Chandigarh, April 3:

Punjab Transport Minister S. Laljit Singh Bhullar today assured the Punjab Roadways PUNBUS/PRTC Contract and Outsourcing Workers’ Unions that swift action in accordance with the law is being taken to regularize the services of employees, standardize their salaries and implement appropriate salary increases. Following this meeting, the representatives of Punjab Roadways/ PUNBUS and PRTC Contract Workers’ Unions postponed their strike scheduled from April 7 to 9.

While presiding over the meeting with union representatives at the Punjab Civil Secretariat today, S. Bhullar said that the regularization of contractual and outsourced employees’ services will be implemented in a phased manner following legal procedures and issues regarding salary standardization and increases will be resolved in a time-bound manner. He said that next week, he will personally raise this matter with the Advocate General and the Finance Minister.

He also directed officials to promptly resolve the issue of contractors’ delays in depositing EPF and ESI contributions to the respective institutions. He also instructed to ensure that contractors do not engage in such negligence in the future that would cause difficulties for employees in receiving their salaries.

The Cabinet Minister said that other demands of the employees are also being considered expeditiously, adding that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is ensuring the welfare of every section of society.

Chandigarh/Rajpura, April 3:

Punjab’s Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today officially launched the government procurement of wheat in the state from Rajpura Grain Market.

Marking the commencement of the procurement season, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak personally oversaw the auction of wheat brought in by Harwinder Singh, a farmer from village Bhapal, and extended a warm welcome to farmers on behalf of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann. On the occasion Rajpura MLA Neena Mittal, Department Secretary Rahul Tiwari, Director Varinder Kumar Sharma, and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Preeti Yadav, among other officials were also present with the Minister.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak announced that Punjab has received a cash credit limit of ₹28,894 crore from the Reserve Bank of India, ensuring smooth procurement of wheat at a MSP of ₹2,425 per quintal.

He emphasized that, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state government has made comprehensive arrangements to facilitate farmers during the procurement process. Punjab’s 1,865 mandis are fully equipped, and 600 additional temporary procurement centers have been set up to handle excess arrivals if required. He also assured that 5 lakh bales of gunny bags have been arranged to support the procurement operations.

Highlighting the expected bumper wheat crop this season, Mr. Kataruchak stated that the Food Corporation of India has set a procurement target of 124 lakh metric tonnes for Punjab, which is anticipated to be met comfortably.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the farming community, he urged farmers to bring their crops to the mandis at the earliest, assuring them that every single grain of wheat would be procured without delay. He also pledged that labourers and farmers would not face any difficulties, with the Food and Civil Supplies Department, district administrations, and other concerned departments working in full coordination to ensure smooth procurement operations.

On the occasion ADC Navreet Kaur Sekhon, Punjab Aarthiya Association President Ravinder Singh Cheema, District Patiala Aarthiya Association President Jaswinder Singh Rana, Grain Market President Davinder Singh Vaidwan, and other dignitaries were also present.

Chandigarh, April 3:

          Continuing its zero-tolerance policy against corruption, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested a Sub Inspector and his accomplice private operator for accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000.  The accused have been identified as Sub Inspector Sarvan Singh, police post Incharge posted  at Central Jail, Ferozpur and his accomplice Pradeep Singh private operator.

          Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said that both the above said accused were booked following a complaint lodged by Kuldeep Singh resident of Mathere village district Ferozpur.

          He further added that the complainant said that the Sub Inspector had demanded Rs 50,000/- for helping him in the case  which was registered against his brother  and accepted Rs. 20000/- on the spot through his private operator Pradeep Singh. In this regard, the complainant has also recorded a video when the accused demanded the remaining amount.

          He further added that in this regard a case has been registered against both the accused under Sections 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 as Amended by P.C (Amendment) Act 2018 at VB Range police station, Ferozepur. Both accused have been arrested and further investigation is underway.

CHANDIGARH, April 3:

          Taking immediate and stern action amidst the ongoing anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Lady Constable Amandeep Kaur belt no 621/MNS has been dismissed from the service for involvement in drugs case, informed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill here on Thursday.

          The development came a day after teams from Sadar Bathinda Police led by Station House Officer (SHO) Sadar Bathinda Anubhav Jain arrested accused Amandeep Kaur after recovering 17.71 grams heroin from a black car Mahindra Thar, which the latter was driving. Police teams have also impounded her Thar vehicle bearing registration number PB 05 AQ 7720. The accused lady constable was temporarily posted at Police Lines Bathinda.

          IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has issued strict directives to dismiss any personnel found involved in drugs-related cases. Acting promptly, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mansa Bhagirath Meena has dismissed Lady Constable Amandeep Kaur from service, following due procedure, he said.

          Furthermore, the IGP said that police teams are also conducting thorough investigations into the assets and properties acquired by the accused. If any illicitly acquired property found, stern action will be taken in accordance with the law, he added.

          He said that SSP Bathinda Amneet Kondal has been directed to thoroughly investigate this case, tracing backward and forward linkages to uncover the full extent of the matter.

CHANDIGARH, April 3:

          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 34th day, Punjab Police on Thursday arrested 52 drug smugglers and recovered 5.6 kg heroin, 3.2 kg opium and ₹1.93 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 4817 in just 34 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 1200 police personnel, under the supervision of 87 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 416 locations across the state leading to the registration of 34 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 449 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 three persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

Chandigarh, April 3:

          In a major push to improve government schools to fulfil the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann’s promise of world-class education, the Punjab Government has successfully upgraded over 1,2000 government schools under the “Sikhya Kranti” program. The initiative has modernized classrooms, infrastructure, and digital learning facilities to match the best educational standards. 

          Revealing the information about the ambitious program, Punjab School Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains said that the government schools have been equipped with all the essential amenities including Wi-Fi Internet connections, furniture, clean drinking water, separate toilets for girls and boys.

          He also highlighted that under this program, 6,812 schools now have new or repaired boundary walls, covering nearly 1,000 kilometres for enhanced safety for students. Additionally, 5,399 new classrooms have been built to accommodate students better, while sanitation facilities have seen a major upgrade with 2,976 new toilets in as many as 2,934 schools and repaired 7,166 toilets across 4,889 schools.

           The program has also focused on student’s comfort and well-being, 1,16,901 dual desks, tables, and chairs have been provided to schools ensuring a dedicated learning space for each student, he said, while adding that 359 school playgrounds have been developed to promote sports and physical activity among students. Furthermore, to modernise education, 2,261 smart classrooms with interactive panels have been installed in 1,886 schools, incorporating technology into education for a more engaging learning experience.

          To mark the completion of these improvements, the Education Minister said that the Punjab School Education Department will hold inauguration ceremonies to be commenced from April 7 onwards, and continue until May 31st across all schools to showcase infrastructure development works, including additional classrooms, boundary walls, toilet blocks, drinking water facilities, libraries, playgrounds, smart classrooms, and other critical improvements, have been completed.

          Meanwhile, this initiative underscores the state government’s commitment to providing quality education for all children. The improved learning environment will empower students to excel academically, and this investment in education is expected to have a lasting impact on the future of Punjab.

Ludhiana, April 2-

National Convener of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called upon the youth of the state to support a decisive war against drug menace until Punjab is made drug free.  

Addressing the gathering before flagging off the awareness march against drugs, the former Chief Minister of Delhi said that the youth has a huge role to play in wiping out the menace of drugs from the state. He said that if this curse is not wiped out then it will transform into a major evil and result in major damage to the state and its generations. Arvind Kejriwal urged the youth to say no to drugs as this menace will ruin their life and that of the family.

The National Convener of AAP said that in Punjab the previous governments had patronized drug cartels in the state and even their top leaders were involved in it. He said that for the sake of minting illegal money these greedy leaders had patronized the drug menace in the state thereby ruining our generations. Arvind Kejriwal said that God and people of the state will never forgive these political leaders for this sin and they will be punished for this misdeed.

The former Delhi Chief Minister said that the state government has done exemplary work in the last 30 days adding that even the huge palaces built from drug money amassed by these smugglers are being destroyed. He said that none of the drug smugglers will be spared and they will be put behind the bars adding that severest of severe action will be taken against them. Arvind Kejriwal said that security agencies are playing a laudable role by cracking down heavily on the drug peddlers by nabbing them and cutting the supply line of drugs.

The National Convener of Aam Aadmi Party further said that properties of the drug peddlers are being confiscated/ demolished to ensure that people involved in this heinous crime get exemplary punishment. Arvind Kejriwal said that the state government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against drugs and a crusade has been launched against this menace. Striking an emotional chord with the youth, he said that if any friend or family member of the youth is taking drugs then it should be reported to authorities for timely prevention.

The former Delhi Chief Minister said that it is imperative to check the spread of drugs amongst the youth and save our future generations. He asked the youth to take the responsibility of their respective village and locality to check the menace of drugs by calling on Whatsapp helpline number 9779100200, to inform about any movement of drug smugglers in their area. Arvind Kejriwal asked the youth to pledge that they will not take drugs, they will not allow anyone to sell drugs and they will support the campaign against drugs.  

