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Vigilance Bureau arrests Patwari taking Rs 10,000 bribe

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Chandigarh, June 22, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its on-going campaign against corruption in the state, has apprehended a revenue Patwari Navinderpal, posted at revenue halqa Dhapai, sub tehsil Qadian in Gurdaspur district for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the state VB said the above mentioned Patwari has been arrested based on a complaint lodged by Harjap Singh, a resident of village Dhapai in Gurdaspur.

He further informed that the complainant has approached the VB and recoded his statement that the said Patwari had already taken Rs. 2,000/m as bribe and further demanded Rs. 10,000 for mutation of land transferred in the name of complainant’s wife.

The spokesperson informed that after a preliminary verification of this complaint the VB team laid a trap and the accused was caught red handed accepting Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses.

He added that in this regard a case under prevention of corruption act has been registered against the accused at VB police station Amritsar range. The accused would be produced in the competent court tomorrow and further investigation was under progress, he said.

PSPCL successfully met all-time highest demand of 16,078 MW on June 19: Harbhajan Singh ETO

Harbhajan-Singh-ETO-move

Chandigarh, June 22, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)

Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said that PSPCL has successfully met its all-time highest demand of 16,078 MW on June 19 this year surpassing the last year’s maximum demand of 15,325 MW, and no cuts have been imposed on any category besides providing 8 hour daily uninterrupted power supply to agriculture feeders for sowing of paddy crop throughout the state.

The minister said that there are 13340 number of 11 kV feeders across the state out of which 6954 feeders provide Agricultural supply to around 14 Lacs tubewell connections.

He said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has taken several measures including adequate power availability arrangements and infrastructure upgradation works to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Meanwhile, in a crucial meeting attended by key officials, including Additional Chief Secretary, Power Tejveer Singh, CMD/PSPCL Er. Baldev Singh Sran, Director Distribution, PSPCL, Er. DPS Grewal, and Director Generation, PSPCL, Er. Parmjeet Singh, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO assessed the state’s power supply arrangements for the ongoing paddy season.

PSPCL officials apprised the Power Minister that several measures have been taken to meet the increasing power demand in this summer, including setting up Mobile Transformers at urban centres, material Stores at Division level and Grid Substations, 104 Nodal Complaint Centers at division level, Control rooms at 21 circles, setting up 5 zones besides head office control room for resolution of grievances and deploying adequate complaint handling manpower.

Further, it was informed by the PSPCL that the stock position & supplies of Distribution Transformers, Cables/PVCs, Conductors, Poles and other accessories are sufficient to meet up the requirements during Paddy season.

PSPCL also informed that extensive maintenance of the power distribution system including Distribution transformers & power lines, has been carried out before the paddy season. As a result of this preventive maintenance, there were no crop fire incidents due to electric spark, reported this year in Punjab.

The Power Minister directed the PSPCL to ensure that there are no power cuts during the summer season.

The meeting was concluded with the Power Minister expressing satisfaction with the preparations made by the Power companies. He said that the government is confident that the people of Punjab will get an uninterrupted power supply during the summer season.

Paper Leak Set to Rock Parliament – Narvijay Yadav

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Since the formation of the NDA government, a string of issues has plagued its tenure without respite. It began with the NEET exam paper leak and escalated with the tragic train accident near Darjeeling.

The recurring problem of paper leaks has been a persistent issue, drawing widespread attention over the years in states like Rajasthan, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.

This issue was a significant factor contributing to the unexpected electoral setback for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, fueling youth dissatisfaction that manifested prominently in the subsequent general elections.

Examinations are not merely a concern for students and youth; they deeply affect their families, who often incur significant financial burdens to finance coaching and higher education.

Many middle-class families pin their hopes on their children’s success to ease household financial pressures in the future. However, repeated cancellations of exams and age restrictions due to delays inevitably foster discontent at every level, prompting widespread protests. Therefore, the longstanding problem of paper leaks demands a robust and lasting solution.

