CHANDIGARH, April 22:

          With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state entered 53rd day, Punjab Police on Tuesday arrested 76 drug smugglers and recovered 3.5 kg heroin, 1 kg opium and Rs 1.09 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 7036 in just 53 days.

          The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 150 Police teams, comprising over 1000 police personnel, under the supervision of 75 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 345 locations across the state leading to the registration of 49 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 374 suspicious persons during the day long operation, he added.

          The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced two persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

          Meanwhile, Punjab Police has also carried out search operation at different jails in six districts— Commissionerate Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, Jalandhar Rural, Kapurthala and Rupanagar— to check any illegal activities in the jail. “Our Police teams have thoroughly searched every nook and corner including barracks, kitchen and toilets in the jail complex,” said Special DGP Arpit Shukla.

Chandigarh, April 22

Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday announced significant amendments to the Government of Punjab’s Child Care Leave (CCL) provisions, providing much-needed flexibility and additional support to parents caring for children with long-term special needs, ensuring they can dedicate time to their well-being without compromising their careers.

Revealing this in a press communiqué issued here, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that these changes have been designed to address the evolving needs of working parents, particularly those facing unique childcare challenges. He said previously, the Child Care Leave policy extended only to female government employees with minor children below the age of 18 years. “While this initiative provided essential support to working mothers, it did not account for the diverse familial structures and specific challenges faced by single fathers and parents of children with severe disabilities”, he added.

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The Finance Minister said that recognising these gaps, the Punjab government has introduced two pivotal amendments to the existing CCL provisions. “First, the benefit of Child Care Leave has now been extended to single male parents, including widowers, divorced fathers, and unmarried fathers. Second, the government has relaxed the upper age limit of 18 years for 40 percent disabled children with severe disabilities”, he added.

Divulging further, Finance Minister said that this amendment addresses the challenges faced by parents of children diagnosed with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Chronic Neurological Disorders, Severe and Profound Degrees of Intellectual Disability, Multiple Sclerosis, and Multiple Disabilities, including Deaf-Blindness. He said that this progressive move also acknowledged the vital role fathers play in childcare and ensures they receive equitable support to balance their professional responsibilities with parental duties. By offering this leave to single fathers, the government reinforced its stance on gender-inclusive policies that cater to the realities of modern families, said Cheema

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasised that these amendments reflect the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s unwavering commitment to fostering a work culture that prioritises employee well-being and inclusivity. He said that the revised policy would significantly ease the burden on working parents, particularly those facing extraordinary caregiving responsibilities, and enable them to provide the necessary attention and care to their children without professional repercussions.

CHANDIGARH/FARIDKOT/MOGA, April 22

          In order to develop robust police infrastructure as per the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday inaugurated slew of developments projects in Faridkot and Moga during his visit to both the districts to review the ongoing ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ anti-drugs campaign.

          The DGP has inaugurated three projects in Faridkot including state-of-the-art Cyber Crime Police Station, a Conference Hall equipped with hi-tech gadgets and a Briefing hall with seating capacity of 250 persons, while, a futuristic Smart Police Control Room has been inaugurated in Moga district. The DGP was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Faridkot Range Ashwani Kapur.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav, while interacting with the media in Faridkot, said that the Cyber Crime Police Station— equipped with advanced digital forensic tools, has been established to address online financial fraud, identity theft, and cyberbullying. The Faridkot Police has already returned 260 lost mobile phones to owners and reimbursed Rs 90 lakhs to cyber fraud victims, he added.

          Appreciating the extra ordinary efforts of the Faridkot Police in making Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign a huge success, the DGP said that Faridkot Police with the support and cooperation of the public has developed a meticulous follow-up system and have arrested over 300 drug peddlers since the launch of the special drive on March 1, 2025. Faridkot is the top district which has registered maximum first information reports (FIRs) following the tips on the Punjab Government’s Safe Punjab Anti-Drug Helpline ‘9779100200’.

          He also joined the ‘Bada Khana’ lunch organised by the Faridkot Police, which provided an opportunity to officers of all ranks to interact with the Head of the Police Force and exchange ideas, thereby strengthening the bond that is essential for effective teamwork in the field.

          Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Farikot Dr Pragya Jain apprised the DGP that under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, Faridkot Police has arrested over 300 drug peddlers after registration of 150 FIRs and recovered 4.7 kg heroin, 3Kg opium, 130 kg poppy husk, Rs 3.83 lakh drug money. Property worth more than Rs 5 crores have been freezed under 68F NDPS giving a considerable blow to drug network in District Faridkot, she added.

          The DGP has also engaged with citizens of Faridkot during a public outreach under “Yudh Nashian Virudh” and solicited their support in fight against drugs.

          In Moga, DGP Gaurav Yadav, while inaugurating the Smart Police Control Room, said that this facility is equipped with cutting edge surveillance systems and advanced monitoring technologies which will enhance crime prevention, monitor suspicious activities, and aid in tracing criminal elements effectively.

          He said that Moga Police has installed 140 surveillance cameras— including 107 Bullet cameras and 33 Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras—in Moga City, Baghapurana, and Dharamkot. These are AI-enabled cameras, which will also monitor inter-district checkpoints, he said.

          He also announced to install additional 100 CCTV cameras across Nihal Singh Wala, Baghapurana, and Dharamkot sub-divisions.

