presence at the inauguration.

Following the inaugural session, a seminar on Urban Planning and Infrastructure Development will be conducted. On September 13, an awareness program on the PM Surya Ghar Yojana will be organized, with active participation from officials of CPDL, CREST, PEDA, and HAREDA.

Sh. Satnam Singh Sandhu, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Government of India, will grace the Valedictory Ceremony with his esteemed presence on 14th September 2025.
Across the four days, subject experts will hold seminars on diverse topics, including modern construction technology, fire safety, security, real estate, furnishing, and decoration. The exhibition is open to all residents of the Tricity region.
Highlighting Chandigarh’s unique global reputation in architecture, Chairperson Madhusudan Vij and Co-chair Suvrat Khanna noted that the Chamber has been successfully organizing this event for the past decade, providing thousands of people with valuable insights into modern technologies and research in the construction sector.

Sirsa:

The Persistent efforts of Kumari Selja, Member of Parliament from Sirsa, former Union Minister, and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, have yielded a major result. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, has informed through an official letter that the renovation work of the Hisar to Dabwali stretch of National Highway (NH-9) will commence from October 1. Along with this, the MP has also requested the Minister to expedite the construction of the Sirsa Southern Bypass, which will connect Jalandhar-Taranagar National Highway 703, so that the city can be freed from heavy traffic and commuters face no inconvenience.

In a statement released to the media, MP Kumari Selja said that according to the letter received from the Ministry, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the reconstruction and repair work of the Hisar-Dabwali National Highway has been prepared and the contractor has already been allotted the work. This project will be executed under a Performance-Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC). Furthermore, overbridges and underpasses will be constructed in the villages of Ding, Sahuvala-I, Odha, Chormar, and Sattakhera. This will make it easier for villagers to cross roads and help reduce accidents. The government has also informed that streetlights along the Hisar-Dabwali route have been repaired and signboards have been installed. Kumari Selja said that this project will bring great relief to the people of the region. However, some pending works still need attention particularly the improvement of the Fatehabad entry point in Sirsa and installation of new lights at elevated locations. These matters will soon be placed before the Ministry.

The Ministry has shown a positive approach toward the demand raised by MP Kumari Selja for the construction of the Sirsa Southern Bypass. The Ministry has assured that the DPR for the bypass connecting the southern part of the Jalandhar-Taranagar Road will be prepared soon. Kumari Selja has urged that the bypass be constructed at the earliest so that the pressure of heavy vehicles passing through Sirsa city can be reduced and the residents of the city get relief.

Kumari Selja said that National Highway 703, which connects Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, will have its southern bypass in Sirsa linking Sikandarpur directly to Bhadra Road. This will ensure that vehicles coming from Punjab and Rajasthan will no longer need to pass through Sirsa city, thereby eliminating traffic congestion in the city. NH-703 will connect Jalandhar with Moga, Barnala, Sardulgarh, Sirsa, Nohar, Taranagar, and Churu. The Selja said that a letter will be sent to the Union Ministry of Road Transport to ensure the early commencement of the construction of the Sirsa Southern Bypass.

A special workshop was organized at the BJP Chandigarh State Office, Sector 33 Kamalam, regarding the Seva Pakhwada.
The Seva Pakhwada will be observed across the nation from 17th September to 2nd October. This workshop was part of the nationwide service campaign being held on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

Senior party leaders, workers, and conveners and co-conveners from various districts were present in large numbers. The workshop was convened by State General Secretary Sanjeev Rana and co-convened by State Vice President Naresh Panchal, Bharat Kumar, and Indira Singh.

BJP National Secretary Dr. Alka Gurjar participated as the chief guest and explained the importance of Seva Pakhwada and shared details of its various activities with the attendees.

In her address, Dr. Gurjar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday is not just a celebration but a day of inspiration for service and dedication. She highlighted that during the Seva Pakhwada, activities such as health camps, blood donation camps, tree plantation, cleanliness drives, assistance to the needy, and other social welfare initiatives are being carried out nationwide.

