Category Archives: News

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart.

Dehradun

Uttarakhand CM orders SIT probe in Ankita Bhandari murder case

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IEP DEHRADUN

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) P Renuka Devi in the Ankita Bhandari murder case which will investigate every aspect of the case. Dhami has also directed officials to check all the tourist resorts in the State. Interacting with media persons at his residence.

The CM said no one, whosoever he may be, would be spared if guilty. He said that the government would make an effort to ensure that the case is heard in a fast track court. Expressing deep anguish at the murder of Bhandari, the CM said that it is very sad and added that the government has taken every necessary action promptly. He said that the Patwari who showed laxity in the case has been suspended, the resort has been demolished and the culprits are behind the bars.

He added that the father and brother (Vinod Arya and Ankit Arya) of the prime accused Pulkit have been removed from the BJP and Ankit Arya has been removed from the position of vice chairman of the Uttarakhand OBC commission. Making an appeal to the people, Dhami said that they should not cast doubt on the intent of the government and police. The CM said that he has asked the administration to check all the resorts constructed on government or forest land. He said that the action would be taken against the illegal resorts in the State.

Dehradun

Uttarakhand Speaker updates Guv on Vidhan Sabha appointments decision

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IEP DEHRADUN

A day after taking an unprecedented decision of removing 228 ad hoc workers of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha, the speaker Ritu Khanduri met the governor Lieutenant General ( Retd) Gurmit Singh at Raj Bhawan.

In the meeting she apprised the governor about the report submitted to her by the expert committee and its findings.

The governor praised the expert committee for completing its investigation before the stipulated time period and expressed satisfaction on the decision taken by the Speaker Khanduri. He suggested that necessary steps should be taken for improving the system and work culture in Vidhan Sabha. Acting on the recommendations of the expert committee constituted by her to investigate backdoor appointments in Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha, Khanduri had decided to cancel 228 appointments in the Vidhan Sabha.

 The committee in its report said that no selection committee was set up for making the ad hoc appointments, no advertisement was issued, and no competitive examinations were held to select the candidates. It found all the appointments illegal and recommended that 150 appointments done in the year 2016, six in the year 2020 and 72 done in the year 2021 should be cancelled. Incidentally these appointments were done by former speakers Govind Singh Kunjwal and Prem Chand Agarwal.

Punjab

CM ASSAILS OPPOSITION PARTIES AS ‘CHRONIC LIARS

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IEP Faridkot, September 24

Slamming the opposition parties as ‘chronic liars’, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said that instead of working for the well being of people these leaders are habitual of finding faults in every pro-people initiative of the state government.

The Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering after paying obeisance at Tilla Baba Sheikh Farid, said that these leaders have no other work except criticizing the several citizen centric decisions taken by the state government. He said that in dearth of any concrete issue these leaders are criticizing the state government only for the sake of criticism. Bhagwant Mann said that undeterred by it the state government will continue to work for the well being of the people and development of the state.

The Chief Minister announced that the state government will leave no stone unturned for making Punjab free from corruption, drugs, unemployment and other maladies. He solicited fulsome support and cooperation of people for this noble cause adding that this work cannot be accomplished without their support. Bhagwant Mann said that the entire government mechanism is with the people of the state to get rid of these maladies, which have made deep inroads during the regimes of previous governments.

The Chief Minister asserted that the previous governments have plundered the public wealth mercilessly. He said that the successive governments in the state have even surpassed Britishers in looting the taxpayers money. However, Bhagwant Mann said that his government will recover every single penny from these corrupt leaders and optimally utilize it for the welfare of people. 

The Chief Minister, while listing several path breaking initiatives of his government, said that the Aam Aadmi government is providing corruption free governance to the people adding that pilferages in the public money have been plugged and now that money is being used for the state and its people. He said that his government has passed the historic ‘One MLA, One Pension’ scheme to ensure judicious utilization of public funds. Likewise, Bhagwant Mann said that around 100 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been dedicated across the state to people for imparting quality health services.

