Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak reviewes wheat procurement arrangements in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar & Tarn Taran districts

1864 procurement centers (mandis) set up across Punjab

600 temporary procurement centers also established in view of bumper crop - Lal Chand Kataruchak

Punjab Government committed to purchase every grain of wheat crop, farmers will not be made to face any problem in mandis

Payment will be made within 24 hours after purchasing wheat crop on time

Holidays of officers and employees cancelled during the procurement season

Chandigarh/Gurdaspur, April 5:The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister,Punjab, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today held a meeting with senior officers of 4 districts including Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar and Tarn Taran at Panchayat Bhawan Gurdaspur and reviewed the wheat procurement in Majha area.

Presiding over the meeting, the Minister said that the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann has made extensive arrangements for the convenience of more than 8 lakh farmers to conduct the ongoing wheat procurement season in the state in a smooth manner.

He said that a target of 124 lakh metric tonnes of wheat procurement has been set in Punjab and the State Government has already obtained a cash credit limit of Rs. 28,894 crore to ensure a hassle free procurement season. He further added that in addition to setting up 1864 procurement centres (mandis) across the state, around 600 temporary procurement centres have also been established in view of the bumper crop.

The Minister reiterated the Punjab Government’s commitment to procure every single wheat grain and said that payment to the farmers will be ensured within 24 hours of procurement of the crop. He instructed all the officers and employees involved in procurement arrangements that they will not take leave without any valid reason and also they will remain present at the mandis and their respective stations till the season is over.

During the meeting, the Minister pointed out that during this season, it is estimated that 6.69 lakh metric tons of wheat crop will arrive in the mandis of district Gurdaspur, 7.54 lakh metric tons in Amritsar, 7.76 lakh metric tons in Tarn Taran and 0.73 lakh metric tons in district Pathankot.

For the convenience of the farmers, special arrangements have been made for clean and pure drinking water, bathrooms, electricity and cleanliness in the mandis, said Mr. Kataruchak adding apart from this, arrangement of first-aid medical kits in the mandis would also be ensured. He mentioned that the Arhtiyas have been asked to make necessary arrangements for tarpaulins etc.

He again assured that the Punjab Government would not let the farmers face any problem in the mandis.

On this occasion, he was accompanied by Punjab Health Systems Corporation Chairman Mr. Raman Bahl, Aam Aadmi Party District Urban President Mr. Shamsher Singh Dinanagar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Dr. Harjinder Singh Bedi, SP Mr. Balwinder Singh, Deputy Director of Food and Civil Supplies Department, Jalandhar Division, Mr. Manish Narula, DFSCs of all districts of Majha Region, District Mandi Officers and officials of various procurement agencies.

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SARPANCHES, NAMBARDARS, MCs SET TO VERIFY DOCUMENTS ONLINE AS AMAN ARORA ORDER TO COMPLETE ONBOARDING THEM WITHIN THIS MONTH

• CM Mann led Govt made citizen-centric services more accessible for all citizens by substantially reducing doorstep delivery charges, says Good Governance Minister

•Chairs meeting of Board of Governors of Punjab State e-Governance Society (PSeGS)

Chandigarh, April 5:To further streamline the services delivery to the people of the state in a transparent manner, Punjab Good Governance and Information Technology Minister Mr. Aman Arora directed the department officials to onboard all the Sarpanches, Nambardars and Municipal Councillors (MCs) by the end of April 2025.

While chairing a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Punjab State e-Governance Society (PSeGS), Mr. Aman Arora said that a total of 43,321 Sarpanches, Nambardars and MCs would be onboarded to empower them to verify the applications and certificates online, eliminating the need for citizens to visit them personally.

Additional Chief Secretary of Good Governance and Information Technology Mr. Vikas Pratap apprised the cabinet minister that over 41,000 online login IDs have already been created for Sarpanches, Nambardars, and MCs, representing about 95% of the total. He assured the Cabinet Minister that all local representatives would be onboarded by the end of the month.

Making citizen-centric services more accessible to all citizens, Mr. Aman Arora, informed that the state government has reduced the doorstep delivery fee to Rs. 50, down from Rs. 120. This move, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, allows residents to access 406 services by simply dialling helpline no.-1076 from the comfort of their homes. This significant reduction aims to ensure that everyone, regardless of their financial situation, can benefit from these services.

Reaffirming the Punjab Government's commitment to prioritising ease of living and ensuring convenient service delivery to its citizens, Mr. Aman Arora says that the Punjab State e-Governance Society (PSeGS) is actively working on numerous reforms and providing innovative IT and e-Governance solutions, contributing to improved governance and transparent service delivery.

The Board also reviewed the progress of several key projects, including eSewa, the Public Grievance Redressal System (PGRS), the Right to Information (RTI) Portal, mSewa, the State Admission Portal, the Connect portal, and the Visitor Pass management System.

Special Secretary Health & Family Welfare Mr. Ghanshyam Thori, Director Good Governance Mr. Girish Dayalan, CEO of PMIDC Ms. Deepti Uppal, State Transport Commissioner Mr. Jaspreet Singh and other senior officials of the department were also present in the meeting.

