CHANDIGARH, January 24:

          In order to ensure peaceful celebrations of Republic Day-2026 as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, security has been beefed up across the state and 6000 additional police personnel have been pressed into service to keep vigil around the anti-social elements and carry out special operations.

          Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav has directed the Commissioners of Police (CPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) to ensure foolproof security arrangements in their respective jurisdictions. He also asked all the Station House Officers (SHOs) and Gazzeted Officers to remain in the field till the culmination of the Republic Day event.

          Sharing more details, Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that, as part of the ongoing campaign “Gangstra Te Vaar”, an extensive checking of vehicles and suspicious people is being conducted across the state. Apart from this, Police teams from all the districts are carrying out thorough checking of Hotels and Sarais in their respective jurisdictions, he said.

          He also urged the people of Punjab to remain alert all the time, and immediately report to the police if they find any suspicious. “People can inform the Police on 112 helpline number,” he added.

          Meanwhile, Police teams have continued its drive against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” for 329th day with 58 drug smugglers arrested on Saturday and recovered 400 grams heroin, 15 kg poppy husk, 505 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 8940 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 46,353 in just 329 days. As part of De-addiction, the Punjab Police has convinced 41 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

CHANDIGARH, 24th January 2026:

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Friday continued the registration drive under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna (MMSY) in Patiala on its second day and inaugurated health card issuing centres at Aman Vihar Colony, Tripri, Sukhram Colony, Village Lang, Mata Kaushalya Hospital and Rajindra Hospital, strengthening the state’s push towards universal healthcare coverage.

During this, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said, “Now, every family of the state will get the facility of free treatment up to ₹10 lakh, and even people belonging to the economically poor sections of society will be able to avail treatment in private hospitals.” He underlined that the scheme has been designed to ensure that no citizen is denied quality healthcare due to financial constraints.

The Health Minister further stated that “all medicines as well as diagnostic tests will be provided free of cost,” adding that citizens would have access to specialised treatment services including Orthopedics, General Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Urology, Oncology and other advanced medical disciplines. He clarified that “the diagnostic services along with the entire treatment cost in hospitals have been fully covered under the scheme.”

To ensure widespread awareness and on-ground implementation, Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak conducted a special tour of villages Bamial, Narot Jaimal Singh and Aniyal in the Bhoa constituency of Pathankot. During his door-to-door outreach, he informed residents about the benefits of the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna and facilitated the issuance of tokens on the spot for making health cards.

In Malout, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur also went door to door to sensitise people about the scheme, describing it as “a game changer in the healthcare sector” that would fundamentally improve access to quality medical services for all sections of society.

The health card registration drive also gained momentum across other parts of the state, with MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi initiating registrations at Batala, while MLA Sardulgarh Gurpreet Singh Banawali launched the drive in Village Khokhar Khurd in Mansa, reinforcing the state government’s commitment to taking the benefits of the scheme to every household.

NANDED, 24th January 2026:

Bowing in reverence at Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday said his government would raise the demand for granting holy city status to Nanded Sahib with the Maharashtra Government, underscoring that the sacred town holds immense spiritual significance for Sikhs and humanity at large. Recalling that the Punjab Government has already declared Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo as holy cities, the Punjab CM asserted that his government remains fully committed to the Guru Sahiban.

CM Bhagwant Singh Mann also paid obeisance at the holy shrine of Kalgi Dhar Patshah Ji, met the shrine management and witnessed a strong turnout of devotees and local residents, underscoring the deep connect between the Panth, its historic institutions and the people who continue to draw inspiration from them.

Addressing the gathering, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Nanded Sahib is a sacred place not only for Sikhs but for entire humanity, as the Tenth Sikh Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent a considerable part of his life on this holy land.” 

The Punjab CM asserted that the Punjab Government would impress upon the Maharashtra Government to accord holy city status to Nanded Sahib as a befitting tribute to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The Chief Minister added, “The 350th Shaheedi Diwas (Martyrdom Day) of the Ninth Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, who laid down his life for religious freedom and human rights, has been commemorated by the state government with deep devotion and reverence.”

Recalling an important decision taken last year, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “In November, on the Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji, the Punjab Government designated three Takht towns as holy cities.” He said the official notification granting holy city status to the walled city area of Amritsar, Talwandi Sabo and Sri Anandpur Sahib had already been issued, fulfilling a long-pending demand of the sangat across the world. “On similar lines, an announcement for Nanded Sahib should also be made by the Maharashtra Government, for which the Punjab Government will make all possible efforts,” he said.

