1994 batch UPSC topper Dharminder Sharma takes over as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests

Thanks Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann & Forest Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak for reposing faith in him

Lists boosting eco tourism, upkeep of wetlands, increasing green cover, environmental awareness as priority areas

Prepared Master Plan of Chhatbir Zoo & Working Plan of Ferozepur Division

Eminent speaker on Climate change & Wildlife conservation

Chandigarh, February 1:An Indian Forest Service, IFoS, of the 1994 batch Mr. Dharminder Sharma took over the charge of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Head of Forest Force, Punjab (PCCF, HoFF) here today at the forest complex in Sector - 68. Besides, he would continue to hold the charge of PCCF Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden, Punjab till the next incumbent gets posted.

Thanking the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the Forest & Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak for reposing faith in his abilities, Mr. Sharma said that boosting eco Tourism, proper upkeep of the wetlands, evolving steps for increasing green cover in the State and employment avenues at local level would be his focus areas.

Stating further that the 'Van Mahotsav' to be held in July 2025 would be a unique event, Mr. Sharma gave a clarion call to the people to plant more trees as bequeathing a legacy of clean and green environment for future generations is the need of the hour.

It is pertinent to mention that the new incumbent is a UPSC Topper of 1994 IFoS batch, and is a forester, a botanist and a natural resource manager by education and training.

A Graduate from Delhi University in Plant Sciences and done his Masters in Natural Resource Management on Marshal Papworth Scholarship from Cranfield University, UK, Mr. Sharma trained in forestry and allied Sciences from universities in the UK, Finland and Yale University, USA.

He has previously served the Punjab

Government in various capacities at district and higher levels as the District Forest Officer, Patiala/Sangrur/Ferozepur, Team Leader in a World Bank Aided Project, Director Chhatbir Zoo, Chief Conservator of Forests, Plains, Head of the Department of Soil and Water Conservation Department and Secretary Agriculture on deputation.

Amongst his achievements is included the preparation of the State Forestry Research Plan of Punjab, a plan which later gave direction to research projects under the then JICA (Japan) project in 1999. In the same year, a professional training course was also organised for newly recruited Forest Guards in the forest department.

Besides preparing the “Working Plan” (a highly technical document) of Ferozepur Forest Division in 2000, Mr. Sharma also prepared the “Master Plan” of Chhatbir Zoo during 2006-09 during the tenure as the Field Director. This was one of the first in India and highly appreciated by Central Zoo Authority, GoI. This document is guiding all the development undergoing in the zoo since then.

Since the study of specialisation in UK was on Carbon Sequestration in Agroforestry Systems, he has been invited to speak or train the participants in Climate Change and other Environmental issues at many institutes of National repute as also at national and international seminars/workshops including at MGSIPA Chandigarh, Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) Delhi etc. He has also been invited expert speaker on the topics of Wildlife Conservation including the management of Captive Wild animals to train senior forest officers across India.

Among others present on the occasion included Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Satendar Sagar, Conservator of Forests (Planning) Vishal Chauhan, Honorary Wildlife Warden (Patiala) Amarjit Singh Chauhan, Administrative Officer Rajinder Singh and staff members of the Forests and Wildlife Preservation Department.

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Vigilance Bureau nabs PSPCL JE taking Rs 7000 bribe

Chandigarh February 1, 2025 - The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has apprehended Sandeep Kumar, Junior Engineer (J.E), posted at Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) office, Bhucho in Bathinda red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 7000.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned accused have been arrested based on a complaint lodged by Gurdas Singh, a resident of Bhucho Kalan, in Bathinda district.

He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the accused JE has demanded a bribe of Rs 7000 for installing a new transformer for domestic supply.

The spokesperson added that after a preliminary enquiry on his complaint a VB team from Bathinda range laid a trap during which the accused J.E. has been arrested red handed while he was accepting Rs 7000 as a bribe from the complaint in presence of two official witnesses. In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Bathinda range and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.

