Chandigarh, August 16:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government will completely transform school education department that will write new chapter of Punjab, disclosed Mr. Harjot Singh Bains, Cabinet Minister, Punjab, here while highlighting achievements of about five month tenure of the state government.
Mr. Bains said, a large-scale recruitment campaign is being conducted in the school education department soon, under which deserving youths will get jobs, adding that the detailed survey of 19123 schools of the state is being conducted with the aim of improving school education and to get equitable information about condition of the schools. He said that 100 schools of eminence will be established in the state of Punjab.
For the first time in the history of the state, said Mr. Bains, a dedicated policy has been brought for the crusher industry. Apart from this, the price of gravel has been fixed along with sand.
He said that DSR survey of mining areas is being conducted for the first time in the state. As many as 328 cases have been registered against illegal miners since 19 March, 2022 till date and 298 vehicles have also been seized since 15 April 2022 till date, while three crushers have been sealed so far and 89 ‘R notices’ have been issued.
The Cabinet Minister has said, “we have not only taken action against those involved in illegal mining, but action has also been taken against the erroneous officials of the department. And, five officials and employees have been suspended while charge sheet and show-cause notices have been issued to 21 officials.
Giving information about the work being done by the Water Resources Department, Bains said that new irrigation projects are being started soon so that canal water can be brought to every farm in the state. He said that the work of the Shahpur Kandhi Dam has been intensified and the project will be completed in the next one and a half years, which will not only provide more efficient power supply to the people of Punjab but also stop the water going to Pakistan and to be used for irrigation of Punjab’s fields.
He said that for the first time in the state, the drains have been properly cleaned in the real sense. Apart from this, efforts are being made to save the underground water.
Divulging about the works being done by the prison department, Bains said that 2829 mobile phones and 1544 sim cards have been confiscated from various jails of the state of Punjab till date after the government assumed power. “Punjab government has adopted a zero tolerance policy regarding the use of mobile phones in jails and action has also been taken against many officials in these cases”, he said, while adding that as per the decision of the state government, any prisoner found with a mobile phone will be remanded by the district police for throughout investigation into the matter.
S. Bains said that the government is in touch with reputed companies including BSNL, BECIL, ECIL and BEL to install jammer in jails. He said that till now drug survey of 26000 prisoners has been conducted. Of which, about 2600 drug addict prisoners have enrolled in Peer Support.
