Page 4 - Punjab Government

'Many attempts to disturb peace in state': Punjab CM after Amritsar blast

A blast occurred at Thakurdwara Temple in Khandwala, Amritsar, late last night after two bike-borne men lobbed an object, suspected to be an explosive, at the temple

Punjab police foils target killing plot, arrests 3 linked to Babbar Khalsa

The terror module was being handled by US-based gangster Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawashehria, who is a close aide of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda

'Shameless': Supreme Court tears into Punjab govt in pension scheme case

Supreme Court slams Punjab govt as 'shameless' for disowning counsel's statements and issues contempt notices to Chief Secretary and another official over the pension case

SKM slams Punjab CM for police action on farmers before Chandigarh protest

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Tuesday slammed the Punjab government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann after several farmer leaders were detained or put under house arrest in early morning raids at their residences by the state police a day ahead of their planned protest in Chandigarh. In a statement, the SKM said they had a meeting with Mann on Monday. However, instead of listening to the farmers and their demands, the chief minister asked them to call off the protest, it said. Though the SKM leaders explained the importance of the protracted mass protest against the Union government for farmers' rights, the chief minister got provoked and quit the meeting, it said. Condemning the action, the SKM appealed to the farmers across Punjab to join the week-long protests at Chandigarh and organise widespread campaigns in the villages. "The SKM strongly protests against the dictatorial step by the Bhagwant Singh Mann government of Punjab to suppress the democratic rights of farmer

Police detain SKM leaders ahead protest; Punjab CM warns farm unions

In Ludhiana, SKM leaders including Harjit Singh Giaspura, Balwant Singh Khirnia, Avtar Singh Mahlo, Manmohan Singh Deol and Dilbag Singh were allegedly detained

Punjab to deploy anti-drone tech to check drug inflow from across border

The Punjab government will take the help of anti-drone technology to check smuggling of narcotics and arms and ammunition from across the border, Cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Tuesday. Finance Minister Cheema, who is leading a cabinet sub-committee to monitor action against the drug menace and Cabinet minister Aman Arora on Tuesday witnessed the demonstration of the anti-drone technology by three companies in Mohali. Speaking to reporters, Arora said drugs, arms and ammunition are coming from Pakistan as he stressed upon the use of anti-drone technology to check the inflow from across the border. "It is the primary responsibility of the government of India and the BSF to check smuggling of narcotics and arms and ammunition from across the border," Arora said, adding the Border Security Force (BSF) has 50 km of jurisdiction. "But we have been seeing over the past many years that the BSF is not getting 100 per success (in checking smuggling from across the border)," he

Punjab Police launches massive anti-drugs op across state, Cong takes dig

Punjab Police has launched a statewide operation against drugs, conducting raids at 750 locations as the cabinet sub-committee on the drug menace held its first meeting on Saturday, officials said. Around 12,000 police personnel were involved in the operation being carried out as part of an anti-drug campaign. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday set a deadline of three months to make the state drug-free. As part of the state government's renewed push against the drug problem, action is being taken against drug peddlers and in some places, their properties were also demolished. Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Saturday appealed to all political parties that instead of playing politics, they should extend their support to the state government's anti-drug campaign to save Punjab. The meeting of the cabinet sub-committee was also attended by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. Addressing the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Si

Ghost department in Punjab? Minister held fake portfolio for 20 months

AAP minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal managed a non-existent department for 20 months, a Punjab govt notification reveals, sparking sharp criticism from the Opposition

BJP slams AAP after minister ran non-existent dept for 20 months in Punjab

According to a Punjab government Gazette notification, Dhaliwal who oversees NRI Affairs dept was allocated the charge of the Department of Administrative Reforms, which they now says does not exist

Punjab govt launches career counselling initiative for class 12 students

The Punjab government has come out with an initiative to reach out to class 12 students to assist them in their academic and professional endeavours. The initiative is aimed at supporting the aspirations of students passing out from government schools in Punjab, School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, adding the government would reach out to class 12 students with questions about their future plans to understand and nurture their dreams. Bains said the department has circulated a 'Google Form' to all the students appearing for class 12 board examinations. According to an official statement, the form, accompanied by a message from Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, invites students to share their immediate plans and long-term goals -- ?be it higher education, entrepreneurship, or competitive exams. The data collected will enable the state government to develop suitable support mechanisms to assist students in their academic and professional endeavours, Bains said. "This

Planes with deportees landing in Amritsar: Bid to defame Punjab, asks CM

I strictly oppose this and demand to the MEA and the MHA that the plane is still onboard, change the route and make it land in Delhi, Hindon or Ahmedabad, Bhagwant Mann said

