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Chandigarh, March 26: Punjab School, Higher & Technical Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains, today praised the state budget 2025-26 as a landmark step towards educational transformation, with a massive allocation of Rs.17975 crore (12% of a total expenditure) for the education sector. The budget focuses on strengthening school education through Mission Samrath, which has already benefited 14 lakh students across 19,000 schools, improving learning outcomes by 15-25%. He said that these key initiatives include Rs.1240 crore for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Rs.466 crore for PM Poshan, Rs.75 crore for free books and Rs.35 crore for uniforms. The government is converting 425 primary schools into 'Schools of Happiness' and has solar-powered 4098 schools, mentioned Harjot Singh Bains. ...

Chandigarh/ Rupnagar, 25 March: The project 'Internal Police Reforms' undertaken by the Indian Police Foundation in four states of the country namely Tamil Nadu, Telengana, Rajasthan and Punjab, was formally launched with the signing of an MoU between the IPF and the Punjab Police at Punjab Police Headquarters on Tuesday in the presence of DGP Punjab Mr. Gaurav Yadav, IPS, Dr.  Ish Kumar IPS (Retd.), Vice-President IPF and Project Director, Mr. A.S. Rai, IPS, ADGP/Traffic and Road Safety –cum- State Nodal Officer and Mr. G.S. Sandhu, IPS (Retd.) State Supervisor of the project on IPF. While addressing the press conference in auditorium of police line,  ADGP/Traffic and Road Saftey –cum- State Nodal Officer Mr. A.S. Rai said that the signing of the MoU will pave the way for ...

CHANDIGARH, March 25:           In a significant move to enhance public safety and improve the emergency response time, Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Law and Order Arpit Shukla on Tuesday, distributed 165 new smartphones to Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112).           The move, initiated on the directions of DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav, aimed at further streamlining the Dial 112 helpline— Public Safety Answering Point, which has already processed over 2.34 crore calls and registered nearly 20.05 lakh cases till now.           The smartphones equipped with 5G technology and dual ...

Chandigarh, March 25: The Punjab Legislative Assembly, on Tuesday, unanimously passed resolution to protect the declining water levels and environment of the state. Punjab Water Resources Minister Sh. Brinder Kumar Goyal, while speaking on a resolution introduced by MLA Nabha S. Gurdev Singh Dev Maan, highlighted the initiative and efforts of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government to conserve groundwater and expressed disappointment over the union government's biased approach. During his address in the assembly, Sh. Goyal said that during the previous Congress government's tenure from 2019 to 2022, around Rs.2046-CR were spent on canal infrastructure. In contrast, our government has invested over Rs.4557-CR from 2022 to 2025 on canal water conservation, infrastructur...

Chandigarh, March 24 Punjab Public Works Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO said that the approach road to Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, Ghanauli will get a facelift soon and a high-level meeting of all stakeholders will be conducted shortly. Responding to a call attention notice in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Harbhajan Singh ETO said that Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant, Ghanauli (Ropar) is currently accessed by two roads. He said that the thermal plant has already constructed its approach road from village Malikpur near BML bridge of NH-205 to Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant along the canal, and the maintenance of this road is also being done by them. The length of this road is about three kilometres. This road is used by the thermal plant for the movement of he...

Chandigarh, March 24: Decorated IAS officer Dr. Ravi Bhagat on Monday assumed the charge of Principal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister here at his office in the presence of senior officers of the state government. Pertinently, Dr. Ravi Bhagat, a senior officer of the Indian Administrative service, had served the state government in various capacities. A 2006 batch IAS officer, Dr. Ravi Bhagat has a penchant for out of the box ideas to improve the delivery of citizen centric services to people. He is known for his proactive and responsive approach towards public service. A doctorate in Geopolitics of MSP, Dr. Ravi Bhagat had started his coveted service as Sub Divisional Magistrate Malout 2008-2009 followed by which he served as Deputy Commissioner in ...

CHANDIGARH, March 24:           Adopting a considerate approach towards farmers, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has decided to immediately release 450 more farmers from the police detention.           Sharing details, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill, on Monday, informed that Punjab Government has already released approximately 800 farmers from the police custody.           He further emphasised that the Punjab Chief Minister has directed the immediate release of farmers including women, differently-abled individuals, farmers with medical conditions, and those above the age of 60. "In ...

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, March 23:           In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing war against drugs waged on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a cross-border drug cartel with the arrest of a woman kingpin identified as Mandeep Kaur (27) of village Ibban Kalan in Amritsar and her three operatives after recovering 5.2 kg heroin from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.           The other arrested operatives have been identified as Alam Arora (23) and Manmeet alias Golu (21), both residents of Janta Colony in Chheharta, Amritsar; and 18-years-old boy (name withheld) of Tarn Taran...

Chandigarh, March 22:  The Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, remains committed to the welfare of all sections of society, especially senior citizens, widows, destitute women, children, and persons with disabilities. Since assuming office, the government has disbursed ₹16,847.83 crore in financial aid under various social security schemes. Providing details, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that ₹11,310.33 crore has been distributed under the Old Age Pension Scheme. In the financial year 2022-23, ₹3,651.08 crore was allocated to 21.26 lakh beneficiaries, followed by ₹3,950.68 crore in 2023-24 to 22.11 lakh beneficiaries, and ₹3,708.57 crore in 2024-25 to 22.64 lakh beneficiaries. Dr Baljit...

Chandigarh, March 22           Attributing remarkable milestone in the state's excise revenue growth to the success of the Excise Policies implemented since the Aam Admi Party (AAP) led Punjab Government assumed office in 2022, Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday announced that state's excise revenue has seen an unprecedented cumulative growth over the past three years, rising from ₹6254 crores to over ₹10200 crores. He said that for the first time in Punjab's history, the excise revenue would surpass the five-digit mark, with the target of ₹10145 crores for the financial year 2024-25 likely to be exceeded.           Addressing a press ...