The Chief Minister said that till date more than two lakh patients have availed free treatment in these clinics and more than 30,000 blood tests have been conducted so far, that too without any cost, in these clinics. Bhagwant Mann said that apart from ensuring quality health facilities to people, this has also reduced extra burden on big hospitals. Similarly, he said that 600 units of free power are being provided to lakhs of households across the state.

The Chief Minister further said that on one hand the process for new recruitment has been started and on the other wheels have also been set in motion to regularize the jobs of contractual employees. Likewise, he said that the state government will soon embark on a scheme to provide Atta Dal to the beneficiaries at their doorsteps. Bhagwant Mann also said that pensions will also be disbursed to the eligible beneficiaries at their homes. 

The Chief Minister further said that the state government is organizing ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Dian’ to promote sports culture in the state. Describing fairs as a tradition of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann said that this legacy must be kept alive to restore the pristine glory of the state. He said that these fairs provide a platform to individuals to get knowledge about the cultures, traditions and talents of the other states.

Paying glowing tributes to Baba Sheikh Farid ji , the Chief Minister described him as one of the greatest spiritual ambassadors, poet prophet and founder of ‘Sufi’ tradition in India. He said that Baba Farid ji’s philosophy of humanism and spirituality based on the principles of love, compassion, equality, humility, brotherhood and freedom reigned supreme and was all pervasive. Bhagwant Mann further said that the life and philosophy of Baba Farid ji was very much relevant in today’s materialistic society.

The Chief Minister also said that the teachings of Baba Farid ji were a source of inspiration for the coming generations to serve humanity with utmost zeal, humility and dedication. Exhorting the people to follow the footsteps of Baba Farid ji, he said that it will help in cementing the ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood in the society. Bhagwant Mann announced that every effort will be made to give a major push to development of Faridkot district. 

Earlier, in his address, Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Kultar Singh Sandhwan welcomed the Chief Minister to the district. He also lauded the Chief Minister for taking several path breaking initiatives to ensure comprehensive development of the state.

In her address Cabinet Minister Dr Baljit Kaur also congratulated the people on this auspicious occasion. She also said that the state government led by the Chief Minister is working tirelessly for the well being of people. 

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also felicitated several eminent personalities from Faridkot district.

Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Speaker of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Cabinet Minister Dr Baljit Kaur, Lok Sabha MP Mohammed Saddique, MLAs Gurditt Singh, Amolak Singh, Ranbir Singh Bhullar and Kaka Brar, former MP Prof. Sadhu Singh, Additional Chief Secretary to CM A Venuprasad and others.

Chandigarh, Punjab

CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY CASE: PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS ARMY PERSONNEL FROM ARUNACHAL PRADESH

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PRADESHIEP CHANDIGARH/SAS Nagar, September 24

Making fourth arrest in the Chandigarh University case, Punjab Police on Saturday arrested an Army Personnel  posted in Arunachal Pradesh, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here.The arrested accused has been identified as Sanjeev Singh, who is suspected of blackmailing the accused girl student.The development came days after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a high-level probe into the matter for which a three-member all-woman Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the overall supervision of ADGP Community Affairs Division and Women Affairs Gurpreet Kaur Deo was constituted.DGP Gaurav Yadav apprised that based on forensic and digital evidence, the Police team from SAS Nagar was dispatched to Arunachal Pradesh to arrest the accused.He said that the accused Army Personnel was arrested from Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh with the support of Arunachal Pradesh Police, Assam Police and Army authorities in Arunachal Pradesh. The SAS Nagar Police have also obtained a two-days transit remand of the accused from the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Bomdila to produce him before the Magistrate in SAS Nagar, he added.The SAS Nagar Police has already arrested three people including the girl student and two others from Himachal Pradesh and some electronic devices were seized from their possession.Pertinently, the SIT headed by SP Counter Intelligence Ludhiana Rupinder Kaur Bhatti along with two members including DSP Kharar-1 Rupinder Kaur and DSP AGTF Deepika Singh has been conducting speedy investigations in the case. “The guilty in this case will not be spared and justice will prevail,” said DGP Punjab.Meanwhile, the FIR no 194 dated 18.09.2022 had been registered under sections 354C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 66E of the IT act at Sadar Kharar Police Station, SAS Nagar. 