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Chairman SC Commission Jasvir Singh Garhi will tour the state to educate Scheduled Castes about their rights

Chandigarh, April 5-Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi will visit the state to aware Scheduled Castes about their rights.

In a press communique issued here today, Spokesperson of the Commission said that Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi will visit various parts of Punjab on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.

The spokesperson said that on April 6, 2025, Mr. Garhi will participate in a function of BR Ambedkar Study Circle Center at Village Salempur, near Sidhwan Bet, Ludhiana district; on April 13, 2025, Bahujan Employees and Retired Employees Association will hold a function at Ajmer Palace, Malout Road, Muktsar Sahib; on April 14, 2025, he will visit Nawanshahr; on April 19, 2025, SC/BC Employees Federation PSPCL/PSTCL will hold a function at Thermal Plant Nuho Colony, Ropar; and on April 20, 2025, BR Ambedkar Welfare and Charitable Forum and allied organizations will organize an event at Parul Palace, Sangrur.

The awareness campaign will continue with an evening event at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib on April 13, 2025.

In these events, apart from making people aware of the life and struggle of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, information will also be provided about the functioning of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission, as well as the rights, entitlements and social security measures for the poor, oppressed, Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes under the Indian Constitution and the laws of the country.

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Punjab Embarks on Transformative Rural Road Development Initiative; FM Cheema says Swift Action Demonstrates AAP Government’s Commitment to Promises

1,000 Kilometers of Rural Roads to Be Strengthened in First Phase

Enhances Contractor Accountability with Five-Year Maintenance Mandate

Third-Party Audits to Ensure Quality and Accountability

Record-Breaking 18,944 Kilometers of Rural Roads to Be Upgraded in FY 2025-26

Badlda Punjab Budget Allocated ₹2,873 Crore for Construction and Upgradation of Rural Link Roads

Chandigarh, April 5-Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema announced on Saturday that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has swiftly begun implementing the strategies outlined in the Badlda Punjab Budget within days of the budget's passage, as the government has issued tenders for the strengthening of 1,000 kilometers of rural roads, marking a significant step towards rural infrastructure development.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema revealed that the first phase of this ambitious project focuses on rural roads in the districts of Faridkot, SBS Nagar, Pathankot, and Barnala. He said that these roads, designed to be 10 meters wide, aim to enhance connectivity and improve transportation across the state.

Highlighting a key reform, the Finance Minister said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has extended the accountability of contractors. “Previously, contractors were liable for only a one-year warranty on the roads they constructed. Under the new mandate, contractors will now be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the roads for a period of five years. To ensure quality, a third-party audit will be conducted, and any discrepancies will result in recovery of funds, and blacklisting of the contractor”, said the Finance Minister while adding that the accountability of government officials overseeing these projects would also be enforced.

Reaffirming the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government's commitment to fulfilling its promises, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasized that the Badlda Punjab Budget for FY 2025-26, passed on March 27, includes a pledge to rebuild all broken rural link roads in the state. A record-breaking 18,944 kilometers of rural link roads will be constructed or upgraded within a single year, setting a new benchmark in Punjab's history.

Criticizing previous governments for undertaking such development projects only in the final year of their tenure, Finance Minister Cheema assured that the current administration is dedicated to delivering results promptly. He also addressed skepticism from the opposition, asserting that the swift issuance of tenders following the budget's approval demonstrates the AAP-led government's commitment to action rather than empty promises. He said that the improved rural roads will facilitate hassle-free travel, expedite the marketing of agricultural produce, and inject new energy into Punjab's economy.

It is noteworthy that the Badlda Punjab Budget allocates ₹2,873 crore for the construction and upgradation of rural link roads by the Punjab Mandi Board in FY 2025-26. This substantial investment underscores the Government's dedication to transforming Punjab's infrastructure and fostering economic growth.

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‘YUDH NASHIAN VIRUDH’: ON DAY 36, PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS 71 DRUG SMUGGLERS; 1.5KG HEROIN, 500GMS OPIUM RECOVERED

— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A DRUG-FREE STATE AS PER DIRECTIONS OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN

— OVER 200 POLICE TEAMS LED BY 83 SP/DSP RANK OFFICERS CHECKED 460 SUSPICIOUS PERSONS: SPL DGP ARPIT SHUKLA

CHANDIGARH, April 5:With the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state entered 36th day, Punjab Police on Saturday arrested 71 drug smugglers and recovered 1.5 kg heroin, 500 grams opium and ₹6020 drug money from their possession. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 4990 in just 36 days.

The operation was conducted on the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav simultaneously in all 28 Police districts of the state.

Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

Divulging details, Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla informed that over 200 Police teams, comprising over 1200 police personnel, under the supervision of 83 gazetted officers have conducted raids at as many as 429 locations across the state leading to the registration of 48 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 460 suspicious persons during the day long operation, he added.

The Special DGP said that with the state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced one person to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.