Page 16 - Punjab Government

Rains, high-velocity winds across Punjab leave wheat farmers worried

Rains lashed many parts of Punjab on Saturday, leaving farmers worried as showers accompanied by high-velocity winds flattened the wheat crop at some places in the state. In the last 24 hours, places including Ludhiana witnessed 13.8 mm rainfall, 25.6 mm in Patiala, 6.6 mm in Pathankot, 5.8 mm in Bathinda, 11 mm in SBS Nagar, according to a report of the MeT department. With rains lashing many places in Punjab, wheat growers were worried about their crop and said showers at this stage would hit the yield. In Hoshiarpur, high-velocity winds and rain damaged standing wheat crops in some parts of the district. Hoshiarpur Chief Agriculture Officer Gurdev Singh said the rain and gusty winds had caused less damage to crops in the district as compared to other districts of the state. Strong winds flattened standing wheat crop at about 150 hectares of land in Mukerian, Tanda and Sham Chaurasi areas of this district. The exact loss to the standing crop was being assessed, said Gurdev Sing

25,000 houses for EWS to be constructed across Punjab: Minister Aman Arora

Punjab government will construct 25,000 houses for people from economically weaker sections in a phased manner, Housing and Urban Development Minister Aman Arora informed the state assembly here on Saturday. Replying to a question in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the minister said nearly 15,000 dwelling units will be constructed in the first phase under the Punjab EWS Housing Policy. The sites, where these units are to be constructed, have been identified and the tendering process will be initiated soon, he said. Arora claimed that due to the negligence of previous governments, more than 14,000 unauthorised colonies mushroomed in the state, and the EWS housing was ignored. "Now, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government is concerned to provide a roof to the economically weaker sections and notices have been issued by the Housing and Urban Development Department to promoters, who have not handed over the possession of the land reserved for EWS housing as per the policy," he ...

Punjab Cabinet approves Excise policy 2023-24 with Rs 9,754 cr target

Punjab Cabinet Friday approved an excise policy for the financial year 2023-24 with a target to collect Rs 9,754 crore in revenue, a jump Rs 1,004 crore collected in the last fiscal year. In another decision, the Cabinet also approved 'Punjab State Minor Mineral Policy-2023' to provide sand and gravel at affordable rates to the people of the state. Decisions to this effect was taken by the Cabinet under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here, said an official release. In order to maintain stability of liquor trade and to continue reforms initiated last year, the retail sale licenses are being offered for renewal to the existing retail licensees, said the release. "The policy aims to collect Rs 9,754 crore during the year 2023-24, giving an increase of Rs 1,004 crore," it said. As per the policy, the value added tax charged on liquor sold by beer bars, hard bars, clubs and microbreweries has been reduced to 13 per cent, in addition to 10 per cent surcharge. On its .

AAP govt presents its first complete Punjab Budget of Rs 1.96 trillion

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday presented the first complete state Budget of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government with an outlay of Rs 196,462 crore

Over 11,200 tillers in Punjab to own land as Prez gives assent to Bill

More than 11,200 tillers in Punjab, who have been occupying over 4,000 acres of land for generations but had no title rights, will get the ownership after paying due compensation as President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to a legislation in this effect, officials said on Thursday. The Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar, or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Bill, 2020 was passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2020 when the Congress government led by Amarinder Singh was in power. "The President gave assent to the Bill passed by the Punjab Assembly," an official said. The move allows property rights to more than 11,200 tenants occupying over 4,000 acres land after paying due compensation. It is expected that the legislation will empower tillers of such land, who belong mostly to the economically and socially weaker sections of society, the official said. These tenants have been in occupation of small parcels of

