Multi-purpose indoor sports stadium to be built in Dirba within a year at a cost of Rs 7.20 crore: Harpal Singh Cheema
Accompanied by family members of Padma Shri Kaur Singh and renowned kabaddi player Gurmail Singh, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema lays foundation stone of stadium

Chandigarh/Dirba/ Sangrur, January 25-Punjab Finance, Planning, Program Implementation and Taxation and Excise Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema today inaugurated the construction work of the multi-purpose indoor sports stadium at Dirba.

The minister said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab government is regularly promoting sports culture in the state on a large scale and in this direction, the foundation stone of the multi-purpose indoor sports stadium to be built at a cost of Rs 7.20 crore has been laid today. He added that the stadium would provide a platform to the talented players of Dirba to nurture their skills for sports events at the national and international level.

Cabinet minister Cheema laid the foundation stone of the multipurpose stadium inside Shaheed Bachan Singh Memorial Sports Stadium in the presence of Mrs. Ranjit Kaur, wife of the legendary boxer Padma Shri Kaur Singh and Mrs. Paramjit Kaur, wife of the late renowned Kabaddi player Late Gurmail Singh. Cabinet minister said that the long-pending demand of the sports lovers is going to be fulfilled soon and talented players of Dirba region will hone their sports skills in 11 different sports including Kabaddi and Boxing as well as Volleyball, Basketball, Badminton, Table Tennis, Judo, Gymnastics, Wrestling and will bring laurel to the state.

Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that Padama Shiri Kaur Singh and Gurmail Singh achieved immense success in their respective sports fields, this indoor sports stadium would be dedicated to them as a befitting memorial.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Sangrur Sandeep Rishi said that this indoor sports stadium will prove to be a boon for the players. He also said that under the leadership of Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Dirba is touching heights in terms of development. He said that this effort to immortalize the memory of the personalities who have established their unique identity in the field of sports is commendable.

On this occasion, SDM Rajesh Sharma, Municipal Council President Maninder Singh Ghuman, OSD of Cabinet Minister Tapinder Singh Sohi, District Sports Officer Navdeep Singh, XEN PWD Ajay Garg along with other personalities were also present.

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Project to rejuvenate 'Buddha Dariya': Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh inspects temporary pumping station established under 'Kar Sewa' led by MP Seechewal

Directs authorities to take strict action against dumping of cow dung and untreated industrial waste into 'Buddha Dariya'

Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh to conduct meeting with dairy owners of Tajpur road and Haibowal dairy complexes on January 27

Ludhiana/Chandigarh, January 25:Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh inspected the temporary pumping station established under 'Kar Sewa' led by Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal near Gaushala point of 'Buddha Dariya' on Saturday.

Applauding the efforts put in by MP Seechewal to stop the flow of sewer waste into the 'Buddha Dariya', Cabinet minister Dr Ravjot Singh reiterated the commitment of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Singh Mann to rejuvenate 'Buddha Dariya'.

Mayor Principal Inderjit Kaur, MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, SDM (East) Jasleen Kaur Bhullar, Additional Commissioner Paramdeep Singh, EO GLADA Aman Gupta, PPCB Chief Engineer RK Ratra, Chief Engineer Ravinder Garg among other officials accompanied the cabinet minister.

MP Seechewal appreciated Cabinet minister Dr Ravjot Singh for his concern over the project to clean 'Buddha Dariya' stating that the cabinet minister has visited the temporary pumping station site for the fourth time in a period of around a month.

Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh said that the state government is not against the industry or any other sector, but no one can be allowed to pollute 'Buddha Dariya'.

After inspecting the temporary pumping station, Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh also conducted a meeting with the officials and directed them to take strict action against those dumping untreated waste in the Buddha Dariya.

Dr Ravjot Singh said that they would also be holding meetings with the dairy owners of Tajpur road dairy complex and Haibowal dairy complex on January 27. The dairy owners would again be appealed to stop dumping cow dung in the Dariya to avoid action.

