Chandigarh, March 22 – Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana laid the foundation stone of a Mini Secretariat in Radaur, to be constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs. 40 crore. He said the project will give a new direction to the development of the area.

The Minister said that the Mini Secretariat will provide various government services at one place, saving time and resources for the public. He added that the building will be equipped with modern facilities and will house key government offices, reducing the need for people to travel to different locations for administrative work.

He also inaugurated the Atal Kisan Mazdoor Canteen in the Radaur grain market, which will be run by women of self-help groups. He said the initiative aims to provide affordable meals to farmers, labourers and other needy people, with food available at Rs. 10 per plate.

He further said that under the vision of the Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, efforts are being made to ensure the welfare of all sections of society, especially farmers, labourers and the underprivileged.

Former MLA, Sh. Ishwar Singh Palaka, Chairman, Market Committee, Sh. Rupinder Singh and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Chandigarh: The apex body of traders in the city, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM), will celebrate its Founders’ Day and Traders’ Day on March 22 at Mahila Bhawan in Sector 38. This information was shared by CBM Vice President and official spokesperson Diwakar Sahuja. On this occasion, CBM President Sanjeev Chadha appealed to all members to make the event grand and successful. He urged each member to bring at least five people along to the समारोह, so as to showcase the unity and strength of the trader community.

The event will be presided over by Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria, while Sunil J. Singhi, Chairman of the National Traders Welfare Board, New Delhi, will attend as the Guest of Honour. During the meeting, representatives of several traders’ associations shared their suggestions to ensure the success of the event and also assured financial support. Prominent attendees included Mohit Sood (President, Grain Market Association), Anil Jain (Sector 7C Market Association), Ramesh Khandelwal (Sector 31 Market Association), Gursharan Batra (son of Late Inder Lal Batra), Gurinder Singh (Sector 22 Market), Subhash Narang (Senior Vice President, CBM), and Baljinder Gujral (Vice President, CBM), along with several other key members.

Charanjiv Singh, Chairman of CBM, shared memories related to the organization’s foundation day and remembered the contributions of its founder, Late Inder Lal Batra. He also urged members to prepare and present the demands related to their respective markets at the event so that they can be placed before the chief guests.

Chandigarh 15 March 2026:

Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora said that MSMEs are participating 25 to 30% in GDP growth of India. He urged to use maximum artificial intelligence to run the business and day to day work in your offices. MSME are executing arm of the economy and also the natural manufacturing machine of the country. Our government is focusing on modernization and expansion of MSMEs. He advised industrialists to focus on price and quality rather than marketing to increase demand of the products. There is no dearth of skills in Punjab.

Furthermore, Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora highlighted that Punjab Government, with a robust base of nearly 1.6 lakh MSME units, plans to establish a dedicated agency which will transform its MSME ecosystem into a highly dynamic and globally competitive sector. MSME Punjab will serve as a single institutional platform to enhance competitiveness, improve access to finance, technology, markets, skills, and promote cluster-based development.

He stated that Punjab will adopt a cluster-based strategy to drive MSME sector development, leveraging economies of scale, shared facilities, and collective efficiency among co-located enterprises. The State aims to optimize the use of cluster development schemes, while also introducing its own State-level cluster development program to address unmet needs and bridge gaps in existing frameworks.

Cluster interventions will be designed to strengthen infrastructure, technology adoption, and market readiness of MSMEs through proactive collaboration between government departments, industry associations, and Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) formed by cluster members. The objective is to create a synergistic environment that fosters innovation, cost competitiveness, and sustainable industrial growth, he added.

Gurkirat Kirpal Singh IAS Secretary Industries and Commerce said that Punjab Government is encouraging MSMEs to expand their business in Punjab and several incentives are being given to MSMEs so that they can set up their plant in Punjab. A lot of opportunities are available in this sector. He added that Punjab Government have accepted 77% recommendations of sectoral committees and launched most attractive industrial policy. Time bound clearances are being given to the Investors and this new industrial policy will help enterpreneurs.

Professor Rudhra Pratap Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University, Mr. Dharmesh Goswami Partner, KPMG, Mr. Bhupinder Pal Singh Anand Director, Jal Bath Fittings, Mr. Manbir Singh Director, IEE Elevators, Mr. Rajesh Mehra MD, Active Clothing were participated in MSMEs Session.