The Chief Minister also announced a complete facelift of the Punjab Bhawan in Nanded Sahib. “The Punjab Bhawan constructed by the Punjab government will be upgraded with ultra-modern facilities to facilitate devotees,” Bhagwant Singh Mann said, adding that the supply of Verka milk products in Nanded would also be further streamlined for the benefit of pilgrims. He asserted, “No stone will be left unturned to ensure every possible facility for the devotees visiting this sacred place.”

Highlighting the contribution of Punjabis to the nation, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Punjabis have played a stellar role in the freedom struggle, in making the country self-reliant in food production, and in safeguarding the unity, integrity and sovereignty of India.” 

He said Punjabis are always at the forefront when it comes to defending the borders and are ever ready to make sacrifices. “It is a matter of immense pride that in times of any mishap, Punjabis often reach the spot even before organisations like the Red Cross to serve the needy,” he said.

The Chief Minister said, “The Punjab government is duty bound to perpetuate the glorious legacy of the great Guru Sahibans among the younger generations. We are following the footsteps of the great Guru Sahibans, who taught humanity to stand against tyranny and injustice while ensuring the welfare of all.”

He added that as part of this commitment, the Punjab Government recently commemorated the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji at Sri Anandpur Sahib. “Our sole aim is to keep the younger generations connected with the life, philosophy and supreme sacrifices of the Guru Sahibans for mankind,” he said.

Meanwhile, at Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, the Chief Minister prayed for the progress and development of the state and the prosperity of its people. He said, “Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is one of the five highest seats of religious authority in Sikhism, providing spiritual, temporal and moral strength to the community.” He listed the other four Takhts as Sri Akal Takht Sahib in Amritsar, Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib in Sri Anandpur Sahib, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo and Takht Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar.

Paying tributes to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Dashmesh Pitaah Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji made unparalleled contributions to uphold the traditions of secularism, safeguard human rights and ensure religious freedom, even sacrificing his entire family for these ideals.” He said the Guru Sahib spent a significant part of his life on the sacred land of Nanded Sahib.

The Chief Minister said he felt blessed to have the opportunity to pay reverence at the holy shrine. “I seek the blessings of the Almighty to give me the strength to serve the people of Punjab with humility and dedication,” Bhagwant Singh Mann said. After offering prayers at the Gurdwara Sahib, he reiterated the firm commitment of his government to serve people of all castes, colours, creeds and religions and to work towards building a harmonious society.

CHANDIGARH, January 23:

          As the decisive ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign launched under the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann enters its fourth day, Punjab Police on Friday launched a state level operation to verify the identities and antecedents of tenants living in sub-urban areas and in colonies established on the outskirts of cities and towns across the state.

          The development is followed by the conclusion of the 72-hour long intensive ‘Operation Prahaar’, which was launched by the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday. Under this operation, over 2000 police teams, comprising 12,000 personnel, were deputed across the state to conduct raids at identified and mapped locations linked to associates of 60 foreign-based gangsters across Punjab.

          Sharing details, Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla said that the purpose of this operation was to instil a sense of safety and security among the common people and increase the presence of Police force in the field to infuse fear among the anti-social elements.

 The operation was conducted from simultaneously in all the 28 Police districts of the state and CPs/SSPs were told to plan this operation in a meticulous manner amid massive deployment of the Police Force. Over 815 Police teams, involving 2500 Police Personnel, led by the SP/DSP rank officers conducted this operation.

          The Special DGP said that Police teams have checked as many as 1043 locations across the state. During the operation, 8328 tenants were checked and identities of 7815 persons have been verified.

          He said that as many as 132 suspicious persons have been rounded up and incriminating material has been seized from their possession, which is being further examined.

          The Special DGP reaffirmed that ‘Gangstran Te Vaar’ campaign will be continued till Punjab is free from gangsters.

          Meanwhile, people can anonymously report information related to wanted criminals and gangsters, and also share tips on crime and criminal activity, through the Anti Gangster Helpline number 93946-93946. A cash reward of up to ₹10 lakh will be given for information leading to the arrest of gangsters.

Chandigarh, January 23, 2026:

A review meeting was held today at the UT Secretariat, Chandigarh, under the chairmanship of Shri Praveen Kumar Rai, Joint Secretary (UT), Ministry of Home Affairs, to assess the progress of key initiatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with a special focus on the implementation of the New Criminal Laws.

