CM’s major push to development of Municipal towns of the state
AI and other technological advancements to be used for construction/ repair of roads, maintenance of streetlights and others
Holds meeting with Delhi government to ensure comprehensive development of these towns
Envisions that Punjab will be immensely benefitted from Delhi model of urban development
New Delhi/ Chandigarh, October 28:Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday held meeting with his Delhi counterpart for giving a facelift to the corporation cities of the state.
The meeting in which the Commissioners of all the Municipal corporations of the state were also present was held under the knowledge sharing agreement of the state government with Delhi government to boost urban development.
Giving the details, the Chief Minister said that the basic purpose of the meeting is to give impetus to the ongoing development in the Municipal towns of the state. Likewise, he said that the motive is also to ensure that the residents of city get ultra modren civic amenities on lines of Delhi. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is already working zealously on it and no stone is being left unturned for this noble cause.
The Chief Minister said the AAP government in Delhi has set a new benchmark in delivery of citizen centric services to people besides ensuring comprehensive development of the cities. He said that Punjab government intends to undertake massive development in the cities on these lines for which expertise of Delhi government can be utilised well. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is on record that AAP government under the visionary leadership of Arvind Kejriwal had performed exceptionally well in the sector of urban development and planning.
The Chief Minister said that since Delhi model has emerged as a lighthouse for the entire country in urban development so Punjab is likely to immensely benefit from it. He said that cleanliness of cities, supply of potable drinking water , street lights along with holistic development of cities is the main thrust area of the state government. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that every action of the state government is aimed at ensuring well being of the common man and raising their standard of living by providing ultra modren civic amenities to them.
The Chief Minister said that it was decided to utilise artificial intelligence to identify the status of the roads including potholes, broken patches, cracks and others to ensure appropriate repair in a given timeline. Likewise, he said that it was decided to use AI to identify dark spots and get lights fixed in all the roads of cities. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it was also decided to deploy technological platforms to send alert to officials on real time and ensure repair of streetlights in a maximum of three hours.
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Punjab Cabinet Ministers Seek Governor's Intervention for Swift Rice Lifting
Accuses BJP led Union Government for Punishing Punjab's Farmers
Punjab Government Stands Firmly with Farmers Amid Rice Procurement Crisis: Cheema
Says, Punjab has long been food bowl of India; it is unjust to overlook rights of Punjab’s farmers
Punjab has consistently contributed the largest share to the central food reserves, remarks Harpal Singh Cheema
Chandigarh, October 28-Punjab Cabinet Ministers Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, Harjot Singh Bains, and Hardeep Singh Mundian submitted a memorandum to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Monday, requesting his intervention with the Central Government to expedite the lifting of rice from Punjab.
Later, interacting with media, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that they had informed the Governor about the Union Government's delay in lifting rice from shellers, which is causing issues in lifting paddy from the grain markets. The memorandum also highlighted the problem of low rice yield from paddy, urging the Governor to seek an immediate solution from the Union Government, he added.
Finance Minister Cheema pointed out that the BJP leaders' claim about a CCL limit of Rs 40,000 crore shows a lack of understanding of the ground reality, as the CCL limit is established every year during the paddy-wheat season. He said that the gap in the CCL limit sometimes ranges from Rs 600 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, a loss borne by the Punjab government, aartis, or transporters. This year, the estimated loss is around Rs 800 crore.
Minister Cheema emphasized that despite Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's letters to the Central Government and meetings between Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak and Central Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi, the Union Government has not lifted rice from the state, driven by a sense of revenge against Punjab's farmers. He said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann also met with Union Minister JP Nadda to address the shortage of DAP in the state, urging a swift resolution.
Cabinet Minister Cheema accused the BJP-led Union Government of punishing Punjab's farmers, who opposed the three black laws, and of attempting to defame the state's farmers, aartis, and sheller owners. He reminded the Union Government that Punjab's farmers contribute 40 percent of wheat and 22 percent of rice to the central pool, a testament to their hard work. “Punjab has long been the food bowl of India; it is unjust to overlook the rights of Punjab’s farmers,” said Harpal Singh Cheema while adding that the state has consistently contributed the largest share to the central food reserves.
