IEP Chandigarh, November 4

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption, on Friday arrested a revenue Patwari Jagdev Singh posted at revenue halqa Behniwal, Mansa district and his assistant Amarjit Singh for accepting a bribe of Rs 7,000.

          Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the VB said the accused Patwari and his assistant were arrested on the complaint lodged by complainant Roop Singh, resident of village Behniwal, Mansa district. He approached the VB and alleged that the above said Patwari and his assistant were demanding a bribe of Rs 7,000 for making correction in the revenue record pertaining to his agricultural land.

          He informed that after verification of the facts and the material evidence, a VB team from Bathinda unit laid a trap and the both the accused have been arrested in the presence of two official witnesses. In this regard a case under section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against both the accused at VB police station, Bathinda and further investigation is under progress.

IEP Chandigarh November 4

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested the accused commission agent Anil Jain, owner of Shri Krishna Rice Mill, Sawaddi, in Ludhiana district, in the case already registered by the Bureau against the contractors for getting labour cartage and transportation tenders in the grain markets at higher rates in connivance with officials. He was produced in court today and remanded for TWO days police custody.Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said that during the arrest of accused Jain, his Innova car has also been taken into possession and one briefcase containing documents has also been recovered from the car and further investigation is in process.He informed that accused Anil Jain has been arrested in a case under FIR No. 11 Dated 16-08-2022, under section 420, 409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and 7, 8, 12, 13(2) of prevention of corruption act registered at police station VB range Ludhiana Range in which contractors/tenderers namely Telu Ram and others are included.The spokesperson further added that in this case accused Telu Ram, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and commission agent Krishan Lal Dhotiwala have already been arrested and all are in judicial custody. He informed that the accused Anil Jain was nominated later on during investigation and was avoiding his arrest and his anticipatory bail application was also dismissed by the High Court.Revealing more details he said commission agent Anil Jain has also been charged with allegations of bringing Paddy at lesser rates from other states like UP, Bihar etc. in his rice sheller and was selling the same after mixing with purchased paddy of Government quota stored in his sheller. He also used to store paddy purchased by him in his own sheller in violation of the milling policy of State.He further added that Anil Jain was arrested by a VB team from his sheller at village Swaddi Kalan, after putting efforts for 6 hours approximately in the presence of police officials of police station Sidhwan Bet besides Sarpanches of Swaddi (West) and Swaddi (East) and other respectable persons of adjoining villages. He said the accused has called his family members and workers in the seller and locked himself in a room to evade his arrest. He was arrested in the presence of above mentioned responsible persons and family members after breaking the door of room.

IEP Chandigarh, November 4

Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan said that Punjab Government is moving in the right direction under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann and it is determined to bring farmers out of agrarian crisis. Addressing the gathering on the occasion of Premier Agri and Food Technology Fair at the CII Northern Region headquarters here today, Mr. Sandhwan said that due to the absence of a concrete and effective agricultural policy in the changing conditions, the crisis of agriculture has increased in Punjab and now the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is continuously trying to bring the farmers out of the crisis. He said that Punjab has played an important role in making the country self-reliant in the field of grain. He said that there is an urgent need to take the state out of the crop cycle of paddy and wheat, for which agricultural diversification needs to be adopted. In order to implement this, the Center should ensure minimum support price for crops other than wheat and paddy. He also emphasized on the need to adopt new schemes and new initiatives to bring the farmers out of various crises.The Assembly Speaker said that such fairs play an important role in imparting information to the farmers about the new initiatives and new technologies in agriculture and horticulture. Farmers can be continuously informed about new technologies by organizing farmer fairs. He said that these fairs can produce better results in rural areas. This will make it easier for the government and other industrialists to reach the farmers.Sandhwan said that the farmers of Punjab always played a leading role in the country. The farmers of Punjab had made a significant contribution in making the country self-reliant in the field of food grains with their hard work. He said that the farmers of Punjab have always adopted new technologies and techniques. Now, to make agriculture profitable, there is a need to leave the traditional crop cycle and diversify agriculture. Gardening is a good option for this.

IEP Chandigarh, November 4

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Sh. JP Dalal condemned the statement made by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sh. Arvind Kejriwal on the issue of increasing pollution in Delhi NCR. He said that CM, Delhi Kejriwal frequently makes false statements on Haryana. Whereas the truth is that Haryana has made tireless efforts to reduce the incidents of stubble burning.

Speaking at the press conference today, Sh. JP Dalal said that it is unfortunate that Sh. Arvind Kejriwal holds the Central Government and Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, accountable for any issue that arises in Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party has not left Delhi even worth living. Delhi does not want a leader who implements such ideas, like closing offices, shutting down schools and universities, and instituting an odd-even formula to dissuade people from commuting.

He stated that Arvind Kejriwal’s attitude is such that he can even claim that people in Delhi have the false illusion regarding pollution.