Heated exchanges between AAP, Congress during Punjab governor's address

Heated exchanges took place between the ruling AAP and the opposition Congress benches after Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa asked Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit to not use the phrase "my government" in his address, saying the AAP government does not "recognise" him. When the governor began his address on the first day of the budget session here, Congress leader Bajwa interrupted Purohit and said he should not use the phrase in his address. "This government does not recognise you," Bajwa told Purohit, apparently referring to a tussle between the AAP government and the Raj Bhavan. To this, the governor told Bajwa that there should be no "controversy". "Do you say I should not utter 'my government'," Purohit asked Bajwa. "This is the custom." "Ok, I will use only government, 'my government' I will not speak," said Purohit, adding that there should be no controversy. Then members from the treasury benches rose from their seats and objected to Bajwa's comments, leading to

Punjab CM meets HM Amit Shah; Centre sends 18 CRPF-RAF companies

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and said the Centre and the state will work together on the law and order issue, even as about 1,900 personnel of the CRPF and its specialised anti-riot unit were being dispatched to the state for strengthening the security grid The two leaders discussed the law and order issue. Mann told Shah about the circumstances leading to the Ajnala incident, sources said. On February 23, self-styled Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of the Amritsar city, extracting an assurance from the police that his aide and kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh would be released. The chief minister said in a tweet in Punjabi that the "Centre and Punjab will work together on the issue of law and order". Official sources added that the Union home ministry las

Punjab governor has summoned the house to call the budget session, SC told

The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that the Punjab Governor by an order has summoned the house for the budget session on March 3.

SC to hear Punjab govt plea against guv's refusal to summon Budget session

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Tuesday a plea of the Punjab government against the Governor's "refusal" to summon the Budget session scheduled for March 3. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said it will take up the Punjab government's plea at 3:50 pm after a five-judge Constitution bench hearing on the Maharashtra Shiv Sena political crisis. Senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the Punjab government, requested for urgent hearing of the plea on Tuesday itself. He added that Constitution bench hearing will not get affected if the matter is taken up for hearing for 10 minutes during the day. The bench told Singhvi, that he will be arguing before the constitution bench and therefore it will take up the plea for hearing at 3.50 pm. The tussle between the Punjab Governor and Chief Minister Mann had worsened last week with Purohit indicating he is in no hurry to summon the assembly's budget session, and reminding the CM about his "derogatory" resp

MoUs obsolete, we are going 'dil se', says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

On the skilled manpower front, the cabinet minister said that Punjab has 11 major specialised research institutes engaged in the textile sector.

CM Mann woos investors, promises to give clearances within 15 days

The previous Punjab Investment Summit attracted investment to the tune of 8,200 crore, according to the commitment listed on the Summit's website

Radical preacher Amritpal Singh's supporters clash with police in Amritsar

The supporters of Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh Thursday clashed with police and stormed into a police complex in Punjab's Amritsar district, protesting against the arrest of one of his associates. Police had booked Singh and his supporters for allegedly kidnapping a man. Carrying swords and other arms, scores of supporters led by Singh had assembled at the police station in Ajnala in Amritsar. They broke the barricades put up by police. Heavy security arrangements were made at the police station as the protesters began a dharna in the complex. A case was registered against Singh, a self-styled preacher, and his supporters for allegedly kidnapping and thrashing Varinder Singh, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib in Rupnagar district. Amritpal Singh had reportedly issued a threat recently to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he will meet the same fate as that of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Dubai-returned Amritpal Singh is the head of 'Waris Punjab De' organisation fou

Punjab govt to ask Centre to regulate prices of non-scheduled medicines

The Punjab government will soon write a letter to the Centre to bring the prices of non-scheduled medicines under control, according to a decision taken at a meeting convened by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Tuesday. The move is aimed at stopping the fleecing of the public due to the exorbitant rates of medicines, an official statement said. Sandhwan said that drug price fixing is the central government subject and "licensed loot of patients has been legalized in the current system". "Finding an immediate solution to this very sensitive issue of the people's lives is the need of the hour. The Union government should immediately look into this matter and amend the law so that patients' loot could be stopped at once," he said, as per the statement. During the meeting, MLAs, health experts, doctors and representatives of various NGOs spoke about the actual rate and maximum retail prices of the medicines, showing the difference in prices of up to 90 per cent along with

