IEP Chandigarh, October 13

On the orders of Minister for Social Security, Punjab Dr. Baljit Kaur the department conducted verification of pensioners drawing various kind of pensions from the state exchequer. Among those verified 90248 pensioners were found deceased. Now the district level officers have been directed to submit the undistributed amount into treasury by 21st October, stated Dr.Baljit Kaur in a press statement issued her today.

Please set that a department give pensions to elderly, widows, dependent children and the disabled. Describing the news published in some newspapers regarding the survey as unfounded, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that on 4 August 2022, she had a meeting with the districts’ officials of the department.

During the meeting, she had instructed all the district officials to identify deceased beneficiaries for the financial assistance scheme for old age pension, widow and dependent women, dependent children and destitute. It should be ensured that pension is not transferred to the account of any deceased beneficiary. So she directed that a survey of existing beneficiaries of old age pension and other financial assistance schemes should be conducted.

By taking action as per the orders and getting back the amount lying in their accounts by identifying the deceased beneficiaries, the financial loss of the government will be prevented and other needy people will be helped with this amounts, she added.

IEP Chandigarh, October 13

In a bid to get first hand information about the ground realities of Government Schools and to know ongoing quality education activities, a high-level delegation of Maharashtrian Education Department today visited various schools across Punjab.

          On the direction of Education Minister of Maharashtra Deepak Kesarkar, this delegation led by Secretary School Education and Sports Department of Maharashtra Ranjit Singh Deol visited Government Primary School Nariangarh Jhunghian, Government Model Senior Secondary School Phase 3B1 and Meritorious School Mohali.

          Meanwhile, Secretary-cum-DGSE Punjab Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal coordinated the visit and provide requisite information about the procedures and achievements of the government schools of the state.

          The delegation comprising State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Maharashtra Prathamik Shikshan Parishad, Mumbai Kailas Pagare, OSD of Education Minister Maharashtra Sushant Khandekar Dr. Siddhesh Wadkar, Joint Director, SCERT, Maharashtra, Pune Ramakant Kathmore and Director Education, Maharashtra state, Pune Mahesh Palkar. During their visit the delegation got information about the school infrastructure, free education for children, free uniform, pre-primary, smart classrooms, best practices for teaching and learning. They also visited science laboratories and libraries. The delegation also gathered information about Scholarships for children under various scholarship schemes, Mid-day meal program, Playgrounds, Supplementary study materials, Admissions of students, Grading of schools, various mobile apps using for students and other activities related to teaching. They also saw attractive and colorful teaching aids prepared by the teachers for inclusive teaching.

          After the visit,the delegation also called upon Principal Secretary School Education Punjab Jaspreet Talwar. Mrs. Talwar informed about the organizational structure of the Punjab School Education Department, teacher training programs, teacher recruitments, smart school policy, online teacher transfer policy, sports policy and other important aspects of department, which brought revolution in this vast and ever learning field. Actions being taken by the State Educational Research and Training Council Punjab were also discussed in length and breadth during the meeting.

          Informing the Maharashtrian delegation about the future goals of the Punjab government, Mrs. Talwar said that process to set up  100 schools of eminence is underway and a budget of 200 crore rupees has been allocated for this porpose. Apart from this, another funds of Rs. 30 crore have been earmarked in the budget to provide international level training to school heads and teachers.

          Special Secretary School Education Gauri Prashar Joshi, Director SCERT Punjab Dr.  Maninder Singh Sarkaria, Deputy State Project Director Manoj Kumar, Deputy State Project Director Gurjit Singh, Secretary Punjab School Education Board Kiranjit Singh Tiwana and others were present during the visit.

IEP Chandigarh October 12

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against the corruption in the state, has registered a disproportionate assets case  against Girish Verma, Executive Officer (EO), earlier posted at Nagar Council, Zirakpur, SAS Nagar for amassing huge wealth than the disclosed sources of his income by misusing his official position. In this case Girish Verma, now posted as EO Bhihiwind, Amritsar, has been arrested and would be produced before the competent court tomorrow.

          Disclosing this here today, the spokesperson of the VB said during the investigation the Bureau has found 10 different properties which had been purchased by the EO in his own name besides his wife Sangeeta Verma and son Vikas Verma. Apart from this, he had invested Rs 01 crore 32 lakh in two developer firms in the name of his son.

