*Transport Minister Harpal Cheema Presents ₹40 Lakh Insurance Cheque to Family of Deceased PRTC Conductor*
*Bhagwant Mann Govt remains committed to prioritising welfare & financial security of its employees and their families in wake of unforeseen workplace tragedies: Harpal Singh Cheema*
CHANDIGARH, 16th April 2026-In a solemn gesture of support and institutional responsibility, the Punjab Finance and Transport Transport Minister Harpal Cheema, presented a compensation cheque of ₹40 lakh to the family of the late Ramandeep Singh, a conductor with the PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) who tragically lost his life in the line of duty.
The Finance Minister handed over the cheque to the deceased's father Pargat Singh. Ramandeep Singh, a resident of village Ghumiara in the Sri Muktsar Sahib district, had joined the PRTC as a conductor on January 2, 2017, through the outsourcing agency.
During this, TransportMinister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, "The compensation is to provide financial support to his grieving family under the negotiated corporate insurance terms as part of the insurance agreement established between PRTC and Punjab & Sind Bank.”
The Transport Minister affirmed, “The Bhagwant Mann Government always remains committed to prioritising the welfare and financial security of its employees and their families in the wake of unforeseen workplace tragedies.”
Alongside the Transport Minister, Chairman PRTC Harpal Juneja, Managing Director PRTC Bikramjit Singh Shergill, and representative members from Punjab & Sind Bank were present on the occasion to express their deepest condolences.
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*Over ₹352 Crore Released for Old Age Pension; Financial Security of Elderly Strengthened: Dr. Baljit Kaur*
*Monthly Pension Benefiting Over 23.51 Lakh Elderly Across Punjab*
*₹4,000 Crore Budget Provision Further Strengthens Social Security Schemes*
Chandigarh, April 16:Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, today informed that more than ₹352 crore has been released under the Old Age Pension Scheme for the month of March during the financial year 2026-27. She stated that the Punjab Government is making continuous efforts to ensure the welfare and financial assistance of senior citizens across the state.
Providing further details, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the Punjab Government is extending monthly old age pension benefits to 23,51,338 elderly beneficiaries. She added that a budget provision of ₹4,000 crore has been made under the scheme to ensure timely financial assistance to all eligible beneficiaries.
The Cabinet Minister said that for many elderly citizens, this pension has become an important source of financial support, helping them meet their daily needs and live with dignity and self-reliance. She emphasized that the scheme reflects the government's commitment to providing respect and security to senior citizens.
Dr. Baljit Kaur further informed that men aged 65 years or above and women aged 58 years or above, with an annual income not exceeding ₹60,000, are eligible to avail benefits under this scheme.
She also stated that applicants possessing up to 2.5 acres of Nehri/Chahi land, or up to 5 acres of Barani land ownership, or up to 5 acres in water-logged areas (including combined land ownership of husband and wife), are also eligible for the scheme.
The Cabinet Minister directed all District Social Security Officers and concerned officials to ensure timely disbursement of pensions and expedite the disposal of pending applications. She further instructed that regular monitoring and field-level verification should be carried out to ensure that no eligible elderly person is deprived of benefits and that funds are delivered transparently to beneficiaries.
She added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government considers senior citizens as a valuable asset of society and is continuously working for their welfare and security.
Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated that the government's objective is to ensure that every elderly citizen in the state lives with dignity, self-reliance, and financial security.
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*Vigilance Bureau nabs Patwari red handed accepting bribe of Rs 15,000/-*
Chandigarh, April 16, 2026:The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) during its ongoing drive against corruption in the state, has apprehended Patwari Harkinder Singh posted at Revenue Office Payal district Ludhiana, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs. 15,000/-.
Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above-mentioned accused has been arrested based on a complaint lodged by a resident of tehsil Payal district Ludhiana.
He said that the accused Patwari demanded a bribe of Rs 25,000/- from the complainant in lieu of making correction in mutation of the complainant's land. In this connection, accused Patwari has already taken first installment of Rs 5000/- as bribe.