Sh. JP Dalal said that Sh. Arvind Kejriwal earlier used to speak about farmers of both Punjab and Haryana states that they burn stubble, but now he only blames Haryana, which is absolutely unfair.

The truth is completely opposite to the claim of Arvind Kejriwal regarding the situation of stubble burning in Punjab, which has witnessed unprecedented spike in the straw burning cases.

Sh. JP Dalal said that Sh. Arvind Kejriwal used to say that when our government will form in Punjab, we will adopt such a strategy within 6 months, so that there will be no incidents of stubble burning. But now after 6 months he is asking for 1 year extension. This clearly highlights their policy and intention.

Punjab Chief Minister admitted that there has been no management on the incidents of stubble burning

Sh. JP Dalal also targeted the Chief Minister of Punjab, Sh. Bhagwant Mann stated that the farmers of Haryana are annoyed with the statement given by him regarding the incidents of stubble burning in Haryana. However, today the Chief Minister of Punjab has taken at least the responsibility and admitted that the incidents of stubble burning have not been properly managed in Punjab.

The Agriculture Minister said that the incidents of stubble burning have increased by 20 percent in Punjab, due to which pollution has increased in Haryana. He said that instead of blaming the Central Government and Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party should solve the problems at their own level.

Sh. JP Dalal said that Haryana was carved out of Punjab and it was said about whether Haryana would survive or not. But today the GDP and economy of Haryana is far better than that of Punjab.

He said that the Delhi government should take measures to strengthen the public transport system, increase the use of electric vehicles, etc., which will help in reducing the pollution in Delhi.

Adequate quantity of DAP available in Haryana

In response to a question asked by a mediaperson, Sh. JP Dalal said that DAP is available in sufficient quantities in the state. About three lakhs of DAP is consumed, out of which we have distributed two and a half lakhs to the farmers. Mustard has been sown in South Haryana and now DAP is required for wheat sowing, it will be made available in full quantity for the convenience of famers.

Strict action taken in case of irregularities found in paddy procurement

In response to another question, the Agriculture Minister said that irregularities were found in paddy procurement in many mandis, on which the government has taken strict cognizance. The record of paddy in the mandis was checked and the secretary was suspended and an FIR has also been lodged after the irregularities were found. Not only this, CM Flying Squad has also conducted raids in the mandis and caught the violators.

Sh. JP Dalal said that the department is continuously checking the stock and if any further irregularities are found then strict action will be taken against them.

IEP New Delhi/ Chandigarh, November 4:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for making state free from paddy straw burning by coming year.

Interacting with the media here, the Chief Minister, accompanied by his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, said that the state government is working on a multi pronged strategy and has already roped in agriculture experts and the farmers unions for working out a viable solution for this problem. He said that already the state government has given 1.20 lakh machines for the insitu management of the paddy straw. Bhagwant Mann said that this is problem of the entire north India and the union government must intervene for joint resolution of this matter by all aggrieved states.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is encouraging the farmers to adopt crop diversification. However, he said that the union government must give them remunerative MSP for these crops. Bhagwant Mann said that this will help in encouraging the farmers adopt alternate crops and solving this problem.

The Chief Minister said that the farmers get time of 10-12 days between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat. He said that in lack of any viable alternative the farmers rely on a matchstick to solve the problem. Bhagwant Mann said that if the centre provides solution for it then the farmers will never burn the paddy straw.

          The Chief Minister said that the state government has already encouraged farmers after thousands of panchayats had passed resolutions for not burning paddy straw. He said that the country feel proud that in any year bumper crop has been produced. However, Bhagwant Mann said that we forget that this has also enhanced the production of paddy straw too.

The Chief Minister said that in Punjab farmers cultivate paddy on 75 lakh hectares of land out of which the paddy straw is burnt over only on 40 lakh hectares of land. He said that the remaining farmers never indulge in such practice, which pollutes environment. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government has set up a make plant of bio energy production at Sangrur adding that more such plants will be set across the state.

The Chief Minister reminded the the Punjab farmers had played a major role in making the country self-reliant in food production. He said that they had submitted a detailed solution for the paddy straw burning by offering to jointly pay financial assistance to farmers worth Rs 2500 in lieu of not burning paddy straw. However, he said that instead of accepting this proposal the centre had blatantly refused to bail out the farmers. Likewise, Bhagwant Mann said that in order to provide a viable solution for management of paddy straw a large number of investors wanted to come to the state and set up Bio energy plants.

However, the Chief Minister said that the centre must immediately give nod to such projects pending with them. He said that the Punjabi farmer is fully sensitised towards not burning paddy straw as he knows that it will adversely hit his family too. Bhagwant Mann categorically said that since it is a problem concerning the entire north India, the Union government must have convened a meeting to find a solution to this issue.