Panjab CM Recovers, Panchayat Elections Announced

On 25 Sep, Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann was admitted to Fortis Hospital in SAS Nagar. He underwent a series of tests and was diagnosed with bacterial infection leptospirosis which spreads through contaminated food or water. He was discharged 30 Sep after all his parameters returned to normal. On 23 Sep, CM Mann removed his Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Onkar Singh, shortly after four AAP ministers were asked to step down from the cabinet (SDW Vol. 2 Issue 39, Story 1). Onkar Singh, a close ally of CM Mann and a key figure in the CM’s Dhuri assembly segment, was appointed as OSD in August 2022 as a reward for his loyalty. Meanwhile, on 25 Sep, the Punjab State Election Commission announced Panchayat (village council) elections to be held across the state on 15 Oct. Voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. using ballot boxes, and the votes will be counted on the same day at the polling stations. Raj Kamal Chaudhuri, Punjab State Election Commissioner has implemented the Model Code of Conduct in all villages where polling is to be held, effective immediately and remaining in force until the completion of the electoral process. The filing of nominations will begin on 27 Sep, and the last date for submission is 4 Oct. Elections will be conducted for 13,237 Sarpanch (head of council) positions and 83,437 Panch (member of council) positions. The total electorate consists of approximately 13.4M voters. About 96,000 personnel will be deputed on election duty at 19,110 polling booths. In December 2023, the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the Panjab govt. to submit a schedule for Panchayat elections, but it still took the govt. 9 months to conduct them. 

On 25 Sep, a delegation from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) met Meghalaya Chief Secretary Donald Phillips Wahlang, to oppose the proposed demolition of the recently rebuilt 200-year-old Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara in Panjabi Lane, Shillong. SGPC said Sikhs have been living in the city for over 175 years and the govt. must protect their housing rights and preserve the religious site. Jagmohan Singh, convener of Save Shillong Sikhs, emphasized that SGPC’s presence was not to cause disruption but to help resolve the matter peacefully. Meanwhile, in Dhubri, Assam, preparations for Shahidi Purab in December were disrupted at Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib. On 22 Sep, Bhagel Singh, interim President of the Sikh Pratinidhi (representative) Board Eastern Zone alleged that Bhupinder Pal Singh and Parminder Singh Manchanda, President of Manipur Shiv Sena, disrupted the Board meeting. Community members faced police harassment, including vehicle checks, detentions, and the confiscation of member Gurbhej Singh’s licensed revolver. The Sikh community is filing multiple First Information Reports in various districts of Assam. In Karnataka, Baljeet Singh, a member of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission said that despite a Sikh population of around 200K in the state, the community lacks govt. support. The govt. has not responded to the community’s proposals for Sikh-managed schools, colleges, hospitals, and a residential colony. The Sikh community plans to collaborate with the SGPC to press the Karnataka govt. for action. In Mumbai, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has filed a complaint with the police against Maitri Park Cooperative Housing Society and Shoden Developers for not rebuilding a Gurdwara demolished during redevelopment of the housing society.

Clashes erupted at Delhi University’s Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College between two student groups, leading to the assault of a Sikh student. The conflict occurred outside the college principal’s office where students gathered in protest over the institution’s decision to not participate in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections on 27 Sep. This decision was upon instructions from the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). In the clash, Pavit Singh Gujral was dragged, kicked, and had his turban forcibly removed. The police have registered the case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (new penal code, BNS), including intentional actions to offend religious sentiments and threats of criminal intimidation. The college principal had previously written to the Delhi University administration, stating the college would conduct its own student elections under the guidance of the Staff Advisory Committee, as directed by the DSGMC. This decision, opposed by both the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and INC’s National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), led to protests and tensions, with ABVP filing a petition challenging the dissociation of DSGMC colleges from DUSU. Despite the ongoing investigation, the college has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident. In another incident on 15 Sep in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, a Sikh Army officer and his fiancée were involved in a street brawl with college students. Later when they went to file a First Information Report, the police locked up the officer for a few hours and assaulted his fiancée. Though the incident is not a hate crime against a particular religion, it has evoked criticism against the police force by Army officials. Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and INC leader Rahul Gandhi have called for a judicial inquiry.

