Category Archives: News

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Haryana to Launch ‘Haryanvi Mahotsav’ Inspired by Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Chandigarh January 9, – In a move to celebrate the achievements of Haryanvi expatriates, the Haryana Government is set to launch a new initiative called ‘Haryanvi Mahotsav’. This announcement was made by Heritage and Tourism Minister Dr. Arvind Sharma during the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conference, inaugurated by Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi at Bhubaneswar, Odisha today.  The ‘Haryanvi Mahotsav’ aims to celebrate and harness the potential of Haryanvi expatriates, contributing to the state’s vibrant economic and cultural landscape, Dr. Arvind Sharma added.

Dr. Sharma, representing Haryana at the conference, held a dialogue session with over 50 countries’ expatriates. He discussed opportunities in education, sports, business, youth, and women’s entrepreneurship, inviting the diaspora to engage with Haryana’s development. “The ‘Haryanvi Sabha’ at this conference is a platform to gather ideas and suggestions from the global Haryanvi community. Outstanding Haryanvis will be honored, fostering a sense of pride and belonging,” stated Dr. Sharma. He conveyed Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini’s invitation for non-resident Haryanvis to contribute to Haryana’s cultural and economic growth.
Highlighting Haryana’s strides under PM Sh. Modi’s guidance and CM Sh. Saini’s leadership, Dr. Sharma said that the state has become a preferred destination for investors and entrepreneurs. “Haryana is a top performer in ‘Ease of Doing Business’, attracting Fortune 500 companies and excelling in agriculture, automotive, IT, and pharmaceuticals,” he added. Dr. Sharma proudly mentioned that two-thirds of India’s passenger cars, 50% of tractors, and 60% of two-wheelers are manufactured in Haryana, establishing it as the country’s automotive capital.

The Minister emphasized the state’s impressive infrastructure and security, creating an ideal environment for expatriates. “With revolutionary changes in road networks, Haryana has become a land of development and opportunity for non-resident Indians,” he said.

Dr. Sharma pointed out Gurugram’s emergence as a major IT hub, housing over 450 companies and employing around 250,000 people, making Haryana the third-largest software exporter in India. He also highlighted the pharmaceutical sector’s growth and the state’s leadership in innovation, with over 6,000 registered startups and 19 unicorns.

Dr. Sharma acknowledged the invaluable contributions of Haryanvi expatriates as ambassadors of the state’s culture, talent, and innovation. “The Foreign Cooperation Department is strengthening ties with Haryanvis worldwide, ensuring their connection to their roots,” he said.

Haryana will become a role model in implementing National Education Policy: Mahipal Dhanda

Chandigarh, January 9 – Education Minister Sh. Mahipal Dhanda said Haryana will become a role model across the country in implementing the new National Education Policy. On the occasion of Swami Vivekananda Jayanti on January 12, programmes will be organized at various places, including Kurukshetra University and Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak.
The Education Minister was addressing the Pratibha Samman ceremony organized by Jat Samaj at Jat Dharamshala, Rewari today as the chief guest.
He said Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047 has to be realized. The National Education Policy will prove to be a link for this, he added.
He said a portal has been created for online suggestions. Suggestions can also be given by students on this portal. During the ceremony, the Education Minister announced to give Rs 21 lakh rupees to the Jat Dharamshala Committee and to build a library in the Jat Dharamshala.
*Future of society rests on shoulders of children: Education Minister*
Sh. Mahipal Dhanda said the future of our society, state and nation rests on the strong shoulders of children. Children should hone their talent and become good citizens of the country and bring glory to their society, state and country. He said the purpose of organizing this Pratibha Samman ceremony is to encourage children to move forward. The Education Minister said there can be no alternative to continuous effort and hard work to achieve success.
Rewari MLA Laxman Singh Yadav, head of Jat Sansthan, members and dignitaries of the society were present on the occasion.

3 METs terminated over violation of rules in MGNREGA work in Kaithal

Chandigarh, January 9- The issue of alleged corruption and financial embezzlement under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme in Kakheri and Kakrala Anayat Gram Panchayats of Siwan Block in Kaithal district was raised in the meeting of District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee.

