Latest news with #BhagwantMann
India.com
13 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Punjab Cabinet Approves New Land Pooling Policy To Promote Planned, Sustainable Development
Chandigarh: The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Monday approved the introduction of a new and progressive land pooling policy to promote planned and sustainable development. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said the policy aims to involve landowners, promoters, and companies as stakeholders in the development process and to increase interest in land pooling among landowners. The revised scheme has been rationalised to benefit small and marginal farmers significantly, offering more options to landowners, which will boost group housing and planned development, ultimately benefiting the common man. The policy is designed to ensure holistic development by integrating every stakeholder into the process. It will be a game changer for the state as it will provide major benefits for farmers. There will be no more exploitation of farmers, and they will directly benefit. No private developers or land mafia can exploit farmers, as the policy ensures that farmers are protected from exploitation by private players. The Cabinet also approved the partial surrender and partial cancellation of licences issued to colonies under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act (PAPRA), 1995, as well as the partial cancellation of approvals granted to industrial park projects. A policy in this regard was notified on March 10, concerning the surrender of licences for developing colonies under the PAPRA Act and approvals for industrial parks. This decision allows for partial surrender of licensed areas, subject to certain conditions, and partial suspension or cancellation of licenses for such projects. To encourage allottees and bidders of residential, commercial, and other property plots to make lump sum payments of 75 per cent of the total amount, the Cabinet also approved a series of incentives. A 15 per cent discount on the cost of the plot or site will be offered to allottees who make a lump sum payment. This measure, said the spokesperson, is expected to ensure consolidated revenue for the government while also reducing the number of defaulters. To further facilitate the state's holistic development and boost revenue generation, the Cabinet approved an increase in external development charges, changes in land use charges, licence fees, and other charges applicable to real estate promoters.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
AAP's anti-drug campaign is a series of missed deadlines: Cong
Ludhiana: Senior Congress leaders slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann for failing to eliminate the drug menace in Punjab. Addressing a press conference here, Congress leaders said that CM Mann had changed the deadline for making Punjab drug-free at least four times, but failed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi accused AAP of distributing alcohol, drugs, and money to win the Ludhiana West bypoll. Senior Congress leaders, including MLA from Kapurthala, Rana Gurjeet Singh, former minister Pargat Singh, Sunder Sham Arora, and former CM Charanjit Singh Channi, were in the city to attend the induction of an AAP leader in the Congress. Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh said, "In the year 2022, when AAP formed government in Punjab, both CM Bhagwant Mann and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal assured that they would make Punjab drug-free. Then, on August 15, 2023, during the Independence Day function, CM Mann announced that he would make Punjab drug-free within one year. In April 2024, he again stated that Punjab would be drug-free by the end of December, 2024. " He added, that in October, 2023, the government took children to the Golden Temple to pray for a drug-free state. On February 28, CM Mann directed Punjab Police to eliminate the drug menace in three months. He also promised to open de-addiction centres in villages and form committees. "He must reveal what his government has done on the ground, apart from making false promises and giving 'tareekh pe tareekh' on the aim of making Punjab a drug-free state," Rana Gurjeet said. Accusing CM Mann and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal of using campaigns for publicity, former CM Channi said, "While the 'Yudh Nasheya Virudh' programme was on, at least 27 individuals lost their lives to spurious liquor. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In another incident, three Ludhiana residents also died after consuming spurious liquor. Why don't CM Mann and the finance minister take responsibility for these deaths? While being in the opposition, Mann would always hold the CM responsible for each tragedy. Now, he must take responsibility for deaths of the people." Channi alleged that the ruling government was distributing drugs, liquor and money in Ludhiana West. "In fact, AAP's own MLA from Amritsar, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, has been saying that senior police officials are involved in running a drug nexus in Punjab. Why does Mann not listen to their own MLA? Even the demolition drive is an eyewash because the houses that are being demolished are illegally constructed; however, the authorities call it an action against drug peddlers," he said. The former CM asserted that drugs were being openly sold in Punjab and asked anyone who wanted to check to visit him. "I will show how drugs can be delivered just with a call," he maintained. Congress's Allegations: Missed Deadlines: CM Bhagwant Mann allegedly shifted the deadline for making Punjab drug-free multiple times—initially in 2022, then August 2023, April 2024, and again in February 2025. Lack of action: Congress leaders claim that despite promises, there has been little tangible progress, and the government has relied on symbolic gestures like prayers at the Golden Temple. Deaths from spurious liquor: At least 30 deaths were cited during the anti-drug campaign, raising questions about the effectiveness and sincerity of the efforts. Internal criticism: Even AAP's own MLA, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, has reportedly spoken out about police involvement in drug networks. Election malpractice allegations: Former CM Channi accused AAP of distributing drugs, liquor, and money during the Ludhiana West bypoll. MSID:: 121549770 413 |
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Promise to make Punjab drug-free 'farce', says BJP leader; AAP contradicts
