Punjab Government Releases ₹8.76 Crore for Beneficiaries from Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections: Dr. Baljit Kaur
1,718 Beneficiaries from 16 Districts to Benefit under Ashirwad Scheme
Chandigarh, 14 October:Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur informed that the Punjab Government has released a total amount of ₹8.76 crore for 1,718 beneficiaries from backward classes and economically weaker sections under the Ashirwad Scheme during the current financial year 2025-26.
Providing further details, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that under the Ashirwad Scheme, applications from beneficiaries in Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Firozpur, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Patiala, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, SBS Nagar, Sangrur, and Malerkotla were received during the current financial year. To cover all these beneficiaries, ₹8.76 crore has been disbursed.
She added that the distribution of financial aid includes: Barnala – 7 beneficiaries, Bathinda – 171, Faridkot – 14, Firozpur – 46, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib – 61, Gurdaspur – 344, Hoshiarpur – 23, Jalandhar – 174, Moga – 163, Sri Muktsar Sahib – 42, Patiala – 148, Rupnagar – 154, SAS Nagar – 52, SBS Nagar – 123, Sangrur – 101, and Malerkotla – 95 beneficiaries.
Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that under the Ashirwad Scheme, financial assistance of ₹51,000 is provided for the marriage of girls from low-income families.
The Cabinet Minister said that to avail the scheme, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Punjab, belong to a family below the poverty line, and have a total annual family income of less than ₹32,790. Each eligible family can avail the benefit for up to two daughters.
She further stated that the financial assistance is transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through DBT. Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that the Punjab Government is committed to uplifting the living standards of all sections of society and empowering them economically.
The Minister added that under the leadership of Chief Minister S.Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government is not only working for the welfare of all sections but is also continuously striving for the betterment of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes, and Economically Weaker SECTION.
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Minister Sanjeev Arora’s Swift Intervention Helps Ludhiana Family Bid Final Goodbye to Son Killed in Canada Crash
Chandigarh 14th Oct. 2025:A grieving family from Ludhiana was able to bring home the remains of their 27-year-old son, Harnoor Singh, who tragically passed away in Canada, following the timely intervention of Punjab's Cabinet Minister for NRI Affairs, Sanjeev Arora.
Harnoor Singh, the son of prominent Ludhiana industrialist S. Gurcharan Singh, lost his life on October 6 in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, when his motorcycle was struck by a truck driven by an intoxicated driver. The family, devastated by the loss, faced significant challenges in navigating the repatriation process, which typically spans about two weeks.
Seeking urgent support, the family reached out to Minister Sanjeev Arora through Badish Jindal, President of the World MSME Forum, on the night of October 8, requesting expedited arrangements to bring Harnoor’s body back to India.
Additionally, Upkar Singh Ahuja, President of the Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings (CICU), Ludhiana, appealed to the minister on the family’s behalf, emphasizing the need for swift action during their time of sorrow.
Acting promptly, Minister Arora wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), seeking urgent assistance. In his letter, the minister stated, “The bereaved family is devastated and in an acute state of sorrow following this sudden tragedy. As the Cabinet Minister of NRI Affairs, Government of Punjab, earnestly request your urgent and compassionate intervention to ensure the repatriation of the mortal remains of Late Mr. Harnoor Singh to India at the earliest.”
The minister coordinated directly with the High Commission of India in Ottawa and the MEA to expedite the process. He also contacted officials overnight to ensure that Harnoor Singh’s mortal remains could be returned to Ludhiana without further delay.
Responding to Arora’s intervention, Consul Girish Juneja wrote back, “We are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic death of Mr Harnoor Singh. Our heart goes out to the bereaved family at this loss as we convey our heartfelt condolences. We have since contacted the next of kin and offered all possible help & assistance, as also the funeral home responsible for transportation of the mortal remains. The body will be released to the funeral home tomorrow by the coroner’s office… As soon as these are submitted to us, we will complete our formalities instantly.”
After the request, the Indian Embassy in Canada coordinated with the Canadian authorities to expedite the process. The embassy requested the Canadian Government for a fast-track release, and immediately after the Government of Canada issued the death certificate, the body was cleared for transport.
Thanks to this swift coordination, Harnoor Singh’s mortal remains were flown back to India and cremated in Ludhiana on Tuesday, allowing his family to perform the final rites as per Sikh traditions.
After the successful repatriation, Badish Jindal, President of the World MSME Forum, along with Narinder Bhamra, President of the Fasteners Manufacturers Association of India, and Ravi Miglani, President of the Ludhiana Wire Manufacturers Association, expressed gratitude to Minister Sanjeev Arora for his immediate intervention and support to the bereaved family during their difficult time.
The episode underscores Punjab’s continued commitment to assisting NRIs and their families during crises under the leadership of Hon'ble AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Hon'ble Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. It also reflects the state government’s proactive coordination with Indian missions abroad to support citizens in distress.