In this regard, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was asked to investigate the matter and submit a report. Giving information, a government spokesperson said according to the CEO’s report, investigation is already going on in the matter related to Gram Panchayat Kakheri in Block Siwan and three METs have been terminated for violating the rules in uploading the actual attendance of the workers in the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app from the registered mobile at the geo-tagged location of the workplace with clear faces. Explanation of the concerned ABPO and Junior Engineer related to MGNREGA has been called. He said since this work was in convergence with the Irrigation Department, a letter has been written to the Irrigation Department asking it to take action against the concerned Junior Engineer and Sub-Divisional Officer for not monitoring the works as per rules and for negligence. He said the investigation related to Gram Panchayat Kakrala Anayat is under consideration with the Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Siwan.

He said since the total expenditure under MGNREGA in Kaithal district in 2024-25 has been only Rs 18.82 crore so far, and the news of the scam of Rs 18 crore in Gram Panchayat Kakheri and Kakarala Anayat of Block Siwan of Kaithal is without facts and completely baseless.

He said after investigation of the above complaints, strict action will be taken against any officer or employee found involved and recovery will be done as per rules. Legal action will also be taken if needed.

Link officers for Administrative Secretaries, Department Heads & DCs appointed

Chandigarh, January 9 – In order to ensure smooth functioning of departments/boards/corporations etc., the Haryana Government has ordered that in the absence of Administrative Secretary, Head of Department/Managing Director, Additional Secretary/Special Secretary/Secretary, Divisional Commissioner, Commissioner-Municipal Corporation, District Administration and District Municipal Commissioner being on leave/training/tour/election duty or away for more than 2 days due to any other reason or in the event of vacancy due to retirement or transfer of the officer, the work of the department will be looked after by the respective Link Officers. 

A letter issued in this regard by Chief Secretary Dr. Vivek Joshi states that the link officers for various Administrative Secretaries and head of departments and boards/corporations of Haryana and Additional/Special Secretary/Secretary, Secretariat Establishment, Human Resources Department, Personnel Department, Home-I and Home-II, General Administration Department and Vigilance Department have been appointed.

The link officers for the purpose of looking after the work during the leave/training/tour or election duty of Divisional Commissioner have been appointed. For Ambala division, Karnal and Rohtak will be link officer-I and link officer-II, respectively. For Karnal division, Rohtak and Ambala will be link officer-I and link officer-II, respectively. For Rohtak division, Karnal and Hisar will be link officer-I and link officer-II, respectively while for the Hisar division, Rohtak and Ambala will be link officer-I and link officer-II, respectively. For Gurugram division, Faridabad and Rohtak will be link officer-I and link officer-II, respectively, and for Faridabad division, Gurugram and Karnal will be link officer-I and link officer-II, respectively.

The link officers for the purpose of looking after the work during the leave/training/tour or election duty of Commissioner of Municipal Corporations have also been appointed. For Municipal Corporations-Gurugram and Manesar, the link officer will be Faridabad. For Faridabad, the link officer will be Manesar. Similarly, For Rohtak, the link officer will be Hisar and vice-versa. For Sonipat, the link officer will be Panipat and vic-versa. For Karnal, the link officer will be Ambala and vice-versa, and for Yamunangar-Jagadhri, the link officer will be Panchkula and vice-versa.

The link officers for the purpose of looking after the work during the leave/training/tour or election duty of District Administration have been appointed as well. For Deputy Commissioner, the link officer-I will be Additional Deputy Commissioner. For Additional Deputy Commissioner, the link officer-I will be CEO, Zila Parishad & CEO, DRDA. For CEO, Zila Parishad & CEO, DRDA, the link officer-I will be Additional Deputy Commissioner. For City Magistrate, the link officer-I will be SDM (HQ) while for SDM (HQ), the link officer-I will be City Magistrate and link officer-II will be EO, HSVP (only if IAS/HCS officer is posted as such). For EO, HSVP, the link officer-I will be SDM (HQ).

