Page 10 - Bhagwant Mann

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

Punjab govt to modernise secondary healthcare institutions: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Friday announced the launch of a special project to modernise the state's secondary healthcare institutions at an estimated cost of over Rs 400 crore. Chairing a meeting here to review the healthcare sector, Mann said under the first phase of the project, district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals and community health centres (CHCs) in larger rural areas will be strengthened on priority, according to an official statement said. These facilities will be developed as ultra-modern healthcare facilities where people can avail quality treatment, the release added. Mann said 40 such facilities, including 23 district hospitals, have been identified for a facelift in the first phase. The chief minister stressed that the state government has already given a major boost to primary healthcare services by opening more than 500 'Aam Aadmi clinics' in the state, the statement added. These clinics are acting as a cornerstone in providing free-of-cost health

CM Mann bats for optimum utilisation of MGNREGA, boost to rural development

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday batted for optimum utilisation of the MGNREGA scheme to give a boost to development in rural areas and provide livelihood opportunities. He was chairing a meeting here to review the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The chief minister called the scheme important as it provides enhancement of livelihood security, giving at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household, whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. He said the scheme has been implemented in all districts across the state since April 2008, adding that the state government will enhance the budget of this ambitious scheme up to Rs 2,000 crore. It is heartening to learn that 11.53 lakh active job cards are there in the state, said an official release quoting Mann. He bemoaned that the wage rate notified under the scheme for the state is Rs 303 less in comparison to the neighbouring

Prepared to provide uninterrupted electricity for paddy sowing: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the state government is fully prepared to provide uninterrupted power to farmers for paddy sowing. In a statement issued here, Mann said like the previous year, the state government has decided to commence sowing of paddy across the state in a phased manner. Sowing started from June 10 in some parts of the state. The remaining areas will be covered on June 16, 19 and 21, he said. Mann said the state has been divided into four zones to implement sowing mechanisms in an effective manner. In the first phase, transplantation in areas beyond the fence across the border started from June 10, the statement said. "From tomorrow, uninterrupted power will be ensured in the second phase to seven districts -- Ferozepur, Faridkot, Pathankot, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, SBS Nagar and Tarn Taran," Mann said. In the third phase, paddy transplantation will be done from June 19 in Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Fazilka, Bathinda

Punjab Cabinet led by Mann approves job regularisation of 14,239 teachers

In a major pro-people decision aimed at strengthening the education sector, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday approved to regularise the services of 14,239 teachers

In cash-strapped Punjab, CM Mann sits tight on OPS, focuses on freebies

The latest spanner is that the Central government has slashed the state's borrowing limit from Rs 39,000 crore to Rs 21,000 crore

Punjab govt to provide 277,000 private job to youth in state: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that after giving more than 29,000 government jobs to youths in the last one year, the state government will now ensure 2.77 lakh jobs to them in the private sector. Mann said it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that the AAP government has so far provided more than 29,000 jobs to the youths in various departments of the state government. He claimed that it is a record as none of the previous governments have given so many jobs to youths, especially in the first year of their tenure. According to an official statement, Mann said that merit and transparency have been the twin pillars on the basis of which job opportunities have been given to the youths across the state. With this, the state government is making strenuous efforts to generate new jobs in the private sector also, he said. "So far, due to the massive efforts made by the state government, an investment worth around Rs 48,000 crore has been roped in for Punjab,

Punjab govt to set up Road Safety Force to avert accident: CM Mann

Expressing concern over the fatalities due to road accidents in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said a Road Safety Force will be formed in the Punjab Police to avert accident. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a Regional Driving Training centre here, the chief minister said that on a daily basis around 14 people die in road accidents in Punjab. Mann said the force will be entrusted with the task of checking rash driving, and streamlining vehicular movement on roads and others to prevent road accidents. This move will reduce the burden on cops deployed in police stations, Mann said in an official statement. He further informed that the Regional Driving Training Centre is equipped with hi-tech technology and it will give major relief to people who want to get heavy vehicle licences, thereby saving their time, money and energy. Mann said the state government is making all-out efforts to remove the blind spots on the roads to avert any casualties. The

Punjab to construct high-security digital jail near Ludhiana: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday announced the construction of a high-security digital jail over 50 acres of land near Ludhiana