IEP Chandigarh/Amritsar, November 27 

Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today said that 700 acres land across international border at village Ranian in district Amritsar, which was purchased on exorbitant prices by the agriculture department in the name of seed farm in 2008 at a cost of Rs.32 CR, will be throughly probed. While addressing the media persons after visiting this land today, the Cabinet Minister said that during the Badal government, when Sucha Singh Langah was the Agriculture Minister and Kahan Singh Pannu was the Deputy Commissioner of district Amritsar, this land was bought at a very high prices. He said that then government purchased this land in 2008 at Rs.4.5 lakh per acre, which is across Ravi river and the barbed wire on international border and even one cannot enter this land without the prior permission of BSF. “An investigation will be conducted under which ‘scheme’ this land was purchased at that time”, he categorically mentioned. He said, “we will find the farmers who sold this land and the prior owners to found out the truth.” Expressing concern over the thick and tall growth of the elephant-grass on the land, which had been cultivated for three or four times, Mr. Dhaliwal said there must be something fishy as how any then chief minister, agriculture minister and deputy commissioner, who were also belonged to farmer families can buy this land on such exorbitant prices? He infomed that around Rs.8 crore were also spent for purchasing equipments including 30 submersible tubewells for irrigation, electricity and tractors, generators and other machinery, adding that “I am saddened to see how public money had been misused for this land, which became barren and the machinery isn’t in working condition.” He said, “I will bring this matter into the notice of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and cultivation on this land will be considered after coordinating with the union Government as the BSF can allow to go there only.

IEP Chandigarh/SAS Nagar, November 24

As part of the ongoing drive against anti-social elements launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police arrested two associates of Gangster Rajan Bhatti, during a raid at Sushant City in Bathinda. Bhatti, a resident of of village Mustafabad Jatta in Gurdaspur, is close-aide of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa.

Those arrested have been identified as Harjasneet Singh (32) of village Kot Shamir in Bathinda and Kamaljeet Singh (26) of village Gulabgarh of Bathinda. The police have also recovered two illegal weapons including .315 bore rifle and .30 bore star make pistol along with ammunition from their possession.

Divulging details, AIG SSOC SAS  Ashwani Kapur said that during investigation in a case registered against Lakhbir Landa for disturbing peace and harmony in the state, an accused Rajan Bhatti was found to be in direct contact with Lakhbir Landa and carrying out illegal activities on his behest.

An FIR No. 06 dated 23/08/2022, was registered under sections 153, 153-A, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 of the Arms Act against Lakhbir Singh Landa and his other associates at Police Station SSOC SAS Nagar.

AIG Ashwani Kapur said that accused Rajan Bhatti, who has a notorious past and facing criminal cases including attempt to murder, under NDPS Act and Arms Act in Chandigarh and Punjab, has been on the surveillance of SSOC Police teams and his premises have been raided repeatedly. He said that Bhatti assists Landa in Narcotics Smuggling and weapon supply.

On Wednesday, a police party raided Sushant City at Bathinda from where two associates of Rajan Bhatti were apprehended along with two illegal weapons, said the AIG, while adding that  both the accused were arrested for harbouring Rajan Bhatti and possessing illegal weapons.

Meanwhile, AIG Ashwani Kapur said that Police teams are on manhunt to arrest Rajan Bhatti and soon he will be behind the bars.

IEP Chandigarh, November 24

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its campaign against corruption on Thursday nabbed revenue Kanugo Om Parkash, posted at circle Thathi Sohal, in Tarntaran district red handed for accepting a bribe of Rs. 10,000.

        Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of VB said the above said Kanugo was caught red handed on the complaint of Mr. Bhalwinder Singh, resident of village Jhabal, district Tarntaran.

   Giving details he informed that the complainant approached the VB and alleged that the above said revenue official was demanding a bribe of Rs. 25,000 for providing him demarcation report of his relative and the deal was struck at Rs. 10,000.

After verifying his complaint a VB team laid a trap and the accused was caught red handed accepting a bribe of Rs. 10,000 and tainted money was recovered from him in the presence of two official witnesses.

          He informed that a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police Amritsar and further investigation was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh/SAS Nagar, November 24

As part of the ongoing drive against anti-social elements launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police arrested two associates of Gangster Rajan Bhatti, during a raid at Sushant City in Bathinda. Bhatti, a resident of of village Mustafabad Jatta in Gurdaspur, is close-aide of Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh alias Landa.

