Punjab wants to end drug trafficking by May 31, DGP tells officers to lead from front
The DGP emphasised the decision was a well-considered one and arrived at after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reviewed the ongoing anti-drug drive "Yudh Nashyan Virudh".
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Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
CM Mann hands over loan waiver certificates, says ‘govt working for wellbeing of underprivileged sections'
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said his government is working untiringly for the wellbeing of the state's weaker and underprivileged sections. Addressing a gathering after handing over loan waiver certificates to the beneficiaries here, Mann said the previous governments in the state waived loans of the affluent people but didn't bother about the welfare of the poor. 'For the first time in the history of Punjab, this reprieve is being extended to the underprivileged and weaker sections of society,' Mann said. The loan waiver scheme worth Rs 67.84 crore has benefited around 4,800 families of loanees of the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation (PSCFC), the chief minister said. On June 3, the Punjab Cabinet gave its nod to waive loans amounting to Rs 67.84 crore taken by over 4,000 Dalit families from the PSCFC. Mann said the waiver covers all loans disbursed by the PSCFC up to March 31, 2020, offering significant relief to SC and Divyangjan (persons with disabilities) loanees. The move will benefit 4,727 loanees for an aggregate amount of Rs 67.84 crore. The scheme will cover all the loanees, including 4,685 defaulting loanees and 42 regular loanees, government sources said. Addressing the gathering, Mann said 'no due certificates' () will be issued by the state government and the full amount of Rs 67.84 crore comprising principal, interest and penal interest calculated as of April 30, 2025, will be reimbursed to the PSCFC by the state government. The loanees who previously availed benefits under the earlier waiver schemes are also eligible for coverage under this initiative, Mann said. No recovery proceedings will be initiated against the loanees and their accounts will be considered fully settled as of the cut-off date, he added. According to the 2011 Census, Scheduled Castes constitute 31.94 per cent of Punjab's total population and many members of this community have availed loans from the PSCFC to set up self-employment ventures aimed at economic upliftment. However, Mann said some borrowers were unable to repay their loans due to circumstances beyond their control, leading to defaults. These families could not repay their loans due to circumstances such as demise of the main earning member, prolonged illness, or having no other source of income, etc. Recovering these loans from such people was unjust, so the state government has decided to waive them, the chief minister said.
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
17 years on, another bid to set the ball rolling for Jalandhar's sports hub
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is making yet another effort to revive the long-awaited sports hub at Jalandhar's Burlton Park, with chief minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal set to lay the foundation stone of the project on June 11. The project, which has remained in limbo for 17 long years, is now estimated to cost ₹77.77-crore. Facilities for outdoor & indoor games The sports hub, which is to come up on 60 acres, will include outdoor sports facilities such as cricket stadium, astroturf hockey ground and seven-side football ground (natural grass), each with separate pavilion areas. It will also have indoor sports facilities for multiple disciplines including yoga, skating, cycling and jogging. In limbo since 2008 The project was first floated by the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in 2008. In 2016, the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs announced that Jalandhar will be developed as a Smart City, with the sports hub set to be one of the key projects. In 2022, just before the state assembly elections, the then Congress government had awarded the project's tender to a Chandigarh-based firm, with a completion deadline of 12 months, but it only managed to construct the boundary wall. A sum of ₹1.13-crore was also released to the company after which the MC terminated the tender. Jalandhar mayor Vaneet Dhir said the municipal corporation has re-allotted the tenders to the same company, which was assigned the project earlier. 'The project had been hanging fire due to lack of political and administrative will because of which contractors were also reluctant to work on it. In the last four months, multiple meetings were held with contractors, who were ensured that all the required logistics will be provided for the completion of the project,' said Dhir. Former AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, who is presently with the BJP, said it appears to be a 'gimmick' to score brownie points. 'Both Mann and Kejriwal had promised the revive the project while campaigning for me during the 2023 Jalandhar bypoll. Exactly two years on, they are doing a formality of initiating the project,' said Rinku. He also questioned why the tender was awarded to the same company, 'which had left the project mid-way'.
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Govt committed to restoring dignity of Dalits, delivering justice to them: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann said the loan waiver worth ₹67.84 crore to Scheduled Caste (SC) and 'divyangjan' (persons with disabilities) borrowers under the Punjab Scheduled Castes Land Development and Finance Corporation (PSCFC) has benefited 4,800 families. Speaking at a ceremony to distribute loan waiver certificates in Amritsar, Mann highlighted that this is the first time in Punjab's history that such extensive financial relief has been provided to the state's underprivileged sections. He pointed out that earlier, loan waivers largely favored affluent groups, while the poor were neglected. 'The state government is dedicated to empowering the common man and ensuring that every penny of the state exchequer is spent on public welfare,' Mann said. He also stressed the importance of education, calling it key to the progress and dignity of marginalised communities. On June 3, the Punjab cabinet gave its nod to waive loans amounting to ₹6767.84 crore taken by over 4,000 Dalit families from the PSCFC. The waiver scheme covers all PSCFC loans disbursed until March 31, 2020, including principal, interest, and penal interest calculated up to April 30, 2025. Approximately 4,727 loanees — both defaulters and regular borrowers — will be covered under the scheme. Beneficiaries will receive 'no dues certificates' confirming full settlement of their dues, and the government assured no recovery action will be taken in the future, he added. According to the 2011 Census, Scheduled Castes constitute 31.94% of Punjab's total population and many members of this community have availed loans from the PSCFC to set up self-employment ventures aimed at economic upliftment. Mann underscored the scheme's goal to restore dignity and improve the socio-economic status of the SC and Divyangjan communities. He also criticised previous governments for treating marginalised groups as mere vote banks without addressing their genuine needs. Mann said some borrowers were unable to repay their loans due to circumstances beyond their control, leading to defaults. These families could not repay their loans due to circumstances such as demise of the main earning member, prolonged illness, or having no other source of income, etc. Recovering these loans from such people was unjust, so the state government has decided to waive them, the CM said. Cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr Baljit Kaur, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Lal Chand Kataruchak, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and others were also present on the occasion.
