Page 5 - Punjab

No one will be allowed to disturb Punjab's hard-earned peace: CM Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said his government was committed to maintaining law and order in the state and no one would be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace. Referring to the insurgency period in Punjab, Mann said the state and its people have suffered a lot in the past and they only want peace and progress. Though some fissiparous forces are continuously trying to derail the peace and progress of the state, their nefarious designs will not be allowed to succeed, the chief minister said, adding no one will be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace in the state. He reiterated that those who carried the Guru Granth Sahib to a police station in Ajnala in Amritsar as a shield cannot be called the 'waris' (heir) of Punjab. His remarks came days after self-styled Sikh preacher and Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskir

Not afraid of misuse of probe agencies, will continue to serve people: Mann

The AAP is not afraid of the "misuse of probe agencies by the Centre" and it will continue to serve the people without any fear, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Sunday after CBI arrested Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in an excise police scam case. He also slammed the BJP for the arrest of Sisodia, saying the move was an "insult" to the education that lakhs of children are getting in Delhi. Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal visited Sisodia's residence to meet his family members after the arrest. Kejriwal said the AAP will take responsibility for the family of Manish Sisodia, as his wife has been suffering from multiple sclerosis. "Bhagwant Mann and I met the wife of Manish Sisodia, who has been suffering from multiple sclerosis and assured her that we will look after them. We told her not to worry as her husband is innocent and is fighting for the country," Kejriwal said. Mann said, "We are not afraid of the misuse of CBI and ED by the Union government

In Punjab, a political vacuum and remote control bring back the K-word

An armed mob overran a big police station near the border, a suspect was freed, and then the State said 'sorry'. You have to be nuts to think there will be no consequences

Law and order under control: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann on Ajnala incident

While addressing a press briefing at the Mumbai residence of former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Matoshree, it appeared Mann was dodging the question on Ajnala violence

MoUs obsolete, we are going 'dil se', says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

On the skilled manpower front, the cabinet minister said that Punjab has 11 major specialised research institutes engaged in the textile sector.

CM Mann woos investors, promises to give clearances within 15 days

The previous Punjab Investment Summit attracted investment to the tune of 8,200 crore, according to the commitment listed on the Summit's website

Paper leak leads to cancellation of Punjab Board Class 12 English exam

The Punjab School Education Board's Class 12 English examination slated to be held on Friday was cancelled following reports of question paper leak. According to a state government statement, on the directive of Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, the examination has been cancelled. The statement quoting Bains said that taking immediate measure after receiving reports of the leak of the question paper, he had instructed the authorities to cancel the exam. The minister also ordered a high-level probe into the matter and said no person involved in the matter will be spared and exemplary action will be ensured against the erring. New date for the exam will be announced later.

Capt Amarinder expresses concern over collapse of law and order in Punjab

Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh expressed grave concern over the Ajnala incident where the supporters of Sikh preacher Amritpal laid siege on the police station

AAP govt in Punjab cheating people in the name of health, says Tarun Chugh

BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Thursday said that the health system in Punjab has completely collapsed ever since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has come to power

Ajnala incident can have grave ramifications: Capt Amarinder Singh

Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh Thursday said the Ajnala incident, in which supporters of radical preacher Amritpal Singh laid a siege on a police station, was more than a law and order collapse. "This is not only a complete collapse of the law and order situation in Punjab, it is more serious than that," he said. Amritpal's supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and stormed into a police station complex here on Thursday, camping there till they were "assured" that an arrested man would be released. Three policemen were hurt during the clash, officials said. The BJP MP pointed out that the incident has serious security implications for the state and the country and warned there was a particular pattern in these incidents, which does not bode well for national security. "Particularly when Pakistan is there to encourage and exploit such a situation," he said, as he questioned the competence of the state government in dealing

