Chandigarh, March 24

The Punjab government has approved the construction of a bypass in Jalalabad city on the Ferozepur-Fazilka road to ease traffic congestion.

Responding to a query in the Legislative Assembly, Punjab PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO informed that administrative approval for constructing the bypass from Ferozepur-Fazilka Road (Bagho ke Uttar) to FF Road (Amir Khas) (Shaheed Udham Singh Marg) has been issued by the Secretary, Punjab Mandi Board. The 8.75 km long and 5.5 meter wide road will be constructed along the canal and serve as a bypass for Jalalabad city, helping streamline traffic flow.

Regarding the reconstruction of the causeway on Mubarakpur to Dhakoli Road, the Cabinet Minister said the existing 330-meter-long (including approach roads) and 8-meter-wide causeway was damaged in the July 2023 floods. While temporary repairs were made as per SDRF norms, the structure now requires permanent repairs due to heavy vehicle movement. Girders installed to restrict heavy vehicles have been damaged. The estimated repair cost is ₹44.87 lakh, with work to commence after budget approval.

The Minister added that a project to construct a new 150-meter-long causeway is under consideration at an estimated cost of ₹18 crore, with completion expected in 18-24 months.

On the construction of a railway under bridge at Tanda Phatak Level Crossing on the Sahnewal-Jalandhar-Amritsar line in Jalandhar district, Mr. ETO stated the proposal is under consideration. Administrative approval for the ₹13.06 crore project has been received. The Public Works Department will construct approach roads while work within railway boundaries will be handled by the Railway Department.

Chandigarh, March 24, 2025

During the ongoing session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Deputy Speaker Jai Krishan Singh Rouri, serving as the Chairman of the Estimates Committee, presented the committee’s report on the budget estimates of the Department of Forest and Wildlife Protection and the Department of Revenue and Rehabilitation.

While presenting the report, Deputy Speaker Rouri stated that the committee had conducted a thorough review of the budgetary provisions, held detailed discussions with departmental officials and submitted comprehensive recommendations to the House.

The report on the Revenue and Rehabilitation Department includes key recommendations such as ensuring timely attendance of revenue officials in offices, strict monitoring of patwaris and conducting surprise inspections to address delays in property transfers, and streamlining the land registration process by enhancing online services for public convenience.

Streamlining the land registration process by enhancing online services for public convenience.

Similarly, the report on the Department of Forest and Wildlife Protection emphasizes optimal utilization of budget allocations to enhance efficiency, regularization of daily wage and contractual employees to improve workforce stability, and fair and transparent transfers of officials and employees. The committee has also recommended massive afforestation efforts by planting native trees such as Kikar, Tahli, Jang Karir, Jamun, Mango, Dek, Neem, Bohar, and Pipal on vacant government lands, riverbanks, canals, drains, and roadsides.

Deputy Speaker Rouri highlighted that 29 state government departments were selected for examination this year. The Committee scrutinized records, conducted oral examinations of officials, and thoroughly reviewed financial estimates.

Emphasizing the importance of judicious use of public funds, Rouri stated, “The budget allocated by the House represents the hard-earned money of the people. Departments must ensure that these funds are utilized efficiently and transparently for the maximum welfare of citizens.”

He concluded by expressing gratitude to all esteemed Committee Members and the supporting team of the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat for their efforts in preparing the report.

Chandigarh, March 24:

          Punjab is actively undertaking conservation and restoration work on various historical monuments and tourist sites across the state.

          Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, while responding to a question in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, stated that the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs is focused on preserving and restoring historically significant monuments and tourist destinations in different districts. He further added that if the Bathinda district authorities submit a proposal to develop Bathinda lakes into a food hub or a tourism site, the Punjab government will give it priority.

          In response to MLA Jagroop Singh Gill’s query, Tarunpreet Singh Sond emphasized that if the Deputy Commissioner of Bathinda submits a detailed proposal for the beautification and development of Bathinda lakes as a tourist destination and food hub, the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department will take prompt action.

          Adding his insights, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan remarked that Punjab is one of the most beautiful places in the world, boasting mountains, rivers, lakes, and diverse weather conditions. He also highlighted Punjab’s historical forts and religious sites, underscoring the state’s rich cultural, religious and natural heritage. The Speaker suggested that a comprehensive plan should be devised to boost tourism in Punjab.

          In response, Tarunpreet Singh Sond affirmed that Punjab is unique in terms of tourism and that the government is already working on numerous projects. He assured that future initiatives would further elevate Punjab’s tourism sector to new heights.