Punjab

Punjab ready for crop diversification but provide assured remunerative prices to farmers: CM urges Centre

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IEP Ludhiana, September 23

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that the state is fully ready to adopt crop diversification but the Government of India must provide assured mechanism to give remunerative prices for these crops.

“The centre must take this step for ensuring that farmers of the state shift from water guzzling crops to less water consuming crops”, said the Chief Minister while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Kisan Mela here at Punjab Agriculture University and Pashu Palan Mela at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.

The Chief Minister said that instead of paddy, the farmer of the state is ready to sow sunflower, maize and pulses but for that they must get adequate and assured price. He said that this will help in checking the depleting water table in the state on one hand and making agriculture a profitable venture on the other. Bhagwant Mann said that this is the need of hour to avert water crisis in the state.

          The Chief Minister said that the farmers of the state are really worried about the depleting water table and pollution of environment due to paddy straw burning.  However, he said that they are not able to come out of rut of wheat/ paddy cycle as they don’t want to loose assured price mechanism associated with it. Bhagwant Mann said that Punjab is blessed with fertile land where anything can germinate but efforts must be made to save this fertile land and it’s water.

However, the Chief Minister said that the crisis of water can never be ignored as we are pumping out water at the same depth in which Gulf countries are taking oil, which is alarming for us. He said that rice is not our staple food but for producing one kilogram of rice we are using 4000 litres of water due to which we have to adopt alternative crops. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is already making sincere efforts in this regard.

          Recalling the immense contribution of Punjab in making country self reliant in food grain production, the Chief Minister said that the hard working and resilient farmers of the state had provided food security to country in testing times. However, he said that for this they had to over exploit their only available natural resources in terms of fertile land and water. Bhagwant Mann bemoaned that now when few more states are producing are paddy so attempts are being made to deprive farmers of Punjab from MSP, which is completely unfair.

          The Chief Minister said that Union government imports pulses worth Rs 120 billion dollar annually from Other countries whereas it is not ready to provide Minimum Support price to farmers of the state who are ready to cultivate it. He said that in coming days an important decision will be taken to get rid of the menace of paddy straw burning. Bhagwant Mann said that it was duty of Union government to find solution for it as farmers produce rice for the country.

The Chief Minister said that paddy goes in national food kitty but centre asks states to tighten noose around farmers to prevent paddy straw burning.  He asked the experts of PAU to reach out to the farmers to acquaint them with new technology in agriculture sector.  Bhagwant Mann said that farmers work hard in fields and have no time for upgrading their expertise adding that experts must reach out to the farmers to make agriculture a profitable venture.

The Chief Minister also asked PAU to intensify research and bring a new revolution in agriculture through technical interventions. He further said that to promote Dairy the Punjab government is promoting Verka, which is renowned globally, to supplement income of farmers. Bhagwant Mann also said that thrust is also being laid on proper marketing of Pathankot’s Litchi and Kinnow of Abohar.

The Chief Minister also called on the farmers to reduce the expenditure on marriages as it poses huge economic burden on the families whereas marriages must be solemnised in simple way.  He reiterated the firm commitment of his government to make Punjab a drug free state. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is taking strict action in this regard.

          On the occasion Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal recalled stellar role of PAU in agriculture sector. He also appealed the  farmers to refrain from burning paddy straw.

          The Chief Minister also felicitated the progressive farmers on the occasion. The Vice Chancellor of PAU Dr Satbir Singh Gosal and Vice Chancellor of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Dr Inderjeet Singh honoured the Chief Minister.

          Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Animal Husbandary Minister Laljeet Singh Bhullar, Additional Chief Secretary to CM A Venuprasad, Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Sarvjeet Singh and others.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Haryana celebrates Ayushman Bharat Diwas

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IEP Chandigarh September 24, 2022

On the occasion of the completion of 4 years of the Ayushman Bharat scheme today, State Health Authority, Haryana celebrated the Ayushman Bharat Diwas in collaboration with the National Health Authority/Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chaired this meeting through virtual Video Conference. The services rendered to eligible beneficiaries of Haryana by Ayushman Bharat Haryana was appreciated. In this national-level meeting, beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat from Panipat and Panchkula also participated. During the meeting, Union Minister directly interacted with one of the beneficiaries named Mrs. Rakhi from Panipat and asked about her well-being and opinion about this scheme in Haryana.

The beneficiary shared her experience with the Union Minister regarding the benefits she got under the scheme by getting surgery done for her medical problems that too completely free of cost and hassle-free and extended her sincere gratitude to the Ayushman Bharat State Health Authority team. Union Minister in his concluding remarks also acknowledged the benefits extended to Smt. Rakhi in Haryana. Similarly, on this occasion, various activities are being organized in all of the districts of Haryana as Ayushman Bharat Pakhwara for the next 15 days.

The Haryana government very soon is going to extend the scheme benefits to all the eligible families whose income is upto 1.80 Lakh per annum after getting the data of eligible beneficiaries from the CRID. The Health Department of Haryana is going to organize mega camps in all districts for the generation of Ayushman Bharat cards for the eligible beneficiaries covering approximately 40 percent of the population of Haryana.

Dehradun

CM Dhami welcomes Vidhan Sabha speaker Ritu Khanduri’s decision on recommendation of High level committee to cancel ad-hoc appointments made in Assembly

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IEP DEHRADUN,

IEP Dehradun September 24, 2022

Uttarakhand Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has welcomed the Vidhan Sabha speaker Ritu Khanduri’s decision on the recommendation of the high level committee to cancel ad-hoc appointments made in the Assembly from 2016 to 2021. Dhami said that the Assembly and State government are united against corruption. It will be recalled that earlier when the questionable appointments to various posts in the Vidhan Sabha had come to light, the chief minister had clarified the stand of the government and had requested the Assembly speaker for a probe into the questionable appointments. Khanduri then formed a high level committee and directed it to complete its inquiry in a time bound manner. In its report, the committee recommended that 150 appointments in 2016, six in 2020 and 72 in 2021 should be cancelled. The CM said that the government is working with a commitment to ensure good governance and that no type of corruption will be tolerated. He said that after irregularities were found in Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) and other recruitment exams, the government transferred these exams to the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) to ensure transparency. The examination process is underway with focus on maintaining transparency with the commission having issued the calendar of examinations in the first stage. Dhami took stern decisions after receiving complaints about malpractices in exams organised by UKSSSC for various class C posts. In the UKSSSC paper leak case, 41 accused persons have been arrested so far while chargesheet has been filed against 18 accused. Further, judicial remand of 21 accused under the Gangster Act has also been approved. Dhami stressed that the government will not allow injustice with the State’s youth. He exhorted them to work hard and prepare enthusiastically for recruitment exams.

Dehradun

Speaker Ritu Khanduri cancels ad hoc appointments made during tenure of her predecessors Prem Chand Agarwal and Govind Singh Kunjwal.

