Page 17 - Bhagwant Mann

Punjab CM Mann bats for collaboration in academics, tourism with Tajikistan

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday batted for collaboration with Tajikistan in the fields of academics, tourism, and trade and commerce. Interacting with a delegation from Tajikistan that called on him here, the CM said with the world emerging as a global village, there is a need for acquainting students about the emerging trends in the education sector. He said in such a scenario, an academic collaboration between the universities of different countries could do wonders in spreading the light of knowledge in every nook and cranny of the world, besides helping in the overall development of students, according to an official release. Emphasising on the need for frequent student and faculty exchange programmes between Punjab and Tajikistan, Mann said it would be very beneficial for the students. Mann said such initiatives could play a pivotal role in updating the knowledge of students and upskilling teachers. He said Punjab and Tajikistan can initiate measures for star

Punjab: Bhagwant Mann govt wins confidence motion; Cong, BJP abstain

The Punjab Assembly on Monday "unanimously" passed the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on September 27, even as Congress members staged a walkout. The BJP members have already announced to boycott the assembly session. After a lengthy discussion on the confidence motion, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan put it to vote. He asked MLAs to raise hands who were in support, and then asked those who were against the motion of confidence. Announcing the results, Sandhwan said 91 AAP MLAs supported the motion. He also said one of the three SAD MLAs who was present in the House and a lone BSP MLA did not oppose the motion. No Congress, BJP or lone Independent MLA was present in the House at the time of voting. AAP has 92 MLAs, including the Speaker, in the House. "So, 93 MLAs have supported the motion and none is against it. Thus, the motion is unanimously passed," the Speaker said. In the 117-member Punjab Assembly, the AAP has 92 members, Congress 18, SAD 3, BJP 2,

Punjab CM Mann announces hike in sugarcane price to Rs 380 per quintal

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced increasing the price of sugarcane to Rs 380 per quintal from the existing Rs 360 per quintal. He announced a hike in SAP (state agreed price) of sugarcane on the floor of the Punjab Assembly on the concluding day of its brief session. In August 2021, the then Congress government had announced a Rs 50 per quintal hike in SAP of sugarcane to Rs 360 per quintal. Mann said farmers will get an additional Rs 20 per quintal under SAP of sugarcane as compared to last year. With this decision, the state government will spend an additional Rs 200 crore annually to benefit the farmers. Mann said the farmers of the state eagerly want to adopt sugarcane crop under crop diversification, but they are hesitant for it due to lack of adequate price and timely payment of the crop. At present, sugarcane is cultivated on just 1.25 lakh hectares of land in Punjab, while the total crushing capacity of sugar mills was around 2.50 lakh hectares. Thi

Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann to address 2 public rallies in Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will address two public rallies in Gujarat on Sunday, ahead of the Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled state due later this year. Both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders are on a two-day Gujarat visit from Saturday. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal will address public gatherings in Surendranagar city and Khedbrahma town in Sabarkantha district. Mann will also be present during the rallies, the Gujarat party unit said in a statement. Before the rallies, the two leaders will address a press conference in Rajkot. AAP's Rajya Sabha member and Gujarat co-incharge Raghav Chadha will also address a press conference in Surat, the party said. Kejriwal and Mann on Saturday addressed public meetings at Gandhidham in Kutch district and Joshipura in Junagadh district. Kejriwal had promised the construction of 20,000 mohalla clinics on the lines of Delhi across Gujarat, government-run schools in each village of t

LIVE: PM Modi to inaugurate 36th National Games in Ahmedabad

PM will declare open the 36th National Games at a gala ceremony in the Narendra Modi stadium in Motera area

CM Bhagwant Mann bats for strengthening of ties between Punjab and Canada

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday batted for further strengthening ties between Punjab and Canada, especially with its Saskatchewan province. The chief minister, during a meeting with a delegation of Saskatchewan province which called on him here, advocated strong and cordial ties between Punjab and Canadian province, according to an official release. He said people from Punjab have been playing a vanguard role in the socio-economic progress of Canada. Mann also said it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that a large number of Punjabis have also carved a niche for themselves in the political arena of Canada. The CM also showcased Punjab as the most preferred industrial destination across the country and invited the delegation from Saskatchewan to encourage the entrepreneurs to invest in the Indian state. Mann said the government has already put the state on a high growth trajectory which will benefit the investors. Calling for further streamlining mechanism to ensur

