Page 5 - Bhagwant Mann

AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann on 2-day Gujarat visit from today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will be on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat from Sunday. Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Kejriwal along with Mann will address public rallies in Bhavnagar, Mehsana and Banaskantha districts during the two days, AAP's state general secretary Manoj Sorathiya said. "They will reach Bhavnagar on Sunday afternoon and address a public rally there," Sorathiya told reporters. On Monday, the two leaders will address public meetings in Unjha town of Mehsana district and Deesa town in Banaskantha district, he said. "During the two days, the two leaders will also meet local leaders and hold meetings with the state AAP leaders on the upcoming elections," Sorathiya said. The elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat are due this year-end. Kejriwal has visited Gujarat multiple times in the recent past and made a number of promises for the welfare of people of the state if his party is voted

Punjab, Haryana chief ministers meet over Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday met with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue

Haryana CM Khattar to meet Bhagwant Mann on Oct 14 over SYL canal issue

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will meet to discuss the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue on October 14. The discussion between the two chief ministers has been scheduled after the Supreme Court had recently nudged them to meet and try to find an amicable solution. We will definitely try to find a way to resolve the issue, Khattar told reporters here on Tuesday. Last month, he had said water from the SYL was crucial for Haryana. "On one hand, we are not getting this water, while on the other, Delhi is demanding more water from us. Fixing a deadline to resolve this issue at the earliest has become very essential," he had said. In Punjab, opposition parties had recently asked Mann to stand up for the state's cause over the issue. Water sharing from the SYL canal has been a bone of contention between the two states for several decades. Punjab has been demanding a reassessment of the Ravi-Beas river waters' volume while Haryana

AAP leaders Kejriwal, Mann to address 2 rallies in poll-bound Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will jointly address two rallies in Gujarat on Sunday on the second day of their visit to the BJP-ruled state where the Assembly elections are due in December this year. The two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders will address a public meeting at Dharampur in the tribal-dominated Valsad district and at Kadodara in Surat district. On Saturday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Mann had addressed a public meeting in Dahod town and participated in a 'Tiranga Yatra' in Vadodara. BJP leaders in Gujarat on Saturday lashed out at the Kejriwal-led party, after a viral video clip showed AAP's Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at an event where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism while denouncing Hindu deities. Several banners had also surfaced in prominent cities of Gujarat, calling Kejriwal "anti-Hindu". The AAP is trying to position itself as the main opposition to the BJP, which has governed Gujarat for

Punjab Guv takes exception as Mann skips Murmu's reception; AAP hits back

Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit took exception to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann skipping the reception held for President Droupadi Murmu during her maiden visit to Chandigarh on Saturday. While welcoming Murmu at the Raj Bhavan, the governor noted Mann's absence from the event. Purohit said he had invited Mann for the civic reception. "He (Mann) had even accepted it. He may have some compulsions," the governor said. According to Purohit, Mann instead sent a representative. "No matter how occupied one is, I feel it is important to fulfill one's constitutional responsibility," he asserted. Cabinet minister Aman Arora, who attend the event, reacted sharply to Purohit's statements and said it was unfortunate that the governor raised a "political issue" from the Raj Bhavan stage. In a statement, Arora said Mann had a pre-confirmed event and had hence deputed him instead to receive and welcome the President. Arora said five other cabinet ministers and all senior bureaucrats attended

AAP leaders Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann on 2-day Gujarat visit from today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will begin their two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat from Saturday. Both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders will jointly address a public meeting at Dahod town in tribal-dominated Dahod district on Saturday, the party's state general secretary Manoj Sorathiya said. Later in the day, they will participate in a 'Tiranga Yatra' in Vadodara city, he said. On Sunday, they will address a public meeting at Dharampur in tribal-dominated Valsad district, and then at Kadodara in Surat district. During these two days, Kejriwal, who is AAP's national convener, and Mann will hold an important meeting with social and other leaders in the state to chalk out plans for the upcoming elections, Sorathiya added. Assembly elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled state are scheduled by the year-end.

