Page 11 - Punjab Government

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

Delhi mayor to attend 'Asia Pacific Cities Summit' in Australia from Oct 11

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi will take part in an urban summit in Australia and present the work done by the Arvind Kejriwal government in the national capital, officials said on Sunday. The 'Asia Pacific Cities Summit' is scheduled to take place in Brisbane from October 11-13. While the theme of the summit is 'Shaping Cities for Our Future', there are three sub-themes: technology, data, development, and people's well-being, according to a statement issued by the mayor's office. Oberoi will depart for Brisbane on Monday, it said. She will present the 'model of the Kejriwal governance' to a global audience. This model showcases the work done in Delhi, Punjab, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the statement said. She will talk about education, health, and cleanliness. The summit will facilitate the exchange of ideas and achievements among mayors, policymakers, business leaders, and more. In the 2019 edition of the Summit, ma

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

Over 1,300 security guards appointed for govt schools: Harjot Singh Bains

The Punjab government has appointed 1,378 security guards for all senior secondary government schools, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said on Wednesday. Chairing a programme at a local government school, Bains said these security guards would take care of the safety of students and also ensure they do not leave the school premises during study time. All senior secondary schools having student strength above 500 will have security guards, he said. The minister said these security guards will be deployed at the entry and exit gate of the schools and will ensure that no student leaves premises during school time without the permission of the principal, besides maintaining records of visitors, he said. The minister said the state government has embarked on a special drive to transform the education sector with state-of-the art infrastructure in government schools. He said the government has set aside Rs 250 crore to build boundary walls for all government schools. Likewise, ne

Punjab has received over Rs 50,000 crore investments in 18 months: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann Sunday said the state has received investments of more than Rs 50,000 crore in the past one-and-a-half years because of the concerted efforts of his government. Mann also said Punjab has complete communal harmony coupled with congenial atmosphere for industrial growth, which is giving impetus to its overall development and prosperity. The chief minister was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a Rs 138-crore cattle feed plant here which is to be set up by a Netherlands-based company, said an official statement. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana cultivating traditional crops are looking for ways to diversify their crops, or shift to horticulture, dairy, poultry, fishery, piggery and others for better earnings, said Mann. He said De Heus, an animal feed company, will set up the plant, adding that this is the first major investment by a Dutch company in Punjab. The Netherlands is known to be the second largest exporter of .

Punjab farmers go on 3-day protest over flood compensation, MSP

Police official Balvir S Ghuman said that massive security has been deployed to deal with the situation

Sidhu slams Mann on spending big on sorties, seeks details on aircraft use

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday sought details of expenditure on the use of a helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft by the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of spending public money on luxury sorties for AAP campaigns in other states. Sidhu wrote to the secretary of the Punjab Civil Aviation Department, seeking the information under the Right to Information Act. The Congress leader said the Aam Aadmi Party government, in the last one and a half years, used the aircraft for election campaigning in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and other states. "It has come to notice that the Punjab government on various occasions has used the official state chopper and also hired fixed-wing aircraft for campaigns and tours regarding party affairs, I need information on various accounts under RTI," he wrote. As the state government has to pay for the financial burden caused by hiring of fixed-wing aircraft, I request you to kindly inform the following things, the former minister ...

Punjab Vigilance Bureau issues lookout circular against Manpreet Badal

A lookout circular (LOC) has been issued against former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who has been booked in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of a property in Bathinda, a top official of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau said on Tuesday. The LOC was issued on Monday after teams of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau conducted raids at the residence of Badal, who joined the BJP after quitting the Congress in January, in Muktsar to nab him. The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against Badal and five others in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of a property in Bathinda. Besides Badal, former Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) chief administrator Bikramjit Shergill, Rajiv Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Vikas Arora and Pankaj have been booked in the matter. Rajiv Kumar, Amandeep Singh and Vikas Arora have already been arrested. The vigilance bureau had launched an investigation into the matter based on former MLA Sarup Chand Singla's

Punjab Police raids 264 suspected hideouts of gangsters' associates

Punjab Police on Monday conducted raids at suspected hideouts of associates of gangsters and anti-national elements, officials said