Unwilling to pay any illegal gratification, the complainant approached the Vigilance Bureau Economic Offence Wing Ludhiana. After a preliminary enquiry on his complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which the accused Patwari was arrested red handed while accepting bribe money of Rs 15,000/- from the complainant in presence of two official witnesses.
In this regard, a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Economic Offence Wing Ludhiana and further investigation into this case is under progress.
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*Vigilance Bureau arrests Kanungo for accepting a bribe of Rs. 33000/-*
Chandigarh, April 16, 2026:The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), in line with the zero tolerance policy adopted by the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government, has apprehended Kanungo Raman Kumar posted at Circle Kathgarh, tehsil Balachaur, district SBS Nagar for accepting a bribe Rs. 33,000/-.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the arrest has been made following a complaint lodged by a resident of SBS Nagar on the Chief Minister’s Anti Corruption Action Line portal.
During the verification of this complaint, it was found that the Hon'ble Court had ordered demarcation of the complainant's land, which was assigned to the accused Raman Kumar. He termed the work as complicated and demanded Rs. 80,000/- as bribe. Out of this, Rs. 33,000/- (Rs. 15,000/- cash and Rs. 18,000/- through online/QR codes) was taken as bribe from the complainant.
Audio recording pertaining to the bribe, along with online transaction details and other relevant evidence is available.
In this regard, a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB Police Station Jalandhar. Further investigation into this case is underway, he added.
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*Bhagwant Mann Govt committed to resolving employees legitimate issues without delay: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*Strict directions issued to officials to resolve department-level demands on priority: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema holds marathon meetings with unions to address employee issues*
CHANDIGARH, 16th April 2026:Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, chairing the Cabinet Sub-Committee on employee issues, held a series of high-level meetings with union representatives. He asserted that the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is moving towards time-bound resolution of pending demands while directing officials to act on priority and ensuring a plan to deliver employees’ rightful dues without legal hurdles.
During a meeting at Punjab Bhawan with the representatives of the Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Morcha (Contract Employees Struggle Front), which was attended by senior officials from the Finance, Personnel, and other concerned departments, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema assured the delegation that their legitimate issues will be addressed soon. He said, “The Government is working on a plan to ensure that employees receive their rightful dues without facing any legal hurdles in the future.”
Prior to this, the Finance Minister engaged in extensive, two-hour-long meetings with leaders from several organizations, including the Daftri Karamchari Union (Office Employees Union), Democratic Teachers Front, 4161 Master Cadre Adhyapak Union, Meritorious Teachers Union, United Nurses Association, and the Medical Practitioners Association. For meetings concerning the Health and Family Welfare Department, Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh and Principal Secretary Kumar Rahul were also present.
Harpal Singh Cheema listened earnestly to the demands raised by the union representatives, apprising them that administrative actions were already underway. He issued strict directives to the concerned officials to resolve legitimate, department-level demands on a priority basis.
The meeting with the Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Morcha witnessed the presence of key administrative figures who briefed the Finance Minister on the status of demands related to their respective departments. The officials present included Secretary Labour Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Secretary Local Government Manjit Singh Brar, Special Secretary Local Government Deepti Uppal, Special Secretary Personnel Upkar Singh, Additional Secretary Personnel Gautam Jain, Special Secretary PWD Hargunjit Kaur, Special Secretary Finance Ajay Arora, and Special Secretary Water Supply and Sanitation Dr. Syed Sehrish Asgar, alongside other senior departmental officers.
