*Bhagwant Mann Govt To Organise Four Major Shobha Yatras Ahead Of 650th Parkash Purab Of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Four Shobha Yatras To Connect Prominent Spiritual & Historic Hubs With Sri Khuralgarh Sahib: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Grand Celebrations To Follow Convergence Of Four Shobha Yatras At Sri Khuralgarh Sahib On December 3: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Sri Akhand Path Sahib To Begin On December 4; Bhog Ceremony On December 6*

CHANDIGARH; 22nd September 2026:The Bhagwant Mann Government has decided to organise four massive Shobha Yatras connecting prominent spiritual and historic hubs across the country with Sri Khuralgarh Sahib as part of the extensive statewide commemorations dedicated to the upcoming 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced this today.

Addressing a joint press conference at Punjab Bhawan alongside Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond and Advisor to the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Deepak Bali, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said these grand religious processions aim to disseminate the universal message and sacred Bani of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj, while bringing devotees together in devotion and harmony ahead of the 650th birth anniversary arriving in February next year.

Elaborating on the widespread programmes already underway across the state, the Finance Minister said that following the decisive roadmap initiated last year under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, events celebrating the philosophy and teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj are being organised across cities and rural areas alike. “These multifaceted initiatives include captivating drone shows, academic seminars in colleges and universities, thematic essay competitions in schools, intellectual discussions on Guru Sahib’s sacred verses, and continuous Kirtan Darbars organised in cities across Punjab to foster deep community engagement with the divine teachings,” he said.

Detailing the comprehensive itineraries finalised during today’s high-level preparatory meeting, the Finance Minister said, “The first Shobha Yatra will commence from the holy city of Varanasi (Kashi) on November 30 and travel through Kanpur, Delhi, Ambala, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar and Rupnagar before concluding at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib on December 3.”

“The second Shobha Yatra will flag off from Faridkot on December 2, passing through Ferozepur, Moga, Ludhiana, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Garhshankar to culminate at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib on December 3,” he said.

“The third Shobha Yatra is scheduled to begin on December 1 from Bathinda, traversing through Barnala, Mansa, Lehragaga, Sangrur, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Morinda and Rupnagar before arriving at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib on December 3,” Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said.

“Originating from the neighbouring region of Jammu on November 30, the fourth Shobha Yatra will progress through Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur, culminating alongside the other processions at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib on December 3,” he added.

The Finance Minister further said, “Following the unified convergence of all four Shobha Yatras at Sri Khuralgarh Sahib, the principal spiritual congregation will formally commence on December 4 with the Arambh of Sri Akhand Path Sahib.”

“The sacred religious observances will conclude on December 6 with the Bhog ceremony of Sri Akhand Path Sahib, marking the grand culmination of this phase of devotional celebrations dedicated to the revered legacy and teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj,” he said.

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*Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema Directs Concerned Departments to Ensure Gazetted Officers Attend District-Level Traders Commission Meetings*

*Rs 2 Crore Already Allocated at District Level; Payments to Be Released Promptly Upon Submission of Bills: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Ministers Aman Arora and Tarunpreet Singh Sondh Emphasise Accountability, Inter-Departmental Coordination, and Swift Resolution of Issues*

Chandigarh, 22nd September 2026-In a major push to resolve the grievances of the business community and accelerate local development, Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, who also serves as Chairman of the Punjab State Traders Commission (PSTC), has directed that all concerned departments must ensure that their gazetted officers should attend the upcoming round of district-level Traders Commission meetings.

Chairing a high-level review meeting of the PSTC alongside Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora and Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, and PSTC Vice Chairman Anil Thakur, the Finance Minister underscored that these district meetings must thoroughly review all completed development projects and address pending grievances raised by traders.

Addressing the meeting, Finance Minister Cheema said that a dedicated fund of Rs 2 crore has already been allocated for the development works suggested by commission at the district level under Rangla Punjab scheme. He assured that payments for all sanctioned works would be disbursed without delay as soon as the respective bills are raised.

Cabinet Minister Aman Arora stressed the need to further institutionalise efficiency and transparency in administrative processes. He advocated for a clearly defined workflow specifying completion timelines, the precise nature of each project, and fixed accountability for executing authorities. He also called for strengthening coordination mechanisms across departments to prevent administrative bottlenecks.

Reassuring the trading community, Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sondh highlighted that issues and grievances pertaining to the power department are already being resolved on a priority and fast-track basis.

