IEP Chandigarh, September 17

Punjab Government all geared up for smooth paddy procurement this season.  Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal held a high level meeting with Mandi Baord officials and market committee secretaries here at Mandi Baord Bhawan to discuss the preparations made by Mandi Baord for hassle free procurement.

          Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is committed to purchase and lift every single grain of paddy and provide best facilities in the grain markets.

Agriculture Minister directed the officials to run a special campaign for clearing all illegal encroachments from grain markets. He also asked to make all requisite arrangements to facilitate farmers and other stakeholders i.e cleanliness, drinking water, lighting, toilets, etc.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that Punjab Government has directed the district administrations not to leave any stone unturned to make proper arrangements in all the 1806 purchase centres across the state.

The Agriculture Minister asked the ACS Agriculture Sarvjit Singh and Special Principal Secretary CM Secretary Mandi Baord Ravi Bhagat to be in touch with Deputy commissioner to make all necessary arrangements for procurement during this paddy season.

During the meeting the authorities informed that for the paddy procurement through Market Committees of the state, besides the officials from the head office and field staff would also perform duties to ensure smooth functioning of the procurement operations.

IEP Chandigarh September 17

Keeping in view the zero tolerance policy against corruption adopted by the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led state government, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau during its ongoing campaign has arrested a private person Karamjit Singh Kamma red handed accepting bribe of Rs.5,000 on behalf of ASI Harpreet Singh posted at AntiTheft Police Station PSPCL, Ludhiana.          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) said the accused ASI Harpreet Singh and Karamjit Singh have been arrested on the complaint of Tarlochan Singh resident of Mandi Gobindgarh, district Fatehgarh Sahib.          Giving details he informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the above mentioned ASI was demanding bribe of Rs 15,000 to settle his domestic power theft case but the deal was struck at Rs 5,000.          The spokesperson added that after verification of the facts submitted by the complainant, a VB team caught Karamjit Singh red handed, who has accepted the bribe money of Rs 5,000 on behalf of Harpreet Singh ASI, from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.          He further informed that in this regard a case FIR No. 15 dated 16.09.2022 u/s 7, 7A of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at VB police station Flying Squad-1, Punjab at SAS Nagar and further investigation is under progress. 

IEP Chandigarh/SAS Nagar, September 17

Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Minister for Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab today inspected various projects being implemented by the Department of Soil and Water Conservation. In the northern sub mountainous area of Punjab, where agriculture is mostly rainfed, the department has constructed several check dams for harvesting of runoff water which is later utilized by the farmers for irrigating crops during the lean period. These projects also help to arrest soil erosion and augment ground water.

 Disclosing this an official spokrsperson of the Punjab Government said that during the visit, earthen check dams located in Paroul and Burana villages of Majri, Mohali were visited by the Minister. Interacting with the beneficiaries of the projects he praised the initiatives of the department for providing them assured irrigation through these check dams. Dr. Nijjar also commended these projects and said that besides conserving water, these dams are also helping the environment by improving soil moisture regime in the catchment thereby increasing the vegetation cover. Pertinent to mention here that Government scheme for construction of check dams was closed during 2003-04, but with the special efforts of minister, a new scheme has been sanctioned for integrated development of kandi area under which 50 such new check dams will be constructed.

The Minister directed the department that efforts should be made to bring more and more area under such irrigation techniques so that we can equip ourselves for the future water crisis in the state.

IEP Chandigarh, September 17

Under a special initiative launched to combat the latest modus operandi of cyber fraudsters who cheat people on social media by using the photographs of high-ranking officers, State Crime Branch, Haryana organised a training session for all Cyber Nodal officers across the state.

       Sharing the information here today, a Haryana Police spokesperson informed that the cyber fraudsters download the photos of IPS/IAS officers from the Internet and used it as profile picture on their WhatsApp numbers. Besides that, they also send messages to junior rank officers asking for money or other favours. “Similar cybercrime cases have come to the fore in many states of the country,” he added.

       “In such incidents, it is advised that if someone asks you to send money or buy something on the message, then you should call and check with the concerned person before doing so. In this training session, all the Cyber Nodal officers of the state and the employees appointed at the Cyber Desks were sensitized about the new trend,” said Sh. O.P. Singh, ADGP Crime.

       “With changing modus operandis of cybercrime, Police is also becoming more advanced. More of these training sessions will be organized for cyber officers in the coming future,” he added.

       Recently, a meeting with the nodal officers of WhatsApp was also held to prevent such crimes. Post which, a new feature was added by WhatsApp that has helped the Police in the crime investigation process. This feature is called LERS (Law Enforcement Response System) which allows Police to report any suspicious account details to WhatsApp so that it can be closed immediately.

       72 Nodal officers and Employees from across the state have participated in this online training session. In this session, it was also told how to conduct investigations, trace the complaints and best ways to nab the cyber thugs in the case of similar modus operandi where fake WhatsApp account is used to defraud people.

