Tag Archives: PUNJAB

Chandigarh, Punjab

Perfect start for ‘Kheda  Watan Punjab Dian’ as CM tests his hand in volleyball court

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 29, 2022

Local Guru Gobind Singh Stadium witnessed perfect start for the Khedaan Watan Punjab Dian as the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself participate in a volleyball match to kickstart the games.

As soon as the Chief Minister finished his address in jam packed stadium and announcement was made for the commencement of volleyball match, the stage master, well realising  the keen interest of Bhagwant Mann in volleyball, urged him to play a match in the stadium. The young CM took no time to respond positively and went into the field to participate in the match. Massive applaud by the crowd cheered the Chief Minister for the match and he exhibited remarkable sportsmanship in the ground.

During the match, the ace services made by the Chief Minister gave tough times to the opponent team. Exhibiting remarkable sportsman spirit Bhagwant Mann ensured the victory of his team. His presence infused a new spirit amongst the players and the crowd that enthusiastically cheered up the teams.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that it is a remarkable day of his life as his youthful memories have been relived. He said that sports is the only means through which the unbounded energy of the youth can be channelised in a positive manner. Bhagwant Mann said that his government is committed for promoting sporting activities in the state adding that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that players from Punjab excel in national and international sports arena.

Chandigarh, Punjab

TRANSPORT MINISTER LALJIT BHULLAR APPOINTS MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTORS ON 11 VACANT POSTS TO SPEEDEN UP ISSUANCE OF FITNESS CERTIFICATES

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 27, 2022

Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar has appointed Motor Vehicle Inspectors (MVIs) on 11 vacant posts to reduce the ever-increasing burden of passing and issuing fitness certificates of old vehicles in the state.

          The Cabinet Minister said that only four MVIs under 11 RTA offices are currently looking after the work of passing and issuing fitness certificates to the old vehicles in 23 districts of the state. As a result, very little work could be done and files are piling up in the department. Responding to the complaints of delays, the minister made internal arrangements by appointing staff from Punjab roadways to reduce the workload and bring more transparency. Now, all 11 dedicated MVIs will work under 11 RTA offices.

          The Transport Minister said that apart from the previously posted MVIs, now MVI Preetinder Arora will look after the work of district Faridkot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Moga, Bathinda and Mansa, while MVI Sukhwinder Singh will see the work at district Fazilka and Ferozepur, MVI Merik Garg at district Ludhiana, MVI Gurinder Singh at district Jalandhar and Kapurthala, MVI Leela Singh at district Gurdaspur, MVI Madhu Pushap at district Pathankot, MVI Navdeep Singh at district Amritsar and Tarn Taran and MVI Jaspreet Singh will see the work of district Sangrur, Malerkotla and Barnala.

          Emphasizing on the resolution of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann of zero tolerance policy against corruption, the Transport Minister categorically asked, any officer or employee found involved in corruption will not be spared at all, thus officers should discharge their duty honestly.

Chandigarh, Punjab

PUNJAB GOVT SEEKS APPLICATIONS FROM NGOS FOR GIVING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: DR BALJIT KAUR

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 27, 2022

Chief Minister Bhagwant Maan led Punjab government is making continuous efforts for upliftment of Scheduled Castes and also extends help to NGOs for implementing schemes run by government for Scheduled Castes at grass root level.

          Giving information in this regard, the Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Punjab government takes help of these NGOs in implementation of SC oriented development schemes in lieu of which government provide them funds.

Giving details about eligibility criteria for the NGOs to claim funds, she added that the NGO should be actively working in the area of upliftment of SC people. The applicant NGO should be registered at least 3 years ago and should not be blacklisted at any level.

          Voluntary organizations desirous of receiving assistance under this scheme can apply for grants under the nominated projects listed in scheme. They should submit their proposal to the District Social Justice and Empowerment Officer of the concerned district within stipulated time and send it to the department through recommendation of the concerned Deputy Commissioner.

More information regarding these schemes can be obtained from E-mail ID: directowelfarepunjab@gmail.com or from the office of the concerned District Social Justice and Empowerment Officer.

          Complete information regarding this can be obtained from the website of Planning Department at pbplanning.punjab.gov.in. Interested organizations may submit their proposals to the Director, Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Department, Punjab S. C. O .No: 7, Phase- 1, S. A. S. Nagar (Mohali) by 6 September 2022.

