PUNJAB

Amid shortage of supply from the Centre, the claims that it is not being able to use the Infrastructure it has established to administer Covid vaccine to people in the state.

The Health department is equipped to give three lakh doses per day, but is able to administer just 65,000 doses currently. Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said the state was equipped with infrastructure to vaccinate three lakh persons every day, but the Centre had failed to supply the required doses due to which the states vaccination drive was moving at a slow pace.

Till mid-April, the state was administering between 6 and 7 lakh doses on an Average. So far, the state has given 48.12 lakh doses to various groups, including healthcare workers, frontline workers and people above 18 years.

Extending a red carpet welcome to the top honchos of the , Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday invited them to invest in the State to give boost to the industrial Growth and open doors of prosperity for the youth.

Holding detailed parleys with Godrej, Hindustan Unilever, Mafatlal group, Mahindra & Mahindra, Jindal Steels and others, Mann showcased the state as the most preferred destination to these industrial units, also asking them to invest in the state.

Mann also apprised them that the State Government is making strenuous efforts to further strengthen the single window system for facilitating the investors.

During a meeting with the representatives of Hindustan Unilever, the Chief Minister asked them to expand their existing plant for tomato ketchup manufacturing in Nabha. The State Government will encourage the states farmers to sow tomatoes in Punjab thereby improving their economic lot. The company assured Mann that they will explore the feasibility of setting up their unit in the state.

The Chief Minister also had a detailed meeting with a delegation of Thyrocare an Indian multinational chain of diagnostic and preventive care laboratories. During the meeting, he apprised the companys representatives that the State Government is laying major thrust on imparting quality healthcare Services to the people. Mann also invited the company to set up a chain of laboratories in the state to benefit the people.

Punjab saw a sizeable decline in voters turnout when the State recorded 65.32 per cent polling on Sunday in comparison to a voters turnout of 78 per cent in the 2017 Assembly polls. Sundays voting will seal the fate of as many as 1,304 candidates, including 93 Women, in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Even though the polling continued even after 6 pm, and the of India released the figure of 65.32 per cent by 9:30 pm, the Office of Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) did not come out with the updated official data.

The States CEO Dr S Karuna Raju claimed that the polls remained peaceful with not a single case of disruption of poll and inducement of voters that was brought to the Commissions notice during the day.

However, several complaints were made and allegations were levelled by some party leaders and candidates over malfunctioning of EVMs, while reports of firing, clashes between two groups, skirmishes, arguments, attack on candidates, were also reported from different places.

Faced with protests by contract staff and attack by the Opposition over delay in enactment of laws on important Bills passed by the Channi-led government, the Punjab Cabinet today met Governor Banwarilal Purohit, seeking his Consent to the Bills.

Among the 12 Bills pending for clearance are The Punjab Protection and Regularisation of Contractual Employees Bill and another allowing the to terminate and re-determine power tariff paid to private power Plants through power purchase agreements (PPAs).

No less than 12 districts of Punjab and Haryana the biggest contributors to the food basket of India covering three lakh acres of farmland of 50,000 farmers in 300 villages has resulted in over 84 per cent reduction in stubble burning this season. Thanks to the Crop Residue Management (CRM) project a community-driven initiative of CII Foundation launched initially in 19 villages in 2018, covering 16,000 acres of farmland in Punjab under its Cleaner Air, Better Life initiative.

Under the project, the farmers are advised and supported to adopt the Environment-friendly alternatives through interventions focused on creating awareness about the hazards of stubble burning, offering them viable alternatives, and supporting them in adopting those viable alternatives, said the spokesperson for the Confederation of Indian (CII).

In 2021, the project covered 226 villages and two lakh acres and resulted in 84 per cent reduction in stubble burning in the intervened farmlands.

The construction workers can register themselves through this App and take benefits of various welfare schemes such as Scholarship scheme, Shagun scheme, pension scheme, and ex-gratia after submitting the applications on this app and approval of the same, said States Labour Minister Sangat Singh Gilzian, while launching the app, along with Special Chief Secretary Ravneet Kaur and Labour Commissioner Parveen Kumar Thind.

Every registered beneficiary can avail the benefits of various welfare schemes run by Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board for himself and his family by applying through the App.

Punjab and Water Conservation, Technical Education Minister Rana Gurjeet Singh on Friday laid foundation stone of a project, which would provide round the year flow of treated water for Irrigation purposes for 2,264 acres Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture land on its completion at a cost of Rs 11.10 crore.

Kickstarting the construction of Soil and Water Conservation Departments project at Piplanwali village, Rana Gurjeet said that the project would cater to irrigation needs of seven villages with proper utilization of treated waste water of Hoshiarpur city through underground pipeline systems.

The treated water from a Sewage Treatment Plant of MBBR technology having a capacity of 30 MLD would further supply to seven villages namely Piplanwala, Purheera, Bassi Daulat Khan, Singhriwal, Kuragana, Pandori Rukman and Madooli Bhrahmna for irrigation by farmers. This project would facilitate the farmers with healthy water for fields and crops and they do not need to use untreated water, as used earlier, containing harmful chemicals.

This project will ensure round the year availability of water to the farmers and treated water being rich in nutrients, will also help in increasing the yield.