Mohali, February 25

In order to prevent dengue fever cases in the upcoming season, the district health department is imparting sensitization training to Nursing college students in the district. Civil Surgeon Dr Sangeeta Jain said that the district team under District Epidemologist Dr Anamika Soni has trained around 1500 students of various Nursing colleges and sensitized them on symptoms, causes, prevention and treatment of the killer disease.

She said that the purpose behind this drive is to get involved Nursing students in the anti-dengue drive and to give a boost to the checking, spraying and awareness campaign Har Shukarwar, Dengu te war” launched by the Punjab Government recently. Moreover, this is also a part of their studies. Students have been taught about that Dengue is a viral infection that spreads from Aedes aegypti mosquito to people. Dengue Symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headaches, pain behind eyes, severe joint and muscle pain, Skin rash, fatigue, nausea, vomiting etc. Self-medication should be avoided if dengue symptoms occur. The prevention method is that water should not be let stagnate anywhere in and around homes and other places as the mosquito prefers to breed in clean, stagnant water easily found in our homes. If for some reason dengue fever occurs, there is no need to panic. The patient should visit a government health facility where dengue test and treatment is absolutely free. The health department’s helpline number 104 may also be contacted. Photo Caption : Dr Anamika Soni imparting training to students.

Chandigarh, February 24, 2025: Kamal Soi, Member of the National Road Safety Council, Government of India, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and Chairman of Raahat – The Safe Community Foundation, has raised serious concerns over the Punjab government’s move to take control of driving license (DL) and registration certificate (RC) issuance.

Addressing a press conference at the Chandigarh Press Club today, Soi highlighted that 268 employees have already lost their jobs due to this transition. He referred to the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued on February 10, 2025, which mandates that the Transport Department will oversee the personalization of data, issuance, and distribution of final personalized smart cards post-supply.

Concerns Over Corruption and Inefficiency

Soi criticized the move, arguing that government control over a project previously managed by a system integrator will lead to increased corruption, inefficiency, and inconvenience for the public. He emphasized that system integrators bring in skilled professionals, including IT specialists and project managers, whose expertise is now at risk of being disregarded.

He said, over 5 lakh people in Punjab are waiting for DLs and RCs and are left in the lurch and are being subjected to inconvenience, which will only lead to corruption. Moreover Why driving tests are not being conducted by the government in Punjab”, he questioned.

“In a startling revelation, I had earlier addressed a press conference on February 7 about the public inconvenience due to delays in DL and RC issuance. It appears that in a hasty response, the Transport Department issued the RFP on February 10, 2025, for the selection of an agency to supply smart cards. However, the department has decided to manage critical functions of data personalization and distribution itself, which is a cause for major concern,” Soi stated.

Potential Failure of Implementation

According to Soi, this move could lead to complete failure and chaos at the implementation stage, as the Transport Department lacks the necessary expertise, infrastructure, and workforce. He pointed out that the department does not have access to NIC’s (National Informatics Centre) Vahan and Sarathi ecosystem, which is essential for data handling. Furthermore, critical steps such as data deployment in a print-ready format, quality control in DL/RC printing, and proper dispatch management require specialized expertise.

Need for Transparency and Efficiency

Soi warned that government involvement in issuing DLs and RCs could lead to conflicts of interest and favoritism, thereby reducing transparency and efficiency. He noted that private sector firms operate under competitive market forces and performance-based incentives, ensuring better accountability than government-managed operations.

He urged the Transport Department to reconsider its decision and amend the RFP to allow the selected agency to manage data personalization and issuance of smart cards. He also suggested that until a new vendor is appointed, the DL & RC project in Punjab should be managed by NICSI (National Informatics Centre Services Inc.), which has a credible track record in the transportation sector for over 25 years.

“The public should not suffer due to administrative inefficiencies. It is crucial that the government ensures a seamless, transparent, and accountable process for issuing DLs and RCs while also safeguarding employment for skilled professionals in the private sector,” Soi concluded.

Chandigarh, February 21:

          The persistent efforts of Punjab Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains have yielded yet another positive outcome with the Public Works (B&R) Department (PWD), Punjab issuing a tender worth Rs. 17.56 crore for the repair of the Algran bridge over Swan Nadi.

          This bridge is a critical lifeline, connecting over 100 villages of Ropar district and also serving a vital link between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. This development is a significant milestone, given Bains’ long-standing efforts to get this bridge repaired.

          In a press communiqué issued here today, S. Harjot Singh Bains stated that this tender will be for nine months for the repair of this crucial bridge. The interested contractors can visit the official website of the state government to access the tender documents and submit their bids till March 20, 2025.  

          Highlighting the importance of the bridge, S. Harjot Singh Bains stated that the bridge is not only a crucial transportation route between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, besides connecting Ropar district with Hoshiarpur, but also a key pathway for pilgrims, tourists, and local residents.

          Additionally, the project will provide much-needed respite to daily commuters who have long faced inconvenience due to the bridge’s poor condition. The initiative is also set to alleviate the burden on alternative routes, which have been overburdened due to the bridge’s inaccessibility, thereby improving overall connectivity and safety in the area.

