Cabinet Minister's grand gift to Changar region folks: Construction of 18-Foot Road from Tarapur to Samlah Commences
Chandigarh, September 26:Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains has initiated the construction of an 18-foot wide road from Tarapur to Samlah in the Changar region, falling under the Sri Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency. This project would ensure comprehensive development in the area.
Elaborating in this regard, Harjot Singh Bains said that the residents of the Changar region have faced significant hardships for nearly seven decades due to the lack of proper transportation infrastructure.
He informed that the Punjab government had previously constructed a 7-kilometer long, 12-foot wide road from Tarapur to Samlah for Changar residents, which had become extremely difficult to navigate. The decision has been made to repair this road and widen it to 18 feet, said the Cabinet Minister, adding that this project will cost Rs.2.99 crore and is scheduled to be completed and dedicated to the people of Changar within six months. The improved road will facilitate smoother access to the area's historical and religious sites, he added.
Notably, the area from Tarapur to Samlah is part of the Changar region, bordering Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Due to the lack of proper transportation facilities in this semi-hilly terrain, local residents have been experiencing severe inconveniences. The existing 12-foot wide road is inadequate for transportation, but today marks the commencement of its expansion to 18 feet.
Changar residents are highly praising Cabinet Minister for this initiative. The construction of this road signifying the fulfillment of promises made by Harjot Singh Bains to the Changar community, earning him considerable appreciation.
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Mann Government's school bus service transforming students' lives: Harjot Singh Bains
School bus service proves boon for 7,698 girls and 2,740 boys
Chandigarh, September 26:The school bus service initiated by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government for state-run schools to facilitate students and reduce dropout rates, has brought about a constructive change in the lives of students.
While revealing this, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that the Punjab government has launched bus services for approximately 200 schools across the state, including 118 Schools of Eminence. He said that this transportation facility benefitting 10,448 students, comprising 7,698 girls and 2,740 boys.
The Cabinet Minister said that 4,304 girl students are availing themselves of travel facilities for distances between 10 to 20 kilometers, while 1,002 girls are benefiting from services covering distances exceeding 20 kilometers.
The Education Minister informed that the SGRM Girls School in Zira, Ferozepur district has the highest number of beneficiaries, with 712 girls students using the bus service. This is followed by 645 girls from the government school, Mall Road, Bathinda; 466 from Girls School, Nehru Garden, Jalandhar; 399 from Kotkapura; 300 from Government Girls School, Sri Anandpur Sahib and 200 girl students from Girls School, Gobindgarh in district Fatehgarh Sahib.
This facility has also curtailed the trend of students, especially girls, dropping out midway through their school education, categorically said the Cabinet Minister, adding that the Punjab government is gradually expanding the scope of this bus service.
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CONSTRUCTION WORK OF KIRATPUR SAHIB HEALTH CENTER BEGINS AFTER EFFORTS OF HARJOT SINGH BAINS
Chandigarh, September 26-Fulfilling a long-standing demand for improved health facilities in Kiratpur Sahib, Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains has initiated the renovation work of the Primary Health Center in this historic city.
Divulging details, S. Bains said that Rs.1.67 crore project will feature an air-conditioned block, an air-conditioned vaccination room, a training hall with a generator set, a new sewerage line with general repairs.
S.Bains said that Kiratpur Sahib, blessed with grace of six Guru Sahib, is a very important place as it lies on the border of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and the primary health center at Kiratpur Sahib was providing health care facilities to the people around it.
However, due to the old building of the primary health center, the health department was facing problems to streamline the working. In view to resolve the issue, this renovation work has been initiated.
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Vigilance Bureau arrests PSPCL JE for accepting Rs 25000 bribe
CHANDIGARH,September 26, 2024 -The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Thursday apprehended Junior Engineer (JE) Ranjit Singh, posted at Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) Sub Division, Amritsar South while he was demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs Rs 25000.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned accused has been arrested based on a complaint lodged by Navdeep Singh, a resident of Amar Avenue, Ajnala Road, Amritsar.
He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged in his complaint that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 1,00,000 for slashing the fine of Rs 6,00,000 lakhs imposed on the complainant. The complainant further informed that the said accused had earlier taken Rs 50,000 as first instalment of bribe money.
He added that after a preliminary inquiry into this complaint a VB team laid a trap was during which the accused was caught red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs.25,000 in the presence of two official witnesses.
He added that in this regard a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at VB Police Station, Amritsar range. The accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigations of this case was under progress, he said.
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Vigilance Bureau registers corruption case against PSPCL Lineman for demanding Rs 4000 bribe
CHANDIGARH, 26.09.24-September 26, 2024 -The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, has registered a corruption case against Gurbhej Singh, Lineman, posted at Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) Sub Division, Jaiton in Faridkot district for demanding a bribe of Rs 4000.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said this case has been registered against the said accused based on a complaint lodged by Maninderjeet Singh, a resident of Jaiton, in Faridkot district.