Terming Punjab a premier destination for business, Japan based industry leaders highlighted the favourable ecosystem for investment in the state during a country session held during Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit at Plaksha University. They noted that Punjab’s progressive industrial outlook and facilitative governance framework are encouraging greater interest from Japanese companies in expanding their footprint in the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister and State President of Aam Aadmi Party Aman Arora underlined that Punjab is keen to deepen collaboration with Japanese partners in emerging sectors including integrated EV and automotive manufacturing ecosystems, agri mechanisation, smart farming technologies and clean energy solutions. He stated that Japan has consistently remained one of India’s most dependable development partners whose companies have played a significant role in strengthening modern industrial capabilities across infrastructure advanced manufacturing and mobility sectors.

Highlighting Punjab’s growing industrial momentum, the Cabinet Minister observed that the state today offers a robust manufacturing base a highly skilled workforce and strategic connectivity to key North Indian markets which makes it an attractive hub for global partnerships. He said the successful presence of reputed Japanese enterprises in areas such as agricultural machinery, automotive materials and industrial coatings reflects the strength of Indo-Japanese industrial cooperation which has brought investment along with world class precision engineering standards and quality driven practices.

Stressing sustainability as a key priority, he added that the state is actively promoting biomass utilisation, renewable energy adoption and circular economy initiatives while also prioritising skill development through globally acclaimed Japanese manufacturing philosophies including continuous improvement and high precision quality management. He expressed confidence that by combining Punjab’s industrial strengths with Japan’s technological leadership both sides can build a long term manufacturing and innovation partnership aimed at sustainable growth enhanced global competitiveness and shared prosperity.

Administrative Secretary Industries and Commerce Department Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, while addressing the session, said that Punjab has recently unveiled a landmark industrial policy identifying 24 thrust sectors with dedicated committees headed by leading industrialists to guide sector specific growth. He informed that more than 77 percent recommendations of these committees and industry stakeholders have been accepted by the state government. He further said that the state has also enacted the Right to Business Act which facilitates in principle approvals within 5 to 18 days for industrial proposals along with a provision of deemed approval certification after the stipulated 45 day period.

Addressing the gathering, Minister from the Japanese Embassy Yamazaki Fumio observed that India and Japan as two major democracies are strengthening cooperation across diverse industrial sectors.

Chief Executive Officer of Toppan Speciality Films Pvt Ltd Amit Jain said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had visited their headquarters in Japan and the company is planning to invest Rs.300 to Rs.400 crore in Punjab in the near future.

Vice President Operations of Yanmar Agricultural Machinery India Private Limited Sumit Kaplish said that the company shares a strong connect with Punjab owing to the availability of skilled talent a rich tradition of craftsmanship and peaceful industrial relations. He added that warm and welcoming business culture along with practical industry friendly policies attractive incentives reliable power supply and excellent road connectivity have motivated the company to expand its operations in the state.

Representative of Japan External Trade Organization Taku Hiroki said that both nations are working closely on economic security and advanced technologies and the Invest Punjab Summit is expected to encourage greater investment interest from Japanese companies in view of the state’s business friendly industrial policy.

Chandigarh:

Punjab’s NRI Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh has welcomed the Punjab Budget 2026–27 presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, describing it as a progressive and people-centric roadmap that will accelerate the State’s development while strengthening social welfare and economic stability.

Dr. Ravjot Singh stated that under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Budget reflects the government’s firm commitment to fulfilling its promises and delivering meaningful benefits to the people of Punjab.

He said that the government has proposed a total expenditure of ₹2,60,437 crore for the financial year 2026–27, while Punjab’s Gross State Domestic Product is projected to reach ₹9,80,635 crore, with an expected growth rate of around 10 percent, indicating strong economic resilience and a positive growth trajectory for the State.

The Minister said the Budget places significant emphasis on strengthening key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, employment generation and industrial development. He highlighted the government’s continued focus on improving public education through increased investment, expansion of Schools of Eminence and the introduction of major education reforms aimed at preparing Punjab’s youth for global opportunities.

Dr. Ravjot Singh also appreciated the government’s sustained efforts to strengthen the healthcare sector. He highlighted the expansion of Aam Aadmi Clinics and the implementation of the Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojna, which provides health insurance coverage of up to ₹10 lakh per family, ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare for every household in Punjab.

Welcoming the government’s major initiative for women’s empowerment, the Minister appreciated the announcement of the “Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojna”, under which ₹1,000 per month will be transferred directly to all adult women and ₹1,500 per month to women belonging to the Scheduled Caste community. He termed the scheme a transformative step towards strengthening women’s financial independence and dignity.