          He said the VB would also probe the role of other persons who had transferred huge amounts of money into the accounts of family members of Girish Verma. In addition to this, during further investigation the Bureau would find more undisclosed moveable/immoveable properties amassed by the accused besides his links with the higher public servants and businessmen so as to probe the investments, if any, made by the accused during his postings at various places, he added.

          Revealing more details he informed that the VB has fixed a check period to investigate the moveable and immoveable properties of the above said accused from 01-04-2008 to 31-03-2021 and it has come to light that this officer has received an income of Rs. 7,95,76,097 from all known sources of his come and spent Rs. 15,11,15,448 during this period. Thereby It was found that he spent more than Rs 7,15,39,352 which is 89.90 percent of its income and accumulated wealth through corruption. On the basis of this probe the VB has registered a case under section 13 (1) (b), 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station, SAS Nagar.

          Giving the details of named/benami properties created by the suspect are as follows:

1.  A showroom number 136, Sector 14, Urban Estate Panchkula has been purchased by the suspect.

2.  House No. 432, Sector 12, Urban Estate Panchkula has been purchased by the suspect.

3.  The suspect has made a statement to purchase Plot No. 21, WWRW Society Block-B at village Kansal in the name of his wife Smt. Sangeeta Verma.

4.  House No. B-4, 2047/1, Chaura Bazar at Ludhiana had been purchased by the suspect in the name of his wife Sangeeta Verma along with other persons.

5.  A commercial plot No. 14 having area of 150 square yards has been purchased at Dhakoli in the name of his wife Sangeeta Verma by the suspect.

6.  The suspect has purchased 19 kanal 16 marla land at village Khudal Kalan in the name of his wife Sangeeta Verma.

7.  Showroom No. 25, Ground Floor, at Sushma Imperial Zirakpur was booked by the suspect’s wife Sangeeta Verma for Rs. 51 lakhs.

8.  Showroom No. 26, Ground Floor, at Sushma Imperial at Zirakpur was booked for Rs 51 lakh by his son Vikas Verma for Rs 49 lakh.

9.  The suspect has purchased a commercial plot No. 16 having area of 142.50 sq. yards in U.S. Estate at Dhakoli in the name of his son Vikas Verma.

10.  The suspect has purchased a commercial plot No. 17, having area of 142.50 sq. yards in U.S. estate at Dhakoli in the name of his son Vikas Verma.

11.  An investment of Rs 56 lakh has been made in Balaji Infra Buildltech firm by the suspect’s son Vikas Verma.

12.  Rs 76 lakh has been invested by the suspect’s son Vikas Verma in Balaji Developer Kharar.

IEP Chandigarh, October 12 

In the light of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, the Department of Environment, Science and Technology has issued detailed instructions to district administration regarding the time limit for bursting firecrackers for strictly implementation.Giving details Environment, Science and Technology Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that Keeping in mind the sentiments of the people on the occasion of Diwali festival the state government has restricted the timings for busting crackers.He said that on the day of Diwali, on October 24, firecrackers will be allowed to be fired in the state for two hours from 8 pm to 10 pm. The manufacture, stock, distribute, sale and use of joined fire crackers (series crackers or laries) is hereby banned in whole of the State. Only the green crackers(those crackers that do not use barium salts or compounds of antimony, lithium, mercury arsenic, strontium, chromate) would be allowed for sale and use in the State of Punjab. The sale shall only be through licensed traders and it shall be ensured that the licensed traders are selling the fire crackers, which are permitted.Meet Hayer further said that apart from Diwali, crackers will be permitted for one hour from 4 am to 5 am and one hour from 9 to 10 pm on November 8, the Prakash Purab day of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. 35 minutes for Christmas from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am midnight on December 25-26 and 35 minutes from 11.55 pm to 12.30 am midnight on New Year’s Eve from 31 December-1 January have been allowed.

IEP Chandigarh, October 12

Punjab has won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals in boxing on the last day of the 36th National Games, which were concluded today in Gujarat. Punjab has won a total of 76 medals in the National Games including 19 Gold, 32 silver and 25 bronze.

          Congratulating the medal winners, Punjab Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said that as per the decision taken by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Punjabi sportsmen, who have won medals in the national games to be honoured with cash prizes soon. With special priority is being given to Sports in Punjab, he hoped that the players of Punjab will perform even better in the 37th National Games going to be held in Goa next year.

          On the last day of the competition, Simranjit Kaur won gold, Mandeep Kaur and Vijay Kumar won silver, while, Sparsh Kumar, Komalpreet Kaur and Kanwarpreet Singh won bronze medals in boxing.