With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state completed 113 days, Punjab Police on Sunday arrested 151 drug smugglers and recovered 533 grams heroin, 2.8 kg opium and Rs 5.32 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 18,719 in just 113 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 200 Police teams, comprising over 1500 police personnel, under the supervision of 99 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 523 locations across the state leading to the registration of 98 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 502 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 54 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.
On the occasion of the closing ceremony of Swachhata Pakhwada being run by the state government and the district administration, a programme ‘Milkar Raho, Khulkar Jiyo’ was organized with public participation in the Shraddhanand Park of New Colony in Palwal city today, in which State Minister of Sports, Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship, Sh. Gaurav Gautam participated as the chief guest.
On this occasion, Sh. Gaurav Gautam launched the logo of MC Palwal. Reiterating his commitment towards realizing the vision of ‘Clean Palwal-Green Palwal’, he said the main objective of the government and the district administration is to make Palwal number one in the country by making it clean, beautiful and green, and for this, every possible effort is being made by the government and the district administration. He also gave necessary guidelines to the officers of the Municipal Council.
He said we should not hesitate or feel ashamed in adopting cleanliness, rather we should actively participate in such cleanliness campaigns.
He said in the coming time, the cleanliness system of Palwal will be in near perfect condition, for which all kinds of facilities are being provided to the Municipal Council.
He said with the aim of beautifying Palwal, the work of decorating the underpasses and squares of the city with wall paintings is underway.
He appealed to the general public, especially the youth, to adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle. The Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi and the Haryana Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini are determined to take cleanliness to every home.
The minister planted a sapling on this occasion and gave the message of environmental protection to the public. He said the Earth is our mother and it is our duty to protect it. Every person should participate in the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign and plant at least one tree and take a pledge to protect it.
On this occasion, he also honoured the ‘Swachhata Warriors’ by giving them a certificate along with a safety jacket.
On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar Vashisht, ASP Shubham Singh and other officers were present.
Chandigarh, June 22 – Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Smt. Shruti Choudhry said the department is making active preparations for flood control before the monsoon season.
Out of a total of 846 drains across the state, the cleaning of 671 drains—covering a cumulative length of 4,040.23 km—was planned. So far, 3,751.40 km, accounting for 92.85% of the targeted length, has already been cleaned through MGNREGA, departmental machinery, and the e-tendering process. The remaining work is progressing rapidly and is expected to be completed shortly. She said in the 56th meeting of the Haryana State Drought Relief and Flood Control Board, which was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, a total of 209 short-term flood control works were approved. Out of these, 12 works have been completed, 175 works are in progress and the target is to complete them by June 30.
Eight works are stalled due to farmers’ protest and coming in the eco-sensitive zone. The remaining 14 works are related to water conservation and material purchase, whose purchase process is in progress. Temporary arrangements have been made at these sites, which will not have any impact on the flood situation. These works will also be completed soon.
Along with this, it is estimated to remove 39.22 lakh cubic meters of silt in the Tangri river. In the work divided into three parts, contracts for two parts have been signed and the work is in progress. Apart from this, cleaning is also going on in the municipal limits of Kardan, Babyal and Chandpura villages. So far, about 5.75 lakh cubic meters of silt has been removed, and the remaining work will be completed by the prescribed time limit i.e. June 30, 2025.
At the same time, a total of 65.47 lakh cubic meters of silt is estimated to be removed in the Markanda river. Tenders were invited twice, but no bids were received. After this, tenders were again issued for the primary categories of 58,000 cubic meters. About 60% of the work has been completed in Jhaansa, Kalsana, Gumti and Jalbera villages and the remaining work will be completed by the stipulated time. The removed soil is being used to strengthen the embankments and other development works in Ambala and Kurukshetra districts. Repair and strengthening work of all the breakage sites in the Tangri and Markanda rivers has also been completed, which has reduced the possibility of floods in future to a great extent.