CBI searches 30 locations in Punjab in corruption probe against FCI

The CBI on Tuesday launched searches at 30 locations in Punjab as part of its probe into allegations of corruption against Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials who procured inferior grains to benefit merchants and rice millers, officials said. The CBI teams started coordinated raids at the premises of grain merchants, rice mill owners, and serving and retired officials of the FCI in multiple districts of Punjab, including Sirhind, Fatehpur Sahib and Monga, as part of 'Operation Kanak 2', they said. This is second round of searches in the FIR pertaining to an organised syndicate of officers at the FCI, who allegedly charged bribes of Rs 1000-4000 per truck unloaded at the FCI godowns from private millers per crop season for covering up lower quality grains supplied by them and other favours. The bribes were allegedly circulated to officers at every level reaching up to headquarters in a well defined percentage of cuts at each level, it alleged. The FIR gave details of such brib

Punjab Cabinet gives nod to regularising services of 14,417 employees

Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann gave nod to the Policy for Welfare of Adhoc, Contractual, Daily Wages, Work Charged and Temporary employees, paving way for regularising the services

Punjab branding Ayushman Bharat centres as Mohalla Clinics: Health Minstry

The Union Health Ministry has said the Punjab government was converting Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres into Mohalla Clinics, a pet project of the Aam Aadmi Party, and has warned of stopping the funds for the scheme. The Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre (AB-HWC) is formulated with 60:40 contribution ratio by the Centre and state. In a letter written to the state government on February 6, the ministry said that the state has vitiated the spirit of the scheme and "defaulted" on its commitment by branding AB-HWCs as Aam Aadmi Clinics and "not adhering' to the provisions of the memorandum on the implementation of the scheme. "The state has violated the provisions of Clause 10.3 and 10.10 of MoU and has stopped implementing the AB-HWC component of NHM (National Health Mission), therefore releases to the State under NHM do not appear feasible as per provisions of Clause 13 of the MOU," NHM Additional Secretary and Mission Director Roli Singh said in the letter. A to

We will make schools in Delhi, Punjab best in the world: Arvind Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said education is "a priority" for the AAP-led dispensations and work will be done to make government schools in both Delhi and Punjab the "best in the world". AAP is the ruling party in Delhi and Punjab. Kejriwal was addressing a gathering of principals at an event here in the presence of his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. Mann said that teachers in Punjab will not be engaged in anything other than teaching. In his address, Kejriwal said, "Improving and fixing education system in Delhi since we took charge here was very difficult." Infrastructure was given a push earlier and then the AAP government focused on training teachers and principals, the party supremo said. Until teachers and principals are motivated, the impact will not be visible, he said. "If government wants, they can give best schools and education, but intentions and priorities matter. And, education is our priority. We took seven years in Delhi, but it will take less ti

Punjab, Haryana HC accepts petition against parole of Dera chief Ram Rahim

The HC has also sent notices to the Punjab government, the Haryana government, and the center

Punjab cabinet imposes 90 paise per litre cess on sale of petrol, diesel

The Punjab Cabinet on Friday gave its approval for a marginal increase in the VAT rates levied on the sale of petrol and diesel in the state

Punjab govt giving major push to food processing sector: CM Bhagwant Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has said that the state government is giving a major push to the food processing sector, which will create job opportunities for youth on one hand and immensely benefit farmers as well. "The state government is giving a major push to the food processing sector in Punjab ..," Mann said. The Chief Minister also said that the state government will soon set up 20 dedicated Rural Industrial Hubs across the state. He said that these hubs will be equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to facilitate industrialists in setting up their units. These hubs will boost industrial development. Mann assured fulsome support and cooperation to the industrialists opting for setting up their units in these hubs adding that the state government is fully committed to accelerate industrial development in Punjab. Punjab is organising the 5th 'Progressive Punjab Investors Summit' on February 23 and 24 in Mohali. As a run up to the Summit, a mini-conclave was org