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Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas Rivers to be Cleaned to Protect Punjab from Floods: Harpal Singh
Strongly opposed to include Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan as permanent BBMB members
Announces Rs. 11.46 Crore Development Projects as Diwali Gift for Dirba
Inaugurate s Rs. 2.5 crore canal water project in Chhajli, 17.35 km of roads worth Rs. 8.81 crore, and SC community dharamshala
Chandigarh/Dirba, October 14- Punjab’s Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, announced today that the Punjab Government is highly serious about protecting the state from floods permanently. To this end, plans are in place to clean, deepen, and widen the Ravi and Sutlej rivers, which fall under the state’s jurisdiction, while permission has been sought from the Central Government to clean the Beas River, designated as a Ramsar site. Speaking to reporters in Dirba, Cheema highlighted the significant losses suffered by Punjab due to floods in 2023 and 2025, emphasizing that desilting the rivers is a critical need to ensure long-term flood protection. He noted that 28 locations along the Beas River requiring urgent cleaning have been identified and urged the Central Government to provide maximum support for this initiative.
Cheema strongly opposed the Central Government’s proposal to grant permanent membership to Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), calling it an injustice to Punjab’s people that would not be tolerated. He affirmed that the Punjab Government would not allow other states to gain control over the BBMB.
On the same day, Cheema presented a Diwali gift to the residents of his Dirba Assembly constituency by laying foundation stones and inaugurating development projects worth Rs. 11.46 crore. These include a Rs. 2.5 crore canal water project in Chhajli village, connecting farmers’ fields to canal water via a 13-km pipeline to address the issue of defunct tube wells due to a deepening water table. Additionally, work has begun on 17.35 km of roads costing Rs. 8.81 crore, including upgrading the 4-km Dhandial to Patran road to 18 feet wide and constructing new roads from Dhandial to Hariau (4.25 km), Dhandial to Shadihari (3.10 km), Dhandial to Chunagra (3 km), and Khetla to Kakuwala (3 km). A dharamshala for the SC community in Maidewas village, built at a cost of Rs. 15 lakh, was also dedicated to the public.
Addressing various events, Cheema reiterated that under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership, the Punjab Government has been working tirelessly for the state’s all-round development over the past three and a half years. He emphasized efforts to strengthen healthcare, education, and infrastructure, noting that previous governments’ flawed policies had hindered progress. The government is committed to meeting public expectations with honest intentions, ensuring no compromise on the quality of development projects. For the first time, contractors will maintain the new rural roads for five years. Cheema urged residents to monitor the projects to ensure satisfactory completion.
Present at the events were SDM Dirba Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Pritam Singh Pitu (Chairman, Improvement Trust, Sangrur), Tapinder Singh Sohi (OSD to Finance Minister), Jasvir Kaur Shergill (Chairperson, Market Committee, Dirba), and a large number of local residents.
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236 NEW AAM AADMI CLINICS ON THE ANVIL TO STRENGTHEN PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE IN PUNJAB: DR BALBIR SINGH
• 96% patients in Aam Aadmi Clinics satisfied with the health services being provided: Dr Balbir Singh
• Punjab Leads in use of Cutting Edge AI Technology in Public Health Infra: Dr Balbir Singh
• Dengue Cases Decreased by 80% as compared to the cases in 2023 due to elaborate preventive measures: Dr Balbir Singh
Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh chairs Civil Surgeons' Conference, Issues Strict Directives for Patients' Welfare
CHANDIGARH, October 14:Embarking on a comprehensive mission to further elevate the public healthcare infrastructure in the state, Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is all set to open 236 new Aam Aadmi Clinics— taking the total to 1,117 clinics, announced Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh here on Tuesday.
The Health Minister was presiding over a high-level meeting with Civil Surgeons.
Highlighting the resounding success of the Aam Aadmi Clinics, Dr Balbir Singh, said that the initiative has significantly improved public access to quality primary care. Citing a recent Patient Feedback Survey by the Punjab Development Commission, he noted that a remarkable 96% of patients expressed satisfaction with the clinics' services, underscoring their effectiveness.
Reaffirming the state government’s commitment to prioritising citizens' health and well-being, Dr. Balbir Singh directed Civil Surgeons to expedite the establishment of new Aam Aadmi Clinics and promptly initiate recruitment of doctors and essential staff to ensure timely operationalisation of the Clinics. He said that the primary healthcare network will receive a significant boost through the distribution of Health Kits to ASHAs and essential equipment to Community Health Officers (CHOs), enhancing grassroots-level care delivery.
Dr. Balbir Singh announced that Punjab is pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for early detection and management of critical diseases like breast cancer and stroke. A significant initiative in preventive child health will equip all 250 RBSK teams with AI auto refractor devices to enhance detection of refractive errors in school children. The program will provide affected children with spectacles, safeguarding their vision and future.
Underlining the state’s proactive and elaborate preventive measures, which led to yield extraordinary results in the fight against vector-borne diseases Dr. Balbir Singh highlighted the exceptional success of the 'Har Shukarvar Dengue Te Var' campaign, which has resulted in a remarkable 80% decrease in Dengue cases compared to 2023. Civil Surgeons were instructed to intensify anti-dengue activities in potential hotspot areas to ensure this positive trend continues.
