*Punjab Govt approves Punjab Cricket League to channel youth towards sports, away from drugs: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*

*Punjab Cricket League to be organised on IPL model, with district & regional teams: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*

*Punjab Govt to tie up with BCCI, Punjab Cricket Association for Punjab Cricket League: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann*

*Punjab Cricket League aimed at grooming next generation of national & international cricketers: CM bBhagwant Singh Mann*

*Sports as antidote to drugs: Punjab Govt plans Punjab Cricket League & multi-sport district leagues*

CHANDIGARH, 9th February 2026:Determined to confront Punjab’s drug crisis by reclaiming its sporting legacy, the Bhagwant Mann Government on Monday approved the launch of the Punjab Cricket League (PCL), positioning sports as a strategic intervention for youth empowerment rather than a token outreach programme.

Planned on the Indian Premier League (IPL) model with district and regional teams and backed by institutional partnerships with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), the league is intended to systematically identify, groom and channel young talent into professional pathways, while simultaneously building a wider ecosystem of district- and state-level leagues across multiple sports to pull the state’s youth decisively away from drugs and towards discipline, opportunity and national representation.

Sharing a few snippets from the following meeting, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann wrote: “Today in Chandigarh, held a meeting with senior officials of the Department of Sports and Youth Services to discuss various issues, with a focused deliberation on promoting sports culture across the state. All officials were directed to make their maximum contribution towards encouraging youth to take up sports, with the objective of building a healthy and fit society. The government is consistently working to restore sports culture in Punjab and to reconnect the youth with playgrounds across the state.”

Chairing a review meeting of the Sports Department, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated that the state government would tie up with the Punjab Cricket Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to organise the league with the objective of grooming young talent from across Punjab. “The state government will collaborate with the Punjab Cricket Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to organise the Punjab Cricket League for grooming the youth of the state,” Bhagwant Singh Mann said.

Drawing inspiration from global examples, the Chief Minister stated that such initiatives had played a transformative role in world cricket. “Cricketers like Imran Khan and Arjuna Ranatunge gave several renowned players to world cricket through similar initiatives, and this league will go a long way in emerging Punjab as a nursery of cricketing talent,” he said.

Explaining the structure of the proposed league, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it would be organised on the lines of the Indian Premier League, with teams constituted on the basis of districts and geographical regions. “The Punjab Cricket League will be organised on the lines of the Indian Premier League, and teams will be formed on the basis of districts and geographical regions such as Majha, Doaba and Malwa to compete in the tournament,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the initiative would help create a strong pipeline of talented cricketers for both national and international competitions. “This league will help in producing a talented pool of cricketers for national and international level cricket tournaments,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said.

At the same time, he underlined the need to promote other sports across the state. “District-level and state-level leagues should also be organised for games like Volleyball, Football, Hockey, Basketball, Kho kho and Kabaddi,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the Punjab government was working on an aggressive campaign to produce the maximum number of trained sportspersons. “Our aim is to ensure that more Punjabi players represent India in international sporting events,” he said.

Emphasising Punjab’s rich sporting legacy, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state has abundant sports talent and the government is fully committed to nurturing it. “Punjab has immense sports talent, and the state government will not leave any stone unturned to enable players to participate and win medals for India at the international level,” he said.

He said that sports provide a powerful avenue for the youth to excel and bring laurels to the state. “Games give our youth the opportunity to excel in sports and bring pride to Punjab,” Bhagwant Singh Mann said, asserting that the government is determined to restore the state’s pristine glory in the field of sports. “The state government is committed to reviving Punjab’s glory in sports, and no stone is being left unturned to achieve this goal,” he added.

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*Punjab Government Fully Committed to Safeguarding the Rights of SC/BC Communities: Dr. Baljit Kaur*

*Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur Holds Meeting with SC/BC Union; Assures Resolution of All Genuine Demands*

*Meeting Concludes in a Positive Atmosphere; Mann Government Taking Concrete Steps for Marginalised Sections*

Chandigarh, February 9:Under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government is working tirelessly for the welfare of all sections of society. Along with this, special efforts are being made to safeguard the rights of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Backward Class (BC) communities and to ensure their social and economic upliftment. This was stated by Cabinet Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Dr. Baljit Kaur.

A meeting was held at Punjab Bhawan between Cabinet Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur and representatives of the SC/BC Union. During the meeting, the Minister listened carefully to the demands raised by the Union representatives and assured them that all genuine demands would be addressed on priority.

The Minister clarified that issues which can be resolved at the departmental level will be addressed promptly in a time-bound manner. She further stated that matters requiring decisions at the government level will be taken up with the government at the earliest to ensure appropriate resolution.