Chandigarh, Chandigarh, Punjab

PUNJAB TAKES LEAD BY FELICITATING ITS CWG CONTINGENT WITH CASH PRIZE AS CM HONOURS 23 PLAYERS

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 27, 2022

Punjab today became the first state in country by felicitating its Commonwealth contingent with cash prize as the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday felicitated 23 sportspersons of Punjab who represented the country in recently concluded Games at Birmingham with cash prize worth Rs. 9.30 Crore.

“This is a humble effort from our government to recognise the massive efforts out by all you to bring laurels for the country” said the Chief Minister while addressing the gathering here at Municipal Bhawan.

Interacting with the players, the Chief Minister reiterated the firm commitment of state government to restore the pristine glory of the state in field of sports. He said that strenuous efforts are already being made by the state in this regard. Bhagwant Mann said that the sportsmen of the state are being honoured with cash prizes to encourage them and other budding players to excel in sports.

The Chief Minister asserted that our sportsmen have brought laurels for the state and now the onus lies on the state government to recognise these achievements.

Highlighting the dire need of sports infrastructure to match at world level, he said that we have inherited natural talent to excel in sports and given a chance these players will conquer the world with grit. However, Bhagwant Mann said that for this world class infrastructure coupled with professional coaches, diet and other facilities are required.

The Chief Minister unequivocally said that the state government has already enhanced the sports budget to build new stadiums at village level, from where the natural talent is produced but had been hitherto ignored. Talking about the sports extravaganza ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan’ starting from August 29, he envisioned that these games will boost the sporting activity in state by channelising unbounded energy of the players in a positive direction. Bhagwant Mann said that such concerted efforts will bear fruits by providing a platform to the players to excel in arena of sports.

The Chief Minister emphasised that to propel sports culture at schools, the state government is recruiting DP and PTI teachers on war footing. Sharing anecdotes with players, Bhagwant Mann also revealed love for sports and mentioned that he inherited the love for hockey from his father.

The Chief Minister also recalled the names of hockey legends such as Balbir Singh Senior, Surjeet Singh, Dhanraj Pillay, Gagan Ajit Singh and others who had brought fame for the country in Hockey. Terming Gurjant, Manpreet, Akashdeep and others as stars of contemporary times, he expressed hope that the country will conquer the world again with the help of these legends. Recalling the names of renowned Drag Flicker of Holland Floris Jan Bovelander, Tennis Players Martina Navrtilova and Boris Becker, Bhagwant Mann said that sports rules are changing drastically in prevailing times, so we have to adapt with these rules swiftly.

The Chief Minister specifically remembered Cricket Player Harleen Deol’s stunning catch against England and also extended warm wishes towards Women Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur. He said that it was a rare honour for him to be in the presence of illuminating sports gems. Bhagwant Mann asserted that massive efforts are afoot to revive the hockey team of Punjab Police, football teams of JCT Phagwara and Rail Coach Factory.

The Chief Minister said that 23 players from Punjab participated in Birmingham, out of which 19 players won three silver and four bronze medals. He handed over cash prize to Weightlifter Vikas Thakur, Men’s Hockey Players Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh, Hardik Singh, Varun Kumar, Krishan Pathak, Shamsher Singh, Jarmanjit Singh and Jugraj Singh, Women Cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol and Tania Bhatia, Weightlifters Harjinder Kaur, Lovepreet Singh and Gurdeep Singh and Women hockey player Gurjit Kaur. Apart from this, Judo player Jasleen Saini Judo, athlete Navjit Kaur Dhillon, cyclists Naman Kapil and Vishwajit Singh were also felicitated.

Meanwhile, the Sports Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer informed that Sports Budget has been increased 56 percent and logistics support have been created for sports. He informed that the Chief Minister will inaugurate ‘Khedan Wattan Punjab Diyan’ by playing Volleyball at Jalandhar on August 29.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Principal Secretary Sports Raj Kamal Chaudhary, Director Sports Rajesh Dhiman and others.

Chandigarh, Punjab

POWER SECTOR REFORMS GET A BOOST, WITH ALLOCATION OF RS. 25,237 CRORE WORKS UNDER RDSS SCHEME: POWER MINISTER

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 27, 2022

With the objective to supply 24×7 reliable power, the Punjab Government has approved an Action Plan of Rs. 25,237 Cr.  to improve the quality and reliability of power supply to the consumers. The reform-based and result-linked Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) is an ambitious flagship scheme aimed at improving the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of the distribution companies through a robust and sustainable distribution network.

