Punjab's mining sector witnesses transformative growth
Revenue collection soars to Rs.288.75 crore in FY 2023-24
Public mining generates Rs.16.07 crore for state, Rs.9 crore generated from commercial sites
Rs.13.77 crore generated for village development
18.37 Lakh MT sand supplied at affordable rates
Digital transformation and ease of business initiatives ensured
Strengthened enforcement against illegal mining, 1169 FIRs registered, 867 challans issued
Launch of "Pb Mines Inspection APP"
Chandigarh, December 24:Under the dynamic leadership of Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Mines and Geology department has achieved remarkable milestones in 2024, establishing new benchmarks in transparency, efficiency and sustainable mining practices.
"Our focus has been on modernizing the mining sector while ensuring benefits reach the common citizen," stated Punjab Mining and Geology Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal, highlighting the department's citizen-centric approach.
He said that the department's Public Mining Program has seen outstanding success through the implementation of the Punjab Minor Mineral Policy 2023, with 73 public mining sites becoming operational, which generated Rs.16.07 crore for the state and Rs.13.77 crore for local villagers, while helping stabilize sand prices. He said that so far 18.37 Lakh MT of sand has been sold, which shows the program's effectiveness in meeting public demand.
Similarly, in commercial mining, the department has successfully auctioned 41 clusters covering 65 sites, generating Rs.9 crore in revenue. The department plans to expand this success by auctioning 100 clusters, maintaining affordable pit head sale prices at Rs.5.50 per cubic feet (excluding GST).
Sh. Goyal informed that the digital transformation efforts have yielded significant improvements in ease of doing business. The department has streamlined basement charges and integrated its online mining portal with "Invest Punjab." This integration ensured permit issuance within 72 hours through an automatic approval system, enhancing both efficiency and transparency. In case, there is a procedural delay, the permit gets approved automatically after the lapse of 72 hours, he added.
"Fight against illegal mining intensified"
Mining and Geology Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is committed to completely curb the practices of illegal mining and the fight against illegal mining has been intensified with comprehensive measures including establishing toll-free complaint numbers, formation of Sub-Divisional committees and Flying Squads.
He said that between the period of April 2022 and May 2024, the department got registered 1,169 FIRs and 867 challans have been issued to the person involved in illegal mining activities.
Revenue collection has grown substantially
The Cabinet Minister said that the revenue collection has grown substantially, reaching Rs.288.75 crore in financial year 2023-24, up from Rs.247 crore in financial year 2022-23.
To provide more mining material to the general public at cheaper rates, the department is working to include more sites in the DSRs and verify the data provided in the mining plans to prevent any issues or objections from the SEIAA/SEAC at a later stage, which could lead to a waste of time and government resources. Committees, consisting of officers at the level of Superintending Engineers and representatives from the Head Office, have been formed for this purpose. As of now, 45 site visits have been conducted by these committees across the state of Punjab. In addition to these sites, many more sites have been visited by the Sub-Divisional Level Committees to include them in the DSRs.
Pb Mines Inspection App launched
Talking about the technological advancements in the department, Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal informed that technological innovation has been at the forefront with the launch of the "Pb Mines Inspection APP," which enabling citizens to report illegal mining activities in real-time with multimedia capability including photos, videos or both.
Besides this, a landmark PPP initiative worth around Rs.37 crore has been launched to install modern weighbridges and surveillance systems at crusher sites, incorporating advanced technologies such as ANPR, PTZ cameras and RFID readers.
The Cabinet Minister informed that the Punjab Crusher Policy 2023 has been Introduced to address crusher unions' concerns and planned transparent e-Tendering for selecting Public Crusher Units under the Punjab Transparency in Public Procurement Act and based on the lowest mineral price quoted by such as crusher unit. He said that the introduction of the Punjab Crusher Policy 2023 showcasing the department's commitment to addressing industry concerns while maintaining transparency through e-Tendering processes for Public Crusher Units.
"We are building a mining sector that not only contributes to Punjab's economy but also ensures environmental sustainability and community welfare," said Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal.
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TRIALS OF PUNJAB KABBADI TEAMS FOR ALL INDIA SERVICES KABADDI TOURNAMENT ON 26th DECEMBER
Chandigarh, December 24:Central Civil Services Cultural and Board are organising the All India Services Kabaddi (Men and Women) tournament from 3rd to 8th January 2025 in New Delhi. Trails for Punjab teams will be held on 26th December at Polo Ground Patiala at 11.00 am.