On 25 Sep, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) granted relief to 1,158 assistant professors and librarians in Panjab by allowing their recruitment, overturning a single bench ruling from 2022 that had rejected the initiative. The Panjab govt. had contested this decision highlighting that the recruitment process, which began in Oct 2021 ahead of the Panjab assembly elections, had been stalled for over three years. During the hearing, the Panjab govt.’s counsel demanded the immediate allotment of stations to the 607 candidates who had already been selected and the 135 who had joined, while addressing the pending station allotment for the remaining 472 assistant professors. Leaders of the 1,158 Assistant Professors and Librarians’ Union later met with state education minister Harjot Singh Bains to express their gratitude for his support throughout the legal proceedings (SDW Vol. 1 Issue 7, Story 2). Meanwhile, since 22 Sep, students at the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) in Patiala began protesting against Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Jai Shankar Singh, demanding his resignation over allegations of entering the girls’ hostel without prior notice and making sexist remarks. The university administration formed a nine-member committee to address the grievances but on 27 Sep closed the university until further notice. The protesting students submitted a representation to the PHHC Chief Justice – the ex-officio Chancellor of the university – demanding the VC’s resignation. The Panjab state Women’s Commission wrote to the President of India Droupadi Murmu asking her to remove the VC. 

In Ludhiana, on 23 Sep, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has formed joint teams comprising the MC, Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to crack down on dairy owners dumping cow dung into the Buddha Nullah in Ludhiana. Since dairy owners have already received notices in the past, officials have now given them two days to make alternative arrangements. Public announcements have been made in the dairy complexes on Haibowal and Tajpur roads to inform owners of the new directives. Through a written communication on 25 Sep, the PPCB has also issued a directive to over 200 dyeing units located on Tajpur Road, Bahadurke Road, and Focal Point in Ludhiana to cease discharging effluents into Buddha Nallah or any other surface water body. The PPCB mandated that dyeing units either reuse the treated water or utilize it for irrigation purposes, highlighting that without immediate arrangements for water reuse, the future of these units remains uncertain. Previously, on 3 May 2013, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) managing common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) at the aforementioned locations received environmental clearance with the condition that treated water would not be discharged into Buddha Nullah. The Kale Pani da Morcha (Front Against Black Waters) civil movement had announced they would dam Buddha Nullah from 1 Oct (SDW Vol. 2, Issue 30, Story 7).

The Panjab govt. has canceled 600 bus permits due to illegal consolidation and regulatory violations – 30% of which are linked to former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. This decision, announced on 20 Sep by Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, follows a comprehensive review of composite permits under Rule 80-A of the Punjab Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The review uncovered widespread irregularities, particularly in permits issued when SAD and INC were in power from 2007 to 2017. An investigation revealed that multiple permits were often issued as a single entity, allowing operators to retain unauthorized return trips. Bhullar has also instructed Regional Transport Authority (RTA) secretaries to scrutinize all composite permits within their regions to ensure compliance with the rules. In other news, on 25 Sep, the Greater Ludhiana Development Authority (GLADA) demolished two unauthorized colonies in Threekay and Jhande villages on the outskirts of Ludhiana as part of its ongoing drive against unauthorized and unplanned development. The govt. has started a special drive to take punitive action against those exploiting innocent residents by promising cheaper plots in these unauthorized colonies, which lack statutory sanction and compliance with govt. norms. Prospective buyers can verify the list of approved and regularized colonies, along with their sanctioned maps, on the official GLADA website before buying any property. Meanwhile, after two decades of delays, the Chandigarh administration has revived plans to relocate the Sector 26 grain market to Sector 39, deciding to auction 92 shops within a month from 25 Sep. For the first time, the auction will be open to the public, and the shops will be allotted on a 99-year leasehold basis. Each 120-square-yard shop has a reserve price of approximately $600K. 

The Panjab govt. is revisiting the Punjab Clinical Establishments Act, 2020 to regulate private hospitals, an effort previously stalled under the INC govt. led by Captain Amarinder Singh. The Act, which aims to address overcharging and ensure transparency in hospital billing, is being re-evaluated by the AAP-led govt. with a team led by Dr. Gagan Grover working on framing the necessary rules. The Act mandates that hospitals provide clear fee structures, treatment estimates, and emergency care to accident victims, among other provisions. In parallel, Union Health Minister JP Nadda criticized the Panjab govt. for not clearing dues to private hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat (Long Live India) scheme. He accused the state of mismanagement that has led to a lack of citizen access to free healthcare. The AAP govt. hit back, demanding the release of $960M in funds withheld by the Center, including $96M from the National Health Mission. AAP spokesperson and MP Malvinder Singh Kang stated that out of the $45M owed to private hospitals in Panjab for providing cashless treatment under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, $26.4M is due from the Indian govt. Meanwhile, after recent orders from the Panjab govt., prisons in the state will now have a better doctor-to-patient ratio compared to the general population. The Punjab Health Department issued orders on 9 Sep, transferring 40 doctors to jails across the state. Tarn Taran district is the most affected by this decision, with only 30 govt. doctors left for a population of 1.3M.