Punjab CM asks industrialists to become partners of socio-economic growth

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday gave a clarion call to industrialists to become partners of socio-economic growth in the state as the two-day Progressive Punjab Investors Summit began here. Addressing business leaders during the inaugural session here, Mann said Punjab is the most favourable investment destination across the country and no stone will be left unturned to facilitate investors. He envisioned a strong association between the state government and industrialists to make Punjab an industrial hub in the country, according to an official statement. In order to facilitate investors for making investments in the state, the state government will soon abolish the Change of Land Use (CLU) and no-objection certificate (NOC) that had haunted the industries in earlier times. Welcoming industrialists, Mann said merely within one year of assuming responsibility as a chief minister, his first and foremost task has been to get first-hand knowledge of the problems of the

Punjab bets on digital approvals, incentives to attract investors at summit

The main focus at the two-day event will be on MSMEs, apart from agriculture and food processing, healthcare, manufacturing and light engineering, plastics and petrochemical, among others

CBI searches 30 locations in Punjab in corruption probe against FCI

The CBI on Tuesday launched searches at 30 locations in Punjab as part of its probe into allegations of corruption against Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials who procured inferior grains to benefit merchants and rice millers, officials said. The CBI teams started coordinated raids at the premises of grain merchants, rice mill owners, and serving and retired officials of the FCI in multiple districts of Punjab, including Sirhind, Fatehpur Sahib and Monga, as part of 'Operation Kanak 2', they said. This is second round of searches in the FIR pertaining to an organised syndicate of officers at the FCI, who allegedly charged bribes of Rs 1000-4000 per truck unloaded at the FCI godowns from private millers per crop season for covering up lower quality grains supplied by them and other favours. The bribes were allegedly circulated to officers at every level reaching up to headquarters in a well defined percentage of cuts at each level, it alleged. The FIR gave details of such brib

Punjab Budget session from March 3; Budget to be presented on March 10

CM Bhagwant Mann's government will present its Budget for financial year 2023-24 on March 10 as the Budget session of the 16th Punjab Assembly will be held from March 3 to March 24

Wheat crop reaches vegetative phase in MP, parts of Punjab, Haryana

Wheat crop has reached the maximum vegetative stage in Madhya Pradesh, parts of Punjab and Haryana, according to the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC). Whereas in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, wheat crop is yet to reach the maximum vegetative phase due to delay in sowing, it said in its latest report. The life cycle of a wheat plant is divided into three main development phases, namely the vegetative phase, in which leafs and tillers are developed; the reproductive phase, and the grain fill stage. The wheat crop normally enters the grain fill stage in March and any unusual rise in temperature could cause yield damage. Wheat is the main rabi crop, the harvesting of which will begin from end of next month. The government has projected a record wheat output of 112.18 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June). The government has set up a committee to monitor impact of rise in temperature on the wheat crop in order to avoid the repeat of last year when the

NIA raids 70 locations linked to Bishnoi, Bawana, other gangsters

The raids were conducted in Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh

Higher day temperature may impact crops in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan: IMD

The IMD also predicted that there may be an impact of higher day temperatures on agriculture over Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan

Punjab Intelligence HQ attack: NIA declares Rs 15 lakh reward for terrorist

Canada-based terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa is the prime accused in connection with the rocket launcher attack on Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali

Punjab's law and order situation improved under AAP's Mann: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that Punjab's law and order situation has seen a huge improvement under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann. Tagging a media report on how the law and order situation has improved under Mann, Kejriwal tweeted that earlier gangsters had political protection but now that scenario has changed. "When we came to power in Punjab, the law and order situation was in a bad shape. Gangsters and criminals openly had political protection. Together with the people of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann ji has improved the law and order situation. Now no gangster or criminal has political protection," the AAP national convener said in a tweet in Hindi. The Aam Aadmi Party is currently in power in both Delhi and Punjab.

Punjab to reduce paddy straw burning cases by 50%,says Chief Secy

Punjab Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua on Tuesday assured the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) that the state will reduce the fire instances by 50 per cent in comparison with 2022