Page 10 - Bhagwant Mann

Punjab suffered losses of nearly Rs 1,000 crore due to floods: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday that the state suffered estimated losses of nearly Rs 1,000 crore due to recent floods. A detailed report on the losses will be sent to the Union government and a relief package will be sought, he said. An on-ground assessment of the losses will be done and people will be provided compensation, he said. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by heavy rains this month that left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of agricultural land and residential areas. Mann said the water level at the Bhakra dam was below the danger mark and the state government was keeping a strict vigil on the entire situation. The chief minister was here to assess the situation in the wake of incessant rains and held discussions with officers of the Bhakra Beas Management Board and other officials, according to an official release. It is a matter of great relief that the water level at Bhakra dam was still below the danger mark so t

Punjab to open training centres to impart coaching to UPSC aspirants: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said his government will soon open eight modern training centres to impart coaching to aspirants of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. Chairing a meeting here, Mann expressed concerns over the declining ratio of candidates from the state in the central services, especially in the exams conducted by the UPSC, according to an official statement. Despite having enormous talent, youngsters of the state are not being able to crack these exams firstly due to their inclination towards going abroad and secondly, in the dearth of quality coaching in the state, he noted. Mann said his government is committed to reverse this trend. The proposed centres will provide quality training free of cost so that candidates from the state can become officers of the IAS, IPS, IRS and other services and serve the country, he said. The chief minister said the state has a glorious legacy of producing ace bureaucrats who have made huge ...

Punjab CM urges PM to take action against perpetrators in Manipur case

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday condemned the parading of two women naked in Manipur and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure exemplary action against the perpetrators of the heinous crime. Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a few men from the other side. In a tweet on Thursday, Mann said such incidents "cannot be tolerated in our society". Seeking exemplary action in the matter, the Punja chief minister, in a tweet in Hindi, said, "Attention needs to be given to the situation in Manipur which is deteriorating day by day." The video was doing the rounds on the eve of a planned protest march announced by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) on Thursday to highlight their plight. The Manipur Police on Thursday arrested one of the main accused who was seen in a May 4 video of two tribal women being paraded naked and molested

Over Rs 27 cr released for repair of flood-affected govt schools in Punjab

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains Monday released a grant of Rs 27.77 crore to repair the flood-hit government schools in the state. Each school will receive an amount ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 30,000, said an official release. Mann said Rs 20 crore has been allocated for primary schools and Rs 7.77 crore for secondary schools. With this amount, school heads and management committees will undertake maintenance, cleanliness, painting and other necessary repairs in the schools. A special survey is being conducted regarding damages caused by floods in government schools of the state, which will help in allocating funds according to the needs of the affected schools for their renovation and maintenance, he said. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by heavy downpour last week that has left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of residential and agricultural land. Though the floodwaters have receded in many areas of Punjab and Haryana, authoritie

Destruction due to rains: Shah assures assistance to Punjab, Himachal CMs

Incessant overnight rain turned many low-lying areas in Punjab into a horror story, with severe waterlogging and traffic snarls

AAP launches Bijli Andolan in Haryana; Kejriwal target BJP over power cuts

The AAP on Sunday launched "Bijli Andolan" in Haryana from Panchkula, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal targeting the ruling BJP over power cuts in the state and saying that free and uninterrupted electricity supply is possible "if the intent is clean". At the event, Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. During the "Bijli Andolan" (electricity campaign), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers and leaders will visit villages and towns and apprise people about "costly power" and regular outages and tell them that free and round-the-clock electricity is possible in Haryana too if the party is voted to power. "We are launching a Bijli Andolan... As you know, I have my roots in Haryana. Many people from the state have met me and told me about power problems. Some of them said that they have to face power cuts for six hours daily," Kejriwal said, addressing a gathering in Panchkula. Referring to a woman, who said she is a widow, among the audience, Kejriwal said

Stay alert, reach out to needy: CM Mann asks ministers as rain plays havoc

In the wake of flood-like situation due to incessant rains in several parts of the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Sunday directed all the cabinet ministers, MLAs and officials to stay alert and reach out to people in need. According to an official statement issued here, Mann asked ministers, MLAs and officers to ensure that an elaborate flood protection mechanism is put in place to safeguard the life and property of people. He also advised them to visit their respective areas and ensure relief to the affected people at the earliest. Mann directed Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) to expedite the relief work in their respective districts to provide succour to the masses. The chief minister said alerts have been issued in low-lying areas, especially those around riverbanks, advising people not to venture out of their homes unless necessary. He said the state government is keeping a tab on the areas where a flood-like situation has emerg

Press right button: Punjab CM Mann kickstarts AAP's Chhattisgarh campaign

The Punjab CM, along with party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was addressing a mega rally at Science College Ground in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur

CM Mann asks Bajwa to clarify stand on HP govt's 'claim' over Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday asked Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa to clarify his party's stand on the Himachal Pradesh government's "claim" over Chandigarh. Mann's remarks came after some media reports suggested that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is seeking a share in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. In a statement, the Punjab chief minister said the "stoic silence" of Bajwa over the issue is surprising. "Bajwa must clear the stand of his party over the false claim made by the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh," said Mann said. He said that it is shameful that these leaders change their stance on the interests of the state for their political benefits in other states. "Chandigarh is, Chandigarh was and Chandigarh will always be an integral part of the state," the Punjab chief minister said, adding that the state government is firmly committed to safeguard the interests of the state and its people. In a statement, AAP leader Malvinder Si

