Chandigarh, May 5, 2025 – In a major crackdown under the zero-tolerance policy against corruption spearheaded by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Monday nabbed Balkar Singh, posted as Superintendent, in Block Development and Panchayats Office, Amloh, in Fatehgarh Sahib district, red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 60,000.

Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the State VB said the accused was apprehended following a complaint lodged by a Sarpanch of Fatehgarh Sahib district.

The complainant has informed the VB that he had done mining on village Shamlat land during his tenure as Sarpanch and his case was pending with ADC Fatehgarh Sahib. He alleged that the above said accused has demanded the bribe to help him in resolving his case.

The spokesperson further added that following a verification of the complaint, the VB flying squad team laid a trap and apprehended the accused red-handed while he was receiving the bribe of Rs 60,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. In this regard a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at the VB Police Station Flying Squad-1, Punjab at Mohali. He would be produced before the competent court tomorrow and further investigations into this case was under progress, he said.

Chandigarh, May 5, 2025 — Punjab Government’s fight against corruption has gained further momentum as the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested a government official in Amritsar following a complaint lodged through the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line. The vigilance operation underscores the growing success of this public initiative, which has become a powerful tool in empowering citizens and exposing corrupt practices across government offices.

Disclosing this an official spokesperson of VB informed that the arrested accused has been identified as Satnam Singh, Superintendent at the Block Development and Panchayats Office (BDPO), Verka Block, Rani-Ka-Bagh, Amritsar, who had  demanded a bribe of Rs 60,000 from a resident of village Nabipur, district Amritsar in exchange for official action on an encroachment complaint.

He further added that the complainant had informed that he had submitted a complaint to the BDPO Verka, Lakhwinder Kaur, concerned the illegal occupation of the approach road to his residence by his neighbour Gurwinder Singh. The BDPO had marked the matter to the said Superintendent, who in turn instructed Junior Engineer Mohit Kumar and Panchayat Secretary Ashok Kumar to verify the facts.

The verification revealed that the encroachment on government land was genuine, leading to a penalty of Rs 3,284 being imposed. Despite repeated notices, the encroacher failed to comply, prompting the BDPO office to request police assistance to remove the illegal structures.

However, instead of proceeding with due legal action, Superintendent Satnam Singh had demanded Rs 50,000 to “facilitate” further steps, instructing the complainant to pay Rs 20,000 as an advance. The complainant transferred Rs 10,000 via Google Pay to Satnam Singh’s account. Subsequently, the illegal pillars were removed with police assistance.

Further retaliation by the neighbour, who blocked the village drainage, led the complainant to approach the accused again. Satnam Singh reportedly told the complainant to stay silent about the bribe or risk further inaction regarding the drainage issue.

The VB verified all facts before registering a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Satnam Singh at the VB Police Station, Range Amritsar. He would be presented before the competent court tomorrow. The role of BDPO Lakhwinder Kaur is under scrutiny and would be investigated further, the spokesperson added.

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau reaffirmed its zero tolerance policy against corruption and urged citizens to actively report any instances of bribery or misconduct by government officials. “The Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line is a weapon in the hands of the people. We call upon all citizens to come forward without fear. Timely reporting leads to timely action,” the VB stated.

Chandigarh May 5: In line with his commitment to providing roof to every poor and needy person in the state, Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini launched the allotment process for residential plots to 1.58 lakh applicants across 537 Gram Panchayats and 24 Mahagram Panchayats, under the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Yojana 2.0.

          Speaking at a program held at the Haryana Civil Secretariat here today, the Chief Minister stated that the present government had committed in its Sankalp Patra to provide housing for poor families in both urban and rural areas in the State. “Our double-engine government is consistently working toward fulfilling this promise,” he said.

