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Tag: Punjab CM

  • Around 51 lakh households to get zero electricity bill: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said around 51 lakh households in the state will receive zero electricity bills and asserted that the promise of 300 units of free power has been implemented from July 1.

    “I am going to share good news with Punjabis regarding electricity guarantee.. the promise of free electricity has come into effect from July 1..  the (electricity) bill for July-August will come in the first week of September.. The good news is that around 51 lakh households will get zero electricity bills – what we say, we do it,” Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi.

    बिजली गारंटी से संबंधित एक अच्छी खबर पंजाबियों के साथ साझा कर रहा हूं … 1 जुलाई से मुफ्त बिजली का वादा लागू हो गया है..जुलाई-अगस्त का बिल सितंबर के पहले हफ्ते में आएगा… खुशखबरी है कि लगभग 51 लाख घरों का बिजली का बिल ज़ीरो आएगा…हम जो कहते हैं, वह करते हैं।
    — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 16, 2022
    The AAP-led government had earlier announced that it will provide 300 units of free electricity to every household from July 1. Giving 300 units of free electricity was one of the major poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party during the Punjab assembly elections.

    ALSO READ | ‘Revadi culture’: PM Modi warns against garnering votes through freebies

    Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had promised free electricity of up to 300 units per household in the state in June last year. Kejriwal had also promised waiver of pending electricity bills and round-the-clock power supply in the state.

    In April, Mann had said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage. But scheduled castes, backward castes, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for over and above 600 units, the chief minister had then clarified.

    Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply.

    ALSO READ | Free education, healthcare not freebies, but efforts towards making India No 1: Arvind Kejriwal

    When Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented the state budget on June 27, he had said that providing 300 units of free power will put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer.

    In the state budget, a total power subsidy bill has been proposed at Rs 15,845 crore as against Rs 13,443 crore in 2021-22.

    Punjab provides subsided power to various categories and out of which, the subsidy bill on account of free electricity to the farming sector alone is around Rs 7,000 crore.

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said around 51 lakh households in the state will receive zero electricity bills and asserted that the promise of 300 units of free power has been implemented from July 1.

    “I am going to share good news with Punjabis regarding electricity guarantee.. the promise of free electricity has come into effect from July 1..  the (electricity) bill for July-August will come in the first week of September.. The good news is that around 51 lakh households will get zero electricity bills – what we say, we do it,” Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi.

    बिजली गारंटी से संबंधित एक अच्छी खबर पंजाबियों के साथ साझा कर रहा हूं … 1 जुलाई से मुफ्त बिजली का वादा लागू हो गया है..जुलाई-अगस्त का बिल सितंबर के पहले हफ्ते में आएगा… खुशखबरी है कि लगभग 51 लाख घरों का बिजली का बिल ज़ीरो आएगा…
    हम जो कहते हैं, वह करते हैं।
    — Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) July 16, 2022
    The AAP-led government had earlier announced that it will provide 300 units of free electricity to every household from July 1. Giving 300 units of free electricity was one of the major poll promises of the Aam Aadmi Party during the Punjab assembly elections.

    ALSO READ | ‘Revadi culture’: PM Modi warns against garnering votes through freebies

    Party’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal had promised free electricity of up to 300 units per household in the state in June last year. Kejriwal had also promised waiver of pending electricity bills and round-the-clock power supply in the state.

    In April, Mann had said if electricity consumption exceeds 600 units in two months, then a consumer will have to pay for the entire power usage. But scheduled castes, backward castes, below-poverty-line households and freedom fighters will be charged just for over and above 600 units, the chief minister had then clarified.

    Punjab has a two-month billing cycle for power supply.

    ALSO READ | Free education, healthcare not freebies, but efforts towards making India No 1: Arvind Kejriwal

    When Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented the state budget on June 27, he had said that providing 300 units of free power will put an additional burden of Rs 1,800 crore on the state exchequer.