I experienced the devastation of a paper leak during my BSc studies at Allahabad University. I had diligently prepared for the CPMT exam, confident of securing admission to a medical college. However, my hopes were shattered when news broke that the exam had been compromised and subsequently canceled.

This incident, which occurred in the 1980s, forced me to reconsider my career path and make significant adjustments to my plans for the future. Such circumstances naturally breed frustration and disillusionment with the system.

For the average person, things like the Patel statue, the Ram temple, or religious politics hold little relevance compared to fundamental concerns. These distractions do not create jobs or contribute substantially to societal well-being.

True progress hinges on initiatives that foster employment opportunities, provide job-focused education, deliver affordable healthcare, and ensure effective public services. When every individual has access to meaningful employment, crime rates naturally decline, and prosperity becomes attainable for all.

The upcoming session of Parliament, commencing this Monday, poses significant challenges for the new government. The opposition has bolstered its ranks and is poised to obstruct legislative proceedings with renewed vigor.

Even before entering Parliament, the nation’s oldest party is exhibiting unparalleled enthusiasm, wielding social media as a potent weapon, albeit in a manner that many consider misuse.

A YouTuber originally from Rohtak, Haryana, now residing in Germany, has been actively tarnishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s image at the behest of this party. Meanwhile, the Congress-led Karnataka government sent its plainclothes police to Noida to apprehend a prominent pro-BJP YouTuber.

This underscores the Congress’s establishment of a dubious ecosystem aimed at fomenting social media unrest. Through a web of falsehoods, deception, and vitriol, this network is propagating digital terror, while the ruling party remains on the defensive mode, seemingly preoccupied with yoga.

Adding to the turbulence, the infamous duo ‘UP ke do ladke’ are set to make a grand entrance in Parliament, promising uproar, while thousands of disgruntled youth amplify their dissent from outside.

The controversy surrounding the paper leak has already erupted well before the session’s commencement. The unfolding events will be closely watched to see what unfolds next.

Jouramajra reviews ongoing strengthening work of Ghaggar Bandh

Chandigarh/Dera Bassi, June 22, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)

Punjab Water Resources Minister S. Chetan Singh Jouramajra today directed the department officials to complete the ongoing strengthening work of the Tiwana bandh of Ghaggar within a stipulated time to avert any untoward incident during the Monsoon onset.

Visiting the Tiwana, Amlala, Khajur Mandi and Alamgir, the villages prone to the Ghaggar’s flood water, along with MLA Dera Bassi S. Kuljit Singh Randhawa, the Cabinet said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government is committed for pre-monsoon arrangements across the state.

He said the strengthening works and cleaning of the water bodies are in place and no laxity would be tolerated with the quality and deadline of the works.

“An amount of about Rs.9 crore has been allocated for fortifying and repair works of the Bandh across the Ghaggar in Tiwana, Alamgir area to install a 2900 feet long bandh, out of which 2400 feet work has already been completed and the rest of the 500 feet work would be finished on war footing to give relief to the villagers situated along the bandh of Ghaggar,” added the Water Resources Minister.

On a demand for a poclain machine for the work by the local residents, the Cabinet Minister Immediately ordered the engineers present on the spot to arrange the required machinery at the earliest to speed up the strengthening work.

The Minister assured the residents of all the flood protection measurements, including cleaning of Sarsini-Sdhanpur rivulet, before the onset of Monsoon.

MLA Kuljit Singh while apprising the Water Resources Minister of the previous year’s flood situation, also sought the repair work of Amlala Bridge, which connects the area to Patiala road, on priority.

Similarly, explaining the bad road conditions caused due to Jam on the Shambhu Border as an alternate route for the traffic through Amlala and nearby villages, MLA Kuljit Singh demanded the immediate need for road repair. The Minister asked for the required estimates to get them approved by the Punjab Chief Minister.

Earlier, Water Resources Minister S. Chetan Singh Jouramajra along with MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa also took stock of the ongoing work of Mubarkpur Causeway near Truck Union Dera Bassi and reviewed the progress of the work being executed by the Municipal Council, Dera Bassi.