          He highlighted that Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to ensure every family has a pucca house. Building on this initiative, Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana is being implemented in Haryana. Under this scheme, the state government is providing plots to poor families, while also offering financial assistance for constructing houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

          The Chief Minister stated that under the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Yojana 2.0, plots were allotted to 4,532 beneficiaries through a draw in 61 Gram Panchayats and one Mahagram Panchayat during the first phase. Today, under the second phase of the scheme, the process for allotment of plots for 1.58 lakh applicants in 537 Gram Panchayats and 24 Mahagram Panchayats has been launched. He further informed that residential plots of 100 square yards will be allotted to applicants of Gram Panchayats, while those in Mahagram Panchayats will receive plots of 50 square yards.

Chandigarh, May 5- Reiterating its commitment to farmer welfare, the Haryana Government once again took a step in the interest of farmers and released compensation amount to farmers for the loss of crops due to fire incidents that took place in the state in the past few days.

Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini today released about Rs 86.96 lakh for about 324 acres of area in the accounts of 151 farmers of 17 districts of the state (except Ambala, Mewat, Palwal, Faridabad and Panchkula) in a programme organized at the Haryana Civil Secretariat. This amount is being given proportionately by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. The Chief Minister said the farmers whose crops have been burnt due to arson will be given free fertilizers and seeds by the government for sowing the next crop.

For the first time in the history of Haryana, compensation for arson in crops is also being given by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. This time, the farmers are getting double the compensation that they usually get.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said our government is always working for the upliftment and interest of farmers. Farmers are our food providers and they will not be allowed to face any kind of problem. He said due to a large number of fire incidents in the fields in the recent past, damage to the Rabi crop of the 2025 season was reported in the state. In view of this, the government decided to open the e-Kshatipurti portal to receive claims of loss from the concerned farmers. After this, the regional officers of the Revenue Department were also instructed to immediately verify the claims and upload their report on the portal.

The e-Kshatipurti portal is being run by the State Government through ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal to receive and verify compensation claims related to crop loss due to natural calamities from Rabi season 2023.

On this portal, farmers themselves submit their crop loss claims and compensation is being paid through online mode after due procedure as per prescribed norms. This online process has made the entire process of compensation claim simple as well as transparent.

Chandigarh, May 5

Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has the vision of making every poor family socially and economically advanced. For this, the Chief Minister is not only making public welfare schemes but is also completing them at the ground level.

In this connection, the Chief Minister transferred an amount of Rs 86.93 crore to the accounts of 2286 beneficiaries through DBT here today. Notably, the Haryana Government had launched the ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana’ (Dayalu) from April 1, 2023 to provide financial assistance to the family in case of the death of the earning head in any accident in Antyodaya families. Under this scheme, financial assistance of Rs 1076.275 crore has already been sent to 28644 beneficiaries digitally through NPCI through their Aadhaar linked bank accounts.

Under this unique scheme of Haryana, financial assistance is provided in case of accidental or untimely death of a person above 6 years and up to 60 years of age. In this, the family is given financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh on the death of a child between the age of 6 to 12 years, Rs 2 lakh on the death of a teenager between the age of 12 to 18 years, Rs 3 lakh on the death of a youth between the age of 18 to 25 years, Rs 5 lakh on the death of a person between the age of 25 to 50 years (who is usually the head of the family and the breadwinner) and Rs 3 lakh on the death of a person between the age of 45 to 60 years.

In a case where the age of the beneficiary is more than 25 years and up to 45 years and there is a minor girl in the family, then out of the assistance amount of Rs 5 lakh, Rs 2.5 lakh will be sent to the bank account of the minor girl.

Notably, Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has always been sensitive towards such poor families and is committed to extend help in the time of difficulty.

Chandigarh, May 5 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said the state government is in a proactive mode. The pension of people eligible for various social security pension schemes is processed automatically and people do not have to run around offices like before.

