IEP Chandigarh, December 06

As the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic ebb, we are beginning to witness a massive surge in international travel both for work and leisure. India, in fact, has seen a jump of 3X in international travellers this year, which is likely to double next year.

In order to make staying connected easy, intuitive and compelling, Airtel has launched ‘Airtel World Pass’. The World Pass revolutionises the experience for all international travel because it works seamlessly across 184 countries. So even if you are en-route at an Airport or travelling to two or more countries one pack now covers all your roaming needs.

This change comes on the back of extensive customer research conducted by Airtel that showed that many customers find International Roaming packs in general confusing across the whole global Telco industry. As a result, many are not connected when they want to be. Or they seek complex alternatives of temporary connections abroad. Airtel has now solved this problem structurally with the launch of the Airtel World pass.

Commenting on the launch of the Airtel World Pass, Shashwat Sharma, Director Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel said, “At Airtel, our mission is to solve customer problems so that our experience speaks for itself. The feedback that we have heard on international travel related concerns has compelled us to launch a defining proposition for our customers – the Airtel World Pass. This offers our customers one pack for the globe, significantly greater value, allows them to control what they use on the app and allows for emergency data usage long after the pack allowance is over.” 

“With Airtel World pass, we have set a new standard in the global telecom industry. I am certain our customers will benefit hugely from it as they travel the world, keeping their phones switched on, no matter where they are. As a matter of fact, our new plans offer significantly better value than travel or local sims in most countries.” Sharma added.

Airtel World Pass – Key Features

·                       One Plan for travel to 184 countries. No confusion over which zone or pack to select. No need for multiple packs across multiple countries or transit airports

·                       24X7 Call centre support for the customer from any corner of the world, absolutely free of cost. A dedicated number 99100-99100 available on call and WhatsApp for all international travelling customer, serviced with a network and experience specialist squad for a real-time resolution of issues.

·                       Special Packs for long stay/frequent travellers – Prepaid and postpaid packs specifically designed for frequent travellers and long stay customers that offer up to 1 year validity at an affordable cost.

·                       Plans packed with significantly higher value for customers. In addition, customers will have Unlimited data available for emergency usage and messaging applications.

·                       All control in the customers hand where they can manage their entire International roaming needs on the Airtel Thanks app, with updates on usage, billing amount or addition of data or minutes as needed.   

IEP Chandigarh, December 5

Customer favourite, Veg Surprise Burger is back on as part of the menu at McDonald’s India- North and East.

A complete value for money, the Veg Surprise Burger is priced at INR 65, available à-la-carte or with Value Meals and Double Patty variant at McDonald’s restaurants in North and East India or through McDelivery including Swiggy, Zomato and Magic Pin by takeaway or drive-thru.

IEP Chandigarh, November 30, 2022

The visit of the External Peer Review Committee chaired by Dr Satish Kumar, Chairman, Armaments Research Board, Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, GOI, to the campus of Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University,) Chandigarh, concluded today after a hectic schedule of three days. The committee members after multiple interactions and a lot of discussions during the visit prepared and finalised the report on 30th November 2022. The prepared report will be submitted to the Board of Governors for further assessment.The visit started on 28th November 2022 intending to evaluate the academic and administrative functioning and prepare a roadmap for the institute.The visit started with a detailed presentation made by Prof. Baldev Setia, Director-PEC, apprising the committee members of the functioning of PEC, followed by presentations by deans about their respective domains. The presentation was followed by the committee members visiting the Central Facilities, including Computer Centre, Library, Career Development & Guidance Centre, Semiconductor Research Facility, and Central Research Facility.

The second day of the visit started with the members of the committee visiting various departments and labs on the campus in which the head of the departments made interactive presentations about their departments, followed by lab visits and meetings with all the stakeholders, including the faculty members, PEC students, staff members and the PEC alumni.

