September 30, 2024: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann resumed work at the Chief Minister’s Office today after being discharged from the hospital. He was hospitalized four days ago due to an unexpected health issue and received discharge in the evening. Upon returning home, he immediately began a series of government review meetings.
Doctors advised him to avoid excessive work. In the past few days, he has cleared important files from the Mohali hospital. His Chief Secretary, Vikram Singh, discussed financial department-related files with him, and the Chief Minister signed the necessary documents. Today evening, he discussed government matters with Electricity Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and had talks about stubble management with Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian. The Chief Minister has also convened a meeting regarding stubble management. He held meetings with senior officers to address pending and essential files.
He sought information from Chief Secretary Anurag Verma about various departmental activities. Earlier today, Congress MLA Pargat Singh, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Sandhu, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains visited the Chief Minister to inquire about his health. Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian also conducted an ardas (prayer) for the Chief Minister’s recovery at the Sohna Gurudwara Sahib in Mohali. Cabinet ministers reached out via phone to check on his well-being. Bhagwant Mann was admitted to Fortis Hospital on Wednesday night due to sudden health deterioration and was under medical supervision in the ICU on the third floor.
Commitment to Purchase Every Grain of Crop: Chief Minister
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured the state’s farmers that every grain of their harvested crops would be purchased while reviewing the purchasing arrangements for paddy. He instructed officials to ensure farmers do not face any difficulties in the markets. He stated that the government is fully prepared to buy the paddy crop. The target for paddy purchase in Punjab is 1.85 million metric tons, and the Reserve Bank of India has already released ₹41,378 crores for this purpose. The Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure immediate procurement of crops and emphasized that any delays or negligence would not be tolerated. He also instructed the Deputy Commissioners to conduct daily visits to 7-8 markets to oversee operations on the ground. Additionally, he offered relief to rice mill owners, stating that this purchasing season, the first 750 mill owners to apply for custom milling allotments would receive 25% more paddy than what is allocated based on policy.
