*Strong Step Towards Empowerment of Scheduled Castes: Baljinder Singh Chaunda Assumes Charge as Chairman of Punjab SC Land Development and Finance Corporation*
*Newly Appointed Chairman Takes Charge in the Presence of Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr. Baljit Kaur and Tarunpreet Singh Sond*
*Government Priority: Economic Empowerment and Self-Reliance of SC Community and Persons with Disabilities*
Chandigarh, February 20:The newly appointed Chairman of the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation, Sh. Baljinder Singh Chaunda, today formally assumed charge in the presence of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment, Minorities Dr. Baljit Kaur and Rural Development Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond. On the occasion, Cabinet Ministers congratulated the newly appointed Chairman and extended their best wishes for his tenure.
Speaking on the occasion, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Social Justice Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur and Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond said that the Punjab Government is fully committed to the economic and social empowerment of Scheduled Castes and persons with disabilities. They said that welfare schemes for the SC community, easy loan facilities, and historic decisions such as loan waivers clearly reflect the government’s resolve to ensure that financial assistance reaches every eligible beneficiary.
They further expressed confidence that under the leadership of the newly appointed Chairman, the Corporation will play a significant and effective role in making members of the Scheduled Castes community and persons with disabilities economically self-reliant.
After assuming charge, Chairman Sh. Baljinder Singh Chaunda thanked Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann,
Punjab Affairs In-charge Manish Sisodia,
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur, and Tarunpreet Singh Sond, for reposing faith in him and entrusting him with this responsibility.
The Chairman said that bringing the Scheduled Castes community into the mainstream of society is a top priority of the Punjab Government, and concrete, result-oriented steps will be taken on a priority basis to achieve this goal. He said that educated youth belonging to the Schedule Caste community will be provided employment and self-employment opportunities through simple, transparent, and easy loan procedures.
He further informed that the Punjab Government has already waived loans of 4,727 Schedule Caste families, which is a historic and compassionate step towards social justice and economic empowerment. He added that special awareness camps will also be organised in rural and urban areas to spread awareness about various government schemes for the SC community and persons with disabilities, ensuring that benefits reach every eligible beneficiary.
On the occasion, Director of the Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Smt. Vimmi Bhullar IAS, other dignitaries, and family members of the newly appointed Chairman were also present.
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*ON EVE OF INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY*
PUNJAB STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION RELEASE LITERARY BROCHURE DEPICTING SIGNIFICANCE OF PUNJABI LANGUAGE
BROCHURE RELEASED BY CHIEF INFORMATION COMMISSIONER INDERPAL SINGH DHANNA & INFORMATION COMMISSIONERS
MOTHER LANGUAGE CONNECTS US TO OUR ROOTS, PART OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE: STATE INFORMATION COMMISSIONER HARPREET SANDHU
Chandigarh, February 20:To mark significance the significance of International Mother Language Day 2026 (Celebrated on February 21st) and promote mother language Punjabi, a literary Brochure depicting Punjabi Mother Language was today released by Inderpal Singh Dhanna, Chief Information Commissioner, Punjab along with State Information Commissioners Harpreet Sandhu, Virinderjit Singh Biling, Dr. Bhupinder Singh Bath, Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, Pooja Gupta and D.K. Tiwari (I.A.S.) Additional Chief Secretary Government of Punjab here today.
The literary brochure has been authored by Harpreet Sandhu, State Information Commissioner, Punjab, highlighting the theme of International Mother Day 2026 "Youth voices on multilingual education," emphasizing need to acknowledge Mother Language “Punjabi” within the society.
In a event at the Punjab Information Commission Headquarters, the State Information Commissioner Punjab Harpreet Sandhu said he has prepared the pictorial brochure to promote the glory of Mother language Punjabi keeping in view the innovative words narrated by Nelson Mandela, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head, if you talk to him in his mother language that goes in his heart.”
The State Information Commissioner Punjab further stated that International Mother Language Day 2026 aims to educate towards adopting Mother language, preserving cultural heritage to keep new generation deep rooted.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Good Governance & Information Technology, Punjab, D.K. Tiwari acknowledged the literary brochure prepared by Harpreet Sandhu and described it to be meaningful work towards the promotion of Punjabi Language.
State Information Commissioners Harpreet Sandhu, Virinderjit Singh Biling, Dr. Bhupinder Singh Bath, Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, and Pooja Gupta also shared their views towards importance of International Mother Language Day as mother language is soul of our cultural identity and heritage as it connects us to our roots, carrying the wisdom, traditions, and history of generations. By preserving and promoting our mother language, we not only honour our legacy but also contribute to the diversity and unity of humanity, said the State Information Commissioners.