He further informed that the complainant has alleged in his complaint that the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 4,000 by threatening him for using overload electricity connection at his house. The complainant had recorded the conversation on his mobile phone while the Lineman was demanding the bribe money in this regard.
He added that during an inquiry the allegations leveled in this complaint has been established and found to be correct and true. On the basis of this enquiry a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused at VB Police Station, Ferozepur range. Further investigations of this case was under progress, he said.
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PUNJAB POLICE’S CYBERCRIME DIVISION CRACKS DOWN ON ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE; ONE HELD, 54 SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED
— POLICE TEAMS ALSO RECOVER 39 ELECTRONIC DEVICES FROM SUSPECTS, SAYS DGP PUNJAB GAURAV YADAV
— OPERATION IS STILL ONGOING TO COMBAT ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL: ADGP CYBERCRIME V NEERAJA
— PEOPLE CAN REPORT CSAM AT STATE CYBER CRIME DIVISION OR LOCAL DISTRICT CYBER CRIME POLICE STATION
CHANDIGARH, September 26: In a massive operation, Punjab Police’s Cybercrime Division has arrested one person and identified 54 suspects involved in viewing, transmitting and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using various online platforms, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday.
The development came close on the heels of the judgement passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court clarifying that viewing, possessing and not reporting CSAM content is punishable under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act. CSAM refers to any content depicting or exploiting minors in a sexual manner, including photos, videos, or media, which is illegal to produce, distribute, or possess, causing long-lasting harm to victims and considered a severe form of child exploitation due to the lasting impact it has on victims.
The arrested accused has been identified Vijaypal, a resident of Ramsra in Fazilka. Police teams have also seized electronic devices following standard procedures, with proper hash values recorded. An FIR has been registered under Section 67B of the Information Technology (IT) Act at the Cyber Police Station in this regard.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following the Cyber Tiplines regarding transmission of CSAM content received from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the State Cyber Crime Division in coordination with CPs/SSPs launched a special operation to apprehend individuals involved in viewing, transmitting, and distributing such content.
He said that in the first phase of the operation, as many as 54 suspects have been identified across Punjab, while, one person found selling and sharing CSAM using Instagram and Telegram has been arrested from Fazilka.
The DGP said that Police teams have seized 39 devices from different suspects during the operation and are being sent for forensic analysis. Further, investigations are underway to identify and apprehend more offenders involved in such heinous crimes, he added.
Sharing more details, ADGP Cybercrime V Neeraja said that the operation, which was meticulously coordinated by SP Cybercrime Jashandeep Gill, is part of Punjab's efforts to combat online child abuse. The operation is still ongoing and more arrests are expected in coming days, she added.
She said that under the current law, viewing, distributing, or storing CSAM is a criminal offence under 67 (B) IT Act, 2000 read with section 15 of the POCSO Act and is punishable with up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Police has Cyber Crime Police Stations in all 28 districts and Commissionerates, which are equipped with Cyber investigation & Technical support units (CI & TSUs) to investigate Cybercrimes. For further assistance or to report CSAM, people can contact the State Cyber Crime Division or local District Cyber Crime Police Station.
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Laljit Singh Bhullar assumes office as Jails Minister
Says, strict measures to be implemented to eliminate illegal use of mobile phones and curb the nefarious activities of notorious elements within jail premises
Chandigarh, September 26: Punjab Cabinet Minister S. Laljit Singh Bhullar, on Thursday, took charge as the new Jails Minister of the state here at his office in Punjab Civil Secretariat-1. The crucial responsibility of the Jails Department was entrusted to him by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann during a recent cabinet reshuffle.
While interacting with the media persons after assuming office, S. Laljit Singh Bhullar said that his goal will be to transform the state's prisons into 'Sudhaar Ghar' (Rehabilitation Homes) in real terms. He said that under Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann's leadership, the Punjab government is continuously working to reform inmates and mould them into upright citizens. The prisoners are being trained in self-employment skills to help them become self-reliant, he added.
S. Laljit Singh Bhullar reiterated that stricter measures would be implemented to eliminate the illegal use of mobile phones and curb the nefarious activities of notorious elements within the jail premises. He said that equipping Punjab's jails with cutting-edge security devices would also be in his priority list.
The Jail Minister asserted that the Punjab government is committed to reforming prisoners and helping them reintegrate into society as productive citizens upon completing their sentences.
Prominent amongst others who were present included Mr. Alok Shekhar, Additional Chief Secretary, Jails, Mr. Arun Pal Singh, ADGP Prisons.
