On CM’s intervention Aarthiyas call of their stir
Most of the demands are related to Central Govt, we will take up the matter strongly : CM Mann
Says state government will not hesitate to take legal action to safeguard their interests
The Govt will take all measures to protect the interest of Arhatiyas: CM Mann
Chandigarh, October 7:In consonance with its commitment to ensure smooth and hassle free procurement of paddy, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday held deliberations with Aarthiyas after which they decided to called off their stir.
The Chief Minister held meeting with a delegation of the Aarthiyas led by President Federation of Aarthiya Association of Punjab Vijay Kalra. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is committed for considering genuine demands of the Aarthiyas sympathetically. However, he said that most of the demands of the Aarthiyas are concerned with the Union government, which is giving a cold shoulder towards it.
However, the Chief Minister said that his government will emerge as voice of the Aarthiyas and will vehemently flag their issues with centre. He said that the issue of enhancement of aarthiya fees will be taken up with the union government as it is bringing a whopping loss of Rs 192 crore to Aarthiyas. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that every effort will be made to get this loss of Aarthiyas compensated by January 2025.
The Chief Minister said that if centre will do any mischief then the state government will not hesitate to take this matter into the courts to secure justice for the aartiyhas. He also said that meetings will be held after every 50 days with Arthiyas to resolve their issues. Bhagwant Singh Mann also said that he will also raise the issue with Union Government to release Rs. 50 crore of EPF of Arthiyas pending with the Union government.
The Chief Minister praised the role of Aarthiyas in the entire procurement process and said that they were an important pivot in entire process.
He said that Arthiyas are unpaid CA of farmers who have all the records of farmers including his yield and financial transactions as well. Bhagwant Singh Mann also recalled his personal experience with Arthiyas of his district Sangrur
The Chief Minister also said that he will personally visit the Mandis to oversee the procurement operations in the state. He said that the state government is committed for ensure the procurement and lifting of the paddy in a smooth and hassle free manner. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause to benefit the farmers of the state.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is expected to procure 185 LMT paddy to be brought into mandis by farmers during the procurement Season. He said that 32 Lakh hectares of area was currently under paddy cultivation in the state adding that Punjab is targetting procurement of 185 Lakh Metric Tonnes of paddy. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that CCL to the tune of Rs. 41,378 Crores for KMS 2024-25 has already been released by the RBI.
The Chief Minister said that the Government of India has fixed Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs. 2320 per quintal for grade 'A' paddy this season. He said that the State procurement agencies, viz Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, PSWC, along with FCI, will procure paddy on Minimum Support Price as per specification laid down by the Government of India. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that entire preparations for the smooth and hassle free procurement of the paddy has been made adding that the state government is committed for smooth and hassle free procurement and lifting of paddy.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government has already made elaborate arrangements for purchasing the harvest of farmers as soon as it arrives in the Mandis. He said that a viable mechanism has been evolved to ensure on the spot payment to the farmers in their bank accounts. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that smooth and hassle free procurement of grains is being ensured in the market so that farmers don’t face any sort of inconvenience.
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Special Mega Employment Camps Across Punjab to Empower Women: Dr. Baljit Kaur
Camps were organised in Hoshiarpur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Barnala and Gurdaspur districts in first phase
Chandigarh, October 7-In a significant step towards women’s empowerment and self-reliance, the Punjab government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has launched a series of special mega employment camps across the state. These camps, aimed at providing economic independence to women, have commenced in the districts of Hoshiarpur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Barnala and Gurdaspur as part of the first phase.
Dr. Baljit Kaur, Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women, and Child Development, shared that the government is dedicated to empowering women economically and making them self-reliant. The initiative also aligns with the broader vision of women’s empowerment.
Highlighting the success of these camps, Dr. Kaur stated that in Barnala, over 370 women candidates participated, with 12 companies conducting job interviews. Among the participants, 88 girls were registered for free training programs with renowned Multi National Organizations including IBM and Microsoft. Various companies from sectors like banking, insurance, textiles, IT and cosmetics also participated in the camp. As many as 241 women were interviewed during the camp, of which, several candidates received job offers on the spot and others were shortlisted for further recruitment.
At the Gurdaspur camp, 465 women participated, of which, 356 were selected for roles after interviews with companies in fields such as warehousing, telecalling, computer operations, security services and advisory roles in insurance and wellness sectors.
In Hoshiarpur, the camp attracted over 1500 candidates, with 204 women receiving immediate job placements. Additionally, 412 candidates advanced to the final interview stages. Major companies worked to fill 400 vacancies and 111 candidates registered for specialized training with IBM, Microsoft and the Red Cross. The PNB Rural Self-Employment Training Institute also raised awareness about loan opportunities for self-employment during the event.
Sri Muktsar Sahib witnessed participation from 14 companies, which interviewed 1134 women candidates and selected 578 for various jobs.