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IEP DEHRADUN,

September 24, 2022The findings of the expert committee set up by the Assembly speaker Ritu Khanduri on the controversial backdoor appointments in the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha have put the role of former speakers of the Vidhan Sabha under a cloud. On the recommendation of the committee, the speaker Ritu Khanduri has cancelled the ad hoc appointments made during the tenure of her predecessors Prem Chand Agarwal and Govind Singh Kunjwal. Interestingly both Agarwal and Kunjwal were consistently claiming that the appointments made by them in Vidhan Sabha were as per the rules which the expert committee has rejected after conducting an investigation. Out of the two, Agarwal and Kunjwal, the former is now the cabinet minister holding Finance, Parliamentary Affairs and Urban Development portfolios in Pushkar Singh Dhami cabinet. Pressure is now mounting from all quarters on Agarwal to leave the cabinet position on moral grounds. The minister is currently on a study tour of Germany with a team of officers of Housing and Urban Development department. Sources state that CM Dhami, who has maintained a stand of zero tolerance for corruption and has ordered STF probe into the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) paper leak case which is successfully unearthing the case, is also under pressure to act against Agarwal. As per the findings of the committee 78 appointments were made by Agarwal during his tenure. Out of them 72 appointments were made in December last year just ahead of the imposition of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) due to Assembly elections. Citing the GO of department of Personnel on ban on ad hoc appointments, the then Finance secretary Amit Singh Negi had refused to release the budget for the new appointments in Vidhan Sabha. Interestingly the salaries of these employees were released on March 30 this year, a day after Prem Chand Agarwal took charge of the finance portfolio. Both Agarwal and Kunjwal had claimed that the Uttarakhand High Court (HC) had approved these appointments. The fact however is that the HC had issued a stay on regularisation of the employees appointment on an ad hoc basis in Vidhan Sabha. The Pioneer in its edition of September 4 had carried a report- ‘Former Speakers claim on clean chit by High Court on VS appointments false?’- on this claim of the former speakers and had mentioned that the HC had not approved the appointments in Vidhan Sabha.

Dehradun

Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha secretary Mukesh Singhal suspended

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IEP DEHRADUN,

September 24, 2022Ordering an inquiry to investigate the role of the secretary of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha Mukesh Singhal in the whole issue, the speaker Ritu Khanduri has suspended him. The Vidhan Sabha secretariat had issued an advertisement in the year 2021 to recruit 32 employees to various posts. A written examination was held on March 20 last year but its result has not been declared yet. For this examination the selection of Lucknow based agency RSM Technosolutions was made. Interestingly this agency is under scanner for its role in the paper leak case of UKSSSC. The committee found that a payment of Rs 59 lakh was made to this company within two days of submitting bills last year. Singhal’s role has been found suspicious in making this payment. He has also been accused of getting undue promotions during the tenure of Prem Chand Agarwal as speaker. Khanduri said that she would undertake many reforms in the Vidhan Sabha secretariat which include right sizing of the employees, e – office and e-Vidhan Sabha. She said that necessary changes in the process of promotions and service rules would be made in the Vidhan Sabha.

Dehradun

228 ad hoc appointments in Vidhan Sabha cancelled in Uttarakhand

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IEP DEHRADUN, September 24, 2022

In a landmark decision, unprecedented in the history of Uttarakhand, the Assembly speaker Ritu Khanduri has cancelled 228 appointments in the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha. The speaker has sent a proposal to the Uttarakhand government to cancel these ad hoc appointments made in the year 2016, 2020 and 2021.

Though no action has been taken in the appointments made prior to 2011, the speaker however has sought legal opinion on these appointments which are permanent in nature. Khanduri has also cancelled 22 appointments done through the Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL) in the Vidhan Sabha.

Acting on the recommendations of the three-member expert committee, the Assembly speaker has also cancelled the process initiated by her predecessor Prem Chand Agarwal for recruitment to 32 posts in Vidhan Sabha and suspended the Vidhan Sabha secretary Mukesh Singhal. On September 3, Khanduri had appointed a three member committee headed by former bureaucrat DK Kotia to investigate the controversial appointments made in Vidhan Sabha during the tenure of speakers in the past. On late Thursday night the committee handed over the 214 page report to the speaker.

 Acting swiftly the speaker took a decision on Friday to cancel 150 ad hoc appointments made in the year 2016 (speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal), six made in the year 2020 and 72 in 2021 (speaker Prem Chand Agarwal). Khanduri announced her decision in a press conference in Vidhan Sabha on Friday afternoon. The speaker said that on September 3, she had promised that she would not hesitate to take a strong decision in the interest of the State and would try to fulfill the aspirations of the youngsters of the State. She said that the expert committee has found gross irregularities in the ad hoc appointments made in the Vidhan Sabha in the year 2016, 2020 and 2021 and has recommended their cancellations.