*CM reviews PMDA’s progress; calls for stronger sanitation, seamless roads, and enhanced beautification across city*

Chandigarh, November 20 — Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini reaffirmed that transforming Panchkula into a modern, well-planned model city equipped with world-class urban amenities remains one of the government’s foremost priorities. Presiding over a review meeting of the Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) late evening on Thursday, the Chief Minister called for an integrated and fast-paced approach to upgrade civic infrastructure, improve cleanliness standards, and enhance the overall urban environment for residents.

*High-quality, safe and seamless road network to be ensured*

The Chief Minister underlined the critical need for maintaining all city roads in excellent condition. He directed officers concerned to immediately repair damaged or worn-out stretches, giving priority to locations where urgent attention is required. He stressed that Panchkula must develop a high-quality, safe, and smooth road network across the city.

Reiterating the need to elevate the city's sanitation system, he issued directives that officers must focus particularly on cleanliness in public spaces, parks, and along road corridors.

The Chief Minister also emphasised the timely repair and upkeep of footpaths and improving overall road quality as part of the city’s beautification drive. He further directed that issues related to stray animals be resolved without delay. Making external sector dividing roads more organised and visually appealing was also highlighted as a key priority during the meeting. In addition, he directed the officers to ensure that adequate water supply from the Kaushalya Dam is maintained in accordance with the city’s requirements.

*Urban beautification to receive renewed momentum*

The Chief Minister said that beautification of urban areas must be given greater momentum, with focused efforts on major intersections, green belts, and parks. He recommended planting diverse varieties of ornamental flowers to enhance the attractiveness of public spaces. Regular maintenance of plants and systematic pruning of trees, he added, would not only elevate the city’s aesthetic appeal but also contribute to a cleaner, greener, and healthier living environment for residents.

*Rs. 45.14 crore worth of projects currently underway*

During the meeting, Chief Executive Officer, Panchkula MDA, Panchkula., Sh. K. M. Pandurang informed that administrative approval of Rs. 173.48 crore has been granted for establishing a world-class Shooting Range Sports Complex in Sector 32, Panchkula, and the subsequent formal processes will be completed soon.

He further shared that PMDA had taken over 58 roads, 11 parks, 3 water treatment plants, and 3 sewage treatment plants. Out of these, 39 works including road repairs, park beautification, and drainage improvements have already been completed at a cost of Rs. 34.94 crore. An additional 59 works costing Rs. 45.14 crore are currently in progress. A detailed review of the proposed ‘Atal Park’ in MDC Sector-1 was also discussed in the meeting.

Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Sh. Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary, Town and Country Planning Department, Sh. A.K. Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula, Sh. Satpal Sharma, Additional CEO PMDA, Sh. Vinay Kumar and other senior officers also remained present in the meeting.

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Meeting chaired by Principal Secretary, Labour and Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship Department

With rapid implementation of this scheme, Haryana surpasses major states and ranks fourth in the country

Chandigarh, November 20- Under the vision of Viksit Bharat-2047, the Government of India launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana on 1 August 2025 to promote employment generation across the country. Under this scheme, an incentive amount of nearly Rs. 1 lakh crore will be provided to employers and employees for the creation of 3.5 crore new jobs. Due to the fast and effective implementation of the scheme, Haryana has surpassed several larger states and secured the fourth position nationwide.

A meeting to create awareness about the scheme was held today at Panchkula, under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary, Labour and Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Department, Sh. Rajeev Ranjan. The meeting was attended by officers from the Technical Education Department, Higher Education Department, Employment Department,and ITI beneficiaries who are organising job fairs.

Principal Secretary, Sh. Rajeev Ranjan said that the scheme has two main components. Under the first component, if a new employee is registered with EPFO between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2027 with a monthly salary of less than Rs. one lakh, the Government of India will provide an additional allowance of up to Rs. 15,000 to the employee’s Provident Fund account in two installments.

He further said that the second installment will be linked to a financial literacy programme. To avail the benefits under this scheme, the employees must have completed the literacy module for 12 months in an establishment. For employers to receive benefits, the establishment must be registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Establishments with fewer than 50 workers must create at least two new positions, while those with more than 50 workers must create five or more new positions. Under this scheme, establishments will receive an incentive of up to Rs. 3,000 per employee per month for a duration of two years. In the construction sector, this benefit will be extended for up to four years instead of two.

For applications under the scheme, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, has created an online portal pmvbry.epfindia.gon.in/ pmvbry.labour.gov.in.

The Principal Secretary added that if any establishment has not filed EPF returns till date and wishes to avail the benefits of this scheme, no penalty will be imposed for filing past EPF returns. He said that this is the most effective and beneficial scheme launched so far for promoting employment.

Dr. Vivek Aggarwal, Director General and Secretary, Skill Development and Industrial Training Department, along with other senior officers, was also present during the meeting.

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IAS officer Pankaj gets additional charge

Chandigarh, November 20 – IAS officer Sh. Pankaj, who is currently serving as Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Citizen Resources Information Officer, Panipat and Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Panipat, has been assigned the additional charge as Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Citizen Resources Information Officer, Karnal as well as CEO, Zila Parishad, Karnal and CEO, DRDA Karnal. An order in this regard has been issued by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi.

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Haryana Government Amends Online Transfer Policy for Couple Case

Chandigarh, November 20 – The Haryana Government has issued a notification introducing an amendment to the Model Online Transfer Policy, 2025. The amendment pertains to the “Couple Case” provision aimed at providing due consideration to government employees whose spouses are also serving in government service. A notification in this regard has been issued by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi.

As per the notification, an employee whose spouse is employed as a regular employee in any Department or Organization of the Haryana Government, or as a regular employee in any other State Government or the Government of India, and is posted in Haryana, Delhi, or Chandigarh, will be eligible for merit points under this provision. A maximum of 5 points may be awarded in such cases.

However, these merit points will be granted only to one employee within the couple serving under the Haryana Government.

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Sirsa Secures first position in Haryana for administering pledge on the 5th Anniversary of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan

Chandigarh, November 20 - Under the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan', Sirsa district has secured the first position in the state for administering the anti-drug pledge across Haryana.

Sharing information in this regard an official spokesperson said that in Sirsa district, 88,200 people have taken the anti-drug pledge through offline mode, while 10,145 people have taken it online by scanning the QR code. Besides this, 1,200 officers and employees, 25,000 women, and more than 62,000 youth actively participated in these activities. These collective efforts have enabled Sirsa to achieve the top position in the state, which is a matter of pride for the district.

The spokesperson said that all departments of the district, especially the teams from Education, Police, Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, Health, Panchayats, and Sports have worked tirelessly. The district’s consistent excellence in this campaign is the result of coordinated efforts of all departments and the cooperation of the public. The district administration expressed its commitment to further expand these efforts and make Sirsa a model drug-free district.

The spokesperson further said that on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan', pledge ceremonies were organised in the auditorium of the Mini Secretariat as well as in every district office for employees. Launched five years ago, the campaign has achieved remarkable progress in generating public awareness. Both the Central and State Governments have been reaching out to all sections of society through rallies, workshops, public interactions, and digital campaigns to spread awareness about the harmful effects of drugs.

The spokesperson said that in Sirsa district, continuous awareness activities have been conducted with the support of schools, colleges, panchayats, and various social organizations. Special initiatives were carried out to connect youth, women, and the general public with the anti-drug message, resulting in positive outcomes across the district.