          The DGP has also interacted with the police officers posted as SHOs and DSPs/SPs in district Moga and reviewed the progress on the Punjab Government’s ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ by taking their suggestions for improvements in enforcement and prevention strategies.

          SSP Moga Ajay Gandhi, while thanking the DGP for announcing the installation of 100 more CCTV cameras in the district, said that these cameras will be installed with focus on drug hotspots and inter-district roads to prevent the street crime and keep vigil around drug smugglers.

          Sharing outcomes of Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, the SSP said that Moga police has arrested 282 drug peddlers after registering 171 FIRs and recovered 6.2 kg heroin, 148 kg poppy husk, 12 lakh intoxicant pills and Rs 3.11 lakh drug money from their possession.

          Meanwhile, the DGP also honoured high-performing officials and personnel of Faridkot and Moga Police with DGP Commendation Discs and appreciation letters to encourage and motivate them to perform their duties more effectively.

Chandigarh, April 20:

          Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal, the Punjab government has embarked on a historic mission to clean village ponds at an unprecedented scale since independence.

          Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Sond highlighted that past governments failed to address the needs of rural Punjab, with many ponds left unattended for 15 to 25 years. As a result, these ponds stink, and have become breeding ground for mosquitoes making it impossible for people around to live.

      For the first time in history of Punjab, the Mann-led government has launched mass scale ponds rejuvenation exercise. Nearly 15000 ponds set to be cleaned within this year.

          He further shared that around 1,100 ponds has already dewatered and nearly 400 ponds already desilted. Depending on the requirement, both desilting and re-silting operations are being carried out. The Minister recently conducted on-ground inspections in several villages of Fatehgarh Sahib district to personally oversee the progress. He will be visiting other districts to personally review all progress.

          Many of these ponds, he said, had not been cleaned for decades, leading to overflow, foul odors, and mosquito breeding in the villages. Now, with this initiative, the Punjab government is actively working to reverse these conditions and create a cleaner, healthier environment, a concrete step toward realizing the vision of a “Rangla Punjab.” Sond revealed that the Punjab government has approved a budget of Rs. 4,573 crore for the holistic development of villages.

          He further said that the government is focusing on upgrading rural infrastructure, including the maintenance and upkeep of village ponds and the development of playgrounds. Sewage treatment facilities are being ensured in villages to ensure sustainable wastewater management.

     The proper care and rejuvenation of the pond are important for villages’ economy and livelihoods.

          The minister said that ahead of the monsoon season, the Punjab government will ensure desilting and re-silting from ponds wherever needed. This effort will also help recharge groundwater levels and contribute to addressing the issue of depleting underground water in the state.

Chandigarh, April 21:

          The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, has reported that no appeals were received during the recently conducted statewide revision of the electoral roll (Special Summary Revision 2025) with respect to the qualifying date of 01.01.2025 under the important provision of the Representation of People (RP) act and corresponding rules, which empowers electors to file appeals against the decision of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). This indicates a high level of transparency, accuracy, and public satisfaction with the electoral roll revision process across the state.

          As per the provisions under the Representation of the People (RP) Act and related rules, any elector aggrieved by the decision of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), whether related to inclusion, deletion, or modification of names in the electoral roll can file an appeal with the concerned District Election Officer cum DC within 15 days of the ERO’s order and further appeal on the decision of the DEO may be filed with the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab.

          Further, sharing updates about the ongoing revision before Bye election of 64-Ludhiana West Assembly Constituency, the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, Sibin C, informed that the draft electoral roll for 64-Ludhiana West includes a total of 1,73,071 electors. The period for filing claims and objections is open from 9th April to 24th April 2025, and the final electoral roll will be published on 5th May 2025.

          Reaffirming the commitment to a free, fair, and inclusive electoral process, Sibin C encouraged all eligible citizens to stay alert and actively participate in ensuring the accuracy of electoral rolls.       

          For queries or grievances related to the electoral roll, citizens may contact their respective EROs, visit the official website www.ceopunjab.gov.in, or call the Toll-Free Helpline no 1950.

Chandigarh/ Jalandhar, April 17:

 Under the ‘Punjab Sikhya Kranti’ campaign initiated by the state government with the aim of bringing a revolutionary change in the education system of the state, today development works worth ₹2.02 crore were dedicated in various government schools across the district. These include development projects worth ₹63.36 lakh in primary schools and ₹1.39 crore in upper primary schools.

As part of this campaign, Punjab Minister for Horticulture, Freedom Fighters and Defence Services Welfare, Mahinder Bhagat, inaugurated development works worth ₹2.65 lakh at the Government Primary School Basti Sheikh (Girls), which includes a modern classroom and flooring.

Speaking at the event organized at the school, the Cabinet Minister said that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is taking large-scale initiatives to develop government schools in all aspects and provide quality, modern and timely education to students. He said that the Aam Aadmi Party government is giving top priority to education and is equipping government schools with ultra-modern basic facilities.

The Cabinet Minister also appealed to parents to enroll their children in government schools as all the facilities were being provided there.

Similarly, MLA Balkar Singh from the Kartarpur Assembly constituency inaugurated development works worth ₹45.77 lakh at Government Primary Schools in Dittu Nangal, Bisrampur, Naharpur, and Patar Kalan; Government Senior Secondary School Patar Kalan; and Government Middle School Fazilpur.

In addition, development works were dedicated in other schools across the district as well, which include classrooms, laboratories, boundary walls, science labs, library rooms, and essential repair works.