The promise to make Punjab drug-free has once again proven to be a farce as the fifth deadline set by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on May 31 has passed, but the drug situation in the state has not improved, the BJP's state media head Vineet Joshi said on Sunday. He said the ground reality is that 'chitta' (synthetic drug) is now being sold openly, and home delivery of drugs has become common. Responding to the BJP's assertions, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Neel Garg said it has become a party of press conferences, completely detached from the ground realities. He asked the BJP whether they are unaware that in just 90 days, the AAP government has arrested over 14,000 drug smugglers and sent them to jail. 'Are they oblivious to the fact that 8,472 first information reports (FIRs) have been registered under the NDPS Act and that hundreds of encounters have taken place? Furthermore, hundreds of illegal structures built by drug smugglers have been demolished using bulldozers,' he said. Garg highlighted that the BJP might not know how people across villages, towns, and cities -- be it the elderly, women, or youth -- are coming forward to pledge that they will neither consume drugs nor allow their sale. Not convinced with AAP's justification, the BJP leader said the war against drugs is failing because the drug supply chain has not been broken. He stated, 'Drugs will be eradicated only when the supply chain is crushed. During Covid-19, when the drug supply chain was disrupted, long queues were witnessed outside de-addiction centres. But no such scenes were seen during this campaign against drugs, proving the supply chain remains intact'. Joshi said the AAP government is presenting hollow statistics to gain applause. For instance, Member of Parliament Malwinder Kang cited a case in Patiala, 'labelling a youth as a drug smuggler, while in reality he was an addict undergoing treatment at a de-addiction centre for a year. The FIR mentioned only a non-commercial quantity was found with him'. The BJP leader said the seriousness of the government and CM Mann in fighting drugs could be gauged from the fact that no state-level programmes were held on the last three International Anti-Drug Days.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Unions vs Punjab govt: Ties hit another low, farm leaders accept CM Bhagwant Mann's challenge
Bathinda: The fast-worsening ties between farm unions and the Punjab govt have hit another low, with chief minister Bhagwant Mann being the primary provocateur this time Speaking in Bathinda on Thursday, Mann accused leaders of farm unions of making money through illegal means and using that wealth to acquire huge tracts of land, and shares in hospitals and hotels. He even challenged farm unionists to a debate on the agrarian crisis. Angered by the statement, farm leaders have accused the CM of repeatedly insulting them. Senior farm leaders Balbir Singh Rajewal and Joginder Singh Ugrahan have accepted the CM's challenge and asked him to fix the place, date and time for an open debate on agrarian issues. They said, in a statement, that they are eager to listen to him and raise issues. Other farm unions accused Mann of "dancing to the tunes of the central govt and corporates". "If he has a problem with farmer organisations or their leaders, he should come out with facts, but should not try to show them in a bad light without proof and try to create a wedge between urban people and farmers. Such behaviour clearly shows how arrogant he has become, and this arrogance will not last long," said farm organisation BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) secretary Shingara Singh Mann. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo Kirti Kisan Union general secretary Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala said by going beyond the state's financial resources in making claims of acquiring 24,000 acres of land for developing urban estates in Ludhiana, Mann was unmasking his "pro-corporate face". "He knows that with this, the farmers will be hit the hardest and will raise a hue and cry. In a pre-emptive move, he is trying to corner them and wants to remove the tag of running a soft govt which is always taking U-turns. Now he wants to show that he is heading a strong govt that can take on the mighty farmer movement. Apart from this, he is annoyed that when opposition parties have failed in discharging their duties in raising issues and opposing the govt, farmers are acting strongly, even more than opposition parties, and he is taking on the farm groups," said Deep Singh Wala. Coldest ties in a long time The relationship between Punjab govt and farm unions had never been so sore before. When it came to farmers, Punjab chief ministers in the past were restrained, especially in showcasing their body language and words, in dealing with protesting farmers. In his initial days, CM Bhagwant Mann mirrored this tact. During the initial part of the Delhi Chalo 2 on the borders of Punjab and Haryana, Mann's statements were mostly in faviour of farmers. This, however, changed on March 3, when Mann invited farm groups affiliated with Sanyukt Kisan Morcha for talks. He showed his annoyance about the call by farmers for a weeklong protest in Chandigarh from March 5 in support of their demands and used harsh words for them. Some days later, the flashpoint was reached when leaders of farm forums Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha were arrested, and protest morchas at Shambhu and Khanauri were demolished, with complaints of valuable items of farmers, including tractor-trailers, going missing.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Punjab Police report disrupted drug supply chain, prices surge amid ongoing anti-drug drive
Punjab Police on Saturday announced that its intelligence reports and informal surveys indicate a significant disruption in the drug supply chain across the State, resulting in a 50% increase in street-level heroin prices and a 40% rise in the prices of synthetic drugs. Addressing a press conference on the ongoing three-month anti-drug campaign, Punjab's Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav stated that the drive against drugs will continue, adding that fresh, exhaustive lists of drug peddlers and suppliers are being prepared with inputs from districts, intelligence units, and the anti-narcotics task force, to intensify action against traffickers over the next 60 days. 'Intelligence reports and informal surveys indicate a disruption in the drug supply chain, resulting in a 50% increase in street-level heroin prices and a 40% increase in street-level synthetic drug prices due to strict enforcement. Repeated, targeted, and effective cordon and search operations have forced notorious drug smugglers to abandon their homes and flee, disrupting local networks and diminishing their operational capacity,' he said at the press conference The Congress party, however, took a dig at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), referencing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's assertion on May 3, 2025, in Jalandhar that 'Punjab will be made a drug-free state by May 31.' Posing a question to the Chief Minster, in a post on 'X', Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh said '...Today is May 31, 2025, the Deadline you set for defeating drugs in Punjab. Will you please tell us about the status of the 'War on Drugs'? Please tell us, whether the 'War' has really been won? Or, there is a Ceasefire? If the 'War' has really been won, people of Punjab would like you to make the grand announcement yourself. They would like to hear it from the horse's mouth before they start the celebrations. And if you make the victory announcement yourself, it should be followed by the 'Victory Parade'.' Meanwhile, the DGP added that the police are exploring the use of Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled anklets to track and monitor the activities of major drug smugglers released on bail. 'We are examining the proposal from a legal standpoint to track and monitor the movements of bailed-out major smugglers through GPS anklets, with the approval of the competent court,' he said. He further said that since March 1, 2025, Punjab Police have registered 8,344 first information reports and arrested 14,734 drug offenders, including 13,038 drug peddlers and 1,696 listed suppliers and distributors.