Punjab govt to buy private thermal power plant, says CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the state government will buy a private thermal power plant in the state. The details will be shared soon, Mann added. The chief minister shared the information about the purchase of a coal-fired thermal power plant on his Twitter handle. "Sharing good news with PunjabisPunjab government is buying a private thermal plant in Punjab...details soon," Mann said in a roughly translated tweet in Punjabi. Though the chief minister did not share information about the thermal plant, the state-owned power utility Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) was one of the 12 bidders for taking over the 540 MW Goindwal thermal power plant in Tarn Taran after corporate insolvency proceedings were initiated against its owner GVK Power. Last month, Mann said the state government would bid for purchasing a private power plant for the first time. He had also said that the state has enough coal stock to run the plant. A three-member sub-commi

IAS officer Anurag Verma assumes charge as Punjab chief secretary

Senior IAS officer Anurag Verma Saturday took charge as chief secretary of Punjab here. Verma, a 1993-batch IAS officer, succeeded Vijay Kumar Janjua of the 1989 batch, who retired on June 30. Janjua and other IAS officers, including Malwinder Singh Jaggi, Kumar Rahul and Sonali Giri, were present at Punjab Civil Secretariat when Verma took charge. Verma previously held the charge of additional chief secretary, home affairs and justice, along with some other additional charges. The IAS officer, who belongs to Patiala in Punjab, had earlier served as deputy commissioner of Bathinda, Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts.

1,000 new anganwadi centres to come up in Punjab: Minister Baljit Kaur

Punjab Social Security and Women and Child Development Minister Baljit Kaur Wednesday said the state government will open 1,000 new Anganwadi centres in the state. The process of recruiting 6,000 anganwadi workers and helpers will also be completed soon, she said. The minister said besides opening new anganwadi centres, renovation of existing buildings is also being carried out extensively. She said the recruitment of the anganwadi workers and helpers was being conducted fairly and transparently. The honorarium of Rs 8.2 crore for anganwadi workers and helpers would also be released within a few days, Kaur said. She was speaking at a function after the visit to an old-age home in Doraha, 20 kilometers from here. The minister reiterated that the state government was ensuring the safety of children, women and old-age persons in the state. The government was continuously making efforts for the welfare of women, especially pregnant and lactating women and strengthening the anganwadi

Withdraw Sikh Gurdwaras Bill or face stir: SGPC chief Dhami tells govt

SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday warned that an agitation will be launched against the AAP-led Punjab government if the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was not withdrawn. Dhami also slammed Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of interfering in SGPC matters and trying to implement the anti-Sikh thinking of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal with a motive of capturing the SGPC. Dhami was addressing a special general house session of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) here against the state government's move of bringing the bill. The Punjab Assembly on June 20 had passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which is aimed at ensuring free telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple. Addressing SGPC members here, Dhami, while condemning the Bill, asked the Punjab government to withdraw it immediately. If the state government does not stop interference in Sikh matters, then a morcha (agitation) will be started against it after performing 'ardas' ...

Manipur is burning: AAP hits back at Rajnath as he takes on Mann govt

I think that Rajnath Singh has received the wrong information about Punjab. In Punjab the law and order situation has improved under the AAP-Bhagwant Mann government, Chadha said

AAP slams Rajnath Singh as he takes on Mann govt over law, order issue

Hours after the Union Defence Minister took on the Bhagwant Mann government over the law and order issue, the ruling AAP slammed Rajnath Singh, saying that he was worried about Punjab but oblivious to the situation in Manipur. In a statement here, AAP Punjab spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the defence minister should focus on controlling the volatile situation and violence in Manipur before making a statement on the law and order situation in Punjab. "Violence is widespread in Manipur. Hundreds of people have died so far and thousands have become homeless, but the BJP's central minister is doing politics to defame the non-BJP ruled states," he alleged. He said the prime minister has gone on a foreign visit while the home minister is holding rallies and the rest of the ministers are busy criticising the opposition parties. "While looking at the current situation in Manipur, all cabinet ministers, including the Prime Minister, should have focused their attention on stopping th

Will never travel in state govt helicopter again: Punjab Guv slams CM

Here's what caused trouble in between Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit and CM Bhagwant Mann

If Centre doesn't release Rs 3,622 cr rural fund, will move to SC: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant on Tuesday said if the Centre didn't release the rural development fund of Rs 3,622 crore within 10 days, the government would move Supreme Court

Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Act to end right over Gurbani telecast: CM Mann

The Chief Minister said this Act will be called the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Act, 2023, and will come into force on and with effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette

Gurbani telecast row: Here's why PTC MD announced a reward of Rs 1 crore

AAP-led Punjab government is set to change the Sikh Gurdwara Act,1925, to make broadcast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple free for all; opposition parties have fiercely opposed the move

Punjab to amend Sikh Gurdwara Act for free Gurbani telecast; faces backlash

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the state government will amend the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, to make telecast of Gurbani from the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar free for all