Page 12 - Punjab Government

Punjab schools closed till August 26 amid rains and flood-like situation

According to the state education minister, CM Bhagwant Mann has instructed to shut down the schools amid the flood-like situation in the state after intense downpour

Punjab CM Mann to inaugurate 76 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' in Sangrur on Aug 14

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will inaugurate 76 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' in Sangrur district on August 14, Health Minister Balbir Singh said here on Saturday. At present, 583 'Aam Aadmi Clinics', including 403 in villages and 180 in cities, are operational in the state, he said. More than 44 lakh people have availed the free services of these clinics and over 20 lakh medical tests have been conducted so far. The AAP government had rolled out these clinics last year. Singh further said the state government will also upgrade 40 government medical facilities -- 19 district hospitals, six subdivision hospitals and 15 community health centres -- in the state.

Punjab's GST collection rises 16.5%, excise revenue up 21% in FY24

Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said the state has registered an increase of 16.5 per cent and 20.87 per cent in revenue from Goods and Services Tax (GST) and excise, respectively during the first four months of the financial year 2023-24. The state's GST collection stood at Rs 6,810.76 crore, and the mop-up from excise was Rs 3,033.78 crore during the April-July period of the current fiscal. Besides, it collected Rs 2,348.55 crore from Value Added Tax (VAT), Rs 76.91 crore from CST (central sales tax) and Rs 52.71 crore from Punjab State Development Tax (PSDT) during the first four months of this financial year, Cheema said in a statement issued here. He said the total revenue of Rs 11,037.17 crore was collected from these sources till the end of July 2022. In the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, the state had received a revenue of Rs 5,846.31 crore from GST, Rs 2,772.08 crore from excise, Rs 2,286.32 crore from VAT, Rs 80.84 crore from CST and Rs

As tomato prices soar, Punjab guv orders halting consumption in Raj Bhavan

Amid an alarming surge in tomato prices, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit issued an order on Thursday temporarily halting its consumption in his household as "a gesture of solidarity with the citizens facing the impact of rising food prices". Tomato is currently selling at a rate of more than Rs 200 a kilo and its prices are likely to touch Rs 300 per kilogram in the coming days, according to wholesale traders. "Over the past few weeks, the people of State and UT have been grappling with an unprecedented escalation in the cost of tomatoes, a staple in many households across the state," according to an official release. The price surge has been attributed to various factors, including supply chain disruptions, climatic conditions and other market dynamics, it said. Recognising the burden this situation places on ordinary citizens, the governor, who is also the administrator of the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh, has expressed his concern and empathy for the difficulties faced

Elections to 39 municipal councils, nagar panchayats of Punjab in November

Elections to 39 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab will be held between November 1 and 15, according to a government notification. By-elections to 27 wards of some municipal councils and nagar panchayats and certain wards of three municipal corporations of Bathinda, Batala and Hoshiarpur will also be held in the first fortnight of November this year. "...the general elections to elect the members of municipal councils/nagar panchayats and bye-elections of certain wards of various municipal councils/nagar panchayats (will) be held within the first fortnight of November 2023," the notification issued by the local government department read.

Girdawari to assess flood damage in Punjab, Govt pegs loss at Rs 1,500 cr

The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday gave its nod for conducting a special 'girdawari' (field inspection) by August 15 to assess the damage caused by the recent floods even as the state government pegged the estimated loss at Rs 1,500 crore. The decision was taken by the council of ministers in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here, according to an official statement. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by a heavy downpour that left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of residential and agricultural land. After the cabinet meeting, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said the floods caused the estimated loss of worth Rs 1,500 crore to the state, though the exact amount was yet to be assessed. A total of 1,495 villages in 19 districts of Punjab were affected by the heavy rain and floods whit at least 44 people losing their lives and 22 sustaining injuries, said an official release. As many as 391 houses were fully damaged and 87

Punjab top beneficiary list under Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana

Launched in October 2020, ABRY aimed to incentivise employers for the creation of new jobs and the reinstatement of retrenched workers during Covid

Punjab suffered losses of nearly Rs 1,000 crore due to floods: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday that the state suffered estimated losses of nearly Rs 1,000 crore due to recent floods. A detailed report on the losses will be sent to the Union government and a relief package will be sought, he said. An on-ground assessment of the losses will be done and people will be provided compensation, he said. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by heavy rains this month that left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of agricultural land and residential areas. Mann said the water level at the Bhakra dam was below the danger mark and the state government was keeping a strict vigil on the entire situation. The chief minister was here to assess the situation in the wake of incessant rains and held discussions with officers of the Bhakra Beas Management Board and other officials, according to an official release. It is a matter of great relief that the water level at Bhakra dam was still below the danger mark so t

Punjab govt didn't use Rs 218 cr aid by Centre for flood relief: Jakhar

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar Sunday hit out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the flood situation in the state, accusing him of not utilising Rs 218 crore fund released by the Centre for relief measures. Jakhar was in Patiala to visit flood-hit areas in Sanour in the district. He was accompanied by Jai Inder Kaur, the daughter of former chief minister Amarinder Singh. Addressing the media here, Jakhar said the Central government released Rs 218 crore for Punjab without even considering the previous year's utilisation certificate of the funds meant for the disaster relief from the state government. Jakhar said people had to suffer loss of life and property because of the "gross negligence" and "inefficiency" on the part of the AAP dispensation. The state government failed to handle the flood situation and ruling party MLAs were busy in photo-ops, he charged. He alleged the state government failed to take necessary measures including cleaning of drains and the strengthening of .

Punjab govt to introduce specialised force to check road accidents

The Punjab government will raise a specialised force to streamline traffic movement and check road accidents, which claim 12-14 lives in the state on an average every day, an official said. To be raised as a part of the Punjab Police, the Sadak Surakhya Force (Road Safety Force) personnel will be deployed at national and state highways where nearly 75 per cent of road accidents occur every year. With a strength of around 1,300 personnel, the force will be equipped with modern gadgets such as body cameras and breathalysers, they said. The force will also be given interceptors to check the speed of vehicles. "Our effort is that the force will start functioning before August 15," said Additional Director General of Police AS Rai, the force's nodal officer. The state government has earmarked nearly Rs 40 crore for the Sadak Surakhya Force, he said. Its personnel will also get a special uniform, he said. "The uniform is being designed. As it will be a specialised force, its uniform wil

BSF, Punjab Police recover another Pak drone near international border

A joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police, on Sunday morning recovered another Pakistani drone near India-Pakistan International Border in Amritsar district.The drone was recovered from the outskirts of Kakkar village in Amritsar following a search operation launched by the BSF and Punjab Police on specific information.During the search, the BSF said, its troops along with police personnel recovered a drone from the farming field adjacent to Kakkar village."The recovered drone is an assembled Quadcopter," said the BSF, adding "yet another Pakistani drone was recovered by the joint efforts of BSF and Punjab Police."Earlier on Saturday, the BSF recovered a drone near India-Pakistan Border in Punjab's Tarn Taran district.The drone was intercepted at around 9.05 pm on Friday near Pallopati village in Tarn Taran district and the BSF troops immediately reacted to intercept the drone as per the laid down drill.The drone was also a Quadcopter of the model - DJI Matrice 350

Haryana khaps running awareness campaign against drugs, sensitising youth

Several khap panchayats in Haryana are running an awareness campaign against the ill-effects of drugs and also sensitising people in the rural areas on the importance of environmental protection. A prominent khap leader said many khap panchayats (caste councils) are involved in the campaign against drugs as they are apprehensive that the menace can spread in Haryana just like it has in neighbouring Punjab. "Our khap and many other khaps in Rohtak, Sonipat, Jind, Hisar and elsewhere are running the campaign against the menace of drugs. We make people, especially youngsters, aware of the ill-effects of drugs and prevent addiction," Tek Ram Kandela, the head of the Sarv Jatiya Kandela Khap, said. He also said they sensitise people on issues related to the environment when they hold panchayats in villages. "We also promote organic farming," Kandela said. On the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking last month, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had .