Those arrested have been identified as Harjasneet Singh (32) of village Kot Shamir in Bathinda and Kamaljeet Singh (26) of village Gulabgarh of Bathinda. The police have also recovered two illegal weapons including .315 bore rifle and .30 bore star make pistol along with ammunition from their possession.

Divulging details, AIG SSOC SAS  Ashwani Kapur said that during investigation in a case registered against Lakhbir Landa for disturbing peace and harmony in the state, an accused Rajan Bhatti was found to be in direct contact with Lakhbir Landa and carrying out illegal activities on his behest.

An FIR No. 06 dated 23/08/2022, was registered under sections 153, 153-A, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 25 of the Arms Act against Lakhbir Singh Landa and his other associates at Police Station SSOC SAS Nagar.

AIG Ashwani Kapur said that accused Rajan Bhatti, who has a notorious past and facing criminal cases including attempt to murder, under NDPS Act and Arms Act in Chandigarh and Punjab, has been on the surveillance of SSOC Police teams and his premises have been raided repeatedly. He said that Bhatti assists Landa in Narcotics Smuggling and weapon supply.

On Wednesday, a police party raided Sushant City at Bathinda from where two associates of Rajan Bhatti were apprehended along with two illegal weapons, said the AIG, while adding that  both the accused were arrested for harbouring Rajan Bhatti and possessing illegal weapons.

Meanwhile, AIG Ashwani Kapur said that Police teams are on manhunt to arrest Rajan Bhatti and soon he will be behind the bars.

IEP Chandigarh November 23

 The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Wednesday registered an embezzlement case against General Manager of PUNSUP Naveen Kumar Garg for misappropriation in Atta Dal scheme implemented by the state government.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state VB said the Bureau has conducted a probe and found that during the disbursement under Atta Dal scheme in the year 2015-16, Naveen Kumar has caused direct monetary loss of Rs 2,20,52,042 to the state exchequer. He has to deposit Rs 43,74,98,681 in the account of UCO bank under this scheme but he deposited only Rs 38,38,88,711. In this way, the accused has misappropriated Rs 5,36,09,979 in conniving with other officials of the PUNSUP.

The spokesperson further added that accused Naveen Kumar during his tenure in the PUNSUP overlooked prescribed Punjab service rules and got filed several chargesheets issued to different officials of the department thus causing a loss of Rs 64,64,36,854 to the state government.

He informed that during the investigations it has also come to light that Naveen Kumar didn’t have requisite qualification and experience to be got selected as Manager PUNSUP but despite that he succeeded in his selection as Manager whereas other candidates were declared ineligible.

In this regard the VB has registered a case under FIR no. 25 dated 22-11-2022 under section 409, 420, 465, 468, 471 of IPC and under section 13(1) (a) and 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station, flying squad-1, SAS Nagar. The investigation of this case was under progress and teams have been sent to arrest the accused, he added.

IEP Chandigarh, November 21

Punjab Government has nominated Sucha Singh Khatra, Prof. Bhim Inder Singh and Anand Prakash Sharma as the members of Academic Council of the Punjab School Education Board. A notification in this regard has been issued.Sucha Singh Khatra, the retired Social Science teacher of Government High School Dasgrain in Anandpur Sahib block of Rupnagar district, served as the General Secretary of Government Teachers Union Punjab, Vice Chairman of the All India State Government Employees Union and Review Committee Member of ‘Padho Punjab’ scheme of the Education Department Punjab.Similarly, Prof. Bhim Inder Singh is serving as the Head of the Department of Punjabi Literature Studies at Punjabi University and the Chairman of Shaheed Kartar Singh Sarabhai chair. Associated with education field for a long time, Prof Singh did his Ph.D. on political consciousness of Punjabis. He has a deep grasp on the Marxist method of criticism.Likewise, Anand Prakash Sharma, who has been associated with the education sector for past 30 years, is serving as the Director of Kundan Vidya Mandir. He has received many national level awards for his contribution in education field such as CBSE Award, UNESCO and Delhi Women Commission Awards, Presidential Award for contribution in education sector. He also participated in more than 300 workshops and worked as an expert in ‘Design Thinking’ in the Willem De Kooning Academy Netherlands and MIT, USA.

IEP SAS Nagar November 19

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Vinod Mahajan, one of the accused directors of Golden Projects Private Limited Jharmari, Tehsil Derabassi, who has been absconding since 2002.

Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned non banking financial entity was registered as a firm with the government in the year 1996 by four directors which included Rakesh Kant Syal from Panchkula, his wife Bimla Syal, Mrs Rumila Sinha from Panchkula and Vinod Mahajan resident of village Arifwala, Kapurthala, now residing at Panchkula.

Giving details of this case he informed that these directors had purchased 530 acres of agricultural land in tehsil Nurpur Bedi, Rupnagar district by misleading the investors to provide them ownerships in the said land. In addition to this, the above mentioned accused had assured the investors to provide them good returns in lieu of money collected from them. 

He further added that the accused directors had not even developed the said land and not provided ownership rights to the investors. Besides this, investors have not be given post dated cheques as assured in the agreements with them.

The spokesperson further added that in this regard a case under section 406, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and 7(2), 13(1), 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act had been registered at VB police station Patiala against the above mentioned four directors of the company.

He informed that the above accused Vinod Mahajan had been declared proclaimed offender by the competent court in the year 2002 and was evading arrest since then. The accused would be produced in the court. Further investigation in this case was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh, November 17

The Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led State Government had made a firm commitment to all the stakeholders viz. Farmers, Labourers, Millers and Arhtiyas before the start of paddy procurement season about ensuring the uninterrupted procurement. That the Government has fully lived up to its commitment is proved by the fact that during the current season, 180 Lakh Metric Tonne (LMT) paddy stands procured out of the target of 184 LMT. The procurement has been made at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 2060 per quintal fixed by the Government of India. The rest of the procurement would also be completed by today evening.

Interacting with the mediapersons at the Anaj Bhawan here today in connection with the paddy procurement season, the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak said that this time no problem was encountered by the farmers in the mandis and procurement as well as lifting was done on time. Within mere 4 hours of the procurement, the payments were credited into the bank accounts of the farmers.

Giving more details, the Minister said that the State Government had set up 1806 traditional purchase centres in the mandis besides declaring as many as 583 public places and 37 rice mills as interim purchase centers for the facilitation of farmers and then the allotments were made. Divulging more, he said that the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has so far credited Rs. 34263.40 crore into the accounts of the farmers for the paddy procured by the agencies of the State. He also informed that the Government procurement is being ended in most of the Districts of the State and the procurement process would be completed in the few remaining pockets by today evening.

The Minister lauded the yeoman’s role played by the Department apart from the Mandi Board in ensuring hassle free procurement. Besides, he also appreciated the contribution of the Punjab Police in effectively stonewalling the illegal paddy coming from the other States by putting up Nakas at the interstate barriers.

Coming to the other issues, Mr. Kataruchak said that the verification of the blue cards would be completed by the November 30th so as to make sure that only the eligible beneficiaries are facilitated. He also expressed satisfaction that the custom milling policy of the State Government has garnered praise from the Government of India which has asked the State Government to share its expertise with the other States.

Among others present on the occasion included the Principal Secretary Mr. Rahul Bhandari, Director Mr. Ghanshyam Thori and other officers of the department.

IEP Chandigarh, November 17       

    The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is continuously working to provide basic facilities and clean environment to the people of the state.  Taking another step forward in this direction,  Local Government Minister Dr.Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that the Punjab government has decided to spend Approximately Rs.11.65 crores for development works related to water supply and sewerage at Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib in Samana, Bhadson and Mandi Gobindgarh.  The department has started the tender process for these works. Diviluing more details , Local Government Minister Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board will be  spend Rs 5.98 crores for laying a new sewerage line from the main road Patran to the sewerage treatment plant in Samana of Patiala and  all also other works related to sewerage will be done.  Similarly, approximately Rs.1.44 crore will be spent on Providing and Laying sewerage and other related works at Bhadson.Dr. Nijjar said that apart from this, Rs. 4.23 Crores will also be spent  at Mandi Gobindgarh of Fatehgarh Sahib for sewerage related works and Providing and Laying of different sizes of water supply lines and all the works related to water supply and Sewerage will be done.          He also said that apart from this, Local Government Department  has also published e-tenders for many other works related to water supply and sewerage.  Through these tenders, rates have been sought for carrying out various works.The Cabinet Minister  said that the Punjab government led by Bhagwant Mann is trying hard to provide basic facilities and clean environment to the people of the state so that the life of the common people of the state can be easy and healthy.He further said that local government department has already e-published tenders for these works on the website www.eproc.punjab.gov.in.  If any amendment is made in these tenders, the details thereof will also be available on this website.          The Cabinet Minister also said that the state government wants to provide corruption free administration to the people of the state. He has directed the officials of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board to ensure transparency and quality in these works.