IEP CHANDIGARH, August 12

With the Aam Aadmi Clinics started by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led state government to transform Punjab into a healthy and disease-free state has almost completed one year, over 44 lakh patients have benefitted from these clinics and over 20 lakhs of patients have undergone free tests in less than one year, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh here on Saturday. Pertinently, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had dedicated 75 Aam Aadmi Clinics to the people of the state to mark the 75th Independence Day last year, which has now increased 583 Aam Aadmi Clinics in the state. Out of these 583 AACs, 180 AACs are located in the urban areas while 403 are located in the rural areas of the State. Dr Balbir Singh, while addressing the press conference at Punjab Bhawan here, said that the humble effort to impart quality Health services has received good feedback and positive response from the people of the state. “Following the success of Aam Aadmi Clinics, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will dedicate another 76 Aam Aadmi Clinics to the people of the state on August 14, 2023, to mark the 76th Independence Day, taking the total number of operational Aam Aadmi clinics to 659,” he said. He informed that as many as 80 types of medicines and 38 diagnostics tests are available for the patients at Aam Aadmi Clinics free of cost. More than 20 lakh free tests and medicines of approximately Rs 30.25 crore have been provided to the patients during the last one year, he added. He said that each clinic has a Medical Officer, Pharmacist, Clinic Assistant and Class IV/Helper, while, all the clinics are IT based with the provision of three Tablets at each clinic for Medical Officer, Pharmacist and Clinic Assistant. Patient registration, prescription and dispensation of medicines are being done through these tablets only, he said. Recounting the other significant achievements in the health sector, the Health Minister said that the state government has appointed 300 House Surgeons to strengthen the emergency services at District and Sub-Divisional Hospitals, while, 200 Post PG Students have been bonded by the Department of Medical Research & Education to serve as contractual Medical Officers with State Health Department. This initiative intended to ensure the availability of Specialist services at Secondary Health facilities, he said. He said that to overcome the shortage of specialist doctors at various District Hospitals of Punjab, a total of 85 Diplomate of National Board (DNB) seats have been approved in the 14 districts. Dr Balbir Singh said that the Punjab Government is all set to upgrade as many as 40 hospitals or Secondary Healthcare Facilities in the state. All the buildings will be constructed and equipped with ultra-modern facilities according to the need and the required strength of doctors and staff will be ensured at all the government hospitals in the state. He said that the Punjab Government has also been focusing on the strengthening of tertiary care services in the state and a Trauma Centre worth Rs 233 crores is being established in Patiala, while, advanced healthcare facilities including PET CT Scan and Nuclear department being started in Amritsar. The Health Minister said that by commencing ‘CM Di Yogshalas’ in the state, the Punjab Government has started a remarkable initiative which is focused on prevention of the disease and promotion of health. He said that, presently, over 7000 people taking benefit of ‘CM di Yogshala’ at 281 yoga camps being organised daily in the state and now, the camps will be increased to 1000, which will cater over 25000 people. He said that the ‘Har Shukarvar, Dengue Te War’ campaign started by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also been getting good response from the public. Meanwhile, the Health Minister said that the Punjab Government is all set to commence yet another unique initiative under which the health teams will check Blood Pressure, Sugar, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Basic Metabolic Rate of all the 3 crore Punjabis for early detection of disease. Around 1 lakh people will be diagnosed under the pilot project, which will be started from Patiala.

