Category Archives: Haryana

Chandigarh, Haryana

Significant boost of 29.93 percent for Panchayati Raj and Rural Development in budget 2025-2026 

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Chandigarh, March 17

In a significant move towards shaping progressive Haryana, Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, while presenting the state budget as Finance Minister, allocated the budget of Rs.7,313.98 crore (2025-26) to Panchayati Raj and Rural Development sector, increasing by 29.93 percent, from last year 2024-25 i.e Rs. 5,629.18 crore .

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, while presenting the state budget for 2025-26 in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on Monday said that giving top priority to rural development, the state government is committed to making related schemes more effective in the coming years. In addition to increasing financial resources, innovations will be adopted to ensure self-reliance and inclusive development at the Panchayat level. He said that all kaccha phirnis in Panchayats with a population of more than 1,000 will be paved. So far, kaccha phirnis in 224 such gram panchayats at a cost of Rs. 69.11 crore have been paved, and have set a target to pave the remaining kaccha phirnis in these villages in the coming year.

He said that to promote women empowerment, the government has decided to build a ‘Mahila Chaupal’ in every village. In the first phase, 754 villages have been identified for this project. Besides this, over 600 buildings, which have remained incomplete for years across all Panchayats in the state, will be completed with an allocation of approximately Rs. 64 crore, ensuring they can be put to proper use.

The Chief Minister said that under the Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana, about 7,300 eligible families who were allotted plots 15 years ago but could not be given possession for various reasons have been given possession through a special campaign. The remaining eligible families will also be allotted plots of up to 100 square yards under the ‘Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Yojana.’ Basic facilities such as electricity, roads, and drinking water will be provided in all colonies developed under the ‘Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojana.’ For this work, an amount of Rs. 200 crore has been allocated specifically.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that 891 e-libraries and 250 indoor gyms have been set up in rural areas so far. In the upcoming financial year, these facilities will be expanded in a phased manner to the remaining rural areas as well. Under the Amrit Sarovar Mission, launched by Prime Minister, Sh.Narendra Modi on the occasion of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,’ each district was tasked to construct 75 Amrit Sarovars (water reservoirs). So far, 2,088 ponds have been converted into Amrit Sarovars, surpassing the target of 1,645, through MNREGA, the Pond Authority, and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. A target has been set to construct 2,200 new Amrit Sarovars across the state in the upcoming years, he added.

He further said that the main objective of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin is to transform all villages into ‘model villages’ by making them open defecation free and improving cleanliness through solid and liquid waste management activities. The state government will provide ‘hopper tipper dumpers’ to Mahagrams and Gram Panchayats with a population of over 10,000, enabling large-scale garbage management in these Panchayats. Also, the government has planned to assign this responsibility to self-help groups, who will collect garbage from every household in rural areas, similar to urban areas and they will receive monthly wages in proportion to the population of the village.

He said whenever any department of the State Government places a tender on the HEW portal, the concerned Gram Panchayat will be informed.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Haryana government continuously working on pond restoration across the state: Development and Panchayat Minister Krishan Lal Panwar

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Chandigarh, March 12

Haryana Development and  Panchayat Minister, Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar, said that the state government is continuously working on the restoration of ponds. To ensure systematic development, a Pond Authority has been formed. Expressing gratitude to the former Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal for forming this authority, he said that the double-engine government of the Center and the state are working together to improve the conditions of the ponds.

Development and Panchayat Minister, Sh. Krishan Lal Panwar was responding to the attention motion tabled in the house by MLA, Sh. Aditya Devi Lal regarding the improvement of ponds, during the ongoing budget session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha today.

Sh. Pawar said that no previous government had paid attention to ponds, but the present government has taken significant steps in this direction. He said that the state has a total of 19,723 ponds, out of which 18,719 are in rural areas and 904 in urban areas.Of these, 11,295 ponds are polluted ponds, including 10,814 rural and 481 urban ponds. 

He further said that Haryana Pond Authority is getting restored/rejuvenated these polluted as model ponds under Amrit Sarovar Yojana. Similarly several schemes have been started for the treatment of dirty water coming into these ponds. This restoration work is being carried out with the collaboration of departments such as Panchayati Raj, Public Works, Irrigation and Water Resources, and Urban Local Bodies. 

At present, out of 11295 polluted ponds 6507 ponds are taken for restoration into the Annual Action Plan of Financial year 2025-26 and (1069 under Model Ponds and 1159 under MGNREGA) i.e. Total 2228 ponds have already been restored.