The spokesman of the sports department further informed that in these trials security services personnel/para-security organizations/central police organizations/police/RPF/CISF/BSF/ITBP and NSG etc., autonomous parties/undertakings/public sector Banks including central ministry run banks, excluding casual/daily workers, temporary office workers, newly recruited employees who have been in regular services for less than 6 months, Government employees (regular), government officials (regular) of different departments can participate only after receiving NoC from their departments. The cost of travel, accommodation and food in this tournament will be paid by the player personally.
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-PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO Congratulates Executive Engineer Rohit Jindal on Selection as PCS Officer
Chandigarh, December 24-Punjab Public Works and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO extended congratulations to Executive Engineer (PWD) Rohit Jindal for being selected as a Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer. The minister also highlighted the importance of continuous learning and professional development.
Honouring him with a robe of honour here at his office, PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO praised Rohit Jindal for his exceptional commitment and perseverance, which have led to this prestigious selection. "Rohit Jindal's journey from an Executive Engineer to a PCS officer is a shining example of what can be achieved through determination and perseverance. His accomplishment will undoubtedly motivate others to strive for excellence in their respective roles," said the Cabinet Minister.
Rohit Jindal, who has been serving as an Executive Engineer in the Public Works Department (B&R), expressed his gratitude for the support and encouragement he received from his colleagues and superiors. "I am deeply honoured to have been selected as a PCS officer. This achievement would not have been possible without my colleagues' unwavering support and my superiors' guidance. I am committed to serving the people of Punjab with dedication and integrity," said Rohit Jindal.
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NO MORE QUEUES FOR VISITOR PASSES AT PUNJAB CIVIL SECRETARIATS AS DGR LAUNCHES E-PASS FACILITY
• Move aims to eliminate waiting time and enhance seamless experience for both citizens & Govt officials, says Aman Arora
Chandigarh, December 24:In a significant move to enhance citizen convenience, the Punjab Government has digitized the issuance of visitor passes for Secretariat-1 and 2 in Chandigarh, informed Mr. Aman Arora, Minister of Governance Reforms, Punjab here on Tuesday.
The move will eliminate the need for citizens and government officials to wait in queues for physical passes by streamlining the visitor pass application process, said Mr. Aman Arora while adding that
the new system developed by the department of Governance Reforms (DGR) Punjab, offers a seamless experience for both citizens and government officials.
Highlighting the benefits of the new digital system, the Governance Reforms Minister said that the Citizens and government officials can conveniently apply for visitor passes online via the Connect portal connect.punjab.gov.in or at the Reception Counter of PCS-1 and PCS-2. Now, applicants can track the status of their applications and view their pass history in real-time. Departments can efficiently approve or reject pass requests using their login IDs provided by the ADO Branch. Approved passes will be sent directly to applicants via SMS or WhatsApp. Upon arrival, visitors can present their online QR code for verification, along with a valid ID proof, to security officials, he added.
"This digital initiative reflects our unwavering commitment to citizen-centric governance. By eliminating unnecessary delays and physical paperwork by streamlining the process, we are making it easier for citizens to access government services and improving their overall experience", Mr. Aman Arora stated.
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State Election Commission lifts the Model Code of Conduct
Chandigarh, 24 December 2024:An official spokesperson of the Punjab State Election Commission said that the Model Code of Conduct which was enforced from 08.12.2024 following the announcement of election schedule for General/Bye Elections to various Municipalities in the State of Punjab, now ceases to be in operation in the revenue estates of the concerned Municipalities in the State with immediate effect, with the conclusion of Elections Schedule.
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Health Care for Elderly: A Key Focus of Punjab Government: Dr. Baljit Kaur
Says, Honoring elderly and ensuring their well-being is key objective of Government
Chandigarh, 24 December-Under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann and the guidance of Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, Efforts to improve the well-being of the elderly in Punjab are progressing rapidly, the state government is running the "Our Elderly, Our Pride" campaign. As part of this initiative, department officials will be going door-to-door to collect health-related information about the elderly.
Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that it is essential to conduct health surveys to ensure the well-being of the elderly and improve their quality of life. She emphasized that the government's primary goal is to honor the elderly and make their lives more fulfilling. She added that the elderly are an integral part of our society and it is our moral responsibility to take care of their health.