Mann hails PM's announcement to name Chandigarh airport after Bhagat Singh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday welcomed the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to name Chandigarh airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, saying a long pending demand of Punjabis has been fulfilled. In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, PM Modi said the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the great freedom fighter. "Finally our efforts paid off. On behalf of entire Punjab, we welcome the decision of naming the Chandigarh airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh ji," Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi. Thanking the prime minister, he said, "a long pending demand of Punjabis has got fulfilled". Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala also welcomed the announcement. Chautala said Punjab and Haryana governments had earlier agreed to name the Chandigarh international airport after Bhagat Singh. The decision had come after Bhagwant Mann and Dushyant Chautala held a meeting over this issue last month. Referring to his

Kejriwal, Mann to meet sanitation, contractual workers in Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will meet sanitation workers as well as contractual and outsourced employees of the Gujarat government in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The two Aam Aadmi Party leaders will also hold a two hall meeting with youth from the state, where the Assembly polls are due in December this year, the AAP said. The AAP been making a concerted effort to emerge as the main force against the ruling BJP in the state, with leaders like Kejriwal and others promising various "guarantees" to the electorate if voted to power. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Punjab CM Mann will interact with youth at a town hall meet in Ahmedabad. They will also address contractual and outsourced employees of the state government and meet sanitation workers, the AAP said. During his multiple visits to Gujarat in the recent past, Kejriwal offered a number of "guarantees", including free electricity up to 300 units, allowances to unemployed

Kejriwal, Mann to visit poll-bound Gujarat on Sunday to hold meetings

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will visit Ahmedabad on Sunday and hold interactions with the youth, sanitation workers and temporary employees of the Gujarat government. Every section of the society in Gujarat is looking to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with hope, Kejriwal said, ahead of his visit to the poll-bound state ruled by the BJP. "Bhagwant Mann and I will go to Ahmedabad tomorrow. Will interact with youth, safai karmacharis and temporary employees there. Every section of Gujarat considers the Aam Aadmi Party as their hope, AAP national convenor Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi on Saturday. Of late, the AAP national convenor has started visiting Gujarat every week to lead his party's poll campaigns as well as review and fine-tune his party's poll preparations in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held by the end of this year.

Punjab set for crop diversification if govt assures remunerative prices: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that the state is fully ready to adopt crop diversification but the Centre must provide assured mechanism to give remunerative prices for these crops. The Centre must take this step for ensuring that farmers of the state shift from water guzzling crops to less water consuming crops, said the Chief Minister while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Kisan Mela here at Punjab Agricultural University and Pashu Palan Mela at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. On the occasion, Mann also said that in coming days an important decision will be taken to get rid of the menace of paddy straw burning. The Chief Minister said that instead of paddy, the farmer of the state is ready to sow sunflower, maize and pulses but for that they must get adequate and assured price. He said that this will help in checking the depleting water table in the state on one hand and making agriculture a profitable venture on the ...

AAP legislators march against cancellation of Punjab Assembly session

AAP legislators on Thursday took out a march in protest against the cancellation of the special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here. Carrying placards with messages of "Stop murder of democracy" and "Operation Lotus murdabad'", the party MLAs slammed the Congress and the BJP for allegedly being hand in glove and working against holding the special session of the state assembly. However, the AAP legislators were stopped from moving towards the Governor's residence. Police had put up barricades around one km from the Vidhan Sabha complex. The protesting MLAs sat down where they were stopped and started shouting slogans against the Congress and BJP. No state minister was seen participating in the protest. The decision to take out the march was taken after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann chaired a meeting of AAP legislators at Vidhan Sabha complex Thursday morning to decide the next course of action after cancellation of the special session. The AAP legislators also hit out at Gove

