IEP Chandigarh, February 22

          The Punjab Affordable Housing Policy-2023 approved by Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Cabinet, will fulfil the common man’s aspirations to own a dream house and will further give a push to revival of the real estate sector in the state, said Punjab Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Mr. Aman Arora, here.

          This policy has been introduced to provide affordable houses to the lower-middle and lower-income strata of the society and also after taking note of the demands of the developers.

          Divulging details about the policy, Mr. Aman Arora said that the minimum area for a plotted colony has been fixed at five acres, while, the minimum area required for group housing is now 2.5 acres only, except for GMADA area where minimum area required for a new colony will remain 25 acres. Maximum plot size has been fixed upto 150 sq.yd. and maximum flat size has been fixed upto 90 sq.mt. under the policy.

          The saleable area has also been increased from 62 to 65 per cent of the total project site area to provide plots at affordable rates to the needy and the saleable area is being given on the total plot area of the project irrespective of any master plan road passing through the plot area.

          He further said that the minimum area under greens has been fixed at 7.5 per cent from 10% of the site area and the minimum width of internal roads will be 30’ ft in such projects.    

          To reduce the burden on individual plot holders, the H&UD Minister said that the CLU, EDC and License fee have also been reduced to 50 per cent, or half, of those applicable in case of a normal colony, however,  the reduction in charges will not be applicable in GMADA area.

          To enable speedy clearances of all approvals for all categories of the Affordable Colonies, Mr. Aman Arora said that all the powers for granting approvals have been delegated to the Chief Administrator of the concerned Urban Development Authority at local level designating him/her as the single competent authority.

          Mr Aman Arora said that H&UD department will facilitate promoters in obtaining NOCs in time bound manner by conducting frequent meetings with various regulatory authorities like PSPCL, PPCB etc and regular monitoring will be ensured at the higher level for quick disposal of cases regarding approvals, he added.

          The Minister affirmed that this policy will also encourage the promoters to get their colonies approved in hassle-free manner and will definitely curb the mushrooming of unauthorised colonies,

IEP Chandigarh, February 22

          On the directives of Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, the department has ordered to suspend the services of Senior Assistant (Accounts) who have officiating charge of Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Gurmeet Singh posted at Guru Harsahai, District Ferozepur and Panchayat Secretary Pritpal Singh with immediate effect on charges of corruption.

          It is pertinent to mention that the suspended employees will be given subsistence allowance on the terms and conditions specified under Rule 7.2 of Punjab Civil Services Rules. During the suspension period, the headquarters of the these employees will be the Office of District Development and Panchayat Officer, Faridkot and Office of District Development and Panchayat Officer Ferozpur respectively.

          Reiterating his commitment to provide corruption free governance to the people, Cabinet Minister Dhaliwal said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government will not tolerate dereliction, indiscipline and corruption at any cost. He said that immediate action will be taken when such cases come to fore.

IEP Chandigarh, February 22    

      Newly appointed Chairman of Punjab Information Technology and Communication Technology Corporation Limited (Punjab Infotech), Dr. Guninderjit Singh Jawandha assumed charge of his office at Udyog Bhawan on Wednesday in the presence of Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema.          Congratulating Dr. Jawandha, Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema expressed hope that Punjab Infotech would achieve new heights under the guidance of the new chairman. He also assured every possible support from the Government of Punjab to Dr. Jawandha, while conveying his best wishes for the new stint.          Dr. Guninderjit Singh Jawandha, who is a multi-lingual graduate with masters in business administration and a doctorate degree, while thanking Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for the responsibility bestowed upon him, said that he would discharge his duty with utmost sincerity. It is worth mentioning here that Dr. Jawandha is Chairman of Bhai Gurdas Group of Institutions besides running an NGO Japhar Welfare Society.

IEP Chandigarh February 22

          The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its anti-corruption campaign in the state on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, nabbed a Sub Inspector (SI) Jarnail Singh, Incharge police post, Mudki, Ferozepur district red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.

          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said this corruption case has been registered against the above said police official on the complaint of Sewak Singh, resident of village Pakka, Faridkot district.

          Giving details he added that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the above said police official has demanded Rs 30,000 as a bribe to execute compromise between two parties to a police complaint in which his son was involved. The complainant further informed that the deal in this regard was struck at Rs 28,000 and the accused has taken Rs 8,000 on the spot to provide copy of compromise. While handing over the money the complainant has recoded the entire conversation on his phone as an evidence.

          The spokesperson informed that the VB has investigated the allegations levelled in the complaint and laid a trap in which the accused police official was arrested while taking a bribe of Rs 10,000 as a second instalment from the accused in the presence of two official witnesses.

          In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the SI Jarnail Singh at VB police station Ferozepur. Further investigation in this case was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21     

     Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal held an online meeting with all the DCs, Police Commissioners and SSPs of the state to review the complaints of NRIs and directed to resolve the pending complaints by March 15.          Mr. Dhaliwal said that the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been taking effective steps to address the issues of NRI Punjabis and making constant efforts to resolve their grievances in a quick and meaningful manner. He added that 60 percent complaints have resolved which were received during ‘NRI Punjabian nal milani’ programme while the remaining complaints will also be redressed soon.          Mr. Dhaliwal said that most of the complaints were related to the revenue and police departments, while 20 percent complaints were already pending in various courts. Minister said that DCs and SSPs have also been asked to resolve complaints of NRI Punjabis on a priority basis. He said that the district level committees have been constituted under the leadership of all the Deputy Commissioners, which were bound to solve the problems of the migrants by coordinating with various departments.          On the occasion, Principal Secretary NRI Affairs J.M. Balamurugan, AIG NRI Affairs Balwinder Singh, Special Secretary NRI Kamaljit Kaur Brar, Deputy Secretary Surinder Kaur Brar, besides senior officers of various departments were present.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21

          Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has assured the office bearers of POWERCOM and TRANSCO Coordination Struggle Committee that their all legitimate demands would be accepted soon.