          With the tender now issued, the work is expected to begin soon, sparking a hope among the people of the region for better road infrastructure and social-economic development of the region, the cabinet minister added.

CHANDIGARH/PATIALA, February 21:

          Amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Patiala Police has busted a target killing module being operated by foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon with the arrest of its two operatives from Rajpura, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

          Those arrested have been identified as Malkit Singh alias Max, a native of village Rodala in Ajnala, Amritsar and presently residing in village Sempali in Fatehgarh Sahib and Sandeep Singh alias Deep, a resident of Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib.

          Police teams have also recovered five pistols— including three .32 caliber, one .30 caliber and one .315 caliber country-made pistol— along with 15 cartridges and 1300 intoxicant tablets from their possession, besides, impounding their black-coloured Honda Activa Scooter (PB 23 AA 0795).

          DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations have revealed that both the arrested accused persons were wanted in two criminal cases pertaining to extortion and were also tasked by their handler Goldy Dhillon to execute target killings in Mohali and Rajpura. Both the arrested accused persons have a history of criminal activities, with multiple cases pertaining to NDPS act, Arms Act, attempt to murder, extortion, dacoity, snatching, etc registered against them, he added.

          The DGP said that further investigations are on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case. More arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days, he added.

          Sharing operation details, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Patiala Nanak Singh said that police teams of Special Cell Rajpura received a reliable input that two operatives of Gangster Goldy Dhillon are on the way to deliver intoxicant tablets to someone at Sirhind-Rajpura road, following which, they have a plan to carry out a target killing in Rajpura.

          Acting swiftly, the Special Cell Rajpura led by Inspector Harry Boparai launched an intelligence-based operation and managed to locate and arrest both the accused persons after recovering weapons and drugs from their possession, he said.

          The SSP said that two prominent persons, who had also received threat calls from foreign-based gangster, were on target of the arrested accused persons. Further investigations are on, he added.

          A case FIR no. 13 dated 19/2/2025 has been registered under section 22 of the NDPS act and section 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station Sadar Rajpura in Patiala.

Chandigarh, February 21

Punjab Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Thursday said that the Public Works Department (Buildings and Roads) is currently executingnearly 250 building projects worth approximately Rs 2000 crore across 15 client departments. These works, funded by the respective departments and executed by PWD, demonstrate the department’s commitment to developing and upgrading Punjab’s building infrastructure.

PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO emphasized that PWD (B&R) is prioritizing the construction of Health infrastructure, including 18 Child Care Blocks (CCBs) worth Rs. 264 crore and 18 Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) labs, with 4 already under construction. The PWD has also made significant strides in constructing Aam Admi Clinics, with around 420 clinics already built across the state. Furthermore, the department will undertake works worth Rs 3000 crore for Medical Colleges at Malerkotla, Sangrur, SAS Nagar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, and Moga in the FY 2025-26. He said that this initiative aims to enhance the state’s capacity for public health diagnostics and provide quality healthcare facilities to its citizens.

Highlighting the PWD’s efforts extended to Education Sector, the another priority sector of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government, Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said that the PWD (B&R) is working on 56 Schools of Eminence, with 19 ongoing and 10 Schools have already been completed. He said that these schools aim to provide high-quality educationinfrastructure across Punjab to children of all strata of society.

The Minister informed that the judicial infrastructure has also received a significant boost, with granting of administrative approvals amounting to Rs. 250 crore in the current fiscal year 2024-25. He said that the key projects include the development of Judicial Court Complexes (JCC) in Khanna, Patran, and Fazilka, featuring components such as courtrooms, residential accommodations, and computer rooms to accommodate the increasing caseload. “Additionally, the repair and maintenance of judicial complexes, undertaken separately under the head 2059, ensure that existing judicial facilities remain in good condition”, said the PWD Minister.

Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO further added that the PWD (B&R) is committed to ensuring the upkeep and functionality of existing infrastructure, including the repair and maintenance of Judicial Court Complexes, Government Buildings, and Government Quarters. In FY 2024-25, funds amounting to Rs. 40 crore are being spent for the upkeep of Government Buildings.

The PWD Minister also highlighted that the department has played a crucial role in executing numerous monuments, memorials, and public buildings across the State. He said that the Architectural Wing, associated with the Department, provides services such as evolving building plans, designing green buildings, and landscaping for various state government departments. “Special attention is given to ensuring unimpeded access by incorporating ramps, lifts, escalators, and other facilities for persons with disabilities (divyangjan)”, he added.

Chandigarh, February 21

Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise, and Taxation Minister, Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, today handed over appointment letters to 7 clerks and 1 peon appointed on compassionate grounds in the Excise and Taxation Department.

Congratulating the newly appointed employees, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasized the importance of dedication and hard work in their new roles. He highlighted the crucial role the Excise and Taxation Department plays in strengthening the state’s economy and expressed hope that these employees will fulfill their responsibilities with utmost commitment.

Highlighting the Punjab government’s significant achievement under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the state has successfully employed over 50,000 youth. He said that this initiative not only provides employment opportunities to the maximum number of young people but also addresses the shortage of human resources in various government departments, ultimately strengthening them.