The meeting was attended by Shri Mandip Singh Brar, IAS, Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration; Dr. Sagar Preet Hooda, IPS, Director General of Police, Chandigarh Police, along with senior officers from the Chandigarh Administration and Chandigarh Police.

At the outset, officers briefed the Chair on the progress achieved in operationalizing the New Criminal Laws, including the issuance of required notifications and guidelines. It was informed that Chandigarh has completed most of its mandated responsibilities within stipulated timelines, while certain rules are in the final stage of approval in consultation with the Hon’ble High Court, which forms a crucial component of the criminal justice system.

The Administration further informed that training and capacity building of all key stakeholders of the criminal justice system—Police, Prisons, Prosecutors, Forensic Experts and Judiciary—has been completed, ensuring institutional readiness for effective implementation of the new legal framework.

Updates were also presented on digital reforms, including platforms such as e-Sakshya, e-Summons, e-Prosecution, Nyay-Setu and Nyay-Shruti, along with electronic sharing of FIRs and charge sheets with courts. These initiatives are aimed at enabling faster, seamless and transparent criminal justice processes.

The meeting also reviewed advancements in the forensic ecosystem, including deployment of specially equipped forensic mobile vans, upgraded forensic technologies, and integration of digital platforms with the national criminal justice system. In addition, citizen-centric initiatives such as QR-based feedback systems, grievance redressal portals and SMS alert services have been introduced to enhance transparency and service delivery.

It was highlighted that Chandigarh has emerged as the first State/UT in the country to successfully implement the New Criminal Laws, supported by strong inter-departmental coordination among Police, Prosecution, Forensics, Prisons and Courts. The UT also reported an encouraging conviction rate of 89 percent under the new laws, reflecting positive early outcomes.

The meeting also deliberated upon certain areas requiring further coordination, including strengthening video-conferencing rules and improving digital connectivity between courts and prosecution agencies, with the objective of enhancing efficiency, accessibility and convenience.

Addressing the meeting, Shri Praveen Kumar Rai stated that the Central Government is committed to ensuring that no Union Territory lags behind in development, governance and public service delivery, with a continued emphasis on efficiency, transparency and citizen-centric administration.

The meeting concluded with directions to expedite pending matters, strengthen inter-departmental coordination, and sustain reform initiatives in alignment with the objectives of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Shimla:

A meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee was held today under the chairmanship of Revenue and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi. During the meeting, officials of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) gave a detailed presentation on the progress of the 450 MW Shongtong Hydropower Project.

It was informed that the river diversion work of the Shongtong Hydropower Project has been completed besides the other works like completion of Barrage would be completed soon. It was informed 81.91 percent construction work of feeder tunnel has been completed. Hydro-mechanical works have also begun.

Managing Director of HPPCL, Abid Hussain Sadiq, stated that the target was to commission one unit of the project by December 2026 and work was being carried out at pace to achieve this goal. He further informed that the corporation has achieved significant milestones, including the widening of three vertical pressure shafts and completion of Unit-1 of the powerhouse.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress, Minister Jagat Singh Negi directed the officials to speed up the work on the Lippa project as well and ensure timely completion of all other projects.

The meeting was attended by Director (Personnel & Finance) Naresh Thakur, Director (Civil) Surender Kumar, General Manager of Shongtong Karchham Hydropower Project Sunil Kanwar and other senior officers and officials.

Shimla: Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi today chaired the third meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee here wherein all the  Deputy Commissioners joined the meeting virtually.

The Minister reviewed the entire details of the land transferred to various Government departments and the unutilized land in the districts.

The Revenue Minister directed all Deputy Commissioners to convene meetings with all the concerned departments in their respective districts, compile accurate land data and complete the exercise by March 31, 2026.

It was also informed that if land transferred to any department remains unutilized for two years, it will be reverted back to the Revenue Department.

Reviewing various important issues related to Revenue Lok Adalats, Jagat Singh Negi stated that following amendments by the State Government, under Section 123 of the Himachal Pradesh Land Reforms Act, 1954, Naib Tehsildars and Tehsildars are required to dispose of partition (Takseem) cases within six months. In case of failure, they must submit written reasons to the Deputy Commissioner. If the reasons are found justified, an extension of three months may be granted otherwise, action will be initiated under the Civil Services (Conduct) Rules. Similarly, a time limit of two months has been fixed for demarcation (Nishandehi) cases and three months for correction (Duroosti) cases.

Secretary, Digital Technology and Governance, Ashish Singmar, Secretary Animal Husbandry Ritesh Chauhan, Additional Secretary Revenue Balwan Chand and other senior officers were present in the meeting.