The link officers for the purpose of looking after the work during the transfer/retirement and during the leave/training/tour or election duty of District Municipal Commissioner have been also appointed. For Gurugram, the link officer will be Jhajjar and vice-versa. For Rohtak, the link officer will be Bhiwani & Charkhi Dadri and vice-versa. For Hisar, the link officer will be Jind and vice-versa. For Sonipat, the link officer will be Panipat and vice-versa. For Karnal, the link officer will be Kaithal and vice-versa. For Ambala, the link officer will be Kurukshetra and vice-versa. For Yamunanagar, the link officer will be Panchkula and vice-versa. For Sirsa, the link officer will be Fatehabad and vice-versa while for Rewari, the link officer will be Mahendragarh and vice-versa. For Palwal, the the link officer will be Nuh and vice-versa. The detailed list of link officers can be accessed at csharyana.gov.in.

Further, the concerned Divisional Commissioner may also assign the additional charge of the IAS/HCS officers, except Deputy Commissioner and Additional Deputy Commissioner, to any other IAS/HCS officer of the respective district up to 15 days and if the period of absence exceeds 15 days, then the proposal to post or give additional charge to any other IAS/HCS officer will be sent to this department.

The letter further states that every officer will inform his link officer before proceeding on

Must study legislative process in depth to resolve issues: Harvinder Kalyan

Chandigarh, January 9 – Speaker of Haryana Vidhan Sabha Sh. Harvinder Kalyan has said that expanding one’s capabilities and knowledge is a continuous process in life and training helps to improve our skills and develops knowledge.

The Vidhan Sabha Speaker stated this today at the closing ceremony of the two-day capacity building programme organized for officers/employees of Haryana Vidhan Sabha at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Sector 26, Chandigarh.

Sh. Harvinder Kalyan said the programme was organized to further improve the working style of the Assembly. Institutions progress only due to the hard work of those working in them. We all should keep acquiring as much knowledge as possible and keep sharing it with others. The officers and employees do the work of giving feedback to the Assembly members, which is very important.
Sh. Kalyan said the Assembly has an important role in the development of the state and forming policies for the welfare of society. Training is also important because through this, officers/employees get help in understanding their responsibilities and discharging them properly.

He said such trainings will prepare us to coordinate between the MLAs and the administration with changing times and to face new challenges. We all have to work as a team and increase our leadership capacity and work efficiency. It is necessary to study the proceedings, rules and legislative process of the Assembly in depth, understand them and resolve the problems quickly. The ability to provide correct information to officers and members on time is essential for employees.

Sh. Kalyan said we should keep trying to ensure that this series of training continues. Knowledge should be acquired wherever one gets a chance to learn. The more we increase our knowledge, the more positively we will be able to complete our work. He said the programme started on January 8 which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.

During the training programme, former Chief Secretary Smt. Keshni Anand Arora spoke about motivation and office etiquette, subject experts of Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies, Lok Sabha gave detailed information about various activities of the Assembly. On this occasion, Director of the institute, Smt. Juby Amar, and other senior officers were also present.

This year’s Budget will focus on the welfare of every Section: Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini

Chandigarh January 9:  Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, said that this year’s budget will be prepared with the interests of all sections of society in mind. To ensure its inclusivity, suggestions are being gathered from diverse groups.

The Chief Minister was addressing the function after inaugurating Part-II of the Agri-Tourism Center at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar. During the event, he also launched a coffee-table book titled “Poshan Utsav”, which was prepared by the Deen Dayal Shodh Sansthan. The function was attended by Haryana’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Minister, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, and Public Works and Public Health Engineering Minister, Sh. Ranbir Gangwa.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini emphasized that the Agri-Tourism Center, built at a cost of Rs. 5.60 crore, would serve as a valuable platform to educate the public about farming practices. He highlighted its potential in helping the people of Haryana by sharing the traditional farming methods used by previous generations.

