Right To Service Act is a great tool for Citizens

Right to Service Act was passed on 19^th October 2011 by the state government of Punjab. The primary motive of RTS act was to make the delivery of government services to people of Punjab in easier and smooth manner. RTS act will be beneficial for people as it makes sure that the services are delivered in specified time span. Since RTS Act was first implemented i.e. 2011, Punjab government has been making sincere efforts to fulfill the motive of Service act and is focused on the agenda of putting service beyond duty.

According to the RTS Act, commission will arrange meetings after specified intervals of time to take important decisions, the functioning of the commission will be monitored and the final decision making lies in the hands of the chief commissioner. Right to Service Act has been providing transparency in the government department which is a great help for people of Punjab.

A Punjab Right to commission has also been set up for a timely delivery and suggestions to improve the quality/delivery of services. A commission also makes sure that the execution of RTS is done properly. As per the official spokesperson’s claim, around 28, 37,866 applicants have taken the advantage of the notified services during the month of February under the mentioned Act. Also, only 14,160 are the pending applications which are to be cleared as soon as possible. The implementation of Punjab Right to Service Act has been successful and it has also empowered the people of Punjab

Highlighting Punjab government over the Unipoles

Outdoor advertising is a great medium to reach directly to the public. It is expensive, as well as the most effective form of advertising. Hoarding and banners have been into practice since ages and have been used by various brands to the core. It is very expensive; therefore various brands still can’t afford to go for outdoor advertising. These days, the marketing agencies are looking for more interesting ways to advertise the brands and reach closer to the public.

The government of Punjab is now looking forward to hire unipoles to advertise itself across the state. They will be talking about the achievements of Punjab Government in last few years and how the state has been developed in their tenure of governance till now. With this advertising, the benefit will be given to the Municipal Corporation, which has not yet been able to generate the required amount of revenue in the last few years.

With the SAD-BJP government advertising excessively on these unipoles, the municipal corporation will have an added advantage of revenue and can later on use these unipoles to be sold to various brands across the state. The government has asked the corporation to give them the prices for the 50% major sites in different parts of the state. They are planning to start this advertising program till December and will be extending further to other sites as well in near future.

It will even add to the beautification of the state, as these hoardings on the highways across the state will be highlighting the achievements of the state, highlighting its development and highlighting the positive points that the city is known for. Various agencies have also been roped in to give out their best prices and the ones giving the lowest rates will be taking up this assignment for the government. Also, the Municipal Corporation Board has prepared their own list of unipoles and their prices and will be giving the same to the Public Relations Department for further consideration. With this process, the Municipal Coporation would at least earn a sum of Rs 1 crore in a span of six months, which will be a huge achievement for the board.

Government tries to help the farmers in Punjab

Farmers in Punjab are left with no choice than to grow Kharif crops this season due to the scare of white fly attack on cotton crops .The area under cotton cultivation in Bathinda has decreased comparatively from last year as farmers prefer Desi cotton to the BT cotton. As of last years extensive damage done to cotton crops by the white fly the government has asked the farmers to grow more paddy , growth of which is expected to go up by more than one lakh hectares from 29.75 lakh hectares as said by  a senior official of Punjab Agriculture Department. 

Earlier, Punjab had set a target of 28.50 lakh hectares of paddy. "The main reason behind rise in paddy will be the drop in acreage under cotton crop as farmers will divert that area towards rice," he further said.

Though the recent rain showers in Bathinda and Mansa districts have bought great relief to the farmers’ agony. Rain showers will not only lessen the whitefly attack but might end it entirely. The adverse condition of Khushwinder Singh of village Bhainibagha (Mansa) uprooted his cotton crop following the alleged whitefly attack as claimed by BKU Ugrahan leader Ram Singh Bhenibagha.

However, the agriculture department claimed that the matter has not come to their notice, and added that in the entire district, the whitefly attack which should be 6ET level is considerably low marking only 2ET level which is highly alarming for both the farmers and the Government.

After fortnightly discussions between the consultative and monitoring committees formed by the Chief Secretary on field visits, research work, exploring and sharing techniques regarding the control of pest attacks along with making the farmers aware about barrier crops in order to save cotton from whitefly attacks have been the top priority of the Punjab government.