Dr. Kaur further emphasized that free training courses in areas such as digital marketing, Cyber Security, English language proficiency and AI technologies were made available at the camps. Several self-employment-oriented departments, including Fisheries, Horticulture, and Animal Husbandry, set up awareness stalls for women, informing them about easy access to loans. On this occasion, 10 women received loan sanction letters, with additional financial support extended to self-help groups.
In a pioneering move, 30 women were trained and certified as GST practitioners through the Employment Bureau, opening new avenues for job opportunities in tax filing and related sectors.
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PUNJAB GOVT ASSURES TIMELY PADDY CROP PROCUREMENT, ADEQUATE DAP AVAILABILITY TO FARMERS
•Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian holds State-level meeting with farmer unions at Punjab Bhawan
•Tagging of any product with DAP & other fertilisers will invite strict action, says Agriculture Minister
Chandigarh, October 7:Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian assured the farmers' unions on Monday that the procurement of paddy crop will commence from today itself and the state government is committed to ensure adequate supply of Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) to facilitate the smooth sowing of Rabi crops. This move aims to provide timely support to farmers and ensure a seamless sowing process.
The Agriculture Minister also announced that 2.50 lakh metric tons of DAP fertiliser has been allocated for October to meet the demands of the Rabi season. The state has already received 22,204 MT of DAP from this allocation, with an additional 15,000 MT currently in transit. The state has already received around 1.77 lac MT DAP so far. About various phosphatic substitutes equivalent to 51,612 MTs of DAP has also been received till date making a total availability of 2,27,563 MTs. This allocation is part of the government's efforts to enhance agricultural productivity and address the sowing requirement of the farmers.
Heading the state-level meeting along with the top-brass of the Punjab Government including Chief Secretary Mr. Anurag Verma, Special Chief Secretary Agriculture Mr. KAP Sinha, Principal Secretary Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Mr. Vikas Garg, MD Markfed Mr. Girish Dayalan and Intelligence Chief Mr. RK Jaiswal at Punjab Bhawan here, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian reaffirmed that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government is dedicated to the welfare of our Annadatas (farmers). The Government is committed to providing the necessary resources and support to ensure a bountiful harvest and prosperity for the farming community.
Addressing the concerns of the farmers’ unions represented by Balbir Singh Rajewal, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Buta Singh Burjgill, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, Harmeet Singh Kadian and Raminder Singh, the Agriculture Minister assured that 60% of DAP would be allocated to cooperative societies, while the remaining 40% would go to fertiliser dealers. He categorically stated that black-marketing or tagging of any product with DAP and other fertilisers would not be tolerated. He urged farmer leaders to report any such incidents to ensure strict action against the offenders.
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3683 nominations for Sarpanches and 11734 nominations for Panches rejected during scrutiny process by Returning Officers
Chandigarh, October 7:Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the Punjab State Election Commission said that a total 3683 nominations for Sarpanches and 11734 nominations for Panches have been rejected by Returning Officers during the scrutiny process in the Gram Panchayat Elections 2024.
District wise detailed report of nominations which have been rejected during scrutiny process by the Returning Officers is as under:
In Amritsar, 247 nominations for Sarpanches and 1387 nominations for Panches rejected
In Bathinda, 68 nominations for Sarpanches and 248 nominations for Panches rejected
In Barnala, 20 nominations for Sarpanches and 30 nominations for Panches rejected
In Fatehgarh Sahib, 106 nominations for Sarpanches and 242 nominations for Panches rejected
In Faridkot, 70 nominations for Sarpanches and 209 nominations for Panches rejected
In Fazilka, 52 nominations for Sarpanches and 138 nominations for Panches rejected
In Gurdaspur, 1208 nominations for Sarpanches and 3533 nominations for Panches rejected
In Hoshiarpur, 18 nominations for Sarpanches and 87 nominations for Panches rejected
In Jalandhar, 68 nominations for Sarpanches and 214 nominations for Panches rejected
In Kapurthala, 45 nominations for Sarpanches and 190 nominations for Panches rejected
In Ludhiana, 134 nominations for Sarpanches and 537 nominations for Panches rejected
In Mansa, 15 nominations for Sarpanches and 45 nominations for Panches rejected
In Malerkotla, 4 nominations for Sarpanches and 23 nominations for Panches rejected
In Moga, 115 nominations for Sarpanches and 376 nominations for Panches rejected
In SAS Nagar, 122 nominations for Sarpanches and 389 nominations for Panches rejected
In Sri Muktsar Sahib, 98 nominations for Sarpanches and 303 nominations for Panches rejected
In SBS Nagar, 22 nominations for Sarpanches and 59 nominations for Panches rejected
In Patiala, 384 nominations for Sarpanches and 713 nominations for Panches rejected
In Pathankot, 19 nominations for Sarpanches and 65 nominations for Panches rejected
In Ropar, 27 nominations for Sarpanches and 106 nominations for Panches rejected
In Sangrur, 48 nominations for Sarpanches and 109 nominations for Panches rejected
In Tarn Taran, 362 nominations for Sarpanches and 1485 nominations for Panches rejected
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