          Disclosing this the Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said that under this scheme various infrastructure works like commissioning of 94 new 66 KV sub stations and installation and augmentation of 89 and 382 66/ 11 KV power transformers respectively shall be carried out. In addition to this, 2,015 circuit kilometers of 66 KV transmission lines shall be erected under this scheme for system strengthening and its modernization along with installation of 23,687 11KV distribution transformers and erection of 15,859 circuit kilometers of HT/LT lines.

          Similarly, for loss reduction, 600 circuit kilometers of 66 KV lines/underground cables shall also be erected along with installation of 2,83,349 new distribution transformers under High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS) and erection of 1,10,117 circuit kilometers of HT/LT lines shall be done.

          The Cabinet Minister further informed that in addition to above, IT enabling works like SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and OMS (Outage Management System), Customer Care Centers, Unified Billing Solution are also to be carried out.

          Notably, with the execution of all these works besides the loss reduction, reliability and quality of power supply in the state shall further be improved which will benefit more than one Crore electricity consumers of the state. Out of the total project amount of Rs. 25,237 Cr, grant of Rs. 11,632 Cr. will be provided by the Govt. of India as gross budgetary support under this scheme.

Chandigarh, Punjab

DECISIVE WAR AGAINST DRUGS: 327 DRUG SMUGGLERS/SUPPLIERS HELD WITH 11.73KG HEROIN, 20KG OPIUM, 9KG GANJA, Rs 20.07 LAKH DRUG MONEY IN A WEEK

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 24, 2022

Amid the ongoing decisive war against drugs launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Police have arrested 327 drug smugglers/suppliers after registering 230 first information reports (FIRs), including 31 commercial, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act across the state in the last one week. The Police have arrested 43 Proclaimed offenders (POs)/absconders in NDPS Act cases last week.

          Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Sukhchain Singh Gill, while addressing his weekly press conference here on Tuesday, said that the Police have also recovered 11.73Kg Heroin, 20Kg opium, 9Kg Ganja, 5.76 quintals of poppy husk, and 28k tablets/capsules/injections/vials of Pharma opioids besides recovering Rs 20.07 lakh drug money after carrying out cordon and search operations in drug-affected areas beside laying nakas at vulnerable routes across the state.

          Talking about new trends in drugs smuggling, he said that with Punjab Police has tightened the noose around the drug smuggling, the drug peddlers/suppliers are now adopting new ways to evade arrests by selling drugs in very little quantities— in milligrams and grams so that it could not be detected. “One latest trend has come to fore wherein drug smugglers smuggled drugs by concealing them in onion-loaded trucks to avoid the stink,” he added.     

          Recently, it has also been observed that supply from Abohar and Ferozepur sides is increasing and drug suppliers are now preferring public transport to smuggle drugs, to avoid checking, the IGP said, adding that intoxicant tablets are majorly being supplied from UP-Delhi side from areas of Saharanpur, Ghaziabad, Bahadurgarh via Haryana, while opium and poppy husk are mostly coming from MP-Rajasthan side.

 IGP Sukhchain Singh Gill said that the Punjab Police besides tightening the noose around the drug smugglers/suppliers, the Punjab Police have also waged war against anti-social elements and gangsters.

          Since Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government came to power, Punjab Police teams have successfully busted 67 criminal modules and arrested 301 gangsters besides neutralizing two dreaded gangsters in the encounter and recovered 640 weapons along with 174 magazines and 3364 cartridges from their possession. Apart from this, the Police teams have also recovered seven hand-grenades and five IEDs, he added. 

          Meanwhile, the DGP has strictly ordered all the CPs/SSPs to further tighten the noose around the drug smugglers by identifying all top drug smugglers and the hotspots infamous for drug smuggling in their jurisdictions and launching a combing operation to nab all those selling/smuggling drugs. He also directed the Police chiefs to effectively forfeit the property of all the arrested drug smugglers so that their ill-gotten money could be recovered.

Chandigarh, Punjab

AAM AADMI GOVERNMENT HAS HANDED APPOINTMENT LETTERS TO 17,313 YOUTH IN MERELY FIVE MONTHS: ASSERTS CM

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 24, 2022

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that in merely five months of assuming charge the Aam Aadmi government in the state has handed over appointment letters of government jobs to around 17,313 youth in the state.