Punjab vigilance bureau books Manpreet Badal, 5 others in land buying case

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has registered a case against former state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal and five others in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of a property in Bathinda, a top official said on Monday. Apart from Badal, who is now a BJP leader, and former Bathinda municipal corporation commissioner Bikramjit Shergill, the other four booked in the case on Sunday night have been identified as Rajiv Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Vikas Arora and Pankaj, the official said. Rajiv Kumar and Amandeep Singh have been arrested, the officer added. The bureau had launched an investigation into the matter based on former MLA Sarup Chand Singla's 2021 complaint alleging irregularities in the purchase of the property at a prime location in Bathinda. BJP leader Singla, who was earlier with the Shiromani Akali Dal, had alleged that Badal, as a minister in the previous Congress dispensation, had abused his position to convert commercial plots into a residential plot f

Set up helpline for Indian students, NRIs in Canada: Punjab BJP chief

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday urged External Affairs minister S Jaishankar for setting up a helpline for Indian students and NRIs in Canada amid a diplomatic row between the two countries. In his letter to the Union Minister, Jakhar while highlighting the concerns of citizens residing in Canada, urged him to release a detailed statement listing out the measures being taken by the Centre for the safety of the country's citizens in Canada until the eventual resolution of this issue. "This, I am sure, would go a long way in assuaging the sense of deep anxiety, panic and indecision prevailing amongst our people living in Canada and especially in students waiting to go abroad for studies. An assurance from your office would certainly lay to rest the doubts and insecurity of our students who are rightfully concerned about their study plans," Jakhar wrote in the letter. He suggested issuing a WhatsApp contact number for Indian students planning to go abroad to get in touch wit

'Will withdraw plea from SC if guv gets pending RDF released by Centre'

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday said the state government will withdraw its petition in the Supreme Court on the pending rural development fund (RDF) if the governor gets it released from the Centre. Cheema was responding to Governor Banwarilal Purohit's letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday in which he had stated it would be appropriate to wait for the decision of the Supreme Court on the state government's plea. Chief Minister Mann, in a letter on Thursday, had asked the governor to take up the issue of the pending RDF worth Rs 5,637.40 crore with the president and the prime minister. The state government had moved the Supreme Court in July on the RDF issue. On the governor's statement that the state's debt rose by Rs 50,000 crore under the AAP dispensation, Cheema asked him not to talk about debt as it was inherited from previous governments. Responding to the governor's response on the RDF issue, the finance minister said the Punjab governmen

Punjab govt has provided over 36,000 jobs in past 18 months: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said his government has given 36,524 appointment letters of government jobs to the youth in the past 18 months of being in the office. Addressing a gathering during a function to hand over appointment letters to 427 recruits in power, education, forest and other departments, Mann said it is a rare feat as none of the previous governments have achieved this milestone in such a short span of its tenure. He said in the last 25 days, the state government has given appointment letters to 7,660 youth in the state. A foolproof mechanism has been adopted for the entire recruitment process due to which not even a single appointment out of these 36,524 have been challenged so far in the court, an official statement quoting Mann said. These youths have been given government jobs completely on the basis of merit, he claimed, adding that the sole aim is to ensure that Punjab's youth become active partners in the social and economic growth of the .

PRTC, Pepsu contract employees call off strike after govt assurance

After the meeting, Bhullar said that an agreement was made to implement a 5% salary hike, and orders were issued to reinstate the dismissed employees in 15 days

Punjab to host three-day tourism summit from September 11, says CM Mann

The state government will organise the Punjab Tourism Summit on September 11-13, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said on Sunday. The summit in Mohali will witness detailed deliberations on boosting the state's tourism sector, Mann said in an official statement. Deliberations will be held on topics such as Amritsar as a tourism destination, heritage tourism, eco and farm or homestay tourism, food and culinary tourism, wellness tourism and media and entertainment tourism, he said. The event will showcase the indomitable spirit of bravery, sacrifice, revolution, hard work and hospitality inherited by the Punjabis in front of the world, the AAP leader said. The chief minister added that Punjab is renowned all over the world for its warm hospitality and no stone will be left unturned to welcome the guests during these events. The state government has made elaborate arrangements for a hassle-free summit, he said.

CM Mann hands over Rs 1 cr cheque to kin of army jawan killed in Ladakh

The Chief Minister also announced suitable jobs for the kin of the jawans on compassionate grounds according to the policy

Sanyukt Samaj Morcha blames Punjab govt of delayed action to control floods

"The condition of Punjab is bad due to frequent floods. We think it is man-made, not natural. The government did not control it on time," Balbir Singh Rajewal said