The minister informed that the Saraswati river, which flows from Adi Badri (Yamunanagar) to its confluence with the Ghaggar river, is about 190 km long and passes through Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts. It has 8 tributaries whose total length is about 101 km. Internal cleaning work in the Saraswati river and its tributaries is in progress at a rapid pace, in which about 85% of the work has been completed and the remaining work will be completed by June 25, 2025. She said we are committed to ensure complete flood protection before the monsoon. Reports of this work are being taken from the department every day.
Chandigarh, June 22- Union Housing, Urban Affairs and Power Minister Sh. Manohar Lal inaugurated the office of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust built at PWD Rest House Vyaspur, Yamunanagar on Sunday.
On this occasion, a meeting was organized with the members of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust under the chairmanship of the Union Power Minister. During the meeting, a detailed discussion was held regarding starting the construction process of the Lohgarh Memorial. A monitoring committee and expert committee shall monitor the construction process of the memorial and the issue of organization of cultural programmes related to Sikh heritage was also discussed. Former Cabinet Minister Sh. Kanwar Pal Gujjar was nominated as the Chairman of the Monitoring Committee. The objective of the monitoring committee will be to periodically inspect the construction process of the memorial reflecting Sikh heritage and give necessary suggestions. The Expert Committee will be responsible for identifying key historical facts and significant events related to the monument, as well as contributing to its preservation and enhancement through in-depth research.
Sh. Manohar Lal said the Trust and other sub-committees will play an important role in preserving the rich heritage of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and developing museums, monuments and literature on Lohgarh and Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
During the meeting, the provision of giving income tax exemption to the person/ institution donating in the name of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust was also considered. Detailed discussions were held on the implementation of various projects under Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust and other related points.
During the meeting, Sh. Rakesh Beniwal, founder of Kisan Yuva Club and his colleague Aman Virk handed over a cheque of Rs 11 lakh to the Union Power Minister as a donation in the name of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Lohgarh Foundation Trust. Earlier also, Chancellor of Desh Bhagat University, Dr. Zora Singh had donated Rs 11 lakh to the trust. For this, the Union Minister expressed his gratitude and appealed to the people to actively participate in such religious and social activities.
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, ACS, Cooperation Department, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Ambala, Sh. Sanjeev Verma, Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Sh. K.M. Pandurang, Director, Tourism Department, Dr. Shaleen, former minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar, former MP Sanjay Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta, OSD to Chief Minister, Dr. Prabhleen Singh and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
CHANDIGARH, June 22: Punjab Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring today criticized the Punjab government’s decision to replace the Chief Minister with the Chief Secretary to head various development boards in the state.
Reacting to the decision Warring remarked, “the Aaam Aadmi Party has been blatantly trying to weaken the institution of the Chief Minister by replacing him with an in-service bureaucrat to head various development boards, which will make them completely unaccountable to the public”.
The PCC president asserted that no excuse can justify replacing the Chief Minister with the Chief Secretary. “Where all will this stop?” he asked, while referring to undermining and eroding the authority of the constitutional position of the Chief Minister who is the constitutional head of the government and is always accountable and answerable to the legislature and people unlike a bureaucrat.
“Being in opposition we do have numerous differences with the Chief Minister on various issues, but we do not approve undermining and taking away his authority”, the PCC president noted, while pointing out, “after all, he is the elected head of the government, chosen by people of Punjab, while the Chief Secretary is only “an appointed official” by the Chief Minister.
CHANDIGARH, June 21: Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has urged the External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to help in tracing the missing Indians who are stranded in Russia and have reportedly been forced into the Russia-Ukraine War.
Many of them have lost their lives also, he said, adding, while they had gone in search of work, they were forced to become mercenaries.
Warring disclosed that about 126 Indian citizens from different parts of the country including Punjab were duped by the travel agents with a promise of work permit in Russia.
He said, after paying huge money to the travel agents to the tune of lakhs of rupees these people landed at the battlefront. He disclosed that about 12 such Indians have died while many others are missing.
Warring revealed that some of the victims’ relatives had travelled to Russia on their own spending huge money but to no avail.
The PCC president said that all these people had gone there in search of jobs and not to become mercenaries to fight some other country’s war.
He pointed out, the way government of India was helping evacuate people and students from war torn Iran and Israel, it must make similar efforts to trace and bring back Indians stranded in Russia.