The former Chief Minister of Delhi said that in order to treat drug victims, the government is running an OutPatient Opioid Assisted Treatment Program (OOAT) for drug de-addiction services at the OPD level. He said that rehabilitation centres are being established across the state to rehabilitate the drug victims. Arvind Kejriwal said that in order to wean away youth from the menace of drugs, playgrounds and gyms are being opened in every village of the state.

Chandigarh, April 2

Punjab Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat on Tuesday directed senior officers to study the horticulture sector in neighbouring states to adopt best practices for boosting horticulture in Punjab. He was presiding over a meeting in Chandigarh to review various welfare schemes being implemented by the Horticulture Department for the benefit of farmers.

During the meeting, Horticulture Secretary Mohammad Tayyab and Director Shailender Kaur apprised the Minister of the subsidies and incentives being provided to farmers under different schemes. Bhagat emphasized the need for effective execution of these initiatives to maximize their impact.

The Minister also discussed the plantation of fruit trees on Panchayat lands, highlighting the importance of promoting agroforestry to enhance green cover and provide additional income to farmers. He stressed that such efforts would not only benefit farmers economically but also contribute to environmental sustainability. In the meeting, Additional Director Rural Development Sandeep Singh provided details about the availability and utilization of Panchayati lands for these initiatives.Deputy Director Harmail Singh was also present at the meeting.

Recognizing the dedication of officials, Bhagat honored several employees of the department for their excellent work in implementing horticulture schemes. Those awarded include HDO Balwinderjit Kaur, ACFA Gurpreet Kaur, Senior Assistants Sumeet Kapoor and Rajinder Kumar, Steno Navjit Kumar, Clerks Harpreet Singh Rupinderjit Singh and other staff Mahadev Gupta and Tula Ram.

The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening Punjab’s horticulture sector through progressive policies and innovative strategies.

CHANDIGARH, April 2:

          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 33rd day, Punjab Police on Wednesday arrested 59 drug smugglers and recovered 1.6 kg heroin and ₹5.53 lakh drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 4765 in just 33 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 1400 police personnel, under the supervision of 91 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 497 locations across the state leading to the registration of 36 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 546 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 four persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

Ludhiana, April 2-

Inflicting final blow to drug menace, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday flagged over mass awareness campaign against drug menace after administering oath to fight against malady to thousands of youth.

“This is a decisive crusade against drugs and we all pledge that we will eliminate the curse of drugs from state” said the Chief Minister while addressing the gathering here in a march past aimed at creating awareness against the menace of drugs.

The Chief Minister said that enough is enough and now the state government will not sit idly and watch the smugglers bloom at the cost of the dead bodies and pyres of the drug victims. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has already snapped the supply line of drugs and big fishes involved in this heinous crime have been put behind the bars. He said that for the first time the property of the drug smugglers acquired illegally are being destroyed/ confiscated by the state government so that it acts as a deterrent for others.

The Chief Minister said that the drug problem has become serious in the state as due to the lackluster performance of the previous regimes it has now entered our veins. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that they are fortunate to have got the guidance of National Convener of the Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal, who apart from revolutionizing several sectors, also has the credit of eradicating several maladies from Delhi. He envisioned that under the continuous guidance of former Delhi Chief Minister, Punjab will soon be free from this menace of drugs.

The Chief Minister said that war against drugs has to be transformed into a mass movement as it is not only the work of Police but entire civil society too. He said that it is heartening that people are coming forward to take part in this campaign and anti-drug resolutions are being passed in several villages. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has issued a Whatsapp helpline number 9779100200 for seeking the support of the people in this war.

The Chief Minister asked the people to share any information pertaining to the drug smugglers operative in their area or city on this Whatsapp number. He said that the identity of the caller will be kept secret and will not be disclosed to anyone. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that fulsome support and cooperation of the people is imperative in this ambitious war against drugs due to which people should support this move in a big way.

The Chief Minister said that Punjab Police has a glorious legacy of serving the country by making countless sacrifices. He said that apart from discharging its core duty of maintaining law and order, the Punjab Police has always safeguarded the interests of the country and its people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now the Punjab Police is playing a vanguard role in wiping out the menace of drugs from the state.

      The Chief Minister said that the need of the hour is that the common man plays a proactive role in the war against drugs. He said that now the time has come when everyone should rise against the scourge of drugs by decimating a handful of smugglers who are ruining the generations of the state for minting money. Bhagwant Singh Mann urged every resident to be a soldier in this war against drugs so that Punjab is made completely drug free.