IEP Chandigarh, August 23

          Amidst its ongoing campaign against corruption in the State, Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Naib Tehsildar and Patwari for preparing fake documents and vasiyat khangi of 14 kanal 11 marla land situated at khanouri.

          Arrested accused Naib Tehsildar has been identified as Darshan Singh, currently posted at Bareta, District Mansa, and accused Patwari has been identified as Balkar Singh.

          These arrests have been made and an FIR no. 29 dated 23.8.23 under sections 409, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B of IPC and 13(1)(A), 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at Police Station VB, Patiala  Range.

          An official spokesperson of the VB said that the then Kanoongo Darshan Singh, now Naib Tehsildar Bareta and Patwari Balkar Singh along with Tehsildar Vipan Bhandari in collusion with Deepak Raj of Khanauri Kalan prepared fake documents and vasiyat khangi of 14 kanal 11 Marla land situated at Khanouri.

          The VB teams from Patiala have arrested Patwari Balkar Singh and Naib Tehsildar Darshan Singh, while raids are being conducted to nab the third accused, the spokesperson said while adding that further Investigation is going on.

IEP Chandigarh, August 23

          Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Wednesday issued directions to the Deputy Commissioners of Sangrur and Kapurthala districts to take an immediate action to ensure that the private sugar mills falling in their districts make payment of all the pending dues to the cane farmers at the earliest.

          Mr Gurmeet Singh Khudian along with Special Chief Secretary Agriculture Mr. KAP Sinha lent a sympathetic ear to the grievances of cane farmers from Malwa and Doaba regions during the marathon meetings here at his office.

          Responding to the concerns raised by the cane farmers from Doaba region, Mr. Khudian directed the Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala Captain Karnail Singh to identify all the properties related to the defaulter owner of Golden Sandhar Mills Ltd, Phagwara so that the same could be attached and if default continues, to be sold to make payments of pending dues to the cane farmers.

          Earlier, during a meeting with cane farmers from Malwa region, the Agriculture Minister directed the Deputy Commissioner Sangrur Mr. Jitender Jorwal to take all possible steps to ensure that Bhagwanpura Sugar Mill Ltd., Dhuri makes payment to the tune of at least Rs 1 crore out of total pending dues to the farmers immediately. He also asked the Deputy Commissioner to make it sure that all the pending dues of these farmers should also be cleared in a time bound manner. 

          Reiterating that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government would not let the farmers of the state to be exploited by anyone, Mr Khudian asked the Deputy Commissioners of both districts to set an example for others by taking stringent actions in both these cases.

IEP Chandigarh/ Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar,August 23

          As the much-awaited moment of Chandrayaan 3’s moonlanding accomplished, the Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains along with exuberant students of Punjab government schools congratulated scientists of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the nation of this historic moment.

          Awaiting the proud moment to become a reality during the day, overwhelmed students have been enrolled in posters making, writing slogans, paintings and human chains since morning at the government schools across the state to send their cordial wishes for this ambitious mission. A wave of anticipation has swept through the schools, igniting fervent discussions and heartfelt messages for the ISRO. The mission mark a historic milestone as it aims to be first to land in this unexplored region, known for its shadowed craters that are believed to contain water.

          Sharing the excitement among the students, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “the whole state of Punjab is overwhelmed with successfull landing of Chandrayaan-3 on moon and we are extending our best wishes. Chandrayaan-3 was launched from ISRO Sri Harikota on July 14 thanks to the day and night work of astronauts. After a long journey of 40 days, it is now reached the moon.”

          Speaking about the excitement among students, the Cabinet Minister said that poster, painting and quiz competitions depicting this historical phenomenon has been organsied in all government schools of Punjab and student took part in these events fervently to congratulate Chandrayaan-3 on the moon landing and give good wishes. Heartfelt wishes from these young minds add to the excitement of the evening.