IEP Chandigarh, November 17

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar said that Haryana is leading in crop production and horticulture, the more we praise, the less it is. Today it is essential for farmers to cultivate new crops and use advance technology to produce better quality.  It is a matter of immense pleasure that Haryana Farmers and the state government is adopting such advance methods of agriculture, he added. Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar was speaking at the inauguration of 30 integrated pack houses across the state at Aterna village in Sonipat. On this occasion, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. J.P  Dalal was also present.While attending the programme, Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar first inaugurated 30 integrated pack houses established across the state and lauded the schemes being launched by the Haryana Government for the welfare of farmers.  He said that 30 pack houses are being set up across the state through FPOs in Haryana.  The Haryana Government has been making concrete efforts to set up 500 pack houses instead of 100 pack houses in the state. This initiative will change the image of Haryana in the field of Horticulture.Sh. Tomar said that the Government of India led by the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has been working in the interest of farmers. For the welfare of the farmers, the central government has deposited Rs. 2.17 lakh crore in their accounts under the Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.  The Minimum Support Price was fixed twice for Rabi and Kharif crops and farmers are getting huge benefit from this initiative of the government.  Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar further said that the Haryana Government has adopted and implemented schemes on the tune of schemes launched by Central Government. He also praised the Haryana government for starting an insurance scheme for fruits and vegetables.Haryana, a leading state in farming- TomarSh. Narendra Singh Tomar said that Haryana is the leading state in agriculture.  The farmers of Haryana have taken innovative measures in the last 7 to 8 years.  The Haryana Government has also helped the farmers to purchase other cereal grains.  He said that growth in agriculture is the results of the new schemes of the Central Government.  He also appreciated the constructive steps being taken by Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Sh.. J. P Dalal in the agriculture sector.The Central and Haryana Government know the importance and priority of agricultureSh. Narendra Tomar said that India is an agricultural country.  The importance of agriculture has been taken on priority basis by the Central and Haryana Government. Long ago, knowing the problem of the farmers, the central government purchased the crop by setting up more purchase centres. During that period, the sowing of crop was more than the previous years and the export of agricultural products was worth of Rs. 3.45 lakh crore.Haryana Government has number of schemes of the welfare of farmers– JP DalalHaryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. J. P Dalal welcomed the Union Agriculture Minister, Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar on his arrival in Haryana.  He said that Haryana is a state of farmers and has number of farmers’ welafre schemes including Crop Insurance Scheme, Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, purchase of crops on MSP, proper arrangement of mandis etc.  He said that under the guidance and vision of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal, pack houses have been set up in the state through FPOs.  This step will benefit the farmers in the coming days.Sh. J. P Dalal said that today there are 11 excellence centers in the state, through which maximum plants are being prepared and distributed to the farmers.  Farmers of Haryana are availing the benefit of crop insurance scheme. The Haryana government has formed a Pond and Wastewater Management Authority for the renovation of ponds.Sh. J. P Dalal said that cold stores, pack houses are being set up in the state.  The world’s largest vegetable market is being set up in Gannaur, which will be spread over 550 acres with the expenditure of Rs 10,000 crore. This will provide employment opportunities to thousands of people.100 Pack Houses will be set up in Haryana this year- Sumita MisraAdditional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Smt. Sumita Misra informed that so far 33 pack houses have been set up in Haryana while work is under process to set up 35 more pack houses.  A target has been taken to set up 100 pack houses by this year. She said that the vision of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi is being implemented at the grass root level under the guidance of Chief Minister Sh. Manohar Lal.On this occasion MP, Sonipat, Sh. Ramesh Chander Kaushik also welcomed and congratulated Union Minister, Sh. Narendra Singh Tomar on his arrival in Sonipat.  MLA, Sh. Mohan Lal Badoli, Director General of Agriculture Department, Sh. Hardeep Singh, Director General of Horticulture Department, Sh. Arjun Singh Saini and other senior officers were present on the occasion.

IEP CHANDIGARH

The special cordon and search operation carried out by the Punjab Police on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann yielded successful results after Police teams have apprehended as many as 98 persons, including three proclaimed offenders, involved in different crimes. A total of 97 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered in this regard.          Sharing the outcome of the CASO operation carried out across the state on Tuesday, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said that over 12000 Police Personnel under the supervision of ADGsP/IGsP and concerned CPs/SSPs carried out CASO across the state.          He said that the police teams have recovered 1Kg Heroin, Rs 10.91 lakh drug money, 158ltrs Illicit Liquor, 660kg lahan, 103kg poppy husk, 19kg Bhang and 10460 intoxicant tablets. Apart from this, the police have also recovered two pistols, one rifle and one gun along with ammunition and 30 motorcycles during the five hour long operation.          Meanwhile, DGP Gaurav Yadav had joined ADGP Community Affairs Division and Women Affairs Gurpreet Kaur and Commissioner of Police (CP) Ludhiana Mandeep Singh Sidhu in Ludhiana to personally supervise the operation in different areas of the Ludhiana Commissionerate. Similarly, ADGP Ishwar Singh supervised CASO in SAS Nagar, ADGP Dr Jitendra Kumar Jain in Fazilka, ADGP Shashi Prabha Dwivedi in Patiala, ADGP Dr Naresh Arora in Fatehgarh Sahib, ADGP Ram Singh in Jalandhar Commissionerate, ADGP AS Rai in Amritsar Commissionerate, ADGP Anita Punj in Jalandhar Rural, ADGP G Nageswara Rao in Bathinda, ADGP Vibhu Raj in Malerkotla and ADGP LK Yadav in Ludhiana Rural.

