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.

Chandigarh, Punjab

CABINET LED BY CM GIVES MAJOR RELIEF TO PEOPLE BY ACCORDING FINAL APPROVAL TO 600 UNITS OF FREE POWER TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD PER BILLING CYCLE

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 07, 2022

In a major relief to all the households across the state, Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today gave final approval for the policy governing the decision to provide 600 units of free power to every household per billing cycle in the state with effect from July 1, 2022. 

          A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the Council of Ministers held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister at second floor in the Punjab Civil Secretariat- I on Wednesday.

          Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Chief Minister’s Office said that all the domestic consumers in the state will be eligible to get zero bills if their consumption is upto 600 units in every billing cycle. This will give a big reprieve to the domestic consumers who have to hitherto shell out huge money every month in form of power tariff. As per the decision Scheduled caste (SC), Non SC BPL and Backward Class (BC) domestic consumers who are currently eligible for free 400 units (per billing cycle) of power will also get subsidy of 600 units now. 

          Likewise, Freedom fighters of Punjab and their successors (upto grandchildren) domestic consumers who are currently eligible for free 400 units of power will also get subsidy of 600 units per billing cycle. In case, consumption of SC, non-SC BPL, BC and Freedom Fighter categories exceeds units per billing cycle then they will pay only for units consumed in addition to 600 units along with full fixed charges, meter rentals and government levies as applicable. 

          Similarly, the Cabinet also gave green signal for waiving off pending arrears of all the domestic consumers as on December 31, 2021 and unpaid upto June 30, 2022. This move will give relief to around 28.10 lakh domestic consumers with a total benefit of Rs 1298 crore.

Chandigarh, Punjab

IN A FIRST: PUNJAB ESTABLISHES SKILL DEVELOPMENT CENTER FOR DIVYANG AT LUDHIANA

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 07, 2022

On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for imparting skill training to youth across the state, Punjab Skill Development Mission (PSDM) through its Training Partner DCF Skills on Wednesday started State’s first Skill Development Center for Divyang (Physically Challenged like Deaf & Dumb, Visually impaired) at GGN Campus, Civil Lines, Ludhiana.

This Centre was inaugurated by Mission Director, PSDM Ms. Deepti Uppal. Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Uppal said that it is utmost important to inculcate the Divyang people in the mainstream of society and provide them skill training, which will certainly help them to gain some specific skill through which they can be made themselves self dependent and start earning their livelihood, She further said that this will help in making Divyangs an equal partner in the socio-economic growth of the country on the one hand and ensuring a life full of dignity and pride for them on the other. She said that this center will impart training Data Entry Operator and Customer Care Executive Courses to 180 Deaf people. All the students shall be provided placement assistance at the end of the course at free of cost. The Mission Director added, “It is a immense pleasure for PSDM to establish a Skill Development Center for Divyang to provide Skill training to them as a noble cause.”

On the occasion, ADC (Development) Amit Panchal also appreciated the efforts of DCF Skills and promised to extend all possible support for providing employment opportunities to the divyang who shall be undergoing the training in this project. Additional Mission Director PSDM Rajesh Tripathi informed that it is the moral responsibility of every citizen to extend his helping hand to Divyang persons as they are blessed by almighty. Founder DCF Skills MD Passi extended words of gratitude towards PSDM for providing an opportunity to DCF Skills for motivating and uplifting these special people.  Dr. SP Singh (President, GGN Educational Society) was also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Ms. Deepti Uppal also held a review meeting of all 23 DBEEs (District Bureaus of Employment & Enterprises) at Bachat Bhawan, Ludhiana during the visit. The meeting was attended by Employment officers, Placement officers and Mahatma Gandhi National Fellow of all the districts of Punjab. The main agenda for the deliberation was facilitation/trainings/orientations of candidates for BPO jobs and organization of placement camps in the respective districts in association & coordination with the newly established Placement Cell by the department.

However, Ms. Uppal emphasized on to ramp up the efforts and brings new synergy so that better employment opportunities can be provided to the youth of Punjab.

Chandigarh, Chandigarh

MCM holds session on Female Health and lecture on Waste Management

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 07, 2022

The Equal Opportunity Cell of Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, under the aegis of Swachhta Committee (Commerce), organised an online interactive session on Female Health and Wellness. The resource person for the session was Dr. Ananya Kumar, Faculty, Department of Pharmacology, AIMS, Mohali. Dr. Ananya covered various aspects of women’s health in detail including menstrual health, breast cancer, birth control and mental health. Various mental health issues like anxiety of menarche, relationship anxieties and depression were also discussed in detail.

Dr. Ananya made the students aware about the eight dimensions of wellness i.e. social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, and occupational. The session had 118 participants. In another event, the PG Department of Economics and Swachhta Committee (Arts) organised an expert lecture on ‘Economic Indigenous Techniques in Waste Management’ to raise awareness about the importance of waste management.

The resource person, Dr. Sandeep Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science of the college, highlighted the benefits of circular economy in waste management.