Chandigarh, March 24

          Punjab Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister Hardip Singh Mundian said that the ‘Mera Ghar Mere Naam’ (Swamitva) scheme is being implemented in the state to grant ownership rights to the occupants of plots falling within the Lal Dora in rural areas of Punjab. This scheme will be completed by next year.

          Mr. Mundian, in response to a question raised by Amargarh MLA Prof. Jaswant Singh Gajjanmajra in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today, said that Swamitva is a central scheme whose objective is to provide the rights of properties falling within the Lal Dora of villages to their owners.

          The Revenue Minister said that another objective of this scheme is to create computerized records of rights and GIS maps of the populated areas of the villages. For this purpose, the Punjab Population (Record of Rights) Act and Rules have been implemented in the year 2021, which gives legal recognition to the records of rights prepared under this scheme. GIS maps are prepared by the Survey of India using drone technology. A software/portal has been developed in this regard.

Chandigarh, March 24:

Responding to a question raised through an call attention notice by MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh in the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Punjab Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh said that necessary procedures and processes must be followed regarding the inclusion of 12 gram panchayats of Amritsar (North) constituency into the Amritsar Municipal Corporation.

The Cabinet Minister said that Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh had raised this matter during a meeting of the Panchayati Raj Institutions Committee of Punjab Legislative Assembly on January 24, 2024. Subsequently, some of the 12 gram panchayats passed resolutions in February 2024 requesting the inclusion of their areas into the Amritsar Municipal Corporation.

The Local Government Minister said that new panchayats have been constituted following the gram panchayat elections held last October. In this regard, it would be appropriate for the newly formed gram panchayat institutions to pass fresh resolutions regarding their inclusion in the Municipal Corporation.

He further said that after the urban local body elections held in December 2024, a new house of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation was constituted on January 28, 2025. When the Municipal Corporation house would pass the resolution regarding the inclusion of these gram panchayats, further action will be initiated under Section 3(6) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.

The department is in continuous contact with the Deputy Commissioner and the Commissioner of Amritsar Municipal Corporation regarding this matter, he added.

Chandigarh, March 24, 2025 –

In a decisive move to combat food adulteration in the state, teams from the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) and the Food Safety department conducted surprise inspections at several dairies in Fatehgarh Sahib and Rupnagar on Monday. 

Disclosing this, an official spokesperson of the state VB said the joint operation resulted in the collection of multiple samples of milk, curd, and paneer for laboratory testing, signaling the government’s intensified crackdown on adulterated food products. 

The spokesperson added that the raids, led by Food Safety Officer Satwinder Singh and VB Inspector Shakunt Choudhary, inspected Imaan Dairy, located near Jyoti Saroop Chowk, Fatehgarh Sahib where samples of milk, curd, and paneer were collected. Additionally, milk samples were seized from Cheema Dairy, situated opposite Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Engineering College, Fatehgarh Sahib for further analysis. 

The VB issued a stern warning, stating, “The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards food adulteration. A sustained campaign to root out this menace would continue in the coming days. He emphasized that legal action would be swift and severe if any adulteration is confirmed through laboratory testing”.

Checking conducted in Rupnagar as well

In a parallel operation, the Vigilance Bureau, under the supervision of SSP/VB Rupnagar range Arun Saini, DSP/VB Unit Rupnagar Gurcharan Singh and Assistant Commissioner Manjinder Singh from the Health and Food Safety Department, Rupnagar, conducted surprise inspections at various locations in Rupnagar.

The teams, including Food Safety Officer Simranjit Singh (Rupnagar-1) and Dinesh Jot Singh, collected samples of soya chaap, spring rolls, momos, bakery items, bread and ghee from unlicensed vendors. The spokesperson added that samples were sent to laboratories to check for quality and purity. Besides, notices were issued to owners operating without licenses or maintaining poor hygiene standards, and fines were imposed in several cases.

He further added that during the inspections, dairy owners, sweet shops and food joint owners were formally cautioned about the consequences of adulteration and briefed on the state’s ongoing campaign to ensure food safety. The VB teams, in collaboration with the Health and Food Safety Administration, have been conducting statewide operations, with particular attention to areas where adulteration is believed to be more prevalent. “Citizens were also encouraged to report suspected cases of food adulteration through the VB’s dedicated helpline, with assurances of confidentiality and prompt action,” he said.