On June 4 Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal formed an interstate panel comprising of 10 members from the neighboring states of Haryana and Rajasthan to evaluate the pest attack and take the required measures.

Strong recommendations and amendments are being made by the Government in order to provide some relief to the farmers. Different kinds of seeds are recommended by the PAU and experts from the universities are asked to launch a concerted drive in the specific areas of Bathinda and Mansa so that the spread of white fly could be averted. Along with this, a persuasion campaign has been started amongst farmers to sow barrier crops, namely, maize, jowar and bajra to prevent the pest attack.In the wake of depleting underground water table, Punjab government had asked growers to start sowing paddy from June 15.

Meanwhile, power utility PSPCL said assured proper power supply to farmers. "We have sufficient power with us to ensure 8-hour supply to farmers starting tomorrow," a Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd official said.

Amritsar on High Alert ahead of Blue Star’s Anniversary

With the Operation Blue Star's anniversary around the corner, on June 6, Amritsar is all geared up for the event. Along with strengthening security and alerting the city police, 10 companies of paramilitary forces have also been recruited, besides the Punjab Armed Police Forces and a team of commandos.

Bluestar was an Indian army operation, in 1984, against a group of rebels holed out in Sikhism's holiest place - the Golden Temple,Akal Takht complex. The rebels were led by the controversial, separatist leader - Bhindranwale  (then leader of the DamdamiTaksal), who could be traced back to the Khalistan Movement. The operation led to the death of 100s of Indian soldiers, terrorists and innocent pilgrims. It remains controversial, as it had lead to the complete blackout of media and many believe that the use of violence was excessive and alternative peace approaches were not properly explored.Such foolproof security arrangements are being made, keeping in mind the incident that occurred last year on the anniversary. 5 people got injured at Darbar Sahib, due to a clash between a group of anti-social youth organization and the employees of SGPC, who were restraining the trespassers from raising pro-khalistan slogans.

The city has also been put on high alert as the Sikh radical group 'Dal Khalsa' has demanded and given out a call for Amritsar Bandh on the day of the anniversary, to protest against the operation.Security preparations are in full swing since the past few days as the organization has also organized a Genocide Remembrance Parade to be held on 3rd June. This procession will rally around the entire city, from bazaars and markets to streets and localities.

A lot of chaos and terror has been stirred, with the announcement of opposition and protest by the Sikh Youth Federation Bhindranwala, against present Akal TakhtJathedarGianiGurbachan Singh, during his speech at the anniversary ceremony, from the Sikh temporal seat.Keeping a close eye on the city's situation, the key points such as Hall Gate, Lawrence Road, KitchlewChowk and in walled city, have been covered and positioned with high security officials and personnel, who will also assist the city police in night surveillance at public places like railway stations and bus stands.

Considering the controversial state of the city, the police commissioner has ordered a list of sensitive areas around the city, where Special Forces will be deployed and security cameras will be installed, especially around The Golden Temple.

Anybody who raises suspicion and indulges in anti-social acts, disturbing the peace and harmony of the city, will be handed over to the hands of the law, according to Police Commissioner, Amal Singh Chahal, who has been holding meetings with the SGPC, senior officials and SHOs of police stations to frame elaborate security plans, to keep the city and its people safe and unharmed.

Efforts by Govt. to Decrease Consumption of Tobacco

The Punjab Government, observing the rise in substance abuse among youths in the state, took an initiative on the eve of World No-Tobacco Day and launched a special drive to prevent the use of tobacco. A team of health officials had been formed, in the city of Bathinda, which raided the public places and fined the violators of the Tobacco Act.

In 2015, 1,081 people were reported to be fined under the COTPA, summing up the amount to be Rs 78,465. 2016 saw a decrease in the statistics, due to the efforts taken by the government. The figures lowered down to 236 violators till date, fines amounting to Rs 10,265. Only 70 violators had been found and fined during the special drive launched by the health department.

The team also held a workshop on 30 May, at the Goodwill Public School, Bathinda, to make the students aware about the harmful and adverse effects of tobacco and their deteriorating impact on the youth's health, mind and body. The team imparted information to the children, related to the diseases caused by tobacco's use and how it can be prevented. The school children along with the team took an oath to say no to tobacco and drugs. Realizing that the smoke emitted from cigarettes is SHS (Second Hand Smoke) and has more than 7000 chemicals including 69 that are cancer causing, the government took steps to make the state tobacco-free.