    In the state budget, a total power subsidy bill has been proposed at Rs 15,845 crore as against Rs 13,443 crore in 2021-22.

    Punjab provides subsided power to various categories and out of which, the subsidy bill on account of free electricity to the farming sector alone is around Rs 7,000 crore.

  • Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann holds meeting with AAP MLAs

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday held a meeting with AAP MLAs who were asked to seek suggestions from people of their constituencies for the state budget 2022-23.

    He is also learnt to have asked the legislators to propagate the recent decisions of the state government in their constituencies.

    In the meeting, the chief minister also heard issues raised by the MLAs of their constituencies and assured to resolve them.

    AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha was also present during the interaction.

    Almost all legislators of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and cabinet ministers participated in the meeting, said party sources.

    “It was basically an interactive session,” said Amritsar East legislator Jeevan Jyot Kaur.

    The Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab had on Monday said it would seek suggestions from the general public for the state budget for the year 2022-23 and called it the ‘Janta budget’.

    A portal has also been launched for seeking opinions of all sections of the society.

    The legislators were also asked to maximise their efforts to encourage farmers to go for direct seeding of rice and get Rs 1,500 per acre as announced by the state government to check depleting underground water table.

    The state government had announced to give Rs 1,500 per acre as financial assistance to each farmer sowing paddy through direct seeding of rice technique.

    The AAP MLAs were also asked to gear up for the upcoming municipal elections.

    Patiala MLA Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said the MLAs raised issues of their constituencies.

    Finance Minister Harpal Cheema told reporters that the agenda of the meeting was to hear issues of all the legislators.

    Speaking on ‘Janta budget’, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak noted that it is the first government which is seeking suggestions from the people on the state budget.

  • SGPC asks Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to apologise for violating ‘maryada’

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: The SGPC has asked Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to seek an apology from the Sikh community for allegedly violating the ‘maryada’ of the Guru’s house by visiting it under the influence of liquor.

    The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee demanded apology days after SAD chief Sukhbir Badal on Thursday accused Chief Minister Mann of visiting Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda under the influence of liquor, an allegation strongly denied as “false and baseless” by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.

    The apex gurdwara body SGPC demanded apology from the CM saying that his visit in an alleged inebriated state was a violation of ‘Sikh maryada’ (code of conduct) and against the reverence of the Guru’s house.

    In a joint statement, SGPC senior vice-president Raghujit Singh, junior vice-president Surinder Singh and general secretary Karnail Singh Panjoli said, “Punjab CM forgetting the reverence of the Guru’s house is not only an insult to the constitutional post but it is also the height of immorality.”

    “Bhagwant Mann should immediately apologise to the Sikh world and should take care of the Sikh sentiments and the ‘maryada’ of the Guru’s house,” they added.

    Delhi BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga, meanwhile on Saturday, said he has filed a police complaint against Punjab CM Mann.

    “Filed Police complaint against Punjab CM @BhagwantMann for Entering Gurudwara Damdama Sahib in Drunk Condition. I request @DGPPunjabPolice @PunjabPoliceInd to take action on my complaint,” said Bagga in a tweet.

    The Punjab police had recently booked Delhi BJP spokesperson Bagga, who had been attacking Kejriwal over his remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’ film, on charges of making provocative statements, promoting enmity and criminal intimidation following a complaint by an AAP leader.

  • Punjab people will soon get good news, says CM Mann

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said his government will soon give a “good news” to people of the state, indicating that it could announce 300 units of free electricity to households.

    Mann also said he had a meeting with AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi. AAP had made the promise in the run-up to the Punjab Assembly polls.

    While making the announcement last year, Kejriwal did not clarify whether 300 units of free electricity will be given per month as Punjab has a two-month billing cycle.

    Earlier in the day, the ruling party in Punjab faced flak over some reports suggesting that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal summoned senior officials of the state for a meeting in the national capital.