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Leaving no stone unturned to ensure clean and sufficient drinking water in Punjab villages: Mundian

Work on 15 major canal water projects costing Rs. 2174 crore in progress

Chandigarh, February 1-Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led State Government will leave no stone unturned to provide clean and sufficient drinking water to the villages of the state.

Disclosing this here today, Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Hardip Singh Mundian said that in order to overcome the problem of water quality and its shortage, the department is running 15 major canal water projects at a cost of Rs. 2174 Crore, and work is going on war footing with regard to these projects. He said that from March onwards, these projects will start getting completed in a phased manner and all the projects will be completed by the end of the year.

Mr. Mundian further said that after the completion of this project, 1706 villages will be covered, which will benefit a population of about 25 lakh and 4 lakh families. These projects are prioritised in areas where water quality is affected.

The Minister said that the Water Supply and Sanitation Department is continuously making efforts to provide better basic facilities to the people of the state, especially clean drinking water and better sanitation facilities in rural areas.

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Punjab Finance Minister Condemns Union Budget as "Disappointing" for Punjab

Punjab's Demands Fall on Deaf Ears: State's Pre-Budget Proposals Completely Overlooked

Says, Budget Catering to BJP's Political Interests rather than Addressing Needs of Nation

Chandigarh, February 1-Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema has strongly criticized the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for the fiscal year 2025-26, terming it as a "disappointing budget" for the people of Punjab. Finance Minister Cheema said that the budget is focused on Bihar's election, catering to the BJP's political interests rather than addressing the needs of the nation.

Addressing a press conference here at Punjab Bhawan, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema expressed his disappointment that none of the demands made by Punjab during the pre-budget meeting held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan on December 20, 2024, were met in the budget. He pointed out that the budget failed to mention the names of states other than belongs to parties in alliance with BJP at centre, highlighting the Prime Minister's bias towards specific states.

Detailing the demands put forward by Punjab in the pre-budget meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasized that Punjab, as a border state, has demanded a special industrial package for its five border districts to promote employment and development. He said the state has also demanded Rs 1000 crore for strengthening police infrastructure along the 500 km hostile border with Pakistan. Furthermore, he expressed disappointment that the long-standing demands for the Rajpura to Chandigarh railway line and Vande Bharat Rail services from Amritsar and Bathinda to Delhi were also ignored in the budget.

In response to a media query about the Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee, Finance Minister Cheema said that that the BJP led Union government harboring animosity towards Punjab did not address the demand for a package to encourage crop diversification what to talk about MSP Guarantee. “Punjab, which contributes about 21 percent of rice and 51 percent of wheat to the central pool, needs support to move away from this crop cycle”, said Cheema while mentioning that the state-center formula to resolve the issue of stubble burning was presented in the pre-budget meeting but was ignored in the budget. Furthermore, there was no mention of the release of funds from the Rural Development Fund and National Health Mission, which are pending with the center, nor any solution provided for the annual loss of Rs. 800 to Rs 1200 crores to Punjab due to high interest rates on the Cash Credit Limit (CCL). Cheema criticized the Union Budget for increasing the limit of the Kisan Credit Card rather than focusing on increasing their income, which he argued would further increase farmers' debt.

Finance Minister Cheema also highlighted the demand raised in pre-budget meeting to increase the remuneration of mid-day meal workers from Rs 600 per month for 10 months, which has been stagnant for the last 15 years, to Rs 2000 per month for 12 months. He noted that there was no mention of this demand in the budget, nor the demand to increase the salary of Anganwadi workers.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema concluded that the budget has neglected the needs of Punjab's people, farmers, industrialists, and traders, despite the state's repeated requests to the central government. He emphasized that the Prime Minister's claims of a heartfelt bond with Punjab are mere rhetoric, as the reality reflects a deep-seated hatred towards the state.

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Vigilance Bureau nabs red handed Deputy Chief Engineer, Lineman of P.S.P.C.L taking Rs 50,000 bribe

Chandigarh 1 February 2025:The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has apprehended Harminder Singh, Deputy Chief Engineer and Kewal Sharma, Lineman, posted at Division Range office of Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) Hoshiarpur red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000.

Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned accused have been arrested based on a complaint lodged by Lakhvir Singh, Senior Executive Engineer, posted at PSPCL Division office in Mukerian who is resident of Jagat Avenue, village Hardothla in Hoshiarpur.

He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the accused Deputy Chief Engineer has called him to his office and demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 and asked him to handover this amount to the accused lineman Kewal Sharma .

The spokesperson added that after a preliminary enquiry on his complaint a VB team from Hoshiarpur unit laid a trap during which both the accused have been arrested red handed while accepting Rs 50000 as a bribe from the complaint in presence of two official witnesses. In this regard, a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against both the accused at VB police station Jalandhar range and further investigation into this case was under progress, he said.

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Union Budget Completely Neglect Punjab, particularly its Border Areas: Harbhajan Singh ETO

Chandigarh, February 1-Punjab Power and Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has expressed deep disappointment over the Union Budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, citing its complete neglect of Punjab, particularly its border areas.

"The Union Budget has failed to address the critical needs of Punjab, especially its border districts, which require special attention and support," said Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO while adding that as a border state, Punjab faces unique challenges that demand tailored solutions, but the budget has overlooked these concerns entirely.

Minister ETO emphasized that the budget's silence on Punjab's demands is a clear indication of the BJP led Union government's lack of commitment to the state's development. "Punjab has been consistently raising its concerns and demands, but the central government has chosen to ignore them," he said.

Cabinet Minister ETO reiterated that the Punjab government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is committed to the state's development and will continue to fight for its rightful demands. "We will not let the Union government's neglect deter us from our mission to build a prosperous and developed Punjab," he said.

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Punjab Government Provides Comprehensive Support to Farmers in Horticulture Sector : Mohinder Bhagat

Farmer Tirth Singh of Village Sandaur Makes His Mark in Horticulture

Farmer Diversifies Crops by Growing High-Quality Seedlings

Chandigarh, February 1The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is working swiftly to increase farmers' income and ensure crop diversification. To fulfill this objective, the Horticulture Department, under the guidance of Horticulture Minister Shri Mohinder Bhagat, is providing all possible support to farmers to encourage them to move towards the horticulture sector.

With the continuous support from the Punjab Government's Horticulture Department, Tirth Singh, a progressive and hardworking farmer from village Sandaur in Sangrur district, has made a unique mark in the field of horticulture. By embracing agricultural diversification and growing vegetables, Farmer Tirth Singh has successfully increased his income.

In 1996-97, Farmer Tirth Singh with the help the Horticulture Department, shifted from traditional crops to growing vegetable seedlings. Today, he supplies high-quality seedlings to more than 800 farmers. He now grows onion seedlings, hybrid peppers (CH-1, CH-2), and several other varieties on 4 acres of land. His efforts have not only increased his own income but have also inspired other farmers to adopt crop diversification and move towards horticulture.

Farmer Tirth Singh's efforts have received full support from the Punjab Government through the Horticulture Department. He has been honored by agricultural institutions and received several district-level awards. Although Tirth Singh has only completed his 10th grade, his hard work and determination to learn have brought him to this position of success.Farmer Tirth Singh has shared his message with other farmers, saying, "We must take care of our natural resources and move away from traditional farming to horticulture and vegetable production. This will not only increase income but also maintain soil fertility."

Horticulture Minister Shri Mohinder Bhagat emphasized the need for farmers to shift from the wheat and rice crop cycle and adopt crop diversification, focusing on other profitable crops. This approach will help preserve underground water levels and natural resources. He mentioned that the Horticulture Department, in addition to providing technical knowledge, is running various schemes to promote horticulture, including the establishment of new orchards, hybrid vegetable cultivation, flower farming, mushroom production units, vermicomposting units, polyhouses/net houses for safe farming, and beekeeping projects. He stated that farmers can coordinate with relevant horticulture officers or district heads to take full advantage of these schemes.

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