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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid resentment against land pooling, CM Mann interacts with villagers in Ludhiana
Amid the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's proposed land pooling policy facing massive backlash and opposition in rural areas, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann Sunday reached Ludhiana villages to 'seeks suggestions from farmers on vital issues to create Rangla Punjab.' The chief minister's office said that 'instead of a cosy sofa, Mann interacted with villagers sitting under a tree' in Samrala and Libra of Ludhiana district, and 'sought their vital inputs regarding the carving out of Rangla Punjab and apprised them about key initiatives of his government.' 'There were no cozy sofas or the formalities of government protocol in usual meetings of the state government but there was a sense of belongingness where a Chief Minister visited the ground to open his mind with the people and get feedback from them,' said a statement. Mann said that at the time he assumed office, only 21% of canal water was being used for irrigation but today that number has risen to 63%. He said that it was 'for the first time the water of canals and rivers have reached the villages in the tail end of the state.' Mann also mentioned that his government successfully safeguarded Punjab's water resources from being diverted to other states. He informed the farmers that in order to avoid complications to them in selling their paddy harvest due to high moisture content in October, the state government has advanced the paddy cultivation season. He said that zone wise cultivation of the paddy crop has been ensured in the state along with necessary planning and arrangements. Mann said that the state was divided into zones to implement this sowing mechanism in an effective manner and the dates of paddy cultivation in a phased manner were announced soon so that farmers can take benefit from it. Mann said that he had called the Union Food Minister and urged that now the procurement of paddy must start from September 15 so that the farmers of the state can sell their in a smooth and hassle free manner. He also spoke about the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna — the first-of-its-kind scheme in the country that provides cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh for every resident family in Punjab. He claimed that Punjab was the first state to offer such comprehensive healthcare coverage. The Chief Minister said that his government has revived 15947 water courses in the state due to which water has reached at the tail ends even in remotest villages. Expressing concern over big fat weddings in the state, the Chief Minister said that they are putting a huge burden on the pockets of the common farmers. Bhagwant Singh Mann, while batting for simple weddings, said that it is the need of the hour so that farmers can be pulled out of the vicious circle of debt. He quipped that the top leaders of the opposition parties are not even aware of the basic Punjabi due to which they can't read or write it well. Mann said that these leaders who had took education from high end schools were poor in speaking Punjabi due to which they can't connect with masses.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
Random search of single-use plastic items led to large seizures in JSR, many fined
Jamshedpur: The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has launched a random survey and seizure drive against the supply, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the banned plastic items under its command areas. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In its two random inspections in the first week of July, the Swachhta Enforcement Squad (SES) of the municipal body has found that single-use plastic items are in wide circulation mostly among the footpath vendors and the grocery retailers. Single-use plastic carry bags are also in circulation among the vegetable and fruit sellers, besides readymade cloth vendors on the footpath of the Sakchi market, said city manager, Jyoti Punj, who is a member of the enforcement squad. Punj said grocery retailers in the Golmuri and Sakchi markets have been penalised for using the single-use plastic carry bags. The vendors operating food carts on the roadside were using the banned plastic spoons, plates, cups and crockery items for holding the food and serving it to the customers, he said in a warning to users of the banned item. "Apart from seizing the banned items, a penalty of Rs 75,000 has been imposed on the traders for the violation of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021," the city manager said. The official further said the traders have been warned that their trade and vendor licenses would be suspended if they were found violating the rules a second time. He also said the SES, comprising revenue and sanitation officials, besides the city managers, are focusing on the awareness aspect so that the customers and buyers are encouraged to say no to the prohibited items. "The use of prohibited plastic carry bags has visibly come down but to achieve zero net use, we need total cooperation of the people, including the traders and the buyers," he added. Other JNAC officials said Sakchi, Golmuri, Sidhgora and Kadma markets were on their radar as these places have a large number of grocery and vendor shops and draw customers in big numbers.
Business Recorder
21-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Clinics-on-Wheels
EDITORIAL: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched the second phase of her government's Clinics-on-Wheels project. In a healthcare system fraught with delayed diagnosis and overburdened hospitals this can be a path-breaking initiative, particularly for the role mobile health units are to play in detecting and preventing disease before it takes root. The 911 mobile clinics spread all across Punjab represent one of the most practical and impactful ways for addressing public health issues, especially in underserved and remote areas. As the CM explained, one of the most important contributions these clinics are to make is through early screening and timely diagnosis. We all know that detecting health issues in their early stages allows for timely intervention, lessening both suffering and long-term therapeutic costs. Yet many chronic but treatable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hepatitis, and certain cancers remain undetected until they cause complications. More often than not, those affected belong to low income groups or rural communities with little or no access to primary care, not to mention tertiary health services. Offering routine screenings and basic diagnostics right at the doorstep, mobile clinics can enable early identification of at risk individuals, and deliver free of cost treatment, too. Another major area where Clinics-on-Wheels are set to make a crucial contribution is vaccination and immunisation, integral to infectious disease prevention and control. By bringing vaccines directly into communities, especially those living in far-flung areas, mobile units can maximize immunisation coverage, reducing the spread of communicable diseases by achieving broader health goals, like 'herd immunity' (think of Covid-19 and poliovirus). Yet another area that stands to benefit from the project is maternal and child health. Mobile clinics are to provide antenatal checkups, nutritional guidance, and safe delivery referrals— all of which play a useful role in preventing complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Postnatal services include checkups and immunisation for the newborns, thereby protecting the babies against long-term health issues. Last but not the least, these mobile clinics can become a great source for collecting data about common illnesses, vaccination rates, and nutritional deficiencies, helping relevant authorities make informed policy decisions regarding old/ new health threats. Dwelling on the related issue of corrupt practices involving free of cost medicines Maryam Nawaz mentioned having seen cartons of medicines lying in hospitals stores and the patients being denied free medicines. To guard against the problem she said 'no doctor in any hospital can order [patients or their attendants to buy] medicines from outside.' There is a simpler yet more effective way of stopping such malpractices, which is to have all medicines purchased for government hospitals stamped 'NOT FOR Sale.' One can only hope the Punjab government's Clinics-on-Wheels initiative serves as a successful role model for all provinces in building a healthier and equitable system, wherein prevention truly becomes better than cure. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