IEP Chandigarh November 4

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested the accused commission agent Anil Jain, owner of Shri Krishna Rice Mill, Sawaddi, in Ludhiana district, in the case already registered by the Bureau against the contractors for getting labour cartage and transportation tenders in the grain markets at higher rates in connivance with officials. He was produced in court today and remanded for TWO days police custody.Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the VB said that during the arrest of accused Jain, his Innova car has also been taken into possession and one briefcase containing documents has also been recovered from the car and further investigation is in process.He informed that accused Anil Jain has been arrested in a case under FIR No. 11 Dated 16-08-2022, under section 420, 409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of IPC and 7, 8, 12, 13(2) of prevention of corruption act registered at police station VB range Ludhiana Range in which contractors/tenderers namely Telu Ram and others are included.The spokesperson further added that in this case accused Telu Ram, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and commission agent Krishan Lal Dhotiwala have already been arrested and all are in judicial custody. He informed that the accused Anil Jain was nominated later on during investigation and was avoiding his arrest and his anticipatory bail application was also dismissed by the High Court.Revealing more details he said commission agent Anil Jain has also been charged with allegations of bringing Paddy at lesser rates from other states like UP, Bihar etc. in his rice sheller and was selling the same after mixing with purchased paddy of Government quota stored in his sheller. He also used to store paddy purchased by him in his own sheller in violation of the milling policy of State.He further added that Anil Jain was arrested by a VB team from his sheller at village Swaddi Kalan, after putting efforts for 6 hours approximately in the presence of police officials of police station Sidhwan Bet besides Sarpanches of Swaddi (West) and Swaddi (East) and other respectable persons of adjoining villages. He said the accused has called his family members and workers in the seller and locked himself in a room to evade his arrest. He was arrested in the presence of above mentioned responsible persons and family members after breaking the door of room.

IEP Chandigarh, October 14

Haryana State Election Commissioner, Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that conducting free, transparent and fair elections is a very important task.

“Departments including Police, Health, Power, Excise and Taxation and others should work amicably to ensure peaceful, free and fair poll,” added Sh. Dhanpat Singh, while chairing the state-level meeting with the top official regarding the conduct of general elections of three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the State held in Panchkula today.

Director General of Police, Sh. P.K Agarwal, top officials of the Education Department, Panchayat Department, Information, Public Relations and Language Department remained present in the meeting.

Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that Panchayat elections are being conducted in different phases in the state. In the second phase, voting will be held in 9 districts namely, Ambala, Charkhi Dadri, Gurugram, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Rewari, Rohtak, Sirsa and Sonipat.

In these districts, voting for members Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti will be held on November 9, and on November 12 polls for the posts of Sarpanch and Panch will be held, shared Sh. Dhanpat Singh.

The State Election Commissioner said that with the election announcement, the model code of conduct has come into force in the rural areas of the above nine districts with immediate effect.  There will be a complete ban on the transfer of officers or employees deputed for election duty.

He further informed that the state government cannot announce any new schemes, new projects etc. in the rural areas of these districts. In the districts where the model code of conduct is in force, the government cannot inaugurate or lay the foundation stone for any building, project, etc.

Booths in sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas will be closely monitored

Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that elaborate arrangements are being made by the police for the conduct of elections in a fair, transparent and peaceful manner. Further immediate action should be taken if someone is found posing with an unlicensed weapon. Police will also be responsible for ensuring the safety of the EVMs. An adequate police force shall be deployed to maintain law and order at the polling stations and extra police force will be provided in sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas. Police patrol should be increased in villages, he added.

