IEP Chandigarh, January 4:

 Slamming the Shiromani Akali Dal for its proposed political gimmick in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday said that real name of yatra must be ‘Akali Dal ton Punjab Bacha Lo Yatra’ as Akalis have mercilessly ruining the state during their 15 years old misrule.

          In a statement issued here today, the Chief Minister said that for 15 years Akalis have plundered the state mercilessly besides bruising the psyche of Punjabis emotionally. He said that owing to this only the oldest political party of the state is today in dire straits and after ruling the state for the longest period they have been confined to three seats today. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that people are well aware of the dubious character of the Akalis and Badal family due to which their theatricals won’t work now.

          The Chief Minister reminded the Akalis that Punjab had lagged behind in every sphere during their long misrule. He said that apart from it Akalis can’t be absolved from the sins like desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and patronization of gangsters and drug mafia. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that people won’t ever forget that when the entire Punjab had stood against the draconian farm laws at that time Akalis had shamelessly stood with the BJP led Union government for their vested political interests.

          The Chief Minister said that the list of anti-Punjab stance of Akali Dal in general and Badal family is too long so the need of hour is to further send them into political oblivion. He dared the Akalis to list even a single achievement of their government during their long stint in power. Bhagwant Singh Mann quipped that even the two MPs of Akali Dal viz Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal have never bothered to raise any issue pertaining to interests of the state or its people in the Lok Sabha.

          The Chief Minister said that the proposed yatra is nothing more than an exercise to mislead the people and score brownie points before the media. However, he said that the people of state are well aware of the anti-Punjab and anti-people character of Akalis and they will never forgive them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that people of the state will never forget and forgive Akalis for sinister moves against Punjab.

IEP Chandigarh

On the directions of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Revenue Department has taken a unique initiative and will organize special camps to address the backlog of pending mutation cases across Punjab on January 6 (Saturday).

          Disclosing this here on Thursday, the Revenue Minister Mr. Bram Shanker Jimpa said that in a major step towards smooth delivery of the services of the Revenue Department, officers and employees would be present in Revenue Offices throughout Punjab on January 6, working on the holiday to register the pending mutations.

          Jimpa urged the public to take advantage of the special camp, assuring that authorities have been instructed to promptly register all pending mutations during the event, minimizing inconvenience for the public.

          Highlighting his commitment to expediting the process, Jimpa stated that he is actively monitoring the disposal of pending mutations, emphasizing the importance of completing the work within a defined timeline. He categorically directed officials to avoid negligence, emphasizing that any lapses in the legitimate functioning would not be tolerated and erring officers and employees will not be spared at any cost.

          He said that Revenue Department also issued a helpline number 8184900002 for filing complaints regarding the functioning of Revenue Department. NRIs can register their complaints on 9464100168. These numbers are for written complaints only.

          The Revenue Minister underlined the Punjab Government’s commitment, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, to streamline administrative functioning. He said that 43 administrative services are already being offered to people in their homes, and efforts are underway to streamline all aspects of the Revenue Department to prevent property-related disputes.

          The Minister said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is diligently involved in streamlining the functioning of the Revenue Department and is conducting surprise visits to the tehsils of Punjab. Recently CM visited Hoshiarpur tehsil complex. The minister said that following the CM’s example, he will also conduct surprise visits to Tehsil offices in the upcoming days, aiming to evaluate ongoing work and address any potential issues faced by the public in obtaining administrative services.

IEP Chandigarh

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Thursday, arrested deed writer (vasika navees) Jaspal Singh, a resident of Mohalla Kot Mangal Singh, Shimlapuri, Ludhiana for demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 in the name of revenue officials. 

          Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said this case has been registered against the accused on the basis of an investigation of a complaint lodged at the Chief Minister Anti-Corruption Action Line, by Balwinder Singh, a resident of Ishar Nagar, Ludhiana.

          The complainant informed in his online complaint that he had got registered a sale deed of his plot situated at New Janta Nagar, Ludhiana from the office of Sub Registrar Ludhiana Central on 07.11.2023. The above mentioned deed writer was pressurising him to pay a bribe money of Rs 10,000 for accomplishing his work from the officials of Sub Registrar Ludhiana Central.