    Mann, who was in Delhi, met Kejriwal and held discussion over the issue of giving 300 units of free electricity to people of Punjab.

    “Had a wonderful meeting with our leader and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Very soon, will give good news to the people of Punjab,” said Mann in a Punjabi tweet.

    Meanwhile, party spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang told the media here that the Punjab government’s blueprint for giving 300 units of free electricity to people is almost ready and soon an announcement in this regard will be made.

  • Punjab Chief Minister Mann calls on PM Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday in their first meeting after he was sworn in on March 16.

    Riding a wave for change, the Aam Aadmi Party won 92 seats in the 117-member state assembly in the recently held polls.

    Mann met Modi at the latter’s office in Parliament. Mann has promised a crackdown on corruption and a slew of welfare measures for the state’s population.

  • Municipal Corporation removes hoardings of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann: AAP leader Parminder Singh Dhot

    By PTI

    KAPURTHALA: An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader on Friday alleged that the Municipal Corporation authorities removed over 50 hoardings of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann from different parts of the city.

    AAP leader Parminder Singh Dhot said the local party unit had spent more than Rs 2 lakh on installing these hoardings to congratulate Mann who took oath as the Punjab Chief Minister on Wednesday.

    He alleged that Municipal Corporation (MC) authorities are still working under the influence of the Congress.

    “The MC has insulted the new chief minister by tearing the hoardings and throwing them in its garbage bin on Thursday,” he alleged.

    Dhot demanded strict action against the MC officials.

    The MC should put up the hoardings of the new chief minister at the places from where these were removed, he added.

    Dhot said he has brought the matter to the notice of the party high command.

    When contacted over the phone, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Aditya Uppal said he was not aware of the removal of the hoardings of the he would instruct the executive officer of the corporation to reinstall these.

  • AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal leaves for Punjab to attend Bhagwant Mann’s oath-taking ceremony

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday left for Punjab to attend the swearing-in ceremony of chief minister-designate Bhagwant Mann. Elaborate arrangements have been made for Mann’s oath-taking ceremony at Khatkar Kalan — ancestral village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district.

    आज पंजाब के लिए बहुत बड़ा दिन है। नई उम्मीद की इस सुनहरी सुबह में आज पूरा पंजाब इकठ्ठा होकर एक खुशहाल पंजाब बनाने की शपथ लेगा।उस ऐतिहासिक पल का साक्षी बनने के लिए मैं भी शहीद भगत सिंह के पैतृक गाँव खटकड़ कलाँ के लिए रवाना हो गया हूँ।
    — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 16, 2022
    “It’s a big day for Punjab today. In this golden morning of new hope, the entire Punjab will today come together and take a pledge to make it a prosperous Punjab. To witness that historic moment, I have also left for Khatkar Kalan, the native village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

    Over three lakh people are expected to attend Mann’s oath-taking ceremony. The chief minister-designate of Punjab had invited people to attend the ceremony, saying three crore people of the state will also take oath with him.

  • Bhagwant Mann to be sworn-in as Punjab CM in Khatar Kalan tomorrow

    By ANI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister-designate Bhagwant Mann will take oath as CM on Wednesday at Khatar Kalan, the birthplace of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

    Through a video released on Twitter on Sunday, Mann announced his oath-taking ceremony date and invited the people of Punjab to attend the ceremony at Khatkar Kalan.

    “On March 16, in Bhagat Singh’s Khatkar Kalan, not just Bhagwant Mann will take the oath and become CM, but along with me all three crore people of Punjab will also become CM. Together we will make Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s Rangla Punjab,” wrote Mann.

    Further addressing the people he said, “This government will be your own government. On March 16, I request all of you to be present at the ceremony at 10 am in Khatkar Kalan to support your brother.”

    The swearing-in ceremony of Bhagwant Mann will be a low-profile event with the absence of big political leaders.