Punjab CM Mann bats for collaboration in academics, tourism with Tajikistan

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday batted for collaboration with Tajikistan in the fields of academics, tourism, and trade and commerce. Interacting with a delegation from Tajikistan that called on him here, the CM said with the world emerging as a global village, there is a need for acquainting students about the emerging trends in the education sector. He said in such a scenario, an academic collaboration between the universities of different countries could do wonders in spreading the light of knowledge in every nook and cranny of the world, besides helping in the overall development of students, according to an official release. Emphasising on the need for frequent student and faculty exchange programmes between Punjab and Tajikistan, Mann said it would be very beneficial for the students. Mann said such initiatives could play a pivotal role in updating the knowledge of students and upskilling teachers. He said Punjab and Tajikistan can initiate measures for star

Punjab: Bhagwant Mann govt wins confidence motion; Cong, BJP abstain

The Punjab Assembly on Monday "unanimously" passed the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on September 27, even as Congress members staged a walkout. The BJP members have already announced to boycott the assembly session. After a lengthy discussion on the confidence motion, Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan put it to vote. He asked MLAs to raise hands who were in support, and then asked those who were against the motion of confidence. Announcing the results, Sandhwan said 91 AAP MLAs supported the motion. He also said one of the three SAD MLAs who was present in the House and a lone BSP MLA did not oppose the motion. No Congress, BJP or lone Independent MLA was present in the House at the time of voting. AAP has 92 MLAs, including the Speaker, in the House. "So, 93 MLAs have supported the motion and none is against it. Thus, the motion is unanimously passed," the Speaker said. In the 117-member Punjab Assembly, the AAP has 92 members, Congress 18, SAD 3, BJP 2,

Punjab CM Mann announces hike in sugarcane price to Rs 380 per quintal

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced increasing the price of sugarcane to Rs 380 per quintal from the existing Rs 360 per quintal. He announced a hike in SAP (state agreed price) of sugarcane on the floor of the Punjab Assembly on the concluding day of its brief session. In August 2021, the then Congress government had announced a Rs 50 per quintal hike in SAP of sugarcane to Rs 360 per quintal. Mann said farmers will get an additional Rs 20 per quintal under SAP of sugarcane as compared to last year. With this decision, the state government will spend an additional Rs 200 crore annually to benefit the farmers. Mann said the farmers of the state eagerly want to adopt sugarcane crop under crop diversification, but they are hesitant for it due to lack of adequate price and timely payment of the crop. At present, sugarcane is cultivated on just 1.25 lakh hectares of land in Punjab, while the total crushing capacity of sugar mills was around 2.50 lakh hectares. Thi

Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann to address 2 public rallies in Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will address two public rallies in Gujarat on Sunday, ahead of the Assembly polls in the BJP-ruled state due later this year. Both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders are on a two-day Gujarat visit from Saturday. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal will address public gatherings in Surendranagar city and Khedbrahma town in Sabarkantha district. Mann will also be present during the rallies, the Gujarat party unit said in a statement. Before the rallies, the two leaders will address a press conference in Rajkot. AAP's Rajya Sabha member and Gujarat co-incharge Raghav Chadha will also address a press conference in Surat, the party said. Kejriwal and Mann on Saturday addressed public meetings at Gandhidham in Kutch district and Joshipura in Junagadh district. Kejriwal had promised the construction of 20,000 mohalla clinics on the lines of Delhi across Gujarat, government-run schools in each village of t

LIVE: PM Modi to inaugurate 36th National Games in Ahmedabad

PM will declare open the 36th National Games at a gala ceremony in the Narendra Modi stadium in Motera area

CM Bhagwant Mann bats for strengthening of ties between Punjab and Canada

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday batted for further strengthening ties between Punjab and Canada, especially with its Saskatchewan province. The chief minister, during a meeting with a delegation of Saskatchewan province which called on him here, advocated strong and cordial ties between Punjab and Canadian province, according to an official release. He said people from Punjab have been playing a vanguard role in the socio-economic progress of Canada. Mann also said it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that a large number of Punjabis have also carved a niche for themselves in the political arena of Canada. The CM also showcased Punjab as the most preferred industrial destination across the country and invited the delegation from Saskatchewan to encourage the entrepreneurs to invest in the Indian state. Mann said the government has already put the state on a high growth trajectory which will benefit the investors. Calling for further streamlining mechanism to ensur

Mann hails PM's announcement to name Chandigarh airport after Bhagat Singh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday welcomed the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to name Chandigarh airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, saying a long pending demand of Punjabis has been fulfilled. In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, PM Modi said the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the great freedom fighter. "Finally our efforts paid off. On behalf of entire Punjab, we welcome the decision of naming the Chandigarh airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh ji," Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi. Thanking the prime minister, he said, "a long pending demand of Punjabis has got fulfilled". Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala also welcomed the announcement. Chautala said Punjab and Haryana governments had earlier agreed to name the Chandigarh international airport after Bhagat Singh. The decision had come after Bhagwant Mann and Dushyant Chautala held a meeting over this issue last month. Referring to his