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*Harjot Singh Bains Becomes First Education Minister in Punjab’s History to Inspect Over 2,000 Govt Schools*
*• From Pathankot to Fazilka, Bhagwant Mann Govt is on Mission to Transform Govt Schools: Harjot Singh Bains*
*• Zero Tolerance for Negligence in Schools, Action Against Those Failing Children: Harjot Singh Bains*
*• Campus Managers, Security Guards Deployed; JEE Success Reflects Rising Standards: Harjot Singh Bains*
CHANDIGARH /AMRITSAR, February 20:Marking a milestone in Punjab’s education reforms, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains conducted a surprise inspection at Government Senior Secondary School, Jhita Kalan, as part of his continued drive to strengthen and overhaul the state’s government education system. During the visit, he announced that he has completed ground inspections of over 2,000 government schools across Punjab since assuming office, setting what he termed an unprecedented benchmark in the state’s history.
During this, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “I have set a new record by conducting ground visits to more than 2,000 government schools across the state since I assumed office. This marks the first time in Punjab’s history that an Education Minister has undertaken such an extensive, grassroots-level review of the education system.”
He added, “There is no district left from Pathankot to Fazilka, Ferozepur to Mohali. This is my passion, this is my obsession. There are 20,000 schools in Punjab, and I am on a mission.”
During his interaction with staff and students, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains reviewed the standards of education and management at the school and assessed the progress of the ‘Samarth’ program, a flagship initiative aimed at addressing the learning crisis in primary classes.
Recalling the situation when he assumed charge, he said that a significant percentage of children at the primary level were unable to read or write. He interacted with students who have progressed from struggling to identify letters to confidently reading words and sentences, underscoring the impact of the initiative in bridging the learning gap.
Harjot Singh Bains stated, “Through the ‘Samarth’ program, we identified these children and worked on them. Where we have good teachers, the results are excellent. But those who are tampering with the future of children will not be tolerated.”
Reaffirming the zero-tolerance policy of the Bhagwant Mann Government towards negligence, the Education Minister warned that strict action would be taken against educators who fail to discharge their responsibilities.
Highlighting steps taken to ensure safety and a conducive learning environment, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that campus managers and security guards have been deployed at all government Senior Secondary Schools with enrolment exceeding 500 students.
Making an earnest appeal to the public and media, he said, “A negative thing goes viral very quickly. The good work being done by our dedicated teachers should also be shared. I appeal to you all to show the good work happening in schools like this one at Jhita Kalan. We have improved this school campus and infrastructure. The results here are shining, a student from the school cracked the JEE.”
Lauding the students’ recent examination performance and the infrastructure upgrades at the school, Harjot Singh Bains reiterated the Bhagwant Mann Government’s commitment to providing top-notch facilities in government schools. He also directed officials to expedite ongoing development projects to sustain the momentum of educational reforms being carried out under “Punjab Sikhya Kranti”.
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*Dr. Baljit Kaur Hands Over Appointment Letters to 8 Newly Appointed Clerks of Social Security Department*
*New Appointees Urged to Work with Integrity and a Spirit of Public Service*
Chandigarh, February 20:The Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab, Dr. Baljit Kaur, today handed over appointment letters to 8 newly appointed clerks, recruited through a fully transparent and merit-based process, in the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development. The appointment letters were presented at her office in the Punjab Civil Secretariat. On the occasion, the Minister congratulated the newly appointed employees and urged them to discharge their duties with honesty, dedication, and commitment in the interest of the public.
Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development is closely associated with crucial services related to senior citizens, women, and children. Therefore, the role of every employee is extremely important. She emphasized that dedicated and sincere efforts by employees are essential for the effective implementation of government schemes at the grassroots level.
The Minister further stated that all recruitments by the Punjab Government are being carried out in a completely transparent and merit-based manner. She said that providing employment opportunities to the youth and making them self-reliant is a top priority of the government. She informed that approximately 64,000 youths have so far been provided government jobs by the Punjab Government, which is a significant achievement towards promoting youth employment.
Dr. Baljit Kaur said that employees are the backbone of any department, and it is their honest and responsible work that ensures the successful delivery of government policies and welfare schemes to the people. She added that the contribution of every employee plays a vital role in the overall development of the state.
She also said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government is fully committed to creating maximum employment opportunities through transparent, citizen-centric, and youth-oriented policies. These initiatives are not only providing economic support to families but are also strengthening the overall efficiency of government departments.
On the occasion, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Sh. Amarjit Singh Bhullar, was also present.
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*Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora Meets Industrialist Sajjan Jindal; ₹1,500 Crore Investment Announced for Steel Sector in Rajpura*
Chandigarh, February 20, 2026:Punjab’s Minister for Industries & Commerce, Investment Promotion and Power, Sh. Sanjeev Arora, held a significant meeting with leading industrialist Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of the JSW Group, in Mumbai today. The meeting was also attended by Amit Dhaka, CEO, Punjab Invest.
