INTENSIFY CRUSADE AGAINST DRUG MENACE IN THE STATE: CM TO CPS AND SSPS
SAYS DRIVE AGAINST DRUGS SHOULD BE TAKEN FROM GRASS ROOT LEVEL, PROPERTIES OF DRUG PEDDLERS MUST BE CONFISCATED
ASKS OFFICERS TO ENHANCE FIELD VISITS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF PEOPLE
ASSERTS THAT CPs AND SSPs MUST ACT WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE AND DILIGENTLY
Chandigarh, December 5-Reiterating the commitment to make Punjab a completely drug free state, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday asked the Police officers to intensify crusade against the drug menace.
\ Chairing a meeting of the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police, the Chief Minister asked the officers to adopt a zero tolerance policy against drugs. He said that the Punjab Police has already snapped the supply line of drugs and big drug peddlers have been put behind the bars. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this drive should be further continued and action against the drugs must be taken from grass root level.
The Chief Minister said that the Police should expedite the process to attach the properties of drug peddlers acquired through drug money. He said that the Police officers must work without any sort of pressure and discharge their duty with honesty and dedication. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab government has launched a decisive war against drugs and this curse should be wiped out from the state.
The Chief Minister also asked the Police officers to ensure that Punjab Police upholds its glorious record of discharging its duty efficiently. He said that maintenance of the law and order must be accorded top priority by the officers and no stone should be left unturned for it. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that severest of severe action must be taken against the organized crime and thrust must be laid to check and solve the cases of extortion and ransom.
The Chief Minister said that the officers must discharge their duty neutrally and diligently, as per the law of land. He said that the SSPs must undertake field visits and resolve the issues of the public by going amongst them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this will instill a sense of confidence amongst the people which will be helpful to Police in solving the matters related to the general public.
The Chief Minister also asked the officers to enhance vigil in the crowded areas especially the markets across the state. He said that it is need of the hour to preserve the hard earned peace of the state by nabbing the anti-social elements and forces inimical to the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann unequivocally said that no one should be allowed to take the law in their hands and such elements should be dealt with sternly.
The Chief Minister also asked the officers to check the menace of illegal mining, if any, in the areas under their jurisdiction. He said that this illegal activity should be checked heavily and no one involved in this crime should be spared. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that if anyone indulges in this crime then serious and exemplary action must be taken against him.
The Chief Minister, while taking cognizance of the reports pertaining to use of mobile phones in jails, asked the officers to check this illegal activity. He unequivocally said that such sort of laxity on part of the jail staff and Police is unwarranted and undesirable. Bhagwant Singh Mann asked the officers to take strict action against anyone indulging in such activity adding that the staff or officer responsible for the lapse should be brought to book.
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PUNJAB POLICE ARREST TERRORIST LAKHBIR RODE’S ASSOCIATE PARAMJIT SINGH DHADI FROM AMRITSAR AIRPORT
— PUNJAB POLICE COMMITTED TO MAKE PUNJAB A SAFE AND SECURE STATE AS PER VISION OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN
— ISYF ACTIVIST PARAMJIT DHADHI WAS OPERATING TERRORIST RECRUITMENT, AIDING AND FUNDING MODULE FROM UK: DGP PUNJAB GAURAV YADAV
— PROBE ON TO UNEARTH THE WHOLE NETWORK OF ISYF AND OTHER CONTACTS OF ARRESTED ACCUSED, SAYS SUKHMINDER MANN
CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, December 5:Amidst the ongoing drive against terrorism launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) Amritsar have busted a terrorist recruitment, funding and aiding module with the arrest of Pak-based terrorist Lakhbir Rode’s close associate identified as Paramjit Singh alias Punjab Singh alias Dhadi from Sri Guru Ram Das Airport in Amritsar, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.
Paramjit Singh, a British Citizen and a founder member of International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), was initially involved in terror activities in Punjab in early 90s and was later arrested in 2003 and was convicted in cases pertaining to terrorist activities. After completion of his sentence, the accused returned to the UK but continued his activities in ISYF by working as a motivator, recruiter and fund raiser for the organisation in the UK and other European countries.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that in 2021, accused Paramjit Dhadi’s name was figured for his involvement in reorganising of ISYF cadre in Punjab by arranging and providing funds and militant hardware to target specific persons for disrupting peace and harmony in the state. Following Dhadi’s involvement in terror funding and other subversive activities in Punjab, an LOC was got issued to ensure his arrest, he said.
Terming it as yet another major blow to the terror module attempting to disturb peace in the region, the DGP said that investigation is on to unearth and expose the whole terrorist network.