       The citizens are advised not to get involved if a message comes from unknown number. The Cybercrime cases can be reported via. call at 1930.

IEP Chandigarh, September 17

The  three-day International Gita Mahotsav took off at the Parliament House in the Canadian capital Ottawa in a grand manner with the message of  Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal played.

       On this occasion, the holy book Bhagavad Gita was placed in the library of the Canadian parliament after  Ms Sonya, Head of Parliament Library, received its copy for Parliament Library from Gita Manishi Swami Shri Gyananand Ji and India-born Canadian MP, Sh. Chandra Arya.

       Later speaking on the occasion, Swami Shri Gyananand Ji said that the relevance of the Bhagavad Gita has become more relevant  in the present times. Every person should imbibe the teachings of  Gita in his life. 

       He said that the message of the Gita holds eternal relevance and it has been inspiring human beings for thousands of years.  

       “We have to spread the message of the Gita to every corner of the world.  For this purpose, International Gita Mahotsav(IGM) programmes are being organized,” said Swami Shri Gyananand Ji. 

       A message from the Prime Minister of Canada, Sh. Justin Trudeau welcoming everyone to Parliament Hill in  this Mahotsav was  also read out at the programme.   

       The Prime Minister said that such events not only bring Canadians together but also greatly  encourage them to celebrate their diversity.  

       He said that the message of peace, harmony and brotherhood taught in the Bhagavad Gita is universal.  He thanked everyone present there for being a part of this special day.

       In this programme, cultural programme and Gita shloka recitation were done by the children of Chinmaya Mission, followed by a classical dance performance.  

       Nepean MP of Ottawa, Sh.  Chandra Arya, High Commissioner of India to Canada, Cabinet Minister, Sh. Kamal Gupta, Sh. Subhash Barala, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Director General of Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Dr Amit Agrawal, Ambassador of Nepal, The High Commissioners of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Sh. Madan Mohan Chhabra, Secretary, KDB, Sh. Chandrakant Kataria, CEO, KBD, and Sh. Upendra Singhal, Member, KDB and other dignitaries were also present at the event. 

       Notably, to bring Kurukshetra to the world stage and to spread the teachings of the holy book Gita, to the masses, not only in Kurukshetra and Haryana but this grand festival of Gita (IGM), is also being successfully organized in countries like Mauritius and England. This time the event is being held in Canada. 

IEP Mohali, 16 September

Nine lakh trees planted in 900 villages of Punjab since 2019. Waste management units were set up in 122 villages, engaging more than 22,000 households. Running 223 ‘Learn Labs’ which are shaping the future of more than 14,000 children.All this and more has been achieved by RoundGlass Foundation in Punjab in the past four years. A non-profit based out of Mohali, the Foundation is working towards improving the lives of children, youth, and women of Punjab, and helping communities and the environment flourish by making significant social, cultural, and economic investments in the state.Recently, its founder Sunny Singh – a Seattle-based tech entrepreneur –was in Mohali and in a freewheeling discussion spoke about his vision for Punjab. “I imagine a state where people are living a life of wellbeing. I love Punjab and I am bringing resources and the Punjabi diaspora to it. I want to make Punjab the greenest state in the world. I believe in the people of Punjab and have faith in them. I want to see Punjab unleashing its potential in the world,” said Singh who was born in Patiala and later moved to the US for higher education.Challenges to EnvironmentPunjab’s environment has been witnessing continuous degradation for since 50-odd years. The Green Revolution followed by the rapid industrialisation of agriculture in the state has led to the indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilisers, resulting in water, soil, and air pollution. As per government data, a typical farmer in Punjab now uses 3.5 times more fertilisers and pesticides than in 1970 to get the same output.Almost 85 per cent of Punjab’s geographical area is under agriculture,and just 3.6 per cent of the area is forested. More land under agriculture means higher stress on water resources leading to over-extraction of groundwater. A 2021 study done by Punjab Agricultural University found that the state’s groundwater level has been dipping by 1 meter every year, from 1998-2018. The low water productivity of the state has also contributed to the overuse of groundwater. To give a perspective, Punjab uses about 5,400 litres of water to grow one kilogram of rice, five times more than what China utilises.Taking Positive ActionDuring an earlier visit to Punjab, Singh became familiar with his home state’s environmental and social challenges and decided to act, the result was RoundGlass Foundation.RoundGlass Foundation aimsat creating a healthier, happier, and more vibrant Punjab by applying the principles of what Singh calls “Wholistic Wellbeing” – an integrated approach to physical, mental, social, community and planetary wellbeing. “It truly allows us to take care of the people,” said Singh.The Foundation works in areas of sustainability and climate change, and the wellbeing of children and women of the state by empowering them with knowledge, skills, and financial independence.Working towards Planting 1 billion Trees in Punjab“The Foundation runsvarious programs such as Sustain Punjab, Learn Punjab,Sports Punjab and Her Punjab. Under Sustain Punjab, it is running initiatives such as Plant for Punjab, which is regreening the state by planting native trees. Since 2019, the Foundation has created 700 mini forests and planted 9 lakh trees in Punjab,” said Singh. Plant for Punjab has a goal of planting one billion trees in the state.Reforestation activities help in mitigating climate change by enhancing carbon sequestration through trees, they regulate water cycles, prevent soil erosion, and desertification, and restore wildlife habitats. In addition, reforestation drives improve the health and livelihoods of local communities.Taking Sports to ChildrenSport is a powerful tool for social transformation. RoundGlass Foundation is using sports as a medium to nurture children’s potential for leadership, teamwork, and discipline and, in the process, enables them to make positive life choices. Under its Sports Punjab programme, it is running 262 Sports Centres which are training 7,000 children, including girls, across Punjab.“We are creating spaces in villages for children to play a variety of sports and providing them with nets, goal posts, footballs etc. These spaces will also have a walking track and places to sit. The idea is to invite both elders and children to come out. The elders can keep an eye on children as they play. This will help keep children away from over-use of screens and put their energies to constructive use,” said Sunny.To raise a generation of changemakers and problem-solvers, Foundation has invested in Learn Labs which foster curiosity, cognitive flexibility, and critical thinking in children and youth, working with them during after-school hours. At present, there are 233 Learn Labs across Punjab, teaching more than 14,000 students in the age group of 6-14 years.Her Punjab is another programme run by the Foundation that empowers women and girls living in villages through initiatives in health and financial independence.Power of the PeopleWhile Singh is on this ambitious journey to transform Punjab, he says he is not alone. “Punjab and its people have been very supportive of the work being done by the Foundation. Its social initiatives have garnered a lot of love and respect and people truly value its work and its mission to build a better, more vibrant Punjab,” Singh said. About RoundGlass FoundationRoundGlass Foundation has been working in Punjab since 2018 creating a healthier, happier, and more vibrant Punjab by applying the principles of Wholistic Wellbeing. The Foundation is committed to improving the lives of children, youth, women, communities, and the environment by making significant social, cultural, and economic investments in the state. Since 2018 the RoundGlass Foundation has impacted the lives of more than 13 lakh people in 1,400 villages of  Punjab through its four impact pillars: Learn Punjab, which builds confidence and critical thinking among rural children;  Sports Punjab, which is giving children in rural areas equal opportunities to play; Sustain Punjab that works towards reforestation, solid waste management, and regenerative farming, and Her Punjab, which is empowering women by enabling their health and financial independence.  