The Chief Minister was addressing the ‘Financial Assistance Distribution Ceremony’ organized for the beneficiaries of various public welfare schemes today at the Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana was also present on the occasion.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister transferred the first pension of 24,695 new beneficiaries of various social security pension schemes directly to their bank accounts with a single click. A total amount of Rs 7.48 crore was sent to all these beneficiaries. The Chief Minister congratulated all the new beneficiaries. Notably, under various social security pension schemes run by the Haryana Government, financial assistance/allowance is provided regularly to the eligible beneficiaries. On the instructions of the Chief Minister, the State Government had invited applications for pension from eligible persons under various social security pension schemes. In the month of April 2025, a total pension amount of Rs 7.48 crore has been sent to the accounts of 24,695 new beneficiaries approved under these schemes by the Chief Minister today. Now, the total number of beneficiaries under these pension schemes in the state has increased to 35,16,814 and a pension amount of Rs 1060.16 crore will be given per month.

The Chief Minister said under various social security pension schemes, the number of eligible people has increased by a total of 17407 among the beneficiaries of old age allowance. Apart from these, there has been an increase of 1673 beneficiaries in widow pension, 864 in handicapped pension, 1700 in the number of beneficiaries of financial assistance given to destitute children, 2062 in the beneficiaries given to widowers and unmarried persons, 530 in Ladli social security allowance, 106 in the number of disabled children not going to school, 351 in the financial assistance given to third and fourth stage cancer patients, one in transgender allowance and one in the number of beneficiaries of financial assistance given to persons suffering from rare diseases.

          Thus, the total beneficiaries of all these various social security pension schemes have become 24695.

On this occasion, Haryana Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management Department Dr. Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Department Sh. Raja Sekhar Vundru, Additional Chief Secretary of Social Justice, Empowerment, Scheduled and Backward Classes Welfare Department Smt. G. Anupama, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sh. Arun Kumar Gupta, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sh. Saket Kumar, Director General of Information, Public Relations and Language Department Sh. KM Pandurang and other senior officers were present.

Deputy Commissioners from various districts of the state were also connected to this function through video conferencing.

Chandigarh/ Sangrur (Longowal), May 4

The Punjab Government has taken a significant step towards delivering healthcare services to rural areas with the laying of the foundation stone of a 30-bed Community Health Centre (CHC) by Cabinet Minister Aman Arora in Longowal of Sangrur district. The ceremony, marking a major milestone in the state’s healthcare infrastructure development. The CHC, to be built at a cost of Rs11 crore, will cater to a population of approximately 1.92 lakh people at the block level, adhering to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS).

Prior to the ceremony, Aman Arora was warmly welcomed by local dignitaries, including sarpanchs and panchs from over a dozen rural panchayats, as well as Nagar Council officials, who presented him with mementos.

Committed towards a Healthy Punjab

Laying the foundation stone of the health centre, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said that Punjab has become the leading state in the country in the health sector today. The Punjab health model is being praised not only in India but also abroad. In the coming time, more health centres, mobile health units and telemedicine services will be initiated, so that quality treatment can be made available to every citizen of Punjab. Aman Arora said that the health infrastructure is being strengthened in villages and towns to realise the vision of ‘equal and excellent health services for all’. This will not only make timely treatment possible, but will also reduce the economic and mental distress of the rural people.

30-bed hospital will have all kinds of OPD facility

Aman Arora said  that earlier when he had come to Longowal, the local people had then demanded a grant for this hospital wall. On the demand of the people, the government released 38 lakh rupees, but on the same day I decided to build a new hospital with state-of-the-art facilities for the people. Aman Arora said that today that resolution is going to be fulfilled. Aman Arora said that soon a network of street lights will be laid inside Longowal.On completion of the project, daily there will be  view of Diwali for people of Longowal at night.