He further said that from 2018-19 to 2024-25, Rs.579.42 crore has been released, out of which Rs.533.52 crore has been spent. The Minister also said that untreated drain water in cities will be treated through STPs and will be used for irrigation.  A Water Treatment Plant will be set up in Naultha village of Israna Assembly constituency to treat wastewater from Panipat city. This treated water will then be used for land restoration in Jhojhu Kalan and Khurd villages, where barren land will be improved.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Opposition is misleading on the issue of Dadupur Nalvi Canal:  Hry Chief Minister

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Chandigarh, March 10 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that the opposition is continuously spreading misinformation regarding the Dadupur Nalvi Canal issue. He clarified that the decision delivered by the Hon’ble High Court on December 20, 2024, does not pertain to the Dadupur Nalvi Canal in any way. The 76-page ruling does not mention the reconstruction of the Dadupur Nalvi Canal. In an attempt to conceal its failures, the opposition is making baseless allegations, he added.

         Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini made these remarks while interacting with media persons here today.

         He said that the opposition should read the court’s decision. The Advocate General of Haryana has opined that the judgment by the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court dated December 20, 2024, can be challenged by filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, particularly regarding the repeal of Section 101-A of the 2013 Act. Preparations are underway to file the SLP.

         The Chief Minister strongly criticized the opposition, stating that 2,247 acres of land were to be acquired for the construction of the canal, with 190 acres being government land. Due to public opposition during the previous state government’s tenure, 1,227 acres of land could not be acquired, and only 830 acres were acquired. He said that when this land was acquired in 2004-05, the court ordered compensation enhancement, which amounted to Rs 6 crore per acre.

         Responding to a question about encroachment on the pond land at Peer Bodhi on the Rohtak-Gohana road, the Chief Minister clarified that, as per the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order, no encroachment is permitted on this land. The land was allocated to the Waqf Board, and opposition is making false and baseless allegations on this issue.

         In response to another query, the Chief Minister highlighted that the current government has fulfilled 18 of its sankalp within the first 100 days, with 10 more sankalps set to be completed soon. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi, the pace of development will tripple, and all sankalps will be achieved within the five years.

         The Chief Minister also mentioned that, as promised in the Sankalp Patra, gas cylinders are being provided to 13.5 lakh poor women in the state for Rs 500. He said that despite Congress governments in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, they have failed to fulfill even a single promise made to the people.

         The Chief Minister reiterated that the current government is making serious efforts to eradicate drug abuse from its roots. A regional committee, comprising Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Chandigarh, has been formed, with regular meetings held to address this issue. Joint operations are being conducted with neighboring states to curb the cross-border movement of drugs. Strict action is being taken against drug abuse and this action will be further intensified in the future also.

         He further informed that the Manas Portal has been started, where Union Home and Cooperation Minister Sh Amit Shah is actively involved in monitoring and reviewing the actions taken against drugs. The portal allows individuals to report drug-related activities while ensuring the anonymity of those providing the information.

         On this occasion, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sh Krishan Kumar Bedi, Chief Secretary Sh Anurag Rastogi, Director General of Information Public Relations and Languages Department Sh K. Makrand Pandurang and Media Secretary Sh Praveen Attrey were also present.

Chandigarh, Haryana

My Dream of an Open-Air Theater in Ambala’s Subhash Park Has Come True; It Has Become a Hub for Various Activities” – Energy, Transport, and Labor Minister Anil Vij

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Chandigarh, March 9 – Haryana’s Energy, Transport and Labor Minister, Sh. Anil Vij expressed his immense happiness at witnessing the “Mr. Ambala Bodybuilding Competition” being held at the open-air theater in Ambala’s Subhash Park. He stated that his vision of establishing an open-air theater for diverse activities in the city had finally been realized. He encouraged young bodybuilders to share their skills with others and assured them of full support in promoting bodybuilding.

Sh. Vij addressed the gathering at the event, organized by the Ambala Fitness and Bodybuilding Association, and later distributed awards to the winners today in Ambala.

He highlighted that various events are regularly held at the open-air theater, with hardly a week passing without a cultural program. He emphasized that his dream was for the people of his city to remain happy, engaged and active. He also pledged government support for the youth aspiring to excel in bodybuilding.