Kejriwal, Mann to meet sanitation, contractual workers in Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will meet sanitation workers as well as contractual and outsourced employees of the Gujarat government in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The two Aam Aadmi Party leaders will also hold a two hall meeting with youth from the state, where the Assembly polls are due in December this year, the AAP said. The AAP been making a concerted effort to emerge as the main force against the ruling BJP in the state, with leaders like Kejriwal and others promising various "guarantees" to the electorate if voted to power. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Punjab CM Mann will interact with youth at a town hall meet in Ahmedabad. They will also address contractual and outsourced employees of the state government and meet sanitation workers, the AAP said. During his multiple visits to Gujarat in the recent past, Kejriwal offered a number of "guarantees", including free electricity up to 300 units, allowances to unemployed

Kejriwal, Mann to visit poll-bound Gujarat on Sunday to hold meetings

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will visit Ahmedabad on Sunday and hold interactions with the youth, sanitation workers and temporary employees of the Gujarat government. Every section of the society in Gujarat is looking to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with hope, Kejriwal said, ahead of his visit to the poll-bound state ruled by the BJP. "Bhagwant Mann and I will go to Ahmedabad tomorrow. Will interact with youth, safai karmacharis and temporary employees there. Every section of Gujarat considers the Aam Aadmi Party as their hope, AAP national convenor Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi on Saturday. Of late, the AAP national convenor has started visiting Gujarat every week to lead his party's poll campaigns as well as review and fine-tune his party's poll preparations in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held by the end of this year.

Punjab set for crop diversification if govt assures remunerative prices: CM

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that the state is fully ready to adopt crop diversification but the Centre must provide assured mechanism to give remunerative prices for these crops. The Centre must take this step for ensuring that farmers of the state shift from water guzzling crops to less water consuming crops, said the Chief Minister while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the Kisan Mela here at Punjab Agricultural University and Pashu Palan Mela at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. On the occasion, Mann also said that in coming days an important decision will be taken to get rid of the menace of paddy straw burning. The Chief Minister said that instead of paddy, the farmer of the state is ready to sow sunflower, maize and pulses but for that they must get adequate and assured price. He said that this will help in checking the depleting water table in the state on one hand and making agriculture a profitable venture on the ...

AAP legislators march against cancellation of Punjab Assembly session

AAP legislators on Thursday took out a march in protest against the cancellation of the special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here. Carrying placards with messages of "Stop murder of democracy" and "Operation Lotus murdabad'", the party MLAs slammed the Congress and the BJP for allegedly being hand in glove and working against holding the special session of the state assembly. However, the AAP legislators were stopped from moving towards the Governor's residence. Police had put up barricades around one km from the Vidhan Sabha complex. The protesting MLAs sat down where they were stopped and started shouting slogans against the Congress and BJP. No state minister was seen participating in the protest. The decision to take out the march was taken after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann chaired a meeting of AAP legislators at Vidhan Sabha complex Thursday morning to decide the next course of action after cancellation of the special session. The AAP legislators also hit out at Gove

CM Mann holds AAP's meeting after Punjab assembly session gets cancelled

A meeting of AAP legislators chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is here underway on Thursday to discuss the next strategy after the governor cancelled the special session of the state assembly called to bring a confidence motion. AAP legislators on Thursday morning reached the assembly complex for the meeting. A meeting of the Punjab Cabinet has also been called after the MLAs meeting, party sources said. Later, a march will also be taken out by the AAP legislators here, they said. AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha said the next strategy will be decided at the meeting. Another AAP MLA and senior leader Baljinder Kaur dubbed the governor's move of withdrawing his earlier order calling the special session as a "mockery of democracy". In an embarrassment to the AAP government in Punjab, Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday thwarted the Bhagwant Mann-led regime's plan to summon a special assembly session to bring a confidence motion. The governor withdrew an earlier order callin

Jyotiraditya Scindia says will probe Bhagwant Mann 'deplaning' incident

After a row over Punjab CM allegedly being deplaned on a Delhi-bound flight from Germany allegedly because he was inebriated, Civil Aviation Minister Scindia said he will investigate the matter

Govt employees' pension: 'Old versus new' debate gathers momentum

Reverting to OPS is being considered an easier option from a political standpoint, but could financially stress the states