Will not spare any drug smugglers in Punjab

Cabinet Minister Aman Arora said that after coming to power, many historic decisions were taken in the interest of the general public under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. For the convenience of the farmers, we are providing adequate power supply for the agriculture sector during the day, this has happened for the first time in the history of Punjab, when a government bought a private thermal plant itself. 18 toll plazas were closed to prevent loot of people in Punjab, more than 58 thousand youths have been provided government jobs without bribe or recommendation. Aman Arora said that the biggest curse on Punjab has been of drugs and now the Punjab government is trying to eradicate that curse. As of now, there is a war against the drugs in the entire state, but the government cannot succeed in it till every family and citizen of Punjab will not participate in that war. Aman Arora made it clear that the government will not forgive those people who destroyed many families in Punjab by selling drugs.

In Punjab, the bulldozer action is being taken the houses of drug smugglers, during that action, the victim families have been seen showering flowers on the police at many such sites. It is clear that today Punjab is standing with the Bhagwant Mann government in the fight against drugs.

Transformation in Healthcare Services 

Aman Arora stated that with the construction of this modern Community Health Centre (CHC), people in rural areas will no longer need to travel to big city hospitals for the treatment of serious illnesses. This CHC will provide facilities including OPD services, general wards, maternity facilities, basic surgical services, lab testing, and emergency medical care for the convenience of the public.   

This CHC, catering to a population of approximately 1.92 lakh, will function as a block-level healthcare facility. The old building has been completely demolished, and the new facility is being constructed at a cost of Rs10.97 crore as per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS). 

881 Aam Aadmi Clinics: A Symbol of Strengthened Healthcare

Punjab’s health sector has witnessed significant transformation, with several major projects enhancing medical services. Under the Bhagwant Mann-led government, 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been established in the last three years, providing patients with 80 essential medicines and 46 types of diagnostic tests free of cost. So far, over 3.25 crore patients have been treated at these clinics, and more than 1.40 crore medical tests have been conducted free of charge. 

Boosting Maternal and Child Health 

To strengthen maternal and child healthcare, the Punjab government has set up five new Mother and Child Health (MCH) hospitals including in Jagraon, Phagwara, Budhlada, Kharar, and Nakodar at a cost of ₹27.39 crore. Additionally, the work of expansion of bed capacity in six new MCH centers, and in three existing centers has also completed expeditiously, with a total investment of ₹73.84 crore. 

Revolutionary Projects in Punjab’s Health System 

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann envisions ensuring accessible healthcare for all, eliminating the need for people to travel long distances for medical services. To achieve this, primary health centers and district hospitals across the state are being upgraded and expanded. 

New 30-bed health centers with advanced medical facilities are being established in various cities, including SDH Nabha (₹6.50 crore), CHC Raikot (₹5.82 crore), and DH Faridkot (₹6.27 crore).

Additionally, the work of new SDHs being constructed in Talwandi Sabo and Patti with the cost of ₹6.61 and ₹7.06 crores respectively is on final stage and are nearing completion. Similarly, expansion projects at Faridkot and Bathinda district hospitals with the cost of ₹13.24 crore have been completed, while expansion work in Barnala worth ₹5.11 crore and Ludhiana worth ₹13.01 crore is also progressing swiftly and near completion.

The Punjab government has also upgraded Chamkaur Sahib CHC to SDH with the cost of ₹13.97 crore. Renovation and modernization of hospitals in Dhanaula, Chabbewal, and Giddarbaha have been completed for ₹15.07 crore. 

Critical Care Blocks in 13 Districts 

Apart from these, Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) are being constructed in 13 districts at a cost of ₹236.97 crore under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. Work is progressing rapidly in districts including Bathinda, Ferozepur, Fazilka, SBS Nagar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran, while construction is ongoing in Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, and other districts. 

Strengthening Community Health Infrastructure 

The Punjab government has been consistently strengthening community health infrastructure. So far, 61 Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) have been established with the cost of ₹17.6 crore, and 44 Block Public Health Units (BPHUs) have been completed for ₹12.76 crore. Additionally, construction and development of 79 more HWCs and 37 BPHUs are underway.