Meanwhile, Dr Ravjot Singh directed the officials to expedite the projects to establish bio-gas plants in Hiabowal and Tajpur road dairy complexes. Till that time arrangements should be made to lift the cow dung from dairy units and dump the same at designated sites. Civic body officials stated that temporary arrangements have already been made to lift the cow dung and tenders have also been floated to rope in a contractor for lifting cow dung from dairy units.

Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot Singh said that the state government is regularly monitoring the situation and all efforts are being made to rejuvenate 'Buddha Dariya'.

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Barinder Kumar Goyal Hands Over Appointment Letters to 21 Newly Appointed Candidates of the Department of Land and Water Conservation

Says, Under the Leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, Over 50,000 Youths in the State have been Provided Government Jobs

Encouraged the New Appointees to Work with Integrity and Dedication

Chandigarh, January 25 :The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is continuously striving to provide employment opportunities to the youth of the state. In line with this effort, Barinder Kumar Goyal, the Minister for Land and Water Conservation, today handed over appointment letters to 21 newly appointed candidates. Among these candidates, 19 were appointed as Agricultural Sub-Inspectors, 1 as Junior Draftsman, and 1 as Peon.

While handing over the appointment letters to the newly appointed candidates at Punjab Bhawan today, Barinder Kumar Goyal congratulated them and encouraged them to work with full dedication and sincerity. He also mentioned that the appointments made by the state Government were done with full transparency, ensuring that all jobs were awarded to deserving candidates based on merit. The Cabinet Minister further stated that the vision of the Government is to provide employment opportunities to the youth in Punjab so that their skills contribute to the state's development.

The Cabinet Minister emphasized that the government has transformed the mindset of the people. He mentioned that the previous governments had eroded people's trust, as Government jobs were only available through recommendations. However, under the leadership of S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the present Government has changed this narrative. People now know that only qualified and deserving candidates are appointed based on merit, which has enabled young people from ordinary families in the state to get jobs. He further pointed out that previously, due to lack of employment opportunities in Punjab, the youth had to go abroad, but now, with the jobs provided by the Punjab Government, they are returning to the state.

He also mentioned that among the newly appointed candidates, two individuals had worked in Canada and had returned to Punjab to receive their appointment letters for the Agricultural Sub-Inspector position.

Cabinet Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal further stated that the present Government is the first in the country to provide employment to over 50,000 youth from ordinary families in Punjab during its tenure.

He urged the newly appointed candidates to understand that positions like Agricultural Sub-Inspector and Draftsman are the backbone of this department. He encouraged them to work diligently to implement Government schemes related to land and water conservation and to create awareness among farmers about these schemes. He also directed officials to organize awareness camps across the state to educate farmers about these schemes.

Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture), Shri Anurag Verma, also congratulated the newly appointed employees and stressed the importance of water resource management. He urged the newly recruited employees to contribute their full potential in the mission of water conservation throughout the state.

The Chief Land Officer, Mahinder Pal Saini, welcomed the new recruits to the department and urged them to carry out their duties with full responsibility and dedication.

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Punjab Mining Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal Participates in 3rd National Mining Ministers' Conference at Konark, Odisha

Highlights Punjab’s Transparent Mining Practices, Opposes Defence Ministry’s Directive, and Advocates for Empowering States in Mining Clearances

Chandigarh, January 25:Punjab Mining Minister Mr. Barinder Goyal participated in the 3rd National Mining Ministers' Conference held at Konark, Odisha. The conference was attended by the Union Mining Minister, representatives from 11 states, and senior officials.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Goyal highlighted Punjab’s unique approach to mining, stating that unlike other states where mining occurs deep underground, Punjab’s mining activities are conducted above the surface.

The Minister emphasized that Punjab is optimally utilising its natural resources and just like the state has, over the years, responsibly expanded its agricultural activities to feed the entire nation, the state is responsibly mining its natural resources to add to the economy.

The Minister underscored Punjab’s efforts to bring transparency to mining by establishing public mining sites, enabling access to affordable sand for common citizens while generating employment for local labor and youth.

