Face2News/Chandigarh 

Cabinet Minister Ms. Anmol Gagan Maan today held a meeting with various officials of the Labor Department. This meeting was held at the Labour Bhawan of District SAS Nagar. During the meeting, the Cabinet Minister reviewed the works of the department in detail. In this meeting, the officers and inspectors working at the district level informed the Cabinet Minister about the difficulties faced in implementing the labour welfare schemes under the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board at the ground level.

Addressing the meeting, Cabinet Minister Madam Anmol Gagan Maan said that this government is committed to the progress of every section of the people. She said that construction workers are the pillar of our progress. Therefore, the schemes being run for the welfare of the construction workers should be fully implemented at the ground level. On this occasion, she said that during the last financial year, benefits of Rs. 35 crore were given to the workers under various schemes for the welfare of the construction workers. She said that during the first 4 months of this financial year, Rs 34 crore has been disbursed to the construction workers in their bank accounts under their welfare schemes.  

GOVT LAUNCHES A PEER SUPPORT NETWORK FOR INMATES WITH A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER/ADDICTS :  In consonance with firm commitment of Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to eliminate scourge of drugs from the state, the Punjab government in partnership with the Special Task Force has launched a Peer Support Network for inmates with a substance use disorder/addicts in 19 Punjab prisons starting from this month.

Cabinet minister for jails Mr. Harjot Singh Bains stated today said that these 19 prisons cater to more than 95% of the addict prisoners and the Peer Support Network will be extended to rest of the 6 jails in near future. He said that Peer Support is one of the 3 essential pillars of Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) model i.e. medication, peer support and counseling. Mr Bains said that it is vital in assisting victims of drug abuse from staying away from drugs and undergoing successful deaddiction treatment.

Minister further said that It is an important part of recovery process as per evidence based best practices at the national and international level. He said that Peer Support network will be established in association with Narcotics Anonymous (NA)- an international non-profit fellowship/society for helping men and women to tackle drug abuse. Mr Bains said that fellowship does not promote itself, but rather attracts new members through public information and outreach.

The Minister said that Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied substance used disorders . He further said that NA suggests that drug addiction can be prevented and recovery is possible through the NA 12-step program. Mr Bains said that in this field it has 70000 active volunteers who are spread over 144 countries and in India, it has an extensive network and in Punjab itself meetings are held regularly . 

The Minister said that peer support meetings in jails have been launched by various teams of NA with about 1540 inmates attending these in 19 jails. He said that each team of NA consists of 4-5 volunteers, who will hold the meetings in 19 shortlisted jails for a few days every week. He said that frequency of meetings will be increased once the number of attendees who are willing to join Peer Support Network rises.  

ENSURE PROVIDING BENEFITS OF GOVERNMENT SCHEMES IN MINIMAL TIME: DR. BALJIT KAUR
 
Reiterating its commitment for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Minorities, the Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann led government is ensuring the deliverance of government schemes in possible minimal time.

Stating this, the Social Justice, Empowerment and Minority Minister, Dr. Baljit Kaur instructed all the officials of department that if she received complaint of unnecessary obstruction by any official or employee for providing benefit to the beneficiary, strict action will be taken against the erring one.
While presiding over review meeting of the department here at Punjab Bhawan, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that the state government has increased budgetary allocation for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Backward Classes and Minorities by 47% as compared to the previous financial year. 

MANN GOVERNMENT TO PREPARE ROADMAP FOR DIRECT MARKETING OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS: 

The Punjab government led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann is taking concrete steps to pull out farmers from traditional wheat and paddy crop cycle in the next five years, which would be implemented at the grassroots level by promoting diversification of crops.

Charing a high level meeting with a delegation and senior officers of the Agriculture and Horticulture Department at Punjab Bhawan here today, state Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that the agriculture experts from all over the country and world are welcomed to suggest the farmers of Punjab for alternative remunerative solutions to wheat and paddy which would be implemented by the government.

The agriculture minister said a road map is being prepared by the state government to promote tissue culture in vegetables and fruits cultivation and suggestions of the agricultural experts have also been taken to make it a success. The minister said tissue culture would be promoted in the state to increase the production and quality of fruits and vegetables.

The minister furtehr said fruits and vegetables can not be stored for long and it has been learnt that most of the times, fruits and vegetables damaged during the transportation as it takes many days to reach its destination to other parts of the world by sea route. 

CITIZENS ATTAINING 18 YEARS AGE HAVE FOUR OPPORTUNITIES IN A YEAR TO REGISTER AS A VOTER

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Punjab Dr S Karuna Raju held a press conference to apprise about the commencement of Special Summary Revision - of Photo Electoral Roll w.r.t. 01.01.2023 as the qualifying date. Dr Raju apprised the media personnel that consequent upon amendment in Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and corresponding changes in the Registration of Electors Rule, 1960, provision of four qualifying dates - 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October has been introduced and these dates will come into effect from the start of revision activities from November 9, 2022.

Delivering a presentation, CEO Punjab emphasized that as per the previous rule January 1st was taken as the qualifying date and citizens attaining the age of 18 years after January 1st had to wait for next year to be eligible to apply as a voter. "Now, with amendment in the registration rule, citizens will get four opportunities in a year to register as a voter," he said.

CEO Punjab along with Additional CEO Punjab Sh. B Srinivasan, informed the media personnel that the process of collection of Aadhar number of registered electors on a voluntary basis has begun. Form 6B has been introduced for the purpose of voluntary collection of Aadhar card numbers. Electors can submit the form through online/offline mode, however, thrust shall be placed on online mode.
Dr Raju said that the pre-revision process will take place between the period of August 4, 2022, to October 24, 2022, which will include rationalization/re-arrangement of polling stations and removal of discrepancies in Demographically Similar Entries (DSEs) and Photo Similar Entries (PSEs) in EPICs. Revision activities will be held between the period of 09.11.2022 to 08.12.2022 and citizens will also get the opportunity for filing claims and objections during this period, he added.

CEO Punjab highlighted that special camps will be held on November 19 and 20, 2022, and December 3 and 4, 2022 where Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will be present at their respective polling stations.

CM LAYS FOUNDATION STONE OF SANT ATTAR SINGH STATE

Sangrur: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday laid the foundation stone of Sant Attar Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences at Mastuana Sahib to come up over an area of 25 acres with an estimated cost of nearly Rs.345.00 crores.

Reiterating firm commitment of his government to provide quality medical facilities to people, the Chief Minister said that this institute will be a step forward towards this direction. He said that this project will be a humble and befitting tribute to the great religious leader Sant Attar Singh, who propagated the message of universal love, peace and communal harmony to people. Bhagwant Mann also recalled the immense contribution of Sant Attar Singh in spreading the light of education in the entire region.