Punjab has become one of the first few states that have totally banned the sale of tobacco and related products around educational institutions, as minors are vulnerable, innocent and easily accessible for quick money at the cost of their habits and health. Any vendor found selling tobacco products within a radius of 100 yards of an educational institution will suffer a fine of Rs 200 and complete shut-down of business. To protect non-smokers and young people, smoking in public has become strictly prohibited. Any place that the public has access to like hospitals, workplaces, malls, cinemas etc have been declared smoke-free.

The government has also put a ban on the production and sale of smokeless chewing tobacco, nicotine and their use as ingredients in food products.

“It’s a step to keep the non-smokers people away from cigarette smoke in public areas. The World Tobacco Day is observed with the aim of making the public aware of the harmful affects of tobacco use. Today, the youth is inclined towards drugs in Punjab and steps are being taken from time to time to save the youth from drugs. The health authorities had keenly taken interest in the imposition of fine on violators,” said Dr SK Rajkumar, Assistant Civil Surgeon, Bathinda.

Government starts procuring wheat from 1st April

To make things easier for farmers and give them a fair price for their produce, Punjab Government has set up procurement centers all around the state. There are around 1, 823 procurement centers, which have been set up by the Punjab Mandi Board at some of the most essential points in the state.

The purchasing process of wheat will start from 1^st April and farmers can get their produce to these centers to sell them at the best available prices. The chairperson of the board, Ajmer Singh Lakhowal and secretary Tejinder Pal Singh Sidhu along with their team have made the required arrangements for this process to go on flawlessly.

With so many centers around different parts of the state, there has to be one control room to keep a check on all of them, this control room has been set up in Mohali and will be looking at all the issues, if any at any of the centers around the state. The rate that has been set by the government for a quintal of wheat is at Rs. 1, 525.

By setting a fixed amount for a fixed quantity it will be fair for the farmers to sell their wheat at these procurement centers as they do not have to worry about getting the right price. The head office for these procurement centers, where a control room has also been developed is located in Sector 65 of Mohali. The control room would be operating from 8 am in the morning till 8 pm at night, so that the concerned parties can come up with their issues at their suitable time. One can also contact the head office via phone at the following numbers: 0172 – 5101649, 0172 – 5101704. Another mobile number, which is available for callers, is, 9914004661.

These procurement centers have been developed, keeping in mind the comfort of the farmers; there is adequate seating arrangement for them along with power supply and drinking water facility. Along with the district officers at the centers, staff members of market committee will also be deployed there so that the farmers are not cheated at any point during the whole process. Special teams, consisting of general managers, chief engineers, have been formed to keep a check on the arrangements at the centers. The farmers coming at the centers will be given the ‘Kisan Health Bima Cards’.

The effective implementation of Right to Service Act in Punjab

The Right to Service Act, which was implemented in the year 2011, has served crores of people since its inception in Punjab. This high number of results depict that the scheme has been effectively implemented all around the state.

Only during January 2016, the number of applicants who have availed the services under this act goes up to 27, 39, 007, which is highly appreciable.  And since the time this act has been implemented, the total number of people served under this act is 6.91 crores. It is a record made by Punjab, when it comes to this scheme of the government.

The number of applications which are currently pending, beyond the designated timeline is only 14, 944, and this too will be cleared out at the earliest. The reason why the Punjab Government could act so efficiently in the Punjab Service Act is because they took a number of cases, which were taking a lot of time, without any considerable causes on Suo-Moto basis.

They have also taken strict actions against its authorities who have not been working properly and encouraged everyone to serve the public as soon as possible and manage all the applications within the desired time period. A very well assisted helpline number has been circulated all around the state, where the general public and easily rich till the authorities and get their problems solved. Along with making people aware of what the act was offering to the general public, they also explained the procedure as per which they are supposed to fill the form and solve their grievances over phone itself. The Help desk number offered by the authorities is, 0172-2790182.

They are not only acting on the applications which concern their department, but going out of their way, they are even taking help of other departments on applications, which they think concern their area of operations. In this way, the sole beneficiary is the general public who doesn’t have to go from office to office taking their application, without any proper guidance. The authorities concerned are not leaving any stones unturned, to help the general public in all ways possible and giving them a one stop solution for their requirements in this concerned area.