State President Jitender Pal Malhotra also addressed the gathering, emphasizing that the BJP is not limited to politics but considers service as the foundation of the organization. He reiterated that PM Modi has always given the message of “Seva Hi Sangathan,” and the Seva Pakhwada further strengthens this ideology. He urged workers to organize programs systematically in their respective areas and involve more people in this campaign.

“Traditional sports competitions will also be organized in all districts under the Seva Pakhwada.
These competitions will inspire the youth to participate actively and also spread a strong message of keeping away from drugs.”

Conveners and co-conveners from different districts shared their views and strategies to ensure the success of the Seva Pakhwada. Workers were also guided on how this campaign can bring about positive change in society.

It was also decided that in the coming days, programs will be organized in every mandal and ward of Chandigarh. Special focus will be given to cleanliness drives, health check-up camps, blood donation camps, tree plantation, and distribution of essential items to the needy.

All workers present took a collective pledge to make the Seva Pakhwada historic in the state.

Chandigarh, September 9:  

Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) today hosted a one-day conference ‘Investment Bazaar for Energy Efficiency,’ to explore investment opportunities in energy efficiency projects within Punjab’s industries and MSMEs. The event brought together key stakeholders, including industries, financial institutions, banks, designated consumers, MSMEs and equipment manufacturers , to discuss and promote investment in this crucial sector.

While addressing the conference here at Kisan Bhawan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) PEDA Ms. Neelima emphasised upon importance of energy efficiency & implementation of new and innovative energy efficient technologies in Industries & MSMEs in the State. She also focused on the investment potential in Industries & MSMEs which can enhance the infrastructure at the state level, while stressing upon the dynamics of industry, transport, buildings and agriculture sectors are bringing new opportunities.

She also deliberated upon importance to bridge the communication and knowledge gap between project implementers and funding agencies for the implementation of energy efficient activities within Industries & MSMEs.

Highlighting the role of industries and MSMEs in state-wide energy efficiency projects in promoting economic growth and encouraging financial support,  Ms. Neelima said that under the leadership of New and Renewable Energy Sources Minister Mr. Aman Arora, the state is leading country in energy transition by focusing on clean energy solutions and the conference was aimed to make energy efficiency more market-driven. During the conference, the successful energy efficiency projects were presented to inspire broader adoption among stakeholders in industries and MSMEs.

Mr. Shyam Sunder, Director from Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, GoI, stressed on the importance of Energy Efficiency and shared insights on the various schemes offered by BEE for industries with special focus on the ADEETIE (Assistance in Deploying Energy Efficient Technologies in Industries & Establishments) Scheme.

PEDA senior officials and representatives from Industries, MSMEs, Financial Institutions / Banks, SIDBI, Union Bank of India, UCO Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Equipment Manufacturers also attended the  conference.

Chandigarh, September 9:

Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian, on Tuesday, informed that the flood situation in the state has worsened further during the past 24 hours with 33 more villages, 133 more people and 6988 hectares of crops affected. The cumulative tally now stands at 2097 affected villages across 22 districts with the population hit touching 3,88,092.

The Revenue Minister said that one more life was lost in Ludhiana during the past 24 hours, taking the overall toll to 52 across 15 districts. Three persons continue to remain missing in Pathankot.

In terms of rescue operations, S. Hardeep Singh Mundian said that 191 more people were evacuated within the last 24 hours, raising the total to 23,206. The highest evacuations so far have been reported in Gurdaspur (5581), Fazilka (4254), Ferozepur (4012), Amritsar (3260), Hoshiarpur (1616), Kapurthala (1428) and Pathankot (1139). Remaining districts are Barnala (738), Jalandhar (511), Mansa (178), Moga (155), Rupnagar (313) and Tarn Taran (21).