Addressing the gathering here while handing over appointment letters to newly recruited 4358 constables in Punjab Police, the Chief Minister said that the state government has conducted the entire recruitment process in a transparent and fair manner. He asserted that merit had been the only criteria of selection in this recruitment drive. Bhagwant Mann further said that recruitment for filling 5739 more vacant posts of the Police department will be also embarked soon.

Exhorting the newly recruited constables in Punjab Police to update their expertise for eliminating crime and criminals from the state, the Chief Minister emphasised that it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction for them that all the recruits are highly qualified and well equipped with academic and technical knowledge. He asserted that this qualification can be very helpful with dealing with the crime and criminals in today’s era of technological advancement. However, Bhagwant Mann further said that as the criminals are devising new techniques of committing crime so the cops should also update their expertise for tackling crime and criminals efficaciously.

The Chief Minister said that he is elated to learn that youth with high academic qualifications have been successfully recruited for this challenging job. He revealed that out total 4358 candidates 103 are post graduates, 2607 are graduates and 1648 are senior secondary pass outs. Similarly, Bhagwant Mann said that 2930 constables fall in age group of 18-25 years whereas 816 fall in age group of 26-30 years. 

Congratulating the girls for excelling in every field, the Chief Minister asserted that though out of the total advertised posts 33% were reserved for the girls but due to their penchant for moving ahead the girls have got recruitment for more than posts reserved for them in the Punjab Police due to their enormous capabilities and capacities. He further said that this a positive sign for the development of a progressive and harmonious society. Bhagwant Mann emphasised that the state government is committed for ensuring the well being of the girls by imparting quality education to them.

Recalling the immense contribution of the state, the Chief Minister said that more than 90% of the martyrs who had attained martyrdom during the freedom struggle hailed from the state. Likewise, he said that even today the brave soldiers from state sacrifice their lives while protecting the borders of country. Bhagwant Mann emphasised that youth of the state have imbibed this spirit from great Sikh Gurus who have taught us to fight against tyranny, oppression and injustice.

The Chief Minister further said that employment in Police is not merely a job but a spirit to render service to the nation. He said that the Punjab Police has a glorious tradition of serving the country even in the most hostile conditions. Bhagwant Mann expressed hope that the new recruits will uphold this rich legacy inherited by them.

The Chief Minister asserted that the state government will leave no stone unturned for ensuring the welfare of the cops. Likewise, he said that there is no dearth of funds for equipping the Police with ultra modern technology to enhance their efficiency. Bhagwant Mann emphasised that Punjab being a border state has faced the enemies of the country since ages adding that the brave youth of state will continue to do so in future also.

Striking an emotional chord with the new recruits, the Chief Minister called on them to use their services for delivering justice to needy people in a fair and transparent manner. He further said that the cops must dispense their services honestly with utmost professional commitment so that people don’t face any problem and feel secure in the state. Bhagwant Mann expressed hope that newly recruited cops will work untiringly to maintain peace in state and maintain law and order.

Congratulating the new constables, the Chief Minister said that their selection to this job is result of their hard work, consistency and commitment. He asserted that the youth who have worked hard deserve this post as they have cleared the cut throat competition totally on merit basis. Bhagwant Mann further said that more such transparent recruitments are in pipeline and will be completed soon.

Earlier, the Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua welcomed the Chief Minister on the occasion. The Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav moved the motion of thanks.

On the occasion, Principal Secretary Home Anurag Verma and others were also present.

Chandigarh, Punjab

COMPLETE VACCINATION FOR LUMPY SKIN DISEASE IN ALL GAUSHALAS WITHIN THREE DAYS, ENSURE 50,000 VACCINATION DAILY; DIRECTION BY GROUP OF MINISTERS

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 24, 2022

The Group of Ministers (GoM), formed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to closely monitor the situation and take necessary steps for the control of Lumpy Skin disease (LSD) in the state, directed the officials of the animal husbandry department to vaccinate all the bovine in Gaushalas within three days.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Animal Husbandry Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar directed that the relief work should be carried out on a mission mode.

Asking to ensure the target of vaccinating 50,000 cattle per day, the Cabinet Ministers said, “We have to strictly deal with this calamity. And, the lackadaisical approach in the ongoing prevention work will not be tolerated.” They categorically instructed to issue show cause notices to the employees with poor performance, saying that all the holidays of the employees should be cancelled to ensure timely treatment to the animals. They also asked to use the generic medicines as per requirement.