Swachh Punjab – moving on the right track

Recently the government of Punjab and Elets Techno Media had organized the National Conference on innovation in Governance in Chandigarh. An award ceremony also took place there to recognize various initiatives taken by different governments that are praise worthy.

The award for best E-Governance and M-Governance for service delivery to citizen was given to the Government of Punjab for its mission Swachh Punjab. The Chief Minister started the mission in June 2015 and it has been very effectively spread all across the state that the Prime Minister had praised it earlier. Till now more than 3, 777 villages have been included and worked on within this mission by the government. 

Along with this, huge efforts are being made to eradicate the Open Defecation problem and 1, 048 villages have already been declared as Open Defecation free in Punjab. India is one of those countries, which is having the major issue of Open Defecation in the villages and rural areas, and this is the reason why it is getting difficult to keep the environment clean and healthy. The first and foremost step for the state and in fact the whole country is to build toilets in every house and village and teach people the importance of the same. 

The government aims to build toilets for the complete rural population of the country in the next three years. It is offering financial assistance of Rs. 15, 000 to each and every household in these areas, for them to build toilets for their use.  Along with solving the sanitation problem, the biggest challenge for the government is to change the behavioral practices of the rural communities and teach them about the importance of proper sanitation and cleanliness.

Provision of clean and safe drinking water is also on the top most agenda of the government to make this mission a complete success. Due to open defecation, and sanitation issues, it is becoming difficult to keep the water clean and safe. They are started with surveys and seminars on the ground level, from classes 4th and 5th in various schools, to teach the students about the importance of the same and how they can implement it in their own homes. If the kids are given proper education about the same, we can think of a bright future, where we wont have problem of sanitation, littering and safe drinking water even in the rural areas of the country.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Steps forward towards a better Punjab

To keep the country safe, one must first of all take care of its soldiers and their families, as they are the ones living away from their homes in no-man’s land and fighting for their country. Punjab Government has recently taken a very positive step in this direction. They have announced to revise and raise the ex-gratia amount granted for the soldiers either martyred or who have been disabled during their tenure of operations in the country.

This instills a feeling of respect amongst the soldiers and their families and makes them feel secure. The soldiers who die during the counter-revolution were earlier given an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 2 lakhs, but now the government has revised it to Rs. 5 lakhs. On the other hand, the amount granted for soldiers with disability of 75 percent, 51 percent to 75 percent, and 25 to 50 percent has also been revised in a similar manner and will be given Rs. 4 lakh, Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 1 lakh respectively.

Till now, cities likes Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar have had local city bus services which covered their municipal limits and 10 kms ahead of it, but now the government is planning to take this forward to other parts of Punjab as well. The recently laid down city bus scheme notification says that stage-carriage buses will now operate in many more cities of Punjab along with the present three. This is an initiative, which will offer commuters a chance to use public transport and will further reduce pollution in the city. It is a step towards saving the environment and offering a better living to the general public.

Another initiative that the Punjab Government has taken for a better and friendly environment is to curb the use of plastic carry bags. They have issued an ordinance saying that from 1st April, plastic bags shouldn’t be manufactured, sold or used in the market. The material used in these plastic bags is non-recyclable which further makes it a huge hazard for the environment. It is advisable for people to carry jute bags or paper bags with them, rather than taking plastic bags. The shopkeepers should also make arrangements for any kind of environment-friendly bags, either made of jute or paper or more such kinds. If effectively followed, significant reduction in manufacture and use of plastic bags can wonderfully change the environment we live in.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Punjab, now a part of UDAY

UDAY – Ujwal DISCOM assurance Yojna, is a scheme launched by the Indian Government to manage the operational and financial turnaround of the DISCOMs. Today, the state of Punjab along with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to participate in this yojna.

Piyush Goyal, the Union Minister for State for Power, who was present at the ceremony said that this scheme will be highly beneficial for the state, as it is a hub of farmers as well as industrialists, and they can very well use it for their bright future. He said that along with reviving the power sector of the state, he will also make sure that all the old water pumps should be replaced with the new ones which are power saving as well as technologically advanced.