          During the meeting, the office bearers of Powercom and Transco Coordination Sangharsh Committee Punjab apprised the power minister about their demands. Power Minister listened  their demands of the employees’ organizations very carefully.

           The meeting was attended by Gopal Sharma, Director Commercial, Management and HR Engineer, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, besides senior officials of POWERCOM and TRANSCO and leaders of POWERCOM and TRANSCO Coordination Struggle Committee Outsource Punjab.

IEP Chandigarh, February 21

          Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan, on Tuesday, said that a mock session of the assembly for the students will be held in near future in order to remove lack of interest towards politics among the youth.

          Meeting the students of Government High School village Dod, district Faridkot, who visited Punjab Vidhan Sabha, S. Sandhwan said that it is important to educate students about politics because they are the future of the country, some of them can be leaders of the future. He said, there is apathy towards politics in the young generation and we are duty bound to remove this tendency. Thus, a mock session will be held in the Vidhan Sabha in the coming days with the intention of motivating students towards politics and creating their interest in politics.

          The Speaker asked the students of 6th to 9th standard that on their return, they would write an essay about what they experienced in the Vidhan Sabha and the students who will clinch first three positions in each class will be bestowed with Rs.3100, Rs.2100 and Rs.1100 respectively.

          He also sensitize students about the importance of the Vidhan Sabha and the process of enacting and amending laws.

IEP CHANDIGARH/BATHINDA, February 21

          As part of the ongoing drive against anti-social elements, Punjab Police have thwarted a major attempt of contract killing with the arrest of two persons after recovering a .32 bore pistol along with one magazine and four live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Tarandeep Singh alias Laddi of Jaito in Faridkot and Kuldeep Singh alias Kali of Sri Muktsar Sahib. Both the arrested accused persons are history-sheeter and wanted by the Punjab Police in extortion case and Haryana Police in car snatched on gunpoint case.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that in an operation led by Counter Intelligence Unit of Sri Muktsar Sahib, Police teams have arrested both the accused persons, who were hatching a conspiracy to kill Malout-based person on directions of USA based Niranjan Singh alias Nick.

          Preliminary investigations suggest that accused Nick wanted to settle scores with his relative and had paid Laddi and Kali to kill him, he added. He said that accused Laddi had bought the pistol and ammunition from Madhya Pradesh to commit the contract killing.

          Divulging more details, AIG Counter Intelligence Bathinda zone Simratpal Singh Dhindsa said that accused Nick has so far sent at least Rs 2.50 lakh in the bank of Laddi’s mother for purchasing weapon from MP and other expenses incurred to accomplish the task. Further investigations are on, he said.

          Meanwhile, a case FIR no. 7 dated 21-02-2023 has been registered under section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station SSOC Fazilka.

IEP Chandigarh February 21

           The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state on Tuesday arrested a revenue Patwari Bakar Singh, of halqua Palla Megha, Ferozepur district for committing embezzlement of Rs 1,11,08,236 during acquisition of land in connivance with two private persons.

          Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said during the investigation of a vigilance enquiry, the Punjab government had acquired a land measuring 46 Kanals for the BSF to set up a border out post at New Mohammadi Wala near village Palla Megha in the year 2002 to 2012.

          He further added that the accused the above said accused Patwari, now a dismissed Kanugo, in connivance with other two accused Billu Singh of Palla Megha, Ferozepur district and Amritbir Singh of village Aasal Uttar, Tarntaran district had misappropriated Rs 1,11,08,236 in the said case. The accused Patwari had distorted the revenue records and entered names of the above mentioned co-accused as owners of the said land. Subsequently, he released two cheques of compensation amounting to Rs 55,54,118 each on the  basis of forged record to both the co-accused on 07-11-2012. In addition to this, the accused Patwari had acquired private land measuring 16 Kanals and 16 Marlas instead of adjoining government land in order to provide financial benefit to the other accused. 

          The spokesperson further added that on the basis of this enquiry a case FIR No 05, dated 21-02-2023, under section 218, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and 13(1)(a), 13(2) of prevention of corruption act at VB police station Ferozepur. Further investigation in this regard was under progress and the other accused would be arrested soon as the teams has already been formed, he added

IEP Chandigarh, February 21

          Reiterating firm commitment of state government to make Punjab a frontrunner state in field of education, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday launched portal for admission in 117 schools of eminence.

          Launching the portal www.ePunjabschools.gov.in/school-eminence/ , the Chief Minister envisioned that these schools will enable the students of the state to excel in field of academics. He said that these schools will act as catalyst to transform the lives of students by giving a new direction to their lives. Bhagwant Mann said that the schools of eminence are equipped with the best class facilities and state of the art infrastructure to enable the students to compete across the globe.

          The Chief Minister said that exactly a month ago the schools of eminence were dedicated to the people of the state. He said that these schools will impart quality education to the students in field of medical (MBBS), IIT, MBA and Law to ensure that they become active partners of 21st century. Bhagwant Mann said that these schools will play a major role in imparting quality education to the students thereby excelling in their lives.

          The Chief Minister said that 75% seats in these schools will be reserved for the students of the government schools whereas the remaining 25% seats will be reserved for the private schools. He said that the parents can apply on this portal by March 10 and ensure that their children excel in field of education. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that quality education is imparted to the students of the state for restoring the pristine glory of the state.