MLA Randhawa added that work of repair of another causeway from Bhankharpur to Issapur is also in progress and the work, with estimated Rs.1 crore, is expected to be finished before the start of the Monsoon.

MLA Randhawa while expressing gratitude to the Water Resources Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra said that this visit would prove fruitful to push the ongoing works on Ghaggar to the finishing line, which will provide further big relief to the thousands of people who feel prone to the Ghaggar floods.

SDM Dera Bassi Himanshu Gupta, Chief Engineer Water Resources Hardeep Singh Mehandiratta, Superintending Engineer Manoj Bansal and Executive Engineer Gurtej Singh Garcha were among the officers present there.

LS poll results tight slap to CM Siddaramaiah, Dy CM Shivakumar: Pralhad Joshi

Pralhad Joshi

Bengaluru, June 22, 2024
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi stated on Saturday that just within a year of the assembly election, the people of Karnataka have given a tight slap for the arrogance of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar.

Speaking at the felicitation programme for central ministers and MPs from Karnataka, Joshi expressed his gratitude to the voters and party workers for this outcome.

He remarked that CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM Shivakumar should have resigned over the Valmiki Tribal Welfare Board scam. “We should strive to overthrow the corrupt, anti-Hindu Congress government which has imposed inflation on the people,” he appealed.

The NDA managed a great victory despite the Congress’s propaganda in the country. No one should forget that after the late PM Jawaharlal Nehru, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made it to the PM’s post for a third consecutive term, Joshi stated.

BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra stated that the election results proved that Karnataka is a fortress of the BJP. Amid the propaganda by the Congress, the people have blessed the BJP-JD(S) alliance.

The Congress, which had won only one seat in 2019, might have won 9 seats in 2024. The BJP and JD(S) gained leads in more than 145 assembly constituencies in the state. “Our candidates have secured leads in the constituencies of cabinet ministers,” he added.

“We have to focus our energies on the forthcoming Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat elections now,” he stated.

Former CM B.S. Yediyurappa stated that the Congress stands for false guarantees, corruption, mismanagement and zero development.

“The party workers have to convince people on these fronts. We have to win the Bengaluru civic polls, Zilla Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and Gram Panchayat elections. We have to show our strength in these elections,” he stated.(Agency)

SGPC files complaint against Instagram influencer for doing yoga in Golden Temple

SGPC-Logo Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee

Amritsar, June 22, 2024
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Saturday filed a police complaint against a woman Instagram influencer for doing yoga at Sri Darbar Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple Amritsar, here.

The incident sparked outrage among the Sikh community.

Also, the SGPC has taken action against three ‘sewadars’ or employees for duty dereliction in the Darbar Sahib ‘Parikrama’ by allowing the woman to do yoga exercises in the morning of June 21 that is observed as International Day of Yoga.

A marble walkway is known as the ‘Parikrama’ where pilgrims can take a circumambulation, offering prayers and paying their respects.

SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said some people deliberately ignore the sanctity of the holy place. He said Sikh sentiments have been hurt by the act of the woman.

He appealed to the ‘sangat’ that Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib has great respect in the entire Sikh community and at the same time pilgrims, belonging to every religion and country, come here to pay obeisance with reverence.

An inquiry committee, constituted by the SGPC, questioned the ‘sewadars’ for dereliction of duty.

Pictures of Instagram influencer, Archana Makwana, while performing yoga went viral.

Amid the uproar, she has issued a public apology, expressing regret.

Golden Temple General Manager Bhagwant Singh Dhangera said Archana Makwana had posted her photos on her social media account.

“After verifying through the CCTV cameras, it was found that she performed yoga exercises at 7.04 a.m. after entering the premises at 6.57 a.m. She spent almost an hour in the ‘Parikrama’ but she had not paid a reverence during her stay,” he added.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is considered the ‘Mini Parliament’ of the religion.(Agency)

Former Union minister Suryakanta Patil quits BJP

Nanded (Maharashtra), June 22, 2024
Days after the party’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections, former union minister Suryakanta Patil on Saturday resigned from the primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). ‘’I have learned a lot in the last 10 years, I am thankful to the party,’’ she said after quitting.