On the other hand, Sukhbir Singh Badal said that UDAY will very well take care of the entire DISCOM debt, which currently stands at Rs. 20, 838 crore. The Punjab Government will take possession of 75 percent of this entire amount, to take this scheme forward. The scheme further provides for the remaining 25%, which is to be re-priced as State Guaranteed DISCOM bonds and sold at a less price than the current interest rate in the market. This will further help the State to save an amount around Rs. 625 crore annually on account of restructuring of the debts.

Supporting the DISCOM financially is one of the many benefits of the MoU. In addition to this, it will also enhance the current operational efficiency of the DISCOMs in the State. Smart metering will be applied for the high-end consumers, and there will also be indexing of the power consumption of consumers and special system to map the losses incurred. Transformers and meters will also be upgraded or changed, wherever required to help them supply power efficiently in all parts of State.

Along with Punjab, there are a total of seven states, which have signed the MoU under the scheme, UDAY, to help in proper management of DISCOMs in their state and ensure better power supply to the people of the state. It is a great step towards offering power to the public at better rates, as this will eventually help in reducing the cost of supply of power. In order to improve the power infrastructure, the central government will also help the State and the DISCOMS, by offering them various incentives from time to time.

All in all, participating in this scheme would definitely be beneficial for the State Government, as it can save an amount of approximately Rs. 5475 crore with the help of various parts of this scheme. The public of Punjab will be highly beneficial with the effective implementation of this scheme, as this will offer them with lesser cost per unit of electricity and better supply of power to all districts of Punjab.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Pragmatic approach must to avoid social tension over stray cattle menace

Chandigarh, March 4: The problem of stray cattle that has multiplied manifold after the undeclared ban on export with truckers coming under attack has assumed alarming proportions with social tension rising, particularly in rural areas where the farmers now have to guard their standing crops. The cattle ponds coming up in all the districts in accordance with the policy adopted by the Parkash Singh Badal government in the state would go a long way in dealing with this problem, although not entirely.  The number of stray cattle continues to rise. Earlier, these cattle used to be sold to traders in other states dealing with skins and hides. It is the economy too that is affected.

Significantly, Punjab is one state in which the members of Namdhari community sacrificed their lives for the protection of cow during the British regime and there is no parallel in the country.  The state being agriculturally the most advanced in the country, farming was dependent on ox, the progeny of cow and hence the reverence for this animal, not for its milk as such. Farm operations are now totally mechanized in Punjab and ox has now only come to be associated with races at rural sports.

The worry of the farmers is that a cattle herd can destroy  crops in hundreds of acres overnight, such is the increase in the numbers. After several cases of violence relating to attacks on trucks carrying stray animals, the truckers refuse to transport cattle, and rightly so. None knows as to what to do with these cattle that are of no use to anyone. In the absence of adequate arrangements with gaushalas and NGOs coming forward, the Badal government took the initiative of taking care of the stray cattle by setting up of cattle ponds. It is a matter of time before the arrangement is put in place in all the districts. But then this is a problem that can’t be tackled at the level of the state government only. It is the NGOs running gaushalas that would have to come forward not only in Punjab but in all the states where this problem is serious.

The farmers organisations are already taking up this issue at various levels as  it has very serious dimensions by way of increase in social tension resulting in law and order problem. The self-styled animal lovers are only adding to this problem by not coming up with any supporting arrangements.

It may be mentioned that Punjab is already witnessing several problems in the agrarian economy but it is the stray cattle that has the potential to emerge as one of the most alarming. It is the government at the centre that too would have to come forward.Unimaginative approach to stray dogs is already creating big problem everywhere. But then the Badal government must be complimented for  adopting pragmatic approach.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Classes Underway in Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)

To study and research into a particular field, thorough and deep study of the subject is important. Agriculture is the back bone of Punjab. A lot of people from the state are involved in the field of agriculture. To study and research more in the field of agriculture, the highly acknowledged Punjab Agricultural University plays a vital role.

Agriculture has always been an important sector in terms of employment, research and economy. With new technologies coming in, a lot of reforms are being done in the agricultural sector of India. In Punjab, the Punjab Agricultural University plays a significant role in bringing new changes and improvements in the field of agriculture. The researchers and students at the university are always keen to come up with new methods for better, improved and increased production.