IEP Chandigarh, September 17

The education department in order to correct the student-teacher ratio in the state, implemented the transfer policy and due to the implementation of this policy, the teacher and student ratio in most of the schools in the state has been corrected, along with this, in the transfer policy, majority of the teachers have been given their desired station.

        Giving detailed information in this regard, a spokesperson of the department said that the education department has been working on this transfer policy since 2016 with an aim to provide quality education to every student and at the same time provide maximum facilities to the teachers. The department also informed in detail about the need for rationalization before the transfers.

        The spokesperson said that there were many schools in the state where the number of students was more but the teachers were less and vice versa. As observed in few cases there used to be only 6-8 periods in the whole week, due to which rationalization was necessary before transfers and this is the reason due to which decision to transfer teachers according to rationalization was made by the government. Prior to this, inadequate workload was there among the teachers which was observed in various cases.

        About 36,000 teachers were transferred in the transfer drive process, which includes 30,367 regular teachers and 5,241 guest teachers. After the transfers, 75 percent of the regular teachers were allotted their first 10 schools of choice, while 68 percent of the guest teachers were allotted their first 10 schools of choice.

According to the department, in these transfer drives, the department has ensured that an adequate amount of student-teacher ratio is there in the schools so that the aim of quality education is ensured in the Government schools. Transparency has been ensured in this transfer drive programme and no room is left for any impartiality. The spokesperson further added that in many cases related to transfers have approached the High Court, in which the department cleared their side and resolved as per the directions of the High Court.

He further said that some schools are still facing shortage of teachers which will be overcomed by recruitment of teachers through Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam. Apart from this, a demand has been sent in writing to HSSC and HPSC on behalf of the department for regular recruitment of teachers.

        While giving information on the transfers of guest teachers, it was informed that guest teachers have been included in the transfer process on their demand. Since it was directed to all guest teachers in 2021 itself that after the transfers of regular teachers they will also have to join the transfer process and leave their existing schools, all guest teachers have been transferred according to the policy. Apart from this, the same instructions have been given by the department that if any guest or regular teacher has any problem related to transfers, then they can put forward their issues through the Sugam Sampark portal.

It is worth noting that wherever any error came to the fore regarding the transfer process, special cognizance has been taken by the department and orders have been revised again. It has been clarified once again by the department that no school has been closed in these transfers, but schools have been merged with the aim of making maximum use of the teachers so that the head of the school prepares the time table of the available teachers.