IEP Chandigarh, August 9

The Haryana Government has taken action against 4 officers of the Irrigation Department for dereliction of duty during the floods caused by excessive water level in Yamuna river passing through Haryana region. Action has been taken against these officers after the report of an enquiry committee. This committee was formed to investigate the matter of non-opening of 4 gates of ITO Yamuna barrage during floods. The state government has suspended Sandeep Taneja, Chief Engineer of the irrigation department.It was further informed that orders have been issued to charge sheet SE, Tarun Aggarwal and XEN, Manoj Kumar of the department. Along with this, SDO Mukesh Verma, posted at Yamuna Barrage, has been charge sheet under Rule Seven.Due to heavy rains, a significant surge in Yamuna level was witnessed and due to non-opening of 4 gates of the barrage near ITO in Delhi, excess water could not be cleared in time causing massive waterlogging and floods. Taking cognizance of this matter, Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal had formed a three-member committee to investigate the entire matter. Irrigation Department’s Engineer-in-Chief, Dr. Satbir Kadian and Chief Engineer, Sh. Suresh Kumar Yadav were included as members in this committee headed by Engineer-in-Chief, Sh. Rakesh Chauhan.In the furnished report, the committee observed that these gates were submerged in flood water about 12 feet deep. Apart from it, they were also filled with silt. These gates can be open only when both upstream and downstream silt around these gates is removed through special techniques. It has been stated in the report that no power connection was available to carry out the process. Floods in Delhi mainly occurred due to excessive encroachment, due to which the water reached up to the Ring Road. Excessive and unplanned construction around the river is obstructing the flow of Yamuna.According to the report, during the dry season the flow of the river stops completely. The release of polluted water into the river through various drains leads to the accumulation of silt and rise in the river bed levels. In such a situation, Delhi Government should remove the heavy silt in front of gate number 28 to 32 so that flood water can flow through these gates. The Yamuna’s natural flood outlets have been systematically encroached upon for decades. The highest discharge has been recorded at Wazirabad Barrage 1137020 CS in Delhi. Which does not match the release done in HKB or Okhla. UYRB should be asked to re-calibrate all gauges at Wazirabad, Yamuna Barrage ITO and Okhla Barrage so that correct gauges are reported in future. Monsoon season usually starts from July, well before CE YWS(S) headquartered in Delhi requires close liaison with Irrigation and Flood Control Department Delhi and UP Irrigation Department to maintain monitoring to avoid any such situation.

IEP Chandigarh, August 9

Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister Dr. Kamal Gupta said that the challenging task of creating property IDs for cities has been successfully accomplished following the concrete efforts of the state government. In a significant stride towards fostering good governance, the state government has enacted pivotal measures pertaining to property, land registry process and intkaal related procedures.Dr. Gupta elaborated on the latest development, highlighting the commencement of the automatic generation module for property registration, known as “Intkal,” within the web-based HALRIS (Haryana Land Record Integrated System) portal. This module ensures that the Intkal record will be generated and accessible immediately after the registration of any property or land in Haryana. A comprehensive guide detailing the process will be available on the portal, he added.Till now, the property registration process required completion within seven days. This online procedure was supervised by the Patwari but necessitated involvement from the Kanungo to the Tehsildar, resulting in extended processing times. To alleviate citizen inconvenience, the government has now streamlined this process, he added.Divulging about the revamped Intkal process, Dr. Gupta said that online Intkal registration will occur seamlessly through the self-propelled module on the HALRIS portal, eliminating the need to submit physical documents to the Patwari. Moreover, information regarding property transactions will be accessible on the portal, facilitating public scrutiny. In instances where there are no objections raised within a ten-day period, property transfers will be automatically finalized. After this period, individuals can obtain a copy of the property transfer document from the relevant Tehsil office or Atal Seva Kendra. Any objections related to land or property transfers will be taken to Tehsildar.

IEP Chandigarh, August 9

The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will take stern action against the travel agents, institutions and agencies working illegally in the state.Disclosing this, Punjab NRI Affairs and Administrative Reforms Minister Mr. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the checking of licenses and other necessary approvals etc. is underway in all districts.After a review meeting related to matters of NRIs with senior officials of various departments, Mr. Dhaliwal said that so far the information of 7179 travel agents, agencies, offices has been collected, of which 3547 have been checked by district teams. He said that during this checking, 271 organizations have been found illegal and FIR has been registered against 25 organisations. He said that out of total 609 complaints received during the NRI meet, 588 have been resolved and the remaining 21 cases are under process.Mr. Dhaliwal said that the Punjab government is committed to resolve the complaints of NRI Punjabis and other various matters on priority basis. The SDM Cum nodal officers posted in various districts, have been ordered to complete the checking of travel agents, agencies, offices etc. functioning in the respective districts by September 10. He said that the institutions, agencies which are willing to work in the right way i.e. under the law and prescribed conditions, will be given an opportunity to fulfill the prescribed conditions.The NRI Minister instructed the nodal officers posted in the districts to ensure that all cases related to NRIs sent to them by the department should be dealt with on priority basis.On this occasion Principal Secretary NRI Affairs Mr. Dilip Kumar, ADGP NRI Mr. Praveen Kumar Sinha, AIG HQ NRI Mr. Ajinder Singh, Secretary NRI Mrs. Kamaljit Kaur Brar, Additional Secretary NRI Mr. Paramjit Singh and Nodal officers NRI posted in different districts were also present.