Dr. Kaur further explained that Anganwadi supervisors would visit each household to collect data through the M-Seva mobile app. This app will display details of pensioners, including their name, age, village, phone number, and health information.
She also mentioned that if any pensioner's payment is delayed or blocked due to incomplete or incorrect information, they can file complaints through the DGR Helpline (1100).
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Vigilance Bureau registers case against three accused for accepting Rs 23 lakh bribe from candidates during Panchayat elections
Co-accused hotel owner arrested
Chandigarh, December 24, 2024 –The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against Gulab Singh, SDO Irrigation Department, Ferozepur, who was deployed as Returning Officer (RO) for block Ghall Khurd, Davinder Singh, Sub-Inspector of Agriculture Department, Ferozepur, serving as Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) for the same block and Rahul Narang, owner of Nivediam Hotel for accepting a bribe of Rs 23 lakh to refrain from rejecting nomination papers for the elections of village sarpanch and panchayat members. In this case Gulab Singh, SDO, has already been arrested and is currently in jail and co-accused hotel owner Rahul Narang has been arrested today.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau (VB) said the case was registered following verification of a complaint. During the investigation, it was found that the complainants, Hardeep Singh and his brother Jagdev Singh, had filed nomination papers for the sarpanch election of village Toot in Ferozepur district. Similarly, Sukhjeet Kaur, Rashpal Singh, Manjeet Kaur, and Jagmohan Singh had filed nomination papers for panchayat member positions of this village.
Giving more details he added that after submitting the forms, the complainant visited the house of accused Davinder Singh, Sub-Inspector of Agriculture Department, in village Wazidpur. There, he met both accused Davinder Singh and aforementioned Gulab Singh, SDO. The two officials demanded Rs 15 lakh as a bribe to refrain from rejecting their nomination papers. They directed the complainant to deliver the bribe money to Rahul Narang, the owner of Nivediam Hotel.
In the presence of his brother Jagdev Singh and others, the complainant handed over Rs 15 lakh to Rahul Narang. However, when the complainant later inquired about the nominations for other panchayat members, Rahul Narang demanded an additional Rs 8 lakh (Rs 2 lakh per member) as a bribe.
The spokesperson added that during the investigation, it was found that Gulab Singh and Davinder Singh had abused their official positions and, in collusion with hotel owner Rahul Narang, extorted Rs 23 lakh from the complainant, Hardeep Singh. Consequently, the Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against all the three accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Ferozepur Range Police Station. Co-accused hotel owner Rahul Narang has been arrested and would be produced in the court tomorrow. Further investigation was under progress, he added.
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Punjab witnesses education revolution in technical sector
* Massive surge in ITIs admissions
Chandigarh, December 24-Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government has witnessed a significant increase in admissions to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state. This surge is attributed to the government's concerted efforts to provide vocational education to the state's youth and the substantial positive transformations being implemented in the technical education sector.
In view of the industrial demands, 25% seats has been increased in Govt. ITIs this year to bring the total number of additional seats to 52,000 by 2025. In current session 2024-25, 93.04% seats has been filled in 137 Govt ITIs.
In order to make the training more industry relevant, Dual System of Training (DST) has been introduced in the Government Industrial Training Institutes in collaboration with the Industry.
After due interactions with the industry reps, the Technical Education and Training department has introduced 27 new Industry-Oriented courses in 2022-23 academic session i.e. Agro Processing, Baker and Confectioner, Electroplater, Solar Technician, Textile Wet Processing Technician etc.
The department had upgraded five Government ITIs at Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali, Sunam and Manakpur Sharif under MPLAD. Apart from this, the Department has signed an MOU for academic cooperation with Homi Bhaba Cancer Hospital & Research Centre. This alliance aims at running internships of Polytechnic & ITI students at HBCH&RC.
The Department has been successful to attract industry to invest to strengthen and upgrade ITIs in the state. 23 Government Industrial Training Institutes has been upgarded under World Bank assisted project STRIVE. Rs. 12.72 crore has been spent on acquisition of the latest machinery to upgrade workshops.
25 new Government Industrial Training Institutes have been set up in the State. Expenditure of Rs. 15 crore has been incurred on civil works & 1 crore on purchase of Machinery in financial year 2023-24. A budget provision of Rs. 15 crore has been provided by the Finance Department in this financial year 2024-25.
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Punjab government assigns additional charge of administrator general and official trustee to Maninderjit Singh Bedi
Chandigarh, December 24:The Punjab Government has assigned the additional charge of Administrator General and Official Trustee of Punjab to Maninderjit Singh Bedi with immediate effect.