Dr. Kaur discussed the latest case studies of innovations in waste management including the innovations of Plastic Man of India Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, Recycle Man of India Binish Desai, etc. She also elaborated the waste management practice in the college wherein dual waste management system has been adopted to use the mess waste in order to produce biogas and compost.


Principal Dr. Nisha Bhargava lauded the endeavours of the organising teams for sensitising the stakeholders about the important aspects of female health and waste management. She added that such initiatives help in widening the horizons of the students and empower them to deal with various challenges.

Chandigarh, Punjab

VIJAY KUMAR JANJUA TAKES OVER AS 41ST PUNJAB CHIEF SECRETARY

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INDIA E POST CHANDIGARH, JULY 07, 2022

A 1989 -batch IAS officer, Vijay Kumar Janjua, on Wednesday joined as Punjab Chief Secretary. He took the charge as the new state Chief Secretary replacing Anirudh Tewari, who has now been posted as Director General, Mahatama Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration.

According to the orders issued by the state government Janjua would also be the Principal Secretary Personnel and Vigilance in addition to his present assignment as Chief Secretary.

Notably, Mr. Janjua worked in various departments of Punjab including Rural Development, Industries, Labour, Animal Husbandry etc. He also served in Govt. of India for three years as Director Industries in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. During tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Fatehgarh Sahib district, Mr. Janjua developed a PRISM software with the help of NIC and introduced computerised registration of properties for the first time in Punjab.

The new Chief Secretary of the state VK Janjua assumed the charge of his office in the presence of outgoing Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari. On the occasion ACS to CM A. Venu Prasad besides senior civil officers Tejveer Singh, Hussan Lal, Ajoy Sharma, Rajat Agarwal, Abhinav Trikha, Sonali Giri, Sumeet Jarangal, Kumar Amit, Amrit Kaur Gill, Apneet Riyait, Girish Dayalan and Amit Talwar were also present.

Chandigarh, Punjab

CHETAN SINGH JAURAMAJRA ASSUMES CHARGE OF OFFICE AS MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE, MEDICAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH AND ELECTIONS

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 07, 2022

Day after getting portfolio of Health & Family Welfare, Medical Education & Research and Elections, Cabinet Minister S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra, on Wednesday, assumed the charge of the office at Punjab Civil Secretariat-1.

While expressing gratitude to the party high command and the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for reposing faith in him, S. Jauramajra affirmed that he would serve the people of the state and discharge all his responsibilities with full dedication and diligence.

Reiterating that the state government would strive hard to bring state-of-the-art healthcare facilities to the doorsteps of the people, the Cabinet Minister categorically asserted, “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government was committed to fulfilling every promise made to the people.

The Minister was accompanied by family members and well-wishers.

Chandigarh, Punjab

TOURISM & CULTURAL AFFAIRS, INVESTMENT PROMOTION, LABOUR AND GRIEVANCES REDRESSAL MINISTER ANMOL GAGAN MANN ASSUMES CHARGE OF OFFICE

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 07, 2022

Newly inducted Cabinet Minister Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann on Wednesday took the charge as Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Investment Promotion, Labour and Grievances Redressal Minister in presence of four Cabinet Ministers Harbhajan Singh ETO, Lal Chand Kataruchakk, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Laljit Singh Bhullar.

After assuming the charge, Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann said that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann has the firm resolution to fulfill all the promises made with the people of the state of Punjab.

Lashing out the previous government’s lackadaisical approach towards Punjabis, Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann said, that leaders of previous governments had not any pragmatic policy for these important departments.

The Cabinet Minister apprised that the Tourism sector has the great potential in Punjab and the State government is paying special attention to this sector.

Divulging further, Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann said that she would ensure the welfare of labourers through Labour Department and special emphasis to be laid to bolster the investment in Punjab.

Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann’s father S. Jodha Singh Mann, family members Virinder Kaur Mann, Navdeep Singh, Sarvjot Kaur, Jaspal Mannkhera, Lakhbir Singh Rai MLA  Dr. Balbir Singh MLA, Sherry Kalsi, Jagdeep Kamboj MLA, Naresh Kataria MLA, Singer Kamal Khan, Gurcharan Singh, Kamal Kishore Yadav Secretary Investment Promotion, Karunesh Sharma IAS CEO Punjab tourism, Iqbal Singh, Manjit Singh, Manpreet Singh, Navpreet Singh, Parminder Singh, Harpreet Singh, Kamalpreet Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Jagmeet Singh were present on this occasion.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Special grant scheme implemented to promote dragon fruit cultivation: ACS Dr Sumita Misra

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 07, 2022

Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, informed that a special grant scheme has been implemented by the government to encourage the cultivation of dragon fruit. Dragon fruit is in great demand in the market. Due to which farmers can take good profits by cultivating this fruit.

        Dr. Sumita Misra informed that there is a provision of grant of Rs. 1,20,000 per acre for dragon fruit orchard. In which Rs. 50,000 is for planting saplings and Rs.70,000 per acre for trawling system. For planting saplings, a grant of Rs. 50,000 will be given in three installments of Rs. 30,000 in the first year, Rs. 10,000 in the second year and Rs. 10,000 in the third year.