Dr. Ravjot Singh further said the Budget includes significant investments in rural and urban infrastructure, including road modernization, irrigation expansion and improved public services, which will boost economic activity and improve quality of life across the State.

Expressing confidence in the government’s vision, he said the Punjab Budget 2026–27 will accelerate the State’s development and contribute to building a prosperous and vibrant Punjab.

Chandigarh, March 8:

In another feather to his cap, the Chief Secretary, Punjab, KAP Sinha has been conferred the prestigious Director’s award for Service to the society.

An official spokesperson further revealed that the award has been conferred on the Chief Secretary by his alma mater IIT (ISM) Dhanbad from where he did his B. Tech in Mining Engineering (1989 Batch).

Mr. KAP Sinha has been awarded due to his immense contribution in serving the people as well as towards the societal development clearly exhibiting the leadership qualities and inspiring others.

CHANDIGARH, March 8:

          Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Sunday described the Budget for Financial Year 2026-27 as a landmark document that prioritises the health and well-being of every Punjabi.

          While hailing the budget presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr Balbir Singh stated that the health sector budget has been increased by 23% compared to the previous year, reaching ₹6,879 crore. He emphasised that this allocation will ensure accessible, affordable, and quality medical services across the state.

          The Health Minister highlighted that the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana is a historic reform providing universal health insurance of up to ₹10 lakh per family annually. An allocation of ₹2,000 crores is proposed in FY 2026-27 will benefit 65 lakh families in the state.

          To further strengthen primary healthcare, ₹351 crore has been earmarked for Aam Aadmi Clinics. Currently, 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics are providing 107 essential medicines and 47 diagnostic tests free of cost, and have recorded nearly 5 crore OPD visits, including 1.55 crore unique patients.

          Dr Balbir Singh said that 100 additional Aam Aadmi Clinics are being operationalised during the current year. In the coming year, 143 new Aam Aadmi Clinics will be operationalised, and 308 Subsidiary Health Centres will be transformed into Aam Aadmi Clinics to broaden coverage, taking the total number of Aam Aadmi Clinics setup by the Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government in five years to 1,432.

          Furthermore, a modern Trauma Centre will be established at Sri Anandpur Sahib to provide timely emergency and critical care services.

          In the field of Medical Education and Research, which received an allocation of ₹1,220 crore, Dr Balbir Singh noted that Punjab is rapidly becoming a premier medical education hub. He detailed that seven new medical colleges are being established in Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Sangrur, SBS Nagar, Lehragaga, Malerkotla, and Ludhiana, adding 600 new MBBS seats. Specifically for Malerkotla, 38.50 acres of land has been purchased at a cost of ₹49 crore for the new medical college.

          Extending his greetings on International Women’s Day, Dr Balbir Singh congratulated the women of Punjab for the launch of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojna. He lauded this as the world’s first universal cash transfer scheme, providing ₹1,000 per month to all adult women and ₹1,500 per month to those from the SC community. With a budgetary outlay of ₹9,300 crore, this scheme fulfils a major guarantee of the Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government, ensuring tangible financial security and dignity for nearly 97% of adult women across the state.

CHANDIGARH:

With more than 28,000 registrations already pouring in, the Bhagwant Mann Government is set to honour 14,100 women entrepreneurs across the state as part of its Women’s Day outreach, underscoring an aggressive push towards rural women-led growth. Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond announced that 100 top entrepreneurs will receive ₹25,000 each at a state level function on March 18, marking what the government describes as a large-scale recognition of women driven enterprise under the Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission (PSRLM).

Reviewing preparations through video conferencing, Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond stated, “The Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission is receiving an overwhelming response, with over 28,000 women registering for the felicitation events.” He directed officials to widely disseminate information about the series of events to ensure maximum participation and appealed to women entrepreneurs across the state to actively take part in the mega celebrations dedicated to women’s empowerment.

Outlining the state level programme, he continued, “The state level function will be held on March 18, 2026, during which the top 100 selected women entrepreneurs of Punjab will be awarded ₹25,000 each. The event will be live streamed at the district, block and gram panchayat levels to ensure that every village remains connected to the celebrations.”