Sharing more details, AIG SSOC Amritsar Sukhminder Singh Mann said that accused Paramjit Dhadi was detained by immigration authorities at Sri Guru Ram Das Airport, Amritsar on Monday, while he was going to board a plane to UK on a British Passport in the name of Punjab Singh. Subsequently, the accused was arrested in a case FIR No. 18 dated 02.09.2021 registered under sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 18-B and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act, section 25 of the Arms Act, sections 21, 25, 27-A and 29 of the NDPS Act and sections 120, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) registered at Police Station SSOC Amritsar.
He said that during preliminary investigations, it came to light that Dhadi was regularly in touch with Lakhbir Singh Rode. The accused was a frequent visitor to Pakistan and on the instructions of Rode, he used to identify and handpick youth using social media platforms to motivate them to be part of terrorist activities, the AIG said.
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FREE MUSTARD SEED DISTRIBUTED TO PROMOTE CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN PUNJAB
•4500 MINI-KITS OF MUSTARD SEEDS DISTRIBUTED FREE IN FOUR DISTRICTS, SAYS GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN
• Area under the oilseed crop likely to increase to 4K hectares in Rabi season 2023-24
Chandigarh, December 5: In a bid to promote crop diversification in the state, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department has distributed as many as 4500 mini-kits of Mustard seeds in four districts for Rabi season 2023-24. The area under this oilseed crop is likely to increase to around 4000 hectares this year.
Revealing this here today, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that 90 quintals of RH-761 variety Mustard seeds have been made available to the farmers in Bathinda, Fazilka, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts.
This initiative will further give impetus to the Punjab government’s crop diversification drive launched in the state as per the vision of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, said the Agriculture Minister, while adding that the area under mustard crop is estimated to be around 49000 hectares this year as compared to 45000-hectares area under the oilseed crop in Rabi season 2022-23.
Notably, Punjab had witnessed at least a 20 per cent increase in the area under the Basmati cultivation this Kharif season with 5.96 lakh hectares under the aromatic crop, which was 4.94 lakh hectares last year.
Mr. Gurmeet Singh Khudian said that these mini-kits have been distributed to popularize newly released high-yielding varieties among farmers under the National Food Security Mission.
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Rural Development & Panchayats Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar leads eviction drive in Dera Bassi block
Drives tractor for vacating 100 acres of panchayat land, having market value of around Rs.100 Crore
Reiterates commitment to take back every inch of panchayat land under encroachment
Says, vacated land helping the department generating more income sources
Chandigarh/Dera Bassi (SAS Nagar), December 5: In continuation of the directions of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann to vacate every inch of Panchayat land from the illegal possession, Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats S. Laljit Singh Bhullar, on Tuesday, drove a tractor to evict the 100 acres of panchayat land at Village Sundran in Dera Bassi Block.
After completing the eviction procedure, the Cabinet Minister informed that panchayat land, measuring 100 acres, was encroached upon by the residents. He said the land falls in residential and industrial areas and has market value of around Rs.100 crores. He added that the rest of the 12 acres is under court stay and the officers have been asked to follow up the case strongly to get our right back.
S. Bhullar said that the Rural Development and Panchayat Department has acquired tremendous success in its drive against the encroachments in the state, and so far, a total of 12100 acres of land has been taken back from illegal possession and handed over to the Gram Panchayats of the concerned villages to lease it to the local residents as well as increase income of Panchayat.
He said the move against the encroachments will continue till the eviction of 100 percent of panchayat land and the department officials have been asked to complete the formalities and dispose of the cases with them at the earliest besides following the suits filed in various Courts by the encroachers regularly to strengthen the claim of the department. He warned the officers who are conniving with the encroachers to maintain the illegal possession, would be dealt strictly.
The minister said, the land took in possession from the encroachers helping the department to generate more revenue sources, adding that the department would continue its drive against the encroachers.
The Cabinet Minister also warned the encroachers that in case they again tried to illegally occupy the evicted land, FIRs would be lodged against them.
The officers present on the site included ADC (Rural Development) Sonam Chaudhary, Joint Director (Shamlat Cell) Jagwinderjit Singh Sandhu, SP (Rural) Manpreet Singh, ASP Dera Bassi Ms Darpan Ahluwalia, DDPO Amaninder Singh Chauhan, BDPO Ravneet Kaur.