Minister Cheema reiterated that the Punjab government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann's leadership, stands firmly with the farmers. He mentioned that all state government ministers are visiting grain markets to expedite the paddy procurement process. Finance Minister Cheema expressed hope that the Punjab Governor would strongly advocate for the state's case with the Union Government.
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Resolve Pending Cases for Worker Welfare Schemes by November 30- Sond to officers
* Reviews the functioning of Labour Department
* Orders to Set Up Camps at Labour Chowks and Display Information Boards on Welfare Schemes in Simple Language
Chandigarh, October 28:Punjab Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond instructed departmental officials today to prioritize the resolution of pending cases related to the registration/renewal/approval of workers.
During a review meeting held at the Labour Bhawan in Mohali with officials of the Punjab Labour Welfare Board and the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Sond directed that all pending welfare scheme cases in the Labour Department as of October 31, 2024, be resolved by November 30, 2024.
The Labour Minister also ordered that information boards displaying details of welfare schemes in simple language be installed at various labour chowks across cities.
He stated that from November 18 to November 22, 2024, departmental employees and officials will conduct camps at labour chowks every day from 7 AM to 10 AM. At these camps, assistance will be provided to workers regarding registration, renewal, new welfare schemes, and resolving objections raised on previously applied schemes, enabling construction workers to benefit from the schemes of the Construction Workers Welfare Board.
The Labour Minister also directed that the Labour Department establish accounts on various social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to share updates on the department’s activities and initiatives.
He instructed the establishment of a help desk based on technical support at the office of the respective labour officer. The help desk will operate every day from 9 AM to 12 PM to assist workers with any challenges they may face, with inspectors or concerned officers available to address their concerns. The Labour Minister also directed that Form Number 27, required from construction workers, be simplified.
Furthermore, the Minister ordered that efforts be made to reach out to beneficiaries under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board who lack computer knowledge, to facilitate their registration/renewal.
During the meeting, the Labour Minister discussed various activities conducted under labour laws with senior departmental officials.
The meeting was attended by Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Labour Commissioner-cum-Director of Factories; Mona Puri, Additional Labour Commissioner; Narinder Singh, Joint Director of Factories; Jatinder Pal Singh, Deputy Labour Commissioner; Gaurav Puri, Assistant Welfare Commissioner; Jasandeep Singh Kang, Deputy Secretary, Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, as well as all Deputy Directors of Factories, Assistant Labour Commissioners/Labour Conciliation Officers.
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105-KG HEROIN HAUL: PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS ONE MORE ASSOCIATE WITH 6-KG HEROIN; TOTAL RECOVERY REACHES 111-KG
— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKING PUNJAB A DRUG-FREE STATE
— PROBE REVEALS THAT ACCUSED LOVEPREET SINGH WAS TO HANDOVER HEROIN CONSIGNMENT PICKED FROM RAJASTHAN TO ACCUSED ARRESTED WITH 105-KG HEROIN, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV
— FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS ARE ON TO ESTABLISH BACKWARD AND FORWARD LINKAGES IN THIS CASE
CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, October 28:In the follow-up investigations in the 105 kg heroin haul case, Punjab Police have arrested one more associate of Turkey-based drug smuggler Navpreet Singh alias Nav Bhullar and recovered an additional chunk of 6kg heroin from his possession, taking the total recovery to 111 kg in this case, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Monday.
The arrested accused has been identified as Lovepreet Singh, a resident of Village Chakoki in Kapurthala. Apart from recovering heroin consignment from his possession, police teams have also impounded his Hyundai Aura car (HR26FF4067), in which the accused was travelling.
The development came a day after Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar has busted a cross-border smuggling racket after arresting two associates of drug smuggler Nav Bhullar and recovered 105kg heroin, 31.93 Kg Caffeine Anhydrous and 17 Kg dextromethorphan (DMR) and six weapons from their possession.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that while developing the further intelligence and establishing forward-backward linkages in this case, CI Amritsar figured out that another associate Lovepreet Singh has received a huge consignment of heroin from Rajasthan, which he planned to supply to his associates based in Punjab.