Chandigarh, May 4 – Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday made a series of announcements related to various development projects for the residents of Faridabad NIT Assembly constituency. He announced the pavement of village  ‘Phirnis’, renovation of the dispensary in Ward No. 10, and the establishment of new sub-health centers in the villages of Pawta and Kheri Gujran.  He also announced to give Rs. 85 lakh for the construction of a PV-covered shed at Dabua Mandi.

          The Chief Minister made these announcements while addressing a public meeting in Faridabad NIT today. Prior to this, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for a sewer pipeline project in the village of Dhauj under the Mahagram Scheme, with a cost of Rs 26.14 crore.

          He also announced to give Rs. 5 crore for the construction of community centres in various villages under the Faridabad NIT region. Besides this, he also announced to give Rs. 7.63 crore for the construction of new buildings for the Primary School in Alampur village and the Government Senior Secondary School in Saran village.

          The Chief Minister also announced the upgradation of the Primary School in Kureshipur village to a Middle School, and the Middle School in Tikari Khera village to a Senior Secondary School. Furthermore, he said that a new school will be opened in Ward No. 10 of NIT Faridabad once land is available, after conducting a feasibility check.

          He also announced Rs. 2.50 crore for laying sewer lines and roadwork in Ward No. 1 (Jhaadsetli), Ward No. 9 (Holy Child Road), and Ward No. 9 (45-foot road) in NIT Faridabad.

          The Chief Minister said that feasibility of the construction of a 7-kilometer-long road on the left side of the Harchand Distributory would be checked  and will be constructed accordingly.

          He  said that the feasibility check for an elevated bridge along with the service road on the Delhi-Agra Road, starting from the village’s T-point to the Ballabgarh Sohna Road MDR 133, would be conducted.

          The Chief Minister further announced to make the 25 kilometers of unpaved paths to pucca roads in NIT Faridabad. Roads such as the 1.14 km long Sohna Ballabgarh Road, 1.90 km long Bajri Se Ghazipur Road, and 3.16 km long road from Kothra village to Mohtabad and Kheri Gujaran will also be paved.

          The Chief Minister said that efforts will be made to establish a National Unani Research Center in Kheri Gujran village after holding discussions with the central government. Additionally, a fire station will be built on Bhakhri Pali Road if land is available. RCC drain construction in Ward No. 10, NIT Faridabad, will also be pursued after a feasibility check.

          The Chief Minister also  announced an additional grant of  Rs. 5 crore for speeding up development works in the constituency. Other demands raised by the MLA in the memorandum will be forwarded to the relevant departments for further action.

          The Chief Minister, while referring to Faridabad and Gurugram as Haryana’s commercial hubs, said that the government is considering connecting these two cities via Metro, and this project will soon be implemented. This will enhance business opportunities and attract both domestic and international investments to these cities,

          The Chief Minister said  that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh.  Narendra Modi, the state government is moving forward with clear intentions. What has been promised will be delivered. Humatri ‘Neeti, Niyat aur Netritva saaf hai’ (Our policy, intent, and leadership are all clear). Our goal is to achieve balanced development across Haryana, and we are moving forward with full commitment on this path.

          He further  said that since 2014, when the BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, got the opportunity to serve Haryana, the government has started working to advance Faridabad as a hub for trade and industry. With the launch of the Badarpur-Faridabad Metro link today, Faridabad has gained a new direction in terms of economic activity and business. New companies from across the country and the world are being attracted to invest here. This metro link will prove to be a milestone in the industrial development of Faridabad, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.

          He added that since 2014, the government has undertaken development works worth Rs. 640 crore in just the N.I.T. area of Faridabad. In comparison, during the Congress government, works worth Rs. 272.42 crore were done, but they were not completed properly. It is clear that our government has completed more than double the work compared to Congress, and now our triple-engine government is accelerating development at an even faster pace, said Sh. Nayab Singh Saini.

          The Chief Minister said that out of the 217 promises made in the party’s manifesto for the assembly elections, 19 promises have already been fulfilled within the first 100 days. Moreover, 90 promises will be completed this year, and work is progressing rapidly on them, he said.