During the conference, Mr. Goyal raised concerns about recent directives from the Ministry of Defence requiring prior clearance for mining activities within 20 km of the border. He termed the decision discriminatory. He said that the State of Punjab has three rivers namely Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, where mining can happen, and out of these two of the rivers are impacted by this decision, which should be immediately reviewed.

Mr. Goyal also addressed delays in obtaining environmental clearances for mining sites.

He strongly advocated the need for empowering the government with overriding powers of taking over the Environmental Clearance issued to any contractor in case he defaults or declines to carry on with any mining activity. This, he said, will eliminate unnecessary delays in obtaining fresh environmental clearances

Additionally, the minister urged the union mining minister to assist the state in expanding its mining activities into major minerals by exploiting the huge reserves of Potash detected in parts of Punjab bordering Rajasthan. This, he said, will save the nation a large amount of foreign exchange which it otherwise pays for importing potash every year in huge quantities.

Mr. Goyal reiterated Punjab’s commitment to sustainable and responsible mining practices and called for greater collaboration with the Union Government to enhance the state's mining sector.

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”Providing transparent and hassle-free services to the public is our top priority: Mundian”

Directives issued to ensure the functioning of CCTV cameras in revenue offices

Chandigarh, January 25-In line with the commitment of the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, to provide transparent and hassle-free services in government offices, the Revenue Department has decided to ensure the full functionality of CCTV cameras installed in all Sub-Registrar and Joint Sub-Registrar offices.

Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, in a press statement issued today, stated that these CCTV cameras have been installed to ensure that citizens face no inconvenience while getting their work done at Revenue Department offices. The department is actively checking and evaluating the functioning of these cameras. All officials have been instructed to ensure that the cameras are fully operational by January 31, 2025.

The Revenue Minister further emphasized that the government’s primary goal is to provide accountable and improved public services. The aim is to eliminate any inconvenience or harassment for citizens while availing of these services. To implement this decision effectively at the grassroots level, all Deputy Commissioners have been directed to continuously monitor the progress.

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Workshop Organized on Improvement of Accident Black Spots and Impact on Road Accidents and Fatalities

Chandigarh, January 25 Today lead Agency on Road Safety, Punjab state road safety council and National Highway Authority of India organized a one-day workshop on the topic “Improvement of Black Spots and Their Impact on Road Accidents and Fatalities” to reduce road accidents and fatalities.

The workshop was held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Sector 26, Chandigarh, in connection with the National Road Safety Month 2025. The focus was on improving accident-prone black spots and assessing their impact on road accidents and fatalities. The workshop was conducted under the leadership of the Lead Agency, Punjab State Road Safety Council, in collaboration with the Transport Department, Punjab, and other stakeholders, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), PWD (B&R), Local Government Department, Punjab Mandi Board, and Punjab Traffic Police.

Additional Chief Secretary of Transport, Mr. D.K. Tiwari, stated that under the able leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the guidance of Transport Minister S. Laljit Singh Bhullar, special efforts will be made regarding road safety. He emphasized that the primary objective of the workshop is to discuss and address critical issues related to road safety. These deliberations will play a crucial role in shaping future strategies to enhance road safety standards and reduce road hazards. He also commended the role of the Road Safety Force and encouraged officials from various departments to adopt well-coordinated measures to minimize road accidents, especially during foggy weather conditions, and to discourage underage driving.

Director General of the Lead Agency for Road Safety, Mr. R. Venkata Ratnam, pointed out that the number of fatalities due to road accidents in the state is alarmingly high, with 14 deaths occurring daily. He urged road-related agencies, including NHAI, PWD, Punjab Mandi Board, and the Local Government Department, to put in more efforts to rectify black spots on roads and properly evaluate their impact to reduce fatalities. He also directed police and transport department officials to strictly enforce traffic rules to prevent accidents and save lives. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of accurately documenting road accident data to facilitate better planning and ensure optimal utilization of government funds allocated for accident prevention.

Additional Director General of Police (Traffic), Mr. A.S. Rai, highlighted the performance of the Road Safety Force and stated that due to the effective operations of the force over the past 11 months, there has been a significant decline in road accidents and fatalities in Punjab, which is a testament to the efforts of the current Punjab government.