        She said that farmers can get good profits by planting more orchards of different kinds of fruit. While establishing orchards saves water, fruit orchards help in increasing the income of the farmers.

Grant facility will be available up to maximum 10 acres

        She said that under this scheme, a farmer can avail the facility of grant of up to a maximum of 10 acres. To get the grant, it is mandatory for the farmers to register on the ‘Meri Fasal-Mera Byora’ portal. She said that the grant will be given on a ‘first come-first serve’ basis. Farmers can take advantage of the scheme by applying on the website of Horticulture Department http://hortnet.gov.in.

Chandigarh, Punjab

APPOINTMENT LETTERS ON COMPASSIONATE GROUND HANDED OVER TO 11 CANDIDATES IN PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 06, 2022

Following the directions of the Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann for resolving all the cases of employment on compassionate ground at the earliest, the appointment letters have been handed over to 11 candidates in the Department of Public Works, here today. 

Congratulating newly appointed candidates, Punjab Public Works Minister Mr. Harbhajan Singh ETO exhorted them to serve the people of the state with dedication and honestly. These candidates have been given the appointment letters for the posts of grade-3 and 4. With today’s recruitment drive, all the pending cases of appointing grade-4 employees on compassionate grounds in the department, have been approved.

The Cabinet Minister said that the state government was fully committed to provide employment to the youth of the state.

Chandigarh, Haryana

Haryana Police taking significant steps to curtail illicit trade: DIG

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 06, 2022

Dr Arun Kumar Singh, DIG Haryana Police Academy today said that Haryana Police is taking significant actions to curtail the problem of illicit trade, posing serious hazards to public health and safety.

Addressing the ‘Capacity Building Programme for Police Officers on Prevention of Counterfeiting and Smuggling’, which was organized by FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) at Haryana Police Academy Madhuban (Karnal) , Dr Singh stated that lack of awareness in the society is shaping the dynamics of illicit trade. Imparting knowledge and raising awareness on the ill effects of counterfeiting and smuggling can go a long way to tackle it. He emphasized on the need for such training programmes, which not only sensitizes the officers on the magnitude of the problem but also helps them to understand the intricacies of smuggling and counterfeiting.

While giving an overview on Socio-Economic Impact of Counterfeiting and Smuggling, Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi said, “The grey market is fuelling illegitimate industry, leading to increased criminalization in the society. This capacity building program is aimed to sensitize the police officers on the importance of continued awareness and seriousness of the impact of counterfeit and smuggled products.” He further stated that as per the recent FICCI CASCADE study, in FY 2018-19, Indian economy loses Rs 1,17,253 crore due to smuggling in the five key sectors and total livelihood opportunities lost is 16.36 lakhs.

Nitin Saluja, Senior Policy Manager, Customer Trust, Amazon India said, “Amazon is focused on mitigating fraud and abuse on marketplaces that hamper customer trust. We have introduced several initiatives and have put in resources to make its marketplace a reliable and safe platform for customers, brands, and sellers to conduct transactions.” Amazon, he added is committed to promoting and participating in the efforts for ensuring that the consumers are empowered to enjoy the benefits of online shopping while being protected from the risks the digital era may present.

Ashish Sawant, Assistant Manager, Global Brand Protection, APAC Region, Johnson & Johnson stated that counterfeit products have a detrimental impact on both the manufacturers and consumers. It poses severe risk to company’s reputation, brand image and negatively affect the consumers’ confidence in the global market. It also affects businesses and consumers alike by sowing mistrust in genuine products made by reputable brands, he added.

Meanwhile FICCI CASCADE has been over the years working closely with government, industry, enforcement officials, legal fraternity, consumer organizations and the youth to create awareness on the adverse impact of the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling.  Among other activities, FICCI CASCADE has been regularly engaging with law enforcement agencies including police, customs and paramilitary organizations engaged in border protection in sensitizing them on the gravity of the problem.

Chandigarh, Punjab

CABINET MINISTER FAUJA SINGH SARARI ASSUMED CHARGE; VOWS TO BRING ASSIGNED DEPARTMENTS TO NEW HEIGHTS

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IEP CHANDIGARH JULY 06, 2022

Punjab Cabinet Minister S. Fauja Singh Sarari today assumed the charge of office as the Minister of Freedom fighter, Defense Services welfare, Food Processing and Horticulture departments in the presence of Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur and S. Harjot Singh Bains, here at Punjab Civil Secretariat.

Bowing head before the Almighty for giving him opportunity to serve the people and expressing gratitude towards towards Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for reposing faith in him, S. Fauja Singh Sarari said, the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant  Mann led state government is working tirelessly for every section of the society and committed for the welfare of the freedom fighters and ex-servicemen.

“The state government was working hard to further promote the food processing and horticulture sector in State, said Mr. Sarari, adding that he will left no stone unturned to bring the departments, assigned to him, to new heights.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included; Cabinet Minister’s wife Charanjit Kaur and daughter Simranjit Kaur, Ranbir Singh Bhullar MLA, Rajneesh Dahiya MLA, Naresh Kataria MLA and Shelindar Kaur, Director Horticulture and Jathedar Darshan Singh Jagaram Tirath.