Warring noted that India and Russia have great friendly relations and hoped that the external affairs ministry will use its good offices in Russia to trace the missing Indians and bring them back.
Chandigarh, June 21 – The Haryana Civil Secretariat hosted a Yoga Diwas programme at Haryana Niwas, Chandigarh, to celebrate the 11th International Yoga Day. Haryana Chief Secretary, Sh. Anurag Rastogi, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The event saw enthusiastic participation from officers and employees across various state government departments, highlighting a growing awareness of the importance of physical and mental well-being.
Addressing the gathering, Sh. Rastogi extended his heartfelt wishes on International Yoga Day and commended all participants for their collective effort in following the Common Yoga Protocol.He emphasized that yoga is not just a physical activity, but a holistic discipline that fosters balance between body, mind, and spirit. “If each of us dedicates even a small amount of time daily to yoga and walking, it will significantly boost our fitness, focus, and energy levels. This, in turn, enhances both personal well-being and professional efficiency,” he stated.
Rastogi urged officers and employees to incorporate yoga into their daily routines and encouraged them to inspire others—both in their workplaces and communities—to adopt a healthy lifestyle. He added, “Yoga not only strengthens the body but also cultivates mental clarity, emotional stability, and resilience.”
The programme featured a guided session led by expert instructors from the Haryana AYUSH Department. They demonstrated various yogasanas (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation practices. The instructors also explained the benefits of each asana, highlighting their contribution to physical strength, flexibility, and inner calm. Additionally, participants listened to the International Yoga Day addresses by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Among the dignitaries present were Director General, Information, Public Relations, Languages & Culture, K. Makarand Pandurang; Special Secretary, Personnel, Training and Parliamentary Affairs, Aditya Dahiya; Special Secretary, Monitoring & Coordination, Dr. Priyanka Soni; Additional Director (Admn.), Information Public Relation & Languages, Varsha Khangwal; Special Secretary, Secretariat Establishment, Sh. Samwartak Singh Khangwal, and senior officers from various other departments.
Chandigarh, June 21 — The 11th International Yoga Day was celebrated across Haryana with great enthusiasm and held special significance this year. While over 1 lakh people gathered at the sacred Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra for the state-level event, sending a powerful message to the world through collective yoga practice, nearly 20 lakh participants joined yoga sessions held across 22 districts and 121 blocks of the state.
The state-level function was graced by Haryana Governor, Sh. Bandaru Dattatraya, Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, AYUSH and Health Minister, Kumari Arti Singh Rao, MP, Sh. Naveen Jindal, and renowned Ayurvedacharya, Sh. Balkrishna and other dignitaries. Notably, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev led the yoga session. The live broadcast of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi’s address from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, was watched by all participants.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister announced that a Yoga Writer Incentive Scheme will be launched to promote yoga research in universities, with outstanding authors to be honored annually. Additionally, 100 new Yoga evam Vyayamshalas will be established this financial year. Currently, there are 883 vyayamshalas already operating in the state. An international meditation hall will also be built at Shri Krishna AYUSH University in Kurukshetra, he announced.
The Chief Minister further announced the introduction of a credit-based evaluation system for assessing students’ yoga performance in all government schools. A uniform yoga curriculum will also soon be implemented in all universities and colleges of Haryana.
He stated that yoga and naturopathy subjects will be recognized under the AYUSH, starting this year, with government registration of practitioners also commencing.
The Chief Minister also announced that experienced coaches will be appointed to strengthen yoga as a sport at the national level and to train athletes for international competitions. Recruitment for 40 yoga instructors in the sports department will begin shortly.
He announced that from today, a 5-minute ‘Yoga Break’ will be introduced in all government offices of Haryana to provide a stress-free work environment for employees.
PM Narendra Modi Re-established Yoga as India’s Identity on the Global Stage- CM
Extending greetings on the 11th International Yoga Day from the land of Kurukshetra, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the entire world is now embracing yoga, thanks to the efforts of saints, sages, and especially our visionary Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister has restored yoga—India’s ancient legacy—to the international stage and inspired millions with the slogan, “Khelega Bharat, toh Khilega Bharat; Yoga ki Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz,” which has become a source of motivation for many.