In a move to foster a culture of excellence and dedication, the Health Minister lauded the heroic efforts of doctors and paramedical staff during the recent floods and promised the unveiling of a new policy to annually honour and recognise hard-working personnel.The Minister also honoured Civil Surgeon Dr Sangeeta Jain, Dr Arshdeep Kaur, Dr Manahar Kaur, Dr Vasudha, Dr Dharamveer Ahir and Bhawandeep Kaur for their excellent contribution in various health programs.
In his address to the Civil Surgeons, Dr. Balbir Singh said "The health and well-being of our citizens is the top priority of the Punjab government. I issue a clear mandate: conduct regular, rigorous reviews of health services, ensure all our facilities are fully equipped and abundantly stocked, and most importantly—I ask our doctors to serve every single patient with a smile, compassion, and empathy. This commitment to both clinical excellence and human kindness is what defines our mission."
Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, Special Secretary cum MD NHM Ghanshyam Thori and MD PHSC Amit Talwar, Director Health and Family Welfare Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director Health Services (FamilyWelfare) Dr Aditi Salaria, Director (ESI) Dr Anil Kumar Goyal, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors and other Health Officials —to uphold the highest standards of patient welfare and to translate the Minister’s vision into tangible reality across the state.
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DR. RAVJOT SINGH REVIEWS PROGRESS OF WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS BY M/S L&T IN AMRITSAR, JALANDHAR AND PATIALA
DIRECTS ZONE-WISE EXECUTION PLAN AND ENHANCED MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT
STRESSES ON TIMELY ROAD RESTORATION AND STRONG TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DURING WORKS
Chandigarh, October 14:Punjab Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh today held a detailed review meeting to assess the progress of ongoing water supply projects being executed by M/s L&T in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala.
Reviewing the pace of work, the Cabinet Minister called for a zone-wise execution plan for Patiala to ensure systematic implementation of the project and directed a substantial increase in manpower deployment in Amritsar and Jalandhar to accelerate completion.
Dr. Ravjot Singh instructed M/s L&T to assign dedicated teams for effective and timely road restoration in all identified zones and stretches. He also asked the company to put in place robust traffic management arrangements during the execution phase to avoid inconvenience to commuters.
Reiterating the importance of timely delivery, the Local Government Minister urged strict adherence to project deadlines and directed departmental officers to maintain close on-ground supervision to ensure quality and timely completion.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included senior officials of the Local Government Department and representatives of M/s L&T Limited.
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Punjab Showcases Investment Opportunities in Bengaluru Roadshow, Says Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora
Chandigarh, 14 October 2025,After the resounding success of our NCR Roadshow last month, the Government of Punjab continued its domestic outreach for the Progressive Punjab Investors' Summit 2026 with an impactful roadshow in Bengaluru, under the leadership of the Chief Minister and in the presence of the Minister of Industries & Commerce Sh. Sanjeev Arora.
Cabinet Minister Shri. Sanjeev Arora said that the program included a series of one-on-one meetings with leading companies across diverse sectors, followed by an evening Punjab Session at The Oberoi, MG Road, Bengaluru.
During the one-on-one meetings, the delegation engaged with:- A leading multinational technology company, INTEL in the semiconductor and AI domain, discussing their interests in the region, he added.
Moreover, he disclosed that Arjas Steel Pvt. Ltd., a major player in the specialty steel and alloy industry, which announced plans to expand operations in Punjab with an investment of around ₹350 сгогe.
Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora said that Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd., from the hospitality sector, to explore new heritage hotels and tourism infrastructure projects in the State.
Furthermore, he said that Sonata Software Ltd., representing the IT & ITeS sector, which discussed possibilities in digital transformation, cloud, data analytics, and AI based service solutions from Punjab. Idea Forge, a pioneer in aerospace and defense technology, focusing on advanced UAVs and integrated acrial-surveillance systems.
Sharing more details, he added that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), representing the aerospace and defense sector, where both sides mutually discussed opportunites to strengthen the defense and aerospace ecosystem in the region through vendor and supplier-development initiatives, particularly involving MSME units in the engineering sector.
Highlighting further he informed that the evening Punjab Session witnessed vibrant participation from technology entrepreneurs and industry leaders. Following are the session highlights:
Mr. Jagminder Singh Bawa, President and Head of Operations- India, Vibracoustic; Mr. Manipal Dhariwal, Co-Founder & CEO, Netsmartz; Mr. Hemant Malik, Director, ITC, Mr. Varun Surekha, Director, Hartex, sharing their positive experience of investing and operating in Punjab.
Director, STPI Mohali, and Director, STPI Bengaluru, who urged investors to consider Mohali as the next IT/GCC/Data Centre destination in North India after Gurugram and Bengaluru offering tier-1 capabilities at tier-2 costs, freedom from traffic congestion, and access to a highly skilled workforce supported by prominent research institutes in the region.
Director General, Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali, who spoke about the State's growing semiconductor ecosystem and its potential to support India's technology and manufacturing ambitions.
Members of JETRO, EO, STPI, YPO, TIE, SIDM, IESA and other leading business associations, who expressed enthusiasm about Punjab's reform-driven approach and investor-friendly governance.