Chandigarh, March 24:

          The Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh has appealed to the residents of all ULBs of the state to participate actively in Swachhta Survekshan-2025.

          Dr. Ravjot Singh said that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the department has taken the initiative to make all the cities of the state green and clean because only then the dream of a colourful Punjab can be fulfilled. He said that the participation of citizens in the Swachhta Survekshan is the key to a clean future. Along with this, he has directed all the ULBs to make this cleanliness survey a people’s campaign.

          The Local Government Minister exhorted all the urban residents to actively participate in the Swachh Survekshan 2025 by giving their valuable feedback on the cleanliness and sanitation services in their area. This is important to improve the ranking of their respective cities in this nationwide cleanliness survey and help create a clean, healthy environment for all.

          The Minister further said that Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey conducted under the Swachh Bharat Mission, which assesses the cleanliness and sanitation standards across cities and towns in India.

          Encouraging residents to share their feedback, the Municipal Commissioner or Executive Officer said, “The feedback from residents plays a vital role in evaluating municipal services, including waste management, public hygiene, and waste segregation. This feedback also helps in ensuring improvements to our urban infrastructure and sanitation services, making sure that our cities continue to grow in cleanliness and sustainability.”

          By participating in Swachh Survekshan, citizens are directly contributing to better sanitation services in their neighbourhoods. Citizen feedback will help improve waste collection, waste segregation, cleanliness in public spaces, and other essential facilities. The Municipal Commissioner or Executive Officer further added, “Not only will this feedback ensure that the services provided meet your needs, but it will also help our city earn a better ranking, showcasing our collective commitment to cleanliness at both the state and national levels.”

          Participating in this survey is simple and accessible for everyone. Citizens can sign up with their mobile number through the official Swachhta Survey portal or by scanning the given QR code with their smartphone and answering the survey-related questions in Punjabi, Hindi or English language as per their convenience. It takes only two to three minutes to complete the survey. The Municipal Corporation/Municipal Council/Nagar Panchayat is committed to engaging all citizens in this essential process, and your feedback will help us in making real time improvements in the quality of sanitation services in our area. Your participation matters, and by contributing, you ensure that your voice is heard in shaping the cleanliness and development of our city.

          For any queries or assistance, please contact the concerned ULB.

CHANDIGARH, March 24:

          Striking a major blow to the narco-terrorism hawala networks amidst the ongoing anti-drugs campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of the Punjab Police with the support of Central Agencies has arrested 11 persons— including five drug smugglers, three drug hawala money couriers and three hawala traders— and recovered drug money in different foreign currencies amounting to Rs 5.09 crores, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Monday.

          The arrested drug smugglers have been identified as Harjinder Singh alias Ajay (26) of Ram Talai in Amritsar, Harmanjit Singh alias Harry (27) of Guru Nanak Colony in Amritsar, Sagar (28) of Naraingarh in Chheharta of Amritsar, Lavdeep Singh (30) alias Lala of Husanpura Kalan in Batala and Harbhaj Singh (30) alias Bheja of Kakkar in Amritsar, while, drug hawala money couriers have been identified as Saurav alias Saurav Mahajan (24) of Joda Phatak in Amritsar, Tanush (28) of Ghah Mandi Chowk of Amritsar and Harminder Singh (28) alias Harry of Damganj in Amritsar.

          The arrested Hawala traders have been identified as Ashok Kumar Sharma (60), an owner of Phagwara-based Sharma Forex Money Changer, and his accomplices Rajesh Kumar (50) of Mutiarpur Mohalla in Phagwara and Amit Bansal alias Sunil (47) of Sukhchain Nagar in Phagwara.

          The development came following two months of meticulous investigations and sustained follow-up of backward and forward linkages in the arrest of two individuals Harjinder Singh alias Ajay and Harmanjit Singh alias Harry after recovering 263 grams heroin and Rs 5.60 lakh drug money from their possession on January 21, 2025.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav, while addressing a press conference, said during the investigations in this case police teams from ANTF arrested three hawala money couriers Saurav Mahajan, Tanush and Harminder alias Harry on the very next day, and recovered Rs 47.50 lakhs drug money, besides impounding their Mahindra XUV 300 vehicle. Following the trail of investigations, on January 24, police teams have successfully arrested two more drug smugglers identified as Sagar and Lavdeep Singh alias Lala, and Rs 5 lakh drug money along with an Activa scooter and 160 grams heroin were recovered from them, he added.