The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to Yog Guru Swami Ramdev, noting that he has connected individuals worldwide with ancient yoga practices, thus giving yoga a global identity.
He emphasized that this year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” signifies that yoga is not just for individual well-being but for the welfare of all humanity.
International Yoga Day Celebrated Like a Festival; Entire Haryana Immersed in Yoga
Sh. Nayab Singh Saini shared that activities related to Yoga Day began in Haryana as early as May 27, 25 days before the International Yoga Day. Various programmes were organized across the state, involving officers, employees, the general public, and religious and social organizations, transforming Yoga Day into a grand celebration. Today, both Kurukshetra and all of Haryana have been immersed in yoga.
Yoga is Not Just Exercise, but a Complete Science of Living
The Chief Minister noted that yoga is not merely a form of exercise but a complete science for living a healthy, happy, and peaceful life. Yoga is an art of living, which is why it is said: ‘Do yoga daily, stay healthy always.’ We should all incorporate yoga into our daily routines, he said.
Yoga is the Foundation of Life, Devotion, Nature, and Culture — Swami Ramdev
On this occasion, Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev stated that yoga is the foundation of life, devotion, nature, and culture. He recalled how Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi had strongly advocated for International Yoga Day in his very first address to the United Nations General Assembly. As a result, in 2014, the UN passed a historic resolution declaring June 21 as International Yoga Day, with 177 countries supporting the proposal at that time. Today, more than 200 countries are embracing yoga, making this ancient practice a global way of life.
Swami Ramdev also emphasized the Prime Minister’s vision of development with heritage, prosperity with culture, and yoga as national duty.
He praised the Haryana government, under Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini’s leadership, for launching many welfare initiatives and connecting lakhs of people to yoga through numerous events.
During the programme, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini released three booklets published by Patanjali Yogpeeth on Swami Ramdev’s life and yoga journey, as well as a Yoga Protocol booklet prepared by the Haryana Yog Aayog. A video message from Geeta Manishi Swami Gyananand Ji Maharaj was also played during the event.
Former Minister, Sh. Subhash Sudha, Chairman, Haryana Yog Aayog, Dr. Jaideep Arya, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and AYUSH Department, Sh. Sudhir Rajpal, Director General, AYUSH, Sh. Sanjeev Verma, and other dignitaries, were also present at the event.
Chandigarh, June 19 – Haryana’s Energy, Transport, and Labour Minister Anil Vij today gave directives to relevant officials while hearing grievances of residents from Ambala Cantonment at his residence in Ambala Cantt.
A young woman from Ambala Cantonment submitted a complaint to Minister Vij, stating that a young man living near her home had shared her mobile number along with obscene messages on social media. She alleged that this act was done deliberately to defame her. Sh. Vij immediately directed DSP Ramesh Kumar, who was present on the spot, to register a case and take strict action against the accused.
Similarly, A woman from Vashisht Nagar also complained to Sh. Vij that she had made a deal to sell her ancestral property, but has not yet received Rs. 16 lakh, which was her share. Vij directed DSP, Ambala Cantt to investigate the matter. Now, in a similar case, a man from the Ambala Cantonment Sadar area complained about being duped in the name of sending his son abroad. He stated that a travel agent from Kurukshetra promised to send his son abroad and took Rs.5.10 lakh, but neither sent his son nor returned the money. Sh. Vij instructed the police to take action in this case as well.
*Sh.Vij directs police to increase patrolling in Housing Board area*
Sh. Vij also directed that to increased police patrolling in the Housing Board area of Ambala. Residents of the area complained to him about anti-social elements loitering in the area and a recent increase in thefts. Acting on their complaint, the minister directed DSP Cantt to take appropriate action.
*PWD union submits memorandum to Minister Anil Vij*
The PWD Mechanical Workers’ Union submitted a memorandum of demands to Sh. Anil Vij today. The union raised multiple demands in the form of a detailed memorandum. Meanwhile, several other complaints were also raised by the people in front of Energy Minister, on which Sh. Vij instructed the relevant departments officials to take action in each case. On this occasion, Municipal Council Vice President Lalta Prasad, DSP Ramesh Kumar and officials from various departments were also present.