The Department of Home Affairs and Justice (Judicial 1 Branch) has issued an office order conferring this additional charge through notification.
Mr. Bedi, who currently serves as Additional Advocate General of Punjab, will assume these new responsibilities while continuing his existing duties.
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Vigilance Bureau registers case against three accused for accepting Rs 23 lakh bribe from candidates during Panchayat elections
Irrigation department SDO, Agriculture department Sub-Inspector, and hotel owner booked
Chandigarh, December 24, 2024 –The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against Gulab Singh, SDO Irrigation Department, Ferozepur, who was deployed as Returning Officer (RO) for block Ghall Khurd, Davinder Singh, Sub-Inspector of Agriculture Department, Ferozepur, serving as Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) for the same block and Rahul Narang, owner of Nivediam Hotel for accepting a bribe of Rs 23 lakh to refrain from rejecting nomination papers for the elections of village sarpanch and panchayat members. In this case Gulab Singh, SDO, has already been arrested and is currently in jail.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau (VB) said the case was registered following verification of a complaint. During the investigation, it was found that the complainants, Hardeep Singh and his brother Jagdev Singh, had filed nomination papers for the sarpanch election of village Toot in Ferozepur district. Similarly, Sukhjeet Kaur, Rashpal Singh, Manjeet Kaur, and Jagmohan Singh had filed nomination papers for panchayat member positions of this village.
Giving more details he added that after submitting the forms, the complainant visited the house of accused Davinder Singh, Sub-Inspector of Agriculture Department, in village Wazidpur. There, he met both accused Davinder Singh and aforementioned Gulab Singh, SDO. The two officials demanded Rs 15 lakh as a bribe to refrain from rejecting their nomination papers. They directed the complainant to deliver the bribe money to Rahul Narang, the owner of Nivediam Hotel.
In the presence of his brother Jagdev Singh and others, the complainant handed over Rs 15 lakh to Rahul Narang. However, when the complainant later inquired about the nominations for other panchayat members, Rahul Narang demanded an additional Rs 8 lakh (Rs 2 lakh per member) as a bribe.
The spokesperson added that during the investigation, it was found that Gulab Singh and Davinder Singh had abused their official positions and, in collusion with hotel owner Rahul Narang, extorted Rs 23 lakh from the complainant, Hardeep Singh. Consequently, the Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against all the three accused under the Prevention of Corruption Act at the Ferozepur Range Police Station. Further investigation was under progress, he added.
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Punjab Delegation Calls on Union Finance Minister; Urges Immediate Resolution of RDF and MDF Issues
Seeks immediate release of RDF and MDF payments amounting to Rs 7000 crore
Chandigarh, December 24-In a concerted effort to address the critical issues surrounding the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF), Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, Member of Parliament Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha called on the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi today. The delegation emphasized the urgent need for the release of RDF and MDF payments amounting Rs 7000 crore, which are crucial for maintaining Punjab's extensive agricultural marketing infrastructure.
Revealing details of the meeting while interacting with media here, Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema said that the meeting was marked by a constructive discussion, with the delegation underscoring the unique challenges being faced by Punjab due to delay in payment of RDF and MDF. “Officers of the state overnment also accompanied us to apprise the Union Finance Minister about the substantial role of these funds in the development of the Mandi Board, Mandis, roads connecting Mandis, and other Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure", he added.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the RDF and MDF in the case of Punjab, which is a Decentralized Procurement (DCP) State, cannot be compared with other non-DCP states. He said that Punjab's mandi infrastructure has been developed over decades and has significantly improved the procurement processes.
“We have to charge a higher RDF/MDF because of this vast and time-tested infrastructure that no other state possesses. It is due to the RDF and MDF that we have been able to develop a vast network of roads connecting the remotest of our villages to the mandis. These roads now demand maintenance and recarpeting, which will not be possible without the required RDF/MDF funds”, he added.
Stressing on the need to resolve the RDF and MDF issue on priority, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that any further delay in the release of funds will seriously limit the state's ability to maintain the infrastructure involved and cause procurement issues, which is the absolute last thing the Government of Punjab and the Government of India want. He expressed optimism that a decision would be made soon and RDF and MDF payments were expected to be released soon by the Union Government to provide much-needed financial support for the continued development and maintenance of Punjab's agricultural infrastructure.
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