“Ambala Cantonment Should Be Recognized as a Leader in Bodybuilding” – Vij

Anil Vij stated that he wishes not only for the “Mr. Ambala” competition to be held but also for “Mr. Haryana” and “Mr. India” bodybuilding competitions to take place in Ambala Cantonment. He envisions local wrestling arenas (akhadas) bustling with activity, where young people regularly train and practice bodybuilding.

“Bodybuilding Promotes Health Awareness” – Vij

Sh.Vij praised the bodybuilding event, stating that it helps eliminate negative societal influences while promoting health awareness. He noted that today’s youth are often drawn toward harmful activities, and events like this serve as a positive outlet. He believes that even those who attended as spectators would be inspired to build their bodies and muscles like the participants. He commended the organizers for hosting such an inspiring event and congratulated all the participants.

Minister Honors Winners and Encourages Enthusiasm During the event

Sh. Vij personally honored winners across different categories and motivated them. Upon his arrival, he was warmly welcomed by bodybuilding association representatives, including Vikas Jindal and others.

The event was attended by BJP leaders Narendra Rana, Fakir Chand Saini, Madan Lal, Pramod Lucky, Mohit Kaushik, Harsh Bindra, Ravi Buddhiraja, Deepak Bhaseen, and several other dignitaries.

Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab

NMIMS Chandigarh Successfully Concludes the Third Edition of the Narsee Monjee Half Marathon 2025

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Chandigarh, March 9

NMIMS Chandigarh, in collaboration with Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (Tata Memorial Center), successfully hosted the third edition of the Narsee Monjee Half Marathon 2025. This year’s theme, ‘Raising Awareness About Cancer and Inspiring a Fighting Spirit in the Face of Adversity’, emphasised the critical need for proactive healthcare and the power of resilience. The event united participants from across India, reinforcing the importance of fitness, community engagement, and health consciousness.

This year’s marathon saw enthusiastic participation from over 1000 runners including cancer survivors, differently-abled individuals, and those who have triumphed over life-threatening illnesses, making it a powerful testament to resilience and hope. The event also had the honor of welcoming prominent running clubs, including The Run Club (TRC), Chandigarh Distance Runners (CDR), SkechersGO Run Club (GRC), and Bonded in Gratitude. Among them were Sh. Rakesh Kashyap, Sh. Rajiv Batra, Sh. Munish Jauhar, Sh. Surender Gulia, and Sh. Vijender Singh, amongst others who brought their experience and energy to the race, inspiring fellow participants.

The NMIMS Chandigarh Half Marathon 2025 kicked off from the NMIMS Chandigarh campus, covering key city landmarks and offering participants a scenic yet challenging course. The event commenced at 5:00 AM with an inaugural address, followed by an energetic Zumba and warmup session to prepare runners for the race. The races were flagged off at regular intervals – 21.1 km for endurance runners, and 11 km and 5 km for shorter-distance participants; ensuring a smooth and well-coordinated experience. To enhance efficiency, timing chip mats were installed at the start and finish lines, allowing accurate performance tracking, while hydration and medical support stations were strategically placed along the route, with ambulances, physicians, and physiotherapists on standby to ensure the safety and well-being of all runners.

The presence of Shri Manish Tewari, Member of Parliament, Chandigarh, as the Chief  Guest highlighted the significance of large-scale community participation in spreading awareness about cancer. He acknowledged the seamless collaboration between Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre and NMIMS Chandigarh in organizing the event and commended the impressive turnout. He stated, ‘I congratulate Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre and NMIMS Chandigarh for organizing this marathon to raise awareness that cancer is curable. The event has been splendidly executed, and I extend my gratitude to the dedicated organizers and the incredible crowd that has turned out in large numbers. I sincerely hope this tradition continues, inspiring many more to join in the years to come.’

Additionally, speaking about the impact of the event, Prof. (Dr.) Rashmi Khorana Nagpal, Campus Director (I/C), NMIMS Chandigarh, Professor & Associate Dean, School of Law, stated, ‘The NMIMS Half Marathon is not just a test of endurance but a testament to the human spirit, resilience, and the power of collective action. At NMIMS, we believe that education extends beyond classrooms; it is about shaping socially responsible individuals who champion meaningful causes. Two critical conversations in the fight against cancer are the need for greater awareness and the importance of resilience in the face of adversity. Through this initiative, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a healthier, more informed society. As Nelson Mandela profoundly said, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. But good health is the foundation on which the success of education is built.’ By bringing together runners, survivors, medical experts, and the community, today’s marathon has reinforced that awareness, determination, and advocacy can drive real change in the fight against cancer.