Chandigarh, January 21 — Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, while interacting with startup founders and entrepreneurs during a pre-budget consultation programme held today in Manesar, said that young innovators and startups are giving a new direction to Haryana’s economy.

The Chief Minister said ‘National Startup Day’ was celebrated on January 16, and today’s pre-budget consultation is a continuation of that celebration. Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, he said, “Startup India is not merely a government scheme, but a ‘Rainbow Vision’ that connects different sectors with new possibilities.”

He said a startup is an idea that needs to be given a concrete shape. It is a small seed which, with the right support, can grow into a huge tree.

On this occasion, Haryana’s Industries and Commerce Minister Sh. Rao Narbir Singh, Minister of State for Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Sh. Gaurav Gautam, and Gurugram MLA Sh. Mukesh Sharma were present.

The Chief Minister said with the resolve to make the country developed by the year 2047, the government is continuously working at a fast pace. He said that major and historic changes are being witnessed in the country today. Whether it is road and transport infrastructure or other developmental projects, India is moving ahead at an unprecedented speed. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, the country has taken a new direction of development, and progress is clearly visible in every sector.

Emphasis on Funding and Technical Support

Welcoming the suggestions given by startup founders, the Chief Minister said that ideas received on issues such as ‘ease of doing business’, ‘funding’, and ‘technical support’ have been noted. He said, “No matter how small an idea may be, if it has the strength and vision, it does not take long to change the world.”

The Chief Minister informed that over the past 10 years, the number of startups in the country has increased from 500 to more than 2 lakh. Haryana has played a leading role in this growth, especially Gurugram and Manesar. Haryana now has more than 9,500 startups and ranks seventh in the country in this regard. Additionally, 19 unicorns have emerged from Haryana.

Haryana AI Mission to be established

Sharing details of key steps taken in the Budget 2025–26, the Chief Minister said that the future belongs to Artificial Intelligence (AI). With this vision, the Haryana Government has proposed the establishment of the ‘Haryana AI Mission’, for which an assurance of assistance of Rs. 474 crore has been received from the World Bank. Under this mission, one AI hub each will be set up in Gurugram and Panchkula, where 50,000 youth will be trained in new technologies.

He said to promote research in colleges and universities, the ‘Haryana State Research Fund’ has been established with an initial corpus of Rs. 20 crore. Along with this, a ‘Fund of Funds’ of Rs. 2,000 crore has also been created.

The Chief Minister said that to encourage startups, financial assistance of Rs. 10 lakh per startup is being provided through HSIIDC, and the ‘Mukhyamantri Kaushal Samman Yojana’ has been launched. The ‘Haryana State Startup Policy–2022’ is in force in the state, and recently, financial assistance of Rs. 1.14 crore has been provided to 22 startups.

He said that the startup culture will no longer remain limited to big cities. From the academic session 2025–26, ‘entrepreneurship competitions’ will be organized in every district, in which selected teams will be given financial assistance of Rs. 1 lakh by the government to convert their ideas into business models.

Considering Manesar as an industrial hub, the Chief Minister said that ‘incubation centres’ will be established in all industrial estates of HSIIDC so that startups can be provided workspaces at affordable rates. For this purpose, land has already been identified by HSIIDC in three IMT areas.

Reiterating the Prime Minister’s vision, the Chief Minister said, “Risk-taking has now become mainstream. Earlier, people were afraid to take risks, but today, not taking risks is considered the biggest risk.”

The Chief Minister expressed pride that more than 50 percent of startups in Haryana have at least one woman director, and the government is committed to supporting women entrepreneurs at every step.

He said that startups and young innovators working in different sectors across the country are the identity of New India. Whether it is the space sector or the defence sector, Haryana’s youth are making their strong presence felt in every field.

The Chief Minister made two requests to everyone—first, to send their suggestions through the chatbot within the next 8 to 10 days; and second, to listen to the Budget 2026–27 when it is presented in the Legislative Assembly.

He said those whose suggestions are included in the budget will be sent special invitations to witness the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly, so that they can personally see that the government has honoured their suggestions.

On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, Sh. Vineet Garg; Additional Chief Secretary, Citizen Resources Information Department, Smt. G. Anupama; Principal Secretary, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Department, Sh. Rajiv Ranjan; Commissioner and Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal; Director General, Industries and Commerce Department, Sh. Yash Garg; and OSD to the Chief Minister, Dr. Raj Nehru, were also present.