Meanwhile, the Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Morcha was represented by Varinder Singh Momi, Jagroop Singh, Balihar Singh, Gurwinder Singh Pannu, Sher Singh Khanna, Simranjit Singh Neelon, Pawandeep Singh, Gurpreet Singh Dhillon, Ramandeep Singh, Harjinderpal Singh, Lachhman Singh, and Jagdeep Singh. Earlier, Daftri Mulazam Union was represented by Kuldeep Singh, Rajinder Singh Sandha, and Jagmohan Singh. Rajeev Kumar, Resham Khemuana, and Jagdish Kumar Jaggi represented the Democratic Teachers Front. Sandeep Singh Gill, Gurdas Singh Mansa, and Balkar Maghania represented the 4161 Master Cadre Adhyapak Union. The Meritorious Teachers Union was represented by Dr. Tina, Dr. Ajay Kumar, and Ashpreet Kaur. Ramanjit Singh Gill, Jagjeevan Singh, and Aarti Bala represented the United Nurses Association, while Dhanna Mal Goyal, H.S. Ranu, and Surjit Singh presented the concerns of the Medical Practitioners Association
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*PUNJAB HEALTH MINISTER INAUGURATES RENOVATED ESI HEADQUARTERS, REVIEWS STATEWIDE HEALTHCARE EXPANSION*
*— Dr Balbir Singh Hails 43% Surge in ESI Lab Tests; Announces Cashless Tertiary Care Expansion for 15 Lakh Insured Workers*
Chandigarh, April 16:Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr Balbir Singh, on Thursday inaugurated the newly renovated headquarters of the Directorate of Health Services (ESI) Punjab, a project completed with an investment of approximately Rs 21 lakh. Following the inauguration, the Minister chaired a comprehensive review meeting to evaluate the performance and expansion of ESI services across the state.
Addressing the meeting, Dr Balbir Singh emphasized the government's commitment to the welfare of the state’s three crore population, specifically highlighting the robust net of social security provided to 15 lakh Insured Persons (IPs) and their 15 lakh dependents. He stated that the state’s healthcare infrastructure under ESI has seen significant upgrades, now operating through a network of six specialized hospitals and 69 dispensaries, with daycare services successfully initiated in every dispensary across Punjab.
During the review, Director Health Services (ESI) Dr Anil Goyal shared impressive growth statistics, noting that medical outreach has surged with a 14% increase in OPD attendance and a 21% rise in IPD admissions compared to the previous year. He highlighted that the state has prioritized diagnostic accessibility, resulting in a 43% increase in laboratory tests and a 22% rise in X-ray services.
The Health Minister announced that Ultrasound machines are now installed and functional in four major ESI hospitals, and the deployment of seven handheld X-ray units is currently in the pipeline to further modernize point-of-care diagnostics. To ensure patient safety and uninterrupted care, all hospitals have been equipped with oxygen backups as per IPHS standards, supported by a robust power infrastructure including a hotlines, generator sets, and new solar power installations at Jalandhar, Phagwara, and Amritsar.
The Health Minister also detailed the expansion of tertiary and secondary care, noting that ESI beneficiaries can now access cashless treatment at 140 hospitals, including 139 private partners and premier government institutes like GMC Patiala, Amritsar, and the Punjab biliary Institute.
He revealed ambitious future projects, including the establishment of a Medical College in Malerkotla, 100-bedded hospitals in Derabassi and Bathinda, and a new Polyclinic at Focal Point Patiala. On the operational front, Dr Balbir Singh confirmed that the state is maintaining a stock of 784 essential medicines with a strict 10% quality testing protocol already in place. While acknowledging a current shortage of 86 specialist doctors and 47 staff nurses against ESIC norms, he assured that the recruitment and "ESI Society" formation are in progress to streamline maintenance and double-shift operations in dispensaries.
Dr Balbir Singh also flagged off 10 vehicles hired for aiding the field officers in their supervisory duties which will eventually result in better monitoring.
The Minister concluded by highlighting that ESI services are now operating at a good pace and performing exceptional work. The Health Minister stated that the renovation of the Directorate of Health Services (ESI) building has provided the staff with a better environment for working.
Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director of Health and Family Welfare Punjab; Dr Aditi Salaria, Director of Health Services (Family Welfare) Punjab; Dr. Pankaj Vohra, Regional Director of ESI; as well as Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, Program Officers, and other officers and staff were also present in the meeting.