The Minister informed that 119 relief camps are presently operational in the state, sheltering 5521 people. Currently, Fazilka has 14 camps with 2946 people, Barnala 43 camps with 638 inmates, Hoshiarpur 4 camps with 921 people, Moga 3 camps with 155 persons, Mansa one camp with 15 affected persons, Amritsar 16 camps with 51 persons, Ferozepur 5 camps with 202 persons, Gurdaspur 13 camps with 10 persons, Jalandhar 18 camps with 453 persons, Ludhiana one camps with 47 persons and Sangrur one with 83 affected people.

On agriculture losses, S. Mundian highlighted that the total crop area damaged has touched 1,91,926.45 hectares across 18 districts, up from around 1.84 lakh hectares reported a day earlier. Gurdaspur remains the worst affected with 40,169 hectares followed by Amritsar (27,154 hectares), Fazilka (19,037 hectares), Kapurthala (17,574 hectares), Patiala (17,404 hectares), Ferozepur (17,257 hectares), Tarn Taran (12,828 hectares), Mansa (12,207 hectares), Hoshiarpur (8322 hectares), Sangrur (6560 hectares), Jalandhar (4800 hectares), Pathankot (2442 hectares), Moga (2240 hectares), SAS Nagar (2000 hectares), Rupnagar (1080 hectares), Bathinda (586.79 hectares), SBS Nagar (188.3 hectares) and Ludhiana (76 hectares).

He informed that a total of 2097 villages across 22 districts have been impacted by the floods till September 9. The worst-hit districts in terms of affected villages include Gurdaspur with 329 villages, Amritsar with 196, Hoshiarpur with 208, Kapurthala with 145, Jalandhar with 93, Ludhiana and Fazilka with 86 each and Ferozepur with 108. Other districts reporting significant damage are Sangrur with 107, Patiala with 133, Pathankot with 88 and Mansa with 95 villages. Smaller yet notable impacts have also been seen in Barnala (121), Tarn Taran (70), Rupnagar (66), Moga (52), Faridkot (15), Bathinda (21), SAS Nagar (15), SBS Nagar (28), Malerkotla (12) and Sri Muktsar Sahib (23).

The population affected across the state, the Revenue Minister said, has reached 3,88,092 people. The maximum impact has been reported from Gurdaspur with 1,45,000 persons, followed by Amritsar with 1,36,105, Ferozepur with 38,614 and Fazilka with 25,037. Other major districts affected include SAS Nagar with 14,000, Pathankot with 15,503, Kapurthala with 5728, Hoshiarpur with 2785, Jalandhar with 1970, Barnala with 1451 persons, Moga with 800, Rupnagar with (778), Mansa (178), Sangrur (83) and Tarn Taran (60).

The Cabinet Minister said that currently 18 teams of NDRF, 2 teams of SDRF, 21 Army columns, 2 sections and 1 Engineer Task Force are deployed in flood-hit areas. Around 30 helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army continue to assist in rescue operations. BSF units remain engaged in Ferozepur area. Besides this, 178 boats are part of the ongoing relief efforts.

Chandigarh, September 9 – Haryana’s Energy, Transport and Labour Minister, Sh. Anil Vij, today said that “Our Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, is a leader whose heart beats every moment for the people. It is impossible that he would not stand by citizens in their time of suffering.”

Highlighting the Centre’s prompt response to recent calamities, Sh. Vij said that Prime Minister Modi has given Rs.1,500 crore for Himachal Pradesh and Rs.1,600 crore for Punjab to aid relief and recovery efforts. 

He was interacting with media persons in Panchkula today evening. 

*“We Do Not Do Politics, We Deliver Work”- Vij*

Responding to Aam Aadmi Party leaders who termed the package for Punjab as insufficient, Sh. Vij said that “Some people indulge in politics even in times of disaster. We do not do politics, we work. The Prime Minister has conducted a complete assessment, and the package has been allocated accordingly.”

*“Rahul Gandhi Has Nothing to Do with Democracy”- Vij*

When asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s foreign tour during the Vice Presidential election, Sh. Vij said that “Rahul Gandhi has nothing to do with democracy or democratic systems. A person who does not cast his own vote has no right to seek votes for others.”