The uninterrupted power supply should be ensured at the polling booths

Sh. Dhanpat Singh directed the Power Department to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply at the polling booths. In the polling booths where there is any problem related to electricity, the department should visit these booths in advance and ensure better arrangements there.

He further directed the Education, Technical Education and Industrial Training Departments that if any repair is required in the educational institutions where polling booths are to be set up, it should be completed well in advance. Arrangements of ramps etc. should be made at these places so that Persons With Disabilities and the elderly can easily cast their votes.

Adequate arrangements should be made for clean drinking water and cleanliness in toilets at all polling booths, directed Sh. Dhanpat Singh.

Police and Excise Department to closely monitor the sale of illegal liquor

Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that the police and the Excise and Taxation Department should keep a close watch on the sale of illicit liquor during elections. Regular raids and patrolling should be done continuously in those areas where any suspicious activities are reported.

A complete ban on the purchase and sale of liquor in these areas should be ensured a day before the polling and on the day of polling and counting of votes. There will be a complete ban on the sale of liquor within one kilometre of the polling area, said Sh. Dhanpat Singh.

Panchayat election activities can be seen on the ‘Mhari Panchayat’ portal

Sh. Dhanpat Singh said that this time all the activities related to Panchayat elections can be seen on the ‘Mhari Panchayat’ portal developed by NIC. In this, the nominations of the candidates, the final lists of the contesting candidates will be uploaded. Besides this, an e-dashboard has been prepared for the day of polling and counting so that anyone can see the poll trends, voting percentage and final results sitting at home, informed Sh. Dhanpat Singh.

COVID protocol and arrangements for first aid should be ensured at every polling booth

Sh. Dhanpat Singh directed the Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department that the guidelines and directions issued regarding COVID-19-related protocol should be meticulously followed during elections. Besides this, complete arrangements for first aid in the nearest dispensary, primary health centre, community health centre or general hospital should also be ensured in case of any injury during elections.

State Election Commission Secretary, Dr. Inderjit, Additional Director Information (Admn), Public Relations and Languages Department, Smt. Varsha Khangwal, Joint Director (Admn), Sh. Aman Kumar and other senior officers also remained present in this meeting.

IEP Chandigarh, October 13

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau during its campaign against corruption in the State on Thursday arrested an ASI Sukhdev Singh posted at Malout City police station in a bribery case.

          Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said this case has been registered on a complainant filed by Des Raj of Sri Muktsar Sahib against the said ASI on an anti-corruption helpline of the Bureau.

          He said that during the investigation of this complaint, it was found that a police case had been registered against the above said complainant in police station City Malout. This case was being investigated by the  accused ASI and now he had demanded a bribe from the complainant to present the challan of this case in the court.

          He informed that during the probe the allegations were found to be true and a corruption case has been registered against the said police personal at the Vigilance Bureau Police Station, Bathinda under the Prevention of Corruption Act and further investigation was under progress.

IEP Chandigarh, October 06

The Punjab government led by Chief Minister, Mr. Bhagwant Mann is striving to provide basic facilities and a clean environment to the people of the state.  Working in this direction, Punjab Government has already approved worth Rs 40 Crores to provide water supply and sewerage facilities to Rajpura town, this project is under progress. After reviewing the work of this project, Local Government Minister Dr.Inderbir Singh Nijjar has directed the officials of the department to complete this work at earliest.Giving more information in this regard, Local Government Minister, Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that to provide water supply facility in the limits of Municipal Council, Rajpura, new motors of water works, 02 Numbers boosting Tubewells at Nalas Road and Ekta Colony is included in this project.  Similarly, the work of laying DI pipelines from Ganda Kheri to water works is also included under this project to increase the capacity of water supply.The Cabinet Minister further informed that sewage lines will be laid in 49 kms areas and water supply lines in 35 kms area in Rajpura town.  He said that about 25000 people of Rajpura will get the benefit of water supply and sewage system.The Minister said that,  Punjab government led by Mr. Bhagwant Mann is committed to provide corruption free administration to the people of the state.  Therefore, they have given instructions to the officials to ensure transparency in the work.Mr. V.K.  Sharma, CEO, Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board said that 55 percent of water supply and 80 percent of sewerage work has been completed.  He has instructed the officials of the department that this project should be completed within the stipulated time.