Page 8 - Bhagwant Mann

Punjab govt calls protesting farmer leaders for meeting with CM Mann

The Punjab government has called farmer union leaders for a meeting here on Friday with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as highway blockade in Jalandhar by the farmers who are demanding an increase in sugarcane prices entered the fourth day. Farmers are staging a 'dharna' in the middle of the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the highway which has also affected traffic between Jalandhar and Delhi. On Thursday, the farmers also blocked a section of the railway track near Dhanowali village in Jalandhar, which affected the train movement too, but on Friday they decided to lift the blockade from the rail track after receiving a call of meeting with the chief minister. However, the road blockade continues. The farmers, who are demanding an increase in the prices of sugarcane from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal, have put up a tent in the middle of the road and are spending the night on the highway. They are also demanding the resumption of sugar mills' operations for the crushing of .

Don't turn people against you by blocking roads: CM Mann tells farmers

A day after farmers blocked a stretch of the national highway in Jalandhar, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday asked the farm unions not to turn people against themselves by blocking roads. Farmers under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the Jalandhar-New Delhi National Highway near Dhanowali village for an indefinite period on Tuesday, seeking a hike in sugarcane prices. Mann said if the farmers do not shun the practice of blocking roads every time their demands are not met, a day will come when people will stop sympathising with them. "My request to the farmer unions is not to turn common people against you by blocking roads for every issue. For holding talks with the government, there is Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh, the Secretariat, the office of the agriculture minister and my office and residence but not the roads. If this attitude remains, then the day is not far when you will not find people for 'dharnas'... understand

Punjab Cabinet gives nod to convene two-day Assembly session on Nov 28-29

The Punjab Cabinet on Monday gave its nod for convening a two-day assembly session on November 28 and 29. A decision to this effect was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here. The move comes days after the governor prorogued the Budget session, which was held in March. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told reporters the two-day session will be convened on November 28 and 29. The Cabinet gave approval to convene the fifth session of the 16th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Cheema said. "The Vidhan Sabha session will be held for two days in which different Bills that have been pending will be passed," the minister said. Three money Bills -- the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023, will be tabled during the session. Cheema also told reporters that there are many Bills pending before the governor and added he sh

SAD chief Badal sends legal notice to Punjab CM for 'malicious' allegations

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal sent a legal notice to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday, asking him to tender an unconditional apology within five days for levelling "malicious" allegations against the Badal family during a debate at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana. According to the notice, Badal will seek remedies as available in the law for causing wilful defamation and libel in case Mann fails to tender the apology. The legal notice was sent by Badal's lawyer, Arshdeep Singh Kler. The notice accuses Mann of defaming Badal and his family with his "false" and "malicious" allegation that an irrigation branch was created to carry canal water to the Badal farm in Haryana's Balasar village. The allegations were levelled by the chief minister during the "Main Punjab Bolda Haan" debate held at an auditorium of the PAU on November 1. Opposition leaders from the Congress, SAD and BJP had skipped the event. "In a pre-planned and ..

Punjab approves religious tours scheme, announces festival sop for traders

The Cabinet also gave it's nod to start Mukhyemantri Tirath Yatra scheme and also to double the Ex-Gratia grant of disabled soldiers

Punjab cabinet gives nod to pilgrimage, settlement scheme for traders

The Punjab cabinet Monday gave nod to a pilgrimage scheme for elderly people and a one-time settlement scheme for traders with tax dues up to Rs 1 lakh. The approval came during a meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here. Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the cabinet has approved the 'Mukh Mantri Tirth Yatra' scheme whereby elderly people could visit various religious places including Nanded Sahib, Hazur Sahib, Chintpurni, Jawalaji, Naina Devi through buses and trains free of charge. This scheme will be rolled out on November 27, the chief minister said in a post on X. A sum of Rs 40 crore has been earmarked for the 'Mukh Mantri Tirth Yatra' scheme, said FM Cheema. He further said a sub-committee has also been formed for the scheme. Asked about the age of people who could avail this scheme, he said the sub-committee will take a call on it. In another decision, Cheema said the cabinet

After ED summons Kejriwal, Akali Dal asks for probe into Punjab Excise scam

He also alleged the role of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha

Chhattisgarh Assembly elections: AAP releases fifth list of 12 candidates

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has so far released the names of 57 candidates for Chhattisgarh Assembly polls

2-day assembly session is legal: Punjab assembly Speaker Kultar Singh

Punjab assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Friday told the House that the two-day session being held was legal. The assertion came after opposition Congress members sought his ruling in the wake of the governor's observations. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has gone ahead with the session despite the governor's secretariat having said that the October 20-21 session -- being projected as an extension of the Budget Session -- is "bound to be illegal" and any business conducted during it is "unlawful". "If the session is being held it is a legal session. As speaker, this Chair deems the session as legal," Sandhwan informed the House after Congress member Partap Singh Bajwa, who is also the leader of the opposition, sought his ruling in the matter. Noisy scenes were witnessed in the assembly after Congress MLAs questioned the speaker on whether the session was legal. Though Sandhwan asserted that the the two-day session was legal, Congress members continued to raise questio

