Page 12 - Bhagwant Mann

Karnataka people will bless AAP in Assembly polls: Punjab CM Mann

The candidates all over the state have taken up aggressive campaigning and AAP will emerge victorious in its experimentation, he said

LIVE: Excise policy case is 'false', says Kejriwal after CBI questioning

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Punjab CM Mann, MLAs expected to accompany Kejriwal to CBI headquarters

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and some of his cabinet colleagues and party MLAs are expected to accompany AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to the CBI headquarters in Delhi on Sunday, party sources said. Kejriwal has been summoned by the CBI at its office in Delhi for questioning in connection with the alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy. He has been summoned as a witness and is not an accused in the case. After the CBI summons on Friday, Mann had said that it was very difficult to suppress Kejriwal's voice. "We are standing with him like a rock," he had said. It is very difficult to suppress the voice of Arvind Kejriwal ji. Those who speak the truth make place in the people's hearts. No one can delete anyone from the hearts of the people. We are standing with him like a rock..," Mann had tweeted in Hindi. Meanwhile, activists of the AAP will hold a protest against the BJP-led central government in Amritsar on Sunday. Pun

Bhagwant Mann, Delhi ministers to accompany Kejriwal to CBI office: Reports

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is scheduled to appear before the CBI on Sunday in connection with the excise policy case, will be accompanied to the federal agency's office by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann and cabinet colleagues, sources said. They said besides Mann, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs and Delhi ministers will accompany the party supremo to the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) headquarters here. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal said he will appear before the CBI in connection with the excise policy case and asserted that if he is "corrupt", then no one in the world is "honest". Addressing a press conference here over the CBI summons against him, the Delhi chief minister claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders are demanding his arrest and said if the saffron party has "ordered" the agency to arrest him, it cannot refuse to do so. The CBI has summoned Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy case. He has been asked to be present at the agenc

Very difficult to suppress Kejriwal's voice: Mann after CBI summons him

It is very difficult to suppress Arvind Kejriwal's voice, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Friday hours after the CBI summoned the Delhi chief minister on April 16 in connection with the excise policy scam case. While Punjab Minister Harjot Singh Bains described Arvind Kejriwal as a "revolution India is witnessing", many other AAP senior leaders from the state including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Delhi chief minister "cannot be silenced by such tactics". "It is very difficult to suppress the voice of Arvind Kejriwal. Those who speak the truth get a place in the people's hearts. No one can remove anyone from the hearts of the people. We stand by him like a rock," Mann tweeted in Hindi. In a tweet, Bains said, "The history is testament to the fact that whenever a revolution was suppressed, they became even bigger." According to the notice issued by the CBI, Kejriwal has been called to appear at the agency headquarters at 11 AM on Sunday to answer queries

Punjab transfers Rs 502.93 crore into bank accounts of wheat growers

The Punjab govt transferred Rs 502.93 cr directly into bank accounts of 19,642 farmers in a single day as the amount of minimum support price at the rate of Rs 2,125 per quintal for procuring wheat

Punjab Govt changes office timings, to function from 7.30 am to 2 pm

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced new office timings for all the state government offices ahead of the summer season

Don't create panic ahead of Baisakhi: Akal Takht Jathedar to Punjab govt

Concerned by the deployment of heavy security here, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh Friday asked the Punjab government to not try to create panic ahead of Baisakhi. The Jathedar called a special gathering at Takht Damdama Sahib on Friday to discuss the role of Sikh and Punjabi journalism, Sikh media contribution, and challenges the state is facing at present. The gathering comes at a time when concerns about the rise of secessionist forces in the border state are being expressed, especially in the wake of a major law and order breach in Ajnala Police Station attack led by radical preacher Amritpal Singh, who has been declared a fugitive by police. Addressing the gathering, the Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, said because of the security strictness, only a fraction of the usual number of devotees has come here this time ahead of Baisakhi. "Every year, we see a big gathering which starts from April 5 (for Baisakhi). But (at present), the number of