IEP Chandigarh, August 9

Punjab Freedom Fighters and Defence Services Welfare Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Wednesday, visited the residences of freedom fighters of district Patiala as part of the first-of-its-kind dedicated campaign to reach the homes of the heroes of India’s independence struggle, and paid his respects to the unwavering heroes who valiantly contributed to India’s struggle for independence. The Minister’s itinerary included meetings with the freedom fighters S. Tara Singh and S. Kashmir Singh of village Shambhu Kalan, S. Sewa Singh and S. Kashmir Singh of village Suhron, S. Charan Singh of village Village Shahpur Rayian, S. Harjant Singh and S. Gurcharan Singh of village Alampur, S. Karnail Singh and S. Avtar Singh of Rajpura in the district of Patiala. The Cabinet Minister was accompanied by MLA Ghanaur Mr. Gurlal Ghanaur, MLA Rajpura Ms. Neena Mittal, Ms. Simranjit Kaur Pathanmajra wife of MLA Sanaur S. Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and officials of district administration. Expressing deep reverence for the indomitable spirit of these freedom fighters, S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra emphasized that their sacrifices continue to be a source of pride for Punjab. Their unwavering dedication and contributions have firmly established the Punjabis as notable figures in the annals of India’s freedom struggle. While acknowledging that no tribute can truly encompass the sacrifices they made, the Freedom Fighters Welfare Minister affirmed Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government’s commitment to honouring them. The Cabinet Minister said that compying to the directions of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann, he is visiting to the homes of all the freedom fighters of the state and meeting them. S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra highlighted a momentous decision taken by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led government. The Cabinet Minister said that the state government has increased pension of freedom fighters from Rs.9400 to Rs.11000 per month from August 1, 2023. He said that this decision will directly benefit a total of 545 beneficiaries, including freedom fighters themselves, widows of deceased freedom fighters or their unmarried and unemployed daughters and sons. This move is a testament to the government’s dedication to recognizing and appreciating the sacrifices made by these freedom fighters, ensuring that their legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of all Punjabis, he added.

IEP CHANDIGARH, August 9

In order to provide world-class healthcare facilities to the people of the state as per the commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Punjab Government is all set to upgrade as many as 40 hospitals or Secondary Healthcare Facilities in the state, said Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh here on Wednesday. The 40 hospitals include 19 district hospitals, six subdivision hospitals and 15 Community Health Centres (CHCs). “All the formalities and preparations have been completed to execute this work and the CM Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government will accomplish this work in this year,” he said. The Health Minister was chairing a meeting with the engineers and officers of all the execution agencies including the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC), Department of Architecture, Public Works Department, Punjab Mandi Board, PUDA, etc at Punjab Bhawan here. He was accompanied by Principal Secretary Health Vivek Partap Singh, Managing Director PSHC Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal, Special Secretary PWD Harish Nayyar and Chief Architect Ms Sapna. Divulging more details, Dr Balbir Singh said that apart from revamping, new buildings will also be constructed according to the need and required strength of doctors and staff will be ensured at all the government hospitals in the state. “The upgraded buildings of all the hospitals will be equipped with ultra-modern facilities and equipment so that people can avail world-class healthcare facilities at government hospitals,” he added. Meanwhile, the Health Minister along with the representatives of all the executions agencies will visit Sangrur and Patiala on August 16, to work out the strategy for the early execution of the work.

IEP Chandigarh, August 4

 Reiterating the firm commitment of state government to compensate people for loss of every single penny due to floods, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday reviewed the progress of ongoing ‘Special Girdawari’ in the state. Chairing a meeting here at his office in Punjab Civil Secretariat I, the Chief Minister said that the Punjab government is duty bound for compensating the people in wake of floods across the state. He said that there is no dearth of funds with the state government for this purpose and every effort will be made to give relief to the flood hit people. Bhagwant Mann said that he had himself took first hand information by visiting the marooned areas of the state and now no stone is being left unturned for giving succour to people of flood affected districts. The Chief Minister said that he has already ordered a special Girdawari to ascertain the loss incurred to people due to floods in the state. He said that the officers have been directed to ensure that the Special Girdawari is completed by August 15 by all means. Bhagwant Mann assured the people that his government will compensate the people for every loss of crop, cattle, house or anything. The Chief Minister said that 1495 villages in the 19 districts of the state have been affected badly by floods. He said that as per the reports 44 people have lost their lives, 22 were injured, 391 houses have been fully damaged and 878 have been partially damaged besides 1277 people were lodged in 159 relief camps during floods. Bhagwant Mann said that In order to compensate these people for loss of every single penny the Special Girdwari will be completed by August 15. Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa, Chief Secretary Anurag Verma and others.