Concluding the review meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reaffirmed the Punjab Government’s firm commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment, enhancing administrative responsiveness, and ensuring that the concerns of traders across the state are resolved in a transparent and time-bound manner.

Meanwhile, Taxation Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal gave a presentation on the development works completed and grievances resolved so far, during the review meeting attended by Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, Rahul Tiwari, Additional DGP (Law and Order) SPS Parmar, Special Secretary, Information and Public Relations, Puneet Goyal, officers from departments including Industries, Labour, Local Bodies and PSPCL, and all Deputy Commissioners and SAPs who joined through video conferencing.

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*PUNJAB STATE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY CONVENES REVIEW MEETING; HEALTH MINISTER DR BALBIR SINGH OUTLINES ROADMAP FOR RIGHTS-BASED MENTAL HEALTHCARE*

*— CHIEF MINISTER BHAGWANT SINGH MANN-LED GOVT COMMITTED TO ENSURING DIGNIFIED, AFFORDABLE, AND STIGMA-FREE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES*

*ALL PRIVATE PSYCHIATRIC CLINICS AND NURSING HOMES/HOSPITALS TO MANDATORILY REGISTER UNDER SMHA*

*— STRICT CRACKDOWN ORDERED ON CRUEL PRACTICES LIKE CHAINING, SECLUSION, AND UNMODIFIED ECT ACROSS PSYCHIATRIC FACILITIES*

CHANDIGARH, September 22:Following the recent induction of 11 non-official members to give fresh impetus to psychiatric care, the newly constituted State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) convened a review meeting on Tuesday in the presence of Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh.

Presiding over the meeting alongside Principal Secretary-cum-Chairperson (Ex-officio) Kumar Rahul and Director Health Services Punjab-cum-Member (Ex-officio) Dr Hitinder Kaur, the Health Minister formally welcomed the newly appointed ex-officio and non-official members, several of whom attended the proceedings virtually.

The broad-based panel brings together seasoned psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, mental health nurses, NGO representatives, as well as nominated caregivers and individuals with lived experience of mental illness, ensuring that ground realities directly guide state policy.

Addressing the authority, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh reiterated that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government is steadfast in its resolve to uphold the core mandate of the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017 by ensuring that high-quality, humane, and stigma-free psychiatric services are easily accessible to every citizen without discrimination.

He underscored that mental healthcare cannot operate in isolation, and the revitalised authority will serve as the crucial statutory engine to monitor service delivery, enforce strict quality standards, and safeguard patient rights across government hospitals, medical colleges, and private clinics alike.

Emphasising that patient dignity remains non-negotiable, Dr Balbir Singh issued stern instructions prohibiting unlawful and dehumanising practices in all mental health establishments across Punjab. He cautioned that archaic methods such as chaining, solitary seclusion, and administering electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) without anaesthesia and muscle relaxants are strictly prohibited under the law and will invite stringent penal consequences.

The Authority also deliberated on the notification and rollout of the Punjab State Mental Health Authority Rules and the Punjab Mental Healthcare (Rights of Persons with Mental Illness) Rules, for which prior approval has already been granted by the Central Government. It was firmly resolved that all 83 private psychiatric nursing homes and clinics operating across the state, must mandatorily secure registration under the SMHA in strict conformity with Section 65 of the Act. The meeting also considered the provisional registration of six shortlisted NGO-run Mental Health Establishments inspected to operate community Group Homes in compliance with the directives of the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Meanwhile, the meeting was attended by senior ex-officio representatives from Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, Social Welfare, and Government Medical Colleges, along with the newly nominated non-official members.

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*SWEET SUCCESS: PUNJAB'S FIVE COOPERATIVE SUGAR MILLS BAG NATIONAL AWARDS*

*•AGRICULTURE MINISTER GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN RECEIVES AWARDS FROM UNION MINISTER NITIN GADKARI*

*•MANN GOVT'S MODERN TECH PUSH TO BOOST SUGARCANE PRODUCTIVITY GETS NATIONAL RECOGNITION: GURMEET SINGH KHUDIAN*

Chandigarh/New Delhi, September 22:Bringing national laurels to the state, Punjab’s five cooperative sugar mills have won national awards for financial management, cane development and technical efficiency at the National Cooperative Sugar Industry Conclave-2026 in New Delhi. Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian received the awards from Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Sh. Nitin Gadkari.