State Transport Commissioner Mr. Jaspreet Singh provided insights into various initiatives for road safety, such as special awareness campaigns for school and college students, the importance of wearing seat belts, scrapping of old vehicles, electronic surveillance-based challans in major cities, third-party insurance and pollution certificate checks, educating students on traffic rules through traffic parks, and simplifying the online learning license process.

Mr. Vipnesh Sharma, Regional Officer of NHAI, provided insights into road safety initiatives and shared details about efforts undertaken by the department to rectify black spots to reduce road accidents and save lives.

The workshop witnessed participation from senior officials of the Punjab Government and various associated agencies, along with key stakeholders. Experts elaborated on various safety measures and future action plans to reduce road accidents, improve road infrastructure, and raise public awareness.

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DERA BASSI FIRING INCIDENT: PUNJAB POLICE NABS ASSOCIATE OF THE LAWRANCE BISHNOI AND GOLDY BRAR GANG; ONE PISTOL RECOVERED

— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A SAFE AND SECURE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN

— ARRESTED ACCUSED MEHFUJ KHAN MASTERMIND BEHIND FIRING INCIDENT AT IELTS CENTRE IN DERA BASSI, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV

CHANDIGARH, January 25: In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive against organised crime launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Anti-Gangster Task Force Punjab (AGTF) Punjab in a joint operation with SAS Nagar Police has apprehended an associate of Lawrance Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang in connection with the firing incident at IELTS/Immigration Centre in Dera Bassi, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Mehfuj alias Vishal Khan, a resident of Dera Bassi. Police teams have also recovered one .32 calibre pistol along with five cartridges from his possession.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that the arrested accused, along with another member of Lawrance Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang identified as Manjeet alias Guri— currently lodged in Tihar Jail, were the masterminds behind the firing incident at an IELTS/Immigration Centre in Dera Bassi. As per the information, on September 19, 2024, two motorcycle borne youth, in a broad day light, had opened fire outside the IELTS/Immigration Centre in Dera Bassi to demand extortion from the owner.

The DGP said that the all the other accused persons involved in the incident including Jagdeep Jagga, Mohit Kumar alias Banti, Anmol, Gurkirat Singh Bedi, Nishant Kumar alias Nikku Rana have been arrested, whereas, Mehfuj alias Vishal Khan had been absconding.

Sharing operational details, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) AGTF Promod Ban said that an information based on human intelligence was received about possible hideouts and locations of accused Vishal Khan.

Acting swiftly, special teams of AGTF under the supervision of AIG Gurmeet Chauhan in coordination with SSP SAS Nagar Deepak Pareek were formed, said the ADGP, while adding that the teams zeroed in on the possible hideouts/locations and successfully arrested him from Punjab-Haryana border near Barwala and also recovered a pistol from his possession.

AIG AGTF Gurmeet Chauhan said that the arrested accused has a previous criminal history and, ever since 2023, he has been working on the directions of foreign-based terrorist Goldy Brar. Arrested accused has also collected a weapons consignment from the notorious gangster Joginder alias Joga of Haryana, who had provided weapons and logistical assistance to accused involved in the Sidhu Moosewala murder case and later, was also arrested, he added.

The AIG said that Manjeet Guri was earlier got injured in police action in November 2023, when he was directed by Goldy Brar to execute murder of some businessmen in Zirakpur.

SSP Deepak Pareek further said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the arrested accused was planning to commit a crime in the tricity. Further investigation is ongoing to establish forward and backward linkages in this case, he added.

A case FIR No 292 dated 19.09.2024 had already been registered under sections 111, 109, 308(5), 32(b), 333, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act at Police Station Dera Bassi in SAS Nagar.