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Punjab Government to expedite action to fill posts reserved for divyangs: Dr. Baljit Kaur
State Level International Divyang Diwas celebrated in Chandigarh
Various personalities honored with state awards on occasion of International Divyang Diwas
Chandigarh, December 5 Today, on the occasion of International Divyang Diwas, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur presented state awards to 12 individuals working in various fields for the Divyang and their welfare.
At the state-level event organized here today, Dr. Baljit Kaur, the Minister of Social Security, Women and Child Development of Punjab, attended as the chief guest. Addressing the event, the cabinet minister stated that the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has initiated the process to fill 1200 reserved posts through direct recruitment in various departments with the aim of providing more employment opportunities to the Divyangs. Meanwhile, actions concerning 620 promoted posts are being expedited.
She emphasized that Divyang person should not consider themselves weak at any stage of life, as the Punjab government stands with them at every step. She further expressed that the divyang should not perceive themselves as incomplete, they can achieve great heights due to their morale.
The Cabinet Minister highlighted that the Punjab government is providing financial assistance of Rs 478.47 crore to 2,59,598 divyang beneficiaries in the state, including not only the divyang but also their children. She mentioned that the Blind School in Ludhiana has been upgraded to Class 12 and its infrastructure is being enhanced at a cost of Rs 1 crore 67 lakh.
Dr. Baljit Kaur shared that to promote the self-employment of the divyang, Punjab Schedule Caste Development Corporation has granted loans worth Rs 129.31 lakh under a total of 59 cases during the year 2022-23 and Rs 91.77 lakh under a total of 46 cases during the year 2023-24.
On this occasion, the State Award was presented for the excellent services rendered to improve the living standards of the divyang, including Harcharan Singh, Dr. Teavaspreet Kaur, Dr. Tapinder Jot, Ravinder Singh Sahota, Navjot Singh, Mata Gujri Welfare Center, Budhlada, Jaspreet Kaur, Narinder Singh. Additionally, Santosh Rani, Sukhdev Singh and their spouses were honored.
Present at the event were Additional Chief Secretary Social Security, Women and Child Development Raji P. Srivastava, Special Secretary Vimmi Bhullar, Additional Director Charanjit Singh Mann and Deputy Director Amarjit Singh Bhullar.
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Vigilance Bureau nabs milk plant manager for taking Rs 50,000 bribe
Chandigarh December 5 :he Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing campaign against corruption in the state, on Tuesday has nabbed Manoj Kumar Srivastva, Manager, Milk Procurement, posted at Milk Plant Mohali red handed for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the VB said this case has been registered against the above said official on the complaint of Sukhbir Singh who has been managing milk collection tankers deployed by a private firm in the Milk Plant.
Giving details he added that the complainant has approached the VB and alleged that the above said official of the state cooperative department has demanded Rs 50,000 as a bribe in lieu of allocating best routes to his tankers used to collect milk from different locations. The complainant further alleged that the said Manager has already taken Rs 50,000 in this regard.
The spokesperson further added that the VB Flying Squad unit Mohali has investigated the allegations levelled in the complaint and laid a trap in which the accused Manager has been arrested red handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.
In this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered at VB police station Flying Squad-1, Punjab at Mohali against the above mentioned official. He would be produced in the competent court tomorrow. Further investigation in this case was under progress, he informed.
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CALLS FOR INCREASED MINERAL EXTRACTION TO SUPPLY AFFORDABLE SAND AND GRAVEL AND COMBAT ILLEGAL MINING
CHANDIGARH,05.12.23-During a separate meeting with officials of the Mining and Geology department, S. Chetan Singh Jauramajra emphasized that in line with Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann's vision, there is a need to strategize and increase mineral extraction to ensure the availability of sand and gravel at affordable rates for the state's residents while addressing the issue of illegal mining.
The cabinet minister underscored the need for enhancing material extraction by initiating operations at all mining sites and including more possible sites in DSRs (District Survey Reports), adding that this step would increase the availability of sand in the market. While this will help in reducing the market prices, it will also curb illegal mining.
Emphasizing efficiency in public service, the Minister issued instructions to all District Mining Officers, directing them to promptly address public issues without any delays. He reminded all DMOs of the paramount importance of conducting their duties with utmost honesty and integrity, and made it unequivocally clear that any office found engaging in illegal activities will face severe consequences, reinforcing the government's commitment to maintaining transparency and ethical practices within the mining sector.
During the meeting Sh. Abhijeet Kaplish, Director of Mines & Geology and S. Hardeep Singh Mendiratta, Chief Engineer (Mining) provided a comprehensive overview of the department's activities and operations. Superintending Engineers and all District Mining Officers (DMOs) were also present in the meeting.