CM Mann holds AAP's meeting after Punjab assembly session gets cancelled

A meeting of AAP legislators chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is here underway on Thursday to discuss the next strategy after the governor cancelled the special session of the state assembly called to bring a confidence motion. AAP legislators on Thursday morning reached the assembly complex for the meeting. A meeting of the Punjab Cabinet has also been called after the MLAs meeting, party sources said. Later, a march will also be taken out by the AAP legislators here, they said. AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha said the next strategy will be decided at the meeting. Another AAP MLA and senior leader Baljinder Kaur dubbed the governor's move of withdrawing his earlier order calling the special session as a "mockery of democracy". In an embarrassment to the AAP government in Punjab, Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday thwarted the Bhagwant Mann-led regime's plan to summon a special assembly session to bring a confidence motion. The governor withdrew an earlier order callin

Jyotiraditya Scindia says will probe Bhagwant Mann 'deplaning' incident

After a row over Punjab CM allegedly being deplaned on a Delhi-bound flight from Germany allegedly because he was inebriated, Civil Aviation Minister Scindia said he will investigate the matter

Govt employees' pension: 'Old versus new' debate gathers momentum

Reverting to OPS is being considered an easier option from a political standpoint, but could financially stress the states

Punjab CM Mann's deplaning row: Will certainly look into it, says Scindia

Amid Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann's deplaning controversy, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he will look into the matter based on requests

Gehlot writes to Mann seeking timely completion of Budha Nullah project

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot wrote a letter to his Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, drawing the latter's attention to the issue of "untreated water" coming from Punjab into the canals of Rajasthan

Punjab Police forms 3-member SIT to probe Chandigarh University case

The Punjab Police on Monday said it has formed a three-member all-women special investigation team to probe the allegations that objectionable videos of several women students of Chandigarh University had been recorded by a hosteller. The SIT has been formed under the supervision of senior IPS officer Gurpreet Kaur Deo, police said. The team will thoroughly probe the case and no person involved will be spared, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said. "Investigations are going on at full pace," he added. Three people, including a woman student, have been arrested. The DGP appealed to everyone to maintain peace and harmony. "Do not fall for unverified rumours. Let's work together for peace in society," he said. Protests had rocked the campus in Punjab's Mohali since Saturday night and they continued till early morning on Monday.

Considering restoration of old pension scheme, says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said his government is considering restoring the old pension scheme for government employees. Restoration of the old pension scheme, which was discontinued in 2004, has been one of the major demands of the state government employees. "My government is considering reverting to the Old Pension System (OPS). I have asked my chief secretary to study the feasibility and modalities of its implementation. We stand committed to the welfare of our employees," Mann said on Twitter. In August last year, Aam Aadmi Party leader and incumbent Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had promised to restore the old pension system if the party was voted to power in Punjab. Punjab Civil Secretariat Staff Association chairman Sukhchain Singh Khaira welcomed the chief minister's announcement and said the state government employees have been struggling to get the old pension system restored.

Oppn says Punjab CM deplaned at Franfkurt for being 'drunk'; AAP denies

The Opposition on Monday targeted Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that he was deplaned from a Delhi-bound flight at the Frankfurt airport as he was drunk, a charge denied by the ruling AAP as baseless. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that Mann was deplaned from Lufthansa flight because of being in an inebriated state. Disturbing media reports quoting co-passengers say Pb CM @BhagwantMann was deplaned from Lufthansa flight as he was too drunk to walk. And it led to a 4-hour flight delay. He missed AAP's national convention. These reports have embarrassed & shamed Punjabis all over the globe, he tweeted. However, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang called the allegations baseless and bogus, and accused the rival parties of indulging in a negative propaganda to defame the chief minister. The allegations are baseless, bogus and false, Kang said and alleged that the opposition parties were spreading canards against the

Punjab CM Mann calls special Assembly session to conduct floor test

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday called a special session of the state Assembly on September 22 to seek a trust vote, days after the AAP accused the BJP of trying to topple its government. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state had earlier claimed that some of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore to each of them. "You must have heard how they tried to contact our MLAs and tried to offer money and other allurements in an attempt to topple the government which was elected with a huge mandate," Mann, who is in Germany, said in a video message in Punjabi. A few days ago, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had alleged that some BJP leaders had approached seven to 10 MLAs with money and ministerial positions under 'Operation Lotus'. "We are summoning a special session of Punjab Assembly on September 22 in which we will show how elected MLAs are determined to realise the dream of making the state vibrant...We will bring a trust vote in