    Mann has invited Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal to the oath-taking ceremony. According to AAP sources, apart from Kejriwal, no other Chief Minister of any state will be present in the swearing-in of Bhagwant Mann.

    Similarly, no Union Minister or any big leader of the national level has been invited for this oath-taking ceremony. Only AAP leaders and local leaders of Punjab will be present at the swearing-in ceremony.

    Sources said current caretaker Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has also not been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of Mann. However, all 117 MLAs have been invited to the ceremony. Further, the family and people close to Bhagwant Mann have been invited. These include several artists associated with Punjab.

    Meanwhile, an area of nearly 100 acres is being used for the ceremony in Khatkar Kalan in Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district on March 16. Speaking to ANI, A Venu Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary to Punjab Government, said four-five lakh people are expected to attend the event.

    “A seating arrangement for 1 lakh people has been done. More seats are being placed. The venue will be of 100 acres area–50 acres for the main event and 50 acres for parking,” he said. He also said that a travel advisory will be issued for the day for the general public in view of the ceremony.

    On the security of the event, he said, 8,000 to 10,000 police personnel will be deployed. “DGP has said that more security personnel will be provided if needed,” Sarangal added.

    “As per protocol, three stages will be set up. There would be a total of eight parking places – divided into different sectors,” he said.

    Speaking about his governing skills, Mann earlier said, “We know how to run the administration. I have been a member of this (Lok Sabha) House for seven years. People have re-elected our government in Delhi. We have the experience,” said Mann. “Many veteran politicians have lost the elections, and new people have won. I am sure new ideas will come in the state. There will be out of the box thinking in this government,” he added.

    Mann tendered his resignation from the membership of Lok Sabha to Speaker Om Birla on Monday.

    On his last day in the House as an MP, Mann told ANI, “I will miss this House. Punjab has given me a huge responsibility. I promise to the people of Sangrur that a bold voice for them will echo soon in this House.”

    Mann, who was contesting from Dhuri assembly constituency in Sangrur district, won by a margin of 58,206 votes over Congress’ Dalvir Singh Goldy. Earlier, AAP registered a landslide victory in the Punjab polls with 92 seats, pushing most of its rivals to the margins. Congress won 18 seats in the 117-member Assembly. 

  • Trust people’s judgment to deliver positive verdict in our favour: Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: On the eve of the counting of votes, former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday exuded confidence that the people of Punjab will deliver a positive verdict in favour of his party’s alliance with the BJP and SAD (Sanyukt).

    Counting of votes for 117 assembly constituencies of Punjab will be held on Thursday.

    A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray.

    After quitting the Congress following his unceremonious exit as the chief minister last year, Singh had launched his own political party — Punjab Lok Congress – and stitched an alliance with the BJP and the Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt).

    “The counting of votes marks the conclusion of the electoral festival of democracy and we are confident of outstanding results,” Singh said in a statement.

    “We trust people’s judgment to deliver a positive verdict in our favour and provide us with a chance to serve them for next five years,” he said, adding that the feedback from candidates and workers was very positive and encouraging.

    The former chief minister said people of Punjab understand the importance of a “double-engine” government that will watch and safeguard the national interest and help in reviving Punjab’s economy.

    “Promising days are ahead for Punjab,” added Singh.

    The term “double engine” is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state.

  • Former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh resolves to empower girls

    By IANS

    CHANDIGARH: On the National Girl Child Day, former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday resolved to empower the girls by giving them education, freedom and equal space.

    Singh’s fledgling the Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) is contesting the Punjab Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP and SAD (Sanyukt),

    “On #NationalGirlChildDay, I salute our girls and their accomplishments in various fields,” Amarinder Singh tweeted.

    “They are the real change-makers, truly our future. Let us resolve to empower them, give them education, freedom and equal space and see the wonders they do,” he further tweeted.

    Amarinder Singh on Sunday released the first list of candidates for 22 constituencies for the February 20 Punjab Assembly polls and announced that he will contest from his home constituency — Patiala (Urban).