Chhattisgarh CM Baghel hints a big 'LPG' surprise in Cong poll manifesto

Rajasthan has given LPG at Rs 500. Something needs to be kept for the announcement and if everything will be done now then what would be for the announcement (referring to the poll promise)

1.6 mn Indians renounced citizenship in last 10 yrs, 70K gave up passports

90% of passports were surrendered in just eight states, with Goa topping the list

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

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 made 7 teams for sale of quality seeds, pesticides: Minister

Punjab Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department has set up seven teams to ensure supply of quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to farmers. State's Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Sunday said that these teams will also visit shops, manufacturing units of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides besides carrying out regular checks and sampling for quality as well as rates at which the goods are sold to the farmers. He further said that the flying squad teams, headed by Joint Directors and Chief Agriculture Officers of the department, will closely monitor the sale of seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, besides keeping a watch over the demand and supply of goods to farmers. The one team of the flying squad has been set aside for three to four districts, he said, according to an official statement. He urged the farmers to demand a 'bill' for each purchase from the vendor and ensure they only pay the amount mentioned on the bills. The Agriculture Minister said that If th

Procure maize at MSP to prevent distress sales by farmers: Sukhbir Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday demanded that the Punjab government procure maize at the minimum support price of Rs 2,090 per quintal to ensure that farmers do not resort to distress sales. In a statement issued here, Badal accused the government of running away from its responsibility. Due to this, the farmers are being forced to sell their produce at Rs 500 to Rs 600 per quintal to private traders, he claimed. Demanding immediate procurement of the entire maize crop at MSP, the SAD president said, "Failing to do so will deal a severe blow to the (crop) diversification attempts of the Punjab government". Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had announced with much fanfare that maize, sunflower and pulses would be procured at MSP due to which farmers had increased the acreage under these crops, Badal said. "Now, when the time has come to procure the produce, the AAP government has run away from its responsibility," he charged. Besides procuring maize at

Punjab CM urges Union Minister Puri to include Mohali in Smart City project

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday urged Union Housing and Development Minister Hardeep Puri to include Mohali in the Smart City project for its inclusive development. Mann, who met Puri at his office here, said Mohali assumes immense significance because it is part of the tri-city which also includes Chandigarh and Panchkula. Most of the departments of the Punjab government have their head offices in Mohali and as such it is imperative to give further fillip to its growth, the chief minister said. He said Mohali and its adjoining municipal committees like Zirakpur, Kharar, Derabassi and Kurali have witnessed immense growth because of the presence of the international airport, educational institutes, industries and townships. The area needs special funding to support planned growth and infrastructure development, the Punjab chief minister said, adding that including Mohali in the Smart City project for its holistic and planned growth was the need of the hour. Flagging

AAP govt acting against Constitution, says Guv; Punjab CM Mann hits back

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Monday accused the AAP government of acting against Constitution for not responding to his letters, asserting that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is bound to reply to the Raj Bhavan. Hours after Purohit's remarks, Mann posted a video of the governor's address on his Twitter handle to stress that Purohit has stopped referring to the AAP-led state government as "my government" at the instance of the opposition party in the House on March 3. Mann asked the governor to explain why he had "failed" to discharge his constitutional duty by not using the word "my government" during his address. The chief minister said it is unfortunate that "in the present Central regime, selected ones are unnecessarily peeping into the affairs of the elected ones". Undue hiccups are being raised to derail the smooth functioning of the state government, alleged Mann in a statement. The "gubernatorial" Raj Bhavans are now acting as the state headquarters of the BJP which