During the conclave, under the Financial Management (Other Recovery Area) category, The Batala Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd. secured second position. In the Best Cane Development (Other Recovery Area) category, both The Fazilka Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd. and The Budhewal Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd. both secured second position.

Similarly, The Nakodar Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd. secured the second position, while The Bhogpur Cooperative Sugar Mills Ltd. bagged the third position in the Technical Efficiency (Other Recovery Area) category.

Speaking on the occasion, S. Khudian said that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the state government is laying special emphasis on adopting modern techniques to increase sugarcane productivity, improve sugar recovery and reduce cost of cultivation. He said that winning national awards by five sugar mills of the state is a matter of great pride for Punjab.

S. Khudian stated that sugarcane growers in Punjab are being paid the highest price in the country at Rs. 416 per quintal, which includes a state government subsidy of Rs. 68.50 per quintal.

He informed that according to a survey conducted by sugar mills, the area under sugarcane cultivation in Punjab during 2025–26 was 1,11,818 hectares, which has increased to 1,16,131 hectares in 2026–27. If weather conditions remain favourable, a yield of approximately 700 lakh quintals of sugarcane is expected from this area.He further mentioned that joint teams from Punjab Agriculture University PAU, sugarcane experts, the Agriculture Department, and sugar mills are periodically organizing farmer awareness camps. Through these, information is provided regarding wide-row planting methods, primary seed nursery planting, the use of improved and disease-free seeds, balanced fertilizer application, pest and disease management, and farm mechanization.

To encourage modern sugarcane cultivation and farm mechanization during 2026–27, a special incentive scheme has been implemented, under which financial assistance of Rs.3,200 per acre is being provided to farmers to set up one-hectare demonstration plots based on recommended sugarcane cultivation techniques in selected districts. This scheme covers the districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Patiala, Fazilka, Faridkot, and Kapurthala.

Social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube are being utilized to provide farmers with timely field updates and the latest technical information regarding sugarcane. Technical information has already been imparted to approximately 15,000 farmers through 320 training camps conducted by PAU sugarcane experts, the Agriculture Department, and field staff of sugar mills.

He added that to promote mechanization in sugarcane farming, the Punjab Government is providing equipment such as sugarcane harvesters, small tractors, sugarcane planters, and ratoon managers to cane growers at a 40% subsidy to mitigate the issue of labor shortages.

Secretary, Punjab Cooperation department Mr. Ajit Bala Joshi and Managing Director Sugarfed Dr. Senu Duggal were also present at the award ceremony for 2024-25 and 2025-26 held during the Conclave organised by the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Limited (NFCSF) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

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Government working continuously for development of border areas and providing better basic amenities: Lal Chand Kataruchak

-- Cabinet Minister conducts special visit to Tash and Makhanpur to review ongoing development works in border areas

-- Width of Tash-Makhanpur-Kohliya main road being increased from 10 feet to 18 feet: Lal Chand Kataruchak

-- Directs to complete road construction with quality material within stipulated time

Chandigarh/Pathankot, September 22:The Cabinet Minister, Punjab, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today conducted a special visit to the Makhanpur and Tash areas to review the special development works underway in the areas adjoining the Indo-Pak border.

During the visit, he inspected the ongoing construction work of the main road being built from Tash to Makhanpur and from Makhanpur to Kohliya Adda and obtained information regarding the progress of the work from the officials and the concerned contractor.

On the occasion, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Punjab, S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, development works such as construction of roads and strengthening of basic infrastructure are being carried out on a war footing in the Bhoa Assembly constituency.

He informed that the width of the main road being constructed from Tash to Makhanpur and from Makhanpur to Kohliya Adda was earlier about 10 feet, which is now being increased to 18 feet. He said that the widening of this road will provide great convenience to the people of the border areas as well as the farmers.

The Cabinet Minister said that due to the narrow width of the road earlier, farmers had to face many difficulties in transporting their crops, especially sugarcane and other agricultural produce, to the markets. With the increase in the width of the road, traffic movement will become smooth and it will be easier for farmers to take their crops to the markets.

He instructed the contractor carrying out the construction work to complete the road work within the stipulated time and not to compromise on quality in any way during construction. He said that use of high-quality material in the development works should be ensured so that people can benefit from it for a long time.

Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak further said that the road construction work will be completed soon and dedicated to the public for transportation. He said that the government is continuously working for the development of border areas and providing better basic amenities to the people.