He also praised the work of the Deen Dayal Shodh Sansthan, which operates under the ideals of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. He recalled how Pandit Upadhyay’s vision of Ek-aatam Manavad (Integral Humanism) is being followed by the government, focusing on the upliftment of the poor and the welfare of the most marginalized individuals in society.

In line with the government’s current priorities, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of improving dietary habits to combat malnutrition, particularly among children and women. He acknowledged the efforts of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, who has advocated for greater consumption of millets at the United Nations, emphasizing that coarse grain can play a crucial role in addressing nutritional deficiencies.

Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sh. Rajesh Khullar; Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department, Sh. Anurag Rastogi; Additional Chief Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Sh. Raja Shekhar Vundru; Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr. Saket Kumar, Vice Chancellor of CCSHAU Prof. B.R. Kamboj, along with officials from various departments and universities, were also present.

Later, while interacting with the media persons, the Chief Minister said that BJP takes every election seriously. Regarding the Delhi elections, he expressed confidence that the results would favor the BJP and that under the leadership of Sh. Narendra Modi, the party would form the government in Delhi. He criticized Sh. Arvind Kejriwal for making unfulfilled promises to the people of Delhi over the past decade.

In response to another question about local body elections in Haryana, the Chief Minister said that the party is fully prepared. He added that the party would decide whether to contest the elections with or without a symbol.

Punjab is best for business and Industrial excellence: Tarunpreet Singh Sond

Chandigarh, January 9:

While addressing the audience at the International Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI)’s flagship food trade show, Indusfood, held in Noida, Punjab’s Minister for Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Industry & Commerce, and Investment Promotion, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, extended an open invitation to CEOs and delegates from national and international companies to visit Punjab. He emphasized that Punjab offers an ideal environment for business and industry.

Highlighting the peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive atmosphere of Punjab, Minister Sond described the state as an unparalleled destination for businesses and industries to thrive. He stated that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and his team are working diligently and with utmost commitment to boost the state’s industrial growth.

Indusfood witnessed participation from nearly 3,500 exhibitors from 105 countries, representing the global food industry. As the Chief Guest, Minister Sond honored the CEOs and delegates of renowned companies and expressed his satisfaction at the opportunity to showcase Punjab’s industry-friendly policies to global business leaders under one roof.

While addressing the representatives of various companies, Sond announced that the Punjab Government plans to organize an International Food Festival in Punjab this November. This event will invite international companies working in the food and allied sectors to participate and explore investment opportunities.

The minister also shared insights into Punjab’s pro-business initiatives, including the single-window system facilitated by Invest Punjab to ease investment processes. He assured complete support and assistance to investors, emphasizing the government’s commitment to fostering industrial development.

Sond stressed that CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision is to elevate Punjab’s food sector to a global level. To achieve this, the Punjab Government is making concerted efforts to establish state brands like Verka, Sohna, and Five Rivers on international platforms. He noted the growing global demand for Punjab’s products, which reflects the success of these initiatives.

Minister Sond held separate meetings with representatives of companies interested in investing in Punjab. He also congratulated TPCI Chairman Mohit Singla for organizing the international food trade show and suggested establishing a TPCI Punjab chapter to further strengthen trade ties.

Acknowledging the encouragement received from Punjab Food Commission Chairman Bal Mukund Sharma, Sond expressed his satisfaction at motivating numerous international companies and business leaders to consider investing in Punjab.

He extended special thanks to Monica Gaur, Director of the Union Ministry of Commerce, for her significant contributions to the event.

Punjab Leads in Agricultural Infrastructure Development: Mohinder Bhagat

Chandigarh, January 9

The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is is actively working to boost agricultural infrastructure. To fulfill this objective, under the guidance of Horticulture Minister Mr. Mohinder Bhagat, Punjab is continuously leading the nation by approving over 20,000 agricultural projects under the AIF scheme to further strengthen agricultural infrastructure.

Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat shared that Punjab is leading the country in approving projects for agricultural infrastructure development. He highlighted that Punjab’s banks have approved 20,024 agricultural projects worth Rs.7,670 crore so far. In comparison, Madhya Pradesh has approved 11,135 projects, Maharashtra 9,611, Tamil Nadu 7,323, and Uttar Pradesh 7,058 projects.