IEP Chandigarh/SAS Nagar, August 4  

        In order to prevent the spread of deadly vector-borne disease, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led from the front to launch the statewide Dengue Prevention Education and Awareness Campaign ‘Har Shukarvaar- Dengue Te Vaar’ (Every Friday- Fight Against Dengue).          Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh accompanied by Director Health Services, SDM Mohali and other District and Medical officials reached village Behlolpur in the SAS Nagar district to kick-start the campaign by visiting door-to-door to sensitise people by showing them the hotspots of Dengue larvae, besides, personally checking if there was the presence of any larvae in or outside of the premises. Apart from visiting various houses in the village, he also checked Village Park, Panchayat Ghar, School and Government Dispensary on the occasion.          “During the visit, existence of dengue larvae was found in almost all the houses in the village, which could lead to the proliferation of mosquito-breeding,” he said, while urging people to spare some time on Friday to keep a check and drain water from all the breeding-grounds such as coolers, scrap material, flower pots, back trays of refrigerators, stored water, etc, where water stagnation could take place.          Later, the Health Minister also released mosquito larvae-eating fish ‘Gambusia’ into the pond to curb the dengue menace. These fishes are known as human friends as they eat the larvae to stop breeding of mosquitos, he said.          Pertinently, the ‘Gambusia’ fish was brought by the health teams to show it to the common public for awareness purposes. These fish are available with the health department and anyone can get them free of cost for putting in ponds, lakes, etc near their houses.          Dr Balbir Singh, while addressing the villagers, expressed concern over the Dengue factories owned by the residents in their homes and other premises. Generally, we take things lightly but when it becomes a threat to life then we take precautions, he said, while exhorting residents to not to allow stagnation of water anywhere near their places.          “We should observe Friday as a dry day, which means we have to drain out/flush out the stagnant water to stop the breeding of dengue larvae, which takes a week to mature into a mosquito,” he said.       He exhorted the village health and sanitation committees, Panchayats and School Teachers to spread maximum awareness to save people from this deadly disease. He asked them to visit every household in their village and educate the residents of probable dengue factories they, inadvertently, have in their places. “We will reward and honour such crusaders, who will sensitise people about the harms of dengue larvae,” he said.          Meanwhile, the Minister also inspected the water tanks of the School, Health and Wellness Center in the village and directed the concerned officials to take care of the stagnant water and leakage.

IEP CHANDIGARH/HOSHIARPUR, August 4     

     To realise the dream of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to upgrade and modernise the Punjab Police, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Friday dedicated a slew of Police initiatives in Hoshiarpur district including inaugurating a Seminar Hall at Police Lines and laying the foundation stone of Officers’ Mess. Apart from this, he also virtually inaugurated two hi-tech nakas— Rara Bridge in Tanda, Hoshiarpur and Interstate Naka Buddawad in PS Hajipur, Hoshiarpur.          The DGP was here to hold a high-level meeting in Hoshiarpur to review the law and order situation ahead of Independence Day falling on August 15. The meeting was held with the officers of Police districts— Jalandhar Commissionerate, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Jalandhar Rural.          The meeting was attended by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jalandhar Range Swapan Sharma, SSP Hoshiarpur Sartaj Singh Chahal, SSP Jalandhar Rural Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar and SSP Kapurthala Rajpal Singh Sandhu.          Divulging details, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that he has shared the security alerts received ahead of Independence Day and gave a detailed briefing to the officers to keep Punjab safe and secure as per the vision of CM Bhagwant Mann.          He mandated all the officers to not let anyone take the law into their hands and if any person was found indulged in any violent activities should be dealt with firmly and FIR should be registered immediately. He also warned miscreants trying to disturb law and order situations of stern action.          He also directed CPs/SSPs to increase the Police Checkpoints in their respective jurisdictions and ensure the checking of a maximum number of vehicles at every Naka, which will help in curtailing terrorist and criminal activities. “Punjab Police will carry on to the tradition of maintaining its professional excellence and checking crime in the state,” he reiterated.          Meanwhile, the DGP also interacted with the brave police officers of all ranks during Bada-khana and motivated them to perform their duties diligently. He also rewarded good performers on the occasion.