Punjab paid back entire Rs 20,200 cr electricity subsidy for FY23: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Friday said the state has cleared its entire electricity subsidy bill of Rs 20,200 crore for the last financial year and has witnessed a jump in excise and GST revenue. Mann, addressing the media here, said the state has registered a revenue of Rs 8,841 crore for the financial year 2022-23, up by 41.41 per cent when compared to 2021-22. He claimed that Punjab's financial position was on the right track. Mann spelled out various initiatives taken by his over-a-year-old government in various spheres including health, education and power. "What we have achieved in one year, other governments were not able to do so in 15 years," he said. He also said his government has fulfilled several poll promises in the first year itself, "which other governments are not able to do even in the fifth year". He said his government has set a target of 10,000 crore in excise revenue for the current fiscal, as he criticised the previous governments for allowing "liq

Punjab paid back entire Rs 20,200 cr electricity subsidy for FY22: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Friday said the state has cleared its entire electricity subsidy bill of Rs 20,200 crore for the last financial year and has witnessed a jump in excise and GST revenue. Mann, addressing the media here, said the state has registered a revenue of Rs 8,841 crore for the financial year 2022-23, up by 41.41 per cent as against revenue of 2021-22. He said his government has set a target of 10,000 crore in excise revenue for the current fiscal, as he criticised the previous governments for allowing "liquor mafia" in the state. Mann said that the state has registered a 16.6 per cent jump in the Goods & Services Tax collection, earning Rs 18,126 crore in revenue for the year 2022-23. "We are now among the top states in terms of GST collection," he said. Mann said the state has registered a rise of 78 per cent in stamp duty and fee collection in the month of March. The government had earlier announced an exemption of 2.25 per cent on stamp duty and fees .

Punjab CM Mann overrules minister, scraps Rs 40 crore land scam inquiry

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has overruled decision of his own minister and ordered the closure of the Rs 40 crore Bhagtupura land scam inquiry

Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann launch 'CM di Yogshala' programme in Punjab

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday blamed the Centre for the suspension of free yoga classes under the AAP government's 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' initiative but expressed hope that it will restart again, saying good things cannot be stopped. He was speaking during the launch of 'CM di Yogshala' programme in Punjab. The initiative was initially launched for four cities -- Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Phagwara by Kejriwal along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. A 'CM di yogshala' portal was also launched on the occasion. Kejriwal was referring the AAP government's 'Dilli ki Yogshala' programme that offered free yoga classes and was launched in the national capital in 2021. The programme, however, was stopped last year amid a tussle between the city government and Lt Governor VK Saxena. Under the Punjab government's initiative, people could give a missed call on a helpline number 7669400500 to seek a free yoga teacher from the state government. Sixty people have

Punjab govt to give all help to youth in setting up business ventures: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said his government will provide full support to the youth in starting new business ventures, stressing that they should become job providers instead of job seekers. In a video message, the chief minister said his government will also hold 'naujawan sabha' (youth meeting) twice a month during which youths will be able to share their business ideas and seek necessary help. Mann also pointed out the low enrolment in technical institutes. "(I) don't know why we are going away from studies," he said. The enrolment in Punjab Technical University is just 34-35 per cent. There are over 40,000 students in Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar but only 5,200-5,500 of them are from Punjab, he said. "Today's time is for technical education and we are not taking admissions," he added. Mann said youths of Punjab have the talent and potential to excel in their lives but somehow they do not get enough opportunities. "The Punjab government

Kejriwal, Mann to jointly launch Punjab's 'CM di Yogshala' on Apr 5

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will launch 'CM di Yogshala' programme in Punjab on Wednesday, the party said in a statement here. The statement came a day after Mann said his government will initially start 'CM di Yogshala' initiative in four cities -- Amritsar, Ludhiana, Phagwara and Patiala. Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Tuesday said they have launched a helpline 7669400500 where people can give a missed call to seek a free yoga teacher from the state government. People will be able to get all kinds of information about diet and yoga exercise, he said. "Today, so many people are suffering from diseases related to the respiratory system, blood pressure, sugar levels and heart issues. Therapeutic yoga can help all these patients a great deal," Singh said. He said 60 people have been trained at Guru Ravidas University to teach yoga under the 'CM di Yogshala' initiative. "With 'CM di Yogshala', people will lead a healthier life, they wi