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AGRICULTRE MINISTER LAUNCHES UNNAT KISAN MOBILE APP AS ONE-STOP SOLUTION FOR FARMERS TO AVAIL CRM MACHINES
* UNNAT KISAN APP TO BE PROVEN AS GAME CHANGER FOR PUNJAB'S SMALL & MARGINAL FARMERS, SAYS GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN
* OVER 1.30L CRM MACHINES MAPPED FOR EASY ACCESS
* OVER 5K FACILITATORS/NODAL OFFICERS TO ASSIST FARMERS IN BOOKING CRM MACHINES
Chandigarh, September 26:Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, on Thursday, unveiled the "Unnat Kisan" mobile application, making it as an one-stop platform for farmers to easily avail Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines ahead of paddy harvesting season-2024.
Reiterating the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann to make the CRM machines more accessible to the small and marginal farmers, the Agriculture Minister informed that over 1.30 lakh CRM machines have been mapped on the App for the farmers. This game changer mobile application enables farmers to easily book a machine from the available Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) in their vicinity. Each machine is geo-tagged according to the Cultivated Land Area, facilitating the monitoring of machine usage and documenting all residual management activities carried out by the farmers.
S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian mentioned that more than 5,000 facilitators/Nodal Officers have been deputed to assist farmers in booking the machines. Through this app, individuals owning CRM machines or bailer aggregators can register on the platform to offer their equipment for farmers' use.
Urging the state farmers to save the environment from the pollution being generated from farm fires, he asked the farmers to make optimum utilization of the mobile app, which can be downloaded from Google play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.unnatkisan and Apple app store https://apps.apple.com/in/app/unnat-kisan/id6451381977.
Special Chief Secretary Agriculture Mr. KAP Sinha, Director Agriculture Jaswant Singh and other senior officials of the department and IT wing team were also present on the occasion.
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Barinder Kumar Goyal assumes charge as Mines & Geology, Water Resources, Conservation of land & water Minister
Chandigarh, September 26:The Mines and Geology, Water Resources, Conservation of land & Water Minister Mr. Barinder Kumar Goyal today assumed charge at his office in Punjab Civil Secretariat - 1 in the presence of PWD (B&R) and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management, Water Supply & Sanitation, Housing and Urban Development Minister Mr. Hardeep Singh Mundian.
On the occasion, Mr. Goyal thanked the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for reposing faith in him and assured that he would carry forward the welfare centric measures of the State Government and no stone would be left unturned to conserve the precious water and mineral resources of Punjab.
Among those present on the occasion also included the Malerkotla MLA Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman and other dignitaries.
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Punjab government all set for the purchase of paddy
On the instructions of CM, Punjab Government is committed to purchasing each grain of the crop: Anurag Verma
Chief Secretary holds a review meeting with the Deputy Commissioners regarding the procurement to be started from October 1st
Chandigarh, September 26:In consonance with the directions of Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann to conduct paddy procurement in a smooth and hassle-free manner, Punjab Chief Secretary Mr. Anurag Verma on Thursday held a review meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners.
On this occasion, the concerned procurement agencies and officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department were instructed to complete all the arrangements to start procurement from October 1.
Chief Secretary Mr. Verma said that due to the efforts of the Punjab Government and follow-up in Mumbai, a cash credit limit (CCL) of Rs 41,339.81 Cr was released to Punjab for the purchase of paddy till the end of October 2024 during the kharif marketing season 2024-25. He said that as per the commitment of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Maan, the Punjab government is committed to purchasing each grain of the farmers in the mandis and immediate payment to the farmers will be ensured in their bank accounts. He appealed to the farmers to bring paddy up to 17 % moisture to the market so that their crops could be purchased immediately while fulfilling the procurement rules.
The Chief Secretary said that he talked with FCI CMD Vanita Sharma who assured that no problem will be allowed for the millers of Punjab during the paddy procurement season. He said that after the Chief Minister assured to raise their issue with the Government of India during the meeting with the Punjab Rice Millers Association yesterday. After that Chief Minister raised their issues with the Union Minister of Food and Civil Supplies on the phone call.
During the meeting, Director Food and Civil Supplies Puneet Goyal informed that 5 lakh bales are required for the expected purchase of 185 lakh metric tons of paddy during the season, out of which the department has so far procured 4.74 lakh bales of paddy. The arrangement of 35 thousand more bales is under process which will be completed soon.
Mr. Anurag Verma directed all the Deputy Commissioners to arrange necessary basic facilities for the farmers in the mandis. He said that the Deputy Commissioner himself and the SDMs should regularly visit the mandis personally to ensure monitoring of the arrangements. He said that according to the rules, strict compliance should be ensured with the orders banning the operation of combines for paddy harvesting from 6 pm to 10 am.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Food and Civil SuppliesVikas Garg, MD Punjab Warehouse Corporation Kanwalpreet Brar, Secretary Punjab Mandi Board Ramvir Singh, MD PUNSUP Sonali Giri, Director Food and Civil Supplies Puneet Goyal and MD Markfed Girish Dayalan.
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