Oppn running away from debate because they looted Punjab: AAP's Cheema

The finance minister also took a jab at the opposition parties on the state's drug issues and said, "It is under the governance of the BJP, Congress and Akali Dal that drugs were spread in Punjab"

Assembly session on Oct 20-21: Punjab Guv says bound to be illegal

Days after the Bhagwant Mann government called a two-day sitting of the Punjab Assembly, the Governor's Secretariat said that this session -- being projected as an extension of the Budget session -- is "bound to be illegal" and any business conducted during it "unlawful". This is the second time this year that a row between the AAP government and the Raj Nivas has erupted over the summoning of an Assembly sitting. The Raj Nivas reminded the Assembly secretary on Thursday that the governor had a few months ago termed a similar special sitting in June of the budget session as "patently illegal". Punjab officials had earlier said the October 20-21 session would be an extension of the fourth session -- the budget session in March. The session is widely expected to discuss the recent Supreme Court directive over the construction of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal in Punjab, a project which the state is reluctant to complete, claiming that it has no water to spare for neighbouring Haryana.

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Madhya Pradesh needs 'new engine' and not 'double-engine': Punjab CM Mann

Mann said the people of Madhya Pradesh are left with just 37 days to elect a new government. This chance (election) comes once in five years and that, too, for nine hours (voting duration)

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann targets Opposition leaders over SYL issue

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Wednesday hit back at opposition leaders for accusing his government of failing to safeguard the state's interest on the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue. Opposition leaders including Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal, state Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa have been attacking the government over the vexed issue. Their criticism came following the Supreme Court directive on October 4, asking the Centre to conduct a survey of land in Punjab that was allocated for the construction of the canal's portion in the state and make an estimate of the extent of work carried out there. The Congress, BJP and SAD have held protests over the past few days, slamming the Mann government over the issue. In a post on X, Mann hit back at them asking if these leaders "carry some shame" when they leave home. Former Congress leader Late Balram Jak

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Punjab CM Mann dares Opposition parties for a 'live debate on all issues'

He further said, "You can bring a paper with you but I will speak by word of mouth. November 1 'Punjab Day' will be a good day, you will also get time for preparation. I am fully prepared"

Will 'Gherao' CM residence on Oct 10: Sukhbir Badal on SYL Canal issue

"Bhagwant Mann should be ashamed whom the people of Punjab made the CM with such a majority," he added

Not even single drop of additional water to be shared with any state: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said not even a single drop of additional water will be shared with any other state at any cost. He further informed that the state cabinet has approved the name of Gurminder Singh for the advocate general's (AG) post. Mann said this after chairing an emergency meeting of the cabinet at his residence here. Though no official agenda of the meeting was released, the council of ministers discussed the Sutlej-Yamuna-Link (SYL) canal issue. Mann said the name of Gurminder Singh was approved for the AG's post at the cabinet meeting. "Also, the SYL issue was discussed at the meeting ... not even a single drop of additional water will be shared with any other state at any cost ... convening the monsoon session (of the state Assembly) soon was also discussed ... approval to several pro-people decisions was given," the chief minister wrote on X. The meeting came a day after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to survey the portion of land in P

Punjab CM Mann calls emergency meeting of cabinet, no agenda released

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called an emergency meeting of his cabinet at his residence here on Thursday, official sources said. Though no official agenda of the meeting has been released, the council of ministers is likely to discuss the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue, they said. The meeting came a day after the Supreme Court asked the BJP-led Centre to survey the portion of land in Punjab that was allocated for the construction of a part of the canal in the state. All political parties in Punjab asserted on Wednesday that the state does not have a single drop of additional water to share with any other state. However, political parties in Haryana have welcomed the apex court's directions, saying that the people of the state have been waiting to get the SYL water for years. A discussion on the appointment of the new advocate general is also expected to take place at the emergency meeting of the Punjab cabinet. During the hearing in the SYL matter on Wednesday, the

PUSA 44 paddy variety to be banned from next Kharif season: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said the state government has decided to ban sowing of water-guzzling PUSA-44 variety of paddy crop from the next Kharif season. After formally kick-starting the paddy procurement operations in the state from here, Mann also urged farmers to stop the practice of stubble burning. He directed the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement during the current Kharif Marketing Season beginning on October 1. "We are committed to procuring every single grain of farmers," Mann said while interacting with a group of farmers. The chief minister urged farmers to stop the cultivation of PUSA 44 variety of paddy crop as it takes more time to ripen, besides generating more crop residue. He said this season, farmers were asked not to sow the PUSA 44 variety but many growers sowed it. From the next season, PUSA 44 variety will be banned in Punjab, Mann said. It takes 152 days for ripening as ag