Patil, who had joined the BJP in 2014 after she parted ways with the Sharad Pawar led NCP, had sought the party’s nomination during the Lok Sabha elections from Hingoli constituency in Marathwada but she failed to get the ticket. She had expressed her displeasure on social media after failing to get the nomination.

During the seat sharing arrangement, the Hingoli seat was left to the Eknath Shinde led Shiv Sena. During the general elections, the BJP had given her the responsibility of poll chief of the Hadgaon Himayatnagar assembly constituency. The Shiv Sena had lost the Hingoli seat to the Uddhav Thackeray led faction.

Patil has represented the Hingoli-Nanded constituency four times as MP and once as MLA. She was the minister of state for rural development and parliamentary affairs during the UPA government.(Agency)

GST Council okays uniform 12 per cent GST on milk cans, cartons, water sprinklers

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

New Delhi, June 22, 2024
The GST Council meeting held on Saturday recommended a uniform GST rate of 12 per cent on all milk cans whether they be made of steel, iron, or aluminum, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.

Milk cans will be governed by a standard measurement and not by the material they are made of, in order to avoid ambiguity, the Finance Minister said.

They are called milk cans but wherever they are used, that will be the rate applicable so that no disputes arise out of it, she added.

The council also recommended a uniform GST rate of 12 per cent on all carton boxes and cases of both corrugated and non-corrugated paper or paper board.

This will in particular help the apple growers of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

A uniform 12 per cent GST has also been recommended on all types of water sprinklers including fire water sprinklers, she added.(Agency)

Railway services, students’ hostels exempted from GST

Nirmala-Sitharaman-FM

New Delhi, June 22, 2024
The GST Council meeting chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday decided to exempt services provided by Indian Railways from GST.

Addressing the media after the council meeting, the Finance Minister said the purchase of railway tickets and payments for waiting room and cloak room charges have been exempted from GST.

Similarly, no GST will be levied on services provided like battery-operated vehicles and intra-railway services.

The Council has also decided to exempt GST on charges for hostels for students that are located outside educational institutions.

The exemption will be extended to hostels run by communities as well.

However, the condition will be that the upper limit of charges will be Rs 20,000 per person per month and the student must have stayed in the hostel for a continuous period of 90 days.

The condition has been introduced to prevent hotels from taking advantage of the exemption, she added.

The Finance Minister clarified that hostels located within education institutions are already exempt from GST.(Agency)

Justify why 10K police personnel were transferred, Congress leader tells Punjab CM Mann

Partap-Singh-Bajwa

Chandigarh, June 22, 2024
After Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav defended the police personnel, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa on Saturday urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to justify why 10,000 Punjab police personnel were transferred recently.

Congress Leader Bajwa said Mann on Tuesday announced that at least 10,000 police personnel, from the rank of constable onward, have been transferred.

Mann said the transfers were made after he realised that drug peddlers had a nexus with the police.

Bajwa said, on the other hand, in an interview with a newspaper on Thursday, DGP Gaurav Yadav defended the 10,000 police personnel, who were recently transferred by the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio.

“The DGP said these transfers were part of the state policy formed in 2020.

Chief Minister Mann directly accused the 10,000 police personnel of developing a nexus with drug peddlers. However, DGP Yadav seems to have been in damage-control mode and defending the cops. Consequently, the people of Punjab have been left in a perplexed situation,” Bajwa said.

The Qadian legislator said that “accusing” such a large number of police personnel was a “big statement” by the Chief Minister. “Now the onus is on the Chief Minister. He must explain whether he still stands by his statement.

This government has terribly failed to curb the growing drug abuse in Punjab. It has no strategy at all to deal with the drug peddlers and now it is playing blame games,” Bajwa added.(Agency)