          In the day long events in the schools, while expressing their excitement students said that this historic event of Chandrayaan 3’s moon landing has filled them with immense pride and fervor. “We were eagerly looking forward to witnessing this historic achievement and we all are immensely proud of our scientists,” Students said.

IEP Chandigarh, August 23

Terming Chandrayan-3’s successful landing as a Red Letter Day of the History, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday congratulated the Nation and ISRO’s Scientists for this marvelous accomplishment, which showed the power of India to the world.

Witnessing this proud moment to become a reality through Television, the overwhelmed Chief Minister said that now this is the proven fact that India is going to become world power in near future and our scientists made the nation proud. He said that it is a blissful moment for all fellow Indians, which opened new window to explore life on the Moon. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that with this remarkable feat, India became the first country to softly land a spacecraft on the Moon’s South Pole.

IEP Chandigarh/Jaipur, August 23, 2023

The Punjab Government today announced a host of strategic initiatives to launch the first ever Punjab Tourism Summit and Travel Mart which will be held in Mohali from September 11-13 to position the state as the most preferred destination for tourism encompassing its rich heritage, traditions, art forms, and customs.

          The Punjab Travel Mart aims to bring the country’s forward looking tourism professionals to Punjab and catapult the state as a top tourist destination. The event will also see participation of foreign and domestic tour operators, DMCS, DMOS, travel trade media, travel influencers, hotel operators, B&B and farm stays owners, tourism boards, etc.

          Five cities – Amritsar, Roopnagar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Fatehgarh Sahib have emerged as top draws for foreign tourists and the Department of Tourism is now on a fast track to bring the state to the forefront of Indian tourism and be a leading international tourist destination by 2030.

          The Department of Tourism inaugurated its four-city roadshow here at the Marriott Hotel to showcase the initiatives taken by the state government to promote tourism. The next roadshows will be held in Mumbai (August 24), Hyderabad (August 25), and Delhi (August 26). The inaugural roadshow here was attended by Chief Guest Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Investment Promotion, Punjab, and Guest of Honour Ms. Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, IAS Principal Secretary Tourism and Cultural Affairs.

          Commenting on the initiatives undertaken by the Punjab Government, Ms. Anmol Gagan Mann said, “The Punjab Government, led by  Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Singh Mann, is working relentlessly to promote tourism in the state that would increase footfall from both international and domestic sectors. This in turn will provide maximum employment opportunities for women and youth. To achieve this, the government has launched a host of initiatives like Invest Punjab, fiscal incentives on tourism in Industrial Policy 2022, Introduction of Wellness Policy, Revision of Eco Tourism and Culture Policy, and Implementation of Adventure Tourism & Water Tourism Policy, etc. We strongly believe all the initiatives in cohesion will enhance the image of the state in terms of ease of doing business and bring in more tourists both national and international.”

          The primary objective of Invest Punjab is to become a one-stop office for investment promotion, regulatory clearances, investment facilities, and after care. This has played a key role in Punjab being featured among the top states in the Ease of Doing Business in India in 2022.

          In terms of the state as a film shooting venue, Invest Punjab has given permission to 90 films so far. Aimed at bringing in transparency and efficiency to the process, the portal has ensured that the entire process from application to payment of fees is online and seamless, all within 15 days.

          The fiscal incentives on tourism in Industrial Policy 2022 offers benefits to hotels that have twenty or more rooms, subject to fulfilment of Punjab Urban Planning and Development Building Rules, 2021, units for Meetings, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), which are basically hotels with facilities for a large group to hold meetings and includes at least one Convention Hall or Exhibition Hall, and media and entertainment that are specially created for tourists like amusement parks, adventure parks, tourism parks, any special theme parks, or infrastructure related to the promotion of cinematic tourism.

          The new fiscal incentives on tourism in Industrial Policy 2022 are focused on encouraging entities to invest in eco-tourism units /farm stays/home stays and tented accommodation; camping units/caravan tourism, adventure /water tourism projects, heritage hotels, and film Production/ cinematography. The Government of Punjab has also rolled out lucrative fiscal incentives on tourism in the Industrial Policy 2022 that aims to boost the service sector.