Acting swiftly, Police teams led by DSP CI Amritsar Balbir Singh laid a special naka in the area of Village Umranangal Morh along the Jalandhar-Amritsar GT Road and apprehended accused Lovepreet Singh after recovering 6 Kg Heroin from his car.
The DGP said that preliminary investigation has revealed that arrested accused Lovepreet Singh picked up heroin consignment from district Hanumangarh in Rajasthan and was going to deliver it to drug peddler Navjot Singh, who was arrested with 105kg heroin.
He said that the arrested accused will be further questioned to gather more information about the supply chain and his connections with the drug trafficking network. Further investigations are on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case.
In this regard, a fresh case FIR No. 63 dated 27.10.2024 has been registered under sections 21, 25, and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station SSOC Amritsar.
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54 LMT paddy procured out of 59 LMT arrival: Lal Chand Kataruchak
More than Rs. 7600 Crore credited into accounts of farmers
Lifting also gathering speed; Single day lifting figure crosses 4 Lakh MT
Exhorts DFSCs to further accelerate speed of procurement & lifting
Chandigarh, October 28:The Punjab Government under the visionary guidance of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is sparing no effort to ensure a smooth and hassle free paddy procurement season 2024-25. Effective procurement, lifting and payment mechanism has been put in place in all the mandis of the State to take care of the interests of all the stakeholders i.e. the farmers, arhtiyas, millers as well as the labourers.
Till date, 59,79,723.94 Metric Tonnes (MT) paddy has arrived in the mandis of the State out of which 54,98,389.72 MT has been procured, said the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak while taking stock of the procurement season in a VC with all the DFSCs, District Managers and senior officers of the department and added that Punjab is proceeding very rapidly towards meeting the procurement target.
Further, the lifting has also picked up speed with total 23,30,117.58 MT of paddy being lifted as of now and a record 4.13 LMT lifted in a single day on October 27th.
With regard to the payments issue, Mr. Kataruchak divulged that an amount of Rs. 7640.55 Crore has been credited into the accounts of the farmers so as to ensure that they are able to celebrate Diwali in a grand manner at their homes.
Directing the DFSCs to further press the accelerator in terms of procurement and lifting, the Minister said that he is fully confident that with the collective efforts of all, the procurement season would turn out to be a very successful one.
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Dr Baljit Kaur leads Eye Camp in Faridkot, 400 Patient Recieve Aids
Chandigarh/Faridkot, 28 October-Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister, Dr. Baljit Kaur, inaugurated a free eye check-up camp organized by the Sankalp Educational Welfare Society (Regd.) at the Dr. Baljit Eye Care Center in Faridkot, where she personally examined the eyes of the patients.
During her visit, Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that the Faridkot district is like family to her and that she is always committed to serving its people. She highlighted that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is working to expand healthcare facilities. She added that by organizing such medical camps, society can move closer to achieving the goal of a healthier community.
The president of the organizing society welcomed Dr. Baljit Kaur to the camp. He shared that approximately 400 patients had their eyes examined during the event, and spectacles and medications were distributed to those in need.
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Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema Announces Free Insurance for Mid-Day Meal Workers
Says, Cabinet Sub-Committee Has Also Written to Union Government Recommending Increase in Salary
Holds Meeting With Mid-Day Meal Cooks Union, Addresses Concerns
Chandigarh, October 28-Punjab Finance, Planning, and Excise Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday announced today that the Punjab Mid Day Meal Society has signed an agreement with Canara Bank, under which mid-day meal cooks and helpers will be insured free of cost. Finance Minister Cheema revealed that the cabinet sub-committee has also written a demi-official letter to the Union Government, recommending an increase in the salary of mid-day meal cooks from Rs 600 to Rs 2000.
During a meeting with the Mid-day Meal Cooks Union Punjab (BMS) at his office, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured the union leaders that all mid-day meal cooks and helpers who open a zero balance account in Canara Bank will be covered under this insurance scheme. The plan includes insurance coverage of Rs 16 lakh in case of accidental death, Rs 1 lakh in case of natural death, and Rs 2 lakh in case of the death of a spouse in an accident.