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FOUR PUNJAB POLICE OFFICIALS, ONE PUNJAB HOMEGUARD TO BE AWARDED CHIEF MINISTER'S RAKSHAK PADAK AWARD

— EIGHT PPS OFFICERS AMONG 19 PUNJAB POLICE OFFICIALS TO BE CONFERRED WITH CHIEF MINISTER'S MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING DEVOTION TO DUTY

— DGP GAURAV YADAV THANKS CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN LED PUNJAB GOVT FOR RECOGNISING SERVICES OF PUNJAB POLICE

CHANDIGARH, January 25: On the recommendations of the Punjab Government, the Governor of Punjab on Saturday announced the names of the Punjab Police officers/officials, to be awarded the Chief Minister’s Rakshak Padak award and Chief Minister’s Medal for Outstanding Devotion to Duty on the occasion of Republic Day-2025.

The Governor of Punjab announced the names of four officials of Police Post Jaijon in Hoshiarpur including ASI Manna Singh, ASI Rajinder Singh, Lady Senior Constable Kulwinder Kaur and Punjab Homeguard Gurdeep Singh for Chief Minister’s Rakshak Padak award. The Police party had saved a life of a Deepak Kumar after his Innova car overturned and swept away, when the latter attempted to cross the Jajjon Khad river in Hoshiarpur district on August 11, 2024.

Likewise, Senior Constable Gurpreet Singh from CID Unit Ludhiana to also be conferred with the Chief Minister’s Rakshak Padak award as the latter saved a man's life by pulling him out of the Sirhind Canal after he attempted to commit suicide following a verbal dispute with his newlywed wife on August 29, 2024.

Similarly, eight PPS officers including SP PBI Sangrur Navreet Singh Virk, SP PBI and Investigation Faridkot Jasmeet Singh, SP Headquarters Gurdaspur Jugraj Singh, Commandant 4th Commando Battalion Parampal Singh, Joint Director Vigilance Bureau Digvijay Kapil, AIG Counter Intelligence Bathinda Avneet Kaur Sidhu, SP Detective Amritsar Rural Harinder Singh and DSP Law and Order Wing Samar Pal Sigh are among 19 officers/officials who have been selected for the Chief Minister’s Medal for Outstanding Devotion to Duty. The remaining officials include Inspector Pran Nath, Inspector Pritpal Singh, Inspector Sukhmandar Singh, Inspector Manphul Singh, SI Rajesh Kumar, SI Parminder Singh, SI Jugal Kishore Sharma, SI Sumeet Aery, ASI Harpal Singh, Head Constable Mukhjit Singh and Constable Simranjit Singh.

Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav congratulated the awardees and thanked the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Punjab Bhagwant Singh Mann for recognizing the services of the Punjab Police officers/officials. He said that such recognitions play a significant role in encouraging the Police force to work with more dedication and devotion.

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ON EVE OF REPUBLIC DAY, MHA ANNOUNCES NAMES OF PUNJAB POLICE OFFICIALS FOR PMDS, MMS AWARDS

— DGP GAURAV YADAV CONGRATULATES AWARDEES; THANKS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT FOR RECOGNISING SERVICES OF PUNJAB POLICE

CHANDIGARH, January 25: Recognising the outstanding services of the Punjab Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (GOI), on the eve of 76th Republic Day announced the names of the Punjab Police officers/officials, to be awarded with President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PMDS) and Medal for Meritorious Service (MMS).

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Intelligence RK Jaiswal and ADGP Anti Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Nilabh Kishore to be conferred with President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.

Similarly, an IPS Officer Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ludhiana Range Dhanpreet Kaur and a PPS officer AIG Financial Intelligence Unit Tejinderjit Singh are among 15 officers/officials who have been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service. The remaining officials include Inspector Inderdeep Singh, Inspector Amrik Singh, Inspector Jagroop Singh, Inspector Balwinder Singh, SI Balbir Chand, SI Iqbal Singh, SI Satish Kumar, SI Balvir Chand, SI Lakhvir Singh, SI Dimple Kumar, SI Harvinder Kumar, ASI Sukhbir Singh and ASI Harpal Singh.

Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav, while congratulating the awardees, expressed gratitude to the Central Government and State Government for recognizing the services of these officers and boosting the morale of the entire Punjab Police force. He said that such recognition plays a significant role in encouraging the Police force to work with more dedication and devotion, which is pivotal in a border state having manifold security challenges.

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