During the meeting, Sajjan Jindal announced an investment of ₹1,500 crore in the steel sector at Rajpura. He further conveyed JSW Group’s intent to explore additional investments across its diversified verticals in Punjab. The proposed investment is expected to significantly strengthen the state’s manufacturing base, deepen the steel value chain, and generate substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region.
Jindal also confirmed his presence at the inaugural session of the Invest Punjab Summit scheduled to be held on 13th March at Plaksha University. He appreciated the State Government’s focused industrial outreach and the investor-friendly ecosystem being developed under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Highlighting Punjab’s strong industrial fundamentals, Minister Sanjeev Arora emphasized that the state offers a strategic location with excellent connectivity to northern markets, a robust MSME ecosystem, skilled manpower, and well-developed industrial clusters across sectors such as steel, auto components, textiles, sports goods, food processing and light engineering. He also underlined Punjab’s consistent recognition as a “Top Achiever” in Ease of Doing Business reforms and the state’s progressive single-window clearance mechanism that ensures time-bound approvals and investor facilitation.
The Minister informed that the Government of Punjab is in the advanced stages of finalising a new, robust and future-ready Industrial Policy aimed at catalysing next-generation manufacturing and technology-led investments. The upcoming policy will focus on providing competitive fiscal incentives, plug-and-play industrial infrastructure, sector-specific parks, faster clearances, logistics efficiency, and strong policy support for sunrise sectors such as defence manufacturing, electric mobility, advanced materials, renewable energy and high-end engineering. Special emphasis is being laid on promoting value-added manufacturing, boosting exports, and creating large-scale employment for the youth of Punjab.
Appreciating the proactive and industry-friendly policies of the Punjab Government, Jindal lauded Minister Sanjeev Arora’s untiring efforts to attract fresh investments into the state and acknowledged his commitment to creating a stable and conducive business environment. Encouraged by the state’s policy direction and facilitation approach, he expressed keen interest in exploring opportunities in defence manufacturing, automobile sector and renewable energy projects in Punjab.
Reiterating the Government’s commitment to industry, Sanjeev Arora assured every possible support, handholding and fast-track clearances for the proposed JSW projects. He emphasised that Punjab is committed to providing reliable power, improved logistics infrastructure and a responsive governance framework to ensure ease of setting up and expansion of industries.
The meeting marks another important milestone in Punjab’s sustained efforts to position itself as one of India’s most preferred and competitive investment destinations, in line with the vision of inclusive growth, industrial diversification and job creation ahead of the Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit 2026.
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*Mann Government Providing Comprehensive Support to Farmers from Seed to Market: Mohinder Bhagat*
*State Government committed to increase farmers’ income and ensure their welfare*
Chandigarh, February 20:Punjab Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat on Friday said that the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is providing comprehensive support to farmers at every stage — from seed to market — with the objective of enhancing their income and making horticulture a profitable venture.
He said the government is continuously working to ensure the availability of high-quality seeds , technical guidance, modern agricultural practices and strong market linkages so that farmers can obtain better returns from their produce.
The Minister added that the farmer-friendly policies of the state government and complete institutional support are encouraging farmers to move beyond the traditional crop cycle towards high-value horticulture crops, which are more remunerative and sustainable.
Highlighting the importance of crop diversification, he said that fruits, vegetables and other high-value crops are proving more beneficial for farmers. Alongside this, the government is strengthening post-harvest management, cold chain infrastructure, pack houses and processing facilities to minimise losses and ensure farmers receive better prices in the market.
He further stated that crop diversification is the need of the hour, as it will not only improve farmers’ economic status but also contribute significantly towards soil health improvement and groundwater conservation.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, the Minister assured that the Punjab Government is fully dedicated to farmers’ welfare and will continue making sustained efforts to strengthen the horticulture sector and take the state to new heights in horticulture.
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*Special Meeting to Hear Issues of All SC Employees’ Unions on February 23: Jasveer Singh Garhi*
*Two Representatives from Each Union to Participate*
Chandigarh, February 20:A special meeting to hear the problems and concerns of all Scheduled Caste employees’ unions of Punjab will be held on February 23, 2026 (Monday) under the chairmanship of Jasveer Singh Garhi, Chairman of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission.
The meeting has been convened to listen to the issues being faced by Scheduled Caste employees’ unions and the difficulties encountered in the effective implementation of their constitutional rights. It will be held at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh.
It was informed that two representatives from each Scheduled Caste employees’ union of the state will attend the meeting. Each union will be required to submit an authorisation letter, identity card or other relevant documents of its representatives at the entry gate of Punjab Bhawan.