Polling for the 64-Ludhiana West Assembly Constituency bye election was held today. Polling began at 07:00 AM and progressed in an orderly and smooth manner.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C informed that the approximate Voter Turnout as per data uploaded till 07:00 PM is 51.33%. As part of a new initiative, the polling data has been uploaded by the Presiding officers at the polling station on the ECINET App. It may be noted that voting percentage trends are approximate. Under Rule 49S of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Presiding Officers have furnished Form 17C, detailing the actual account of votes recorded, to polling agents of candidates, who were present at the polling station at the close of poll.
A mock poll was carried out on EVM at every polling station before commencement of poll in the presence of 578 number of polling agents appointed by all the candidates.
For the bye elections, the Election Commission had directed the Special Summary Revision of the Electoral Roll with 01-04-2025 as the qualifying date. The draft publication of the electoral rolls was done on 09-04-2025 and a copy of the same was shared with all recognised political parties. 192 BLOs at the polling station level worked to ensure that the rolls are correct and updated. 384 BLAs appointed by recognised political parties scrutinised the process and 4279 claims and objections were filed. The final publication of electoral rolls was done on 05-05-2025 and a copy of the final electoral rolls was shared with all the recognised political parties. No appeals were filed with the District Magistrate under section 24(a) of RP Act 1950 and No appeals were filed with the Chief Electoral Officer under section 24(b).
The electoral roll was finalised on the last date of making nominations i.e. 02-06- 2025 and a copy of the same was shared with all contesting candidates on 06-06-2025. A total of 175469 electors were registered in the electoral roll. A total of 14 candidates contested the election including 1 women candidate.
A total of 194 polling stations were set up. Due to the recent decision of the ECI for reducing the number of electors in a polling station to 1200, additional 2 auxiliary polling stations were set up for facilitating the voters. Besides provision of Assured Minimum facilities at each polling station, for the first time, a mobile deposit facility was created at 194 polling stations at the entrance in order to facilitate the voters. 1 all women personnel and 1 all PWD personnel polling stations and 10 model polling stations were also setup.
The First level checking of EVMs was done from 03.02.25 to 06.02.25 in the presence of representatives of recognised political parties. The commissioning was done on 10-06- 2025 in the presence of candidates/their authorised representatives. At each stage, mock polls were conducted on the EVMs and the results checked with VVPAT slips. The allocation of EVMs to the polling stations was done through a 2-stage randomisation process in the presence of candidates/their authorised representatives. The list of EVMs to be deployed at the polling stations was shared with the contesting candidates in advance.
The polling personnel were assigned duties through 3-stage randomisation in the presence of General Observers of ECI. During the training programmes, hands on trainings were organised during which each Presiding Officers conducted mock poll drill on the individual EVMs, by randomly casting 100 mock votes themselves and checking the result and matching with VVPAT slips also on their own. At the end of the training, the Presiding officers got full confidence in the fool proof working of the EVMs.
A total of 2 number of meetings were held with the representatives of political parties at the CEO level, 3 at DEO level and 2 at ERO/RO level from summary revision of electoral rolls till polling. 2 meetings were held with the contesting candidates/representatives at the RO level to apprise them about the various ongoing electoral processes.
As per revised instructions of ECI, candidates were allowed to set up their booths at the distance of 100m from the entrance of the polling stations, which was an added convenience for the voters specially those not carrying their Voter Information Slips.
239 number of 85+ and PWD electors who had opted were given the facility of home voting through postal ballots, which was conducted by specially dedicated teams, in the presence of the representatives of candidates as well.
To keep a watch on the electoral processes, ECI had also appointed 1 General Observer, 1 Police Observer and 1 Expenditure Observer. 1512 complaints were received through the c-Vigil app from the citizens out of which 1342 were found correct and resolved within the time period of 100 minutes.
ECI has also updated the process of generating the Index Card. This replaces the traditional manual methods and through automation and data integration, the new system will ensure faster reporting and release of the Index cards post counting.