*Chief Minister fulfills long-standing demand for clean drinking water of NIT Assembly residents – Krishan Pal Gurjar*

          Union Minister of State for Cooperation, Sh Krishan Pal Gurjar, said that today Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, in the FMDA meeting, fulfilled the long-standing demand of the residents of Faridabad NIT Assembly constituency for clean drinking water. In the meeting, the Chief Minister approved a total amount of Rs. 525 crore, out of which Rs. 253 crore will be spent on drinking water and sewerage projects. He said that the Chief Minister, who comes from a humble background, is now leading Haryana and working with a vision of Antyodaya.

          He further said that in the past 10 years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has been fully committed to realizing the dream of a strong and secure Haryana. Just as Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has made the Ganga clean and pure, similarly, if anyone has made Haryana’s politics clean and pure, it is, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini. He said that today, jobs in Haryana are being provided without parchi and kharchi. Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini is ensuring equal development in every Assembly constituency of Haryana while following the core principles of ‘Haryana Ek Haryanvi Ek’ and ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.

          He said  that during the elections, when Congress leaders had halted the recruitment of youth by filing a complaint with the Election Commission, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini had promised that the day he takes oath, he would issue appointment letters to those youth with his first official act. He has honored that promise.

          While addressing the Rally, State Cabinet Minister Sh. Vipul Goel said that Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini has given a budget of crores of rupees today to speed up the development of Faridabad so that the benefits of government schemes reach the public for the development of Faridabad. Minister of State Sh. Rajesh Nagar also addressed the gathering.

          MLA, Sh. Satish Fagna said that Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini is not just a political leader, but a living example of a dedicated public servant. He has proven that if one has strong determination and a clear vision, no goal is impossible. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Haryana has reached new heights today. He not only embraced the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas but also implemented it on the ground, and remains constantly dedicated to public service. On this occasion, the MLA also presented development-related demands for his assembly constituency before the Chief Minister.

          MLA Sh. Mool Chand Sharma, Sh. Dhanesh Adlakha and other dignitaries also remained present on this occasion.

Chandigarh, May 4 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that special emphasis will be placed on enhancing the water supply infrastructure in Faridabad. He directed officials to ensure the timely establishment of all necessary infrastructure. In addtion, he also instructed that a new 20 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) be constructed to address sewerage-related issues in the Mirzapur Zone.

          The Chief Minister was presiding over the sixth meeting of the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) in Faridabad today. During the meeting, a development budget of approximately Rs 773.24 crore was approved to accelerate infrastructure and civic improvements.

          The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State for Cooperation Sh Krishan Pal Gurjar, Haryana Urban Local Bodies Minister Sh. Vipul Goyal, Minister of State for Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Sh Rajesh Nagar, MLAs Mool Chand Sharma, Satish Phaganna, Dhanesh Adlakha, and Faridabad Mayor Praveen Batra Joshi.

          To ensure timely completion of development projects, the Chief Minister directed officials to expedite ongoing works. While reviewing the progress of decisions made during the previous FMDA meeting, hei emphasized fast-tracking the implementation of Phase II works before commencing Phase III of the CCTV surveillance project to strengthen public safety and traffic management. To further improve the city’s sewerage system, the Chief Minister instructed the immediate construction of a 45 MLD capacity STP and a Main Pumping Station in village Badshahpur. He also reviewed the status of water supply augmentation projects in Faridabad.

*Water Supply to be Augmented in NIT and Badkhal Assembly Constituencies*

          It was informed in the meeting that to bridge the gap between the existing water supply and projected demand by 2040, a proposal of Rs 2,174 crore as per the Master Development Plan 2031 has been submitted to the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) for financial assistance, following its approval in the fifth FMDA meeting.