Ensure farmers receive crop loss compensation before Baisakhi: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday asked officials to expedite the process of special 'girdawari' (revenue survey) to assess crop damage due to inclement weather and ensure that farmers receive compensation before Baisakhi. Baisakhi will be celebrated on April 14. Untimely rains, hailstorm and high-velocity winds have damaged wheat and other crops in many areas of Punjab. The state government has announced a 25 per cent hike in compensation for crop loss due to the vagaries of weather. In a statement issued here, Mann asked all the MLAs to meet the affected farmers. "The MLAs should meet the farmers and listen to their grievances. Likewise, the officers should make sure that the special 'girdawari' is completed soon so that we can disburse compensation before Baisakhi," Mann said in a statement here. Expressing solidarity with the farmers who lost their crops due to rain and hailstorm, Mann said his government is with the food growers in this hour of crisis. He said th

Punjab exploring possibility of moving court against Centre over dues: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said his government was exploring the possibility of moving court to seek the Rural Development Fund dues of Rs 3,000 crore from the Centre. He stated this after announcing the closure of a toll plaza on the Kiratpur Sahib-Nangal-Una road, according to an official release. Mann said the state government was exploring the possibility of moving court to seek the dues from the Centre. He alleged that the Union government was "unnecessarily harassing" the state by stalling the release of Rs 3,000 crore dues under the Rural Development Fund (RDF). Mann said the state government had completed all the formalities but the Centre was deliberately stalling the release of the amount. Last month, the chief minister had raised the issue of the release of RDF dues with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.

348 held during Amritpal crackdown freed, Punjab govt tells Akal Takht

The Punjab government has informed the Akal Takht that 348 of the 360 people taken into preventive custody during a police crackdown against radical preacher Amritpal Singh have now been freed. The Akal Takht Jathedar's personal secretary Jaspal Singh on Thursday said a message was received from the state government that the rest would also be released soon. Earlier this week, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh had given an ultimatum to the state government to release all Sikh youths held during the police crackdown against Amritpal Singh and his aides. The Jathedar had also condemned the state government for invoking the National Security Act against a few people during the police crackdown. A few days prior to the Jathedar's ultimatum, the Punjab Police had said that out of those detained, nearly 30 were hardcore criminals. The rest would be released after verification, a senior police official had said. Meanwhile, police have stepped up security in and around Amritsar and

Punjab govt has given 27,042 govt jobs to youth, says Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said 27,042 government jobs have been given to the youth during past one year. "Idle hands (mind) are devil's workshop. So we are trying our best to ensure that maximum youth get jobs so that they do not fall prey to the social menaces," said the chief minister as he handed over job letters here during a function here. A state government statement said Mann handed over job letters to 219 clerks and 26 youngsters on compassionate grounds. The chief minister said unemployment is the root cause of several social problems due to which the state government is focussing on eradicating this malady. He said so far 27,042 government jobs have been given to the youth within one year of his party coming to power. Mann said the state government is laying major thrust on providing jobs to the youth. He said the newly recruited youth should ensure maximum welfare of the public so that every section of society is benefited from it. The chief min

Punjab CM directs officers to ensure smooth, hassle-free wheat procurement

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday directed officers to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement of wheat. He also said that payment to the farmers for their produce must be ensured from the very first day of procurement -- April 1. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cleared a sum of Rs 29,000 crore towards Cash Credit Limit (CCL) for the procurement of wheat in Punjab for the Rabi Marketing Season. Mann expressed satisfaction that the Union government has already released Rs 25,445 crore as CCL for the coming season. According to an official statement, the chief minister said that with this, the bulk of the CCL sought by the state government for the purchase of wheat for this season has been released by the central bank. Expressing gratitude to the Centre for the timely release of CCL, he said that it will go a long way in ensuring seamless procurement of wheat during the current marketing season. The chief minister, while chairing a meeting of the Foo

Water cess not applicable in Punjab, clarifies Himachal CM Sukhu

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday flagged the issue of proposed water cess on hydropower plants with his Himachal Pradesh counterpart Sukhvinder Sukhu