Established in 1962, PAU is known to serve the state of Punjab in the most important matters of agriculture. The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is located in Ludhiana city of the Punjab state. It is well connected by road and rail with Delhi and all the other prominent areas. The Punjab Agricultural University is spread over an area of 1510 acres on its main campus and 4615 acres at the regional research stations. The university is modelled on the pattern of land grant colleges in U.S.A.

The PAU has played a crucial role in increasing food grain production in Punjab. It has also made significant contributions in increasing livestock and poultry production. The classes for this session have begun in the 28 departments of the university that offers 31 Master's and 30 Ph.D. programmes.The classes at PAU are designed in such a way that the theoretical and practical methods go hand in hand for the better understanding of the students. The classes at PAU offer full assistance to the students in order to understand the various concepts in the field of agriculture.

PAU is not merely offering specialised courses in the field of agriculture, the university also covers different fields of science, engineering, education and design for the benefit of students. It understands the importance of revolution in the field of agriculture. Thus, the university is entirely devoted to bringing better reforms in the field of agriculture for the better productivity of the state.

Classes at PAU are very systematic. The faculty is well experienced and they try every possible measure in order to ensure that the students are getting the best education and knowledge through them. Due to its consistent performance, PAU has been ranked the best agricultural university in India by the Indian Council of Agricultural research (1995).

PAU offers an amalgamation of the best research and practical education in the field of agriculture. Students from all over the country want to get into PAU so that they can contribute in the field of agriculture.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Punjab, best in country in surface transport: CMIE Report

Haryana and Gujarat surprise by being among the worst in the country

Railways and roadways are the two most important arms of infrastructure of any state. Greater connectivity and consequently greater mobility of goods and services enable prosperity. India’s railway density is about 20 km of railway tracks per thousand square km of area.

West Bengal and Punjab are the top two states in terms of railway density with a density of 44 km and 42 km, respectively. Railway density is nearly twice the national average in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh - the next two states in the pecking order. It is the lowest in Jammu & Kashmir, in the hilly states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and in the largely forested Chhattisgarh. Kerala tops all major states in terms of density of roads. At 5,178 km, its road length per thousand square km of area is well over four times the national average of 1,174 km. West Bengal and Assam are the other two states with a high density of road network. States with low road density are Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Punjab has combination of quality & quantity

Punjab has the best combination of quantity and quality of transport infrastructure. First, its rail density is high at 42 km per square km of area. Second, 91 per cent of its roads are surfaced. It boasts of the highest proportion of surfaced roads among all major states. This is in spite of the fact that over 70 per cent of its roads are rural roads. Third, its overall railway tracks and roadways density ranks fairly high at 4 out of 20.

Gujarat and Haryana surprise us by their poor ranks in terms of this basic infrastructure of railway track and road length. Only Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand are worse off than them. All three states are largely less inhabited and covered by forests. The poor reach of railways and roads in these three states is, therefore, partly understandable. Only partly, because Jharkhand’s large natural resources and Madhya Pradesh’s central location in India gives them reasons to reap benefits of their natural advantages by setting up better transport facilities. But Gujarat and Haryana turning out to be worse than Bihar, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh is the biggest surprise in this ranking. 

Haryana’s proximity to Delhi and Gujarat’s proximity to Mumbai have created fairly busy transportation corridors. The Delhi-Jaipur corridor cuts across Haryana and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor has been an old, busy industrial corridor. But these advantages have evidently not been able to offset the poor transport facilities in the rest of Gujarat and Haryana. Besides the busy industrial corridor in southern Gujarat, its large number of sea ports would have warranted a more dense surface transport network. But the state has failed on this count.

Punjab has maximum surfaced roads

Punjab tops the major states and it is followed by Maharashtra, which ranks eighth in terms of the railway track and road length per unit area and population. But barring Punjab, all the other states above it have a much lesser share of surfaced roads. In Maharashtra, 83 per cent of the roads are surfaced. Tamil Nadu would be a close third with 82 per cent roads being surfaced.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Progressive Punjab with Social Initiatives

Taking initiatives towards the progressive Punjab, the Punjab government is doing every important measure that can be done in order to take the state towards new heights.

