POLICE OFFICERS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE MAJOR CRIMES TAKING PLACE IN THEIR JURISDICTION: CM TELLS CPs AND SSPs

REITERATES ZERO TOLERANCE AGAINST ORGANISED CRIME AND DRUGS

ASSERTS THAT POLICE REFORMS BEING INTRODUCED TO MAKE COPS MORE RESPONSIVE AND EFFECTIVE

SAYS EXEMPLARY ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST THOSE INVOLVED IN UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES

DIRECTS POLICE OFFICERS TO SOLICIT PROACTIVE SUPPORT OF GENERAL PUBLIC TO TACKLE CRIME

Chandigarh, February 4:Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to check crime in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that the Police officers will be held accountable for major crimes taking place in the areas under their jurisdiction.

Interacting with the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police here today, the Chief Minister said that effective and responsive Policing should be ensured to check crime in the state. He said Punjab Police is one of the best forces in the country and the glorious tradition of the Punjab Police to preserve unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country should be maintained by all means. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that justice should be dispensed to the people and ethos of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood should be cemented.

The Chief Minister said that the state government will embark major Police reforms to ensure that people are benefited from it. He said that the motive is to ensure that the hard earned peace of the state is maintained by all ways and means. Bhagwant Singh Mann the state government has already laid major thrust on the modernisation of the Police in the state and Punjab Police is today being equipped with world class vehicles.

The Chief Minister further said that unlawful activities should be dealt with a heavy hand and those involved in this crime should not be spared. He said that the Police officers should lay major thrust on intelligence gathering and dispensation of justice to the common man. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that war against drugs should be transformed into a mass movement and Panchayats should be encouraged for this motive.

The Chief Minister said that the supply line of drugs in the state must be further snapped with heavy hand. He said that a zero tolerance policy should be adopted against the drug menace and no one involved in this heinous crime should be spared. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he will monitor the action against drugs on a daily basis adding that strategy must be formulated to make the youth at school and college level aware against the curse of drugs.

The Chief Minister said that the properties of the drug smugglers should be confiscated and no laxity should be adopted in this noble cause. He said that the time has arrived when we must take decisive action against the scourge of drugs so that our coming generations can be saved from it. Bhagwant Singh Mann said the properties of the drug smugglers should be seized with immediate effect and big fishes involved in this major crime should be put behind the bars.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is firmly committed for wiping out organised crime in the state and strict action should be taken against the gangsters. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that no one should be allowed to take law in his hand and exemplary action should be taken against them. He said that gangsters should be taken to task and severe action should be taken against them so that they are not able to create any nuisance.

The Chief Minister said that strict action should be taken against the gangsters so that it acts as a deterrent for these anti-social elements. Bhagwant Singh Mann unequivocally said that the perpetrators of organised crime will not be allowed to flex muscles in state and they should be taught a lesson. He also asked the officers to make sure that a complete roadmap is formulated for checking the petty crimes in the state.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to check the corruption in the state and even that prevailing in echelons of Police needs to be checked with a heavy hand. He said that all the black sheeps amongst the Police force should be identified and strict action should be taken against them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these cops with dubious character are bringing bad name to the Police and this should be checked.

The Chief Minister also batted for better coordination of Police with the general public to check the crime rate across the state. He said that this will help in eliminating crime in the state thereby giving impetus to the peace, progress and prosperity of the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann recalled the stellar role of Punjab police in combating the black days of terrorism with the active support of the common man.

Dwelling on another issue, the Chief Minister asked the officers to conduct Surprise checking in the area under their jurisdiction. He said that the motive should not be fault finding but it should be aimed at streamlining the affairs pertaining to law and order. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this will enhance the efficiency of the Punjab Police and ensure the safety and security of the people.

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Punjab registeres 57,75,402 workers on e-Shram portal: Sond

- Labour Minister advocates to providing medical insurance, pension and other benefits to workers registered under e-Shram

Chandigarh, February 4: Punjab Labour Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond has revealed that Department of labour has registered 57,75,402 workers on e-Shram portal launched by Govt. of India for registration of unorganized workers. Recently, Sond has proposed that workers registered under e-Shram be provided with medical insurance, stipends for their children, and pension benefits after retirement during a two-day conference of Labour Ministers and Labour Secretaries, which concluded in New Delhi.

He said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, The Punjab Building & Other Construction workers welfare board has made various reforms like Simplification of Registration form, Translation of Form no. 27 in Punjabi for convenience of construction workers. He said that if any objection is imposed on the application of a worker, SMS is sent regarding the same to the construction worker and now Labour Inspectors will have to process the registration/renewal application within 14 days of receiving the application.

Sond said that The Punjab Building & Other Construction workers welfare board has also simplified the terms and conditions of the various welfare schemes including Stipend Scheme, LTC Scheme and Shagun Scheme. He added that, till date total amount of Rs. 31.71 crore to 19055 workers during financial year 2024-2025 under various welfare schemes has been disbursed. Similarly, during current financial year total Rs. 19.53 crores have been disbursed among construction workers.

The Minister said that during last year, the Punjab Labour Welfare Board has also distributed a total amount of Rs 15.36 crore among 5980 beneficiaries. He said that Help desk has been created in offices of Asstt. Labour Commissioners/Labour Officers for facilitating workers to resolve their objections in registration/renewal of beneficiary cards and welfare schemes.