          The further investigations into this case has led the police teams to expose the role of an inmate lodged in Central Jail Amritsar identified as Harbhaj Singh alias Bheja, who emerged as the mastermind of this racket and was found to be in contact with Pakistani drug smuggler Shahbaz from inside the jail, he said, while adding that on January 26, the accused was brought on production warrant from Central Jail Amritsar and formally arrested in this case.

          Pertinently, Pakistani smuggler Shehbaz, a resident of village Burewal in district Narowal had illegally entered India, and FIR under relevant sections was registered against him in February 2021, following which, he had remained lodged in Central Jail, Amritsar before his deportation to Pakistan.

          The DGP said that preliminary investigations have revealed that accused Harbhaj Singh and Harmanjit alias Harry were introduced to Pak-based smuggler Shehbaz, when they together were lodged in the Central Jail Amritsar. After his release from the jail, the latter established a link with these individuals via mobile phones to run the drug smuggling business and also involved Harminder alias Harry in this business, he added.

          During interrogation, arrested accused Harmanjit and Harminder revealed that they were using services of Sharma Forex Money Exchanger and Forex Advisor in Phagwara to deposit drug money as per the instructions of Pakistani smuggler Shehbaz, he said, while adding that, police teams have nominated the owner Ashok Sharma and his accomplice Sunil in the case and arrested both of them on March 17 and March 18 respectively.

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that based on technical information, police teams have also arrested Ashok Sharma’s another associate identified as Rajesh alias Bobby from his house and Rs 50.50 lakh was recovered his possession.

          He said that during the further course of investigations police teams have recovered an additional Rs 36.59 lakhs (taking total recovery of Indian currency to Rs 1.45 crores), 2,63,630 Euros, 7000 US Dollars, 10,020 Canadian Dollars, 27,500 Pounds and 285 Dirhams, besides, recovering 372 grams gold from different locations. Apart from Mahindra XUV 300, Police teams have also impounded their three more vehicles including BMW, Mahindra Thar Automatic and Hyundai i10.

          The DGP said that the ANTF has also identified illegal properties of this network worth of Rs 100s of crores and the process has been initiated to freeze them under section 68F of the NDPS act. Probe has also revealed that the network unearthed till now spans from Amritsar to Tarn Taran to Phagwara to Panchkula, he said.

          “Police teams have nominated seven more persons in this case and manhunt is on to nab them,” he added.

          Meanwhile, sharing outcomes of the 24 days of ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’, the DGP said that Punjab Police arrested of 3868 drug smugglers after registering of 2177 first information reports (FIRs) across the state since March 1, 2025. During this drive, Police teams have recovered 135.5 kg heroin, 82.9 kg opium, 1419 kg poppy husk, 34.24 kg Ganja, 7.58 lakh intoxicant tablets/pills/injections, 1 kg ICE and Rs 5.42 crores drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers, he said.

Chandigarh, March 24

Highlighting the remarkable achievements of the Punjab government under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, while drawing a sharp contrast with the previous administrations led by Congress and Akali-BJP, Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday expressed gratitude to Punjab Governor Mr. Gulab Chand Kataria for his insightful speech in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema began his speech by recalling the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) promise during the 2022 elections to provide free electricity to the people of Punjab. He proudly announced that this promise was fulfilled within three months of the government’s formation, with 90 percent of domestic electricity consumers now receiving zero electricity bills. He also higlighted the government’s historic decision to acquire the private thermal plant at Goindwal Sahib, a project worth Rs 6000 crore, for just Rs 1080 crore, ensuring it be a public asset, a first in Punjab’s history.

Taking a dig at the previous governments led by Congress, Finance Minister Cheema criticized Congress party’s walk-out during the session, attributing it to their inability to confront the current government’s success in clearing the Rs 9000 crore subsidy arrears left by the Congress led state government.

Referring to the Aam Aadmi Party’s promise to bring a health revolution in the state, the Finance Minister highlighted the transformative impact of Aam Aadmi Clinics, which have provided free treatment, tests, and medicines to countless citizens, contrasting this with the Congress-led government’s failure to recruit adequately for healthcare positions. He said that during the Congress-led government, an advertisement for 547 posts was issued, out of which only 43 people were recruited. He said that current government not only recruited specialist doctors but the government hospitals are also being transformed.

In the education sector, Finance Minister Cheema higlighted a 57 percent increase in budget by the AAP led Punjab Government. He lauded initiatives such as the School of Eminence and international teacher training programs, while condemning the Congress government’s plans to close 1207 schools, a decision thwarted by the Aam Aadmi Party. He said that most of the leaders of the opposition parties got education in heavily charged private schools, therefore were unaware of the condition of government schools in the state.