The Indian govt. has eliminated the $950 per metric ton floor price, which is the minimum bidding price for basmati rice exports. This move is expected to boost orders from the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas, thereby further increasing India’s global market share. As the world’s largest rice exporter, this policy change allows Indian exporters to offer basmati rice at more competitive prices. India and Pakistan are the only producers of premium-grade basmati rice; previous Indian restrictions allowed Pakistan to gain market share in some categories. Exporters like Akshay Gupta of KRBL Ltd and Gaurav Bhatia of DD International noted that the removal of the Minimum Export Price (MEP) opens up opportunities for global buyers. However, Panjab is facing a significant storage crisis ahead of its paddy procurement season. The state has concerns over where to store 18.5M metric tonnes (MT) of paddy worth $5.8B set to be purchased from 1 Oct. This procurement will generate around 123 MT of rice, but with granaries already filled with stocks of rice and wheat from previous years, finding storage space is proving difficult. Bharat Bhushan Binta, president of the Punjab Rice Industry Association, raised concerns about the effectiveness of leasing additional warehouses, noting that many rice-consuming states are now self-sufficient. Recently, a delegation from the Punjab Rice Millers association met CM Mann, who assured the issues with the Center would be addressed.

The Panjab govt. has released $1.58M under the Ashirwad (Blessings) scheme to assist in the marriages of underprivileged girls from oppressed classes and economically weaker sections. Minister for Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities, Dr. Baljit Kaur, announced that the funds have been disbursed to 2,581 beneficiaries. The scheme provides financial assistance of up to $614 for the marriage of girls belonging to low-income families. The Panjab govt. has also released $2.67M to provide honorariums to Anganwadi (paid helpers to infants and mothers) workers and helpers for community-based events conducted in the financial years 2021-22, 2022-23, and up to 30 Sep. However, Panjab is facing a crisis as its legislators feel helpless due to the absence of Member of Legislative Assembly Local Area Development (MLALAD) funds which hampers their ability to carry out development work in their constituencies. The state, burdened with a debt of $42B, has been unable to provide MLALAD or discretionary funds to its MLAs. A month ago, dejected over non-grant of funds, AAP MLA from Ludhiana (West), Gurpreet Singh Gogi, demolished a foundation stone he had laid in May 2022 for a $78M project to clean the polluted Buddha Nullah. Comparatively, MLAs in other states receive substantial MLALAD funds — for instance, Delhi MLAs receive $850K annually. An aide to the CM mentioned that while there was intent to allocate $1.2M annually to each MLA, financial constraints have prevented this. The situation has left MLAs feeling they are only attending social functions without the means to effect tangible improvements in their constituencies.

According to Saurabh Arora, CEO of University Living, Indian students collectively spent $11.7B while pursuing higher education in Canada during the last academic year. Panjab alone contributed $3.7B. The Indian Student Mobility Report (ISMR) for 2023-24 highlights Panjab, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana as the top contributors to India’s international student population. The report also reveals that Indian students’ overall expenditure on international education surged to $60B in 2023, up from $37B in 2019, and is projected to reach $70B by 2025. On an average, each Indian student spends about $27K on tuition fees alone and when accommodation and living expenses are added the total reaches approximately $40K. This means Panjab’s contribution, initially reported at $3.7B, could realistically be closer to $7B annually. The number of Indian students studying abroad is expected to grow from 1.18M in 2022 to 1.5M by 2025. Canada remains a preferred destination due to its robust academic programs, post-study work opportunities, and immigration pathways, despite recent study permit restrictions that have caused uncertainty. With Canada, Australia, and the UK tightening visa rules, Indian students are expected to face significant hurdles in securing study permits for spring 2025, prompting a shift towards alternative destinations like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, and Malta. Experts predict a 35% cut in Canada’s student intake, potentially denying 80K Indian students study permits in 2024 alone.