Furthermore, Dr. Ashish Gulia, Director at Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, emphasized and stated, ‘Early detection is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against cancer, significantly improving treatment outcomes and survival rates. At Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, we are committed to advancing cancer research, treatment, and awareness initiatives that empower individuals to take proactive steps toward their health. Our collaboration with NMIMS Chandigarh through this marathon is a reflection of our shared vision – leveraging education, awareness, and community engagement to drive meaningful change. By bringing together survivors, medical experts, students, and the broader public, today’s event highlights the critical need for early screenings, timely interventions, and a united approach in combating this disease.

Students from schools, including both State and National level players, were felicitated during the post-event celebrations alongside the winners. The event concluded with a prize distribution ceremony, where winners of the 5 km, 11 km, and 21.1 km races were awarded trophies by Shri Manish Tewari, along with Prof. (Dr.) Rashmi Khorana Nagpal. Additionally, sponsors and key contributors were felicitated in recognition of their support. The day ended with a grand master photograph, capturing the collective spirit of resilience and unity that defined the event.

The organizers expressed their gratitude to all participants, volunteers, and supporters who made the event a resounding success. The NMIMS Half Marathon 2025 was not just a celebration of fitness but a reaffirmation of resilience, unity, and the collective commitment to health advocacy.

With another impactful edition successfully concluded, NMIMS Chandigarh continues to champion initiatives that inspire, educate, and bring communities together in the pursuit of a healthier and more resilient society.

Chandigarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab

8th Edition of Red Saree Run Celebrates Fitness, Culture and Empowerment

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Chandigarh: The 8th edition of the Red Saree Run, a unique fitness initiative blending tradition with health, was held successfully today at Chandigarh Club to mark the International Women’s Day. Organized by The Run Club and supported by Fortis Hospital Mohali, the event saw enthusiastic participation from more than 300 women across various age categories, reaffirming its status as a much-anticipated annual event.

Flagged off at 6:30 am by Chandigarh Mayor, Harpreet Kaur Babla, Dr Shweta Tahlan, Consultant, Gynae Onco-Surgery; and Deepti Singh, Associate Consultant, Endocrine and Breast Cancer Surgery, the event featured two categories – a 3 km Saree Walk and a 5 km Saree Run. Participants embraced the challenge of running in red sarees, turning the morning into a vibrant celebration of fitness and feminine pride.

The post-run activities included a felicitation ceremony, healthy refreshments and interactive stalls, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and wellness.

Abhijit Singh, Head-SBU, Fortis Hospital Mohali; said, “At Fortis Hospital Mohali, we believe in empowering women to take charge of their health. The Red Saree Run is a fantastic initiative that encourages fitness while embracing our cultural heritage. We are proud to support an event that celebrates strength, resilience, and community spirit.”

Speaking on the occasion, Paveela Bali, founder of The Run Club, expressed her joy at the event’s growing popularity: “TRC’s Red Saree Run is not just about fitness; it’s about celebrating being a woman in a fun and inclusive way. Seeing women of all ages come together year after year is truly inspiring.”

With its continued success, the Saree Run has cemented itself as a signature event in Chandigarh’s fitness calendar. The organizers aim to make future editions even bigger, fostering a deeper connection between fitness, tradition and community spirit.

Chandigarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab

International Women’s Day: W.E.E.D initiative launched to empower women entrepreneurs

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Chandigarh, March 8

In a path-breaking development, the Women Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development (W.E.E.D) initiative, a structured one-year program dedicated to fostering women-led start-ups, was officially unveiled at a press conference held at Press Club, Chandigarh.

W.E.E.D, a brain child of Navneet Kaur Dhillon, a former Femina Miss India World, actress, and entrepreneur, is a significant step towards empowering women entrepreneurs by providing them with mentorship, funding opportunities, and industry connections crucial for scaling their ventures.

“W.E.E.D initiative is designed to address key areas vital for business where we will provide women entrepreneurs access to a strong network of mentors, investors, and experts,” said Navneet Kaur Dhillon at the press meet.