          The complainant has recorded the conversation taken place with said accused Jaspal Singh and filed this online complaint with audio evidence to the VB.

          He further informed that during investigation it has came to light that the said accused was demanding a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the name of revenue officials for getting done the sale deed of plot in question. The role of officials of Sub Regisrar (Central) Ludhiana would be examined during the probe, he added.

          In this regard a corruption case has been registered against the said accused under Prevention of Corruption Act at VB Police Station Ludhiana range. Further investigation into this case was under progress, he added.

IEP CHANDIGARH

In a good news for the horse owners and breeders, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government on Thursday gave the go-ahead to organise the annual Equine activities to be held from 9th to 16th January at Sri Muktsar Sahib during the upcoming Maghi Mela.

          Notably, following the spread of contagious and zoonotic Glanders disease and keeping in view the guidelines of National Action Plan  for Glanders (GOI), the state government had banned the equids movements and activities in May 2023.

          Divulging details, Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that there were reports of the spread of glanders disease among horses from districts including Amritsar, Bathinda, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur, the state government had put a ban on holding equine movements and activities.

          “Following zero positive cases of Glanders during the surveillance in districts Amritsar, Bathinda and Ludhiana, the state government has decided to lift the ban, allowing horse owners to participate during Maghi Mela,” he said, while adding that, however, horse owners from Hoshiarpur cannot participate in this fair as testing is still going on there.

          Mr Khudian said that interested horse owners will have to ensure a negative report of Glanders Testing of all the participating equids either from NRDDL Jalandhar or from NRCE Hisar or from a State-approved Diagnostic Labs and that should be not more than 30 days prior to the day of the event.

          All the owners of the participating equids will have to carry an “Undertaking” duly verified by the concerned Deputy Director Animal Husbandry of the participating district, he said, while adding that the submitted undertaking will be checked by the team of NRDDL, Jalandhar and Screening Committee, before the entry of equids to the mela sites.

IEP Chandigarh January 4-

          The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its anti-corruption campaign in the state, has registered cases against two sarpanches and two panchayat secretaries on charges of embezzlement of lakhs of rupees in village development works.

          Giving this information, a spokesperson of VB said during the investigation it has came to light that Sarabjit Singh, former sarpanch, of village Alal, district Sangrur and Naresh Kumar Singla, panchayat secretary (retd), have committed misappropriation of an amount of Rs. 2,00,927 in panchayat funds and other construction related material. Both the accused have been arrested under FIR number 01 dated 01-04-2024 under sections 409 and 120-B of the IPC and 13(1)-A and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act registered in the police station of Vigilance Bureau, Patiala range.

          In a separate case, during investigation, Jatinder Singh, Sarpanch of Village Chandu, District Sangrur and Gurmeet Singh, panchayat secretary have been found guilty of embezzlement of about Rs 74 lakh in the development works conducted in the said village from January 2019 to March 31, 2022. In this regard a FIR number 43, dated 13-12-2023, has been registered against both the accused under section 409 and 120-B of the IPC and 13(1)-A and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act in the Patiala range police station of the Vigilance Bureau. In this case Sarpanch Jatinder Singh has been arrested and further investigation into the case was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh

      In the last two weeks, eight cadets of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), SAS Nagar (Mohali) have joined the National Defence Academy (NDA), Cadet Training Wings (CTWs) for the Technical Entry Scheme (TES) and Air Force Academy (AFA). With the induction of these eight cadets, a total of 226 cadets of the Institute have joined different Service Training Academies since the inception of the MRSAFPI.

          Revealing this here today, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora said that as many as 147 alumni of this Institute have also been commissioned as officers in the Defence Services. With selection rate of 54.89%, the Institute has emerged as the most successful in the Country.

          He said that five cadets, who joined National Defence Academy (NDA) includes Tejinderapal Singh, Ashmit, Lakshya Kumar Sharma, Vishvas Mittal and Moksh Saini, while two cadets – Saksham Malik and Mehtab Singh Sidhu secured their seats in Cadet Training Wings (CTWs) under the Technical Entry Scheme (TES) and Gursher Singh Cheema joined Air Force Academy (AFA) after receiving their joining letters.