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Two Employees of Transport Department Suspended for Involvement in Drug Trafficking: Laljit Singh Bhullar

Inspector & Conductor Arrested by Police

No Employee of Department Will Be spared if Found Involved in unscrupulous activities

Chandigarh, February 4:Under the instructions of Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, two employees of the Transport Department have been suspended after being found involved in drug trafficking, and the process to terminate their services has already begun.

Providing more details, Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar stated that an inspector and a conductor were found involved in drug trafficking. Both were arrested by Jalandhar Police, and a case has been registered against them by the Special Cell, Commissionerate, Jalandhar.

Punjab's Transport Minister, S. Laljit Singh Bhullar, announced the suspension of Inspector Kirat Singh and Conductor Deepak Sharma of Punjab Roadways, Jalandhar-2, for their involvement in drug trafficking. He mentioned that office orders regarding their suspension have been issued by the department.

It is also worth mentioning that the third person, Ajit Singh Raju, who has been arrested for drug trafficking, has no connection with the Transport Department.

Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar emphasized that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann's vision is to eradicate drugs from the state. He added that as per the commitment of Chief Minister, if any employee of the department is found involved in drug trafficking or unscrupulous activities, they will not be spared, and strict action will be taken against them immediately.

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Punjab Honored with ‘Best State’ and ‘Best District’ Awards under Green Schools Programme

• Renowned Environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk bestows the Award to Punjab State Council for Science & Technology

Chandigarh, February 4-Punjab has achieved a remarkable milestone in environmental education and sustainability by winning the prestigious ‘Best State’ and ‘Best District’ awards at the Green Schools Awards 2025, organized by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The awards were presented by renowned environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk and Ms. Sunita Narain, Head of the Centre for Science and Environment to Er. Pritpal Singh, Executive Director and Dr. Kulbir Singh Bath, Joint Director of the Punjab State Council for Science & Technology (PSCST).

A unique initiative of CSE the Green Schools Programme (GSP) has been actively implemented in Punjab by PSCST under its Environment Education Programme. The program encourages schools to optimize resource management by conducting rigorous environmental audits across six key domains like air, energy, food, land, water and waste. These awards recognize Punjab’s leadership in fostering environmental sustainability and awareness among students and educational institutions.

Out of 11,917 registered schools nationwide, 7406 schools from Punjab completed environmental audits, accounting for 84% of all audits conducted across the country. A total of 196 schools from Punjab were awarded Green School status, including 171 government schools and 25 private schools. Best District Award bestowed to Hoshiarpur District with setting up a national record with 1,945 schools completing environmental audits, the highest number from any district in India.

These accolades solidify Punjab’s position as a leader in environmental education and underscore the state’s dedication to creating a sustainable future. The success of the Green Schools Programme serves as a model for other states to emulate, highlighting the importance of integrating environmental consciousness into the education system.

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SEC announces to conduct the election to elect the members of the Gram Panchayat Lakhmir Ke Uttar, District Ferozepur on 23, February 2025

Chandigarh, 4 February 2025:The Punjab State Election Commission informed that the election to elect the members of the Gram Panchayat Lakhmir Ke Uttar, District Ferozepur, would be held on 23.02.2025. The voting will be held from 8.00 AM to 4.00 PM on 23.02.2025.

Disclosing this here today, Punjab State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhari said that the formal notification of commission regarding schedule of election would be issued on 07.02.2025.

In this regard District Election Officer-Cum-Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur, has been directed to make all necessary arrangements for a free and fair poll. The Model Code of Conduct will come into force from the date of notification, in the revenue jurisdiction of Gram Panchayat Lakhmir Ke Uttar, District Ferozepur.

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PUNJAB POLICE INTRODUCES IMPROVED SYSTEM FOR PASSPORT VERIFICATION

— CITIZENS WILL RECEIVE PRE-VERIFICATION SMS, WILL ALSO ABLE TO SUBMIT FEEDBACK, SAYS SPL DGP GURPREET KAUR DEO

Chandigarh, February 4:To provide transparent and time bound citizen centric services, Punjab Police on Tuesday introduced an improved system for the passport verification which will allow citizens to receive pre-verification SMS and would also be able to submit feedback through Post-verification SMS.

Divulging details, Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Community Affairs Division (CAD) Gurpreet Kaur Deo said that the Punjab Police has been working day in and day out to provide hassle free and efficient services to the citizens.

She said that with effect from February 05, 2025, Punjab Police shall send an SMS notification from ‘PBSANJ’ to the applicant providing the name of the official conducting the verification and date and time of visit. This improvement aims to reduce uncertainty and ensure that applicants are well-informed about the verification process, she added.

The Special DGP said that apart from this citizens would be able to send their feedback through Post-verification SMS about the quality and behaviour of the officer concerned.

To give feedback, applicants will receive a post-verification SMS from ‘PBSANJ’ having a hyperlink to the feedback form, she said, while adding that applicants can

share any suggestions, comments, or concerns through the feedback form.

She said that this feedback mechanism will help Punjab Police in further improving service standards and address any concerns of the citizens promptly.