Navneet, on being asked about the reason for crossing over from the entertainment industry and taking on a new role of ‘mentor to women entrepreneurs’ said: “I have always been passionate about women empowerment. I conceptualised W.E.E.D as I wanted to do something concrete to empower women. I feel that as a pageant winner, my exposure & experience will help me connect and reach out to women with start-up ideas and encourage them to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.”

Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Sahil Makkar, Chairman and CEO of Punjab Angels Network (PAN) – which is committed to developing the start-up ecosystem in the region, and owns W.E.E.D as its subsidiary, said: “Through W.E.E.D, we will facilitate collaborations and partnerships for expanding reach. Through investor engagement, we will link high-potential women-led start-ups with investors for business scaling. We will help start-ups connect with financial resources to accelerate growth”

In reply to a question from the media, Makkar, an alumnus of the Indian School of Business (ISB) and executive education from IIM, Bangalore, who brings over 13 years of experience as a CA and finance educator, said: “PAN has played a pivotal role in creating a thriving start-up ecosystem in the region.”

“Similarly, WEED is an initiative that will provide the much-needed support and will facilitate women entrepreneurs to thrive. Through mentorship, funding, and networking, we aim to bridge the gap and create a strong foundation for women-led businesses,” added Makkar, who has written two books on start-ups — How to raise Start-up funding in India and How to Manage Finance @ Start-up’s.

Navneet Kaur Dhillon & Sahil Makkar revealed that the W.E.E.D Program will initially select 10 women entrepreneurs for an intensive three-month mentorship, followed by the inclusion of 10 more women, focusing on scaling their businesses over the next nine months.

With a strong vision to support women from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, WEED aims to create a lasting impact by addressing challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and providing them with the tools and networks necessary for success, they said.

Meanwhile, the launch of WEED coincided with Transform 13.0, an event featuring a line-up of esteemed speakers and experts in women entrepreneurship. Insightful thoughts were shared by Pooja Nayar, Founder of Pratham HR and Legal Solutions, Chair, PHDCCI SHE Forum; Dr Nancy Juneja, CEO and Founder of MENTORx, also a TEDx and Josh Speaker; Ms Mamta Bhardwaj, COO, STPI NEURON Centre of Excellence(CoE) Mohali; Ms Isha Taneja, Co-Founder and CEO of Complere Infosystem, also TiE Women Chair, TiE Chandigarh, and Anuradha Chawla, Founder and CEO of Bbetter Solutions, also a performance coach and corporate trainer.

Chandigarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab

A self assured woman is a brand ambassador for the whole world: Experts at TiEcon echo the need to increase women participation at all levels

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CHANDIGARH, MARCH 7

Underlining that an empowered woman catapults the whole ecosystem around her with qualities of hard-work, dedication, empathy and inspiration, the leading women entrepreneurs here on Friday made a case for urgent need to increase women participation at all levels

The women thought leaders including the National Awards Winner Actor and Consume Designer Dolly Ahluwalia, TEDx Speaker and serial entrepreneur Anooja Bashir of  Flexicloud besides Director Research and Innovation Dr. Ruchi Singla of CGC Landran , and founder CEO Web.com (India) Atreyee Borooah Thekedath set the stage on fire ahead paying their tributes to Women Power ahead of International Women’s Day here at TiECON 2025 being held in the City Beautiful. The panel discussion was moderated by co-founder Talentegia Technologies Advait Upadhyay. 

TiECON Chandigarh is the brainchild of leading entrepreneurs and thinkers to provide a thriving ecosystem to budding and aspiring entrepreneurs through mentoring, networking, education, incubation and funding. The 10th edition of TiECON Chandigarh is taking place in the Hyatt Regency here. 

Echoing the sentiment that the world today needs more women leaders to make the world more peaceful, prospering and healthy, the panel agreed that women changemakers are the biggest contributors towards attracting budding talent as they are more empathetic and inspiring to others. 

Speaking on the occasion, National Awards Winner Actor and Consume Designer Dolly Ahluwalia said that the biggest strength of a leader is being true to herself and to never be afraid of failure and that is where women stand out shiningly. “I believe in flowing like a river uninterrupted in tandem with my personality traits. And that is what I wish to convey to budding entrepreneurs to always trust in your strengths and be open to learning. 

“There are layers of bad experiences which we need to learn from and remove those as we progress in our life,” she added with an analogy of being a costume designer. 

Taking the discussion forward, TEDx Speaker and serial entrepreneur Anooja Bashir said what she learnt very quickly in her business journey was that only having ideas won’t work until you have a plan to implement those on ground with hardwork and dedication. 