          Punjab Tourism’s focus in the coming years will be on adventure and water tourism, wellness tourism and agri / eco-tourism with heightened emphasis on the development of home and farm stays in rural areas. The government is also keen to enhance the role of women in tourism as this leads to their empowerment, thereby improving quality of life and livelihood.

IEP Chandigarh, August 22

Haryana Transport Minister, Sh. Mool Chand Sharma, resolved 9 out of 12 complaints during a meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievance Redressal Committee held today at Sonipat. He directed the Officers to prioritise addressing public grievances.

In addition to the agenda, he also addressed the complaints raised during the meeting. He directed the relevant authorities to resolve the issues on the spot and emphasised the need to address the complaints presented by committee members.

During the meeting, complaints related to the Police Department, Revenue, Pollution Control Board, Irrigation, Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Department, and Transportation, among other departments, were discussed.

In one such case, Sh. Sharma previously had issued stern directives to the concerned officials during the last meeting, which had been implemented and the complainant expressed satisfaction with the resolution.

He also announced that the state government would provide free travel for women on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

Sharma, said that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi at the national level and Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal in the state, comprehensive development is taking place and the RCC road from Neemka to Sadpura and from Sadpura to Fatupura Road will be completed by Diwali at a cost of approximately Rs.6 crore.

Sh. Mool Chand Sharma was addressing the gathering at the inauguration of RCC road at village Sadpura, Faridabad.

He said that in his Ballabgarh assembly constituency, extensive development works have been rapidly undertaken since 2014 in every sectors including education, healthcare, electricity, water supply, sanitation, and road construction, with investments worth crores of rupees. Neemka to Sadpura 1280 meter long 18 feet wide RCC road with an amount of Rs 289.50 lakh and Sadpura to Fatupura 2 kilometer long and 18 feet wide RCC road with an amount of Rs 311.37 lakh will be ready by Diwali.

He further said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, the country is moving forward, and the day is not far when India will once again be known as the “Golden Bird” and a world leader.

IEP Chandigarh, August 22

           Social Security, Women and Child Development Department is continuously working for the welfare of the Divyang(disabled) in the state. Accordingly, the Minister for Social Security, Women, and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, held a meeting with representatives of the Disabled Association.

          Divulging in this regard, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that in various departments, corporations and boards of Punjab, filling up of vacant and backlog posts related to disabled people, promotion of disabled employees, demands related to disabled sportspersons. On various issues related to pensions of disabled class, bank loans, other legitimate demands of providing facilities to the disabled will be resolved soon.

          The  Minister also said that the Punjab government is committed to make life easier for the disabled people in the state. The minister assured the association’s representatives during the meeting that their legitimate demands will be considered and resolved.

          On this occasion, Special Chief Secretary of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Mrs. Raji P. Srivastava, Director of the Social Security Women and Child Development Department, Ms. Madhvi Kataria, and Additional Director S. Charanjit Singh were present.

IEP Chandigarh, August 22

To provide an opportunity for the students to profoundly understand the Police system from close quarters and to become active partners in governance and security, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday launched the Student Police Cadet (SPC) Scheme in the state. In the First Phase, over 11,200 selected students of the 8th standard of 280 Government Schools also participated in the function via Video Conferencing.

Divulging details about the scheme, the Chief Minister said that the course curriculum formulated by Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) is to be imparted over a period of two years for class 8th students from the current academic year 2023-24. The same students would continue with the Scheme in class IX in the academic year 2024-25. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has allocated Rs. 50,000 per annum to each school for implementation of the Scheme and the scheme will be implemented in 28 districts (23 Revenue Districts and Five Police Districts) of the state. Under the scheme, 40 students have been enrolled from 10 selected schools of each district, taking the total tally to 11,200 students.