While reviewing the ongoing operations to prevent African Swine Fever, the Ministers said that the guidelines of the “Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009” should be implemented in letter and spirit and the movement of pigs should be strictly banned.

Principal Secretary Mr. Vikas Pratap apprised the Ministers that till date, the animal Husbandry department has received 6.86 lakh doses of goat pox vaccine. Over 3.31 lakh cattle have been vaccinated, while more than 3.54 lakh doses of goat pox vaccine are available with the department. He informed that 1,08,958 animals are suspected to have been affected by the lumpy skin disease out of which 64,475 animals are cured. He emphasized that the vaccine is being administered totally free of cost.

He said that the animal husbandry department had received Rs.1 crore from the Rural Development Fund to purchase the medicine and logistics. To shun the practice of throwing the carcasses of dead animals in the open, the SOP has also been released to district administration for ensuring proper disposal of carcasses, said Mr. Vikas Pratap adding that besides deployment of 179 Veterinary interns and Para-veterinary students to different districts for the control of disease, school students are also roped in the awareness campaign among the livestock farmers regarding cause and spread of disease and safe consumption of milk from affected animals.

It was discussed that services of NGOs and other veterinary doctors may be taken, if need arises.

Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Finance Commissioner Rural Development & Panchayats K. Siva Prasad, Director Animal Husbandry Dr. Sanjeev Goel, Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice Chancellor, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana and Dr. SPS Ghuman, Dean of Veterinary Science College.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana: Withheld funds released after Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal raises issue before Union Panchayati Raj Minister

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 24, 2022

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil visited Punjab on Monday to attend the inaugural function of two-day national workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) in Panchayats being organized by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats at Crystal Resort near Chandigarh. On this occasion, Rural Development Minister Punjab, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, informed the Union State Minister that the funds of many central sponsored schemes related to rural development have been withheld by the union Panchayati Raj Department. He especially brought to the knowledge of the Union State Minister that funds under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) were pending for a long time with the union Panchayati Raj Ministry.

On the request made by the State Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal regarding the release of funds the Union Minister Kapil Moreshwar Patil immediately ordered to release Rs. 35.28 crore for building 10,654 new houses and to complete 7,293 under-construction houses besides State Government’s share of Rs 25.52 crore will also added to this.

Rural Development and Panchayat Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal wholeheartedly thanked the Union Minister for this initiative and said that now with the release of this amount 17,947 houses for poor people will be completed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) in the state.

He also hoped that the union government would soon release pending funds under MAGNREGA and other schemes so that the overall development of the villages could be accelerated.

Along with this, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal hoped that the central government would provide funds for the development of the villages of Punjab so that the standard of living of the people can be improved by improving the basic infrastructure including health, education, and drinking water in the villages of the state.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Punjab government to provide quality wheat seed, fertilizers and medicines to farmers at reasonable prices: Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal

Leave a comment

IEP CHANDIGARH AUGUST 24, 2022

The state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will provide quality wheat seed, fertilizers and medicines to the farmers at reasonable prices. Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal after a high-level meeting with PUNSEED, Punjab Agro and Agriculture Department officials here today sharing this information said that even a single grain of duplicate wheat seed will not be allowed to be sold in the market.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the base of our agriculture is seeds, so the Punjab government has taken a big initiative to provide quality seeds to the farmers at a reasonable price to save our farmers from the loot in the hands of private duplicate seed sellers.  The Agriculture Minister said that the Punjab government is making a concrete fool proof policy to make seeds available to the farmers through the government agencies PUNSEED, National Seed Corporation etc. These seeds will be made available to the farmers only through recognized dealers. Seeds will be provided to farmers without delay and the system for subsidy on seeds will be further simplified.

The Minister asked the officials to liaise with the National Seed Corporation to meet the shortage of seeds if need arises. Along with this, he issued strict directions to the officials to timely provide quality seed fertilizers and medicines to the farmers. ‘A solid plan should be prepared and presented by next week so that the farmers do not face any kind of hardship’, Dhaliwal directed the officials.

Prominent present in the meeting included Secretary Agriculture Department Arshdeep Singh Thind, MD PUNSEED Manjit Singh Sidhu, Director Agriculture Department Gurvinder Singh, besides officials of PUNSEED and Punjab Agro were also present.