On this occasion, Sarpanch Makhanpur Manga, Sarpanch Dera Basti Makhanpur Gurmej Singh, Subedar Sohan Makhanpur, Amrik Singh, Lovely Manjiri and other local residents were also present.

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*PUNJAB HEALTH MINISTER CHAIRS HIGH-LEVEL REVIEW MEETING ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF VECTOR-BORNE AND WATER-BORNE DISEASES*

*— ZERO CONFIRMED DENGUE DEATHS REPORTED IN PUNJAB THIS YEAR, SAYS HEALTH MINISTER DR BALBIR SINGH*

*— "INSTEAD OF TRACKING DENGUE CASES, WE ARE TRACKING DENGUE LARVAE": DR BALBIR SINGH*

*— DCs DIRECTED FOR REGULAR REVIEWS AND ROPE IN ASHA WORKERS AND NURSING STUDENTS FOR DOOR-TO-DOOR LARVAE DETECTION*

*— HEALTH MINISTER CALLS FOR PROPER ORGANISATION OF MMSY CARD DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS AT VILLAGE AND MOHALLA LEVEL*

Chandigarh, September 22:Reiterating the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government’s firm resolve to safeguard public health, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday chaired a comprehensive high-level review meeting at the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) to assess the prevention and control measures for vector-borne and water-borne diseases across the state.

The Health Minister was accompanied by Principal Secretary Health Kumar Rahul, Member Punjab Development Commission Anurag Kundu, Special Secretary Health-cum-MD National Health Mission (NHM) Sakshi Sawhney, Director Health Services Dr Hitinder Kaur, and Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Dr Aditi Salaria. Deputy Director Dr Rohini Goyal, Assistant Director Dr Manmeet Kaur, State Programme Officer Dr Arshdeep kaur were also present. Deputy Commissioners, Civil Surgeons and District Epidemiologists joined the meeting virtually.

Reviewing the epidemiological data, Dr Balbir Singh highlighted that due to proactive preventive measures, Punjab has recorded zero dengue-related deaths so far this year. A total of 1,00,414 dengue samples have been tested till September 21 (with 64049 sample tested at Aam Aadmi Clinics) recording a significantly low positivity rate of 0.45% (451 positive cases). The Health Minister lauded Amritsar and Jalandhar for their remarkable performance in conducting extensive dengue testing. He also reviewed the status of 16 Chikungunya cases reported in the state this year.

"We are going a step ahead. Instead of merely tracking dengue cases, our priority is aggressively tracking and destroying dengue larvae," said Dr Balbir Singh, while adding that directing Deputy Commissioners and health authorities to conduct regular reviews, he instructed that field surveillance and regular visits to identified dengue hotspots by epidemiology teams, and follow-up mechanisms must be intensified.

Emphasising inter-departmental synergy and active community participation, the Minister directed districts to rope in ASHA workers and nursing students for rigorous door-to-door surveys to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sources. He directed that Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNC) meetings be conducted actively at the village level. Acknowledging their pivotal role, the Minister stated that appropriate payment and incentives are being provided to ASHA workers for undertaking door-to-door survey work.

While appreciating Faridkot district for achieving 100% involvement of nursing students in anti-dengue field activities, the Health Minister urged other districts to scale up student participation. He issued special directions to ramp up VHSNC meetings, field inspections, and ASHA engagement in districts reporting higher caseloads, including Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Faridkot, and Tarn Taran. The Minister also instructed local authorities to carry out appropriate, need-based indoor and outdoor fogging.

Turning attention to water-borne diseases (WBD), the Minister reviewed the status of acute diarrhoeal diseases, cholera, and hepatitis outbreaks. He directed officials to maintain strict water-quality surveillance, carry out regular testing of potable water sources, rectify leaking pipelines or contaminated supply channels immediately, and keep buffer stocks of ORS, IV fluids, chlorine tablets, and essential medicines ready across all healthcare institutions.

The Health Minister also reviewed the distribution of Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana (MMSY) cards. He directed all Deputy Commissioners and district health authorities to properly organise MMSY card distribution functions at the village and mohalla levels.

Meanwhile, Dr Balbir Singh called upon all departments to work in close tandem and urged citizens to actively participate in source-reduction activities: "The success of disease prevention lies in community ownership. By ensuring clean surroundings and checking stagnant water, we can together keep Punjab healthy and disease-free."

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