He said that the Horticulture Department in Punjab is implementing the Central Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme in a significant manner to promote agricultural development and further strengthen the economy of farmers in the state.

He mentioned that the Horticulture Department of Punjab is functioning as the State Nodal Agency for implementing the AIF scheme. He added that to ensure the effective implementation of this scheme, the department has launched a WhatsApp helpline number 9056092906. He said that anyone can send a message to this number to receive detailed information about the scheme.

Child Rights Commission Recommends Changing Timings of Government and Private Schools

Chandigarh, January 9

The Chairman of the Punjab State Child Rights Protection Commission, Mr. Kanwardeep Singh, has recommended to the Punjab School Education Department that school timings be changed for the convenience of children due to the severe cold and dense fog.

Providing further details, Chairman Kanwardeep Singh stated that children in the state are currently facing significant challenges due to extreme cold and dense fog. Furthermore, younger children are hesitant to attend school because of the bad weather conditions. He recommended that the timings of both government and private schools be changed to start from 10 AM until January 31 to ensure the comfort and safety of students.

He also mentioned that there have been reports of accidents involving school buses over the past two days due to dense fog. To prevent any unfortunate incidents, the commission has decided to recommend this adjustment.

MSP PAYMENT FRAUD: PUNJAB POLICE’S CYBER CRIME DIVISION ARRESTS FOUR INDIVIDUALS FOR MANIPULATING ANAAJ KHARID PORTAL

CHANDIGARH, January 9

          Amidst the ongoing crackdown against cybercrime as per directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, Punjab Police’s State Cybercrime Division has unearthed an Minimum Support Price (MSP) payment fraud with the arrest of four individuals involved in manipulating the Anaaj Kharid Portal to divert crop payments from farmers to their own bank accounts, said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Cybercrime Division V Neeraja here on Thursday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Manish, Jasvir Singh, Angrej Singh and Balwinder Singh. Police teams have also recovered digital devices and routers used by them to commit the fraud.

          ADGP V Neeraja said that the accused used a innovative modus operandi to divert the payment of crop of the farmers to their accounts fraudulently by replacing the mobile numbers of the farmers with their mobile numbers and thereafter using the same to update bank account information of the farmers.

          To avoid detection, the accused would restore the original details immediately after the payment was processed, she said, while adding that state wide operation is being conducted to nab the other accused persons involved in the scam.

          As per the information, a complaint was received from Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punjab in which it has come to light that some farmers have not received the payment of selling their crops during the 2024 paddy season. Further verification revealed that the payment of these farmers has been credited to various bank accounts belonging to different persons.

          The ADGP said that during preliminary enquiry, IP records and other data was scrutinised and information regarding the bank accounts, which revealed the details regarding the unauthorised access of the Anaaj Kharid Portal and the diversion of the crop payment in different accounts.

          During the investigation, it was also revealed that a mobile number and a mobile device was purchased from District SAS Nagar on fake identity, which was used to obtain OTPs for altering the bank accounts of farmers on Anaaj Kharid Portal and the gang was running their operation from remote areas of Sri Muktsar Sahib, she said, while adding that an internet connection was also installed for the purpose of unauthorised access of the Portal and altering the bank records of the farmers.

          ADGP V Neeraja said that three teams from Cybercrime Division headed by Insp Jujhar Singh, Insp Deepak Bhatia and SI Ranjit used multiple OSINT techniques to establish the whereabouts of the accused, which led to the arrest of four persons from areas of District Moga and District Sri Muktsar Sahib.

          Further questioning of the arrested accused is underway to identify the involvement of more persons, she said, while not ruling out the connivance of any officials of Mandi Board or Food Supply Department and commission agents, who might have shared sensible information and technical glitches of the Anaaj Kharid portal with the masterminds of the scam. Raids are being conducted to arrest the remaining accused in the case, she added.

          In this regard, a case FIR has been registered under sections 318(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338 340(2) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 66C and 66D of IT Act at Police Station State Cyber Crime, Punjab.