………

Chandigarh, September 9

Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema today expressed his strong condemnation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s financial assistance package for Punjab, calling it a “cruel joke” on the state’s flood-ravaged people. He lambasted the Central government for the “meagre and insulting” flood relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his aerial survey of the state.

In a press communique issued here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the aid of Rs 1,600 crore is a cruel joke on the people of Punjab who have suffered devastating losses in what has been described as the worst floods in four decades. He said, “The Prime Minister’s visit was nothing more than a photo-op. After weeks of our state battling an unprecedented natural calamity, the Prime Minister has finally responded with an aid package that is a pittance.The losses incurred by our farmers, labourers, poor people, businesses, and infrastructure run into tens of thousands of crores, and the Union government has the audacity to offer a paltry sum of Rs 1,600 crore.”

Specifically mentioning the immense suffering of the poor people whose houses were destroyed and the loss being faced by the labourers, the Punjab Finance Minister said that many of these people are under open sky, and labourers have not earned a Penny.

He highlighted the immense damage suffered by the poor people , including widespread destruction of crops, homes, and public infrastructure. He said that the state government has already announced compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for farmers and Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of those who lost their lives.

“We are doing everything in our power to provide relief, but the scale of the disaster is such that it requires substantial and immediate support from the Centre. The Prime Minister’s announcement is a grave injustice to the people of Punjab,” he added.

The Finance Minister further criticized the Central government for its perceived apathy towards Punjab.He reiterated the state’s long-standing demand for the release of pending funds from the Centre, including the GST compensation and other dues, which he said amount to over Rs 60,000 crore.

 “The Prime Minister has not even responded to the letter written by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann seeking the release of these funds. Instead of providing the necessary support, the Centre is politicizing a humanitarian crisis,” he said.

The Punjab Finance Minister concluded by calling on the Central government to immediately reassess the situation and announce a comprehensive and adequate financial package to help Punjab recover from the disaster. “The people of Punjab have stood by the nation in every crisis. Now, in our time of need, we expect the Union government to stand by us,” he concluded.

Chandigarh, September 7 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday visited villages Bithmada, Sarasod, Bichpadi, Mayyad, Anipura, Garhi, Mehnda and Jeetpura of Hisar district to review the situation caused by heavy rains and waterlogging. He interacted directly with the affected families, assured them of full support, and announced financial assistance of Rs 21 lakh each for village Mehnda and Dhani Mehnda.

The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure immediate drainage of rainwater from waterlogged areas. He also instructed that a siphon be constructed under the national highway between Bichpadi and Sarasod to provide a permanent solution to future waterlogging.

Sh Nayab Singh Saini reassured the villagers that the government stands firmly with them in this difficult time. He ordered the administration to prioritize relief measures so that people receive timely help and directed that no household should suffer from shortage of food, medicine or shelter.

While assessing crop damage, the Chief Minister said that compensation will be provided to farmers after proper evaluation. He informed that an e-Kshatipurti portal has been opened, where farmers can register details of their damaged crops. Families whose houses or roofs have been damaged by the rains are also being provided immediate relief. He further instructed the Deputy Commissioner to adopt alternative measures, in addition to the existing drainage system, to ensure a long-term solution.

Cabinet Minister Sh Ranbir Singh Gangwa thanked the Chief Minister for reaching out to the affected families and said that he has directed district officials to ensure that there is no negligence in relief work and every effort is made to support the villagers.

On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Ranbir Singh Gangwa, Hansi MLA Vinod Bhayana, State General Secretary Surender Poonia, former Minister Anoop Dhanak, Divisional Commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg, Deputy Commissioner Anish Yadav, District Council Chairman Sonu Sihag Data, former MPs D.P. Vats and Sunita Duggal, Jawahar Saini, former Chairman Satbir Verma and other officials were present.