PUNJAB CM SPEAKS TO SUSHMA SWARAJ ON INDIANS HELD HOSTAGE BY ISIS IN MOSUL
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has assured Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace and facilitate the return of the 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who had been held hostage in Mosul since 2014.
Reacting to reports that the families of the Indian hostages were trying to locate their kin after the release of Mosul by Iraq from the ISIS forces, Captain Amarinder called up Sushma on Monday afternoon to seek her active intervention in the matter.
In his telephonic conversation with the minister, the Chief Minister said the families of the hostages were keenly awaiting the return of their kin following Iraq’s victory over ISIS in Mosul and needed the central government’s support in bringing back their family members.
PUNJAB CM ORDERS CRACKDOWN AGAINST GUTKA, PAN MASALA BAN VIOLATION
Taking cognizance of reports of sale of banned tobacco-laced products such as Gutka and Pan Masala, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has directed the Department of Health & Family Welfare to ensure strict implementation of the ban in the state.
Despite a notification issued by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Punjab, reports suggested that sale of flavoured, scented and chewing tobacco in the state continues to take place, according to an official spokesperson, who said the Chief Minister has taken serious note of the blatant violation of the ban notification.
VIGILANCE NABS A PRIVATE PERSON RED HANDED WORKING IN SDM OFFICE
State Vigilance Bureau, during its ongoing campaign against corruption, today nabbed a private person working in the SDM office Batala red handed while accepting bribe of Rs. 10,000.
Disclosing this an official spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said Santokh Singh, a former employee of Suvidha Centre Batala, was working in the office of SDM Batala and claiming himself as reader, has been nabbed red handed on the complaint of Baldev Singh, of village Khokhar Foujian, Tehsil Batala district Gurdaspur.
CHIEF JUSTICE ADMINISTERS OATH TO SIX NEW ADDITIONAL HIGH COURT JUDGES
Chief justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar, administered oath of office to six new judges as additional judges of Punjab and Haryana high court here on Monday. The judges administered oath as judges of this court were Arvind Singh Sangwan, Rajbir Sehrawat, Anil Kshetarpal, Avneesh Jhingan, Mahabir Singh Sindhu and Sudhir Mittal.
Among those present during the oath taking ceremony included all judges of the Punjab and Haryana high court, registrar, officers of the registry, senior advocates and office-bearers of High Court Bar Association.
PUNJAB GOVERNMENT ISSUES STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO IMPLEMENT ‘PREVENTION OF HUMAN SMUGGLING ACT, 2012’
The Punjab Government has issued wide range of instructions to implement Prevention of Human Smuggling Act, 2012 (Punjab Act No. 2 of 2013) in its true spirits, appointing thereby the District Magistrate/ Additional District Magistrate of each District to be the competent authority for the purpose of the Act.
Disclosing this official spokesperson of the Department of Home Affairs and Justice said that it has been observed that people who do not know about the fact that only licensed or registered agents could be approached, have been falling in the trap at the cost of losing their valuable properties, money and ornaments ultimately realizing that they have been cheated. The agents who are not registered or licensed by the government have been taking money and sending the people abroad and the gullible citizens have been falling in their trap. He said that the people at large have been warned not to contact any unregistered or unlicensed person/agent and not to give any amount to them. He said that the Punjab Government has also issued instructions to all the District Magistrates in each district to publish the list of registered agents and to warn the citizens not to go to such unauthorized agents.
PUNJAB GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THE RIGHTS & HONOUR OF WOMANHOOD BE UPHOLD: BRAHM MOHINDRA
‘ Punjab Government is fully aware of its commitment and would ensure the honour and rights of the women are protected’ it was said by Mr. Brahm Mohindra while delivering a keynote address at the seminar at the topic of ‘ Beti Bachchao Beti Padhao’ being organized by the Photo Journalist Welfare association.
The Health Minister said that ‘ Beti Bachchao Beti Padhao’ is a very sensitive and relevant issue which is of utmost importance in the modern scenario. He said that it is matter of academic and social research that why the India is still fighting to secure the basic rights of the women and to strike a balance in the disturbed sex ratio of the country. He said that Congress Government has always played a leading role for protecting the rights of the women folk. He said that Congress Government in Punjab has taken a revolutionary step by giving 50% reservation to the women in Local Bodies Department.