“To make equality thrive at workplace, we must have a work culture which regards hard work and passion to succeed, said Director Research and Innovation Dr. Ruchi Singla. 

Raising the pitch further for more and more women leaders to lead businesses, founder CEO Web.com (India) Atreyee Borooah Thekedath who is the first woman entrepreneur of Assam said domain expertise coupled with clarity of vision forms the key aspects of lasting success for a leader.

Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab

Rs 10 lakh additional grant for performing startups: Minister Sondh

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CHANDIGARH, MARCH 7

With an aim to take Punjab’s startup up story to further heights, the Punjab Industries and IT Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh on Friday announced an additional impetus of Rs. 10 Lakh grant to startups who start performing beyond the incubation stage.

The Minister who also holds the charge of the Ministries of Rural Development and Panchayats and Hospitality also envisioned an online integration of different line departments for fast-tracking approvals for budding ideas and business propositions.

The Minister while delivering the keynote address here at the TIECON 2025 also underlined that Punjab’s unmatched entrepreneurial spirit is the perfect launchpad for the free-flow of budding business ideas. “Punjab has been ranked number 1 in the country in Ease of Business ranking and we are determined to ensure dreams of our budding entrepreneurs fructify leading to job and wealth creation for the state, region and nation.

TiECON Chandigarh is the brainchild of leading entrepreneurs and thinkers to provide a thriving ecosystem to budding and aspiring entrepreneurs through mentoring, networking, education, incubation and funding. The 10th edition of TiECON Chandigarh is taking place in the Hyatt Regency here.

Listing out immense business potential in Punjab, the Minister shared that Rs. 90,000 Crores worth of Common Application Forms (CAFs) have been signed by the State which means that projects have progressed beyond the initial stages and that the project implementations are actually visible on the ground.

“The Government of Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann does not believe in signing MOUs on paper only. We make things happen, the Minister added.

The vision of our Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann is clear and we fully value our partners like TIECON in our joinery to make Punjab an IT hub, the Minister added.

Earlier, the Additional Chief Secretary Industries Tejveer Singh, IAS assured the gathering of fulsome support from the department in ensuring a congenial start up ecosystem for the Industry. Our region has the perfect mix of sound educational facilities which are creating a student base lassed with the skill set needed to thrive in the IT field, the ACS further said. 

In his welcome address, TIECON Chandigarh President Satish Kumar Arora thanked the State Government and the Industry Minister for always being there for the needs of the Industry whenever required while the valedictory session was addressed by Puneet Verma , Vice President , TiE Chandigarh 

Chandigarh, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab

Sports an integral part of education: IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal says IPL number 1 make-in-India brand post independence 

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CHANDIGARH, MARCH 7

Stressing that both in life and sports the success mantra is to adopt, innovate and never take eyes off the ball, IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal said that sports is an integral part of education without which holistic development is not possible.

Dhumal was sharing his thoughts during a discussion at TIECON 2025. The engrossing session was moderated by TiE Chandigarh Vice President Puneet Verma. 

TiECON Chandigarh is the brainchild of leading entrepreneurs and thinkers to provide a thriving ecosystem to budding and aspiring entrepreneurs through mentoring, networking, education, incubation and funding. The 10th edition of TiECON Chandigarh is taking place in the Hyatt Regency here. 

“We need to impart our students the importance of taking failures in our stride which Sports teaches so beautifully. In every sport, we fail in one attempt and get up again and win, he said. 

On being asked to share the circumstances leading to him joining the Cricket administration, Arun Kumar Dhumal  said my brother Anurag Thakur was interestingly never interested in politics and he just wanted to play Cricket for the nation. Some things are not in our control, and he joined politics and I ended up taking Cricket Administration, he added.

Referring to incremental upgradation of cricketing infrastructure across the country, he said it is not a coincidence that world’s biggest stadium is in our country. The penetration of Cricket in the tier 2 and tier 3 cities has done amazing for the game’s progress across the country. 

“IPL is the Number 1 Make in India brand post independence and IPL has made Cricket more accessible to larger chunk of population and more and more youngsters from small cities form the nucleus of our teams, which is amazing to attract more talent,” Dhumal added.

On being asked to name his favourite player, Dhumal promptly said it has to be the great Kapil Dev for leading the nation into self belief and ability to beat any team.