Detailing the scale of the initiative, Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that felicitation events have already commenced at the block and constituency levels and will progress to the district level from March 12 before culminating in the state level function. He said, “From each constituency, 100 Self Help Group women entrepreneurs will be felicitated, totalling 11,700 women across the state. Similarly, from 23 districts, 2,300 women entrepreneurs will be honoured, with 100 from each district. At the state level, a committee will select the top 100 women entrepreneurs, who will be awarded ₹25,000 each.” In total, 14,100 women entrepreneurs will be honoured across Punjab.

Highlighting the broader impact of the mission, the Punjab Minister added, “PSRLM is working relentlessly to economically empower women from rural poor families by connecting them with Self Help Groups. Around 58,000 Self Help Groups are currently functioning in the state, with nearly six lakh rural women associated with them. The Punjab Government has provided a revolving fund of ₹30,000, a community investment fund of ₹50,000 and loan facilities at an interest rate of 7 percent to these beneficiaries.”

Emphasising the support framework, he further said that through the PSRLM, women are being provided financial assistance along with training, market linkages, banking support and access to social security schemes. These initiatives are enhancing the income of rural families and improving their social status.

Urging wider participation, Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond emphasised, “All stakeholders must help economically empower more women by connecting them with Self Help Groups so that the dream of Sashakt Mahila, Sashakt Punjab can be realised.”

The video conference was attended by Administrative Secretary Ajit Balaji Joshi, Joint Development Commissioner Shena Aggarwal, Director Rural Development and Panchayat Uma Shankar Gupta and Nodal Officer Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission Ramandeep Sharma among others.

Chandigarh, February 27 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the state government has taken several effective steps to enhance skills and generate employment opportunities for youth within the state. However, if any young person wishes to go abroad, the government has established a ‘Foreign Cooperation Department’ to assist them. This department helps youth in securing employment and education opportunities overseas.

The Chief Minister was responding to points raised by the opposition on the Governor’s Address during the ongoing Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on Friday. He said that the website of the ‘Foreign Cooperation Department’ provides information related to employment, education, trade, and investment abroad. In addition, it also lists authorized agents who are permitted to send individuals overseas. Through this website, youth can obtain details about the process of going abroad, required documents, and government assistance. He also appealed to the youth of the state not to fall prey to agents who send people abroad through illegal means.

The Chief Minister stated that the government is taking strict action against agents who send youth abroad through the illegal ‘donkey route.’ To curb fraud in the name of sending people abroad and to regulate travel agents, a law has already been enacted. The government is sending youth abroad through legal channels via HKRNS. He added that HKRNL has received in-principle approval for a Recruiting Agent license from the Ministry of External Affairs. Advertisements in this regard are being published by HKRNL from time to time.

The Chief Minister further informed that the Haryana Foreign Cooperation Department and Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited organized the Panchjanya-2026 programme on January 3. Under this initiative, offer letters were issued to 210 youth for employment in Dubai. So far, 390 youth have been sent to Israel in two phases and are getting a monthly salary of more than Rs. 3.38 lakh. He added that recently a demand for 10,000 workers has been received from abroad. Through Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam, advertisements have been issued to send 7,600 eligible beneficiaries to Israel and 100 beneficiaries to Oman. The selection process is currently underway.

Chandigarh, February 27 — Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, while speaking during the Budget Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, rejected the allegation that the state has been pushed into excessive debt and asserted that the government’s intent and fiscal direction are clear and responsible.

The Chief Minister stated that a comparison of debt growth between the previous Congress government and the present dispensation presents a factual picture. He informed the House that during the Congress tenure from 2004–05 to 2014–15, the state’s debt liabilities increased by 458.30 percent over a period of ten years. In contrast, during the ten-year period from 2014–15 to 2024–25 under the current government, debt liabilities have risen by 227.49 percent, which is less than half of the increase recorded during the Congress regime.

He further said that as per the Budget Estimates for 2025–26, the state’s fiscal deficit is projected to remain at 2.67 percent of GSDP, which is well within the 3 percent limit prescribed under the FRBM Act by the 15th Finance Commission. This, he emphasized, reflects prudent financial management and adherence to fiscal discipline.

Highlighting the state’s commitment to meeting its financial obligations, the Chief Minister informed that over the past ten years, the government has paid Rs. 3,66,016 crore towards debt servicing. This includes Rs. 1,61,796 crore as interest payments and Rs. 2,04,220 crore towards repayment of principal.

He categorically stated that both principal and interest payments are being made regularly and that there has not been a single instance of default in servicing debt installments or interest payments. This clearly demonstrates that the state’s debt position is sustainable and under control.