The Chief Minister informed that one class per month is to be conducted for indoor course completion, thus not leading to any significant increase in the regular school curriculum of the students, while half day twice a month to be kept for the outdoor activities preferably after the school hours or on the weekends. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this initiative has been taken to provide an opportunity for the students to become familiar with the Police functioning from close quarters and to become active partners in governance and security.

The Chief Minister said that as per the scheme, the students would visit Police Offices, Police Stations, cyber cells, forensic science labs, police training centers and other government institutions as part of their curriculum. He said that students will also be made aware of traffic rules and regulations awareness program, participation in Republic/Independence day parades, unarmed combat training, training on Legal rights and laws, Internship program with the Police during different law and order duties, Other activities to engage students meaningfully in serving society, Courses on Character Building and Values.

Speaking about the subjects to be taught under this Scheme, the Chief Minister said that students will get deep insights about various topics including An overview on SPC, Crimes in Trends, Cyber Crime, Road Safety, Safety of Children, Awareness session on drug abuse, Corruption, Female Feticide, Domestic Violence, First Aid, Emergency response to Disasters and Quiz contest.

The Chief Minister informed that the Community Affairs Division, Police and Department of Education are the Coordinating departments to implement the Student Police Cadet Scheme. The teachers will be resource persons to conduct one indoor while two and half day outdoor classes in coordination with Police Officials posted in Saanjh Centers of the Police Department. He said that a special training program regarding Student Police Cadet Scheme has also been organised in which 269 school teachers and 59 Saanjh Officials were given training regarding implementation of this scheme effectively.

On this occasion Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and other senior officials of Civil and Police Administration were also present.

IEP Chandigarh, August 22

Punjab Public Works and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday said that the roads leading to the religious places of the district Tarn Taran will be repaired on the priority basis so that the pilgrims visiting these places should not face any inconvenience.  He expressed these views while laying the foundation stone of the special repair work of Fatehabad-Chohla Sahib road.

          Giving details about this project, the Public Works Minister said that the special repair of 21 Km long Fatiabad-Chohla Sahib road would be completed at the cost of Rs 13.46 crores. He said that this road connects two important National Highway NH-54 and NH-703. He said that this road also connects the historic towns of Khadur Sahib, Fatehabad, Chapari Sahib, Dehra Sahib and Chohla Sahib in Tarn Taran district. He said that after construction of this road would be maintained by the same contractor for next 5 years.

          Referring to the efforts being made by the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to provide employment opportunities to the youth, the Minister said that jobs have been provided to more than 31 thousand youth on merit basis. He said that the Power department and PWD has also recruited a number of employees under this employment drive. He said that Punjab government has also chalked out a comprehensive stretegy to promote solar energy in the state.

          On this occasion, MLA Khadur Sahib Manjinder Singh Lalpura said that Fatehabad-Chohla Sahib road was in bad shape since long. Thanking Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh E. T.O, he said that unpleasant incidents would also be avoided with the repair of this road.

IEP CHANDIGARH, August 22

          In order to protect Non-Government Organisations (NGOs)/Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) from being misused for terror funding or money laundering, Punjab Police in collaboration with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Central Board of Direct Taxation (CBDT) organised a 1-day workshop at Amity University in Mohali on Tuesday. FATF is an intergovernmental organisation that promotes policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

          As many as 130 members from 100 NGOs from various districts of Punjab participated in this workshop. IGP Internal Security Nilabh Kishore, OSD FATF Cell Rimjhim Pandey, Income Tax Officer Mr Abhineet and Jt Deputy Director, Union Ministry of Home Affairs Ashwine Rathore were among the dignitaries, who shared valuable knowledge with the participants in order to protect them from abuse by Terror Organizations. 

          IGP Nilabh Kishore said that the intent to organise this workshop was to sensitise NGOs about the various provisions of FATF and Income Tax related to charitable institutions to protect them from being misused for Terror Funding (TF).

          Meanwhile, all members of NGOs participated very enthusiastically in the workshop and thanked the Punjab Police and the Ministry of Finance for enlightening them about this aspect of misuse by Terror Organisations.