Recently, the Punjab government has banned playing of “vulgar songs” and “provocative music” in the state run buses. This initiative is taken by the government not only to assure dignified and safe environment for women in the state-owned buses but also to improve the overall atmosphere of the Punjab roadways. In this regard, random checks and visits will take place in the buses by senior officials to assure the impact of the order.

This order will also help in better transportation facility for the passengers and more focussed driving by the drivers because of reduced distraction. Further this will help in reducing the number of road accidents in the state.

The state is also ready to give  in all the villages by the end of this year. This is one of the major initiatives taken by the Punjab government in order to spread the digital India access and make this dream a reality throughout the state. Punjab Deputy, Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal assured that all the villages of Punjab will get 4G connectivity. By doing this, Punjab will become the first state in India to connect its villages with 4G.

Punjab is ready to be the smartest city in India with all its villages getting 4G internet connectivity. Development in Punjab not only means the development of the cities of Punjab, but it means the overall development, where the cities and villages will go hand in hand.

Punjab BJP President Shri Kamal Sharma has welcomed the decision taken by the Punjab Cabinet by giving nod for the land requirement for setting up a satellite centre of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) at Ferozepur.  Mr. Sharma said that it was the untiring efforts and regular perusal by him for getting the land that has borne desired results.  This project will be a landmark in the health services of Punjab.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal also kicked off a train from Malerkotla to Ajmer.
After winning the by-poll to Khadoor Sahib Seat, the SAD government is all set to work on major development projects there.

The local government of Ludhiana said that they would work very hard to make Ludhiana the smartest city of India. Ludhiana was recently selected in the top 100 cities to be developed into smart cities.
Paying his tributes to the martyrs of the Pathankot attack, Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has announced financial assistance of Rs. 25 lakhs and government job to the next kin of the two martyrs from Punjab. The state government has said that they will provide full support and assistance to the families of the martyrs.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Achieving with Punjab Institute of Sports

Undoubtedly, the achievements in the field of sports have created a benchmark in the nation’s history. There are a plethora of budding sports persons in our country who have enormous potential for further growth in this arena. Talking about the personalities we have, boxer Vijendra Singh, the tennis ace Saina Nehwal, the shooting champion Abhinav Bindra to name a few, and many more who are in the same league but have not been recognized yet. They have brought laurels to the nation by their extra ordinary performances at the inter-national level. 

These were as far as the national level is concerned. But all these big names once started from nadir. Still there are a lot of people who do not receive enough facilities to make up for their dreams. These sophomores have great ability to further go ahead with their skills, but many of them are unable to do so mainly due to lack of resources, proper training including proper sports environment, good sports hygiene, proper living conditions, etc. Consequently, a surfeit of excellent sports persons is lost. 

To make up for this, the Punjab government has started the Punjab Institute of Sports in Mohali. It is a place where the emerging sports personalities are given free training, along with hostel and diet facilities to make significant contribution in improving the national medal tallies in Asian , Common wealth and Olympic games. With this Punjab has become the first state to formulate and implement its comprehensive sports policy with special focus on creating world class sports infrastructure along with specialized training for high potential players. In this one of its kind place, around 500 high potential players are given rigorous training to make them competent enough to earn their names in their respective sports. 

A large sum of money is invested in this plan which is all worth the laurels that these people will further bring to the nation. Additional job opportunities and resources are also given to these people so that they can easily excel. Many extra events are also organized to boost up their morale and give them the feeling of competition. The dieticians and the coaches are employed after comprehensive evaluation so that no aspect should remain neglected. Adding to all this, international hostels are also built up like the one in Jalandhar so that the people do not face any difficulty while living there and can concentrate completely on their game. 

In a nut shell, this incentive is a great movement to improvise the conditions of the neophytes by giving them ample facilities. This will do wonders by building up their skill, stamina and interest. Moreover, this will encourage others to develop more interest in the field of sports. Furthermore, keeping in mind the current scenario of Punjab, this will help to channelize the energy of the youth in the right direction, keeping them away from any undesirable and anti-social activities. So not only beneficial to the sports persons this institute also has a lot to do for others simultaneously.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Fish Farming gets a Boost in Punjab

Fish farming is looking up in the state of Punjab, where it is mainly being taken up by the farming community as allied activity for diversification. It is done on land used for agriculture land in low lying areas and in village ponds.