Punjab approves disbursal of Rs 14,000 cr arrears for employees, pensioners

The Punjab Cabinet on Thursday accorded consent to disburse pending arrears of government employees and pensioners worth Rs 14,000 crore. A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the Council of Ministers held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, said an official release. A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said the Cabinet gave the approval to release arrears of revised pay and pensions and leave encashment from the period of January 1, 2016, to June 30, 202,2 and that dearness allowance from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024, for pensioners and employees. This sum worth Rs 14,000 crore will be released in stages and will give much-needed relief to the employees and pensioners. There are three lakh government employees and three lakh pensioners who will directly benefit from this move, said the release. To provide houses to the economically weaker section, the Cabinet gave a nod to a policy for 'Optimum utilisation of land reserved for

Will AAP survive in Punjab? BJP and Congress claim party in crisis

AAP's Punjab government faces turbulence as BJP sees its fall coming and Congress accuses Kejriwal of consolidating power amid widening internal rifts

NAPA urges Punjab govt to set up fund for rehabilitation of deported youths

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Wednesday urged the Punjab government to establish a rehabilitation fund to support young boys and girls being deported from the United States. In a statement, NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal said lack of support and resources for these returnees could lead to severe social and economic challenges for the state. He warned the Punjab government that negligence in addressing this growing crisis would only create more problems for the state, exacerbating unemployment, mental health issues and potential involvement in illegal activities. This comes amid reports that a US military plane carrying 205 illegal immigrants hailing from Punjab and neighbouring states is likely to land at the Amritsar airport on Wednesday afternoon. "Many of these young individuals leave their homes with dreams of a better future but find themselves deported due to immigration challenges. They return with shattered hopes, financial distress, and ...

Stubble burning: SC asks CAQM to hold meeting with Punjab, Haryana, UP

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Commission for Air Quality Management to hold a meeting with Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments on the proposed action plans to tackle the issue of stubble burning. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan asked CAQM to consult the states and come out with its own views on the issue and submit suggestions by March 17. Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Punjab government, submitted farmers need to be convinced that crop diversification was a viable option. "There is a minimum support price (MSP) that has to be given and minimum assured procurement. In paddy produce 100 per cent produce is assured that it will be picked up by the Food Corporation of India -- which undertakes paddy cultivation. For maize and others, that procurement policy is not there," he said. Punjab advocate general Gurminder Singh said the state government supported steps for eradicating stubble burning but other factors that added to pollutio

Want package for industries, crop diversification for Punjab: AAP MP Kang

Kang pointed out the rising inflation and stagnant salaries for employees, while calling for a special package to support industries, crop diversification, and Punjab's farmers in the upcoming budget

Punjab registered vehicle row: AAP's Sanjay Singh calls it 'dirty politics'

According to the Delhi Police, the vehicle was standing near Punjab Bhavan on Delhi's Copernicus Marg with "Punjab Sarkar" written on it

Sandeep Dikshit slams AAP for Punjab vehicles in Delhi during elections

Dikshit said that he has been raising the issue of vehicles from Punjab coming to Delhi with Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena

Delhi Police seize 'Punjab govt' vehicle, AAP calls it 'planted stunt'

Delhi Police registered a case after a vehicle labelled "Punjab government" was on Wednesday intercepted with cash, liquor and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) pamphlets, an official said. The vehicle bearing a Punjab number plate was caught by the Flying Squad team in the New Delhi district, the official said. The Flying Squad attends to all Model Code of Conduct violations and all complaints related to liquor, arms and cash used for elections. The Punjab government dismissed claims that it owned the car intercepted in Delhi. The vehicle's number plate was forged and fake as it can be tracked to a different car not owned by the Punjab government, it said. The AAP, too, released a statement, saying the car seizure was a "planted stunt, ?poorly executed and utterly bogus". Delhi Police said officials have initiated legal proceedings in the matter, and a case is being registered at Tilak Marg police station. "Upon searching (the car), we discovered cash, multiple liquor bottles, and Aam Aadmi .

2022 PM security breach: Arrest warrants issued against 25 farmers

The Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) Thursday slammed the Punjab government for the arrest warrants issued against 25 farmers and insertion of an attempt to murder charge in the FIR in connection with the 2022 prime minister security breach matter in the state. Leaders of the farmers' body said they came to know about the insertion of Section 307 (attempt to murder charge) of the Indian Penal Code in the FIR after the bail plea of one of the protesting farmers was rejected by a court in Ferozepur. On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Punajb's Ferozepur after which he returned from the state without attending any event, including a rally. Later, the Supreme Court appointed a five-member committee, headed by former apex court judge Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach incident. Police had then lodged an FIR in the matter. Initially, police had registered an FIR against 150 unidentified people at ..