Finance Minister Cheema also underscored the government’s success in attracting over Rs 90,000 crore in investments, attributing this to the state’s improved law and order under Chief Minister Mann’s leadership. He credited the Anti-Gangster Task Force for dismantling gangster culture, which he said had flourished under the Congress regime. “Congress party gave birth to gangster culture in the state; gangsters from other states were brought and kept in Punjab jails”, said Cheema.

On the issue of drug eradication, Finance Minister Cheema detailed the government’s “Yudh Nashian Virudh” campaign, which has led to 2200 FIRs, 3800 arrests, and the demolition of 43 illegally constructed properties of drug dealers, so far. He said that for the first time during the Akali-BJP government, the people of the state heard the name of ‘Chitta’. “After this, Captain Amarinder Singh took an oath to end drugs by holding Gutka Sahib exactly 35 km from Talwandi Sabo, but later during the Congress regime, this drug business flourished further”, he added.

Finance Minister Cheema highlighted the government’s efforts to provide employment to over 50,000 youth and promote sports through initiatives like ‘Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan’ and the plan to establish 1000 sports nurseries. He also highlighted the appointment of accomplished sports persons to high-ranking positions to inspire the younger generation.

Stressing on the need to save groundwater to save agriculture, Finance Minister Cheema said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led government’s took initiatives to savr groundwater by ensuring canal water supply to the tail end after decades besides ensuring hours of uninterrupted electricity for agriculture . He also mentioned the continuation of electricity subsidies for tubewells.

Finance Minister Cheema also reaffirmed the government’s dedication to honoring the sacrifices of soldiers by providing financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to their families. He also highlighted the government’s efforts to manage the state’s debt, pay off interest, and regularize teacher services, contrasting these achievements with the failures of previous SAD-BJP and Congress led governments.

“The previous Akali-BJP and Congress governments have left Punjab with a staggering debt burden of approximately Rs 3 lakh crore. The interest on this debt alone is a whopping Rs 20,000 crore annually, which is a significant drain on the state’s finances. While efforts are being made to repay the principal amount, a substantial portion of the budget is still being allocated towards paying off the interest, putting a strain on the state’s resources”, said the Finance Minister.

Talking about employees issues, the Finance Minister highlighted AAP led state government’s efforts to pay the dues of about Rs 14,500 crore, owed to employees when the Congress government issued the 6th Pay Commission. He stated that the services of the maximum number of teachers have been regularized in Punjab, and non-permanent teachers are now receiving a salary of Rs 25000, up from Rs 6000 during the Congress party government.

Concluding his speech, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Aam Aadmi Party has made remarkable strides in Punjab, despite being only 8 years old in the state’s legislative assembly. He said that under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government has been consistently driving progress and development in the state.

Chandigarh, March 22:

 The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, remains committed to the welfare of all sections of society, especially senior citizens, widows, destitute women, children, and persons with disabilities. Since assuming office, the government has disbursed ₹16,847.83 crore in financial aid under various social security schemes.

Providing details, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that ₹11,310.33 crore has been distributed under the Old Age Pension Scheme. In the financial year 2022-23, ₹3,651.08 crore was allocated to 21.26 lakh beneficiaries, followed by ₹3,950.68 crore in 2023-24 to 22.11 lakh beneficiaries, and ₹3,708.57 crore in 2024-25 to 22.64 lakh beneficiaries.

Dr Baljit Kaur further said that Punjab government has provided financial aid of ₹3,140.62 crore to widows and destitute women. In 2022-23, ₹1,013.07 crore benefited 5.84 lakh women, while in 2023-24, ₹1,084.92 crore was distributed to 6.11 lakh beneficiaries. In 2024-25, ₹1,042.63 crore was allocated to 6.47 lakh women under the scheme.

Additionally, the Punjab Government has provided ₹1,077.41 crore for the welfare of destitute children and ₹1,319.47 crore for persons with disabilities.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Dr. Baljit Kaur stated, “Our senior citizens are our pride, and the Punjab Government is continuously striving for their well-being. These initiatives aim to build a prosperous and progressive Punjab.”

She also directed officials to ensure the transparent and efficient implementation of social security schemes so that the rightful beneficiaries receive their due benefits without any hindrance. Strict action will be taken against any negligence or irregularities in the execution of these schemes.