The Punjab government has been working for the fish farmers and had last year come up with the free insurance scheme which covers all fish farmers through Fishcofed. It came as a welcome decision for 8000 fish farmers in the state.

Keeping their interest in mind the government has recently come up with another project as per which they would train fish farmers for preparing fish products.

In the said project scientists from Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University for training farmers in preparing food items from raw fish. The government has also announced a grant of Rs 5.86 crore which would be put to use for renovation of Punjab’s biggest fish-breeding farm at Fatehgarh Sahib.

Under the free insurance scheme the premium is being paid by the government. Last year the government covered over 3000 fish farmers in 14 districts of Punjab, including Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ferozepur, Patiala, Roopnagar, Amritsar, Moga, Hoshiarpur, Sangrur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Faridkot and Bathinda.

As per the free insurance policy, a relief of Rs 10,000 is given for fish farmers towards their hospitalization and the Punjab government is contributing 50 percent towards its premium as the government offers 50 percent subsidy for all its districts.

There is a special attraction for those having 1 acre land being used for fish farming they get Rs 60,000 for digging as per the decision and also 20,000 for feed purposes and 18,000 for purchase of aerator.

As per this special insurance scheme the family of a fish farmer is compensated with Rs 2 lakh compensation in case of death while Rs 1 lakh is given in case of permanent handicap. The scheme provides for Rs 10,000 in case a fish farmer is hospitalized. The Punjab government is contributing 50 percent of the premium.

The biggest fish breeding farm which has not been renovated since 1990 when it was built as per Kesar Singh Kheri, Assistant Director, Fisheries, Fatehgarh Sahib and it will take two months for renovation work to be completed.

In the state of Punjab fish is consumed mainly by migrants and the government has decided to come up with an ornamental fish unit at a cost of Rs 13.5 lakh, which will be another unique venture to encourage the fish farming community.

As per estimates, about 4000 to 6000 fish can be kept in a one acre pond and 25 quintals fish can be produced per acre in a year. This can help in earning Rs 65,000 profit about Rs 1 lakh as selling price for fish is Rs 100 per kg in wholesale market.


 Box: Promoting Fish Farming in Punjab

•  8000 fish farmers to benefit from insurance
•  50 per cent subsidy on fish farming
•  Renovation plan for state’s fish breeding farm
•  Ornamental Fish Unit to be set up in the state
•  Hatchery Complex worth 27 lakh already built
•  Department supplies 1000 breed in Rs 100

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth

Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna (BPSSBY)

In a unique initiative aimed at giving a ‘healing touch’ to the poor and disadvantaged sections of the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal launched the Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna (BPSSBY) for providing cashless Health Care Services to the families below the poverty line (BPL).

The scheme is a big reprieve to the people of these unprivileged sections by providing them the quality health-care services, free of cost. Under the scheme, the beneficiaries would be issued the smart cards which would enable to them to avail the benefit of cashless health care facilities of up to Rs. 30000 per annul. For this scheme, the leading insurance companies of the country have been roped in by the state government to give this unique benefit to the poor people.

Underscoring the need to provide quality health care to people, the Punjab government has committed to make Punjab a disease-free state.

The government has spent Rs. 350 crore to upgrade health infrastructure in the state, giving priority to the cancer treatment.

Under the scheme, upto 5 members of the family can be enrolled. Family will comprise the head of the family, spouse and up to 3 dependents.

The enrollment centers for registration of beneficiaries would operate at village and ward level and finger prints and photographs of all five members would be required for enrollment and Smart Card will be issued on the spot at enrollment station.

A state-of-the-art cancer hospital is coming up at Mullanpur near Chandigarh on the lines of Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital in Mumbai and the government has allotted 50 acres of land for the purpose.

The package rate has been fixed for most of the illnesses including some day care procedures as well. Pre-existing conditions/diseases are to be covered from the first day of the start of policy. “Coverage of health services for the defined day care treatments/ procedures, transport allowance of 100 per hospitalization are subject to an annual ceiling of 1000 at the time of discharge in cash and pre, post hospitalization costs up to one day and up to 5 days respectively”, he added.

Search Result

Progressive Punjab, sukhbir singh badal, Developing Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Punjabi Virsa, Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Insights, Bikram Singh Majithia, Punjab Youth