          As part of this initiative, Rs 253.28 crore has been proposed to address water shortages in NIT and Badkhal Assembly Constituencies. The project includes laying 5 new rain wells, a 40 km pipeline network, and establishing boosting stations, which will collectively increase water supply by 50 MLD. This proposal was approved. In addition, the FMDA approved to takeover  5 acres of land in village Bajri/Gazipur under the jurisdiction of the Faridabad Municipal Corporation for constructing an intermediate boosting station to improve water supply in remote areas of the NIT and Badkhal constituencies.

          Approval granted for construction of new 20 MLD STP in Mirzapur, existing pumping stations in Mujesar, Anaj Mandi and Hari Vihar will be upgraded

          During the meeting, the Chief Minister was apprised that the existing Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in the Mirzapur zone has a current capacity of 80 MLD, which is proposed to be enhanced to 107 MLD in accordance with the Development Plan for the year 2031. To bridge this gap in sewerage treatment capacity, a proposal was presented for the construction of a 20 MLD STP using SBR technology, compliant with Central Pollution Control Board standards. The project, to be executed by FMDA at an estimated cost of Rs 57.30 crore, was approved during the meeting. Additionally, considering the need to repair the existing sewerage system, which was laid approximately 30 to 40 years ago, the proposal for reconstruction of Intermediate Pumping Stations (IPS) in Sectors 3, 4, and 24 of Mujesar was also approved. The proposal further includes the repair of IPS in Sector 9, Sector 18, Anaj Mandi, and Hari Vihar.

*Approval accorded to set up micro STP, emphasis on reuse of treated water in parks and industry*

          To conserve available freshwater resources and enhance groundwater sustainability, the proposal to promote the reuse of treated wastewater was also approved during the meeting. This initiative will cover over 349 acres of green belt area across 234 FMDA-maintained parks and 24 sectors. Additionally, directions were issued to utilize treated wastewater for industrial purposes as well. As part of this initiative, 12 micro STPs of 500 KLD capacity each are proposed to be developed. These plants will cater to the irrigation needs of parks and green belts, resulting in the conservation of approximately 6 MLD of freshwater.

*Proposal to develop groundwater recharge water body in floodplain area of Yamuna river approved*

          A proposal was also presented during the meeting to develop a groundwater recharge water body in the floodplain area of the Yamuna River. Approval was granted for the construction of a recharge water body on 20 acres of land in the revenue estate of village Nangla Majra Chandpur, which will be utilized for recharging groundwater. Also, FMDA will extend financial assistance to the Development and Panchayat Department, if required, for the construction of new ponds in 50 villages located along the Yamuna River, under the Government of India’s Amrit Sarovar Yojana. The issue of facilitating groundwater recharge through the Budhiya Nala was also discussed during the meeting.

*Officer Ratings to be based on Public Feedback; Nodal Department to Be Formed for Anti-Encroachment Action*

          Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini directed officials of various departments to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for sewerage and repair-related works. The SOP will clearly define the responsibilities of each department. Furthermore, the performance of officers will be evaluated based on public feedback. Strict action will be taken against those officers whose performance is deemed unsatisfactory.

          The Chief Minister also instructed the formation of a dedicated nodal department to address the issue of encroachments, ensuring strict and coordinated action against such violations. Instructions were also given to engage sanitation workers through outsourcing in the villages recently integrated into the MCF.

          Lateron, while speaking to the media persons, the Chief Minister said that ensuring adequate water supply is a top priority and should not be viewed through a political lens. “Water is life, and every citizen has the right to receive their fair share,” he said. He added that all development works are being carried out in alignment with long-term planning for the next 20 to 30 years.

          When asked about the pending work at Raja Nahar Singh Stadium, the Chief Minister stated that an investigation report has been sought regarding the matter. He stressed that public funds must be utilized responsibly and warned that any negligence will not be tolerated. Officers have been directed to maintain quality standards and adhere strictly to project timelines.

          Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi attended the meeting via video conferencing. Also present were FMDA Principal Advisor D.S. Dhesi, FMDA CEO Shyamal Mishra, Urban Local Bodies Commissioner Vikas Gupta, along with other senior officials.