Addressing the salary issue raised by the union leaders, Minister Cheema informed them that in addition to the recommendation letter by the cabinet sub-committee to the Union Government, their case will be further pursued by the Education Minister and officials of the School Education Department with the concerned Union Ministry.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema mentioned that the letter to the Union Government also recommended providing one cook for every 50 students. Currently, the arrangement allows for one mid-day meal cook for every 1 to 25 students, two for 25 to 100 students, and subsequently only one cook for every additional 100 students. He emphasized that increasing the number of cooks would address the challenges being faced in preparing mid-day meals.
During the meeting, the Finance Minister asked the Secretary, School Education K.K. Yadav to consider creating additional posts for mid-day cooks at the block level to ensure alternate arrangements are available when workers need leave. He also directed the Managing Director, Mid Day Meal Society, Varinder Singh Brar to ensure that needed dress items like aprons, caps, and gloves to be provided to the mid-day meal workers at the earliest.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government's commitment to improving the working conditions and financial security of mid-day meal workers, ensuring their well-being and enhancing the quality of service provided to students.
State President of the Mid-day Meal Cooks Union Punjab (BMS) Karamchand Chindalia, General Secretary Mumtaz Begam, and Vice President Rinki Nawan Shahar were also present in the meeting.
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Vigilance Bureau arrests PSPCL Head Cashier for accepting Rs 50,000 bribe
Chandigarh October 28, 2024 - The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Monday apprehended Head Cashier Davinder Singh, posted at Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) office, Sub Division South, Amritsar for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above-mentioned accused has been arrested on a complaint lodged by Narinder Kumar, a resident of Bazar Gujran, Bhagtan Wala, Gate Hakima, Amritsar. He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged in his complaint that he had given an application for installation of commercial electrical meter at his shop at Shakti Nagar, Amritsar and the accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 1,00,000 for clearing the paper work.
The spokesperson added that after a preliminary enquiry into this complaint a VB team laid a trap during which the aforementioned accused was caught red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000 from the complainant 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 into this case was under progress, he said.
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ENSURE DISPOSAL OF COMPLAINTS IN FAIR, TRANSPARENT, TIME BOUND MANNER : VB CHIEF DIRECTS OFFICIALS
* Take pledge to root-out corruption from Punjab on Vigilance Awareness Week
Chandigarh, October 28, 2024 - With an aim to root-out corruption from the state as mandated by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, Mr. Varinder Kumar, Special DGP-cum-Chief Director Vigilance Bureau, directed field officials of the Bureau to ensure the judicious disposal of complaints in fair, transparent and time bound manner.
He was addressing the officer/officials after leading the pledge-taking ceremony on the first day of the annual Vigilance Awareness Week at Vigilance Bureau(VB) Bhawan SAS Nagar on Monday, aiming to raise awareness among citizens and public servants about the importance of an administration free from corrupt practices.
While directing the officers to initiate a widespread awareness campaign across all seven ranges, he emphasised that all SSPs of VB ranges and field officials should engage with the public. “The message against corruption must reach the grassroots level to promote transparency, accountability, probity and integrity within society in letter and spirit”, he said.
VB chief shared that this year's motto for Vigilance Awareness Week is ‘Culture of Integrity for Nation’s Prosperity,’ as envisioned by the Central Vigilance Commission.
Continuing its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, the VB has registered 673 corruption cases from March 2022 till date. He added that during the investigation of these cases, a total of 758 accused individuals have been arrested.
He further stated that corruption is a dangerous and heinous crime against the integrity and dignity of a state and its citizens, regardless of whether it is committed by service providers or seekers. He emphasised that nobody will be spared if found indulging in corrupt practices and misappropriations. He also appealed to the public to cooperate with the government and the VB in its anti-corruption campaign to ensure a corruption-free administration in the state.
Mr Varinder Kumar informed that with an aim to create a citizen-friendly complaint system, the Chief Minister Anti-Corruption Action Line WhatsApp number 9501-200-200 was launched by Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann in 2022. Following the information received through this action line, the Bureau has registered 189 FIRs.
On the occasion DIG VB Harjit Singh and Joint Directors Mr Kanwaljit Singh and Arun Saini were also present.
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