          Congratulating the cadets on joining the various academies to become defence officers, Mr. Aman Arora wished them the very best for training. Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has been honing the youth, who aspire to join the defence services.

          Director Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute Major General Ajay H. Chauhan, VSM (Retd.) exhorted the cadets to live up to their calling, be worthy sons of Punjab and true soldiers of the Nation. He also informed that the entrance examination for the new course (14th Course) is scheduled to be held on January 14, 2024 for which over 4100 candidates have applied, which is a record in itself.

IEP Chandigarh

          In a bid to bolster water conservation and management efforts, the Punjab Government today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kuantum Papers Ltd. The agreement, signed between the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab and the Hoshiarpur-based paper company, took place in the presence of S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra Minister for Soil and Water Conservation, Punjab.

          Highlighting the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government to preserving natural resources, the Cabinet Minister said that this groundbreaking partnership with a private sector entity is the first of its kind. This collaboration will facilitate the company’s support and financing for the state’s water conservation and management initiatives.

          S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra remarked that this unique initiative will bolster the private sector’s involvement in the state’s water conservation for the first time.

          While welcoming the partnership, the Cabinet Minister stated, “it will significantly boost the government’s water conservation programs and lay the groundwork for future public-private collaborations.”

          The Soil and Water Conservation Minister outlined that under this MoU, the company will provide funding for both new and ongoing projects related to water resource conservation and management through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds or specifically allocated funds. The initiatives earmarked for funding include the construction of check dams, implementation of efficient irrigation systems, utilization of treated water etc.

          Notably, established in 1979-80, Kuantum Papers Ltd is one of the major paper manufacturing unit based in Village Sailakhurd, District Hoshiarpur. Mr. Drishinder Singh Sandhawalia, the company’s Director, expressed interest in forging a long-term partnership with the Punjab Government, pledging to invest in various government-led water conservation initiatives.

          At the event, Mr. KAP Sinha, Special Chief Secretary, Soil & Water Conservation asked the department to devise more innovative and efficient techniques for water conservation in the agriculture sector.

          S. Mohinder Singh Saini, Chief Conservator of Soils, Punjab extended gratitude to the company representatives for collaborating with the state government in the vital mission to preserve the state’s water resources.

          It is worth mentioning that state is facing a precarious ground water situation with almost 80% of its area under over-exploited category and if immediate remedial steps are not taken, the day is not far when we run out of this precious natural resource.

IEP Chandigarh

          In order to ensure the delivery of quality agri-inputs in the state as desired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Government is all set to establish three bio-fertilizer testing laboratories in three districts including Gurdaspur, SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Bathinda, said Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian here on Wednesday.

          Mr. Khudian along with Special Chief Secretary Development Mr. KAP Sinha, was chairing a meeting to review the functioning of the Chief Agriculture Officers and other officials to further improve the efficiency of the department.

          He asked the Director Agriculture to ensure submission of weekly progress report of field officers and initiate an action against the underperforming district officials, who have failed to accomplish given targets of sampling & testing of seeds, fertilizers and insecticides.

          Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh apprised Mr. Khudian that five teams of flying squad, set up on December 13, 2023 to ensure supply of quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides for Rabi season, took 134 samples while checking 110 retail/wholesale shops. These teams have stopped sales of 28 dealers and have also lodged an FIR at Nangal.

          The Cabinet Minister was informed that wheat crop has been sown over 35 lakh hectares and minor attack of Pink Stem Borer is under-control. Agriculture Department has formed pest surveillance teams to monitor the attack of any pest on the wheat crop.

          While reviewing the status of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme, Mr. Khudian exhorted state farmers to complete their e-kyc to take optimum benefits of the scheme.

          Reiterating the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for the welfare of the state farmers, the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister asked the Chief Agriculture Officers to implement the government’s welfare programs for farmers, besides, ensuring technical guidance and assistance to farmers for cultivation of crops.

          Secretary Punjab Mandi Board Ms. Amrit Kaur Gill and other senior officials of the department were also present in the meeting.