Dr. Baljit Kaur said that to realise Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision of a “Rangla Punjab,” it is essential that every section of society becomes an integral part of the development process. She emphasised that the dream of a vibrant Punjab cannot be fulfilled without ensuring dignity, equal opportunities and justice for the SC and BC communities. “A truly Rangla Punjab will emerge only when there is prosperity in every household, confidence in every mind and equal opportunities for every section of society,” she said.

She reiterated that the Punjab Government is fully committed to the welfare of marginalised and backward sections and is continuously taking concrete and effective steps in this direction. The meeting concluded in a well-organised and positive atmospher.

On the occasion, the meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Mr. V.K. Meena IAS, the Director of the Department, Mrs. Vimmi Bhullar, IAS and other senior officers of the department.

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*Vigilance Bureau nabs 11 persons red handed in 8 bribery cases during January*

Chandigarh, 9 February 2026:The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing crusade against corruption in the state, has been able to apprehend 10 government officials and one private person red handed while accepting bribes in 8 different trap cases during the month of January.

Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said the VB has put up its best efforts to eradicate corruption amongst public servants and others in every sphere during the period.

He informed that the Bureau had submitted challans pertaining to 24 vigilance cases in various competent courts in the last month. Apart from this, 4 vigilance enquiries have also been registered to thoroughly probe the corruption cases. He added that 12 criminal cases were also registered against 16 accused which include 11 government employees.

Giving more details, he added that different competent courts had decided seven bribery cases filed and contested by the Bureau during the last month, in which eleven persons were convicted and sentenced to 4-4 years imprisonment and fine ranging from Rs. 10,000/

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*DEVELOPMENT STORM BLOWS IN SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB WITH NEW INFRA PROJECTS: HARJOT BAINS*

*•Five bridges & critical road projects to boost connectivity and spur economic growth in the region, says Bains*

*• The projects to transform lives, not just infrastructure: Harjot Bains*

Chandigarh, February 9:–In a significant move to further accelerate infrastructure development, Punjab Education Minister and MLA from Sri Anandpur Sahib, S. Harjot Singh Bains, today announced the green-lighting of key infrastructure projects to further boost connectivity and economic growth in the region.

In a video message, S. Harjot Singh Bains congratulated the people of Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency, while revealing that five crucial bridges have been approved by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

"Development storm is blowing in Sri Anandpur Sahib," he stated, while sharing that the approved bridge projects include Brahmpur and Daroli Bridges, these two vital replacement bridges originally built during the canal construction. These bridges will be rebuilt for modern needs. The Ganguwal double bridge is a strategic project aimed at alleviating chronic traffic congestion, especially during major religious festivals like Hola Mohalla and Viah Purb at Guru Ka Lahore. "This will ensure smooth passage for devotees traveling to Guru Ka Lahore, eliminating a major hassle," said S. Bains.

Additionally, the Attari village bridge will connect Attari village directly to the national highway, ending long detours and boosting the local economy. The Bhaowal bridge is expected to spur employment and economic activity in the area, he added.

The Education Minister said that the Sarsa Nangal Bridge project has already been tendered and the work scheduled to commence around April 14.

S. Bains also unveiled plans for two key roads including Nangal to Kalma Mod and Bhanglan to Kanpur Khuhi. The Nangal to Kalma Mod Road will be built to withstand heavy industrial traffic at a cost of Rs 10 crore, while the Bhanglan to Kanpur Khuhi Road project worth Rs 12.5 crore, will improve bus connectivity and tackle water-logging issues in Khera Kalmot, with concrete side drains. The Work on the both projects is set to begin within next two weeks.

"These projects are about transforming lives, not just infrastructure," said S. Harjot Singh Bains, highlighting potential for increased employment, improved accessibility, and fulfilment of people's long-standing demands. He reaffirmed the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government's focus on sustainable development to uplift the state's citizens.

===============================================*SC Commission seeks report from SSP Amritsar in Harbhajan Singh ETO remark case*

*Commission also seeks clarification from Partap Singh Bajwa*

Chandigarh, February 9:The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has taken suo moto notice of the remark made by Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa about Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO.

Giving information in this regard, Chairman Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission S. Jasvir Singh Garhi said that it has come to his notice through social media that Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa has used abusive language against Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO.

He said that a report has been sought from SSP Amritsar through DSP/SP level officer on 11th February 2026 at 3 pm.

He said that along with this, the Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, has also been summoned on 11 February 2026 at 3 pm to give an explanation regarding this viral video.